My lord, spare his life!

The boy's voice was strong and clear.

Clear and bright, like a ray of light piercing through the dull darkness.

The official in blue robes moved his lips a few times, instinctively wanting to argue and refute, but under the gaze of the young man's captivating eyes, he felt a guilty and timid feeling that even he doubted. It was as if daring to speak out would make him a vermin crawling out of a gutter, burning painfully in the sunlight.

As his throat bobbed, his defense was swallowed back down.

He was too weak to close his eyes and bowed his hands in acknowledgment of his incompetence.

The official in blue thought that since Zhang Yang was a traitor, his thoughts should be on how to seize the throne, such as by coercing or enticing him to hand over power. But what did she ask? Her first concern was for the refugees suffering from the snowstorm outside the city, which made him feel ashamed.

At the same time, he also felt some doubt and wariness.

I wonder what this rebel is up to.

Zhang Yang hadn't expected him to admit his mistake so readily. After the initial shock came even greater displeasure, his brows furrowing deeply: "Wrong, wrong, wrong! You're quick to admit your mistake, but why don't you try to mend things after the fact? What good are your words? Do they prevent people from freezing to death?"

Her question was rather impolite.

Du Fang, who knew the magistrate's character well, couldn't stand it anymore.

He stepped forward to defend the magistrate: "Your Excellency speaks lightly. First, even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice. If Your Excellency doesn't believe me, look at the county granary and see if it's full of grain or cobwebs! Second, this natural disaster came suddenly, and the county government is short-handed. How could we possibly have time? Not to mention that the royal court has already emptied the county granary, even if there wasn't any left, opening the granary rashly would be a capital offense!"

Opening the warehouse requires the approval of the prefectural government.

The magistrate gently patted Du Fang's arm, signaling him not to get angry.

On the other side, Puyang Kui and Guan Zong exchanged glances.

To no avail, they all looked at Fan You again.

They suspected that Fan You had secretly given Zhang Yang the answer.

Was what she just said a display of her cultural level? It was even more astonishing than a monkey in a tree not only speaking human language but also being well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics. They were more inclined to have the official in blue robes snatch a gold brick from her the moment he showed his face and tie her up as a hostage.

"Could it be that he's faking madness to fool me?"

Puyang Kui: "..."

She wasn't sure either.

Fan You, on the other hand, was not much of a surprise.

The magistrate said, "To be honest, Your Excellency, I have already tried to invite wealthy families in the county to lend me grain, but it will take some time to make it happen."

He didn't just close the city gates and do nothing.

However, borrowing grain wasn't something he could just ask for.

Both sides need to sit down and discuss.

Clearly state the amount borrowed, the interest rate, and the repayment date.

In matters of borrowing, the party with more capital and the ability to repay is more likely to succeed. Conversely, those with empty pockets will face numerous obstacles and difficulties from the lender, even if they beg and plead. This year's natural disasters caused by the chaos have ruined the harvest, and the county government is unlikely to collect sufficient taxes next year. This means their ability to repay on time has significantly decreased. Meanwhile, the market shortage will drive up grain prices, allowing them to profit handsomely by releasing grain into the market with minimal risk.

On one side is the county government, which is unable to repay its debts.

On one hand, there's a market with high profits and minimal risk.

It's easy to imagine how those big players would choose.

The official in blue robes was so anxious about this matter that his lips turned white and chapped, but he could only suppress his inner turmoil to avoid giving others a handle to exploit him. Thanks to his tireless efforts over the past few days, things finally started to look promising, which was good news.

The exact amount to be lent is still undetermined; we'll see what we can get.

"Will it take some time to make this happen?"

"A few days or a few months?"

"And how long do you think they can hold out?"

She pointed to the frozen zombies that were everywhere.

The boy's question was sharp and piercing: "Your children froze to death here, and as a father, how can you say something like 'it takes some time to bring them to fruition'? By the time you bring them to fruition, the children will be dead. Even a pig knows to turn when it hits a tree, but a dead child knows to nurse?"

"This is not normal!"

"This is not how a parent should react."

Parents are not supposed to be "rational"; they should be anxious and frantic, they should lose their minds, and they should be willing to risk everything for their children to gain even the slightest chance of survival. They are not gentle either; they should bare their fangs and claws.

The official in blue robes was speechless.

I tried to refute it but didn't know how to start.

