Chapter 1371
Wen Tao, Used as an Example
Chapter 1371 Wen Tao, Used as an Example
"Hey, Uncle Qin, stop hitting him! You're losing out! You should take the supplies as compensation to win!" Si Pei hurriedly pulled Uncle Qin back.
Uncle Qin was startled and hurriedly went to help Wen Tao up: "Hey, Brother Tao, are you alright? Look how well I protected you. Remember to settle the bill after the conference."
Wen Tao, who was beaten but still had to pay compensation, exclaimed, "You, you guys!"
Especially Si Pei.
“You are a young master from a prestigious family, and every word and action represents the highest etiquette in the world. How can you imitate Qin Er?”
"What's wrong with copying me? Is it shameful?" Uncle Qin was unconvinced and angry. He pointed at him and cursed, "You young masters from noble families represent the highest etiquette in the world? Bah! The people who best represent the world are us villagers. If everyone were to follow your noble families and start putting on airs after eating their fill, without doing any production, everyone would starve to death in less than ten days!"
"Remember to pay the reward, double it. Don't pretend to be poor. We know your Wen family has a lot of supplies. Don't think you can refuse to pay."
Si Pei reminded him, "Second Uncle Qin, we can't rob people in the legitimate imperial court."
"Get out of here, you traitor!" Wen Tao pushed Si Pei aside and hurriedly greeted Qin Ershu, "Brother Qin, don't worry, I know what to do. But my family has already donated 80% of the supplies. The rest is life-saving food for all the masters and servants. There really aren't many supplies left. You can't go out and say anything, or you'll get my family killed."
These troublemakers are already threatening to rob my house. If you say I still have supplies, my house will be torn to pieces by these troublemakers!
Wen Tao's fear was also the fear of all the wealthy and powerful families in the city, which is why Si Pei's knocking on the door last night to ask for donations went so smoothly.
The wealthy and powerful families paid a price to save their lives, a different kind of pledge of allegiance.
"Your Highness, Lord Yan, and General Chu, please inform everyone that anyone who dares to gather men and rob wealthy households will have their entire family and neighbors executed!" Scholar Qi Yu stepped forward, bowed, and demanded of the Prince of Ye, "The punishment must be clearly stated, otherwise the city may descend into chaos!"
Zhao Wuming, Ning Jinghui, Shen Yinming, Dong Chengxin, Su Baitai, Wu Lianshu, Yu Chenghao, Yang Zeru, Wen Xiangnan, Xie Ren, Xie Kun, and other students, whether standing on the high platform or below, echoed in unison: "We urge the Prince of Ye and the officials to clearly explain the punishment, and not to encourage any illegal acts!"
I'm so pleased, Mr. Wen Tao is very pleased. As expected of a scion of my prestigious family, he knows how to protect his own in critical moments!
No, you old man, don't corrupt the kids. They were just reacting normally, they weren't trying to help you!
Chief Steward Xie was much more gratified than Wen Tao. They both wanted to shed a tear. The young masters of the Xie family had finally returned to normal and stopped causing trouble and leaving him to clean up their messes.
"Granted." The King of Ye agreed. After recounting the generous donations from the wealthy and powerful families, he issued a royal decree: "Those who have no supplies at home may come to the entrance of Wuyuan Street for help. However, anyone who dares to gather men and horses to plunder will have their entire family beheaded and their bodies thrown out of the city to be left to rot in the wilderness. This will be recorded and reported to the entire Wei after the battle, so that their relatives will also be disgraced!"
Qin Xiaomi and Jiang Dalang, those two devils, were satisfied. "Yes, yes, that's how it should be. If you're too lenient, we'll be unable to resist hitting you."
"Yes." General Chu immediately ordered the messenger to repeat the royal decree nine times so that everyone could hear it.
Well, normal people, regardless of wealth, are very happy... The capital city really needs such a backbone to hold things in place, otherwise who knows how many troubles will arise every day.
