Chapter 1592 IF Scenario: What if Shen Tang woke up earlier (Part 6)

Ji Moshuang did not hide the fact that she had sought out Ji Sunyin.

Ji Sunyin always trusted his subordinates.

Qin You asked him a question, and he told him.

"The old lady and her family are already rolling in money, why would they need to rob the poor to help the rich?" Those landlords and gentry certainly had money, land, and people, but their individual wealth was no match for the Gongxi family. The moment the words "rob the poor to help the rich" were uttered, everyone fell silent.

Ji Sunyin: "If it's possible to buy it, I would probably pay for it."

Only we, as members of our own tribe, truly understand.

Their moral standards are relatively high.

They won't come up with a knife to someone's throat and force them to buy or sell.

Qin You rode his warhorse a few steps quickly to catch up with Ji Sunyin by half a body length, and pushed Yun Da aside: "My lord, I have a plan!"

Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing this.

Qin You, embarrassed by the mockery, scolded, "Don't laugh! Not a single one of you is allowed to laugh! My plan is absolutely brilliant! Doesn't the Grand Madam and the others want a piece of land? Our lord said that we should talk about money first. If there's something to make money from, why don't we do it ourselves? Let's send people to kill off a piece of land, seize it, and then sell it to the Grand Madam and the others at a good price. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

With his left hand, he devoured the landlords and tycoons; with his right hand, he took a bite of the rich woman.

We can make money twice, both inside and out, without wasting time on either side.

The laughter stopped abruptly.

Ji Sunyin also fell into an eerie silence.

Qin You laughed and said, "What's wrong? Are you impressed?"

Wei Cheng rode past him, saying in a strange tone, "I admire you, I really didn't expect you to be this kind of person."

Even unscrupulous businessmen would give this a thumbs up.

"What if the Grand Madam and the others find out?"

They criticized Qin You for being shameless, but that didn't stop them from being madly tempted. What was most alluring about the Gongxi clan wasn't their gold and silver, but their seemingly endless granaries. They didn't know what methods these high priests used, but the granaries, buried for seventy or eighty years, were as fresh as if they had just been sealed. The grains were plump, thoroughly cooked after being husked, and even the rice balls they casually made smelled so delicious they made their mouths water.

If they seize other people's land and sell it to the Gongxi tribe in exchange for food of equal value, they won't have to worry about food shortages during the winter.

Qin You said, "Even if the bones are broken, the tendons are still connected."

Ji Sunyin, who had been listening to a joke, suddenly turned around.

Qin You smiled and said, "I've inquired. The Gongxi clan only has five high priests, and the Grand Madam is one of them. She only has the Lord and the Second Master as her biological children. A mother's heart aches when her son is punished."

Even if the truth comes out, the worst that can happen is a beating.

Ji Sunyin: "...a terrible idea."

Qin You's smug smile quickly froze on his face.

Wei Lou said, "If we adopt Shao You's idea, and we send troops to seize the land and kill the people, the destination we choose must not be too far away, otherwise it will be easy for the enemy to take the opportunity to launch a sneak attack. Have you considered that if we get too close, we will be burned by the campfire?"

In the freezing cold, getting close to a campfire might provide temporary warmth, but it could also easily start a fire—the Gongxi tribe's campfire being just that. Now that they were so close, would they simply watch the fire grow, or would they extinguish it before it burned them?

Everyone: "..."

Isn't this just watching a mountain of gold and silver go unclaimed?

Sigh, the more I think about it, the more upset I get.

It's so frustrating!

Not being able to earn tangible benefits is just as painful as losing money!

"but--"

Wei Lou's two light words brought the matter to a dramatic turn.

"We can exchange blows, but let's not make it so obvious."

They're making it too obvious, as if they're after the Gongxi clan's property. Could Wei Lou be that kind of unprincipled person?

Some of the people suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

He drew out a meaningful "Oh~"

They understand, they understand.

A few glints of cold, obscure light flashed in Wei Lou's eyes.

It's better not to do it at all; if we're going to do it, we should make the most of it. First, we can test the strength of the Gongxi clan. Second, we can use them to deal with some troublesome forces and clear some obstacles for ourselves. Third, given the relationship between our lord and the Gongxi clan, it's unlikely that there will be any conflict or contradiction between the two families for a long time to come; they are more likely to help each other and are natural allies.

Ji Sunyin: "So you don't care whether I live or die, right?"

In the end, he was the one who got beaten by his mother.

Qin You chuckled, "What mother doesn't love her child? My lord is the only one of the Grand Madam's two children, how could she bear to kill him?"

Ji Sunyin: "..."

After all, it was a task assigned by his mother/Grand Madam, so Ji Sunyin and his subordinates took it very seriously. Among them, Wei Lou was the most enthusiastic and earnest, which amazed Ji Sunyin. After all, Wei Lou only cared about official business and was serious and unsmiling, so both civil and military officials were quite afraid of him.

