Chapter 330: Rioters (3)
At this time, Jiang Shaohua still didn’t know that the first wave of hungry people she encountered had already arrived in the capital.
Most of this group of hungry people were young and strong men. After receiving the five kilograms of rations rewarded by Jiang Shaohua, they did not eat frugally. Instead, he ate enough for three days, and his escape speed was more than twice as fast.
It is unknown where the rations for the next few days came from. In short, when they arrived in the capital a few days later, there were almost no children in the fleeing team, and less than half of the women were missing.
The majestic and tall city gate of the capital is right in front of you. The hungry people were so excited that they cried bitterly.
They went through untold hardships and abandoned their homes and property to escape famine, and finally fled to the capital. The capital is the richest place in Daliang. There are palaces, courts, emperors, and hundreds of officials. You can't care about their life or death.
“We finally have a way to survive.”
“God has eyes, let’s enter the city gate now.”
Crying and shouting merged into one, and suddenly appeared A man's voice came: "Everyone, don't get excited. Go and line up outside the city gate first. If you want to When the city gate official asked us where we came from, just tell the truth. When the time comes, remember to add that it was Princess Nanyang who rewarded us with food rations so that we could go all the way to the capital. "
This. The man was one of the hungry people who wanted to rush to the princess that day but was stopped. He is also the leader of this wave of hungry people.
After hearing these words, all the hungry people responded in confusion, reluctantly formed two long queues, and walked towards the city gate with great expectations.
Unfortunately, before they even got close to the city gate, a group of more than 20 people came galloping over on horseback.
The leading city gate official, wearing armor, with a majestic appearance and sharp eyes, asked sternly: "Where do you people come from?"
This city gate official was the one who happened that day. Jiang Shaohua met Zuo Yue, the general of the Zuo clan when he entered the capital. The official position of the city gate official is not high, but his position is very important. He opens and closes the city gate every day to check people entering and leaving the city. Anyone who is dangerous or suspicious must be stopped and carefully inspected.
Zuo Yue was wandering around the city early in the morning. When he saw such a group of young and ragged refugees, he felt alarmed and immediately ordered a group of people out of the city to question them.
These hungry people dared to kill people, steal food, and eat human flesh when they were so hungry, but their fear of the court officials was engraved in their bones. Zuo Yueguan was so powerful that the knees of all the hungry people went weak. Most of them knelt down and kowtowed habitually. Some called for mercy, and some cried out their sad stories. The noise was endless.
Zuo Yue's face darkened, and his gaze fell on the leading hungry man: "Come over here and explain your identity clearly."
The hungry man had done some sorting, I have some knowledge and am not that scared. However, after receiving Zuo Yue's murderous glare, his legs became a little weak. Qiang Zi walked forward, then knelt down and quickly said that these people were hungry people suffering from the locust plague.
"You have suffered a locust plague. You should go to the government office and wait for government relief. Why did you come to the capital?" Zuo Yue did not have any sympathy or sympathy, and a cold light flashed in his eyes: "You are running around at will and committing crimes. If you break the law of Daliang, you will be beheaded!”
The law of Daliang does have such a rule. Without road guides, they are refugees. No matter where they go, the government can send troops to arrest and deal with them.
Cold sweat broke out on the back of the leader of the hungry people. He kowtowed three times and begged: "Sir, we really have no way to survive. We escaped just to survive. When we left, there were more than 600 people, but now there are only 200 left." More than 60% of them died on the road. Please let us enter the city gate!"
The rest of the hungry people also cried and kowtowed. Zuo Yue's heart was as solid as a rock, and he remained unmoved. He loudly ordered the soldiers to drive the refugees away. These soldiers were not polite, raised their whips high and brought them down hard.
The hungry people who were whipped cried out in despair. Some fell to the ground after being whipped, and some got up and fled in embarrassment. An almost cruel smile appeared on Zuo Yue's face.
At this moment, the leader of the hungry people suddenly shouted loudly: "It was Princess Nanyang who asked us to come. The princess gave us food and asked us to come to the capital. You can't drive us away! ”
As soon as the words "Princess Nanyang" came into his ears, Zuo Yue's smile condensed, and murderous intent flashed in his eyes. He raised his hand and the soldiers stopped. The hungry people thought there was a turn for the better and looked up eagerly.
"Did you really meet Princess Nanyang?" Zuo Yue asked slowly: "What did she tell you?"
The leader of the hungry people thought he had grasped a life-saving straw. He quickly talked about how he met the princess that day. With his little cleverness, he also deliberately fabricated some "instructions" from the princess.
Zuo Yue didn't know what he thought of, a sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth, and suddenly turned around and ordered: "Come here, arrest all these rioting people and put them in prison."
Hungry people They were all shocked.
They are obviously fleeing the famine and coming to the capital? Why did he suddenly become a mob?
The soldiers have rushed over like tigers and wolves.
There were only about twenty soldiers, and the number of hungry people was almost ten times that of the soldiers, but no one dared to resist. Just like a bunch of pigs and dogs, they were kicked over and tied up by the soldiers.
Soon, dozens of soldiers rushed out of the city gate, bringing several long ropes and tying the hands of the two hundred hungry people into strings. Just like buying salted fish in the market, they were dragged away rudely.
Zuo Yue did not hesitate for a moment and immediately rode his horse to the Prime Minister's Mansion.
It was already past noon, and Prime Minister Wang happened to be in the mansion. Hearing that Zuo Yue was coming, Prime Minister Wang was a little surprised and immediately said: "Let him enter the study."
After a cup of tea, Zuo Yue quickly entered Prime Minister Wang's study and bowed.
Prime Minister Wang stretched out his hand to support her, and asked directly: "You came all the way during the day, what's the important thing?" In the top general's door of Daliang, the Zuo family was supported by Prime Minister Wang. It can be said that all members of the Zuo family are loyal dogs under the Prime Minister.
Zuo Yue was particularly loyal to Prime Minister Wang and spoke out about the "riots": "...these mobs, instigated by Princess Nanyang, stormed the city gate with the intention of rebelling. The general has already killed them all. Take it down and go to prison.”
“Please tell me what to do next!”
The muscles on Prime Minister Wang's face trembled, and the corners of his mouth twitched again and again, and he endured it again and again: "Whose idea was this?"
Zuo Yue didn't know what was going on, and he straightened his chest proudly: " He was the last general. The Princess of Nanyang had repeatedly offended the Prime Minister during her six months in the capital. . The Prime Minister has a large number of people and will not care about her as a woman. However, she dared to instigate the mob to come to the capital, causing chaos and unrest in the capital. She must not be leniently spared. Please enter the palace now and report the matter to the emperor..."
There was a muffled sound!
Prime Minister Wang slapped the table hard. The pen and ink on the desk were shaken so much that they almost flew up: "Idiot!"