signingbooks #413 - It is easy to abuse the people, but hard to deceive God.
#413 - It is easy to abuse the people, but hard to deceive God.
Hearing this, everyone present frowned, their faces filled with worry.
Zhao Chuxia's expression darkened, and she asked in a deep voice:
"What exactly is going on?"
Her voice was icy, carrying an undeniable authority.
The guard hurriedly explained:
"Reporting to the Princess, Fan Jing, the magistrate of Danyang County, has brought a group of commoners to the outside of the encampment."
"They are constantly shouting and causing trouble, saying they want the Princess… to give them grain."
As soon as these words were spoken, the guests were first stunned, then relieved, as if they were grateful it wasn't something worse.
On the contrary, Zhao Chuxia was furious, her eyes wide, burning with rage, and she slammed the priceless crystal cup in her hand onto the ground.
The precious crystal cup shattered instantly, emitting a crisp sound that was particularly jarring in the silent encampment.
"It's that damn dog again!"
Zhao Chuxia was so angry that she almost crushed her silver teeth, her voice as sharp as a blade cutting through the night sky:
"He's been bothering my family for the past few months, and he's still not done yet!"
This Fan Jing was stubborn and inflexible, always unable to get along with his colleagues, and even less able to please his superiors.
Therefore, he had been shuffled around and transferred, serving as a mere seventh-rank magistrate for almost twenty years, yet never promoted.
You should know that the most successful of his fellow Jinshi graduates had already become high-ranking officials of the imperial court, holding the rank of second-grade.
And because Danyang County, governed by Fan Jing, was adjacent to Princess Zhao Chuxia's fiefdom, everyone had long heard that the two sides had conflicts due to this drought.
They just didn't expect that after hearing about Zhao Chuxia's tour, Fan Jing would actually bring people to cause trouble.
Immediately, a group of local Changzhou officials said:
"We are not suitable to show our faces, so we will not accompany the Princess."
After all, Fan Jing was an official appointed by the imperial court, and if the Princess really wanted to kill him, that would be his bad luck.
But these local officials couldn't be present at the scene.
After all, the Princess was a member of the royal family, and her father, Prince Pingcheng, was deeply respected by the Emperor.
It was impossible for the Emperor to make things difficult for her over such a trivial matter as killing an insignificant petty official.
But the other officials didn't have such a high status, and they were afraid of being blamed by the Emperor.
"Princess, I'll go with you."
"I also want to see which ignorant fool dares to offend the Princess."
The head of the Jishi Factory got up to accompany her.
Local officials did not dare to show their faces, but the head of the Jishi Factory had no such scruples.
Immediately, Zhao Chuxia and the group from the Jishi Factory left the encampment.
After leaving the encampment, a group of guards immediately escorted Zhao Chuxia towards the outer perimeter.
Seeing this, Ji Yan, who was waiting outside, hurriedly followed.
The group arrived at the outer perimeter of the encampment, and Zhao Chuxia stopped.
She had already reached the end of the carpet.
As a noble and incomparable Princess, she could never be stained by dust.
Her jade feet could only land on precious carpets, not on the dirty soil of the wilderness.
Zhao Chuxia looked up.
Sure enough, she saw that at least a thousand people had gathered outside the encampment.
These people were of all ages, men and women, old and young, and they were all dressed in rags, their tattered clothes covered with patches and stains, their hair disheveled and dirty, their faces covered with dirt, like a group of beggars.
"How disgusting."
Zhao Chuxia frowned, subconsciously covering her mouth and nose with a handkerchief.
Even from a distance, Zhao Chuxia seemed afraid of smelling the stench from these people.
Fortunately, the Prince's guards were blocking these people from the outside, otherwise, just thinking about letting these people get close would give Zhao Chuxia goosebumps all over her body.
At the front of this group of disaster victims, several yamen runners were standing upright, surrounding a middle-aged man in official uniform.
He was Fan Jing, the magistrate of Danyang County.
Fan Jing had already seen Zhao Chuxia, and he immediately bowed to Zhao Chuxia from afar, his movements solemn and sincere, and said loudly:
"I implore the Princess to be merciful and release grain to save the people of my Danyang County!"
"This official kneels to the Princess!"