Wei Lou: "After all, it also concerns our interests."

How can I not care when it's related to my own interests?

Ji Sunyin was greatly relieved upon hearing this and simply assigned the task of coordinating with Wei Lou, and also ordered Qin You to protect the left and right, which Wei Lou did not refuse. When they returned to the Gongxi clan's territory, the place had changed drastically. When Shen Tang saw him, she felt as if she had seen a savior, and her eyes lit up.

"You've finally arrived."

Wei Lou bowed and asked, "Does Your Majesty wish to speak with me?"

Shen Tang sighed, "We are short of supply wagons."

These supply wagons were used to transport grain.

The Gongxi clan's granaries were truly enormous, and now they faced a dire problem: they didn't have enough supply wagons to transport the grain out, nor enough manpower to escort them. Temporary hiring was clearly unreliable, so she considered hiring someone else.

"Supply wagons can be rented or bought, and escorts and guards can be hired; the pay is negotiable." Shen Tang vaguely remembered that an ordinary soldier consumed a little over one jin but less than two jin a day, and special warriors would certainly be more expensive. "Is half a shi per person per day possible?"

"Half a stone?"

“Yes, half a shi (a unit of dry measure), excluding travel expenses, but including three meals a day during the employment period. This price is very fair; the yield of an ordinary acre of farmland is less than three shi.” Shen Tang said this with a hint of guilt, feeling that the price was too low.

After all, this is a job that requires risking one's life.

This was no ordinary escort mission.

Wei Lou nodded: "Alright, let's draw up the contract."

Shen Tang: "..."

The price was too high!

But words spoken cannot be taken back, and there is indeed a shortage of manpower right now, so half a stone it is: "Rental fee for the supply wagons?"

Wei Lou said, "This rent cannot be paid in grain."

A supply wagon and its animal power cost 500 coins a day.

The Gongxi clan could exchange copper and iron of equal weight.

Shen Tang did a quick mental calculation and decided it was a good deal: "Okay."

Wei Lou: "..."

Shen Tang asked, "Was I too straightforward?"

This made Wei Lou extremely resentful.

Wei Lou said quietly, "The Queen knows perfectly well what's going on."

It wasn't easy for Ji Sunyin to establish this makeshift organization. They went through a period of financial hardship, and even now they are not much better off. Enemies surround them and deliberately block and cut off Ji Sunyin's forces from trading with other warlords. In addition, due to the difference in timing over the past two years, Ji Sunyin's side has only been able to alleviate some pressure by launching wars, plundering or extorting from the enemy. Wei Lou is most aware of this.

Shen Tang offered half a shi of grain per person per day as soon as he opened his mouth, and even agreed to the price of five hundred for the rental of the supply wagon and the animal power. How could Wei Lou not be envious? And Shen Tang even blatantly flaunted his wealth to him!

Shen Tang: "..."

The Gongxi family was indeed extremely wealthy.

Even with so many clansmen working around the clock, the cleanup still wasn't finished.

Finally, she simply left some behind, taking only the easily portable and usable items. During this time, Shen Tang also consulted with a martial arts expert within her clan, gaining initial control over the strange power within her. She watched with envy as other warriors summoned their warhorses and leaped onto their backs with a dashing motion. She wanted it too!

only--

Why do I feel like there's something strange about my warhorse?

Shen Tang held the snow-white warhorse's long face in her hands, examining it closely from all angles. She felt that its appearance was somewhat different from other majestic warhorses, looking more comical and foolish, with an arrogant gaze that seemed to look down on everyone as if they were idiots.

Wei Lou: "...Is it possible that this is a mule?"

"...Steamed buns are also rations, and mules are also warhorses!"

After hearing this, the mule named "Motor" imitated Shen Tang's expression, snorted at Wei Lou, and made a strange gurgling sound.

Wei Lou: "..."

He was convinced the mule was mocking him.

Shen Tang was unwilling to give up. She called the motorcycle back and summoned it twice more, but the same mule came out each time. The mule stuck out its tongue and licked Shen Tang, then bit her hair bun and chewed on it.

Shen Tang: "..."

She grabbed her hair back expressionlessly.

She hopped onto the motorcycle and waved, "Let's go!"

Commissions are paid in full, and services are excellent.

With Wei Lou's help in planning the transportation route, there were no other troubles along the way except for a few groups of petty thieves. These petty thieves should have been killed and buried on the spot, but Shen Tang couldn't bear to see such cruelty, so he pinched his chin and observed these petty thieves for a long, long time.

Wei Lou: "They deserve to die."

Shen Tang said, "It would be a waste to kill such a large animal."

Wei Lou sneered at her foolish naiveté.

These petty thieves are no ordinary people; they have a wide range of businesses. When they are in a bad mood, they will dismember people, and when they are in a good mood, they will give their victims a way out, capturing men and women and locking them up in the village.

"Arrest them and lock them up in the village?"

