The crescent moon hung in the sky, and the stars sparkled with silver light. The night breeze blew in, but it was still cold. Li Yi walked in front with his head held high. Looking at the sea of people on both sides, he sighed in his heart.
If he was still in the modern era, he would not be standing on a stage to announce the winners, but on a spacious stage with countless fans cheering for him. It would be perfect.
However, what was waiting for him now was not some super fan, but the commoners who were waiting to eat. In their eyes, she was not a superstar, but a father and mother who were responsible for their food and drink, an unlucky governor.
Looking around, Tang Xiaoyu felt a chill in his heart. These people were dressed in rags and were as thin as sticks. The only difference was that their eyes were no longer filled with despair. A glimmer of hope made their eyes shine with a strange light. It was as if a dying person had grabbed onto a life-saving straw, making them both excited and expectant.
As the platform got closer and closer, the people on both sides had changed. Those who could stand at the front were of course the local officials with power and influence, the Confucian scholars, the rich merchants... Their gazes were much more complicated than those of the common people. Some admired, some despised, some hated, some mocked…It was very meaningful.
Tang Xiaoyu looked at them calmly. His face was as dark as water, without any extra expression.
As he approached, an official in a blue official robe came up to him and blocked Tang Xiaoyu's way. This person was in his thirties. He had a sharp mouth and monkey-like cheeks. He had a pair of cross-eyed eyes and was thin. The official robe he was wearing seemed a little fat. He stood there like a clothes rack in front of him.
Although he had an indignant expression, he still understood the big picture. He stepped forward and bowed, saying,"This subordinate, Si Cheng Wan Li of the Inspection Department, greets the Prefecture Overseer. This subordinate…"
The guards on both sides didn't wait for him to finish speaking. They were already very dissatisfied with this person who was looking for trouble. Two burly personal guards strode forward and forcefully pulled him to the side. The officials who wanted to use this person to test Li Yi immediately began to support him. Their faces were red and their necks were thick. They quarreled, causing everyone to make a commotion.
Tang Xiaoyu stopped and looked at the officials 'expressions. He already understood their intentions.
He said with a pleasant expression,"Don't be unreasonable. Please come forward and speak."”
The two bodyguards pursed their lips and let go of the skinny monkey.
Wan Liancheng proudly adjusted his official hat and stepped forward to speak righteously." I, Wan Liancheng, would like to ask the Prefecture Overseer what crime I have committed. Your Excellency ordered Patrol Officer Hu to put me under house arrest." As an official of the imperial court, to suffer such humiliation for no reason is simply…"
Tang Xiaoyu interrupted him with a cold face and shouted,"Patrol Officer Hu!"”
Hu He stood on the stage. When he saw that someone had come out to stop him, he knew that trouble had come. He walked down in large strides and said solemnly,"Your subordinate is here."”
Tang Xiaoyu asked calmly,"Patrol Officer Hu, did you put Sicheng Wanzhong under house arrest?"”
All the officials looked at Hu He. Although they did not know why this fool had suddenly become so respectful to Li Yi, they could tell that the two of them were now on the same side. The entire military power of Ping Jin was in the hands of these two people. If they had any intentions of rebelling, all the officials would not have any room to retaliate. They could not help but secretly plan for themselves.
The corner of Hu He's mouth twitched and he sneered,"Sir, I didn't put Wan Zhong Si Cheng under house arrest." Due to the grain shortage in Pingjin, the prison had not been allocated any food. Many people had been injured or killed. The prisoners deliberately caused trouble because of this, and the situation was serious. This subordinate could only bring the prisoners out of the prison and hand them over to the Inspection Division for them to handle as they deem fit.
However, when he walked to Bowl Street, he encountered a group of villains causing trouble. Those prisoners took the opportunity to escape and mixed with the commoners, making it impossible to catch them. These escaped prisoners were all outlaws who killed and robbed. I was afraid that they would take revenge on the Pingjin officials for venting their personal anger, so I kindly sent soldiers to the official residences to protect them. He didn't want his good intentions to be treated as a donkey's liver and lungs. He actually attracted people who didn't know what was good for him and maliciously injured him, saying that his subordinates were putting the officials under house arrest. This is a serious crime, please investigate.”
Wan Liancheng stomped his feet in anger when he heard that. He shouted," Hu He, you're being too perverted. What escaped prisoners? Those prisoners should have stayed in the prison. You've failed your duty by taking them out without permission." You even let the prisoner escape. This is a sin! He actually used this as an excuse to put an official of the imperial court under house arrest. This is simply…"
Hu He rolled his eyes at him and said,"I was forced by you." If your Inspection Division refuses to issue a document, the City Treasury Division will not give me food. Although these prisoners are sinners, they starved to death in my hands. It's hard to guarantee that you won't accuse me of neglecting my duties behind my back. I have no choice but to bring her to you and let you do as you see fit!”
Ten Thousand Miles sneered,"Food?" There was a shortage of food in Pingjin now. The commoners had no food to eat, so how could there be food for the prisoners? Even if you wanted to bring him to the inspection department, do you think it's reasonable for you to lose the prisoner? Even if they run away, you have so many soldiers under you, can't you catch a few fugitives?”
Hu He said helplessly," Those prisoners are mixed with the commoners. They can just grab a weak commoner and threaten him. I can't do anything to them." Was he going to force them to kill him? We can only save the people first."
The other officials watched without saying a word. Everyone knew that this was Hu He's forced words. However, the soldiers were in his hands. No matter what he said, it was reasonable. Moreover, it was a fact that the prison was not given food, so Hu He could not be blamed for transferring the prisoners. It was a major crime to let the prisoners escape, but it was also the best excuse to put the officials under house arrest.
