The officers and soldiers were forced to stop and looked at Song Qianning impatiently: "We should be the ones asking you this!"

"You're a restaurant owner, so just run your restaurant properly. Why do you have to give out porridge outside?"

"How does my distributing porridge bother you?"

"Hmph." The officer snorted coldly, "Giving out porridge requires official approval. Giving out porridge without permission is disrupting public order and is illegal."

After saying this, the officer pointed around and said, "You've caused chaos by distributing porridge for no reason. It's a good thing we didn't arrest you and detain you!"

Sensing the threat and warning in the officers' and soldiers' tone, Song Qianning immediately laughed in anger.

Putting down the injured child beside her, she raised the corners of her mouth, but the smile did not reach her eyes: "It just so happens that I also have a question to ask you."

"Why are there so many beggars on the streets, and no one from your government is doing anything about it?"

Thinking of the tragic scenes that had appeared on the streets in recent days, and those skinny beggars, Song Qianning's face grew even colder. "Recently, the number of beggars on the streets has increased almost every day. Why has the government never sent anyone to control them, but instead just let them go?"

There were obviously so many beggars on the street, but the government turned a blind eye. However, as soon as she distributed porridge, they miraculously "regained their sight", and the government immediately sent soldiers to control and drive them away.

No fool would believe that it wasn't intentional.

The officers and soldiers had not expected Song Qianning to ask such a question, and they stammered and were unable to speak.

Seeing the soldiers hesitating, Song Qianning sneered again and asked word by word, "The world is peaceful and stable now, and it's not a disaster year. Why would they suddenly increase taxes?"

"Countless families have suffered terribly due to the taxation, and many have even lost their homes and families. Recently, there have been many more mounds in the cemeteries outside the city. You should have noticed this without me having to remind you."

The officers and soldiers who faced Song Qianning's questioning became more and more speechless, with a complicated expression on their faces.

"Why are you all silent? Do you not know how to answer or are you afraid to answer?"

For a moment, none of the officers and soldiers around said a word.

After a while, the soldier standing opposite Song Qianning sighed, looked at her pleadingly, and lowered his voice: "Miss Song, please stop talking."

"These are all orders from above. We are just small fry. We have no choice but to obey their orders. Please have mercy on us."

"If we don't complete the order quickly, we will definitely be in trouble when we return."

After the officers and soldiers pointed out that it was an order from above, Song Qianning suddenly fell silent.

Looking at the people around her, what came to her mind were the scenes she had seen on the streets in recent days and those pale and skinny beggars.

Since the increase in taxes, the people have been living in poverty. Countless families in the countryside have been broken up due to taxes, and many have starved to death.

The old beggar she met before was just a microcosm of the countless people who suffered from taxation.

She knew that the truth was far more tragic than what she saw.

That's why Song Qianning wanted to do her best and do what she could for the people.

Now when I hear what the officers and soldiers say, I just find it funny.

Why should the people suffer because of an order from “above”?

Taking a deep breath, she looked back at the officers and soldiers and said coldly, "I don't care about orders or not. I only know that whether I give out porridge or not is my own freedom. It has nothing to do with the government, and you have no right to control me."

"Besides, I'm distributing porridge in front of my restaurant, and it's benefiting the people. It's only good for them, not bad."

She takes care of things that others are unwilling to take care of.

She helps the people that others are unwilling to help.

Seeing Song Qianning so persistent, the officers and soldiers were stunned: "Miss Song, do you really want to go against the government?" He deliberately emphasized the last few words.

"I'm just providing porridge to the people. It has nothing to do with opposing the government."

Understanding her meaning, the officer gritted his teeth and said, "Miss Song, since you are determined to go against the government, then we have no choice but to offend you."

Without looking at Song Qianning again, he waved his hand, called other officers and soldiers, and continued to drive away the people.

Driven away by officers and soldiers, the light in the eyes of the people gradually dimmed.

A skinny civilian knelt on the ground, howling towards the sky: "We just want to survive. Who have we offended?"

"Oh my God, you are not a human being!"

The eyes of the other people also began to tingle. One man threw the bowl in his hand to the ground and glared at the soldiers: "You government officials won't help us ordinary people. Miss Song is willing to help, but you are trying to stop us. Don't you want to give us a chance to survive?"

This statement aroused the indignation of the people, and they stood together to fight against the officers and soldiers.

Someone in the crowd shouted, "These inhumane officials are trying to force us to death!"

"Miss Song was kind enough to give us some porridge and save our lives, why are you trying to stop her?"

"Because of that tax, my family can't even afford a meal lately. We're barely surviving on Miss Song's porridge. She's our benefactor!"

The common people were all skinny, but their eyes were blazing with fire. For a moment they forgot their fear of the officers and soldiers, and glared at them angrily.

After being stopped again and again, the officers and soldiers calmed down and became angry. They said with a cold face: "It seems that you are all going to go against the government today."

"It's not that we're against the government, it's that the people in your government don't want to give us a chance to live!"

"We're all going to die anyway. We're starving to death, so why should we be afraid of you?"

"We're not leaving today!"

Knowing that they could not convince the people, the officers and soldiers were too lazy to talk nonsense and stepped forward to forcibly disperse the crowd.

The common people present were all from poor families. They could not even get enough to eat on a regular basis. Their bones were clearly visible and they had very little strength left. Naturally, they were no match for the strong and healthy officers and soldiers.

The only advantage that is not an advantage is that there are more people.

The civilians and soldiers were stuck together, and the surroundings were filled with shouting, cursing, crying and begging.

Song Qianning was trapped in the crowd. Because she was surrounded by soldiers and civilians, she had no chance to speak and was forced to retreat.

The frenzied people didn't notice Song Qianning in the middle at all. Coupled with the merciless pushing and driving of the officers and soldiers, Song Qianning, who was trapped in the middle, was also implicated.

A sharp pain came from her arm and Song Qianning's expression changed.

Just when she was about to fall down out of control, a pair of strong arms pulled her to the side.

Falling into a familiar embrace, Song Qianning subconsciously looked up and looked into Qin Ye's eyes full of concern.

At the same time, Chang Qing arrived with other guards and stopped the officers and soldiers who were pushing and shoving, and the situation around them gradually stabilized.

Qin Ye turned his gaze away from the others and asked with concern, "Miss Song, how are you feeling?"