"Please forgive me, my lord. Although she is young, she has a strong desire to help the world. Her actions and words may be a bit impulsive and rash. Please forgive her if she has been rude. However, her heart is good, as the sun and moon can attest." Fan You stepped forward when he saw that the time was right. "There are some things that you cannot do because you are being held back, but if someone else does them, they may have a different effect."

The official in blue swallowed his bitterness.

"What are you referring to?"

Instead of answering, he asked, "I have a few questions—how long will it take you to borrow the money? Three days, five days, or ten days? How much can you borrow? Thirty thousand, five thousand, or a little over a hundred? I'm afraid you don't even know the answer! If I were a grain merchant, I could make several times the profit by holding onto the grain until next year, but if I lent it to the county government, I would only get three to five percent interest at most."

Fan You originally thought that the county government was full of incompetent officials, so he would just stand by and watch Zhang Yang suddenly kill people and seize power by force. But since the official in blue robes, as the county magistrate, dared to come to the appointment, it was clear that his character was not too bad, so there was room for negotiation.

The official in blue robes: "You mean...?"

He exchanged a subtle glance with Du Fang, and a sudden realization dawned on him as he understood the group's purpose. His astonishment deepened, and the magistrate's doubts grew even stronger. He looked around blankly, seeing only a vast, motionless mass of refugees, their fates unknown.

He shivered as the icy wind cut his face, seeping into his bones through invisible cracks.

Zhang Yang threw the letter of appointment into his arms.

He said firmly, "I'll handle this."

"But this humble official..."

The official in blue opened the appointment letter and glanced down at it.

The hasty handwriting, irregular format, and the signature indicating treason all point to the fact that this official document is an utter forgery. As an official, he should have ordered his men to arrest the traitor, or at least condemned him to demonstrate his loyalty and innocence.

only--

He dare not.

Whether Wang Ting would pursue him was unknown, but the executioner's blade of a traitor would certainly come faster than Wang Ting's dismissal. The magistrate was filled with mixed emotions, his fingers constantly stroking the simple, rough letter.

"What does Your Excellency intend to do?"

He made his decision when he looked at Du Fang.

"Let's hold a banquet and invite all the wealthy households with grain to eat. We can then finalize the project over the meal, following local custom."

The brief meeting is over, it's time for lunch.

The magistrate carefully considered his options: "What if they don't come?"

"If you don't want to come, then don't come. Do you expect me to beg you to come?"

If she comes, she might not die; if she doesn't come, she definitely won't let her go!

Zhang Yang didn't understand why he asked this: "I'll use your name to host a banquet and invite them over. I'll talk to them. If we reach an agreement, great. If we fail, I'll take full responsibility, and it won't be your fault."

The observers said that if you ask someone for help, you shouldn't let them take risks. Zhang Yang earnestly put this principle into practice.

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Excellency." The magistrate breathed a sigh of relief. Because of the Three Mutuals Law, he was not a local and his roots were not here, so he was not worried that the people who would suffer would be related to him.

"The place outside the city is too simple to host a banquet. Could we borrow the magistrate's court for our use?" Fan You and his group could not reveal their presence yet, lest they alert the enemy. Using the magistrate's name would be different; those wealthy families knew the magistrate's temperament and would be less wary.

The magistrate cupped his hands in greeting: "It's nothing."

Before entering the city, Zhang Yang distributed all the food he had on him.

"Distribute it first, so we can have something to eat."

Du Fang and the county magistrate felt that she had done something unnecessary.

With such a small group, how much food could Zhang Yang possibly bring?

until--

She took out several large packets of rice wrapped in oil paper from her game backpack.

Each bag weighs a full three pounds! The plump, white rice grains are steaming hot, and inside the rice balls is a red and yellow core—a large piece of egg and some unknown red vegetables rolled together, the juice thick and juicy, making your mouth water.

This portion should be enough for one person.

Let's just get through today.

Zhang Yang complained as he rummaged through his fingers.

"What a rip-off! There's not even a guide for the Homestead feature available."

"I should have placed more sets."

"I don't know if these two sets are enough."

"There's nowhere to restock now..."

To maintain realism, the game world includes a need for food, but not for sustenance; rather, it's to restore stamina. Low stamina will cause fainting, affecting various attributes and potentially leading to being picked up and sold on the black market.

Naturally, Zhang Yang's gaming backpack also contained food.

Because there wasn't even a proper lunchbox, just a piece of oil paper, the price was cheap, only fifteen Alliance Coins per serving. Zhang Yang took advantage of the low price and stocked up on more than two sets, all of which were her favorite tomato and egg rice bowls, and now she took them all out.

