allonlinenovel Chapter 204 Bringing it under his command
Chapter 204 Bringing it under his command
Chapter 204 Bringing Them Under His Command
Xu Weizhi looked pained. He was loyal to the Great Yan and the emperor, but the emperor listened to the slander of villains and became suspicious of him.
He thought that he could realize his ambitions after arriving in Jing'an Prefecture, but he was unlucky.
The grain in the prefecture was not enough to last for ten days. He kept writing memorials to the capital, intending to let His Majesty know about the critical situation in Jing'an Prefecture, but all of them disappeared without a trace.
Meng Fuqing laid out the current crises before him one by one, forcing him to confront the fact that the court was incompetent and the emperor was stubborn and self-willed.
But, "The rise and fall of the nation is built upon the lives of ordinary people. How can I, who have diligently studied the classics, possibly..."
Meng Fuqing spoke each word with force and conviction: "The situation is already beyond chaotic. Only by breaking down the old and rebuilding can we achieve lasting peace and stability."
I come from a farming family, and I understand best the principle of "better to be a dog in times of peace than a human in times of chaos." Not fighting or grabbing won't bring stability, only encroachment. Lord Xu is as clear-headed as a mirror; he surely understands this better than I do.
Qin Su looked at Meng Fuqing with a strange expression, as if he was only getting to know her at this moment.
Strangely enough, in terms of bloodline, there are people in Jing'an Prefecture who are more suitable to sit in that position. Meng Fuqing exposed his ambition too early. Isn't he afraid that Xu Weizhi will join forces with Prince Jing and Qin Yi to eliminate the two of them?
He didn't interrupt because he didn't think Meng Fuqing was that stupid.
After a long silence, Xu Weizhi's voice was weary, "Meng Fuqing, you are just a woman, yet you harbor ambitions for that position?"
Seeing that he had relented, Meng Fuqing felt that his previous efforts had not been in vain.
She and Qin Su were well aware of Xu Weizhi's influence in Jing'an Prefecture and its surrounding prefectures; with him around, some things would be much easier.
Meng Fuqing never concealed her ambition from beginning to end. Upon hearing this, she merely raised an eyebrow slightly. "I simply don't trust others; I only trust myself. The capable should be given the position. To judge talented people based on gender is short-sighted."
I want to end natural disasters and man-made calamities, end this inhumane chaos, and restore peace and tranquility to the world, bringing peace and stability to millions of people. No men need to make way for me; I will clear the path before me myself.
Xu Weizhi didn't know what to say, but Meng Fuqing said exactly what he had hoped for.
But that last sentence was far too arrogant.
A soft laugh came from behind, "Could it be that I'm one of the people Miss Meng eliminated?"
Meng Fuqing turned to Qin Su and said, "Young Master Qin is overthinking things. We are currently in a cooperative relationship. As long as Young Master Qin does not become my enemy in the future, I will not take any action against you."
These words were spoken amicably, but Qin Su could smell the scent of gunpowder in them.
Two ambitious people will eventually meet if they can make it to the end.
He didn't really understand where Meng Fuqing's confidence came from. His biggest reliance was Xie Jin, but how could Xie Jin, as a man, be indifferent to ascending to a high position?
Thinking this way, Qin Su suddenly felt that fighting and killing had become boring. If Meng Fuqing and Xie Jin could turn against each other for a higher position, he would be happy to watch the show.
He smiled meaningfully, "Thank you for your mercy, Miss Meng."
At the same time, Yan He was standing in front of the refugees and talking to them.
"Your brother was eaten?! How despicable! Even more despicable than the barbarian Hu! This world truly leaves no way for people to live!"
"Selling their children... as long as they find a good home, their lives will definitely be better than they are now!"
“I said, they’re all our own children, how could we not do our best to find them a home?”
"Fairy? That's a skill I learned from my master since I was a child. If I hadn't met my master, I would still be fighting and killing in the bloody world of martial arts!"
……
As a con artist, Yan He was good at putting herself in others' shoes and said things that resonated with the refugees. As a result, she quickly closed the distance between herself and the refugees with her verbal skills.
