Chapter 204: Chaos in Xiaocheng (Forty-Four) [Two-in-One]
Robin Hood-like behavior?
Gu Chi frowned subconsciously.
Which "rich" are you planning to rob?
The rebels are probably the "richest" ones right now, aren't they?
The previous fire hadn't damaged their foundations, and with reinforcements bringing supplies and provisions, they were practically rolling in wealth.
"If you're planning to take action against the rebels, I advise you to abandon that idea. Not to mention that Xiaocheng is short-handed and can't spare any extra people. Even if it could, they would only be able to rob us."
Gu Chi thought he had predicted Shen Tang's prediction.
Preemptively block this road.
To everyone's surprise, Shen Tang arrogantly and Versailles-likely said, "I've already burned their supplies. Even the most foolish rebels wouldn't fall into the same trap twice. Why would we want to take their things? What I mean is, should we... borrow some from the wealthy families in Xiaocheng?"
Gu Chi: "..."
This development was something he never expected.
He asked, "The wealthy families you're referring to..."
Gu Chi had a vague idea, but he didn't dare to imagine that Shen Tang would have such audacity. Yet Shen Tang actually dared: "Xiaocheng is, after all, the prefecture of Sibao County, right? It's also the most economically prosperous and populous place in Sibao County. There must be quite a few wealthy, powerful, influential, and influential families or gentry there, right?"
Gu Chi's lips twitched.
He said, "The people you mentioned have already escaped."
Those were the most well-informed people.
The rebels launched a surprise attack on the garrison's granary outside the city. The fire had barely started when the people inside the city sensed something was wrong and packed their belongings overnight, taking their most important family members with them as they left.
In the past, these people might not have been willing to leave—the fall of a city was simply a matter of changing leadership to them. Newly appointed leaders, in order to take control of the city as quickly as possible, would generally not touch these people.
Not only will they not be touched, they will continue to employ them.
This is one of their sources of confidence.
It is also an unspoken rule during wars between various countries and forces.
However, Zheng Qiao doesn't play by the rules.
When Sibao County was first captured, this group initially intended to put on airs, but they underestimated Zheng Qiao's brutality and decisiveness. Anyone who opposed Zheng Qiao was either beheaded or had their entire family's household registration cancelled.
Furthermore, Zheng Qiao deliberately allowed his soldiers to burn, kill, and loot, which terrified them. So when the rebel army of the Prince of Zhi arrived, they had already fled, fearing they would follow in his footsteps.
Shen Tang had also heard about these rumors.
“I know they escaped, but time is so tight. They could take valuables, but they certainly couldn’t take grain and rice… Isn’t that exactly what we need? We need it and they have it, perfect!” Shen Tang added, “It’s not like we’re taking it for free, we’re just giving them an IOU.”
Gu Chi: "...???"
He wasn't surprised by the IOU.
He was surprised that Shen Lang took it so matter-of-factly.
Gu Chi: "You mean... borrowing grain from those aristocratic gentry?"
Shen Tang said, "Yes."
He nodded emphatically after saying that.
The landlord's family must have grain.
Gu Chi then asked, "Have you thought about how you plan to pay it back?"
Shen Tang shrugged, seemingly unconcerned: "Well, it's simple. If Xiaocheng is defended, they can take the IOUs to the prefectural government for repayment, and if the prefectural government refuses, they can seek repayment from the imperial court. If Xiaocheng is lost, they'll be dead, so why would they care about the debts?"
Gu Chi: "..."
It has to be said that this twisted logic sounds somewhat reasonable, but a normal person wouldn't even consider targeting that group of people. Gu Chi was deep in thought and didn't give Shen Tang an answer. Shen Tang didn't urge her either; she was just offering suggestions, and whether or not they were adopted was none of her business.
Gu Chi then asked, "Why won't they lend it?"
Shen Tang tentatively asked, "Rob?"
Gu Chi: "..."
The seemingly frail young man had a deep look in his eyes and asked an unrelated question: "Qi Yuanliang, you've been taking a lot of heart medication lately, haven't you?"
He even seemed to be secretly gloating.
If you encounter such a reckless young man, you're bound to have a lot of trouble.
Shen Tang looked anxious: "You mean heart-protecting pills? Yuan Liang does carry a few bottles of medicine with him, but I haven't seen him take them, so I don't know what they are. Is that heart-protecting pill? Does Yuan Liang have a heart condition?"
How could she not know?
Under current medical conditions, heart disease is basically incurable.
Gu Chi: "..."
He just wanted to gloat, that's all.
He abruptly changed the subject, steer the conversation back on track: "Robbing is out of the question. If you anger these people, they might open the city gates from the inside while you're still dreaming, welcoming the rebels into the city. Don't underestimate them."
Shen Tang's idea was also quite dangerous.
I really don't know how Qishan taught her.
Shen Tang didn't understand the logic behind it at all.
She asked, puzzled, "Is this enough to anger them? Isn't Xiaocheng their stronghold? The rebels are a common enemy. With such a formidable foe at hand, we should set aside all differences and unite to fight them. Those with money should contribute money, those with manpower should contribute manpower, and those with strength should contribute strength. Only then can we defend our homeland from disintegration!"
