Please for all the people in the world

Although Qinghe City has been recovered, there is still a lot of work to be done. It is now the second year of Guangqi.

However, a cold wind more biting than hunger and cold was quietly blowing in the streets and alleys.

Those women who had fallen into the clutches of the Western Qiang soldiers had just crawled back from the brink of hell and had not yet licked their wounds when they fell into another kind of despair.

Some gentry in the city who claimed to be the guardians of ethics and morality began to clamor for chastity, and openly or covertly forced these poor women to die to preserve their chastity and the reputation of their families.

"As long as they are alive, they are a stain!"

"Having lost my innocence, how can I still live in this world? It would be better to die, and I would be worthy of my ancestors!"

"It's a misfortune for her family. If she still has any sense of shame, she should know what to do!"

During one of his patrols, Wang Dayong saw with his own eyes several well-dressed old men surrounding a young woman who was shivering in a corner. The words they uttered were sharper than a knife. The woman's face was pale and her eyes were empty, as if she had accepted her fate.

"Bullshit!" Wang Dayong was furious. He took a step forward and pointed at the noses of those gentry.

"Where were you hiding when those Western Qiang bastards came? Did you protect them, or did you defend the city? You've said nothing! Now that the thieves have been driven away, you have the nerve to force them to death here? You're even more disgusting than those Western Qiang thieves!"

Several gentry were so angry that their faces turned red. One of them stiffened his neck and said, "Commander Wang, this is a serious matter of etiquette and law! A woman's reputation is more important than her life. How can we..."

"Etiquette and law? Great defense?" Wang Dayong laughed in anger. "All I know is that being alive is better than anything else! They are victims, not sinners. If we're to judge their crimes, it's those Western Qiang beasts who should be chopped off, and it's you bastards who only know how to stab your own people with knives!"

The gentry were frightened by Wang Dayong's murderous aura and dared not to resist anymore, so they dispersed in shame.

However, the apparent concession did not prevent the undercurrent. Within a few days, several tragic incidents occurred in the city in which women who could not bear the humiliation committed suicide by jumping into wells or hanging themselves from beams.

When the news reached the government office, Ning Lingyi was reviewing documents on the resettlement of refugees. Upon hearing the news, she threw her pen on the table, and the ink splashed everywhere, which really made her laugh.

She, a woman, was sitting at the top of the Qinghe hierarchy, yet the people below her dared to force another group of women to die. Did they treat her as dead? Or did they treat her thousands of personal guards as if they were made of mud?

"Prepare the horses!"

Ning Lingyi, dressed in tight clothes and accompanied by her personal guards, rushed straight to the residence of a gentry family that was causing the most trouble. The owner of the family was surnamed Qian, and he was the one who had secretly colluded with others to spread rumors after being reprimanded by Wang Dayong a few days ago.

The door of Qian's mansion was kicked open by the personal guards.

Ning Lingyi strode into the main hall. The head of the Qian family was discussing with several clan members anxiously how to persuade a niece who had been kidnapped and abused.

"Your Highness?" The head of the Qian family stood up in surprise.

Ning Lingyi glanced at everyone in the hall, and finally fixed her gaze on Patriarch Qian's face: "I have heard that Patriarch Qian is very understanding of justice and advocates chastity and bravery, forcing people to die to preserve your reputation?"

The head of the Qian family forced himself to remain calm and said, "Your Highness, please understand. This is not forced. It is for their own reputation and the morale of the whole city..."

"Reputation? Morals?" Ning Lingyi interrupted him.

The whip in his hand was raised without warning!

“Bang!”

With a crisp sound, the whip hit the well-maintained face of the Qian family master fiercely, instantly tearing a bloody mark and leaving a clear whip mark!

"Ah!" The head of the Qian family covered his face and screamed, shocking everyone in the room.

"I am the ruler of Qinghe, yet I cannot protect the women under my rule, causing them to be tortured to death. This is my shame!"

"And you, the head of the Qian family, as a man, cowered like a rat when the enemy invaded, unable to protect the country and the people, and unable to protect the women in your family. This is your incompetence and even more of a shame!"

