Shipin Dalizheng

Moreover, the indenture was written very sloppily, with dozens of numbers and codes squeezed into it, making them seem worthless and like slaves bought wholesale.

"Master Jian'an, if you do this, it will be very difficult for our family!"

Rong Tang patted him on the shoulder and said, "Look, what are you so hesitant about? These are all martial arts masters. They work as long as they are fed. What are we doing here? We are a special forces team! As long as we complete the mission, why do you care what the people below call you or where they are from?"

Seems to make sense...

Speaking of food, Li Dequan woke up again, "It's still not right. Earl Jian'an, those soldiers in the army can't eat so well."

He pointed outside the tent and said, "Look, everyone's mouth is full of oil. We've seen the food in the military camp. It's..."

He was too embarrassed to say that he was worse than pigs and dogs.

The Rong family tried to deceive him again, "You can't say that. They deserve what they put in. Shouldn't we feed them better and keep them in good health so they can complete their missions more effectively? Speaking of which, Eunuch Li, our special forces team has nearly a hundred people. Ten of them have a squad leader, so shouldn't a hundred of them have a centurion?"

Li Dequan, who had originally wanted to argue with him about the standard treatment in the military camp, was distracted. "What centurion? Isn't it you?"

Rong Tang was stunned. "Me? Am I not the leader of the new army?"

"You are a leader. Your military rank depends on the number of men you lead. Now you have a hundred men. Congratulations, you are automatically promoted to centurion. When you recruit a thousand men, you will be a captain."

Li Dequan glanced at him and said, "See if you have the ability to expand the staff to 999 slaves."

Rong Tang felt that he still had a long way to go before he could become a general.

Because they marched in secrecy and their speed was much faster than the military reports, the news of the impending war between the north and the south had not yet reached all the places they were traveling. Even so, as before, the road continued to become increasingly desolate.

A few days later, they arrived at the northwesternmost provincial capital in the border of North Vietnam. Rong Tang knew that there would be no place to get supplies if they went south beyond this point, so he asked the local county magistrate for more food and fodder.

The local county magistrate was a poor official who was about to retire. He had worked in this desolate place for more than ten years, unable to be promoted or transferred. When he saw this new unit he had never heard of coming to ask for military supplies, he thought it was bandits in disguise and was almost scared to death.

Only when he saw the imperial edict that Li Dequan had brought did he feel at ease. With a bitter face, he said to Rong Tang, "General, our county really has nothing to offer. Years of drought have made it difficult for the people to get water. There is really no food. As for fodder, I can mobilize the three squads and six houses to go up the mountain to get some."

The dilapidated state of the county town was evident from the streets. The county magistrate's official uniform was so old that the edges were frayed. Rong Tang believed that he was truly poor.

"How about this, sir, take me to the largest grain store in the county."

The county magistrate's eyes widened. "Sir, the grain store in the county is a branch of the Cui family."

Rong Tang paused. He really didn't know the last time he came. What was the matter with the look in the county magistrate's eyes? He asked the grain shop if he wanted to buy it, not rob it.

But when the county magistrate said that the grain shop was a branch of the Cui family, why did he suddenly want to rob it?

The county magistrate personally led them to the street and pointed to a sign, saying, "That's it. Sir, I must remind you that this shop belongs to the Cui family."

If he hadn't reminded them again and again, Rong Tang would still be hesitant. With a wave of his hand, hundreds of people dismounted and went to buy rice with bags of grain.

But when he went up to ask, he found out that the rice was several times more expensive than in Shangjing, and the rice was all stale and of poor color. Rong Tang went in and said something to the shopkeeper, but when he came out, the rice shop had changed the price tags and the price had dropped to normal. Even so, Rong Tang was still not satisfied and ordered people to carry the rice bags out.

It was at this time that the advantages of the people in the underworld became apparent. Ordinary people could only carry one bag, but they could carry two or even three bags, and they carried them out in an endless stream. The rice shop owner and his clerks stood by, angry but not daring to say anything.

