136: Chapter 136 Departure (Fourth update today) 136: Chapter 136 Departure (Fourth update today) To tell the truth, he genuinely hadn’t expected the other party to actually swing at him when they said they would.
And to strike so brutally, that slap sent him reeling in confusion.
For a moment, he stood frozen on the spot, unsure of what to do.
But that wasn’t the end of it.
While he was standing there stunned, the soldiers by his side charged and began tearing at his clothing.
That jolted him awake.
Ignoring the searing pain on his face and his dizzy head, he frantically tried to escape their grasp.
When he realized he couldn’t escape, he wrapped his arms tightly around his chest.
His mouth started to cry out in a mix of screams and howls.
However, the soldiers didn’t indulge him, another slap came, and he was bewildered yet again.
Meanwhile, his clothes were ripped open with a ripping sound by the force of the soldiers.
And with that action, several items tumbled out, falling right at the man’s feet.
This scene instantly made everything crystal clear to the onlookers.
Seeing that the fallen objects were indeed pieces of cake, the surrounding refugees’ eyes turned red with desire.
They surged forward, snatching the cakes in their hands and stuffing them into their mouths.
Seeing this, the man knew he couldn’t get past this, but watching others consume his cakes, he went mad.
Twisting wildly, he actually managed to break free.
Then he lunged at the refugees, attempting to wrench back his cakes.
Yet, in the midst of this struggle, a clang sounded as a fist-sized piece of Silver fell to the ground.
Unlike the cakes, which triggered a scramble when they dropped, the refugees scattered like avoiding a snake at the sight of the Silver, leaving it exposed on the ground.
This was not because they weren’t greedy for wealth, but they knew in their hearts, that this object was not merely Silver – it was a death curse.
As the Silver lay there on the ground, the man finally ceased his fighting.
He gazed at the Silver with a vacant look, feeling waves of dizziness wash over him.
Then darkness swallowed his vision and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.
He knew everything was over.
This matter would certainly not end peacefully.
Sure enough, upon witnessing this, several Soldiers picked up the Silver and lifted the man, bringing him directly before Lin Yi.
The Soldier saluted Lin Yi with a fist, then handed over the Silver:
“Sir, we found a significant amount of cakes hidden on him, along with this piece of Silver.”
Seeing this, Lin Yi felt confirmed in his previous suspicion.
Indeed, the man had been bribed.
It was evident from the cakes that the reason for his loud proclamations was simple – he had already been well-fed.
Yet as Lin Yi weighed the piece of Silver in his hand, he couldn’t help but sigh at the generosity of those behind this.
This single ingot of Silver weighed at least ten taels.
In these times, for an average person, such an amount marked a considerable fortune.
This was apparent from the monthly salary of the craftsmen at the Ministry of Industry, where a single tael could equal their annual wage.
Lin Yi glanced at the man who had passed out.
Naturally, he would not simply execute him:
“Take him away for a rigorous interrogation.
I must find out who is behind this.”
In fact, Lin Yi had already surmised who might be responsible for these events.
Lately, the Fourth Prince had been the most active, and aside from him, no one else was likely involved – whether directly or by suggestion.
It seemed that after dealing with current matters, his first task would be to settle accounts with the Fourth Prince.
With a wave of his hand, he sent the men off and turned his attention back to the refugees.
“You have all seen the cause and effect of this incident.
You must have guessed by now that the words this man spoke were influenced by malicious intent.
However, this is but a trivial matter; there’s no need for excessive concern.
Let us continue discussing the relocation.
Since His Majesty has granted you land generously to build new homes, it is my duty to ensure your safe passage.
As for why the porridge is loaded on the wagons?
There is still a distance to Nanshan, and considering it’s not a short journey, I was afraid you might not endure it.
Hence, I thought to divide the porridge into three portions, to be distributed along the way.
After covering a certain distance, you will receive a bowl of thick porridge to replenish your strength and ensure that you can safely reach the land bestowed by His Majesty.
By explaining this, I hope you can understand the well-intentioned efforts of my office.
Do not be swayed by the whispers of those with ill intentions.”
As Lin Yi spoke, a look of realization appeared among the people.
They had initially thought that the official wanted to hoard their food, but it turned out he had considered everything for their welfare, and they had wronged him.
Especially considering what he had done for them in the past few days, it made them feel even more ashamed.
In recent times, it was Lin Yi who had tirelessly arranged for their welfare.
Without him, they would have starved long ago.
Moreover, the incident a few days ago, where someone had pretended to be a refugee to fight for food, fostered a sense of gratitude towards Lin Yi.
For the first time, these people knelt in respect before Lin Yi.
As gratitude was mumbled, they kowtowed and thanked Lin Yi’s kind intentions.
This scene made Lin Yi somewhat uncomfortable.
After all, to have so many people kneeling to him was a lot for a young man who grew up under the flag to bear.
But considering the current social dynamics, if he didn’t accept their kneeling, it would imply he was too proud and create a distance between them.