The homestead side quests shouldn't take too long to complete.

She'll hold off for now, finish the task, and then go out for a nice meal!

The magistrate stared wide-eyed at the rice wrapped in oil paper.

"This, this is..."

Fan You was also alarmed, but his expression remained composed.

"These should be enough to buy us a day or two."

He knew Zhang Yang had brought food and that she had hidden some strange and unusual things, but he didn't know the exact number. He never imagined that over 19,000 blankets weren't even her limit. No, surely she couldn't have thousands or tens of thousands of each kind?

Guan Zong was the least polite; he opened the package, grabbed a handful, and started eating.

"Sigh—Hot—Does every pack taste the same?"

"right."

"Don't you get tired of eating it?"

Zhang Yang used Puyang Kui's words to shut Guan Zong up.

"Why not eat meat porridge?"

Is she only eating one type of boxed lunch because she likes it?

Gudong!

The magistrate swallowed hard, trying to calm himself. He grew increasingly suspicious of Zhang Yang's background—he simply couldn't believe that such a brutal rebel group, capable of massacring entire cities, would send someone like this. He'd only ever heard of people making a fortune through war and massacring cities, never of anyone actually taking it out.

"Does Your Excellency have enough manpower?" The magistrate's voice was much gentler than before. Seeing Zhang Yang's gaze fall upon him, he quickly explained to avoid Zhang Yang misunderstanding, "It's not that I have any intention of coveting it, but I'm just worried that Your Excellency is short-handed and may be bogged down by trivial matters."

He glanced at the pile of rice wrappers and the pairs of hungry, green eyes.

Maintaining order also requires manpower. If they hadn't all been carrying swords and knives, the refugees would have already taken advantage of their numbers to plunder.

Fan You said, "Don't worry, we trust you, sir."

The magistrate's furrowed brow finally relaxed.

Puyang Kui left two trusted confidants behind, and Du Fang hesitated for a moment before also dispatching a troop to protect the food. Thanks to the earlier warnings and the intimidating presence of the soldiers, the refugees didn't riot. However, a small incident occurred before they entered the city.

A thin child received his lunchbox, but before he had run far, he was kicked in the waist and abdomen. After a short scream, he curled up on the ground, unable to move. His lunchbox flew out of his arms, rolled a few times on the snow, and he watched helplessly as his lunchbox was snatched away.

The man even spat.

Thick, cloudy saliva was splattered on the child's face.

"You don't deserve it!"

After saying that, he stuffed the rice packet into his clothes.

I was about to slip to the back of the line and get another one when the elderly and infirm were being pushed out. The other refugees were already shivering from the cold and didn't dare risk standing up for others. They all chose to remain silent, minding their own business.

"You're the one who doesn't deserve it."

Accompanying the cold voice was a rolling head, warm blood splattering everywhere. The crowd stared in horror as the boy who had generously given them food and saved refugees from crossing the river with a single arrow committed murder in public. A hint of disgust flickered across their expressionless faces.

"I don't need such a rebellious son."

It's not uncommon for children to be beaten to death if the beating is too severe.

Zhang Yang bent down and grabbed the child's arm. Just as he was about to lift the child up, he saw that the latter's face was pale, his lips were blue, a foul stench was gradually emanating from his body, his hands and feet were trembling uncontrollably, he was clearly breathing more out than in, but his eyes were wide open.

That look—

It was filled with emotions that Zhang Yang was unfamiliar with.

This subtle yet deeply moving emotion was something she had never encountered with NPCs before—no matter how exquisitely detailed the NPC models were, she could always recognize the NPCs and players at a glance. It wasn't the names above their heads, but their eyes.

NPCs don't have those lively and vivid eyes.

Their eyes couldn't express such intense emotions either.

The game developer's skillful modeling is incorporated into the home map.

She wiped the filth off the child's face.

"It's okay, it won't hurt in a bit."

It will refresh in a bit.

All suffering will cease to exist.

The refugee NPCs, who are just ordinary people, will not be killed by plot devices.

The child's face was contorted in pain, his bluish-purple lips twitching. Upon hearing Zhang Yang's voice, he couldn't help but move closer to her.

She opened her mouth with difficulty, tears streaming down her face.

"pain--"

Zhang Yangping said calmly, "Refreshing will make it stop hurting."

"My lord, I have some medical knowledge. Perhaps I could examine this child?" The magistrate didn't know what Zhang Yang meant by "refreshing," but he knew that the child had been seriously injured and wouldn't live long.