She pointed her whip at the head of the Qian family and shouted, "Since you said that reputation is more important than life, and since you said that living in disgrace is worse than dying to preserve your reputation!"

"Well, I will grant you this noble wish. You will commit suicide here now to preserve the reputation of the Qian family. I will personally write a memorial for you to commemorate your chastity and loyalty."

"Master Qian."

"I ask you to die, die quickly."

The head of the Qian family was so frightened that his soul was scattered. Looking at the murderous intent that was clearly hidden in Ning Lingyi's eyes, where was the righteousness that he had just spoken so confidently?

He fell to his knees with a thud, tears streaming down his face. "Your Highness, please spare me! Your Highness, please spare me! I was foolish! I know I was wrong! Please have mercy on me, Your Highness!"

"Don't dare to die?" Ning Lingyi sneered, with even more contempt in her eyes.

"So your reputation is only worth talking about, used to bully those weaker than you? You're so spineless towards me and the Western Qiang!"

"Someone come here!" Ning Lingyi shouted.

"Break his legs! Drag him to the busiest spot in the city and put him up for public display for three days! Write on the sign: Incapable of protecting my country, yet daring enough to bully women and children. Let the entire city see the face of this hypocritical, cowardly bully!"

The personal guards rushed forward like wolves and tigers, ignoring the Qian family master's pig-like screams for mercy. The iron rod fell, and the sound of bones breaking was clearly audible. He was dragged out with screams.

Wang Dayong even cursed: "Fuck you, you ballless bastard."

He personally carried out the execution, cutting off the Qian family's descendants and killing half of his life.

The rest of the people were also sweating coldly, fearing that they would be implicated.

"Pass on my order!"

Ning Lingyi looked around at the people in the Qian Mansion who were silent as a mouse and the other gentry representatives who had rushed over after hearing the news, and her voice echoed inside and outside the mansion.

"Anyone in Qinghe who dares to use reputation as an excuse to force and harm a woman in distress will be dealt with in the same manner, regardless of their status!"

"All the women who were victimized are not only innocent, but are protected by the government. If anyone forces them again, the women will kill to protect themselves and be free from guilt! This order is to be issued to the entire city immediately!"

Thunderous measures to deter villains.

When Ning Lingyi's iron-blooded decree to protect the people was posted, along with a series of measures to save people's lives, such as opening granaries to release grain, providing work-for-relief, and severely punishing collaborators, the entire Qinghe City was shocked. A vitality, very different from the past, began to quietly sprout among the ruins.

In Daqing River, of course, there are families who let their women and children stay at home quietly and not go out, in the hope of reducing rumors. Until this decree was issued, the whole family cried bitterly and no longer had to be looked down upon.

At the same time, Su Qingfan had already allocated a fleet and quietly picked up a group of women who could not bear the pressure of their families and rumors and voluntarily left Qinghe to start a new life in Mingzhou, and arranged a way out for them.

Ning Lingyi's trip received mixed reviews.

Even though she saved thousands of people in Qinghe, she was secretly slandered.

But all this fell into the eyes of a scholar named Nong Zishi. He straightened his clothes, finally made up his mind, and stepped into the Qinghe government office.

In the inner hall of the government office, Ning Lingyi was buried in documents. Although the wound on her arm had been bandaged, it still hurt from holding the pen for a long time.

"Your Highness," the guard's voice outside the door had a hint of strangeness.

"There is a scholar outside the palace who wants to see me. He calls himself Nong Zishi and says he has something important to report."

Ning Lingyi raised her head from the file, a trace of fatigue flashing across her eyes: "Scholar? Please come in."

After a while, the guards led someone in.

The man who came was about thirty years old, thin, and dressed in a single piece of clothing that was washed white. He seemed out of place in the warm room, but it could not hide his clear and upright demeanor.

He had a fair face and a scholarly air, but his brows bore traces of the wear and tear of time. However, his eyes were unusually clear, without the turbidity or resentment of an ordinary down-and-out man.

