The First National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 223

Xu Tian nodded. He didn't want to get involved in the court anymore, so he settled down on the frontier. Soon, three months had passed, and autumn arrived, with everything turning golden.

Unexpectedly, this year's rice harvest is bountiful, and the people in this remote area will no longer have to worry about going hungry.

Everyone was overjoyed and plunged into the wheat field to harvest for several days, but the wheat was still not finished.

A few days later, Xu Tian noticed that fewer and fewer people were harvesting wheat.

Xu Tian asked, "What's going on? Why aren't the people coming to harvest the rice?"

The general's advisor sighed.

"You don't know, they got sick a few days ago, so fewer and fewer people came, which resulted in this wheat going unharvested."

Xu Tian immediately took the general's doctor to treat the patient. The general's doctor sneered, stood up, clasped his hands and said, "Sir, this is not an illness, but a poisoning. Moreover, the poison was placed on the wheat that was about to be harvested. Anyone who comes into contact with it will feel itchy all over."

Xu Tian was furious. Who could do such a thing? He had worked so hard to develop this grain so that the people could have enough to eat, but this person was wasting it and even poisoning it. His heart was truly despicable.

Just then, the villagers rushed in.

"What? Someone actually poisoned it? That's outrageous! I've never heard of poisoning wheat before. This army doctor must have made a mistake!"

The military doctor was taken aback at first, then his face turned red with anger: "Nonsense! I have been practicing medicine in the army for thirty years and have never made a mistake!"

“We don’t believe it. The wheat was perfectly fine before. How could someone have poisoned it? It was perfectly fine before! I think it’s because he cultivated problematic wheat that we are now seriously ill.”

Xu Tianbing knew what was going on and immediately calmed down. His main task was to appease the people. These people had finally waited for the harvest season, but they had contracted diseases while harvesting rice. Anyone would be upset in this situation.

At that moment, someone jumped out from the crowd.

"How could you, a dignified Grand Tutor, know the suffering of our people? You have successfully developed rice, but it is only an experimental product."

How do we know if it's poisonous? It's one thing to have researched and developed this rice, but whether it's edible is another matter entirely. Aren't you just playing us for fools?

When General Wang heard what had happened, he immediately led his troops to suppress the disturbance. He walked up to Xu Tian and said, "Grand Tutor, calm down. That person must have been arranged by someone. The people here are honest and simple, and they would never act like that."

Having served in the military for many years, he had long since discerned the habits and behaviors of these people. If they didn't even have this much skill, how could they possibly deal with spies from enemy countries?

The man turned his head and looked around at the other people who were waiting for him to speak. His confidence increased immediately, and he said, "We demand that Grand Tutor Xu give us an explanation, otherwise we will file a complaint in the capital."

Grand Tutor Xu sneered: "Why are you going to Jincheng to complain about me? Do you think I am so worthless in your eyes? The army doctor already said that the wheat has been poisoned."

Your Excellency is in such a hurry, even going so far as to confess before His Majesty; could it be that you were the one who administered the drug?

A look of panic flashed across the man's face, but he quickly regained his composure.

"I'm just seeking justice for myself. I've worked hard all year. Even if I don't eat, my wife and kids are waiting for this food to save their lives."

These words stirred up everyone's anger.

"That's right."