Gu Chi was taken aback by Shen Tang's seemingly logical words, then chuckled and said, "How can these be the same?"
Shen Tang looked at him, puzzled, seeking an answer.
"They never cared who controlled Xiaocheng, or even which country it belonged to. If it weren't for Zheng Qiao, this tyrant who broke the rules, they wouldn't have even bothered to flee. Because no matter who came to power, their assets would still belong to them, and it wouldn't affect their enjoyment of wealth and luxury. They might even rise to a higher position because of the new ruler's favor."
The situation described by Shen Tang is simply impossible.
Because interests and stances are never the same.
Shen Tang opened his mouth, seemingly not expecting this.
She really hadn't expected it.
Gu Chi's words implied that the local gentry had grain, but they wouldn't lend it. However, in her subconscious, it was perfectly normal to fight with all one's might to protect one's country; on the contrary, it was abnormal to stand by and watch indifferently.
Shen Tang remained silent for a while.
She asked, "The new rice that should have been stored is nowhere to be found, and only 30% of the old rice in the emergency reserves is damp and moldy. Where did this rice go? Whether it was eaten, sold, or lost, it should have some destination. Can this be investigated?"
Gu Chi asked, "You suspect they embezzled it?"
"It may not be them, but how could they consume such a large quantity of rice without some wealth? Not only would they need wealth, but they would also ideally own legally operating rice shops. The rice shops in the city, big and small, almost raised their prices one after another, and then announced that there was a shortage of rice one after another. It's either a coincidence or something deliberate... And most of these rice shops are their businesses."
Shen Tang then asked, "In the two days before Xiaocheng was besieged, did these rice shops buy grain at high prices? If so, they probably had a lot of grain on hand. How could they have sold it all so quickly? If we follow this line of investigation, we might actually find something..."
Then use the leverage to extort money...
No, I mean, we can definitely borrow grain.
Gu Chi: "The granary is not an easy place to operate. If it is really embezzled, the former prefect Yan Cheng will inevitably be involved."
Shen Tang said, "Then we can check Yan Cheng's study. Maybe there's such an account book there? Wouldn't that be irrefutable evidence?"
Gu Chi: "..."
No, that's not what he meant.
His point was that if Yancheng got involved, it would be a "deal" that they might not accept, let alone use it as leverage to force them to give up the benefits they had taken. They weren't pushovers.
If there is truly no channel for obtaining food.
As a last resort, perhaps this method can be tried.
Gu Chi lowered his eyelids, still undecided.
This matter still needs to be discussed with Wu Yuan, or at least he should be informed. He tapped his knuckles on the table absently, but his mind was on Shen Tang and the phantom of the giant dragon above Xiaocheng.
No one knew the origin of the saying "When the Purple Star appears in the Northwest, the world will be unified" better than him. He knew it wasn't a prophecy, yet it had "come true." Not too early, not too late, but after Shen Tang and the others appeared. Was there some connection he wasn't aware of?
After Gu Chi came to his senses—
On the white paper on the table were the words "National Seal," "Chen Tang," "Gong Shuwu," "Qishan," and "Chu Yao." Chu Yao's sudden recovery of his literary talent was a rather intriguing detail. So far, only that path could restore the literary talent of someone who had been deposed from the Danfu sect.
If he chooses that path, there is a detail that is easily overlooked by ordinary people—during the recovery process, Chu Yao cannot stray too far from those he is loyal to.
The closer the distance, the better for recovery.
Chu Yao's loyalists were nearby.
In other words, the person who owns the State Seal is nearby.
Could this person be Shen Tang?
Will the imperial seal of Xin Kingdom end up in the hands of the Shen family?
Thinking about it this way, it seems to make sense.
Just as Gu Chi was pondering, he heard Gong Cheng's thoughts through several walls. Normally, Gu Chi would have ignored it, but this time the thoughts mentioned a key word—Second Uncle.
Isn't Gong Cheng's second uncle the long-lost Gong Wen?
Wu Yuan coveted Gong Wen and always wanted to recruit him if he could, but fate had other plans, and Gong Wen seemed to have vanished without a trace. Gong Cheng's thoughts mentioned a detail—Gong Shuwu reminded Gong Cheng of his second uncle.
At that moment, Gu Chi felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
He suddenly understood something.
He picked up a brush and wrote the two characters "Gong Wen" next to Gong Shuwu.
"Gong Shuwu, Gong Shu half a step; Gong Wen, Gong Yili—half a step is martial, and the principles of propriety are literary. So that's how it is, haha, so that's how it is!" The details that Gu Chi couldn't understand before suddenly became clear, and he further confirmed that Shen Tang had the Imperial Seal on him!
This imperial seal was given to me by Gong Shuwu!
Shen Tang is also a descendant of the Shen family...
Could it be that Shen Lang is a hidden gem of the Xin Kingdom?
If this is the case, then everything makes sense.
