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Noon at the Zhou residence, a small chicken stewed with mushrooms was served along with white rice and cold mixed cabbage. Zhulan had Xing Hua take ground cornmeal and cabbage and potatoes to the servants in the back house so that they could prepare their own meal.
Zhulan did not command anyone to take charge—it was her desire to see how the newly purchased twenty servants would manage without explicit orders.
The queue for food distribution at the entrance of the government office remained. Although the food provided by the government office was old grain, it was genuine food without any filler such as stones or sand. Many of the common people, grateful for receiving the grain, kneeled and kowtowed at the entrance of the government office.