The people who were queuing to buy rice were very happy when they saw the price drop, and they rushed to tell each other to rush to buy. But when they saw the burly men, numbering about a hundred, carrying two or three bags of rice out, and almost emptying the rice warehouse, they couldn't help but panic.

The rice was left in Cui's shop. Although it was expensive, they could still buy it if they gritted their teeth. If all the rice was carried away by these people, there would be no food left in their county.

The county magistrate and his lawyer hid in the street corner, trembling. "Aren't these robbers?" Cui's rice shop was despicable, but at least it had rice for sale. Now that it had been robbed, the people in their county were starving to death.

Rong Zhan instructed everyone, "Hurry up and move everything into the county government warehouse."

The county magistrate's legs went weak and he nearly fell. He hurriedly asked Rong Tang, "General, what's going on? I'm just a small county magistrate. How can I be stronger than the Cui family?"

Rong Tang said in a kind tone, "Don't be afraid, they won't dare to do anything. Just look after the grain and sell it to the people at a fair price. If they really can't afford it, sell it on credit. I'll settle the bill later. As for the Cui family, don't worry. Don't blame me for everything."

The county magistrate said bitterly, "Sir, who are you?"

I just hope he has a strong background and can withstand the revenge of the Cui family.

"Me," Rong Tang touched his chin, "I am the emperor's nephew."

Saying that he was the Earl of Jian'an might not have much comforting effect, but saying that he was the emperor's nephew immediately made him seem more important.

The county magistrate had more thoughts than that. He knew that the queen's surname was Wang, and the emperor's nephew was of course the nephew of Queen Wang and the son of Prime Minister Wang. In this way, his back immediately became as hard as a rock.

"So it's Prince Wang. Now I have nothing to worry about."

Although Rong Tang didn't know why the magistrate thought his surname was Wang, he didn't explain. He didn't know that because he didn't explain, the county magistrate's spine had been in a state of stiffness, and he fought against the Cui family to the death, ensuring the safety of the people in the area.

Rong Dahai was also carrying rice bags. In his mind, what he was doing was killing the rich to help the poor, and he felt a little embarrassed. He grabbed an old soldier and said, "Brother, is this okay? Why do I feel guilty?"

The old soldier had seen all kinds of situations, so he said confidently, "No one was killed, it's normal, let's move."

Except for him, everyone else was able to bear it. Rong Dahai tried hard to convince himself and be thick-skinned, and finally overcame this hurdle. Let's move!

Li Dequan was a little overwhelmed. "Master, this isn't right. We're on official business in the south. How can they raid our own place before we even cross the river?"

Rong Tang put his arm around his shoulders and walked aside. "How can this be considered plundering? They clearly donated it voluntarily. And the county magistrate will eventually return the money from the grain sales to your Cui family. It can't even be considered a donation. Did I force them? Did I call for their arrest and killing?"

"That's not true."

Li Dequan recalled carefully that Rong Tang seemed to have shown something to the Cui family's shopkeeper, and the shopkeeper did not dare to refute him and let him do whatever he wanted. Is this really not coercion?

"Don't think so much."

Rong Tang pointed his whip at the common people on the street and said, "Those buying rice are dressed in rags, and it's obvious they're having a hard time. This is in the county town; if it were in the village, it would be even harder. The rice stored in Cui's rice shop is enough for the people of the entire county to get through the entire winter. He refuses to sell it at a low price, and would rather the people starve to death and the rice rot in the warehouse than sell it. Do you know why?"

Li Dequan blinked, "Why?"

"Because the rice, which is several times more expensive, has already made them a fortune. The common people can't afford it and have no choice but to sell their land and themselves. If we don't do this today, soon all the land in this county will belong to the Cui family. Eunuch Li, you helped His Majesty save this county. When the merit is rewarded in the future, you will be the first to receive it."

Li Dequan was stunned. What? He helped His Majesty save a county!

Rong Tang continued to deceive, "I often hear the old saying that the greatest heroes serve their country and their people. They are talking about you!"