Zhang Yang released the child's arm.

"Um."

The magistrate ordered Du Fang to take Zhang Yang and his entourage to the county court first. Before news of their arrival reached everyone outside the city, he planned to lure them to the banquet. What happened afterward was no longer the magistrate's responsibility.

He watched as the child's pupils gradually dilated, channeling his stellar energy to maintain her heartbeat, and casually said, "If you want to live, pray that the Star Lord will forgive your infidelity."

The child opened his mouth, and blood spilled from his mouth, staining most of his face. As life faded, his pupils became completely unfocused and lifeless.

The magistrate ordered, "Leave her aside and let fate decide."

The subordinate official bowed in agreement, glanced at the stiff, huddled, thin figure, and said, "How could such a stroke of luck, a near-death experience, fall upon a beggar? It would be a waste of your sage's generosity."

The magistrate smiled bitterly: "Life and death have always been fair."

The subordinate official said no more.

"My lord, this is the county court. I have been ordered by the magistrate to invite everyone to the banquet. I still have some matters to attend to and will return shortly." Du Fang finished speaking with red eyes and a somber expression.

Zhang Yang: "What's wrong?"

Du Fang gritted his teeth: "Collect my son's body."

Zhang Yang was taken aback: "Then, please accept my condolences?"

Du Fang's favorability towards you has decreased by 10.

This immediately reduced Du Fang's favorability rating to single digits. It started as a negative number, but Zhang Yang pulled out a meal package to help the refugees and brought it back to a positive number, and a "please accept my condolences" made it down to zero.

After Du Fang walked away, Guan Zong marveled at the sight.

"I can endure it!"

They didn't even launch a sneak attack on Zhang Yang!

Zhang Yang is clearly acting inhumanly and speaking inhuman language. If Guan Zong were Du Fang, he would have already slashed her face with a knife.

Zhang Yang didn't understand: "Isn't expressing condolences supposed to comfort the bereaved family?"

"How did his deceased family member die?"

"One thing at a time."

How can you blame her for the plot-driven death?

Guan Zong was so angry that she laughed out loud—if Heaven were to open its eyes, Zhang Boyuan's life would be lost to her enemy sooner or later.

Du Fang went to prepare his son's body for burial, and the white banners hung in his house are a separate matter. Let's just say that the prominent families in the county received invitations from the county magistrate. Even without Zhang Yang's involvement, the magistrate would have still hosted a banquet for everyone. Everyone knew perfectly well what he was up to.

They assumed the magistrate was there to beg for money.

Ugh, this is so annoying.

"This is all grain that I timed perfectly, transferring it from elsewhere in advance, just in time to make a fortune. He thinks he can borrow it with just an IOU? That poor county, even if I were willing to lend it to him, could he possibly repay it? I don't know how he has the nerve to ask for it!"

The head of the Jiang family was so angry that he smashed the teacup.

A retainer standing nearby advised, "The head of the household should still give him face. After all, he is the county magistrate, and it's not good to offend him."

The patriarch of the Jiang family sneered, "A county magistrate? He's only a county magistrate when I give him face. What is he if I don't? Does he have grain in his granary or money in his storehouse? He's a poor wretch who can't even afford his monthly salary from the county government. Who knows how many times his pants have been patched up? What ability does he have? Isn't it better not to offend him?"

His words were full of contempt and disdain.

The retainer agreed in his heart.

This county magistrate really has no face to speak of.

These past few days have been chaotic, with the county government sending out invitations for banquets one after another, their obsequious intentions obvious. They showered him with flattery and groveled, their attitude utterly contemptible. But while the head of the Jiang family could say such things, he, as a retainer, could not.

Even the poorest county magistrate is still an official, while his retainers are just commoners.

The dialogues between the other parties were largely similar.

They were all annoyed by this beggar who was clearly there to ask for grain.

The invitation to the banquet was worded with great seriousness. Considering the refugees gathered outside the city stretching for miles, and the fact that 30% of them had reportedly frozen to death overnight, each family was worried that the magistrate would agree to open the city gates, and also worried that the unruly people outside the city would riot: "Forget it, let's just treat it as a way to appease the beggars."

Lend some grain to the county magistrate.

The county magistrate sent people to distribute porridge and provide disaster relief, hoping to calm the situation. The chaos wouldn't last the entire season; time would pass.

"With this matter settled, I still have much to do."

The head of the Jiang family and his retainers exchanged smiles.

