Chapter 184
Sun Qiao had no right to discuss Princess Yongfu's condition. His meeting with Han Jing today was at the behest of Prince Xuan. Sun Qiao asked, "You haven't been sleeping well these past few days."
Han Jing paused for a moment, picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed it vigorously, and swallowed it before saying, "Every time I close my eyes, I feel like I can hear a child crying."
If one word could describe the Northwest during this period, it would be "rivers of blood."
People die every day, not only businessmen but also many officials.
Because these people were involved in selling grain and ironware to barbarians, the punishments were very severe. Even infants were not pardoned; their entire families were executed, and their nine generations of relatives were exterminated.
Han Jing knew it was the right thing to do, because only by making these people afraid could they better suppress the practice of privately selling grain to the barbarians.
The imperial court had long stipulated that the buying and selling of grain, horses, and ironware was prohibited. Salt and tea were also subject to regulations, with annual quotas. Being caught doing so would be a serious crime.
Sun Qiao said coldly, "He deserves it."
Han Jing sighed and said, "I know they deserved it, but I just feel that those children don't understand anything."
Sun Qiao took a sip of mutton soup: "They can only blame themselves for being born into the wrong family."
Han Jing stopped talking.
Sun Qiao put down his bowl and patted Han Jing on the shoulder: "If the barbarians conquer the Northwest, they will not sympathize with the dead children, and may even marvel at the tenderness of the baby's flesh."
Han Jing nodded. To be honest, it was the first time he had seen so many children die in front of him, which was why he was having some trouble getting over it.
Sun Qiao thought back to the first time he killed someone, he also couldn't sleep at night. After all, what died was not an animal, but a person like them. In fact, seeing so many women and children die made him feel bad, but he had seen too much life and death, which made him better able to accept it.
“You’ll have to adjust to that yourself.” Sun Qiao had already finished eating, so he simply picked up a piece of radish and started munching on it. “There’s no other way. If you really can’t accept it, just tell the Prince that you shouldn’t go see it.”
For matters like confiscating property, King Xuan entrusted them to Han Jing. Han Jing had seen too many people begging and pleading. In fact, Sun Qiao also knew that Han Jing was not the kind of person who could be ruthless, so it was too difficult for him to do this.
Han Jing shook his head and said, "You have to get used to it eventually."
Looking at Han Jing's appearance, Sun Qiao said, "There's no mercury mirror here, otherwise you could look in it and see how haggard you look."
Han Jing was stunned for a moment.
After finishing the radish, Sun Qiao said, "You seem like a completely different person compared to when I saw you in the capital."
Han Jing gasped. He suddenly remembered that because of these events, he hadn't used any of the pearl creams and other things the princess had specially left behind. He had even just washed his face and gone to sleep at night.
Looking at Han Jing's appearance, Sun Qiao said, "It's dry and cold in the Northwest. When you return to the capital, I hope the princess won't not recognize you."
Han Jing swallowed hard.
Sun Qiao finally looked at Han Jing and said, "There are many people in the Northwest, even the princess is here. His Majesty has just ascended the throne, and those people are all waiting for His Majesty to make a mistake. The princess of a fallen kingdom... tsk."
Sun Qiao didn't say anything more. What were princesses of fallen kingdoms like? Consort Zheng was considered one of the better ones. What about the rest?
Han Jing remained silent for a long time, his expression no longer showing any hesitation. He nodded, ladled himself a bowl of mutton soup, and said, "You're right."
Compassion should be used on the right people and things.
Sun Qiao's expression was serious: "If others think that doing business with barbarians is a low-level punishment even if they are discovered, I'm afraid more people will take the risk. Only when the price is unbearable for them will they think more carefully and hesitate before doing anything."
Han Jing understood this principle: "I understand."
Sun Qiao stopped talking and quietly waited for Han Jing to finish eating.
The guard who went to the yamen to fetch the clerk returned quickly, but the clerk did not come. The magistrate said that he had gone out on business and had not returned.
The advisor had no family, not even a concubine, and his place was practically empty. He had few friends and rarely made close relationships with anyone. He did have a sister-in-law who helped him clean every day, but she knew nothing about the job and only came to work for money.
Yan Shujin didn't know what to say. The county magistrate was also an idiot. There was obviously something wrong with this kind of advisor, but he didn't suspect anything at all.
The old swindler was far more afraid of death than Yan Shujin had imagined. After learning that Doctor Liu's family had been taken away, someone went to Doctor Liu's "pharmacy" that very night. However, the person secretly keeping watch was given orders and did not act rashly. Instead, he followed the people who stole the "medicines" to their hiding place, noted it down, and did not leave. He continued to hide in the corner and wait.
As dawn broke, a middle-aged woman carrying a basket emerged from a courtyard not far from the hideout of the herbal thieves. After passing the courtyard and seeing no one around, she gently knocked on the door. The door opened quickly, and a person inside glanced at the middle-aged woman, took a basket, and after exchanging them, the middle-aged woman walked outside, as if she were going to buy groceries.
The two guards who were keeping watch exchanged a glance. One of them followed the middle-aged woman away, while the other continued to watch the two courtyards. Not long after, an elderly man with a hunched back was seen coming out of the courtyard where the people who stole the medicinal herbs were hiding. He then went to the courtyard opposite, which was adjacent to the courtyard where the middle-aged woman had come out. This time, the elderly man did not come out after entering the courtyard.
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