During this time, Grandpa Qin led Wei Baihu to collect the skeleton and put it into wooden boxes.
Seeing this, everyone felt a mix of emotions and silently made way for Grandpa Qin and his group.
After collecting the skeletons, Grandpa Qin lit three incense sticks and bowed to the boxes, saying, "Fellow countrymen, please forgive our rudeness just now. We will definitely avenge you. Please rest in peace."
Many people followed suit and offered prayers.
Grandpa Qin didn't leave either; he stood in the crowd and said to everyone, "On the night we bombarded Dongfu Town, the enemy cavalry threw a large number of skeletons at us. My granddaughter, Qin Dongjia, collected the skeletons all over the battlefield after killing the enemy, then dug pits and buried them on the spot." "Qin Dongjia is truly amazing, I admire her..." someone began to flatter him.
Grandpa Qin interrupted them: "It's not that my granddaughter is amazing, it's that she acts decisively without overthinking... We're older than her, how could we be worse than her when things happen? She didn't cry or make a fuss, so why should we?"
"And then there's Si Pei, who comes from a wealthy family but is determined to stay and guard the capital. What if he dies in battle?"
Si Pei got excited and immediately raised his hand to answer: "I say, so what if we die? After we become ghosts, we can go and kill the enemy. At that time, the enemy, made of flesh and blood, will not be a match for us!"
"Even Old Xun isn't as supernatural as you," Uncle Qin retorted.
Grandpa Qin continued, "I'm a veteran. I fought in wars when I was young, and I know very well that going out of the city at this time, without the protection of the city walls, is extremely dangerous... In the open field, enemy cavalry don't even need to dismount or brandish their swords. They can just ride their horses through the crowd and trample a large number of people to death."
“My Qin family, consisting of dozens of people, will defend the capital city to the death, because the capital city is safer than the wilderness. As for you all, you can make your own decisions.”
After Grandpa Qin finished speaking, he and Wei Baihu and the others lifted the box, took the skeleton back, and put it away in preparation for burial.
The people of Wei fell silent after hearing this.
After a long while, someone asked, "How is the quarantine zone in the west of the city doing? Has a rat plague really broken out?!"
"Yes, yes, we haven't heard from our relatives and friends in the west of the city, not even a letter... Could they have died there? That's terrifying!"
"The situation in the west of the city must be made clear. If a rat plague has really broken out, we absolutely cannot stay in this capital city any longer; we must leave!"
Lord Yan remained unmoved, but inwardly he sneered: Ha, throughout history, every dynasty has dealt with plagues by sealing off the city. You think you can leave? Impossible!
"Explain the situation in the west of the city clearly, stop lying to us!"
The Wei people's commotion grew increasingly intense.
dong dong dong, dong dong dong!
The drums sounded, and the messengers shouted "Silence!" more than a dozen times, knocking down a few of the loudest shouters before finally calming the situation down.
Everyone turned their attention to the King of Ye, but he remained silent for a long time.
Everyone: "..." So you're admitting it? We're doomed!
"If the King of Ye cannot speak, this angel can do it for him." The angel Qi exuded disdain for the King of Ye.
What are you hesitating about? We are an imperial dynasty, a country where the emperor has the final say. We don't need to be too lenient with the common people.
"No need," the Prince of Ye said personally, "this is the responsibility of the Wei royal family." He stepped forward, took a deep breath, and announced, "A disease has indeed appeared in the plague-prevention isolation zone in the west of the city, but there are only about forty infected people. They have been moved into a house and are under strict guard by the Wei army..."
"What's the use of keeping watch? We need to burn them alive!" Wen Tao shouted anxiously.
Wen Tao is really unlucky today. Every time he speaks, he gets into trouble. Now Qi Tianshi caught him and made an example of him.
"Disrespectful to the princes of the dynasty! Seize them and give them twenty strokes of the cane to uphold the dignity of the royal family!" Qi Tianshi coldly ordered.