Since the Heavenly Moon Star Lord left this place, every time the seasons are disrupted, a large number of people die. After each disaster, large tracts of fertile land and high-quality produce are sold off cheaply. It is easy to acquire these lands at low prices without much effort, and they can then be rented out to tenants who do not own land.

In previous years, the disaster was less severe.

To cope with the seasonal upheavals, the eight counties of Tianyue rarely touched their local granaries, saving them all for a critical moment. However, this year, the royal court forcibly imposed taxes, and the granaries were completely emptied. When the natural disasters of the seasonal upheavals occurred, the county magistrate could only watch helplessly.

"May the God of Wealth shine upon you, and may the Star Lord protect you!"

This time, the natural disaster caused by the chaos is particularly severe.

The more serious the situation, the better, because the more serious it is, the more expensive the cloth and grain he has will be!

The parents didn't arrive until it was almost dark.

Don't let their disdain for the county magistrate fool you; they'll still say polite things to his face. Seeing the meager broth on the table, many scoffed inwardly. Even the servants in their outer courtyard would find this fare too meager.

However, they weren't there to eat.

They came to see the county magistrate begging for food from them.

As expected, the magistrate took a sip of his clear soup and sighed heavily, his brow furrowed with worry. No one else spoke to him, simply watching coldly as he performed his monologue. The magistrate could only manage a forced smile: "Do you gentlemen know how many refugees are outside the city?"

"I've heard a little about it, but I've also heard there are at least several hundred?"

"I have been staying at home lately and have not heard of this."

"Refugees? That's strange. Chaos and natural disasters in the Tianyue region are not uncommon, and local governments have long had countermeasures in place. What went wrong this year that refugees have gathered here?"

The group chatted amongst themselves.

They might pretend to be deaf and dumb, or they might use veiled insults.

The implication was that the people in the county government were just sitting around doing nothing.

The county magistrate was losing face, his expression shifting between pale and flushed. He forced a smile and reluctantly revealed the problems the county government was currently facing. He tentatively inquired whether each household could borrow a sum of grain from the county government, promising to repay it in full with interest after the natural disaster subsided.

These words caused quite a stir.

One by one, they began to complain about being poor, as if they had suddenly become the poorest people in the world who needed poverty alleviation the most. One family said they were short of money, another said they were losing money and couldn't make ends meet. They only looked good on the surface, and some even said that their accounts were really not functioning properly and they couldn't lend out much money.

If the county government doesn't mind, they can lend more than a hundred bushels of grain.

This family contributes a little, and that family contributes a little.

A few days of plain, watery porridge is enough.

As for how ordinary people survived the period from the natural disaster to the autumn harvest, how they ate, and how they paid taxes, they had no say in that. If they couldn't survive, they would sell themselves into slavery or servitude; at least that was a way to live, better than death.

The magistrate's fist was already clenched in his sleeve.

He clenched his teeth, burning with anger.

Just as he was about to speak, a sudden, shattering explosion was heard.

Someone broke a cup.

The noise sent chills down everyone's spines and made their hearts clench – was smashing the cup the signal? Would another eight hundred axemen come out and chop them into mincemeat? Fortunately, no, the county government couldn't possibly hide so many axemen to ambush them.

The head of the Jiang family looked angrily toward the source of the commotion.

"who!"

In the corner sat a quiet young woman, behind whom sat a man and a woman, one a scholar and the other a warrior.

"Which company are you from?"

The sound of the glass shattering really startled him.

Anger followed immediately.

Zhang Yang sat in the corner, recalling the cheat sheet the magistrate had given her, and roughly noting down the appearances and personalities of the people, thus getting a general idea of ​​the situation. Ignoring these NPCs who were so ugly they were unappetizing, she got up and walked from the corner to the magistrate's side.

The magistrate looked at her, and she looked at the magistrate: "Get out of the way."

Du Fang's favorability towards you has decreased by one.

Zhang Yang ousted the county magistrate and sat down himself.

A chopstick flew out and landed squarely on the table of a certain family's head of household. Zhang Yang said in a condescending tone, "You, lend me twenty thousand shi (a unit of dry measure)."

"You, 15,000."

"And you, also 20,000, a little over."

"As for you, twelve thousand."

"Ten thousand..."

With just a few words, the quota of 100,000 shi was arranged perfectly.

The county magistrate was dumbfounded by Zhang Yang's actions.

Du Fang, who was ordered to deploy troops around the county court, was also dumbfounded.

No, what are they doing?

