kingnovel Chapter 1192 The crowd gathered and asked Xun Zheng
Chapter 1192 The crowd gathered and asked Xun Zheng
Crown Prince Xiao Jingye, Leng Rongyue, and Xiao Jingyu stood outside the courtyard gate, looking down over the entire valley.
At this moment, in the valley, soldiers holding knives, carrying knives, or dragging knives were shouting and driving the laborers, some with panicked faces and others with blank expressions, to gather in the open space below.
Du Feng then walked up to Crown Prince Xiao Jingye and the others, said nothing, simply bowed, and stood behind them.
On the open ground, the laborers who had been driven there stood huddled together, while the soldiers habitually formed a large circle, encircling the laborers whose clothes were dirty and tattered.
It's now late autumn and early winter, and being deep in the mountains makes it even colder.
However, many of the laborers here were only wearing tattered clothes, and they could only huddle together and endure the cold.
It's likely that the weather was still warm when they were brought here.
Unfortunately trapped in a den of iniquity, they suffered from hunger and cold every day, were beaten and verbally abused, and were forced to do strenuous labor...
They can't see their families, and their families don't know if they're alive or dead...
One can only imagine how difficult and arduous their daily lives must have been!
Fortunately, Leng Rongyue and the others knew that the suffering of the group of unfortunate people in front of them was coming to an end today, which barely suppressed the anger that was about to erupt in their hearts.
"Is everyone here?"
Crown Prince Xiao Jingye asked in a deep voice.
Upon hearing the prince's question, Feng Jiu quickly turned to look at the tall, thin man and the short, stout man who had just run over, his eyes questioning the two.
The two men rushed forward, panting as they bowed and said, "Your Highness, everyone has arrived!"
Leng Rongyue and Xiao Jingyu tacitly counted the number of soldiers and laborers, and then quietly informed each other.
Just then, upon hearing the two men, one fat and one thin, say that everyone had arrived, Xiao Jingyu immediately spoke up: "That's not right!"
Your Highness, the number of people is incorrect!
Hou Gui reported the following figures: 74 soldiers and 156 laborers.
"I've counted them; two laborers are missing, and one guard is missing!"
What happened?
If one hides gold, does that mean one also hides people?
Crown Prince Xiao Jingye looked at Feng Jiu and the other two with displeasure and asked.
"Your Highness is unaware of this!"
Just yesterday, a small riot broke out here—three people died on the spot—one guard and two laborers!
"Ok?"
Xiao Jingye simply hummed in response, then looked at Feng Jiu.
Feng Jiu knew that the prince wanted to know the details of what happened back then.
I dared not hide anything, so I quickly recounted what had happened yesterday.
"Your Highness, the matter is as follows..."
The mine is short of labor, so our people have to go outside and look for opportunities to recruit people.
A few days ago, our people intercepted a donkey cart outside Qilin Pass and captured a couple in their thirties to work as laborers.
Just yesterday evening, Ma Liuzi, a soldier in the garrison, saw the woman come out of the restroom. She was alone, and he thought... he thought...
But the woman was fiercely independent and resisted to the death, her cries attracting her husband.
Her husband rushed over and beat the scoundrel fiercely.
Enraged, Ma Liuzi pulled out his knife and stabbed the woman's husband to death!
Upon seeing her husband dead, the woman pounced on him like a madwoman, tearing at Ma Liuzi with all her might.
The woman had also been stabbed by Ma Liuzi, but she didn't seem to care.
Unfortunately, Ma Liuzi tripped over a pothole and fell to the ground.
The woman lunged forward and bit Ma Liuzi's throat.
Ma Liuzi's blood splattered all over the woman's face, but the woman seemed oblivious!
Several guards nearby saw this and stepped forward to try to pull the woman away.
But the woman held on tightly and wouldn't let go, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't pull her off, until Ma Liuzi died!
The guards tried to grab the woman and tie her up, but she fought desperately, and the three grown men couldn't control her for a while!
Her face and mouth were covered in blood, and she could only shout one sentence at her husband's corpse: "My husband, wait for me!"
The woman... she just crashed headfirst into the mountainside and... she died on the spot!
At first, Feng Jiu was simply narrating an ordinary event.
But the further he went, the more he felt a chilling aura creeping towards him...
As Feng Jiu continued speaking, he secretly glanced around, searching for the source of the cold air...
Feng Jiu actually found it; the chilling aura came from the female guard standing behind the prince!
The female guard was staring at him with eyes blazing with anger.
Feng Jiu was startled by that look in his eyes.
Feng Jiu thought, yes, he was talking about a woman who died tragically.
It's not surprising that women are most sensitive to and sympathetic to women's issues.
But... that female guard's eyes are just too... too scary!
As Feng Jiuyue continued speaking, he became increasingly frightened by that gaze, and his speech became increasingly stammering!
"Were there three guards watching the commotion?"
Crown Prince Xiao Jingye asked, his voice completely flat.
Yes! Yes, yes!
There are three!
Feng Jiu replied.
"Those three soldiers who were watching the commotion... are they on your list?"
Or is it not on the list?
Xiao Jingye asked again.
"Yes...it's on the list!"
Xiao Jingye did not ask any more questions, and neither did Leng Rongyue and Xiao Jingyu behind him.
It was eerily quiet!
The valley was bitterly cold, yet Feng Jiu was drenched in sweat—cold sweat!
Sweat was streaming down his forehead and cheeks, but he didn't dare to raise his hand to wipe it away.
After a long while, Xiao Jingye finally spoke again: "That's enough!"
Since he's on the list... then forget it!
This is a one-time exception!
Remember, what I want are people loyal to me, not people who cause trouble and incite public resentment!
Yes, yes!
"Please rest assured, Your Highness, I have remembered this!"
Feng Jiu finally felt relieved.
Just as I was relieved, I heard "Your Highness Prince Yi" ask again, "Which one is that tough guy Xun Zheng?"
Who are the other tough guys like Xun Zheng?