Ma Hongsheng was already terrified when he was made to stand outside.

He knew that Shenxi would punish even his closest confidants, and would beat them with a big stick.

I heard that Zhao Rong is still bedridden and can't get up!

Zhao Rong, who was far away in the woods, sneezed a few times.

Shen Hai chuckled and said, "Brother Zhao, someone must be thinking of you."

Zhao Rong lay on his stomach and twisted his body. He felt uncomfortable if he didn't twist, but when he did, his buttocks really hurt.

"Who would care about me? Didn't you see those bastards in the army laughing and joking when they saw me beaten so badly I couldn't move, saying they wanted to have a match with me?"

Shen Hai, with her small body, also lay down next to Zhao Rong: "Brother Zhao, why doesn't my older sister let me follow Master anymore? She insists on leaving me here."

Zhao Rong patted the little guy's bottom, his smile undiminished: "The commander has his reasons. You, here, don't even think about slacking off. Follow the military doctor and learn properly. You have to train every day, understand?"

Shen Hai said with a pained expression, "I understand, but Brother Zhao, the training is too tiring."

“Even if you’re tired, you have to train. The commander originally wanted you to go to school, but he suddenly sent you here, which means you didn’t study hard enough.”

Shen Hai pouted; this was truly a helpless situation for him.

At the county school, his classmates, once they learned that he was Shenxi's younger brother, would flock around him every day, whether by choice or at their parents' behest.

This made it so that he couldn't even focus on his studies.

Children are naturally playful.

As a result, he was beaten twice by his master and his eldest sister. He was beaten by his master and then by his eldest sister.

The eldest sister's exact words were: "If you're not going to study hard here, then go and experience some hardship."

Military training is extremely tough and tedious.

In addition to training, the military also cultivated a vegetable garden on a flat area in the mountains. In their spare time, they would loosen the soil, water the vegetables, and catch insects.

Zhao Rong said, "It's so difficult to transport vegetables here; we should try to reduce the hardships for the transport team as much as possible."

In fact, everyone knows that the fresh vegetables that are transported here are basically wilted, and the quantity is small, so there is simply not enough to supply them.

Logistics Minister Shen Rongxuan said, "This is specially supplied to elite troops; most other troops eat dry goods."

Zhao Rong then came up with this idea. After all, reclaiming wasteland and growing vegetables could also be used as training to improve physical strength.

In Qiaozhen, after receiving Chenxi's order to enter, Ma Hongsheng, his legs trembling, shuffled in little by little.

"Greetings, Commander."

Ma Hongsheng bowed, trembling.

Shenxi didn't let him sit down. Her eyes were lowered, and she didn't bother to look at him. She asked in a cold voice, "How do you explain the matter of Shanbei Village?"

Ma Hongsheng knelt down immediately: "Your subordinate knows his crime. It was only because I was too eager for quick success and instant benefits, and too eager to train the villagers well, that I transferred them all to the township, and I had someone personally train them."

Chenxi abruptly tossed the investigation report on Shanbei Village to him.

“Look closely, this is the good deed you’ve done.”

This was the first time Xing Xiuyan had seen Shen Xi speak so sternly and harshly.

However, Ma Hongsheng really went too far. Otherwise, how could so many elderly people, women and children have died tragically in their homes?

Ma Hongsheng picked up the survey form with trembling hands, glanced at it a few times, and then kowtowed in fear.

“Ma Hongsheng, who gave you the right to transfer all the labor force of Shanbei Village to work on the private land you have seized?”

"Your subordinate confesses."

Ma Hongsheng dared not deny it; that was the truth.

"You also took Wang Ahua from Shanbei Village as your concubine, is that true?"

"Yes, sir, their family agreed to it."

"Agree? Wang Ahua committed suicide that very night. How do you explain that?"

“She was forced into this by her parents without my knowledge. If I had known she was unwilling, I certainly would not have made her a concubine.”

"What a convenient excuse of ignorance! Wang Ahua's parents are already suspected of human trafficking and have been detained, awaiting their fate. If the seller is imprisoned, you, the buyer, will also be guilty."

"As the township head, you must have already read the new documents issued by the county. Human trafficking is illegal in Bian'ai County. Didn't you know that?"

Ma Hongsheng was still trembling when he kowtowed again: "Commander, I know my crime."

Ma Hongsheng knew that if he did not plead guilty, the punishment would be even more severe.

"Do you think I don't know where those servants and boys in your mansion came from? You have committed more than just the crime of buying and selling people."

Ma Hongsheng didn't dare to look up at all.

He figured that Shanbei Village was relatively secluded, and that there wouldn't be any problems if he transferred people there to cultivate the land he had secretly occupied.

If the bandits hadn't suddenly massacred the village, how would the leader have known about it?

Besides, this kind of thing has always happened.

He has become much more restrained than before.

"Ma Hongsheng, do you accept all of these investigations?"

"We admit it, we all admit it. Please punish us, sir."

"good."

Shen Xi's face was ashen: "Ma Hongsheng, as the township head, has seized land for his own private use, forcibly bought people, forcibly taken women as concubines, and privately used the people to cultivate land for him. He has committed multiple crimes and is unforgivable. He shall be severely punished with thirty strokes of the cane and forced to do hard labor for the rest of his life."

Ma Hongsheng was deathly pale. He had not embezzled or accepted bribes; he had merely used his power to enjoy himself, but now he was destined to be a laborer for the rest of his life.

He gritted his teeth, pointed at Xing Xiuyan, and asked, "The chief forbids the buying and selling of people, but I remember that Miss Xing is the chief's maid. She sold herself to the chief."

Xing Xiuyan's expression changed. She hadn't expected that her stubbornness would bring trouble to her superior.

"Ma Hongsheng, how dare you curry favor with the leader?"

Xing Xiuyan spoke sharply and sternly. In her eyes, the leader was perfect and flawless. How could she allow a mere township head to slander him?

"Miss Xing, if the commander can do it, why can't I?"

Xing Xiuyan's chest heaved.

"I volunteered to be a slave, to serve the leader willingly. Can I be the same as you?"

Ma Hongsheng, in a fit of despair, said fiercely, "How is it different? It's all about buying and selling people."

"Whether it's voluntary or not, Miss Xing is now a maid, a servant. How can that change the fact that the chief bought her?"

Shen Xi stared at Ma Hongsheng, surprised that this guy was quite good at making excuses.

"Ma Hongsheng, should I add another crime to your list?"

Ma Hongsheng's fighting spirit had been aroused. He raised his head and, ignoring the guards pressing him down, said excitedly, "If the commander wants to impose a crime, there is nothing I can do."

The guards holding him were so angry that they kicked him and pushed him to the ground.

“Ma Hongsheng, the new document also prohibits taking concubines. I’m being lenient because you didn’t succeed. Adding this clause will give you ten more lashes.”

Ma Hongsheng secretly regretted it, but he still stubbornly insisted: "Of course the leader can add to my crimes, but the leader can also lead the way in committing crimes."