My lord, spare his life!

The magistrate was speechless.

This is truly meaningless now.

"If Magistrate Zhang really isn't even a traitor..." The magistrate suddenly shuddered, shook his head in denial, and said gravely, "No, Dong Su, she must be a traitor..."

Before Zhang Yang entered the city, the county magistrate hoped that she would come from a good family.

After entering the city, Zhang Yang was either a traitor or he had to be!

As the magistrate's breathing grew heavier and deeper, he mentally went through all the details, feeling a chill run down his spine. Du Fang knew why the magistrate was reacting this way and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "She must be a traitor."

Zhang Yang being a traitor means she indeed has a rebel force behind her, and that he and the county magistrate were coerced into submission by force. As long as this rebel force exists, the families who were killed and extorted will not dare to act rashly, let alone retaliate openly. What if Zhang Yang isn't a traitor? She can simply walk away, but the county magistrate and he will suffer.

They had no choice but to flee to the ends of the earth with their families.

The magistrate felt increasingly bitter.

"I was careless for a moment and got on a pirate ship."

At this moment, he finally understood why Zhang Yang was able to act so decisively—if time dragged on, her true colors would be revealed.

Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

Fan You was paired with Puyang Kui, while Zhang Yang was paired with Guan Zong.

The large, colorful insect swaggered through the marketplace, followed by an old handcart. Zhang Yang sat cross-legged on the back of the steady Zhang Dami, while Guan Zong clung tightly to the handcart's sideboard with his tiny hands. His dark face had been turned white from the jolting.

"My lord, can't I also ride on the big cat?"

"No, Big Meow is a single-person mount."

Guan Zong: "..."

Although the Celestial Lord Tianyue had fallen, the remnants of the corresponding star array still remained. Thanks to this, the temperature inside the city was slightly higher than outside, and the snowflakes melted into water droplets before they could even pass through the star array barrier. The rain inside the city lasted for as long as the snowstorm outside. The city's drainage system was extremely poor, and the roads were muddy and difficult to navigate. Two county yamen runners were struggling to push their cart, and the wheels would frequently get stuck in the mud.

"It is indeed warmer inside the city than outside."

As he spoke, Zhang Yang lazily narrowed his peach blossom eyes, and out of boredom, he flipped through the recruitment information and discovered some interesting details.

Name: Du Fang, courtesy name Dongsu

Age: 38

[Powerful figure: Magistrate Xu Jin (courtesy name Jiusi)]

[Occupation: Military General]

【Stars: Azure Dragon - Fang Constellation】

[Talent: Room Rabbit]

【The Descending Stars: Second Stage, the Birth of Ghosts】

Loyalty: 80 (Slightly high; can be trusted after being subdued)

Morality: 23 (Slightly low, be cautious)

[Intelligence: 83 (Those with too low intelligence cannot be controlled)]

[Ambition: 55 (Mid-level)]

【Title: Forgotten Words, Respectful Legacy】

Zhang Yang looked at the "Strategy" section and stroked his chin.

With Du Fang's intelligence, he's probably going to figure something out.

When she saw the illusory image of the person on the recruitment platform, she was subconsciously stunned; it was the first time she had ever encountered such a situation.

Two phantom figures actually appeared!

One was Du Fang, whose appearance was relatively solid; the other was a strange, naked woman with her head tilted to the side, her limbs spread wide, and she was suspended in mid-air by four strands of crimson rope. Her long, disheveled black hair was draped over her shoulders, falling down to her chest and covering her private parts. Further down, her abdomen was swollen and protruding, and something was constantly writhing under her skin, with black, foul blood continuously gushing from her wounds.

This scene gives one a chill down their spine.

She closed the recruitment page and calmed her thoughts.

"Why is there no one on the street?"