Wei Lou: "Don't you know what to do?"

Shen Tang has indeed lost her memory, but she's not stupid. She said, "Is it about exploiting men as laborers and using women to satisfy one's lust?"

Wei Lou gave a forced smile: "The Queen is quite good at dividing tasks."

Shen Tang: "..."

Wei Lou said, "There's no such fine distinction. It just depends on what these petty thieves need. When they need labor, both men and women are tied up and forced to do hard labor. When they need to relieve themselves, both men and women have to share the burden. When people are in dire need, it doesn't matter whether they are men or women."

In fact, most of the bandit camps used male prisoners for sexual intercourse.

They have relatively good physical condition and are durable.

At the same time, there will be no worries about pregnancy or miscarriage.

In other words, the Gongxi clan had the ability to protect themselves. If they were just ordinary people with little ability to protect themselves, and were kidnapped by these bandits, they would be living a life worse than death.

so--

Shen Tang nodded.

"I won't feel any remorse even if I exploit them to death." These petty thieves aren't human, so there's no need to treat them like human beings.

Wei Lou: "..."

That seems to make sense.

Wei Lou found the target according to Shen Tang's requirements.

Before taking action, Shen Tang repeatedly asked for confirmation: "Are you sure it's bad?"

Wei Lou: "Damn it. On New Year's Eve, they sent people to the tenants' houses to collect debts. When they couldn't collect, the tenants' sons and nephews dragged out the wives and daughters and ganged up on them, then dumped the tenant father and son on the thugs who came with them. The other tenants were so scared that they either gritted their teeth and scraped together the money or signed IOUs with double the interest to escape. By the end of the year, at least twenty or thirty tenants had been hanged in front of the earthen walls."

Shen Tang gasped.

"The rent for one mu of land is 80% of the yield, and the remaining 20% ​​is the tenant's share. This 20% is used for the family's living expenses and various miscellaneous taxes." Wei Lou, disguised as Shen Tang's accountant, and Shen Tang, posing as the daughter of a wealthy merchant buying land, led the way, followed by seven or eight others. The road to the land purchase route passed through a field. Wei Lou calmly pointed to the figures working in the distance, and Shen Tang, following his finger, immediately looked away.

"Why aren't you wearing any clothes?" Several gaunt men and women were working almost naked. They were all tanned dark, their withered skin revealing visible bones. Shen Tang had just caught a glimpse of the withered woman, and the man's dark, empty sac dangling below his navel. There wasn't a single thing covering them.

Wei Lou had gotten used to her outrageous remarks from time to time.

"If you have decent clothes to wear, you're not a tenant farmer anymore; you'd be a wealthy farmer with some savings, or at the very least, a self-sufficient farmer."

Shen Tang: "..."

Wei Lou glanced at the several numb faces.

He pointed out a few people: "They must have fled from elsewhere."

What happened to the original location?

"Drought followed by locust plagues—it's lucky to have survived this long enough to become a tenant farmer; most end up dying on the road. Sometimes I don't know how to judge these local tyrants. While their exorbitant rent rates are certainly hateful, and their relentless pressure to collect rent harms people's families, at least they offer these refugees a path that, while not a true way out, at times like these..."

Shen Tang stopped in her tracks.

She looked up and met Wei Lou's gaze, who had stopped and was looking at her with a puzzled expression.

He said, "My lord, you are reversing cause and effect."

Wei Lou: "Are you suggesting I'm talking about cause and effect?"

"Yes, you almost got me hooked. Drought followed by locust plagues can certainly drive people to the brink of despair, but if their land truly belonged to them, and they didn't have to pay 80% of the rent every year, that 80% might become surplus grain for their families, allowing them to get through the disaster years together. Local farmers wouldn't have to flee to other places, and farmers from other places wouldn't have to flee to other places. Natural disasters are just one of the external factors."

What's hateful are those who come up with the idea of ​​imposing exorbitant taxes.

What's hateful is the person who ruthlessly steals 80% of people's harvest.

What's hateful are the people who made them lose the land they depended on for their livelihood.

Wei Lou: "...If that's the case, why does the Lady still want to buy land?"

Shen Tang clenched his fist: "Screw him!"

Local prominent and wealthy families would typically enclose a plot of land surrounded by a ten-foot-high earthen wall, which would be guarded by clan members or guards on a rotating basis. The earthen wall was fully equipped with swords, spears, and halberds, so even if tenants couldn't endure it any longer and gathered to rebel, they would be quickly killed by arrows shot from the wall. Those who were lucky enough to reach the base of the wall would be crushed to death by stones rolling down from above.

When the group arrived, there were seven or eight human skeletons hanging on the earthen wall.

The man was completely naked.

The dry, yellowish body hair swayed in the cold wind.

Wei Lou sniffed the stench that wafted over.

Judgment: "It's been about ten days."

＿|￣|●

Why hasn't the seller submitted the cover yet?

(End of this chapter)