Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 449 Fear of Harming Heaven and Earth (10,000 words)
The sky is gloomy.

It hasn't rained yet.

But the weather in Anju, which had been sunny for nearly a month, finally started to change. The sky was filled with layers of dark clouds, and it might not be long before a light drizzle began to fall.

For Anju, which suffers from perennial drought, rain is extremely precious.

In previous years, the people of Anzhou City would have been very happy if there had been a spring rain at this time. After all, with rain, the crops in the fields would grow better, and by autumn, they might have been able to harvest a few more pounds of millet, and have a couple more full meals the following year.

But now, in the vast city of Anzhou, no one cares about these things.

The Huns have arrived.

They were like a pack of wild beasts, killing anyone they saw, robbing any food they could find, and dragging any woman they encountered into the alleyways, or even stripping her naked right there on the street.

Once upon a time, the peaceful and tranquil Anzhou Prefecture had been transformed into a living hell.

Eh.

Inside the governor's mansion, Ma Zhifeng sighed.

He wasn't worried about the people of Anzhou Prefecture; after all, they were just a bunch of peasants. What did it matter to him if more of them died? He was just heartbroken about the wealth he had painstakingly embezzled over the years.

My fingers touched the screen. The frame of the screen was made of huanghuali wood. This one screen alone cost several hundred taels of silver.

My gaze fell on the bookshelf again. There wasn’t a single ordinary book on it; almost all of them were extremely rare ancient or unique editions, each one more valuable than the screen itself.

He then looked at the inkstone on the table and the two vases on the windowsill, all of which were antiques. Even the stack of white paper was made of the finest Xuan paper. You should know that Xuan paper had only been on the market for a short time at this time, and its production was extremely limited, making it very expensive, costing several taels of silver per stack.

Even setting aside the gold and silver treasures in the storeroom, the collection in the study alone would cost tens of thousands of taels of silver to acquire, and this is just a drop in the ocean compared to what he has embezzled over the years. If all the valuables in the mansion were taken, it would require at least twenty or thirty carriages. One can imagine how slow such a convoy would be; it wouldn't be long before those damned Huns caught up with them, and then all the wealth would be lost.

That's it, that's it.

After an unknown amount of time, Ma Zhifeng finally overcame his mental hurdle.

He summoned his steward and instructed him to have his trusted men find a secluded place to bury all the valuables in the governor's mansion underground. Although he was leaving this time, he was certain he would return to Anzhou, and then these treasures would naturally return to his treasury.

By the time everything was done, it was already evening.

Due to its geographical location, Anju's weather, though not yet fully warmed up, is already less cold than winter. Willows are budding, poplar catkins are flying, and peach and pear trees are covered with pink or pinkish-white flowers. When the wind blows, the petals flutter across the sky.

It does have a certain beauty.

If it were at another time, Ma Zhifeng might have been unable to resist composing a poem.

But right now, I really don't feel like it.

"Prepare three carriages, enough to carry the lady and the four young masters. Carry some light valuables with you. Feed the horses regularly to ensure we can set off at any time," Ma Zhifeng carefully instructed.

The butler's expression hardened; he knew his master was preparing to flee.

Besides his wife, the master had seventeen concubines.

Besides his four biological sons, he also had more than a dozen children.

Is this a plan to abandon everything?

Although the master spends his days staying in the concubines' rooms, when it really comes down to it, he will discard those concubines without hesitation, while he will always keep the madam by his side.

This is probably because the lady's surname is Chu, and her father is Chu Licheng, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat.

"Those young ladies..." the butler asked cautiously.

"It's too late. Too many carriages will make us too conspicuous and easy to be spotted." Ma Zhifeng waved his hand. "Besides, with more carriages, there will naturally be more troublesome things, which will inevitably affect our speed. Let's just stick to this for now."

The butler nodded: "Then when will we..."

"Let's wait a couple more days," Ma Zhifeng sighed. "It's not a good time to leave Anzhou City now."

Ma Zhifeng's face was somewhat gloomy, clearly indicating that he was struggling internally. To be fair, leaving Anzhou City now was the safest option, since the Xiongnu had not yet attacked, and he had enough time to escape.

But here's the problem.

"How long until the Xiongnu invade?" Ma Zhifeng asked in a deep voice.

"They should arrive in three to five days," the steward said after a moment's thought. "According to intelligence reports from the front, Ronggu County has been besieged. They will likely breach the city tonight, and the Xiongnu army will probably reach Anzhou by tomorrow, or at the latest the day after."

"Although Anzhou City cannot compare to Yongchang City, its city walls are still quite sturdy."

"This time, the Xiongnu army also split into three routes. The force attacking Anzhou City should be the Xiongnu prince Abalu's troops, numbering about 30,000. The local garrison will definitely not be able to stop them, but they should be able to hold out for two days without any problem."

This steward is quite capable; at least his analysis of the current situation in Anzhou City is quite insightful and accurate.

"Indeed, it will only take three to five days." Ma Zhifeng chuckled. "If we leave now, and there are urgent matters in the city that need to be dealt with, but we can't find the governor, what will we do then?"