Zhang Yang glanced around, a hint of impatience appearing on his usually indifferent face: "Can't you see? I'm doing you a favor, don't be ungrateful! I'm not some delicate magistrate with the patience to listen to your mass-produced NPC nonsense. I don't care if you're suffering or crying, however much food I need, you'll have to sell your pots and pans to get it to me."

That's utterly outrageous.

The person who was specifically asked to borrow 20,000 shi of grain immediately slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

His chest heaved with rage, his eyes flashing with murderous intent. He glanced at the county magistrate and immediately understood. He exclaimed "Good!" several times in succession: "I'll see what tricks you have up your sleeve! Twenty thousand bushels of grain? What unrealistic dreams are you having!"

Zhang Yang's dark, peach-blossom eyes stared at the direction above his head.

One second ago, Huang Ming.

The next second, the user's name turned red.

The next second, the name turned gray.

Thick blood spread throughout the small hall. Zhang Yang, stepping on the back of a corpse, bent down and picked up a glittering gold brick from the colorful brain matter. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he saw another red-named player and hurled a gold brick at them. Although it hit someone, it missed the target, as the opponent's bodyguard blocked it with their own body.

Zhang Yang wasn't annoyed; he grinned coldly and flicked his finger.

The gold brick was propelled away again by an invisible force.

She turned her head and swept her peach blossom eyes across the entire room.

"Red names, huh? These are all red names." And these red names won't suddenly turn yellow or green and spoil her fun. "Du Dongsu, close the door. If one escapes, I'll pay for it!"

A scream rang out as yet another person's head was smashed open by a gold brick.

Du Fang had already sent his men to block the gate.

The parents all turned green with anger.

They had dealt with the magistrate for years and knew his easy-going nature. Because of the magistrate's solid reputation, they hadn't brought many guards this time. At most three to five people, at least one or two, and they didn't wear armor under their clothes for self-defense.

How could someone with bare hands possibly withstand Zhang Yang's ferocious attacks?

It's completely free.

But they couldn't just sit idly by and wait to die.

If we can get out of here, we must tear down this county government!

In the midst of the chaos, a barely perceptible starlight flashed across someone's body. The next second, a phantom with a ram's head and a black body triggered the star array inside the room and was forcibly repelled. Fan You said, "As expected, there is a Ghostly Golden Ram."

Among the Four Symbols, the Ghost Golden Sheep and the Well Wood Wild Goat are both skilled at escaping; one excels at concealment, and the other is adept at underground escape.

Fan You then made extra preparations.

Turning his head, Zhang Yang's gold bricks were aimed at people's faces again.

He said, "My lord, that's about enough."

We can't just kill everyone.

Some people still need to be kept as a warning.

Zhang Yang was displeased, but he listened to the advice and stopped: "What are you glaring at me for? All of you, put away your murderous intent! You can't even have the thought of killing me. I can spot a killer instantly; whoever shows murderous intent, I'll kill them. If you die, it's your own fault!"

She couldn't tolerate the provocation from those with red names right in front of her!

Don't believe in superstition?

Gold BRICS are being thrown in their faces!

Brutal, simple, and ruthless—this perfectly matched the magistrate and Du Fang's impression of the rebels. The magistrate swallowed hard, secretly regretting whether he had let a wolf into the house, yet he knew he had no choice. He couldn't afford to offend Zhang Yang, and he couldn't afford to offend the rebels even more.

Zhang Yang threatened everyone.

They only felt a little better after everyone's name turned yellow.

"That's right, keep your composure." Zhang Yang stepped onto someone's food table, bent over, and propped himself up on his elbow, casually tossing gold bricks. "Don't get flustered, it'll kill you. Any objections to my distribution just now?"

"This is blatant violence!"

The one who spoke was the only female guest at the banquet.

Whether it was her actual age or her excellent maintenance, she looked to be in her early thirties, with an air of elegance and nobility. However, during the earlier brawl, she was covered in filth, with a few pieces of vegetable still clinging to her hair, and her face still bore the marks of lingering disgust.

Zhang Yang thought for a moment, then turned to look at Fan You.

"What did she say?"

Fan You: "I'm saying you robbed me."

"Oh, you have a good eye. This is a perfect match for my major."

Her profession as a player is robbery.

Pointing at the woman, he said, "You, another five thousand. It's up to you whether you agree or not; it's best if you agree, after all, I'm not a bloodthirsty person. If you don't agree, I'll send your corpses back and have your families pay ransom. If they don't pay, I'll hang your entire families on the city wall and see if the refugees below can't stand the hunger and thank God for his bounty!"