Her gaze casually swept across both sides of the street, noticing that most of the buildings in the city were single-story wooden structures, varying in height, low and dilapidated, with the uneven black and gray tiles on the roofs easily visible when she looked up slightly. Unlike the uniform cement buildings in every survivor base, the wood used in the city's buildings did not come from a single tree, and the exterior walls were a mottled mix of colors, enough to drive anyone with OCD crazy.

"It's cold and raining, so it's best to stay home if possible."

As he spoke, the cart wheel slammed into a deep crater, splashing mud and water that soaked the yamen runner's trousers. The corpse covered with a white cloth on the cart was forced to bounce twice, its head swaying left and right, the spilled blood and brain matter smearing a large clump on the cart.

Why are the houses of different heights?

Why are three pieces used to make one door panel?

"Aren't these all dilapidated buildings?"

Although the constables hadn't witnessed Zhang Yang smashing people with his gold brick, they knew with a grain of salt that someone who could ride a tiger was not to be trifled with. They dared not flatter him, nor dared they offend him; whatever Zhang Yang asked, they answered obediently.

If you really can't answer, just say you don't know.

This important person was also good-tempered and did not blame him.

Sigh, I wonder which noble family is traveling and studying. Of course, this is what happens to houses that have been neglected for so long. If the dilapidated city walls don't look like this, what do they look like? These yamen runners are dressed quite respectably, though. Two of the runners began to have their own doubts.

Guan Zong couldn't hold it in any longer.

He felt as if his internal organs had been shaken apart.

He urged, "How much longer until we arrive?"

The county yamen runners, heads down, pushed the cart, not daring to look at Guan Zong. The combination of a child's body and a middle-aged man's head was rather gruesome. They quickly replied, "Almost there, almost there."

The Chiang family mansion stood out starkly from the rest of the city. Its snow-white walls stretched for most of the street, meticulously and smoothly painted without a single gap. Beyond the walls, one could vaguely see the roof covered with neat rows of blue tiles, layered like fish scales, with upturned eaves.

Even if Zhang Yang didn't understand this aspect, he knew that the cost would be considerable.

Guan Zong's eyes sparkled; he was so happy he forgot he felt nauseous.

"I like this house."

Seeing the undisguised joy and possessiveness on Guan Zong's face, Zhang Yang said, "Even if you like it, they won't give it to you."

"If they won't deliver, won't I just rob them?" He turned to the constable to confirm, "Is this the biggest house?"

One of the constables misunderstood and respectfully said, "How can this be considered the largest? The Jiang family doesn't live in the city often, only a few days a year. They spend most of their time at their estate outside the city. That estate is the real deal; I heard it's seven or eight hectares."

The royal family members, including princesses and princes, were granted residences of only about ten hectares.

Zhang Yang: "Seven or eight qing? How big is that?"

Two constables pushed the cart to the front gate, finally able to catch their breath. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "I heard that this house is one qing (a unit of area in Taiwan), and seven or eight qing means seven or eight houses this big."

Zhang Yang stared coldly at the Jiang family's plaque.

It was like a demon whispering: "Good, what a huge worm!"

What kind of thing dares to occupy seven or eight acres of her land?

This parasite has taken over her land. She only asked him to lend her 20,000 shi of grain, and he's the first to jump out and whine? Zhang Yang regrets letting this assembly-line NPC die too easily.

Everything on the homestead side map should have belonged to her!

Guan Zong: "..."

There's a murderous aura about him!

"Where did you come from? Get out of the way immediately!"

Zhang Yang and his group lingered a little too long in front of the Jiang family's gate, and the gatekeeper, along with two servants, came forward to drive them away. The street in front of the Jiang family's gate was paved with large, flat stone slabs, and the drainage was excellent. Being situated on higher ground, there was virtually no standing water in front of the gate.

Some people who are looking for a way out like to go here.

They were driven away one moment, and then they came right back the next.

