Chapter 75: Cut Him Down

Chapter 75: Cut Him Down

Xiao Ce returned to his residence. The Solar Term Maidens had already prepared everything.

After a busy day, it was time for Xiao Ce to relieve his fatigue.

However, it was just a simple bath and massage.

Early the next morning, Xiao Ce got up as usual for his morning exercises.

Yan Jia came and brought good news. Nine cities had been fully taken, and garrisons had already been stationed there.

The two brothers, Shen Hu and Shen Bao, had already led eighty thousand troops to camp outside Lingxiao City, forming a defensive pincer position with Lingxiao City.

In Yanmen City, thousands of Disaster Victims had already arrived one after another.

Nie Bing and Yin Pan’er left that area, leaving the Military Advisor under Bao Cong’s command, Wang Quan, to take over.

Listening to Yan Jia, the most serious problem now was the shortage of provisions.

All the Bonded People in the cities they captured along the way had their rations completely confiscated by Bao An. They were now making cakes with tree bark mixed with mud to eat!

After Xiao Ce entered the Northern Desert Region, he came directly to Lingxiao City from Yanmen Pass, so he only saw two cities.

In the first city inside Yanmen Pass, Yanmen City, there were not many Bonded People. Even if there were, because they helped the army with hard labor, although it was hard, they were not yet at the point of eating dirt.

As the city where Bao An lived, for the sake of stability, they only went hungry, not to the point of eating dirt.

Therefore, Xiao Ce naturally thought that the situation in the Northern Desert might not be so severe.

Now, hearing Yan Jia’s words, he frowned and said, “Are there many Bonded People?”

“In the nine cities, there are about fifty thousand Bonded People. The ground is already littered with their starved bodies. If we don’t provide disaster relief soon, all fifty thousand of them will starve to death in less than a month.”

“Then go provide disaster relief immediately! Take a portion of grain from the Tiger-Leopard Stronghold first, so they have something to eat!” Xiao Ce said.

Yan Jia cupped his hands and agreed. “Prince, our subsequent provisions are not plentiful. As more and more Disaster Victims pour in… if…”

“You just go ahead. There will be no problem with provisions for the next several months!”

Yan Jia was somewhat surprised. “Prince, then Your humble general will go and handle it. By the way, Prince, there is another matter.”

“What is it?”

“Some people came from various prefectures, seemingly to inquire. Those people have been captured. I sent someone to interrogate them. They all came from different prefectures to inquire about the situation here. Because originally, the Family Heads of their respective families said they would return overnight after attending the wedding feast. Now, with no news, they became anxious,” Yan Jia said.

Xiao Ce nodded and said, “Alright, same old rule: everyone can only come in, none can go out!”

Yan Jia cupped his hands and agreed.

Watching Yan Jia leave in a hurry.

Xiao Ce changed into a set of clothes and said to Qian Lai, “Has that Yanzheng Hall been tidied up?”

Qian Lai nodded.

Xiao Ce said to Xiao Jiu, “You take some men and summon the officials first.”

Xiao Jiu nodded.

Xiao Ce said to Qian Lai, “Go and invite Yin Pan’er, Nie Bing, and Zhang Yunqing over there.”

Qian Lai cupped his hands and left.

After speaking, Xiao Ce narrowed his eyes slightly and said, “It’s time to break them down one by one!”

…

Xiao Jiu led a squad of twenty men and came to the Rites Hall again.

The smell inside the entire Rites Hall was even stronger.

Seeing Xiao Jiu arrive, the people outside couldn’t help but gather around.

“Next, the people whose names I call, line up neatly and follow me.”

“Yu Caiming, Mi Di, Wu Youzhi, Teng Faqing, Jian Ji…”

The time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, over sixty officials had been called out.

They were dizzy and weak from hunger by now.

Xiao Jiu said without any unnecessary words, “All of you, follow me. The King of Northern Desert summons you!”

