The snowball effect is getting stronger.
Three days passed.
Ninety percent of the disaster victims in Yongzhou had their acupoints opened to varying degrees.
The remaining 10% either had no qualifications at all or were too dull to learn it.
For these people, if they have lost hope, they will put their hope on others.
Although he could no longer experience the feeling of being as strong as an ox and as light as a swallow, as long as other people learned martial arts, he would at least not starve to death due to food shortage.
And this is indeed the case. As more and more people open their acupoints, and as more and more acupoints are opened by these people, the consumption of food is decreasing at a rate visible to the naked eye every day.
In addition, new food was continuously found. Although it was not as exaggerated as the first time when 10,000 stones of corn were inexplicably harvested, the harvests of various animals and plants were constantly increasing.
In addition, the remaining vacant land in the surrounding area is also being reclaimed and planted in full swing. If this continues, it will be impossible for Yongzhou to experience a large-scale population decline.
The official road outside the city, the outermost area.
"Wang Mazi, how many tricks have you found?"
A middle-aged man with a frivolous manner spoke up, his tone full of pride, "I have already opened thirty, you better not leave me too many behind."
"I'm sorry, I've already opened thirty-two."
Wang Mazi was too lazy to even raise his eyelids. "You, Cai Laogen, want to show off in front of me. You should practice more."
"Tsk, it's just two more. Watch me surpass you tomorrow."
Cai Laogen replied unconvinced.
"It's okay if it exceeds. It doesn't matter."
Wang Mazi rested his head on the pile of dirt, his eyes hazy, "Being alive is better than anything else."
“…”
Cai Laogen's smug expression slowly faded, and he finally lay down, "Yeah, it's good to be alive. When the food grows next year, no matter how many tricks it has opened, we won't remember them anymore."
"Are you very unwilling?"
Wang Mazi asked.
“In the beginning, there was, but then there wasn’t.”
Cai Laogen curled his lips and said, "It's not that I'm open-minded, but I feel much more comfortable when I think that those who have reached the second or third level of enlightenment will forget everything like us."
"Little man."
Wang Mazi sneered.
"My little man, it's not like you just found out."
Cai Laogen didn't take it seriously. He paused and said, "Remember before, I almost beat you to death for a bug... Do you hate me?"
"hatred?"
Wang Mazi said contemptuously, "If I hate you just because you beat me up, then those people I beat to death will become evil spirits and come to claim my life, right?"
Cai Laogen sat up suddenly and looked at Wang Mazi warily, "Have you ever beaten anyone to death? Even I haven't beaten anyone to death..."
"They want to steal my doll, how can I not beat them to death?"
Wang Mazi said lightly.
Grab the child...
Cai Laogen's face froze.
He had seen this kind of thing before and almost got involved.
No way, I'm too hungry...
"etc."
Cai Laogen looked around and said, "You said you beat those people to death, but why didn't I see your child?"
"He got sick and didn't survive, so I buried him."
Wang Mazi sighed, "My father, mother, children, and wife are all buried in the same place."
"All right……"
Cai Laogen suddenly felt fortunate that he had been alone from the beginning.
Suddenly, Wang Mazi sat up and looked into the distance where no one was.
"What's wrong?"
Cai Laogen looked over but saw nothing.
"The ground is shaking."
Wang Mazi frowned and stared at the end of the official road.
"shock?"
Cai Laogen was puzzled.
"It's like... it's like there are a lot of horses running."
Wang Mazi said, and suddenly stood up from the ground, staring with eyes wide open: "Fire?!"
Cai Laogen also saw it clearly now.
At the end of the official road, dense flames flickered and suddenly pierced into the darkness.
"Centaurs! They are centaurs! Lots and lots of centaurs!"
Wang Mazi shouted.
Suddenly, it attracted the attention of more people nearby.
"Centaurs? Why are there so many people in the middle of the night?"
"Could it be...could it be that disaster relief has arrived from the imperial court?!"
"Disaster relief? Maybe! No, it must be this!"
"People from the imperial court have come to provide disaster relief! People have come to provide disaster relief!!!"
“…”
The news spread quickly.
Cai Laogen cried with joy: "It's here, it's finally here..."
Only Wang Mazi looked calm and said, "What's there to be happy about?"
“…”
Cai Laogen looked puzzled: "That's disaster relief. They must have brought a lot of food."
"We are now..."
Wang Mazi looked at Cai Laogen deeply, "Do you need more?"
"this……"
Cai Laogen was stunned for a moment, then suddenly reacted.
yes.
Even without disaster relief, it seems that I can survive?
Thinking of this, the joy suddenly disappeared.
“It’s really not that necessary anymore.”
Cai Laogen shook his head and changed the subject, "But if you can eat your fill, it's still good."
Wang Mazi said nothing more.
He is the same as Cai Laogen now, but two months ago, he was different.
Two months ago, he cried for his parents, kowtowed to heaven and earth, hoping and even begging for disaster relief from the imperial court.
But now...
The whole family died.
Disaster relief?
Sorry, I don't want it anymore.
Wang Mazi retreated into the crowd with an expressionless face.
There are many people who share the same idea as him.
But more people were like Cai Laogen at the beginning, crying and shouting with joy at the top of their lungs.
After all, they have been waiting for too long.
In this way, the troops in the distance kept approaching.
Sure enough, it was cavalry!
The mighty cavalry!
With the help of the firelight, the bright golden armor could be seen from afar.
It exists in humans and also in horses.
That kind of indescribable nobility and majesty was not obscured in the slightest by the night.
The first thought that came to the refugees' minds was...
This really is disaster relief from the imperial court.
