Kind people were bullied, just as kind horses were ridden.
Sometimes, the more silent and patient you were, the more others would think you were easy to bully and reach for a yard after giving you an inch.
But that wasn't always the case.
Nanguo Mingde and Official Yu had been putting on an act for so long, but the Duke of Qin had remained silent the entire time. Those two had really gotten carried away with the act and reached for a yard after getting an inch. Did they really think His Highness Duke of Qin was easy to bully?
The consequences were unthinkable now, weren't they?
Chu Xifeng had already led his men into the senior provincial official's estate to search. Everyone was waiting for him!
Nanguo Mingde's face was ghastly white as his entire body trembled. He stared fixedly at the gates, too nervous to speak. Although he was on the verge of despair, he still harbored a sliver of hope that the grain in the secret storehouse wouldn't be discovered.
A long time passed, but Chu Xifeng still didn't come out.
Nanguo Mingde grew more and more hopeful. Perhaps he was lucky after all. The secret storehouse was hidden so well, and Chu Xifeng wasn't familiar with the estate at all. How could he find it?
Another long while later, Chu Xifeng finally emerged. Everyone looked over at him. It was about time to find out whether or not there was any grain in the estate.
Chu Xifeng glanced at Nanguo Mingde and gave a snort.
Nanguo Mingde grew alarmed as he clenched his fists in his sleeves.
But Chu Xifeng only reported, "Your Highness Duke of Qin, this subordinate didn't find any grain in the estate."
He didn't find anything? Could it be that Nanguo Mingde didn't embezzle any grain, either?
The crowd couldn't help but feel disappointed, but Nanguo Mingde immediately relaxed. He knew it! It wouldn't be easy to find the secret storehouse!
Finally, he'd escaped a calamity!
But Chu Xifeng's next words were, "Your Highness, this subordinate didn't find anything, but Sir Nanguo is willing to lead the way for you. According to him, the estate has a huge secret storehouse filled with grain!"
His words sent the crowd into an uproar.
Chu Xifeng wasn't stupid enough to actually search the estate. All he did was threaten Nanguo Jun. Nanguo Jun was a man who looked strong on the outside but was weak on the inside. How could he stand up to threats? He'd spilled the beans in two or three sentences.
Nanguo Mingde froze in place as if he'd been struck by lightning. He never expected his own son to betray him in the end!
This was what it meant to be a scam!
Long Fei Ye's lips curled into a mocking smile as he asked, "Lord Nanguo, didn't you say that there's no more food in the estate?"
Nanguo Jun's words were the best evidence without even seeing the food in the secret storehouse!
The surrounding commoners all began to angrily accuse His Highness Duke of Qin. Once again, the rumors were overturned. Not only had His Highness Duke of Qin not embezzled the relief money, he hadn't embezzled the relief food either.
Nanguo Mingde, the so-called "parental official", was the biggest parasite! What did he say about taking out his mother's rations? That was a complete lie!
Very soon, Chu Xifeng's guards carried out sack after sack of grain. Soon enough, they formed a small mountain by the gates.
Han Yunxi frowned as she watched. How many elderly and children had starved to death in the disaster area? Yet, these people had stockpiled so much food and waited for the price to rise.
I really don't know why these people are so ruthless. This Nanguo Mingde, even dying a hundred times wouldn't be enough to atone for his crimes!
Nanguo Mingde remained kneeling amidst the angry curses of the crowd, his entire body trembling. He kept shooting glances at Official Yu, but the man couldn't even protect himself right now, much less Nanguo Mingde.
Official Yu not only didn't protect Nanguo Mingde, but hit him while he was down.
"Nanguo Mingde, this official trusted you wrongly! I never expected you to be this kind of person! South Ning Prefecture suffered the most from the disaster and received the most grain. I never expected you to do such a thing. How can you face the common people? "Official Yu asked sternly.
"Official Yu, you …"
Nanguo Mingde was about to explain himself when Official Yu beat him to it. "Official Nanguo, you're also a man with an old mother and young grandchildren. How could you bear to see so many elderly and children starve to death? Just what is your heart made of? "
His words sounded good, but after careful consideration, they felt a little strange.
The bystanders didn't understand, but Nanguo Mingde knew full well that Official Yu was using his old mother and young grandchildren to blackmail him!
He had the data on the actual grain that Official Yu had sent to South Ning Prefecture. Although he had embezzled, the grain that had been sent to South Ning Prefecture had already been embezzled once.
Official Yu's intention was for him to shoulder all the blame and not implicate the people above him.
Although Nanguo Mingde was unwilling, he had long known that if he couldn't overcome this disaster, he would be a pawn abandoned by his superiors and would die without a doubt.
What else could he say? He pressed his forehead against the floor and fell completely silent.
"Your Highness Duke of Qin is wise to have caught such a large pest for the people of South Ning. This is truly a blessing for the common people!" Official Yu switched to flattery.
However, Long Fei Ye didn't even look at him. Coldly, he said, "Men, hang Nanguo Mingde at the city gates and starve him for three days and three nights!"
Embezzling grain from the disaster victims? Then let him have a taste of starvation!
Although Nanguo Mingde had already accepted his fate, he was still afraid!
He kowtowed and begged, "Your Highness Duke of Qin, please spare me! Please spare me! This official won't dare do it again. Please spare me, Your Highness Duke of Qin! "
Long Feiye was an intelligent man who'd grown up in a court filled with both open and covert struggles. He understood Official Yu's threat to Nanguo Mingde as soon as he heard it.
