Heyang County, Wuping Township, Cheng'an Ward.
The ward head stood beneath the wooden post, holding a large drum and shouting at the top of his lungs.
Beside him stood three county soldiers, all with their heads high and chests out, looking quite imposing.
The ward immediately stirred with activity. With helpless expressions, the common people walked toward the wooden post. For the ward head to do this, he clearly had something very important to announce.
This would hold up a great deal of their work, but they could only silently hope it would not take too long this time.
As the dispirited common people gathered, heads hanging, the ward head kept fiddling with his battered drum and shouting.
A hundred or so people gathered before him.
They were all thin. Everywhere one looked, they were skin and bones. Many wore ragged clothes sewn together from several different kinds of fabric, the dirt staining them almost black.
Most wore short tunics, which made farmwork easier. None of those clothes fit, and their sunken bellies and rows of ribs were even visible.
Some carried hoes on their shoulders, while others held children.
The ward head counted the people before him once more before finally putting down his drum.
He cleared his throat and announced loudly, "Everyone, I went to the township today, and the township overseer announced something momentous!"
"I was ordered to return and tell you!"
"Listen carefully, all of you! If some superior comes to ask one day and you say you don't know, I won't let you off!"
At his words, the crowd merely gave a feeble murmur of assent.
The ward head was quite satisfied, however. He raised his head, no longer able to hide his smile. "What I'm announcing today is good news!"
The common people stood