Capital City
Another snowfall drifted down. At first, it was only fine snow dust, but after a while, it turned into goose-feather flakes.
The snow fell all night. By the next day, it had dressed the entire Capital City into a city of snow. The snow on the ground generally covered one's feet, and in deeper places, it even reached the knees.
Su Ziji heard that the homes of commoners in some places had been crushed beneath the snow. No word of disaster relief had yet come from the palace, so he did not step forward himself. Instead, he had Wild Daoist donate supplies through merchant caravans that could not be traced back to the Dai Marquis Residence, doing what he could.
"Alas, in a nation ruled by imperial power, grace comes from above. Whoever provides relief to disaster victims, it is a disaster rather than a blessing."
"To aid one person may be called kindness; to aid ten invites pointing fingers; to aid a hundred brings the yamen runners questioning you; to aid a thousand means execution and the confiscation of your household."
"All the more reason I cannot do it."
On the surface, Su Ziji still kept his doors shut, ignoring worldly affairs and burying himself in painting the Thousand Blessings Painting.
"Squeak, squeak!" At noon, scratching at the study door came along with fox cries. Su Ziji had no answer for Big Fox's impatience, so he could only set down his brush and get up to open the door.
Big Fox had long since shaken the snow off its fur outside the door. The instant it opened, it rushed inside and headed for a dictionary that it and Little Fox often used, which had been placed to one side.
"Squeak! Squeak!" When Su Ziji came over, it