Some merchants saw this and smiled apologetically. “Sir Jiu, then… what about us…”

“You wait!”

“Sir Xiao Jiu, could you spare some food… We’re so hungry. We won’t eat for free!” a merchant said to Xiao Jiu.

As they spoke, the merchants smiled apologetically again and took out some jewels. “Sir Jiu, just a bite of something edible in exchange.”

Xiao Jiu waved his hand and said, “I can’t decide this!”

After saying that, he led the people away.

…

At this moment, several Noble Clan Family Heads inside the hall were at the hall entrance, watching Xiao Jiu’s departing back.

“What do you think that trash wants to do?” Cai Tianming said with an ashen face.

Lin Shou said, “He has starved the people here almost enough and now wants to negotiate terms.”

Cai Tianming frowned slightly. “Then why summon those civil officials? They still have to follow our lead. Why not come to us?”

Liu Xuan chimed in, “He’s just creating a mystery, that’s all.”

As the three spoke, they saw Kan Zongye sitting to one side, cross-legged in meditation, not saying a word.

Cai Tianming said, “Kan Zongye, you still have the mind to sit. If we starve here for a few more days, we will really starve to death here! Can’t you think of something! Did he see through those fake things you made us write?”

Kan Zongye slowly opened his eyes, looking proud. “If you want to live a little longer, shut up! Save your strength! Even if he saw through it, what can he do? He doesn’t dare kill us!”

“Why are you so sure? I think you’re the one with problems…” Just as Cai Tianming was about to argue with Kan Zongye.

Liu Xuan and Lin Shou on the side tried to persuade them. “Tianming, calm down… Now we have no other way but to wait! Only by sticking together can we succeed now!”

Cai Tianming shot a hateful glance at Kan Zongye. “If I die, I won’t let you off even as a ghost!”

Kan Zongye gave him a disdainful look and didn’t speak.

He already had a complete plan in mind. Not only could he use Xiao Ce, but he could also get rid of these Noble Clan Family Heads, allowing him to take over the entire Four Northern Desert Prefectures.

…

In the Yanzheng Hall at this time, Xiao Ce sat in the main seat. Yin Pan’er sat on his right side, Nie Bing sat on his left.

Zhang Yunqing stood behind him.

Nie Bing was unwilling at first. After all, there had been rumors in the army about two Princess Consorts.

If she sat like this today, wouldn’t it confirm the rumors?

However, Xiao Ce told Nie Bing that if she didn’t sit, what would Nie Yao’s confidants think?

Only by letting those officials know that Nie Bing was Xiao Ce’s own person would they serve Xiao Ce.

Nie Bing listened and then agreed.

After the two of them returned, they stayed up late reading the book about reforming city management that Xiao Ce had written.

After reading it, both of them had a much-changed view of Xiao Ce.

Although some of the methods in it were unheard of and extremely bold in their eyes!

However, they also thought that if truly implemented successfully, the common people would be the first to benefit.

Xiao Ce wrote in that book: “Officials and the people should be like fish and water. And imperial power and the people are even more like a boat and water. In this, the people are the water, and imperial power is the boat. Only when the water rises can the boat go high.”

If it could really be achieved, what Xiao Ce said about letting the people have stable homes, clothes to cover their bodies, and enough food to eat. And even letting them have extra money every year and meat with every meal! It truly wasn’t a dream.

At this moment, Xiao Ce looked at this Yanzheng Hall.

Bao An had built it completely based on the Capital’s Imperial Palace, only this one was a bit smaller.

Actually, it wasn’t just this Yanzheng Hall; the entire General’s Temporary Palace was built to resemble a small-scale Imperial Palace.

This Bao An really saw himself as a local king.

“Your Majesty, what do you need me to do later?” Nie Bing asked.

Xiao Ce said, “Later, point out all the officials you think are trustworthy!”