Normally it wouldn't be a problem, but these past few days have been chaotic due to natural disasters, and all the masters and servants of the Jiang family, big and small, have moved from outside the city to the city to stay temporarily. If these lowly commoners were to offend any important person, the servants would be in trouble, let alone the people lying on the cart.

Seeing a dead body late at night is really bad luck.

The doorman spat out, "Throw them out!"

"Who are you going to kick out?"

Zhang Dami carried Zhang Yang around.

Without the cart obstructing their view, the gatekeeper and his men were caught off guard and came face to face with the tiger. Its sharp, fierce, round eyes gleamed with a murderous light. The gatekeeper screamed in fright, falling backward and bumping into a servant: "It's...it's the tiger—"

None of the servants had ever seen such a large tiger.

They were so frightened that their hearts were pounding.

Fortunately, the large tiger didn't attack; instead, it became docile and served as a mount. The gatekeeper and his men calmed down, their previous arrogance vanishing. Before they could speak, Zhang Yang pointed to the corpse on the cart and said, "These are your parents."

Upon hearing this, the gatekeeper roared in fury.

"Nonsense! The parents are the ones who just went out to a banquet!"

Zhang Yang gave Guan Zong a wink, and Guan Zong reached out and ripped the white cloth off the corpse. Zhang Yang's blow had been so forceful that most of the Jiang family patriarch's skull was shattered, leaving only a small part of his chin intact. But even with just that, how could the gatekeeper, who had served the Jiang family for many years, not recognize the corpse? Not to mention that the corpse was dressed in the attire the Jiang family patriarch had worn to the banquet.

"ah--"

The gatekeeper turned deathly pale with fright.

Ignoring everything else, he hurriedly sent a message back.

Two constables carried the body inside, one in front and one behind.

Just as they put the body down, two well-dressed women arrived with about a dozen maids and servants. Their cries were sobbing uncontrollably, almost like an electrocardiogram, and their tones were strange. After carefully identifying the body, the heart that had been hanging in suspense died completely, and they collapsed onto the corpse, weeping bitterly.

Zhang Yang: "Please accept my condolences."

The old will not go, and the new will not come.

Zhang Yang, expressionless, pulled out several slips of paper with IOUs written on them: "I know you're heartbroken, but don't be sad yet. Cooperate with me to resolve this first, then you can cry slowly, okay?"

Guan Zong stole a glance at the old woman with silver hair and sneered inwardly.

If Zhang Yang said a few more words, the mother and son might be reunited.

The younger middle-aged woman's face contorted with rage, and the curse she was about to utter fell silent the moment she saw Zhang Dami's large head approaching. No amount of sorrow could compare to the urgency and threat emanating from the nearby worm; her composure vanished.

She steadied herself.

"Who are you, and what brings you here?"

"Your husband's body fell from the sky while I wasn't here?" She was utterly fed up with these scripted scenarios and just wanted to skip them all. "Give me the IOU for 20,000 shi of grain today!"

The middle-aged woman was in a state of confusion after suddenly losing her husband.

Upon seeing the IOU, reason returned instantly.

"What is this? It has neither my husband's name nor his seal on it! You haven't even told me how my husband died! He was merely invited to a banquet by the magistrate, and less than half an hour later, he was gone in the blink of an eye!"

She knew her husband would never lend grain to the county government.

"Guards, seize him!" The IOU was fake, but the corpse was real; both proved her husband was murdered by the county authorities. The killer even had the audacity to bring a corpse to her door to extort money!

Do you really think the Chiang family are pushovers?

Zhang Yang pointed to himself.

"What do you mean, 'take down'? Take down me?"

This NPC is quite humorous.

The constables trembled with fear when they saw the dozen or so servants who had been ordered to rush in. They had no idea they were going to lose their lives!

Guan Zong, having watched the commotion to his heart's content, stood up and shielded the yamen runners behind him.

"Coward, step back!"

Although it is in a weakened state, it can still handle an ordinary adult without any problem.

