Chapter 625: Pacifying Sibao County (Twenty-Seven) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Xun Ding knew about Shen Tang and Gong Xi Chou's past, but he never expected their relationship to be closer than anticipated. What does it mean that if you ask Gong Xi Chou for help, he will lend you his man?

Is there really such a generous side to Gong Xi Chou, that damned man?

Although he was just an extra...

But even extras have dignity!

With unwavering resolve: "I will not agree to this!"

He added, "How can you force someone to buy or sell like this!"

What kind of karma did he create? First, he was forced to work for free by Gong Xichou, and now he's in his own father's hands and continues to work for free.

After all, he is the dignified governor of Minfeng County!

Xun Zhen asked in a dangerous tone: "Shouldn't you?"

Xun Ding stubbornly retorted, his neck stiff, "No!"

Xun Zhen took a deep breath, bowed to Chen Tang, and said to Xun Ding, who stared wide-eyed with horror as if he had seen a ghost, "My lord, please wait a moment. I will go and fetch the family law. This matter arose because of my son, and he should bear all the responsibility."

“Family...family law?” Xun Ding stammered.

“I used to be reluctant to do it because you were frail; now that you are strong and healthy, you can take it. A beating will teach you a lesson.”

Xun Zhen started rolling up his sleeves as he spoke.

Looking at his father's wrist, a glimpse of a fully grown man's wrist—distinct knuckles, delicate wrist bones, smooth skin, and visible veins—it seemed harmless at first glance, but the thought of him lifting him up with one hand...

Xun Ding's eyes showed even more deep grievance.

"Father—"

Is he no longer my darling?

"Pfft—" Gu Chi admitted that although he was a professional, he couldn't help but laugh sometimes. Seeing everyone's eyes on him, he waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, I just suddenly remembered something very happy."

People say "like father, like son," but in his opinion, that's not entirely true. Xun Zhen and Xun Ding are completely opposite. Xun Zhen, the father, has taken all the goodness from the Xun family, leaving his son to be simple-minded.

In the end, it was Shen Tang who stepped in to stop the domestic violence.

"Hanzhang, let's put aside the matter of your son 'selling himself to pay off the debt' for now. Or, when we have the chance, we can ask Gong Xichou to pay this sum of money to 'redeem' him. Educating children requires patience and care; we can't resort to domestic violence all the time."

Xun Zhen humbly accepted the instruction: "What you say is true, my lord."

Xun Ding: "..."

Given Gong Xichou's stingy nature, the probability of him paying to ransom the person was almost zero. Let alone ransom him, it would be a miracle if he didn't even make a sarcastic remark to his face. Thinking of this, Xun Ding felt increasingly depressed, finally channeling his grief and indignation into his appetite.

Despite being called a prisoner, he was not guarded at all.

"This Mr. Shen is indeed a man of his word..."

They truly did not allow their subordinates to harass the people and rob them.

From this perspective, he is indeed more upright than Akihiko Aki.

Xun Dingxin put down his bowl and chopsticks with satisfaction, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, leaned against the railing and looked down, clicking his tongue twice.

Below the city gate, ordinary people were busy with their daily meals as usual, and vendors could be seen in the streets and alleys. Although the scene was not particularly lively, it did not show any signs that this place had experienced a war the night before, or that it had even changed hands.

The commotion last night is known throughout the city.

This morning, as soon as the city gates opened, many hurried people peered towards them. Seeing commoners entering and exiting normally, they hesitated for a long time before finally mustering their courage and forming a long queue. Some carried large and small bags, each bundle bulging, while others drove horse-drawn carriages, accompanied by servants and children, looking as if they were carrying heavy loads on their way to visit distant relatives…

Where are you going?

The soldiers guarding the city have been replaced.

They were all young and strong, and they were serious about their work, unlike the group of lazy, undisciplined, and lazy veterans of the past.

The man being questioned looked nervous, his hands hanging limply at his sides, his heart pounding as he clutched his belongings sewn to his trousers, his boots shuffling on the ground—he had also hidden some loose silver in the soles of his shoes. The places where these people lined up to leave the city hid their money were varied and numerous.

No one knows whether the attacking side will massacre the entire city, and a massacre is not just about killing people; the enemy not only wants their lives but also their possessions. Their possessions are their lifeline, and who would willingly give them up so easily?

"Go out of the city to see my mother..."

"See your mother?"

"My mother is sick..."

The soldier said "oh," checked and found no problems, stamped the seal to allow him to leave the city, waved to indicate that he could go, and finally reminded him: "There is chaos outside the city now. After you see your mother, bring her back. It's not safe for her to live outside."

The ordinary citizen being inspected stumbled in fright.

"Next, what are you doing out of the city?"

"Go...go out to see my father..."

"To see your father?"

"My dad is sick too..."

The soldier had the expression of an old man on the subway, knowing something was amiss, but he didn't expose it. After checking and finding nothing wrong, he raised his hand and let the person go.

He then asked the third person, "And you?"

"Go out...go out and see me..."

"Will you also meet your parents?"

Can't you even change your reasons?

Commoner: "No, no, it's because I'm seeing my grandpa and grandma..."

"Oh, they're sick too?"

The common people were so anxious they were practically slurring their words: "Run...run to the funeral..."

Soldier: "..."

They're not sick anymore, just bury them in the ground.

On this day, several generations of relatives and clansmen in Linshan County died in succession. The soldiers guarding the city simply questioned them and let them pass, barely checking their belongings, nor was there any need to. The soldiers knew perfectly well that the valuables had long been hidden on their bodies, concealed in various places, and wouldn't have been carelessly left in their personal bags…

After the daytime panic, some commoners realized their worries were unnecessary; Shen Tang had no intention of amassing wealth. This realization relieved them, freeing them from the immediate urge to flee, but also fueled greater doubt and anxiety—if this man wasn't after money or people, then what was he doing attacking and plundering? Did he have some other powerful scheme in store for them?

Wait on the left, wait on the right, wait on the right, wait on the left.

Then Shen Tang led his troops away.

She quickly arranged for people to take over Linshan County, wrote a letter to the Longwu County government, and then led her troops to continue pursuing Qiu Wenyan's forces. Whether it was a trap or Qiu Wenyan had lost his fighting spirit, the next county town was captured with exceptional ease, with almost no decent resistance. The defending soldiers were all old, weak, sick, or disabled, with no able-bodied men in sight.

Yang Gong: "Judging from this situation, Qiu Wenyan has become more restrained."

"Behave himself? Will he keep a low profile and behave himself?"

Yang Gong shook his head: "Of course not."

His so-called "restraint" meant that Qiu Cheng no longer had blind confidence in his own strength, but truly faced Shen Tang's strength squarely, and also clearly understood that if he continued to disperse his troops throughout Sibao County, he would eventually be dealt with one by one by Shen Tang, who had concentrated his forces. Rather than that, it was better to concentrate his forces to form a counter-encirclement of Shen Tang, and then annihilate him!

As for the county towns where troops were withdrawn...

It was more like a little treat for Shen Tang.

The delay made her feel proud, and then she became complacent.

"Oh, so to put it simply, you want to fight me?"

"Then—where will the final battle take place?"

Yang Gong chose to remain silent.

It wasn't that he couldn't guess, but this place was a place of sorrow for him. Instead, Xun Ding gave the answer: "Xiaocheng".

Why Xiaocheng?

"Because of Gongxi Chou."

Shen Tang's expression was inscrutable: "Is Gongxi Chou in Xiaocheng?"

this--

That's interesting.

(End of this chapter)