As he spoke, Fan Jing knelt heavily on the ground, his knees colliding with the ground, making a dull sound.
Following Fan Jing's loud shout, the disaster victims behind him also knelt down one after another, shouting in unison:
"We beg the Princess to release grain!!!"
Their voices were hoarse and full of despair, resounding through the night sky, echoing in the wilderness.
Hearing this, Zhao Chuxia's delicate body trembled even more, and the blood in her whole body seemed to boil.
"This damn dog, is he trying to coerce this Princess by using the people?"
"A group of troublemakers who don't know the immensity of heaven and earth are actually causing trouble with this dog official!"
Zhao Chuxia immediately stretched out her hand, and a guard handed a delicate hard bow to Zhao Chuxia's hand.
This bow was made of precious materials, and the bow body was carved with exquisite patterns, shining with a cold light in the moonlight.
Seeing this, the head of the files said:
"Why should the Princess do it herself?"
"I am willing to take people to arrest this petty official, send people to search his house, and after finding a crime, deal with him according to the law."
"This is justifiable and will not give people a reason to talk."
As the head of the Jishi Factory, the head of the files was naturally good at doing this kind of thing, and his eyes revealed a hint of ruthlessness and cunning.
Zhao Chuxia shook her head, her eyes full of disdain and anger:
"If they could find something on him, my father would have killed him long ago!"
"Not only my father, but many people want him dead, and his former superiors and colleagues have long wanted to kill him!"
The head of the files and a group of secret agents looked surprised.
"Are there any officials in Daqian who don't have a handle?"
The head of the files asked incredulously.
He had handled cases in the Jishi Factory for many years, and the number of officials who fell into his hands was countless.
Arrest people first, then investigate, and he was always accurate, without exception.
Why is there still someone in this Changzhou who can't be caught?
But then the head of the files suddenly realized:
"No wonder this Fan Jing hasn't been promoted in twenty years, so that's how it is…"
How can a magistrate without a handle reassure his superiors?
Only by handing over his handle and giving it to his superiors to grasp can he reassure his superiors and make him one of his own in the group circle.
Even the current Emperor likes ministers who have handles to control, and hates and even fears those ministers who have extremely high reputations but have no desires.
"The Princess doesn't need to worry either."
"We also have our own set of methods for this kind of person."
The head of the files said confidently, with a sinister smile on his face.
The Jishi Factory is good at fabricating crimes, and even for people who have no crimes, the Jishi Factory can plant a pile of crimes.
Zhao Chuxia couldn't wait any longer, her patience had been exhausted:
"No need!"
"Tonight, this Princess must settle things with him!"
Saying that, Zhao Chuxia picked up the bow and nocked an arrow, her movements skilled and with a bit of ruthlessness, aiming at Fan Jing in the distance.
Zhao Chuxia was also a martial artist, although only at the seventh-rank realm, but it was rare for her age, and her eyes revealed a determination to never give up until she reached her goal.
She finally asked sternly:
"Fan Jing! This Princess will ask you one last time, do you insist on opposing my Pingcheng Prince's Mansion?"
Far away.
Fan Jing, who was kneeling on the ground, raised his head upon hearing this.
His face was sallow, his skin yellow and rough, and he was as thin as a stick. The whole person seemed to be blown down by a gust of wind. Obviously, he had been hungry for a long time.
He only heard him cry out:
"Princess! It's not that this official wants to oppose you."
"But the drought is serious, and nine out of ten houses in my Danyang County are empty, and it is about to become a ghost domain!"
"In the entire Danyang County, only the people behind this official are still alive. In two days, we will have no way to survive!"
"And in Changzhou, only Pingcheng County has abundant surplus grain."
"Please, Princess, have mercy and save these starving people!"
Fan Jing had no energy to say many words, and his voice was weak and full of endless despair.
Pingcheng County, as the prince's fief, occupied the best location in Changzhou. Not only was the land fertile in the county, but it also occupied the upstream of the Danyang County River.
At the beginning of the drought, Pingcheng County not only did not take the initiative to release the water from the reservoir, but also privately built dams in the county, cutting off the river and taking all the river water for itself.
This caused Danyang County downstream to lose river water, making the drought more serious.
After that, the great famine came with the great drought.
