Chapter 154: What Plans Can Be Made for the People?
Just then, Zhu Zixing arrived quickly. His gaze was steady as he swiftly swept over the agitated crowd. His voice was gentle yet carried great weight: "Fellow citizens of Baiyun City! Please calm down and think this through. If my Zhu family wishes to govern Baiyun City, we should win the hearts and minds of the people. How can we possibly cut off our own arm and harm your lives? To ruin our reputation would be like shooting ourselves in the foot!"
“Yes…that makes sense…” “I knew someone was framing him…” The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves, and the previously overwhelming atmosphere of rebellion began to loosen and crumble.
Zhu Zixing seized the opportunity and continued, "This time, there are more than a dozen soup kitchens in various parts of Baiyun City to provide relief to the refugees. Why is it that only these five places closest to Zhu Family Village were poisoned? This shows that the poisoner is near my Zhu Family Village, or even... mixed among you all! My Zhu family hereby swears that we will do everything in our power to find the wicked poisoner! We must give an explanation to the deceased and to everyone!" He looked around the crowd with piercing eyes.
“Good!”... “We believe in the Zhu family!” Many reasonable people echoed.
"Then... is there still porridge being distributed today?" A timid yet unusually sharp voice suddenly rang out, instantly silencing all the noise. This was the most important matter concerning the lives of hundreds of people. If the Zhu family stopped distributing porridge now, these people would have to survive by gnawing on tree bark and eating wild grass, and who knows how many would starve to death by the time the autumn harvest came.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Ziqiao was filled with rage, nearly losing his composure. He cursed inwardly: "These lowly people are just lowly people! A bunch of ungrateful starving corpses! They don't care about right or wrong, only about immediate petty gains! They smashed my stove and still dare to shamelessly ask for porridge! Utterly absurd!"
Although Zhu Zixing's expression was slightly cold, he forced himself to remain calm and immediately declared loudly, "Yes! There must be!" He glanced at the pile of mangled earthen stove fragments and broken pottery pots beside him, took a deep breath, and maintained his calm yet undeniable tone: "Please be patient, everyone. Come and collect your porridge promptly at dusk! My Zhu family will stand with you refugees to overcome this difficult time!"
"Great!...That's wonderful..." A low cheer erupted from the crowd, a mixture of relief at surviving the ordeal and the harsh reality of being forced to survive, finally calming their emotions. People whispered among themselves and began to disperse in twos and threes, their steps heavy.
Seeing the crowd gradually disperse, Zhu Zixing's tense nerves finally relaxed slightly. He immediately turned to Zhu Ziqiao: "Fifth Brother, quickly arrange for people to rebuild the stoves and buy more cooking utensils. Make sure the refugees have porridge to eat this evening. While the porridge is cooking, send more people to watch over it every step of the way. Have trusted confidants carefully check every step to ensure everything goes perfectly and there are absolutely no more mishaps!"
"Don't worry, Eighth Brother! I'll take care of it!" Zhu Ziqiao nodded emphatically, his anger still lingering, but he understood the urgency of the situation.
After quickly giving instructions to Zhu Ziqiao, Zhu Zixing hurried towards the main hall of the Zhu Family Manor.
Inside the hall, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was almost frozen. Zhu Ziyou and Zhu Zishou knelt on the ground, heads hanging low. Zhu Zongshen, in the main seat, supported his forehead with one hand, his face full of exhaustion and anger, clearly having already been thoroughly reprimanded.
Upon seeing Zhu Zixing enter, Zhu Zishou, who was kneeling on the ground, was overjoyed as if he had seen a savior. He immediately crawled two steps on his knees and asked anxiously, "Eighth Brother! How are those refugees outside?"
Zhu Zixing did not answer him immediately, but instead bowed directly to Zhu Zongshen: "Father! Fifth Brother and I have already suppressed the refugee riot. This trouble is not the fault of Third Brother and Sixth Brother," he turned to the two people on the ground, his tone calm but with hidden weight, "It is obvious that someone has been plotting against the territory of Baiyun City!"
