Hu Xiaotian was receiving a visitor at his residence: Zu Dacheng, a special envoy sent by Jiang Zhengyang, Great Kang's governor of Yunyang. Zu Dacheng had come to borrow grain. Famine gripped Great Kang, and grain reserves everywhere were running dangerously low. Yunyang lay three hundred li southwest of Wuxing Commandery and had been suffering a grain shortage for some time. Jiang Zhengyang had no prior friendship with Hu Xiaotian, but desperation had driven him to swallow his pride and ask for grain.
Hu Xiaotian had received quite a few similar envoys lately, all sent by commanders of nearby cities to borrow grain, and dealing with them had left him exhausted. They had all heard that he had captured the Eastern Luo Granary and seized a considerable stockpile of provisions. Once they arrived, they invariably appealed to their ties as fellow officials and begged him for support.
Hu Xiaotian rejected every request from these fellow officials. It was not that he was heartless, but once he set a precedent, people seeking grain would come in an endless stream. Opening the floodgates was easy; closing them again would be another matter. Since he would offend people either way, he might as well treat everyone equally and refuse them all. Besides, he felt entirely justified in refusing. When Great Yong's army had attacked him, none of these fellow officials had come to his aid. Now that he had won, they were all rushing over for a share of the spoils. Where in the world could anyone expect such an easy bargain?
Naturally, Zu Dacheng did not receive the answer he wanted. He sighed. "Lord Hu, Yunyang's provisions are almost gone. The soldiers truly cannot hold on much longer."
"Mr. Zu," Hu Xiaotian said, "it isn't that I'm coldhearted. My provisions are barely