The sound sent chills down their spines.

"You dare?"

"What wouldn't I dare to do?" Zhang Yang squatted down in front of the woman expressionlessly, leaning close to her ear. "I've even massacred entire cities. I killed the men, I killed the women, I left no one alive, young or old. How precious and special are you and your family?"

Hidden in the corner, Zhang Dami sauntered over, carrying Guan Zong to Zhang Yang's back. A tiger's roar at close range made everyone's hearts tighten, and the overwhelming beastly breath made it hard to breathe. Zhang Yang scratched Zhang Dami's chin with satisfaction: "My little pet loves to eat people the most. What's so delicious about those skinny refugees outside the city? You tender-skinned people are much more appealing."

Zhang Yang bent down and approached someone who was already terrified.

"How about we go inside Big Meow's belly and reunite as a family?"

Zhang Dami leaned closer to him, stuck out her tongue and licked his face back and forth, the saliva emitting a foul odor upon contact with the air.

"I'll give it to you!"

The rough, barbed tongue stung his cheek.

Zhang Dami's attempt to open her mouth wide and shove his head inside was enough to terrify him. Unable to bear the intimidation any longer, he broke down and screamed, "Give it all to me! I'll lend you as much as you want!"

Zhang Dami rubbed his neck with satisfaction.

"What did the others say?" Zhang Yang squatted down and asked the others, while Zhang Dami nestled her head against her back in a coquettish manner.

"I, we have no objection."

Zhang Yang, being understanding, said, "If you feel the task is too heavy, you can tell me. We're not robbers; we can discuss things that need to be returned, and we can reduce your burden as appropriate."

Everyone shook their heads like rattles.

They realized that if they didn't agree to borrow grain today, they wouldn't be able to leave this house alive. They were certain the magistrate wouldn't dare kill them, but this mysterious, madwoman was different. She started by killing to silence them, and only then resorted to threats!

"If you agree, will your family object?"

Those driven by greed will always abandon their pawns.

"No, they wouldn't dare..."

"Yes, yes, please rest assured, my lord."

Zhang Yang nodded in satisfaction, the forced smile disappearing from his lips: "Then I'll trouble you to stay at the county government for a few days. Once the refugees outside the city have recovered from this natural disaster, I will tell them about your good deeds and let them erect a monument in your honor."

The group forced smiles that looked more like cries.

I'm not afraid of the tough, but I'm afraid of the stubborn; I'm even more afraid of the barefoot and reckless.

I have never seen such a rude and violent person as Zhang Yang.

"Since we've reached an agreement, let's write an IOU."

Zhang Yang waved his hand, signaling the county magistrate to bring over the tools.

The IOU is in duplicate.

Except for the lack of a specified interest rate and repayment date, everything else was perfect. The magistrate then wrote his signature and left his fingerprint.

This collaboration project has now been completed.

"It was a pleasure working with you. Thank you on behalf of the vast number of refugees."

Fan You placed seals on them and sent them all to the dungeon for a few days. The living were easy to deal with, but the unrecognizable corpses lying on the ground were more troublesome. Zhang Yang said, "What's the trouble? Just send the bodies back and tell their families that they drank too much and fell headfirst, dying instantly. They even promised to lend us grain before they died."

Even the Prime Minister of Puyang couldn't stand it anymore.

"No one, not even a ghost, would believe that reason."

"Take a group of men there, brandish your weapons, and they'll believe you. Nothing is more convincing than a knife."

Fan You: "Is my lord quite skilled in this art?"

Don't let Zhang Yang's sharp tongue fool you; she's actually quite taciturn in daily life. Her threats and intimidation just now were second nature to her, and Zhang Dami played along perfectly—very few people can remain calm and composed under such circumstances.

Zhang Dami listens to Zhang Yang the most.

Zhang Yang: "Practice makes perfect."

This player class not only specializes in robbery, but also has a very interesting skill: there is a certain probability that it can intimidate NPCs into obeying their commands, leading to many unethical gameplay variations.

She not only sells zombie corpses, but also live zombies.

Fan You: "..."

Puyang Kui was silent for a moment: "You really massacred an entire city?"

They kill men and women alike, leaving no one alive, young or old.

Zhang Yang threw the question back at him.

"you guess?"

She did indeed slaughter quite a few zombies.

Guan Zong: "She's not very bright, and you're going to follow suit? Who massacres a city just to kill people? You can sell the living men, women, and children for a good price. What good is it to kill them all?" He's just a clueless young man who thinks a massacre is just about killing people.