Wan Li Li was like a defeated rooster. Although he knew that he was in the right, he was always suppressed by others. He couldn't help but fly into a rage out of humiliation and say," You let a fugitive escape just for a few weak commoners?" Didn't Patrol Officer Hu know what was more important?”
Tang Xiaoyu smiled faintly and asked in a clear voice,"Then which one do you think is more important?"”
"Wan Li was so angry that he didn't notice anything wrong. He said smugly,'A few dying commoners will die sooner or later, so we let the fugitive go…'
"Shut up, you don't know what's good for you. You actually dare to obstruct my lord from doing things.”Ma Xuhai, the chief of the Inspection Division, berated.
Ma Xuhai was a famous old fox in Pingjin. He was in his fifties and had a strong body. His tiger eyes were wide open and he had a beautiful beard. He looked very imposing. He had no intention of sticking his head out, but when he saw that his subordinates were about to be lured into Li Yi's trap. He could only come out to smooth things over in case this idiot said something that would arouse public resentment.
He looked at Ten Thousand Miles and gave him a look. Then, he quickly turned around to look at Li Yi. He narrowed his eyes and said with a fake smile,"I've failed to restrain myself. Please forgive me, sir!"”
Tang Xiaoyu laughed and said,"It's okay, it's okay. If any of my colleagues have any questions, I'll let you know." Even if you can say it bluntly, we are all Pingjin officials. Everything we do is for the great cause of the imperial court and the people of Pingjin.”
Ma Xu Hai had a smile on his face, but there was no trace of a smile in his eyes. He made an inviting gesture and retreated to the side again. He looked down at his nose and his heart, like an old monk meditating, no longer speaking.
Wan Li retreated to the side. He was still indignant, but he didn't understand why his superior wanted to stop him. After puking for a while, he suddenly realized that his colleagues around him were intentionally keeping a distance from him. Looking around, the commoners who heard his words all looked at him strangely. Her gaze was as cold as a sharp knife, wishing she could cut him into pieces. Thousand Miles felt as if he was being pricked by thorns. He thought about what he had just said. He thought of the sentence," A few dying commoners will die sooner or later. For this reason, they let the fugitives go…"
It was no wonder that Shangguan would come out and scold him. Most of the people standing on the drill ground were the commoners who were suffering. His slip of the tongue had offended the entire Pingjin commoners. He really deserved to die! Thinking of this, he was filled with regret. He shrunk his neck uneasily and stood inside. He had never expected that just because of one wrong word he said today, it would cause him so much trouble.
Tang Xiaoyu looked around and saw that no one was deliberately coming out to stop him. He strode up to the platform. Looking at the people below the stage, he felt a little sour. The entire drill ground was silent as everyone looked at him. They were waiting for him to decide whether they had the right to live or whether they deserved to starve to death.
On the platform, Li Yi stood in front. Behind him were Du Qingshan and Ouyang Bo. There were also more than a dozen soldiers holding torches and lined up behind him. The entire platform was brightly lit.
The corners of the burly man's mouth twitched. With his superb dart skills, it was easy for him to take Li Yi's life with one move. However, he had heard the conversation between Hu He and Li Yi clearly. It seemed that not all the officials agreed with this disaster relief. Based on Li Yi's disaster relief efforts, he was a good official and should not die. Unfortunately, he was the person that his highness wanted to kill, so he had to die.
The burly man held the willow leaf dart, and a trace of killing intent appeared in his eyes.
Tang Xiaoyu said in a clear voice,"Fellow countrymen, there's no need for Li Yi to say much about the predicament Ping Jin is in now." Li Yi could tell them frankly that the grain stored by the City Treasury Department had long been exhausted, and the imperial court's order to unseal the city was still far away.
The urgent need to pacify the gold was imminent. If he wanted to survive this panic of running out of food, he could only use the rations of the City Treasury Division. However, everyone knew why military rations were prepared. Those rations were for the soldiers to fight, and embezzling military rations was a great crime.
However, this was the only way to resolve the current crisis. As the Prefecture Overseer of Pingjin Prefecture, I, Li Yi, will naturally bear all the blame. This was also a stopgap measure. He asked the villagers to be a witness for Li Yi. My Li family is full of loyalty. For the sake of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the people, we will definitely die. But he couldn't bear the infamy of betraying the imperial court and still be despised by thousands of generations.
If the food shortage was resolved, the people of Pingjin could live, and the imperial court did not pursue the Li family's crimes, Li Yi would definitely go bankrupt and make up for the general's food.
If the imperial court did not allow Li Yi's actions, the entire Li family would not be able to escape death. The remonstrant, Shi Ji, came to visit. He asked his fellow villagers to speak up for Li Yi and let the Li family leave a clean name for eternity. Li Yi hereby thanks all the villagers!"
Tang Xiaoyu cupped his fists and bowed deeply. Tears welled up in his eyes.
The commoners on the Drill Ground were so moved that tears were streaming down their faces. They looked at the Prefecture Overseer on the stage with burning eyes, not knowing how to express their gratitude.
Suddenly, an old man knelt down happily and shouted,"Thank you, Lord Prefecture Overseer! Lord Prefecture Overseer Changsheng!"”
Countless commoners knelt down in agreement." Eternal life, Prefecture Overseer! Prefecture Overseer Changsheng!"
As the commoners in front of them continued to spread Li Yi's words to the people behind them, the entire drill ground went from near to far. More than 50,000 commoners were already kneeling on the ground, crying as they shouted,"Eternal Prefecture Overseer!" Prefecture Overseer Changsheng!"
Disaster Relief in the Drill Ground
Chapter 7: The Disaster Relief in the Drill Ground Was Hand-Written by * Members. For more chapters, please go to the website: ..
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