Nie Bing nodded and said to Xiao Ce, “And then…”

Xiao Ce said to Nie Bing, “Then, you don’t need to worry about it anymore!”

Yin Pan’er said, “What about me?”

Xiao Ce said with a smile, “You don’t need to do anything. Having you sit by my side is just to let people get familiar with your face.”

Zhang Yunqing said to Xiao Ce, “Prince, is it inappropriate for me to stand here? Should I go down?”

Xiao Ce said to Zhang Yunqing, “This Prince says you are appropriate, so you are appropriate… just stand there firmly.”

Zhang Yunqing said with a grateful face, “Prince, I obey!”

As they were speaking, Xiao Jiu brought up a group of people whose legs were weak.

After these people entered, having been starved for several days, they all knelt down very quickly.

“We pay our respects to the King of Northern Desert! Long live the King of Northern Desert, a thousand years, ten thousand years!”

Xiao Ce sat in his seat, scanned the crowd, and said to everyone.

“All of you officials, the letters you wrote to This Prince, This Prince has read them all! I wonder, is there anyone among you who has anything to add?”

Everyone was prostrate on the ground, looking at each other, but no one answered.

Some of them had confessed honestly, but most of the others, listening to their respective Noble Clan Family Heads, all believed that Xiao Ce was like those previous outsiders, and that in the end, victory would surely belong to the Family Heads of the Four Prefectures.

Moreover, the Family Heads had also told them that as long as they listened to them, they would definitely be safe.

Seeing that no one responded, Xiao Ce looked at Nie Bing beside him and nodded to her.

Nie Bing then started calling out names: “Yu Caiming, Mi Di, Wu Youzhi, Teng Faqing, Jian Ji…”

She called out twenty-six names in a row.

“Those whose names were called, stand up!” Xiao Ce said calmly.

Even Nie Bing didn’t know what Xiao Ce was going to do next.

Those whose names were called all stood up. The remaining officials kneeling on the ground felt a faint sense of unease in their hearts.

Because these officials were all familiar to each other; they were all remnants of Nie Yao’s faction.

Xiao Ce continued asking, “Those who were not called, do any of you have anything to add?”

These people remained prostrate on the ground and did not answer.

Xiao Ce asked Qian Lai, who was sitting to one side, “Qian Lai, is the platform I asked you to set up outside the Temporary Palace ready?”

Qian Lai nodded, “Reporting to the Prince, it is all ready.”

Xiao Ce said, “Good. Guards! Take all these kneeling ones outside and behead them! Execute them publicly, and parade their heads through each city! Tell the people that now, the Northern Desert has changed! As long as This Prince is here for one day, they are the masters of this land! These officials serve the people! Any official who dares to bully or exploit the people, This Prince will show no mercy!”

Xiao Ce’s words were firm and powerful, each one clear.

After a moment of stunned silence in the hall, they saw soldiers holding swords step forward to seize them.

Only then did they realize that Xiao Ce was serious.

“Xiao Ce! No… you can’t kill me! I am the cousin of the Cai Family Head! If you kill me, the Cai Family Head will definitely not let you go!”

“You can’t kill me! I am related by marriage to the Lin Family Head! My son-in-law is the young master of the Lin Family…”

“Xiao Ce, if you kill us, you will surely die! If you spare our lives, we can let you live comfortably like Bao An did… as a carefree prince!”

“That’s right, Xiao Ce! Don’t be too arrogant. You’ve just arrived in the Northern Desert; you probably don’t even know what the situation is like here! Here, you can offend the Emperor, but you cannot offend the Family Heads of the Noble Clans from the Four Northern Desert Prefectures!”

“Xiao Ce, go ask around! If you want to stay alive, listen to us! You can arrest us for now, but can you bear the consequences?”

Some of the City Lords from the Four Prefectures began to assert their identities. They were all relatives or connected to the Noble Clans. Now, they simply stopped pretending and directly threatened Xiao Ce.