Puyang Kui sneered: "You certainly know a lot."

"After all, I am someone who has escaped several massacres."

He's never done it before, but hasn't he seen it before?

The two county magistrates looked at the group and felt that they had a bad relationship, were on the verge of conflict, and showed no signs of harmony.

However, the heavy weight that had been hanging over my heart can finally be lifted.

"Thank you for your help, Your Excellency."

He hadn't expected Zhang Yang to be so decisive in breaking off relations.

The restraints that had previously bound him and prevented him from breaking free were so easily broken, leaving him feeling somewhat surreal.

Zhang Yang waved his hand: "Let's get the grain first."

"We need to be wary of their people escaping or attempting a prison break," Fan You warned. "To avoid any unforeseen complications, we should act quickly."

We acted quickly, not giving them time to weigh the pros and cons.

"Where is their grain depot? Why don't we just send people to move it?" This would also eliminate the possibility of someone deliberately delaying the process.

The magistrate and Du Fang exchanged glances. The magistrate said, "I do know a little more about this. Would Your Excellency like to send some men to accompany you?"

Zhang Yang: "I don't need it, give it to them."

She doesn't need many people to help carry the grain.

The same object can be stacked and stored, with a maximum of 9999 per slot. If he weren't unfamiliar with the area, Zhang Yang could have moved all the enemy's food by himself: "Just send me two people who know the way."

The county magistrate also thought of the several thousand yuan worth of rice wrapped in oil paper that Zhang Yang had taken out.

Zhang Yang clapped his hands: "It's settled then, let's split up and take action."

With this series of complex actions, the homestead side quest would definitely be much more advanced. Zhang Yang was in high spirits, sitting directly on Zhang Dami's back humming a tune, while two county yamen runners followed, pushing a cart. On the cart lay a corpse covered with a white sheet.

One of the unlucky ones who was hit on the head by Zhang Yang's gold brick was surnamed Jiang.

The forces behind them are also the most difficult to deal with among all the guests at the banquet.

The county magistrate stood outside the county gate, watching Zhang Yang leave into the distance.

His brows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again.

"This magistrate's actions... I don't know whether they will bring good or bad fortune to the heavens..." The magistrate already knew that Du Fang had a son who died at Zhang Yang's hands, so he wisely refrained from saying anything good about Zhang Yang to avoid touching a sore spot for Du Fang. "We can only take it one step at a time."

Du Fang: "We'll discuss everything after the crisis has passed."

With the resources he and the magistrate had, they could easily have set up a trap, but they had many concerns. Once they did, their families would bear the risk. One wrong move and they would be doomed. On the other hand, outsiders like Zhang Yang were truly fearless.

The magistrate hesitated, as if he wanted to speak but then stopped.

Du Fang: "There's something you've thought about."

"What is it?"

"This person has the ability to devour everything, and seems to have no bottom. Why would she use your name to set up a trap and lure everyone into her trap? With her skills, if she finds out the location of each family's granary and fortress, she could easily steal everything without anyone noticing."

The magistrate suddenly realized that he had never thought of it.

Du Fang: "Either she's incompetent enough to steal so cleanly, or one of her goals was to target these people. Eliminating them would help her take over Tianyue, exploit your mistakes, and win over the people. Even if we don't recognize her as the prefect afterward, she'll still have a large following among the people."

No wonder he's so kind-hearted.

"That makes sense, but stealing alone won't do. With so much grain going missing from each household, won't they eventually come after her?"

In the county magistrate's view, this banquet was also a show of force.

The swift and decisive measures deterred far more than just the unlucky ones.

The proverb "kill the chicken to scare the monkey" might actually refer to him and Dongsu as the monkeys.

Du Fang suddenly dropped another bombshell.

"Which faction of the party do you think she truly belongs to?"

The magistrate said, "That letter of appointment was indeed written by a traitor."

"Ren Shu can be stolen."

Magistrate: "What do you mean?"

Du Fang closed his eyes briefly: "If I were the commander-in-chief, I'd have to be crazy to send someone who could guarantee a stable supply of provisions to some remote, impoverished place as a prefect instead of the battlefield!"

The magistrate: "...Is she an imposter?"

Du Fang, his lips pale, retorted, "What's the point of this?"

??(?w?)

Zhang Yang actually intended to pay it back.

This is the first chapter released. Please subscribe if you can! (heart emoji)

P.S.: I was so confused, I almost posted this as a public chapter! -_-||