Chang An coldly watched as Yan He, who had previously exuded an ethereal aura, sat on the ground, his mouth never still, as if a fairy had descended to earth and rolled around in the mud.
He was the son of a wealthy merchant in a county town in the north. He was deeply loved by his father and was carefully nurtured for twenty years, becoming proficient in both literature and martial arts.
On their way to Jing'an Prefecture, his family was slaughtered by rampant bandits. When his parents realized something was wrong, they sent their best servants to protect him and his sister.
The servants escorted the brother and sister on their escape, but some died and others were injured. Later, they contracted the plague, and he was the only one who survived.
Jing'an Prefecture gave everyone a beautiful dream: in a chaotic world, as long as one can settle down and have enough to eat to barely survive, many people are not afraid to travel thousands of miles.
After overcoming countless hardships and treading on the corpses of loved ones and countless refugees to reach this place, what awaited them?
He felt like he had long since gone mad, his true self hysterically trapped in this empty shell.
So he secretly accepted the rebels' offer of service, intending to use his prestige among the refugees to lead them in assisting the rebels in occupying the counties and towns under the jurisdiction of Jing'an Prefecture. However, his plan was thwarted by the sudden appearance of Yan He.
Chang An lowered his head, one hand tightly gripping the dagger hidden in his sleeve, the sinister look in his eyes terrifying.
Before long, soldiers told them to line up, and porridge was being distributed at the city gate.
Chang An composed himself, stood up, and looked at the porridge distribution area, where refugees were already lining up.
As before, each of us had a bowl of thin porridge. After finishing the bowl, we only felt hungrier.
The refugees who had been chatting happily with Yan He fell silent.
Were they scammed?
How could someone cheat a penniless vagrant?
Why? To make fun of them?
Their anger gradually outweighed their confusion, and their gazes toward Yan He grew increasingly hostile, even vicious.
Chang An revealed a cruel smile, "Is this what you meant by 'giving us a full meal'?"
Yan He was also very angry. How could the government be so short of food? Knowing that they needed to appease the refugees, why were they using this to fool people? Was there a traitor in the government?
"No, that's not it. The porridge is just for you to have a little something to tide you over until my master arrives..."
Do you think we'll still believe what you say?
As he spoke, Chang An suddenly drew his dagger, his expression revealing a hint of madness.
Before Yan He could retaliate, a sharp sound rang out, and the dagger in Chang An's hand was knocked to the ground by a pebble.
He clutched his wrist, his gaze turning cold as he looked at the newcomer.
Meng Fuqing withdrew his hand and said to Xu Weizhi, who looked somewhat dazed, "Lord Xu, now that you have no worries, you should be able to settle the refugees soon, right? Why don't you hand them over to me for now? Our Hanhua Village needs manpower for land reclamation."
Xu Weizhi looked at her, a chill creeping into his heart. After learning of Meng Fuqing's ambition, every word and action of hers had taken on a deeper meaning.
The destination of these refugees was perhaps something Meng Fuqing had already planned. To bring them under her control and use them for her own purposes.
A hint of admiration flickered in his eyes.
To be able to quickly find people or things that can be used for one's own benefit amidst sudden changes requires extraordinary courage.
Unfortunately, Jing'an Prefecture has Prince Jing. Even though he is a playboy who indulges in wine and women, his strength lies in his ability to accept advice. He is, after all, of royal blood. If his offspring are properly raised, it is not impossible to restore the former glory of the Great Yan.
After mentally calculating the troop strength of both sides, Qin Yi's men, including the prisoners, had a significant advantage, so agreeing to such an absurd thing was not difficult.
He cautioned, "These refugees outnumber the people of your Hanhua Village by a considerable margin. What if something unexpected happens..."
"Thank you for the reminder, Lord Xu. I will handle this matter myself."
Xu choked for a moment, then waved his hand, "Don't forget about tomorrow."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Before Meng Fuqing could reach the refugees, Yan Hexian bowed respectfully and said, "Master, I have done everything you asked me to do."
The refugees stared at the two men, dumbfounded.
The "master" that Miss Yan kept calling out was actually a little girl who looked even younger than her?!