"The entire city of Anzhou is about to descend into chaos. Everyone knows that I, the prefect, deserted in the face of battle. Once this gets out, the charge will be severe. My father-in-law's situation in the court isn't much better right now; he's locked in a fierce battle with the Fang and Yang families. I doubt he can say much on my behalf. How can I possibly regain my position and climb the ranks with a charge of desertion on my shoulders?"

Ma Zhifeng is ambitious.

He was not content with being just a minor governor; he wanted to be a minister, a court attendant, and a chief secretary. He wanted to climb to the top step by step.

If you want to climb up, you can't have any stains on your body.

"Therefore, I cannot leave Anju at this time."

"On the contrary, I want to stay here. I want to appear in front of the soldiers and people often. I also want to tirelessly show the people my determination to live and die with Anzhou." A sinister smile appeared on Ma Zhifeng's face: "I want to mobilize the morale of all the soldiers and people in Anzhou. I want them to stay in Anzhou and fight against the Xiongnu."

"When the Xiongnu appear at the city gates, I will hold my sword to express my determination to die for them."

"Then, using the excuse that I was just a scholar and knew nothing about military strategy, I naturally handed over all military command to General Wang. He could make all the decisions regarding the deployment of the battle against the Xiongnu at will, without having to inform me, while I was responsible for logistics..."

"Then find an opportunity to slip out of Anzhou City."

A cold, smug look appeared on Ma Zhifeng's face.

Thus, he gained a reputation for bravely resisting the Xiongnu. Although he ultimately failed, it was because the Xiongnu were too strong, not because he, the governor, surrendered without a fight.

Given the nature of the Xiongnu, they would certainly massacre the entire city.

Even after the war began, when some people discovered that he, the governor, had fled, the news only spread within a small circle, such as among the officials, clerks, and soldiers of Anzhou. These people were the main targets of the Xiongnu's hunt, so the Xiongnu's execution was a perfect opportunity to silence all those who knew the truth.

Those who had a chance of survival were mostly ragged beggars, refugees, and commoners. The Xiongnu knew these people weren't worth much and wouldn't invest much effort in them; they could simply cover themselves with a few corpses and that would be enough to fool them. Meanwhile, these people would spread the word about their heroic deeds and fame in swearing an oath to resist the Xiongnu atop the city walls.

Then, he could inflict some injuries on himself, claiming that during the Xiongnu massacre, he led his guards in resistance, but was outnumbered and wounded by the Xiongnu, losing consciousness, and was eventually carried away by his guards at the cost of their lives. This way, not only could he clear his name of any crimes, but he might even gain some credit, which would be a qualification for future promotions.

The steward was quick-witted. At first, he didn't quite understand, but after a moment's thought, he immediately realized what was going on, and a look of horror appeared on his face... The governor was preparing to use the lives of the people of the city to build his reputation.

Even though the butler knew his master was no good person, he still felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing these words.

This method is probably against the natural order.

However, this was the master's order, and it was not something a steward like him had the right to question.

"I understand."

Ma Zhifeng nodded with satisfaction: "Also, regarding the specifics of logistics, you should draft a plan. Leave a few loyal guards in the governor's mansion and send the rest to the city wall. Then, use this to request the prefect, vice-prefect, and military commander to send all their servants to the city wall. This will at least buy us some more time."

“You should also arrange specific tasks for all the officials, keep them busy, give them the power to make their own decisions, and stop coming to me.”

"Yes, sir," the butler replied. "Then, sir, which direction are we heading?"

Pingyang.

Ma Zhifeng then felt much more relieved of the pressure in his chest. He turned his gaze to the window, a hint of madness in his eyes.

He was well aware of the dangers of this plan; one wrong move and he could lose his life. But if it succeeded, it would be incredibly profitable.

You always have to take a gamble.

……

Rumble, rumble!

There was no lightning. But the muffled thunder was all the more unsettling.

The rain was pouring down.

Horse hooves pounded through the puddles, splashing water everywhere.

Ronggu County fell.

The densely packed Huns, like wolves, stormed into the county town. They ignored the raindrops falling from above, their faces filled with excited, twisted laughter, interspersed with the terrified screams and desperate cries of the Ronggu County people.

The city fell too quickly.

The people of Ronggu County didn't even have time to evacuate before the wolves appeared.

The scimitar was raised in the rain, raindrops falling onto the blade and splitting it in two.

Immediately, the blade slashed down heavily forward, and a man in front of him fell to the ground. The bright red blood from the back of his head and back quickly dissolved in the rain.

The Hun didn't even have time to search the man for money. Seeing that the man was dressed in coarse linen clothes, even if he had money, it probably wasn't much. He didn't have time to waste on such a poor man. He just killed him when he saw him.

That’s all.

Clang.

An ordinary house, the door was kicked open.

Seven or eight Xiongnu men rushed in. Inside the room, everything was as usual, neat and tidy, as if the people inside had already fled. Apart from that, nothing seemed amiss. However, the Xiongnu men exchanged glances, and they could all see the excitement and mockery in each other's eyes.

They moved slowly through the house.

From the front hall to the backyard.