At first, Danyang County could still buy grain transported from other places, but Pingcheng County then bought out all the grain at a high price, and then sold it to the outside at a higher price.
This made the already poor Danyang County unable to afford such a high price, and countless people starved to death in a short period of time.
Now, Danyang County has reached the point of being destroyed.
This forced Fan Jing, the magistrate of Danyang County, to seek help from the Prince of Pingcheng, even after being turned away multiple times, he was still unwilling to give up.
Tonight, when he learned that the princess had gone out, he led the remaining people of the entire county to beg for food.
He had no choice but to come.
Otherwise, in another day or two, everyone present would probably starve to death!
"Princess, this official knows that you and the Prince have always deeply resented me."
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"If the Princess wants to kill me, then please shoot me dead with an arrow! This official will have no complaints!"
"I only ask that after shooting me dead, the Princess will release grain to save the people of my Danyang County!"
Saying this, Fan Jing stood up and walked forward with large strides.
As he walked, he spread out his hands, clearly ready to sacrifice himself, his eyes revealing a firm determination to face death as if returning home.
Zhao Chuxia was even more angered by these words, her face turning ashen, the muscles on her face twitching slightly.
She said sternly:
"Fan Jing! As the magistrate of Danyang County, if you want food, go find it somewhere else, why come and pressure my family?"
"What does my family's food have to do with you? What does it have to do with you rebellious people of Danyang County?"
"You are noble, you are great! You want to plead for the people's lives, is that right?"
"If you don't get lost, don't blame me for shooting all of you dead together!"
Saying this, Zhao Chuxia ordered the guards:
"All guards, listen to my command!"
"Upon my order, fire a volley of arrows, leave no one alive!"
After hearing the order, the guards immediately gathered in large numbers and formed a formation.
Each of them held bows and arrows, drawing their bowstrings fully, the sharp arrows shimmering with a cold light under the moonlight, aiming at Fan Jing and the group of people behind him.
Clearly, this was not a joke, a strong smell of blood filled the air.
The people couldn't help but panic at this scene, their faces filled with fear and despair, some began to cry, while others collapsed to the ground.
Seeing that Zhao Chuxia had already made up her mind to kill, Fan Jing couldn't help but feel grief and indignation, the anger and despair in his heart intertwined.
He knew that if he didn't get food tonight, probably not many of the people present would be alive by tomorrow night.
This Danyang County was about to be completely destroyed!
This made Fan Jing feel sorrow from the bottom of his heart, and at this moment he could no longer care about anything.
He couldn't help but point at Zhao Chuxia and roar:
"What a princess! What a Zhao Chuxia!"
"If it wasn't for your family cutting off the river water to my Danyang County and deliberately raising the price of grain, how would we have fallen into our current plight?"
"Look at the tents around you, look at the carpets under your feet, look at the pomp of your trip!"
"All of this is supported by the people, and only a drop in the bucket is needed to save the people behind me."
"If I, Fan Jing, can't get grain today, then I don't plan to go back alive."
"If you want to kill, then kill, I only want to advise you: you receive your salary, which is the fat and oil of the people. The common people are easy to oppress, but heaven is hard to deceive!!!"
Saying this, Fan Jing straightened his body and continued forward, his pace firm and heavy, as if each step was on the edge of life and death.
At this critical moment of life and death.
The people looked at the ready-to-fire, cold and gleaming arrows, and then looked at Fan Jing who stood up, their eyes instantly turned red, and tears welled up, sliding down their weathered and wrinkled faces.
An old man with white hair, his voice trembling, said with a sob:
"Lord, you have already tried your best."
His body trembled in the cold wind, and his tattered clothes could not resist the biting cold, but he still stood firmly in place.
A burst of mournful shouts erupted from the crowd:
"We are willing to follow the Lord to die together!!!"
The voices gathered together, like a surging torrent, filled with helplessness and determination.
As soon as the words fell, the people supported each other and slowly followed behind Fan Jing step by step.
The moonlight was like water, shining on them, stretching their shadows long, but also making them appear so small and helpless.
Some of these people were skinny and emaciated, tortured by hunger beyond recognition; others were sallow and thin, their eyes revealing despair and emptiness.
The clothes on their bodies were tattered, with large and small patches, rustling in the wind.
