Qin Yining's calmness infected the people around him. Pang Xiao, who was originally a bit agitated, also calmed down at this time.
Pang Xiao was the first to stand in front of the door. Qin Yining followed closely behind. Jinghu Wei and the silver-masked spy protected Pang Xiao and Qin Yining respectively.
The front of the Fu yamen was illuminated as bright as day by the torches in the hands of the people. Qin Yining could also clearly see the anger on the people's faces.
Qin Yining estimated that there were more than a thousand of these people. Every one of them had a weapon in their hands. They were only a few steps away from her. If these people swarmed her, Qin Yining didn't think that Pang Xiao's hundred men would be able to stop them.
Actually, Qin Yining was also a bit panicked in his heart. When encountering danger, it was impossible for her to not feel anything. Especially when so many people were staring at her with angry eyes, as if they couldn't wait to skin her and pull out her tendons. Qin Yining, who was very sensitive to danger and hostility, felt as if someone was scraping his body with a knife at this time.
But reason prevailed. At this point, she and Pang Xiao couldn't panic. If they panicked and were afraid, what would happen to their subordinates? Would they advance or retreat? If these people retreated, the consequences would be unimaginable. Even if they were skilled in martial arts, they would be trampled into meat paste in this sea of people.
The people gathered in front of the yamen and had been shouting for a while. Now that they saw him come out, they all stopped talking at the same time.
Someone in the crowd shouted loudly, "Prince Zhongshun has come out!"
After confirming that it was Prince Zhongshun, the people angrily began to talk.
Pang Xiao couldn't hear them clearly, so he raised his hand and waved it down. With an amiable smile on his face, he said in an amiable tone, "My fellow villagers, everyone has gathered here today to see this Prince. You must have encountered something difficult. Everyone, don't worry. If there is a problem, This King has come out. Everyone, feel free to speak. As long as your request is reasonable and does not violate the law, This King will help you solve it! "
The best way to deal with angry citizens was to appease them. First of all, Pang Xiao was a military general, and he was known throughout the country as the God of War. His butcher's knife could only be used against his enemies, against the invaders of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and not his own people. Secondly, the disparity in numbers was too great. Although Pang Xiao was confident that he could protect Qin Yining and fight his way out, if he really killed the civilians, the consequences would be devastating.
If he really killed innocent people and the news spread, not only would it give Li Qitian a reason to punish him, but it would also cause him to lose the image and reputation that he and Qin Yining had painstakingly built up. His heroic reputation would turn into infamy.
He and Qin Yining were now staking everything on this one throw. They couldn't afford to take even half a step back or make even a single mistake.
Right now, Pang Xiao was doing his best to lower himself and make himself appear closer to the citizens. He only wanted to safely resolve the current situation.
When the citizens saw that Prince Zhongshun was actually so gentle and easy to talk to, they couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.
Then, someone mustered up the courage to shout, "We won't go build the imperial mausoleum! Write a written agreement for us! "
"That's right!" As soon as one person spoke, the others immediately echoed, "Write a written agreement for us! As long as you write that the imperial mausoleum will not be built from our Danfu County in the future, we will immediately disperse! "
When Pang Xiao heard this, his expression gradually darkened.
"Everyone, are you doing this for the sake of the citizens?"
"That's right! We just won't go build the imperial mausoleum! "
Pang Xiao said in a low voice, "Building the imperial mausoleum is Your Majesty's decree. This King may be a supervising official, but This King only has the power to supervise. This King can't decide on the issue of the citizens alone. Moreover, This King saw in the dossiers that when the imperial mausoleum was built, the citizens ate well and lived well. They even had meat every few days. It was even better than living at home. Why are you so against it? Moreover, Danfu County recruited four thousand citizens. This was Your Majesty's decree, an imperial edict with golden words and jade words. Danfu County has gathered so many citizens to go against the imperial edict. Could it be that you want to rebel? "
"Bah! Bullsh * t! "Someone in the crowd loudly cursed," What do you mean by eating well and living well? What meat! Are you trying to fool us? Are we fools who don't know anything? "
"That's right. The last time the imperial mausoleum was built, three thousand citizens were recruited. In the end, less than four hundred people came back alive!"
"Even if we citizens are a bit poorer, we are still raised by our parents. Don't tell me those citizens don't have relatives? Aren't they human? Are they beasts that the imperial court can harm at will?"
… …
After these words were said, the citizens present became agitated. The citizens' curses in front of the yamen shook the heavens.
Pang Xiao saw this and knew that someone was trying to stir up the citizens' emotions. However, what they said was true. They had recruited three thousand men, but in the end, only four hundred came back alive. This was indeed true! However, these records were not in the records that he had read!
From the citizens' point of view, Pang Xiao's heart ached for them. Danfu County had a large population and a lot of farmland. However, when three thousand citizens were recruited, every family had to have able-bodied men to go out. In the end, only four hundred people came back alive. Wasn't every family in the county a handicap?