I noticed, without even looking, a stack of firewood piled up in the corner.

After pursing their lips, the three Xiongnu men slowly walked towards the woodpile. They made a gesture, and one of them drew a long spear from his back and, without any warning, thrust it into the woodpile.

puff.

A familiar touch.

Immediately afterwards, the smell of blood filled the air.

A scream came from the woodpile. The firewood was cleared away, revealing a woman in her fifties or sixties, holding a toddler of two or three years old in her arms. A spear was embedded in the woman's chest, and blood splattered all over the toddler. The toddler, clearly never having experienced anything like this before, was stunned and screamed in terror.

Perhaps finding the sound a bit harsh, the Xiongnu man who had attacked earlier trembled, and the spear pierced directly into the small body.

The terrified scream turned into a painful wail. His small body was lifted into the air, and drops of blood mixed with raindrops fell from the sky. He was not dead yet. His short limbs moved instinctively, and his little face was contorted with pain. His wide eyes revealed disbelief and confusion.

Perhaps, as a child, he cannot yet understand why these people would be so cruel, when they are all human beings?

He probably doesn't understand that in this world, some people can't be considered human at all; they're probably just animals that look a lot like humans.

When the woman saw her grandson being treated like this, she cried out in anguish and rushed over, but before she could reach him, her head was chopped off with a knife.

On the other side, lewd laughter rang out, and two Huns dragged a woman in her twenties or thirties out of the cellar. Her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were torn to shreds. Beside the woman was a man whose limbs had been broken.

The rain poured down, and although the woman was somewhat disheveled, she still possessed a certain beauty, at least much better than the women in the northern deserts who were constantly exposed to the wind and sand... Several Huns felt a surge of violence and impulse in their lower abdomens and chests, and the next second they saw several figures rushing towards the woman.

The woman's screams.

The man's wailing.

In Ronggu County, there is a mansion. Judging from the extravagance of the courtyard, it belonged to at least a landlord.

Hundreds of Huns swarmed in, and with swift strokes of their swords, corpses littered the ground, blood gushing out. Even when a torrential downpour began, the rainwater in the courtyard turned crimson.

The portly landlord knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, expressing his willingness to hand over all his money, but to no avail; he was cut in two with a single stroke. Then, all the ladies, concubines, young ladies, and maids in the entire mansion were dragged out, their clothes torn to shreds, their terrified screams mingling together like the lamentations of vengeful ghosts.

There is killing everywhere.

There's a rush to buy it everywhere.

Lust is everywhere.

This is hell on earth.

Painful screams, desperate cries, and excited roars... echoed throughout the night.

The rain was still pouring down when it got light the next day.

The Xiongnu army finally left Ronggu County. Like a pack of mad beasts, they began to rush towards Anzhou City, knowing that a new round of excitement awaited them there.

The Ronggu County behind them had fallen into complete silence.

In the landlord's mansion, dozens of women lay naked in the cold sewage, their once fair skin now covered with purplish-blue marks, and they were all lifeless.

The heavy rain caused flooding in the county town.

The water is red.

The water was covered with corpses.

……

Dehua County.

This area has not yet been affected by rain.

Song Yan stood quietly on the city wall, gazing northwards with a somber expression.

Chen Jiliang kept bringing news from Anzhou Prefecture, but the news wasn't very good.

In recent days, refugees have begun to appear in Dehua County. Prince Abalu's army has been advancing unimpeded, encountering almost no significant resistance except at Yongchang City.

According to intelligence, Abal still has more than 30,000 soldiers under his command, which is not an easy force to deal with.

If it comes to a head-on fight, Song Yan is confident he can win, but his brothers will inevitably suffer significant losses, which is not what Song Yan wants to see.

I looked back at Dehua County again.

This is just a small county town, not very big.

The houses are so densely packed that they are almost side by side.

Quarrying stone here is quite difficult, so most of the buildings are made of wood or adobe, including the city walls, which are all made of rammed clay and are not very high.

Suddenly, Song Yan's spirits lifted, as if he had thought of something.

He waved and summoned the magistrate of Dehua County.

"My lord, is there anything you require?"

Song Yan slowly exhaled: "Arrange for all the people in the city to evacuate."

The magistrate's pupils contracted: "My lord, what's wrong with you...?"

"Do as I say. Temporarily evacuate to nearby counties, or even Pingyang City." Song Yan gave the order directly, not giving the county magistrate a chance to object: "Two days later, I do not want to see a single civilian in Dehua, not even a beggar. Apart from money and food, do not take anything else. Leave behind bedding, clothes, and the like."

Although the magistrate had doubts, he nodded in agreement, turned and left to prepare for the evacuation.

Song Yan then waved to Zhang Zhen: "Arrange for the garrison soldiers to search the surrounding area for tree branches, trunks, thatch, and the like. I want to fill the entire Dehua County with these things."

Zhang Zhen accepted the order and left.

"Lei Yi, go and collect oils, pine oil, lard, and lard, the more the better."

Song Yan let out a heavy sigh. This method…

This is against the natural order!
However... as long as you don't hurt me.

(End of this chapter)