He walked calmly and bowed deeply to Ning Lingyi, who was standing behind the desk, with a neither humble nor arrogant attitude: "I, Nong Zishi, pay my respects to Her Royal Highness Princess Mingzhu."

Wang Mengzi, who was standing by, frowned slightly, looked up and down at the uninvited guest, and his hand subconsciously pressed on the hilt of the knife at his waist.

Ning Lingyi's eyes were calm, and she raised her hand to support him. "Mr. Nong, there's no need to be so polite. What is the matter with your request?"

Nong Zishi stood up and met Ning Lingyi with a frank look: "I have not come here to praise Your Highness for the victory in retaking Qinghe. Your Highness saved this city from the depths of fire and water, but you are unaware that you and your three thousand Mingzhu Guards are on the verge of destruction."

This is extremely impolite.

"How dare you!" Wang Mengzi's face turned pale and he drew his knife.

He took a step forward and glared at Nong Zishi, "You are spreading rumors and slandering His Highness. You are seeking death!"

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became tense.

"Mengzi." Ning Lingyi shouted at him to go away.

Her gaze was still on Nong Zishi's face. She did not show any panic or anger because of the shocking words. Instead, her expression became even more serious.

"Stand back."

Wang Mengzi glared at Nong Zishi fiercely, but finally suppressed his anger, slowly put the knife back into the sheath, and returned to his original position, but his eyes were fixed on Nong Zishi like nails.

Ning Lingyi looked at Nong Zishi and said, "Sir, your words are earth-shattering. How can you teach me?"

Nong Zishi seemed oblivious to the tension, his expression remaining calm. "Your Highness is a man of extraordinary talent. Recovering Qinghe with a surprise attack was truly a feat, but this victory was a stroke of luck. It was because Helian Bo was arrogant and underestimated the enemy, not understanding Your Highness's strengths and weaknesses. You took advantage of the situation and drove them back. Although the bandits have retreated, they are still intact."

His gaze was sharp as a needle. "Your Highness, do you think Helian Bo truly believed the imperial army's promise of a sudden arrival? The Western Qiang have been roaming the northern lands for years; how could they be easily defeated? A brief investigation will reveal the true strength of Qinghe City and the scarcity of Your Highness's troops and generals."

"Once Helian Bo learns that the army that drove him out of Qinghe was only 3,000 soldiers led by a princess, and not the main force of the Southern Dynasty's army..."

"It will be a great humiliation. Out of rage and shame, they will mobilize all their elite troops in the rear, return and retaliate with thunderous force. When that happens, the iron cavalry will surround us. How can the tiny Qinghe resist?"

He looked directly at Ning Lingyi and said, "Your Highness, the three thousand soldiers of the Mingzhu Guard will slaughter all the people who survived the tens of thousands of disasters in this city! This is not alarmist talk, it is inevitable."

After Nong Zishi finished speaking, he waited quietly for everyone's reaction.

Wang Mengzi's face turned pale, but he forced himself to hold back because of Ning Lingyi's previous order. He was brave and loyal but not thoughtful enough, and did not understand Nong Zishi's heartfelt words.

Ning Lingyi remained silent.

What Nong Zishi said was exactly the biggest hidden worry in her heart. Now that it was revealed by someone, she did not feel angry. Instead, she felt a sense of confidant. The one who knew her worries was Nong Zishi.

"Sir, please take a seat."

Ning Lingyi raised her hand and gestured to the seat next to her, her tone serious.

"Sir, I believe you have a good plan in mind. Lingyi sincerely asks you to give me some advice."

Nong Zishi did not refuse and sat down calmly, his attitude still calm. "I don't deserve your advice, but I dare to ask your Highness what you think of the current situation in the world."

Ning Lingyi frowned slightly, not knowing why he suddenly asked this question, but after careful consideration, she replied, "The Southern Dynasty has been plagued by problems for a long time. There are internal troubles and powerful enemies outside. We cannot take it lightly."

"Your Highness is right, but you haven't said all." Nong Zishi shook his head slightly, with a look of understanding from someone who had seen a lot of vicissitudes of life in his eyes.