Such a scene was even more chilling than a plague. Because a plague could not be controlled by humans, it was the imperial court who caused the deaths of the citizens!
However, from his point of view, Pang Xiao was indeed wronged. Before this, he had no idea of the situation. He did not even think that such a thing would happen during the construction of the imperial mausoleum. It looked like the person behind this was trying to stir up the citizens' emotions and kill him!
While Pang Xiao's mind was spinning, someone in the crowd started to cry.
"Don't believe the imperial court's nonsense! I was one of the citizens who came back. Building the imperial mausoleum is not a job for humans! The government officials embezzled our food and expenses. Every meal we ate was a surprisingly thin porridge. For more than ten days, we didn't have a single meal. Every day, we would be blindfolded and called to work if we slept for less than four hours. If we refused to work, or if we were a little slow, we would be whipped. We didn't have enough food, warm clothes, and not enough sleep. How could it not be dangerous during construction? Even if it was a famine year, it would be better to eat grass and roots at home than to build the imperial mausoleum! "
When this person spoke of the situation, the rest of the people agreed with him.
The scolding that had died down exploded again like water being poured into hot oil. Not only was the imperial court being scolded, even Pang Xiao, Wang Ye, who was in charge of building the imperial mausoleum, and all of Pang Xiao's family members were cursed by the citizens using the most vulgar words. Especially the female elders, the scolding was simply unbearable to the ears.
The other side had many people and was very loud. Pang Xiao and Qin Yining definitely could not outargue them.
Pang Xiao loudly shouted, "Quiet! Everyone quiet! Did everyone come here today to solve a problem or to rebel? If you continue to scold, in the end, even if you have a reason, it will become unreasonable! Everyone quiet! "
Many of the citizens nearby felt that Pang Xiao's words made sense and quieted down. After all, no one wanted to be labeled as a rebel and be suppressed by the imperial court.
Most of the citizens came to take the risk for the safety of their family members. They had no choice but to come.
However, there were people in the crowd who stirred up the atmosphere and deliberately misinterpreted Pang Xiao's words.
"Bah! Lackey! You're not willing to work for us and you want to threaten us? We have so many people, do you think we're afraid of you? Even if this matter is brought to Your Majesty, it will still be because we have a reason! If you happily write a written agreement for us and guarantee that you will not use any more citizens from Danfu County, we will immediately disperse! Otherwise, we will simply kill all of you corrupt officials today! "
"Yes! Kill the corrupt officials! Live a peaceful life in the future! "
"The entire county has been mobilized. What can the imperial court do to us? Isn't there a saying that the law cannot punish the majority? "
… …
Most of the citizens had a herd mentality. In the face of such a major event, if someone advocated, there would immediately be others who would respond. At this moment, if someone in the crowd said, "Wang Ye is innocent," they would immediately associate this webpage with the newly appointed supervisory official and that he was not the one who built the imperial mausoleum.
However, the people targeting Pang Xiao were already prepared. They were bound to incite the anger of the citizens.
The anger of the citizens had been incited. In addition, they had a large number of people and the entire county had been mobilized. They did not believe that the imperial court could behead everyone in the county!
Thinking of this, the citizens did not care. Some of the more impatient hotheads raised their sickles and charged forward. "Kill the corrupt officials!"
The Wang Estate's guards immediately unsheathed their weapons and blocked in front of the yamen.
Seeing the imperial court's people unsheathe their weapons and pointing them coldly at the citizens, the citizens were flustered and angry.
The citizens who were charging forward were thrown to the ground by the scabbard.
Tang Xiu strode to the periphery and drew a line on the ground. As a member of Jinghu Wei, she had killed and seen blood on the battlefield. When she was serious, her aura was not to be underestimated.
"Listen carefully! Wang Ye has no intention of harming the innocent. If you defy your superiors and besiege the yamen, you will be charged with treason! Those who cross the line will die! "
Tang Xiu used her loudest voice and strongest aura. The citizens who were closer to her felt their eardrums go numb from the shock.
Many of the citizens quieted down and felt fear in their hearts.
However, the people leading the charge would not give up.
Immediately, a few men with pickaxes, shovels, door bolts, and other weapons rushed up while cursing loudly.
"I don't believe it! You really dare to chop me up! "
"We have so many people. If you have the ability, chop us all up!"
These people did not care about the weapons in the hands of the Wang Estate's guards. They directly charged into the yamen with their weapons.
Tang Xiu looked at Pang Xiao with a troubled expression.
Pang Xiao made a hand gesture and shook his head. He instructed the guards not to harm the lives of the citizens.
Tang Xiu was helpless. She could only go forward and knock out the remaining people.
These men were all tall and strong. Who knew that they would collapse in just a few hits?
The citizens nearby had experienced the power of the Wang Estate's guards and were so afraid that they wanted to retreat.
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