Zhu Zongshen slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with deep sorrow and a cold glint, his voice hoarse: "Thousands of lives... How could they do such a thing?"
"In chaotic times, when everyone is vying for power, life is as worthless as grass. The victor becomes king, and the loser becomes an enemy. In the eyes of those who manipulate things behind the scenes, there is only the final victory. Have they ever cared about the word 'human life'?" Zhu Zixing's tone was calm, but a cold glint flashed deep in his eyes.
Zhu Zongshen raised an eyebrow, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly nodded: "You already have a plan in mind? Tell me about it."
Zhu Zixing's gaze swept over the two silent men on the ground again: "Immediately ask Third Brother to take charge and thoroughly investigate all suspicious persons in the city, especially those who have recently entered or left the area around Zhu Family Village and those soup kitchens. Sixth Brother."
He looked at Zhu Zishou, "You still have to shoulder the responsibility of distributing porridge to save lives. It's important to keep the remaining refugees calm. Fifth Brother will also have to rush to Second Brother's aid later to defend the Longyang City area. In my opinion, this poisoning is almost certainly Ouyang Longyuan's scheme! He wants to incite internal strife within the Zhu family and alienate the refugees so he can take advantage of the situation and attack Baiyun City!"
A fierce glint flashed in Zhu Zongshen's eyes, and he slammed his hand on the armrest: "Do as you say! Proceed according to your plan!" Then, he turned to the two kneeling men, his voice suddenly rising so loudly that the candlelight seemed to flicker: "You two idiots! What are you still kneeling for? Waiting to drink porridge?! Quickly follow the plan and make amends!"
"Yes! Yes!...Father!" Zhu Ziyou and Zhu Zishou, as if granted a pardon, scrambled out of the hall in a panic...
Outside Baiyun City, deep within a verdant bamboo forest, three thatched cottages quietly sit. Surrounded by lush bamboo groves, blooming flowers, fluttering butterflies, and the occasional melodious chirping of birds. Several vegetable plots cultivated in front of the cottages are vibrant with greenery, making it appear at first glance like a secluded paradise untouched by worldly affairs.
In front of the thatched hut in the center, on a simple rattan and bamboo reclining chair, lay a figure with a head of snow-white hair. Her entire face was tightly wrapped in a thick cloth, revealing only her eyes! Those eyes were filled with a murky confusion and a deathly sorrow.
She was Chunxiang. Previously, Ling Xueyan had drained her of her inner energy, causing her to age rapidly, her beautiful face to be disfigured by poisoned blades, and her throat to become mute… Ling Xueyan had almost reduced her to a walking corpse. Originally intending to let her die, she was unexpectedly rescued by Zhu Huiqing who happened to pass by. Recognizing Chunxiang's lost sword, she understood what had happened and took her back to her secluded cultivation place, caring for her meticulously.
With a soft creak, Zhu Huiqing entered the courtyard carrying a basket full of freshly picked herbs. "How are you? Bored at home alone?" she asked gently, setting down her basket.
As soon as she finished speaking, she sighed softly and walked closer to the recliner. "Look at my memory, I forgot you can't speak." After a moment, she leaned down, her gaze falling on Chunxiang's eyes, and comforted her gently, "Just relax and recover. Once you're feeling better, I'll take you to the Heavenly Palace and have my junior sister rebuild your inner energy. Then you'll regain your youth."
Zhu Huiqing paused, her tone heavy with unbearable sorrow, and gently grasped Chunxiang's withered hand: "But... your disfigured face will probably never be restored to its former glory. And this voice..." Zhu Huiqing's voice choked slightly, "...I'm afraid it... will never come back."
Tears silently streamed down Chunxiang's face, which was wrapped in a cloth. She slowly turned to look at Zhu Huiqing, her hand trembling as she raised it and carefully wrote on his palm:
"I don't want to go to the Heavenly Palace, I want to go find Brother Feng."
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