"I'm talking to my lord."

Wang Qing finally gave up the idea of ​​standing up straight. After so many years as a legal advisor, he had developed some feelings for the company. At this point, there was no need to package himself anymore.

"Your lifelong wish was to enter the imperial court. I wanted to pass the imperial examination, but unfortunately... I've always hoped to help you enter the imperial court. Now it seems that neither of us is cut out for it. But you've also discovered that the document requesting the general mobilization of Qiao County was written by His Majesty himself, and it bears the imperial seals of the Alliance Council and the five heads of state.

Tell me, then. For fifteen years, you've served as magistrate in five counties. Have you ever received an imperial edict from His Majesty? Let alone a document written by His Majesty himself? In the past, even the documents that the Prime Minister saw were written by the Imperial Household Department, and at best, His Majesty would give them a thumbs-up.

So, I think this isn't His Majesty writing us an official document; it's His Majesty asking us for help. He personally wrote to us, asking us to help him immensely. If you've said that, how can I, Your Majesty, not go?"

"Hey, Old Wang, you're quite conscious."

"I have also been well-read in the books of sages since I was young..."

"Don't be happy. His Majesty's official documents are for me, not you. If anyone needs to go and help His Majesty, then I should go. Besides, your son and daughter are going, and there's still a newborn grandson left. Why don't you stay to take care of him?"

"Your Majesty's official document is for everyone in the world, or at least for all the people of the Great Chen Dynasty. I am a citizen of the Great Chen Dynasty, so it is natural for me to go. Besides, His Majesty's official document said that if there are children in the family who need to be taken care of, one person can stay behind. I thought about it for a long time and it is more cost-effective for me to go. This way, my daughter-in-law can stay. She didn't enjoy much happiness after marrying into our family. She is so young, she can't just die like this. As for you, your whole family is on the conscription list. If something happens..."

"If there's a chance, then so be it. If we win, I don't believe my entire family of seventeen would just die by chance. If one or two survive, it would be a huge win. If we lose, according to what Your Majesty said, not a single living person will be left on this continent. So what's there to be afraid of?"

"Okay, I can't argue with you..."

“…”

As the two men walked towards the material distribution center in Qiao County, the two Jinyiwei who were squatting in the crowd breathed a sigh of relief.

"You said you weren't recognized just now?"

"Probably not, but it doesn't matter if he recognizes me. I'm responsible for monitoring public opinion. If he recognizes me, then so be it. Can he eat me?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter to you, but I'm in charge of monitoring the local officials. If I'm recognized, I'll always be derelict in my duty."

"Why? Are the higher-ups worried that these local officials will run away?"

The pockmarked Jinyiwei who was in charge of monitoring public opinion asked curiously:

"Even if an official wants to go into battle, he'll be at the back of the queue. What's more, he's a civilian official. He won't be allowed to charge until the regular army is wiped out and it's the turn of the Qiao County militia. It's still too early. The battle might be over before he gets a chance."

It is said that the Jinyiwei who is in charge of supervising local officials heard this and couldn't help but sniffle and said with a wry smile:

"That's true. But some have already fled. Some were more respectable, leaving a letter claiming it was a memorial to the emperor, hanging the imperial seal under the main beam in the main hall, and then disappearing without a trace.

Some are not so particular, like the magistrate of Yu County, who kept saying that there was a case in the countryside and he had to go out of the city to investigate, but once he left the city, he just rode away at full speed, and no one behind him could catch up. He left his parents, wife, and children behind, just to run away..."

Now it was the pockmarked Jinyiwei's turn to be shocked: "You are a great master after all, how can you act so unrefined?"

"Hey, isn't this a matter of life and death? What could be more important than fate?"

"So how did you deal with it later?"

"Those who resigned and fled were said to be directly dismissed from office, and their entire families were banished to civilian households in their hometowns. When the civilian households were reorganized, they would be assigned to whatever household they were assigned to, and then they would charge into the battle line in order. As for those who left without saying goodbye, they were sent to the criminal camp. You know, according to Master Mao Xiangmao, since he doesn't want to be respectable, then we'll make him feel as comfortable as possible.

Now you're in the Convict Soldier Camp, where you'll be fed two mixed-wheat buns a day and toil until you die. If you're still alive when the battle begins, chances are they'll attack before the regular army, claiming they're helping the main army gauge the enemy's strengths and weaknesses, but in reality... well... you're doomed anyway."

"Come to think of it, this is really Mr. Mao's style. But why did the people of Qinghe let Mr. Mao go back?"

"Hasn't the war already ended? Our Majesty has to call the Emperor Qinghe 'Sir'. It's no big deal to have Lord Mao come back and revitalize the Jinyiwei."

"That's true."

"But do you think we can win?"

"Yes! Definitely!"

"Why are you so sure?"

"I'm the Jinyiwei who monitors public opinion. If I say something wrong, I'll have to arrest myself. It's not worth it."

“…”