With his extensive experience, he could deduce from the conversation between the constables that the Jiang family didn't have much armed force in the city; the vast majority of their forces were stationed at the manor to protect it from being looted by rioters. The truth was largely as Guan Zong had guessed.

Jiang Jiaguang kept over two hundred elite troops on his manor, each a well-trained soldier. He also had dozens to hundreds of troops scattered around his dozen or so granaries and fortified villages. Due to the chaos caused by the natural disaster, the Jiang family, besides their household servants and maids, only brought fifty troops, including retainers and strategists. Resisting small-scale attacks wouldn't be a problem, but Zhang Yang was acting strangely.

She felt excited when she saw the huge number of red names.

This is the right rhythm!

There's no quest that doesn't involve grinding monsters.

The more red names there are, the more enjoyable it is to grind monsters.

The gold brick was thrown, splitting in two mid-air and heading straight for its two targets. Zhang Yang killed seven or eight red-named monsters, but was surprised to find that these red-named monsters were rather low-level. They were either drained of their health bars or severely injured and unable to get up after just grazing the gold brick.

This dampened Zhang Yang's enthusiasm, who was preparing to warm up.

Turn around and go find the BOSS.

Zhang Yang: "They're running away already? Aren't we going to fight them?"

She saw the silver-haired woman and the middle-aged woman, protected by a dozen guards, moving towards the back hall. Their occasional glances were filled with fear. Some guards rushed to their aid upon hearing the commotion, while servants and maids scattered in panic, creating chaos as they went in and out. This development was unexpected for Zhang Yang. Shouldn't that mother-in-law and daughter-in-law be the minor bosses appearing after the smaller monsters have been dealt with?

Guan Zong snatched a knife from who-knows-who, jumped onto someone's shoulder, slammed the blade into the neck of a man, and pulled it out. A thick stream of blood gushed out, splashing onto the wall and onto the man's face.

"Hehehe, that felt great!"

Before the corpse fell to the ground, Guan Zong leaped forward, swung his sword backhand, and cleaved the head of the man who had tried to ambush him from behind. The length of the sword was somewhat cumbersome for his current height, but thanks to his extensive experience in killing, he quickly adapted within a few moves.

In just a few breaths, more than a dozen people lay sprawled out in the hall.

They all died from a single, fatal blow.

Guan Zong and Zhang Dami were facing away from each other.

"My lord, don't let the big fish get away!"

The small fry are worthless; the Chiang family are the real walking granaries.

They knew exactly where the Chiang family's granaries and fortified villages were. If they let the men escape, allowing them to regroup the fortified village's guards or take away the most valuable gold, silver, and valuables, they would suffer a huge loss.

"I know!"

Zhang Yang threw a cane without turning his head.

Snapped--

The cane whistled through the air, snapping the wooden beam above the heads of the Jiang family members. A loud crash followed as the thick beam fell to the ground, raising a cloud of dust and wood chips. The startled Jiang family members screamed in terror. If they had run any faster, the beam would have struck their heads!

"Big Meow, stop them!"

"roar!"

Zhang Dami responded with a shout and thrust out both tiger claws.

The pervasive stench of blood stimulated its primal wildness, but it feared Zhang Yang and dared not touch human blood or bite. Yet, even a casual slap from it carried the force of over a ton, and with its sharp claws, disemboweling someone was a piece of cake.

With a physique weighing several hundred pounds, it was easy for them to push through crowds.

However, they quickly blocked the way for the Chiang family members.

The guards protecting the family stood in front of their master with one hand, brandishing their blades with the other, and gritted their teeth, shouting, "Get out of the way, you beasts!"

His response was an even deeper tiger roar.

Deng!

The arrow left the bowstring, aiming straight for Zhang Dami's eyes.

At such close range, with extremely limited space to dodge, this arrow, even if it didn't kill the beast, would at least injure it so badly it couldn't stand up. Unexpectedly, Zhang Dami merely exhaled breaths, a faint starlight emanating from within, enveloping its entire body.

