Han Gongduan brought a thousand imperial troops with him on this trip, but there were only a hundred people here at the imperial envoy's headquarters. The rest were responsible for guarding the four Changping warehouses outside the city, where life-saving food for the people of Qinzhou was stored. Naturally, there was no room for neglect.

When the first batch of victims appeared outside the camp, the gatekeepers did not notice anything unusual, because similar situations often happened recently. These people did not come here to cause trouble, they just wanted to try their luck at getting some food.

However, soon a second group of people appeared on the streets.

Several forbidden soldiers looked at each other, and one of them immediately went inside to report.

By the time Han Gongduan arrived with great strides, the entire imperial mission hall had been surrounded by thousands of poor people from Chengjing.

These people were thin, pale, and timid, but their eyes were full of madness on the verge of despair.

Forbidden Army guerrilla Xu Ren stood in front of Han Gongduan and whispered: "Sir, something is very wrong with these people. Please don't go forward."

Han Gongduan said in a deep voice: "Get out of the way."

Xu Ren is a close confidant of Li Zi, and he was ordered to protect the safety of this Dongfu political participant. At this moment, seeing the densely packed victims outside the camp, the air was filled with a terrifying and depressing atmosphere, and he felt a chill rising from the bottom of his heart.

, how dare Han Gongduan face these people directly. But after hearing Han Gongduan's unquestionable words, Xu Ren could only choose to step aside after hesitation.

Over the past month or so, he has become familiar with the temper of this political figure.

Han Gongduan walked to the edge of the steps, looked at the crowded scene below, and said loudly: "Why do you want to surround the imperial envoy's carriage?"

After a brief silence, the pleading voices below formed a huge wave and crashed towards him.

"Master Imperial Envoy, please save us!"

"I heard that the grain in Changping's warehouse is gone and there's no grain available anywhere in the city. What should I do?"

"Please, your Majesty the Imperial Envoy, please let the imperial court send some food!"

"The family has been without food for many days. The adults can still carry it, but what about the children?"

"Sir, it is said that you distribute all the food to the counties below, but we people in Chengjing City are also human beings!"

…

As more and more victims opened their mouths, the crowd began to crowd forward, gradually approaching the stone steps outside the camp gate.

Xu Ren was shocked when he saw this, and quickly led his subordinates to stop the victims who wanted to approach Han Gongduan. If someone in the chaos injured the Dongfu government official, even Li Zi would not be able to protect him.

Han Gongduan looked gloomy. After arriving in Chengjing, he divided powers and responsibilities with Song Ximeng, the governor of Qinzhou, and made it clear that the governor's office would be responsible for Chengjing, and at least people would not starve to death. He knew that as the drought worsened, the lower government would

The food that the county was supposed to transport into Chengjing was cut off. The nearly one million people in the city needed an astronomical amount of food. If relief was given to the victims in the city first, they would definitely be able to eat all the four Changping granaries.

But what about the victims in the lower counties?

Han Gongduan is not hard-hearted, but he has to make a choice.

Thinking that there were many aristocratic families in Chengjing City, and Song Ximeng had been the governor here for three years, he would not let those people manipulate him, so he decided that the people in the city should be rescued by the governor's office, and he would take money from those people's pockets no matter what.

Produce food.

"Everyone, be quiet!"

Han Gongduan shouted loudly with all his strength. The imperial army, under the command of Xu Ren, repeated these words, relying on their majestic momentum to suppress the victims. Then they heard Han Gongduan say: "This year's severe drought came suddenly, and now the entire Qinzhou territory is under

There is a food shortage, and I know your situation very well, but please rest assured that the court is already arranging transportation, and you will be able to buy affordable food soon!"

The victims were doubtful. If Han Gongduan hadn't chopped off more than a dozen heads and ransacked six grain merchants when he first came to Qinzhou, his words today would never have been able to appease these poor people who were extremely hungry.

At this time, a sharp voice suddenly shouted in the crowd: "This official is lying! Don't believe it! He distributed all the grain to the lower counties. The Changping warehouse outside the city has bottomed out. He just wants to survive."

Starve us to death!"

"Yes, let him bring out the food!"

"We want food!"

"We want food!"

"We want food!"

As people all around responded to the sharp voice, the crowd became chaotic and turbulent again.

Xu Ren drew his sword without hesitation and shouted angrily: "Anyone who takes one step forward will be killed!"

Hundreds of forbidden soldiers drew their swords at the same time to join in. These were the most elite soldiers in Daliang. With their majestic aura as high as a mountain, coupled with the steel swords shining brightly under the scorching sun, the victims who rushed to the front turned pale with fear.

But at this time, they couldn't help it. The people behind continued to push forward, forcing them to rush towards the steel sword of the imperial army, otherwise they would be pushed to the ground and trampled to death by countless people.

The situation was on the verge of breaking out in an instant. Xu Ren didn't care much and said to the subordinates beside him: "Send your Excellency in!"

Han Gongduan did not scold Xu Ren for taking the initiative at this time. Instigated by some people with ulterior motives, these victims had obviously lost their minds. They rushed forward in fear and despair, shouting nonsense words, and were about to collide.

The defense line of the Imperial Guard is made of flesh and blood.

But Han Gongduan did not choose to leave. He looked at the victims with a complicated expression, gritted his teeth and said loudly: "Don't act nonsense! Don't be impulsive! Everyone go back!"

"If he doesn't distribute food to us, everyone on the left and right will die. Everyone, hurry up! There is food in it!"

Someone in the thousands of people kept shouting similar words, encouraging the victims to attack the imperial mission.

Xu Ren led the imperial army to slap the victims rushing in front with the back of his sword. With his excellent psychological quality and martial arts cultivation, he gradually suppressed the turbulent wave. As the people in front were beaten to the ground, most of the people gradually

Restore some clarity.

At this moment, a thunderous sound of horse hooves could be heard from both ends of the long street, followed by a tooth-aching sound of bowstrings.

The victims who had already begun to calm down turned their heads and saw the appearance of the official cavalry, and subconsciously stepped back.

But it was already too late, and I saw a hail of arrows, drawing an arc in the air and falling into the ranks of the victims.

Han Gongduan was horrified and shouted desperately, regardless of his identity or manner: "Don't shoot the arrow!"

Screams continued. Although not many people were hit by arrows, how could these ordinary people pass through such a formation?

Han Gongduan looked at this scene, as if his heart was bleeding. His calm and indifferent temperament disappeared. He looked at the cavalry approaching quickly with blazing eyes, and said sternly: "Who allows you to shoot arrows to kill people?!"

The victims were trembling and squatting on the ground with their heads in their hands. The place was quiet, no longer noisy and chaotic as before.

However, this quietness reveals a shocking depressiveness.

The wails of those who were hit by arrows were intermittent, and bursts of desperate cries suddenly sounded from the crowd.

The cavalry dismounted and surrounded the victims. A general strode to the bottom of the steps, cupped his hands and said, "I'm late to come to your aid. Please forgive me, the Imperial Envoy!"

Han Gongduan looked at his expressionless posture, his hands were shaking slightly uncontrollably, and he said angrily: "I asked you why you shot arrows to kill people?"

The military general raised his head to meet Han Gongduan's angry eyes, and said with some fear but matter-of-factly: "Your Excellency, the general learned that there were rioters besieging the imperial envoy's residence, and hurriedly led his troops to come to the rescue. At that time, he saw these rioters attacking the gate, and he was determined to protect him.

I only thought about protecting you, sir, and didn’t think too much about it.”

His expression was very calm, but Han Gongduan could see a bit of contentment in his eyes.
Chapter completed!