"How dare you!"
Upon hearing this, Tie Niu was immediately enraged. As a native of Qin, he harbored extreme hatred for the State of Zhao. He declared decisively, "You wicked man, it was definitely the State of Zhao that did this!"
"Brother Tie Niu, what makes you say that?" The wicked man smiled, his tone carrying a hint of scrutiny. He could guess that someone had caused the trouble, but he wasn't sure who it was; Zhao was merely the prime suspect.
Tie Niu rubbed his chin and said with certainty, "Han and Wei have been destroyed by our Qin state, which is not a good thing for Zhao, which is almost surrounded. Zhao will naturally not sit idly by and wait for its demise."
“At a time of great calamity, if I were the King of Zhao, I would also resort to underhanded means to disrupt the peace of my Qin state.”
Upon hearing this, the wicked man laughed heartily, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. He thought to himself that people really can change. Back then, Tie Niu was just a lowly Qin soldier, but now he has such a broad mind.
Indeed, environment and status can make people progress rapidly!
"So, you didn't mention that!"
The wicked man suppressed his smile and then gave a deep order, "Tie Niu, convey this Grand Commandant's military order: the soldiers stationed in Han and Wei are to prepare for battle, and General Wang Jian is to be transferred to Shangdang to garrison the area."
“Tell him! There’s no need to continue fighting with Chu. He should lead his troops into Wei in preparation for any eventuality.”
"Send scouts back to Qin, order the border troops to prepare for war, and do not relax day and night. At the same time, summon Bao Yuan, Le Ye, and two hundred thousand Han and Wei soldiers here. It must be done quickly!"
Tie Niu's expression instantly turned solemn. He clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, turned, and strode away. He secretly pondered to himself that Tie Niu was probably right; the wicked man's military order was definitely unusual, and a major battle might be imminent.
Tie Niu stepped out of the tent and immediately ordered his men to relay the message: military orders are absolute and cannot be broken.
He gazed at the distant horizon, a strange mix of tension and excitement welling up inside him, a faint anticipation that the invading enemy might actually arrive.
......
The next morning.
Qin soldiers ran around the city, summoning all the people of Anyi to gather inside.
The Wei people inside the city were puzzled, but they still patiently gathered in the city despite the rain.
A short while later, Tie Niu accompanied him and the wicked man directly onto the city wall, immediately causing a commotion among the people below.
"Is it the wicked general??"
"Hiss... What's this killer star doing here? Is he going to wipe us out?"
"Nonsense! If your wicked husband had really wanted to kill you back then, would you still be alive today? I think you've come here to announce disaster relief policies."
The noise continued, with everyone holding their own opinions.
"quiet!"
Tie Niu stepped forward, focused his energy in his dantian, and roared out loud. No matter how fierce the wind and rain were, they could not drown out his thunderous roar.
"Standing before you now is the wicked Grand Commandant of Qin!"
"I have come here as Your Majesty's envoy to take full charge of disaster relief."
As soon as Tie Niu finished speaking, the crowd erupted in cheers. The words "disaster relief" were like a timely rain, giving them hope. As long as the Qin state did not abandon them, they might be able to get through this disaster.
"Gentlemen, listen to me!" The voice of the wicked Grand Commandant traveled through the wind and rain, clearly reaching everyone's ears. "The King of Qin cares deeply for his people. I once said that all who enter my Qin state will become Qin citizens and enjoy equal treatment."
"I have heard that someone is spreading rumors that His Majesty does not care about your lives or deaths?"
"Today, I, the Grand Commandant, will tell you that the King and his officials in Xianyang are working day and night to allocate funds and provisions for disaster relief."
His words conveyed a firm resolve, allowing the people present to feel the sincerity from the Qin state.
The wicked man then announced a series of relief measures, including the distribution of food, provision of temporary shelter, and evacuation of Anyi City if necessary. Each measure was aimed at alleviating the suffering of the people and doing everything possible to save their lives.
"Furthermore, His Majesty has specifically instructed that the disaster will inevitably destroy your homes, something that is beyond human control. At that time, the court will provide you with land and seeds to help you rebuild your homes."
"You must never resist. As the saying goes, 'Where there's life, there's hope.' As long as you're alive, everything will come back to normal." The wicked man's voice echoed on the city wall, his words coming from the bottom of his heart.
Upon hearing this, the people were deeply moved, and their long-held anxieties finally subsided.
They knew that although the man in front of them was ruthless, he was a man of his word and worthy of their trust.
The wicked man suddenly asked again, "Gentlemen, are you all relieved now?"
"Don't worry, don't worry!"
"We thank Your Majesty and the Grand Commandant for your concern!"
The people shouted in unison, showing their excitement and enthusiasm.
Misfortune and fortune are intertwined. This great disaster will bring immeasurable losses, but it will also unite people's hearts. Through this event, they probably didn't even realize it themselves, but they gradually developed a sense of belonging to Qin.
The wicked man's lips curled into a slight smile, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "You're all relieved, but this Grand Commandant's mind is a little clouded..."
Tie Niu's heart skipped a beat, then a knowing look appeared on his face. He knew that his wicked husband was about to use the knife again.
Sure enough, the wicked man's next words confirmed his suspicions.
"This Grand Commandant braved the rain and traveled a long way, while the King and his officials in Xianyang worked tirelessly, yet they were instead smeared with dirty water."
"What do you suggest we do?!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the world fell silent, with only the sound of wind and rain remaining.
After a brief silence, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, "To slander the king and spread rumors is a crime punishable by death, and the entire family shall be implicated..."
A somewhat weak voice rang out from the crowd, trembling yet filled with unwavering determination.
The wicked man looked toward the source of the voice and saw a scholar, about eight feet tall with a thin face, standing straight and looking back at him without fear.
Although his clothes were soaked by the rain, the scholar's expression revealed an indomitable pride, which made him quite charming.
"Good!" The wicked husband nodded approvingly, a hint of appreciation in his voice. "What's your name?"
The scholar was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting the wicked man to ask his name, but he quickly regained his composure and answered loudly, "Reporting to the Grand Commandant, my name is Zhang Ke."
The wicked man nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings, and his voice rang out again: "Zhang Ke is right. A monarch cannot be insulted, let alone such a baseless accusation."
His words struck like a hammer blow to everyone's hearts, making the atmosphere, which had relaxed due to the disaster relief measures, tense up again.
"I, the Grand Commandant, spoke several times that day about how strict the Qin laws are, so that you would know that the Qin laws are clear and cannot be challenged. Not only will you be punished, but your family will also be implicated."
"The court has never forgotten you. I, the Grand Commandant, hope that you will also be frank and report those who spread rumors, trace the source, and catch the rats hiding in the filth."
After the wicked husband finished speaking, silence fell once again on the city wall.
The people looked at each other, knowing that although the Grand Commandant's words were harsh, they were for their own good, especially in such a time of disaster and turmoil, when order and stability were more important than anything else.
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