Otherwise, Gong Wen would have no reason to stay by Shen Tang's side.
Gu Chi clicked his tongue: "Gong Wen is truly loyal to the Xin royal family. He would rather hand over the royal seal to the descendants of the Shen family and choose a hopeless path to restore the kingdom than help his own nephew. He's still hiding his identity right now. What a loyal bastard!"
but--
What does this have to do with him?
Gu Chi suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with a sinister chill. He rolled up the paper on the table, took out a tinderbox, and burned it.
Until the paper turned to ashes in the firelight.
at the same time--
Suddenly, Gong Shuwu sneezed loudly.
Helpless, he followed his nephew and his nephew's brother-in-law ahead.
Not long ago, Shen Tang approached Gong Cheng with a worried expression, saying that the city was short of food and the granary was suspected of being embezzled by the former prefect. He was bored and wanted to find evidence, hoping to recover the grain. His nephew immediately offered his support!
Gong Shuwu thought the two children were naive.
Are pieces of evidence really that easy to find?
If it's found, can the grain be recovered?
They don't even look at the current situation where they are besieged by the rebels.
Gong Shuwu wanted to spend more time with his nephew, so he followed along to watch the fun. Little did he know that the two children were searching through the former prefect's study and found a wooden box under a floor tile.
The wooden box was full of booklets; they looked very important!
Gong Shuwu: "..."
He watched as Shigeo entered the study, heading straight for the lamp stand, the walls, and the floor. In no time, he made a significant discovery, making one suspect that she had buried the box.
He didn't ask, but Gong Cheng did.
How did my brother-in-law know I was here?
Shen Tang flipped through the booklets one by one, without looking up, and said, "Isn't this simple? It's all the same old tricks."
You won't know until you look at the ledgers—
Goodness, the former prefect had quite a wide range of responsibilities.
I found the relevant content about grain depots after flipping through a few books.
Unfortunately, she was right.
"With all this... how much grain can we get?"
Xiaocheng can hold out for at least another half month!
Gong Cheng gasped when he saw the numbers.
"this--"
That's incredibly audacious!
At the same time, there is a hidden joy, like receiving unexpected windfall.
But Gong Cheng hesitated when he presented the evidence to demand the grain.
He also came from a prominent family and knew best what these people would do if they were provoked. But if he didn't get food, the garrison would have to defend the city on an empty stomach in a couple of days, and the people in the city would also mutini.
For a moment, it seemed that no matter which choice you made, it would be a mistake.
Shen Tang patted him on the shoulder.
"Gong Cheng, are you sure you can do it?"
Caught off guard, Gong Cheng stumbled. His face flushed red, and he said, "This matter is of great importance and cannot be taken lightly."
"You don't dare to do it?" Shen Tang asked him bluntly.
Gong Cheng said helplessly, "It's not good to offend them."
Shen Tang's eyes darted around, and a wicked idea popped into her head.
She beckoned to Gong Cheng with her finger. Gong Cheng hesitated, but couldn't suppress his curiosity and stepped forward to hear what brilliant plan Shen Tang had. Shen Tang's plan was not only insidious but also extremely cunning.
Upon hearing this, Gong Cheng stared wide-eyed in utter astonishment, stammering, "How... how can you use such a method? Isn't this robbery?"
Shen Tang said, "It's robbery!"
Since borrowing won't work, then we'll just steal it.
We must give her food no matter what.
The landlords have grain, but they refuse to share it and even want to raise prices and profit from the war? They've really gone too far!
Not to mention that this grain was obtained through embezzlement.
The ledger is proof!
The grain in the granaries is meant to cope with natural disasters and man-made calamities. If we don't use it now, when will we? To touch it is no different from rebellion.
It's already a miracle they didn't come to their door to cancel their household registration.
Gong Cheng said, "What if they get pushed to the limit..."
Shen Tang: "What do you mean, 'forced into a corner'? Did the prefectural government come forward to force them to provide grain? Don't talk nonsense! No! Those who robbed their granaries were 'rioters,' 'commoners' who couldn't afford rice and grain and had no choice but to take the risk. The 'commoners' have suffered under the landlords for too long. The prefectural government, as the local magistrate, the embodiment of justice, and the representative of fairness, how could they do something like robbery? Don't you think so?"
As for how those "rioters" knew the location of the granary and why so many of them appeared, well, how could the prefecture, which was severely short-handed and whose staff wished they had three pairs of hands, know?
We must not wrong an honest and upright person!
Gong Cheng was somewhat tempted.
then--
After agonizing all night, Wu Yuan finally decided to let Gu Chi give it a try—to host a banquet and invite the acting heads of various households to find out their opinions on "borrowing grain." However, before he even stepped out of the county government's gate, the acting heads of the households had already come to his door crying and wailing.
Wu Yuan: "???"
(σ)σ:*☆
I suddenly had the urge to get a cat, and after doing some research, I found a cattery near my house. So, I went there that afternoon and brought home a silver point British Shorthair. The owner said it was four months old, but I think it's quite chubby; it doesn't look that young…
(End of this chapter)
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