He had plenty of ways to protect Nanguo Mingde's old mother and young grandson and force Nanguo Mingde to give up the exact amount of grain that had been sent to South Ning Prefecture.
But he wasn't willing!
Nanguo Mingde controlled South Ning Prefecture. Without his cooperation, how much could Official Yu and his superiors embezzle?
Long Feiye didn't like to give more chances to those who deserved it.
He ignored Nanguo Mingde's pleas and said Coldly, "Men, take him away immediately!"
"Your Highness Duke of Qin! Please spare me! "
"Your Highness Duke of Qin, this official knows his wrongs! I know my wrongs! "
… …
Nanguo Mingde's pleas were quickly drowned out by the cheers of the commoners. Two guards carried him to the city gates. Someone threw a stone, and the commoners all followed suit.
Before Nanguo Mingde even reached the gates, he was already covered in injuries and bumps on his head.
Nanguo Mingde truly regretted his actions. If he could, he would have rather offended the imperial uncle than offend His Highness Duke of Qin now!
If he hadn't incited the commoners like that, would His Highness Duke of Qin have been more merciful?
Fine, there was no medicine for regret in this world.
Official Yu's back was drenched in cold sweat as he watched Nanguo Mingde's wretched figure disappear into the distance. He only rejoiced that Nanguo Mingde was sensible enough to not give up too much.
He glanced at the mountains of grain around him and hurriedly tried to curry favor. "Your Highness Duke of Qin, this official has detailed data on the disaster victims in South Ning. This official is willing to do everything in his power to help Your Highness distribute the grain!"
But Long Fei Ye still ignored him and treated him like air.
Seeing this, Official Yu didn't dare to speak again. His heart was filled with apprehension. The more His Highness Duke of Qin ignored him, the more uncertain he felt! He didn't believe that His Highness Duke of Qin would let him off so easily.
Filled with fear and trepidation, he waited respectfully on the side, too afraid to leave.
Long Fei Ye ordered, "Chu Xifeng, make arrangements to distribute grain by county and village. Tell the people below that anyone who dares to embezzle, even if it's just a single grain, will meet the same fate as Nanguo Mingde!"
"Yes!" Chu Xifeng obeyed and left.
Such a large amount of grain would have to be distributed by the various yamen officials. Long Feiye didn't have enough men with him.
With Nanguo Mingde hanging at the city gate, not only would the people below not dare to act recklessly, but even the people above would be anxious.
After the people dispersed, Long Fei Ye and Han Yunxi settled down at the South Ning Prefecture official's estate. Official Yu was a hundred times unwilling, but he had no choice but to follow them inside.
He really couldn't figure out where His Highness Duke of Qin had found so much grain.
Of course, he didn't have time to worry about that now. He silently told himself that no matter how His Highness Duke of Qin interrogated him, he had to hold on. He couldn't reveal the true amount of grain.
For better or worse, he was a fourth-rank official in the Ministry of Revenue and had the imperial uncle's support. He was also the emperor's personal ambassador for grain distribution. As long as His Highness Duke of Qin didn't find the true amount of grain, he couldn't do anything to him.
But reality soon proved that Official Yu had underestimated His Highness Duke of Qin.
His Highness Duke of Qin didn't even ask for the exact amount of grain, but issued orders. "As the ambassador for grain distribution, Yu Guangfu allowed the South Ning Prefecture official to embezzle grain. He didn't report what he knew, so his crime is three levels higher! Someone come, take Yu Guangfu to jail. Your lordship wants to interrogate him personally! "
Yu Guangfu was stunned by his words. He never expected His Highness Duke of Qin to accuse him of such a crime!
"Your Highness, Your Highness! This official has been wrongly accused! This official just arrived at South Ning Prefecture as well, so I didn't know the situation here! "Official Yu tried to explain himself.
Long Fei Ye laughed coldly. "Then where were you before?"
"This official … this official was in Longxi Prefecture!" Yu Guangfu replied hastily.
"Longxi Prefecture has even less grain in their hands than South Ning Prefecture. Plenty of their corpses have been exposed in the middle of the night. Two riots have already broken out in Longxi Prefecture. Do you think your lordship doesn't know a thing?" Long Feiye retorted.
Official Yu was so alarmed that he fell to his knees. "Your Highness, this official only made an accurate assessment of the situation and gave out grain. As for where it went, this official really … His Majesty only gave this official the responsibility of distributing grain. That's not part of this official's duties."
He actually pushed Emperor Tianhui into the picture?
Long Fei Ye's eyes flickered with disdain before he gave a cold snort. "Your lordship isn't investigating the unequal distribution of grain, but the fact that you didn't report it! Someone come, hurry and take him away! "
"Your Highness Duke of Qin, this official didn't know anything about the situation!"
"Your Highness Duke of Qin, this official is His Majesty's personal envoy. You can't …"
"Your Highness Duke of Qin …"
No matter how Official Yu tried to explain himself or beg for mercy, Long Fei Ye remained indifferent, even when he brought up Emperor Tianhui again.
Since he was already in the disaster areas, he had the final say in everything!
He waved a hand and indicated for the guards to take the man away …
Han Yunxi couldn't help but burst into laughter as she watched Official Yu struggle to leave.
"What are you laughing at?" Long Fei Ye asked.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
