Hidden in the court

Sure enough, the village head was frightened.

This is not surprising. He is indeed the deputy general of Jinling, as he can lead so many soldiers. He just said that. It seems that he is also a fellow traveler, and he is so young. I must curry favor with him.

If he knew how high a rank the Deputy General of Jinling held, he would definitely not think so.

As he thought about it, he blurted out, "I didn't know you were coming, General. I'm sorry for not welcoming you. I'm sorry for not taking good care of you. Please come to my manor to have a chat. I'll prepare some wine to welcome you."

"Eh, no. I'm in a hurry to take up my post, and I've been traveling all night. I'm almost in Jinling, so... should I just forget it?"

He said this, but his body stood there with no intention of moving.

Seeing this scene, Nangong Bian wanted to laugh but didn't dare to. His face turned red and in the end he could only yawn.

"what--"

"General, you are wrong. Since you are tired from traveling, why not take a rest for a while? Even if you are not tired, the soldiers under your command should also take a rest, right?"

Ji Mingshang glanced behind him and smiled: "Then... it would be disrespectful to refuse it?"

"Guys, please."

The group of people marched into the village in a mighty procession, leaving the old man sitting on the ground, tears streaming down his face.

"Oh my God... please open your eyes!"

As they walked, they actually saw a nice house, which was indeed eye-catching compared to the surrounding thatched houses and mud huts.

It was even more shocking when they walked in. At first glance, they saw a dozen servants holding sticks and two maids escorting a woman out. However, Zhou Chunfu glared at them and made them retreat angrily.

In the main hall, Ji Mingshang sat in the main seat, with Nangong Xiao and Nangong Bian on his sides, while Zhou Chunfu stood obediently below with his knees kowtowed.

When he saw him summon the butler and whisper a few words to him, Ji Mingshang knew that the "appetizer" was about to be served.

Sure enough, after a while, three people came in carrying three small boxes.

Ji Mingshang's eyes suddenly lit up and he stood up.

"General, you are young and promising, a rare talent. After seeing you today, I really admire you. I would like to express my gratitude to you. I hope you will accept it."

"Easy to say, easy to say."

Ji Mingshang seemed unable to wait any longer. He took two steps at a time, put his hand on the box, slowly opened a crack, took a glance, and quickly closed it like a guilty thief.

The fan opened with a "whoosh", fanned twice, and then closed again.

The two bodyguards behind him understood what he meant and stepped forward to put the box away.

Nangong Xiao was stunned by what he saw, and Nangong Bian on the side also had a strange look on his face and called him an expert.

"Ahem... Chunfu, you're pretty good..."

That's enough.

"Thank you, General. The food is ready, let's eat."

Pork, chicken, duck, fish, and even beef all appeared on the dining table here, and the four of them had a good meal.

"Sir, I have sent food to all your soldiers. We will never let them starve!"

Zhou Chunfu drank a lot of wine and spoke incoherently.

Ji Mingshang nodded repeatedly and made a note of this guy in his heart.

After eating, Ji Mingshang took the opportunity to suggest taking a walk around the village to understand the people's sentiments.

The head of the village couldn't refuse, so he had to go with them, hoping that no blind and despicable person would show up.

The head of the village was holding a gong in his hand and beating it as he walked.

"Come out quickly, folks. The masters from Jinling City are here."

People were seen sticking their heads out of their homes, but they just watched from afar and no one dared to come closer.

"Don't be afraid. I am the new deputy general of Jinling. I am here to show my sympathy for the people and have no ill intentions."

Ji Mingshang's words were like a stone sinking into the sea, without causing the slightest ripple.

I didn't pay much attention to it and continued walking with the head of the village.

"What is this village called?"

"Dawangzhuang."

"How many people are there?"

"More than 800 people."

"Oh, it's quite big. What are the names of these 800-plus people?"

"Ok?"

Ji Mingshang's question made Zhou Chunfu stunned. When he looked up, he saw his inquiring eyes.

"do not know…"

"Oh, never mind, just asking."

Soon, they came to a large open area. A big bell was hanging on an ancient tree in the front, and a millstone was lying there alone.

"It's the summer harvest season, but why is there no one here to grind the grain?"

Nangong Xiao suddenly asked a question, and Zhou Chunfu didn't know how to answer for a moment.

Ji Mingshang and Nangong Bian just remembered, what other reasons could there be? It looked like the people had no food at home. When they entered the village just now, they saw that the crops were good, but the villagers had no food at home, which was really ridiculous.

"Ahem, go gather the villagers. I'm going to distribute porridge here."

"Hey, I'll go right away."

It was Ji Mingshang who rescued him and made him come back to his senses. He left happily.

"Brother Ji, why would you let such a wicked person go?"

"Hey, I didn't say let him go. Let our people cook porridge and surround this place. And lend them a few dozen knives."

"okay."

Nangong Bian still knew what he was thinking, but Nangong Xiao was still afraid that something unexpected would happen.

"Don't worry, brother. I'll have a heart-to-heart talk with him later."

After a long time, Zhou Chunfu drove a group of villagers here.

What kind of people are they?

They all looked haggard, with empty and deep eyes and a sallow complexion, as if a piece of rough linen paper was stuck to their faces.

He was wearing tattered clothes, and his movements were slow and weak, as if every movement required all his strength. His shoulders drooped slightly, as if he was exhausted by the pressure of life and could no longer stand up straight. His hands hung limply at his sides, his fingers slightly bent, but without any desire to grab or hold.

There was only a sparse sound, as if the last breath squeezed out from the depths of the throat.

In such a scene, there are hundreds of people, like dead trees. Although they are still standing there, they have lost their life force and vitality. The air is filled with deathly silence and despair.

Even adults are like this, and children seem to have no strength to walk. They hang their heads and move with the traction.

An invisible haze looms over the place, making people feel unspeakably heavy and depressed.

"Is it all here?"

"Your Excellency, everything that can move is here."

After such a run, Zhou Chunfu's body, which was usually not very active, seemed to be falling apart.

"Okay, take a rest."

As he was talking to Zhou Chunfu, Nangong Lin saw that the despair in the eyes of the villagers in the audience became even greater.

Ji Mingshang turned to the villagers and shouted, "I am the new deputy general of Jinling. I am passing by here and seeing that you are all living in such dire straits. As a parent official, I am really heartbroken!"

Ji Mingshang roared passionately, with tears in his eyes, but unfortunately the villagers below did not react much.

"Didn't you hear what the adults said?"

It was not until Zhou Chunfu turned around that a commotion similar to cheering broke out in the crowd.