"The troubles of the Southern Dynasty cannot be described simply as accumulated evils."

"Since the end of the Retired Emperor's reign, government has been declining, power struggles are endless, and the emperor and his subjects, from top to bottom, are obsessed with wrestling for power. Those in the imperial court regard the wars in the north as minor ailments, the soldiers at the border as expendable soldiers, and the taxes levied upon the country as private coffers."

He continued, "In the eyes of the surrounding tigers and wolves, the Southern Dynasty is no longer a great nation, but a piece of meat on the chopping board without claws and teeth."

"The Western Qiang have been eyeing the northern border for a long time. The loss of the Heshuo barrier is the inevitable result of decades of internal strife between the Southern Dynasty's rulers and ministers. It is not a failure of a single moment or place, nor is it the fault of a single general. This is a general decline that cannot be reversed in a short time by human power."

Ning Lingyi was shocked. Nong Zishi had analyzed the root cause of the Southern Dynasty's illness so thoroughly in just a few words.

She thought about her time in the deep palace, when had she ever really cared about these things?

The reports from the court that reached her ears were mostly whitewashing words. She only cared about living a happy life and never thought about it too much. Thinking of this, a sense of guilt surged in her heart, for this country and for those soldiers and civilians who died in vain in their stupidity.

"What you said, sir, is truly enlightening."

Ning Lingyi's voice was heavy, "In your opinion, sir, is there still hope for Heshuo?"

Seeing that she was willing to accept his advice, Nong Zishi became more sympathetic: "Your Highness, do you think the current threat lies in Heshuo? No, not at all."

"What is that?"

"It's actually from the Southern Dynasty."

Nong Zishi stood up, paced back and forth, and said in a deep voice, "In our court, the bureaucracy is becoming increasingly bloated, and the gentry group has grown so powerful that their power is already subtly surpassing that of the emperor. The dethronement of the crown prince is actually the result of a group of ministers working from the bottom up, leveraging public opinion to pressure the emperor. This is the beginning of the ministers' usurpation of power."

"Although Emperor Guangqi ascended to power through military might, his foundation was unstable. To maintain balance, he was forced to compromise and concede to various factions. Far from clarifying the political situation, it only became increasingly corrupt."

"At the local level, land annexation is alarming. The fertile land has been taken over by the powerful and wealthy. The arable land of the common people is shrinking, while the court's heavy taxes and levies and the exploitation of local officials are increasing."

"The people's strength has long been exhausted. In this situation, with powerful enemies knocking at the door from outside and rotten wood as the main pillar within, how can we not be in danger?"

Ning Lingyi looked at the person in front of her, feeling as if she had been blinded by the past. Now that her eyes were fully opened, she saw the devastation and crumbling mountains and rivers. Her heart was filled with bitterness and hardship. Could she bear it? She didn't know.

Nong Zishi looked at Ning Lingyi's face, which was filled with pity, and stammered in silence.

He fell to his knees, weeping, "Your Highness, the country has collapsed to this point. Even if virtuous ministers and brave generals rise up, it will inevitably experience decades of war and disaster. How can the millions of people bear it?"

Ning Lingyi hurriedly stood up and went to support him. Seeing the man in front of her weeping profusely, she hurriedly said, "Sir, why are you so desperate? Please get up!"

"I, a commoner, am begging for the whole world, for all the humble people in the world!"

"Of all the high-ranking officials in the court, only Your Highness treats us as human beings. I sincerely hope that Your Highness will save the people as if they were in dire straits, and will not change his heart no matter how many hardships he endures."

Nong Zishi's collar was covered with tears and his voice was choked with sobs. For the past thirty years, he had never been afraid of misfortune. He devoted all his blood and tears to Mingzhu, just to hope that all living beings could have more hope of life.

Ning Lingyi also shed tears. How could she face such a sincere person? Neither her mother nor her father had taught her.

She knelt on the ground, looking the man in front of her at eye level, and said repeatedly with tears in her eyes, "I promise you, sir."