Otherwise, who could maintain such a noble demeanor in Yongzhou today?
Three miles, two miles, one mile...
The refugees in the outer circle began to feel that something was wrong.
These cavalrymen don’t seem to have any intention of slowing down?
By the time this thought crossed their minds, it was too late.
It whizzed past over a hundred feet.
The golden-armored cavalry didn't stop at all, and rushed straight towards the crowd along the official road.
In an instant, screams were heard.
Broken arms, broken legs, torn body, splattered blood.
The torrent of cavalry carved out a bloody path and headed straight for the city gate.
From beginning to end, the people on horseback did not make any sound.
Not even a scolding.
To them, the refugees blocking the road seemed no different from the weeds on the roadside that were not even enough to provide food.
The cavalry finally stopped in front of the ruins of the city wall.
A rider rode out from the crowd, and he seemed to be the leader of the army.
"Jiang Zhihong, come here quickly to confess your crime!"
"Jiang Zhihong, come here quickly to confess your crime!"
“…”
The sound waves spread out in circles, and its power was not much less than when Jiang Zhihong taught martial arts.
"Stop shouting, I'm here."
A faint voice sounded, and Jiang Zhihong jumped to the top of the ruins.
"Jiang Zhihong, do you admit your guilt?"
The cavalry leader shouted sternly.
"Know your guilt?"
Jiang Zhihong laughed, "May I ask what crime I have committed?"
After these words were spoken, the leader's eyes turned cold.
"It seems that you are not going to cooperate."
The leader laughed and said, "Before I left Beijing, His Majesty gave me two orders. If you cooperate, you will be re-examined in Beijing. If you don't cooperate..."
"You are wrong."
Jiang Zhihong shook his head. "Your Majesty knows me well. Since the news of Yongzhou has reached the capital, Your Majesty will never give you two imperial edicts. If you don't believe me, you can open them and take a look."
The general's face froze.
He couldn't tell whether what Jiang Zhihong said was true or false, but he didn't dare to open the silk book of "cooperation" anymore.
"In that case..."
The general narrowed his eyes, took out the silk book from his arms, turned around and faced the vast number of refugees.
The refugees heard these words before they could recover from the grief and indignation over the cavalry's disregard for human life.
"You all know that Jiang Zhihong is not a county magistrate, nor is he the Left Censor-in-Chief. He is not even a member of the imperial court!"
The words infused with power spread layer by layer, resounding in everyone's hearts.
Not the county magistrate?
Not the Left Censor-in-Chief?
Not even from the imperial court?
What's the meaning?
People didn't react.
A trace of sadness appeared on Jiang Zhihong's face.
The general unfolded the silk book and read aloud.
"Imperial decree!"
"The criminal Jiang Zhihong was formerly the Left Censor-in-Chief and later the Magistrate of Fenggu County."
"But these are all appearances!"
"The Blood-Cloaked Guards have found out that Jiang Zhihong's father is actually a traitor of the Taiping Dao!"
"His father was originally a businessman in Gunzhou, and he often enslaved the people."
"And now Jiang Zhihong himself, during the locust plague in Yongzhou, took advantage of the chaos to abduct refugees and manipulate millions of people with the evil methods of the Taiping Dao, disregarding human lives and justice!"
"The relationship between the monarch and his subjects for decades turned out to be a far-reaching conspiracy. I am deeply saddened."
"Yes! People are emotional but national laws are ruthless!"
"The three judicial departments of the Metropolitan Censorate, the Supreme Court, and the Ministry of Justice have jointly ruled that Jiang Zhihong's actions are the unforgivable crime of treason!"
"Order Dingtian Guards Commander-in-Chief Xue Rong to immediately dispatch troops to Yongzhou to suppress the rebellion!"
"Also, considering that the refugees have been deceived by the traitors, they will not be killed if they surrender."
"Thief leader Jiang Zhihong, please..."
The general paused, turned around and looked at Jiang Zhihong, and said slowly: "Execute him on the spot!"
Execute the law on the spot?
Jiang Zhihong stumbled.
It turns out that this natural disaster was really caused by His Majesty.
Your Majesty, you think I've ruined his good fortune...
Hehehe.
Jiang Zhihong laughed bitterly.
"I can take you away."
A subtle voice sounded in my ears.
Jiang Zhihong recognized it; it was Xu Chong's voice.
Walk?
Where are you going?
Really join the Taiping Dao?
Jiang Zhihong shook his head.
At this time.
An old woman squeezed out from the crowd of refugees near the city gate.
"Bullshit your ancestors!!!"
A simple curse word without any technical content was hurled at the golden-armored general's face.
Xue Rong suddenly froze , somewhat incredulous, and turned his head little by little, "Are you talking to me?"
"Did anyone else fart besides you?"
The old woman's face was covered in stains, but her sarcasm was clearly expressed. "You said Lord Jiang was a traitor and wanted to lead us in a rebellion. Isn't that bullshit?"
"Master Jiang gave us food, gave us drink, and treated our illnesses."
"He also taught us martial arts."
"Evil method? What evil method?"
"My wife only knows that practicing martial arts can keep us alive, keep all of us alive!"
"Tell me, if you're not farting, what are you doing?"
After saying that, the old woman spat a mouthful of thick phlegm at the golden-armored general.
It's just that the distance is far and the force is not enough.
The thick phlegm only fell on the horse's hooves, without staining the noble golden armor at all.
The knife flashed.
The old woman's body froze.
First the head fell off.
Immediately afterwards, his body fell to the ground.
It was not until he fell to the ground that blood began to gush out from his neck.
Pointing his sword to the sky, Xue Rong roared: "Form a battle array!!!"