As the official in charge, what Fan Jing had done for them over the years was seen and remembered by them.
On weekdays, Fan Jing went deep among the people, caring about their hardships, and if any family couldn't make ends meet, he would send them food; if any family encountered natural or man-made disasters, he would rush to help.
At the beginning of the drought, he ran around looking for water sources, organizing people to dig wells to fight the drought; when food was in short supply, he tried every means to buy grain from other places and sell it to the people at a fair price.
Now that he had reached a dead end, they would never abandon Fan Jing to die alone.
Even those yamen runners and constables, at this moment, stood in front of Fan Jing without hesitation.
They wore tattered black robes and long knives at their waists, although their figures were thin, they stood upright at this moment, like a row of solid city walls.
Their faces were full of determination, and their eyes revealed loyalty and admiration for Fan Jing.
On weekdays, they followed Fan Jing, performed official duties, and maintained law and order, knowing Fan Jing's character and his sincere heart for the people.
Seeing this scene, the dam in Fan Jing's heart collapsed suddenly, and he finally broke down and burst into tears.
His cries were heart-rending, as if he wanted to vent all the pain, helplessness, and despair of these days.
"I, Fan Jing, am incompetent and ashamed of my elders!"
He looked up to the sky and roared, his voice echoing in the night sky, full of self-blame and regret:
"If there is an afterlife, I am willing to be a cow or a horse for everyone!"
Upon hearing this, all the people followed suit and cried bitterly.
Their cries intertwined, desolate, like a mournful elegy, spreading throughout the wilderness.
This cry seemed to be a desperate cry for this world, a protest against the injustice of fate, an interweaving of the desire for life and the fear of death.
In this empty wilderness, the cries lingered for a long time, moving people, and making the already darkest dawn even more dark and piercing.
Even those guards of the Prince's Mansion were moved by it, a trace of unbearable feeling welled up in their hearts, and a trace of hesitation was revealed in their eyes.
They subconsciously looked at Zhao Chuxia, wondering if their master would continue to give orders.
The headman shook his head slightly upon seeing this:
"This Fan Jing is indeed a fool!"
Claiming to be noble and aloof, in the end, he didn't even have a helper.
If he could get along with his superiors and colleagues, even if his reputation was tarnished, he would have accumulated a great fortune long ago, and would have been able to transfer away from a barren county like Danyang, so how could he have encountered this kind of thing.
Only this kind of unsociable guy, when death is imminent, doesn't even have an official to speak up for him.
This kind of person is really living a pathetic life.
And beside the headman, Zhao Chuxia was already so angry that smoke was coming out of her ears, her chest heaving violently, like an angry lioness.
She said gloomily:
"Why... why are they forcing me like this? My family's grain was accumulated by our own ability, why should I give it to this group of lowly people who have nothing to do with my family?"
"Why doesn't this Fan Jing go to find someone else, but insists on targeting my family?"
"Does he really think my family is easy to bully? I've never been bullied like this in my life!"
"A bunch of dogs, do you really think this princess doesn't dare to kill people? Do you really think this princess is timid and will be scared by you?"
"The blood of the royal family flows in my body, I have inherited the bravery of my ancestors! I will not be scared by anyone!"
Saying this, Zhao Chuxia gave a loud order:
"All guards, listen to my command!"
"Fire arrows!!!"
After saying that, Zhao Chuxia took the lead and shot an arrow, the arrow carrying her anger and determination, pointing straight at Fan Jing's heart, she wanted to kill this dog herself!
And the guards, upon hearing this, could only sigh secretly in their hearts, and then shot the sharp arrows in their hands.
Hundreds of arrows gathered in the air to form a rain of arrows, covering Fan Jing and a group of victims, like a shadow of death.
At this moment, everyone was ready to die, and the breath of death filled the entire wilderness.
Watching the rain of arrows shoot out, Zhao Chuxia finally felt relieved.
As a princess, killing a petty official and a group of rebellious people was nothing at all.
Even if the political enemies of her father in the court wanted to take the opportunity to make a fuss, such a small problem would hardly be an effective injury.
After this group of lowly people and that dog official died, she could finally have peace.
Suddenly!
"Whoosh——!!!"
A gust of wind suddenly blew from nowhere!