King Beihai, who has always been known for his gentle and good temper, did not get angry at this time, and his tone was quite kind.
One of the grain merchants boldly replied: "My lord, there really is no grain left in the common people's homes."
Another grain merchant also echoed: "Those words have been said over and over again by the grassroots people. The grassroots family does have a few stones of food. The grassland family has more than 20 people, old and young, which can feed them for up to half a year. I ask the prince to leave some food for the grassroots. A way to survive.”
King Beihai chuckled, waved his legs, and saw four soldiers with expressionless faces and cold eyes coming over. They dragged out two grain merchants who didn't know they were about to die.
The two grain merchants were yelling, saying, "Everything the ordinary people say is true," and so on.
Then, the soldiers tied up his legs, pinned him to the ground, and beheaded him with a knife.
Blood splashed out like spring water, and the head rolled to the side.
His expression always remained at a moment of disbelief.
The three people who stayed in the house were all trembling, their whole bodies were shaking like chaff, and their faces were red. No one expected that King Beihai would kill two grain merchants without saying a word.
An unpleasant fishy smell suddenly drifted over.
King Beihai glanced at the grain merchant who was so frightened that his clothes were wet. He asked kindly: "I'm coming here. I, the king, asked me, do I have enough grain at home?"
The grain merchant was so frightened that his legs trembled and he moved his mouth a few times, but made no sound at all.
King Beihai laughed again and waved his legs again. Immediately, another soldier came over.
The grain merchant got the strength from nowhere, rushed over and knelt down, shouting in a stern voice: "My lord, please show mercy! The common people have grain in their homes! The common people don't ask for a penny, they are willing to donate all the grain they have!" I beg you, Your Majesty, to spare the lives of the common people!"
While crying and kowtowing hard, my forehead became red and dripping with blood.
The King of Beihai asked gently: "Have I thought about it? Are you really willing to donate the stored grain? Are you forced by me?"
The grain merchant nodded frantically: "Unless the common people wish, the prince will never force the common people. I beg the prince to send someone immediately, and the common people will lead them to the granary."
The King of Beihai then nodded: "For the sake of my sincerity, I reluctantly agreed."
He turned around and called a steward in. The forty-year-old steward bowed his legs and accepted the order, then helped the grain merchant, whose legs were as soft as noodles, out of the house.
Now, there are only two grain merchants left in the house.
Before King Beihai could say anything, the grain merchant rushed over and knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly: "The common man deserves to die. He told lies before. In fact, the common man has three grain depots full of grain. I beg the prince to give the common man a chance to change for the better." The grassroots people are also willing to donate all their food."
The King of Beihai sighed: "There are more than ten thousand bandits attacking the city outside. Once the gates of Beihai County are breached by the bandits, I don't know how many people will suffer. In the east, there will be no eggs left. The king asked us to sell grain at a fair price, and we prefer it." You were playing tricks on me now. Now you are finally sensible."
With a wave of his legs, a steward came over and helped the grain merchant out.
In the end, Huo Hengwen was the only one left.
At this time, Huo Hengwen was quite frightened. However, he believed that he was an in-law with Commander Xie, and he could be regarded as an in-law with the King of Beihai in a roundabout way. The King of Beihai was just like checking that Commander Xie was somewhat weak.
Therefore, Huo Hengwen refused to let go: "Please tell me, Your Majesty, the common people really have no food in their homes."
The King of Beihai said calmly: "Huo Hengwen, if it weren't for Governor Xie, the first person I, Mingyue, would have killed would have been me."
"Not only did I secretly stockpile grain, but I also united with all the grain merchants to refuse to sell grain, hoping to take advantage of the war to make a fortune. The two people who died in Mingyue were all implicated by me. When I got together with them on Huangquan Road, don't
Forgot to apologize to them."
Two soldiers came over, one on the left and one on the right, twisting Huo Hengwen's arms and dragging them out.
Huo Hengwen was so horrified that he forgot his anger and turned his head and shouted with great effort: "Your Majesty kills innocent people indiscriminately, are you afraid of the retribution of the Queen?"
The King of Beihai said unhurriedly: "If there is any retribution, I will take care of it. I want to take revenge, so I can come after I close my eyes."
Strong ropes tied Huo Hengwen's wrists tightly. The soldier who had previously killed two grain merchants came over expressionlessly holding a long knife with wet blood on his face.
Huo Hengwen was finally convinced that the King of Beihai was not threatening him or asking for truth. For a moment, he was so frightened that he screamed with all his strength: "My lord, spare my life! He has food in his house, all of it is dedicated to your lord! My lord, please spare your life!"
The sharp sword has been raised.
Huo Heng's tattoo was soaked all over, tears streaming down his face, and he shouted hysterically: "My lord, spare my life!"
The King of Beihai finally ordered: "That's all, let him live." Then he ordered those around him: "Go and ask Commander Xie to come over."
Half an hour later, Commander Xie hurriedly entered the Beihai Palace.
The two corpses with their heads dislocated have been pieced together and sent back to the grain merchant. The blood stains on the ground have also been washed away by the water. Except for the lingering smell of blood in the air, everything is fine as usual.
Xie County Shouqiu came forward to salute the King of Beihai, and the King of Beihai said kindly: "No need to be too polite, the grain merchants have already donated the grain. I am asking people to count them one by one. Huo Hengwen is not my in-law, so I will take him away."
Sheriff Xie didn't ask any further questions and just bowed his legs to the east.
When he saw Huo Hengwen, who was in a state of embarrassment and with a lifeless face, Commander Xie just wanted to say one word: That's right!
It’s time to wait, and I really want to collect grain and make a fortune. I really think that the King of Beihai is a soft persimmon and a good guy!
…
The death of two big grain merchants was like two small stones thrown into water, making a splash and then disappearing without a trace.
When the people of Beihai County heard about this, they clapped their legs and cheered.
What's so strange about the dead? Many corpses are carried on the city wall every day. They are all military heroes who defended the city and fought to the death with the bandits. The dead didn't even have a thin coffin, they were wrapped in straw mats and hurriedly buried. In troubled times
, human life is as cheap as grass.
King Beihai gave an order to the east, and every family sent out an adult male. In total, there were four thousand people. Once there were insufficient legs on the other side of the city gate, those males would beg to support them. It was a matter of life and death, who cared?
The life and death of a grain merchant.
In Zhaojiafang, the atmosphere was equally heavy.
Mrs. Zhang washed her face with tears and cried countless times.
Zhao Yuanxiu and Zhao Yuanming led more than a dozen of their nephews and descendants to the capital. I don't know if they met any bandits on the way back. In short, there was no news after the city gate was sealed.
The Zhao family was not a wealthy family. According to the rule of one male per household, Ye Yi gave birth to more than 120 males. Those sons of the Zhao family would be dragged to guard the city gate at any time.
The seventh great-uncle was very optimistic and often walked outside his house to bask in the sun: "Don't be afraid, everyone. When the prince is in the capital, he will find a way for the court to send troops to suppress the bandits. If the prince is a man who can do big things, he will definitely be able to defend Beihai County."