Ding!

The arrowheads collided with the starlight barrier, sparks flying.

The troop members turned pale. They hadn't expected this beast to be no ordinary worm, but a star beast that had transcended the limits of wild animals, its internal and external muscles tempered by stellar power. Judging from how accurately it received and executed orders, it probably possessed considerable intelligence as well.

"The IOU is right here; are you still trying to renege on your debt?"

With a clang, Guan Zong casually tossed the curled-edge knife to the ground.

He grinned and echoed Zhang Yang's words: "That's right, why do the two ladies have to make such a scene? We're just here to fulfill our promise, to lend grain for disaster relief, to do good deeds, not to commit murder. Look at you, you're forcing me to break my vows."

The group was trapped in a corner, unable to move forward or backward.

A pile of corpses had already fallen around them.

On the county side, the magistrate felt a little flustered.

He had just sat down, intending to eat some leftovers from the banquet to fill his stomach, when a commotion arose outside the county government building. If he listened carefully, he could hear the panicked, incoherent breathing of the other party, along with words like "murder" and "bandits infiltrating the city."

"Father!"

"Father!"

"Go home quickly, go home quickly!"

"Don't stop me! Quickly let my father go home!"

The magistrate's expression tightened, and he hurriedly put down his bowl and chopsticks.

"What? A mob has attacked the city?"

He strode out, sometimes running.

At the county government gate, the two blood-soaked, disheveled boys, upon seeing the magistrate, seemed to see a savior. Staggering with their weak, swollen legs, they rushed to the magistrate's feet: "Please, Your Excellency, send men immediately to save my family! Just now, some thieves brought a corpse, claiming it was my father, and broke into our house, slaughtering innocent people. My grandmother and mother are likely dead."

"Father—"

The siblings, with tears streaming down their faces, cried out to the county government with all their might.

Things happened so fast and caught us completely off guard.

The siblings first received the devastating news from a panicked servant that their father had met with misfortune and his body had been brought to the main hall of their home. They rushed there, only to find the servants screaming and scattering in all directions, and hear a chorus of screams coming from the hall.

Those who managed to escape were covered in blood.

The siblings wanted to go to their rescue, but they were outnumbered and outmatched.

I immediately realized this was a treacherous plot by thieves.

The father, who had gone to the banquet, was probably unaware of the terrible news that had happened at home.

The siblings dared not delay and immediately seized horses amidst the chaos, galloping all the way to the county government for rescue. Upon seeing the magistrate, they disregarded their past disdain for him, seeing him as their lifeline. Strangely, despite their desperate cries, their father never appeared.

The county government building wasn't large; how could the people inside not hear it?

The siblings, having just escaped death, were still dizzy and disoriented, and didn't immediately notice anything amiss. When they vaguely sensed something was wrong, they saw the magistrate's expression shift from panic and worry to bewilderment and then to complete understanding. A strange, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips, sending a chill down their spines and gradually silencing their sobs.

A terrifying thought crept into their minds, and the county magistrate, whom they had just seen as a lifeline, began to look ferocious.

Was the county magistrate the mastermind behind the terrible news that struck their family?

So, has Father really met with some misfortune?

The magistrate smiled and said, "Don't rush, go inside and tell me slowly."

He wore a smile on his face, but he couldn't laugh at all inside.

Didn't that Magistrate Zhang say he was going to deliver the body to the Jiang family? All he needed to do was find out the location of the Jiang family's granary and fortified village in the county. How did a fight break out? If it were just a simple brawl, that would be one thing, but judging from the appearance of these two Jiang family children, the Jiang family must have been drenched in blood.

The magistrate closed his eyes in despair.

This pirate ship is more vicious than I imagined.

How could the Jiang siblings dare to walk into the lion's den? They made a decisive choice to escape, with one of them covering the rear to try and save the other's life.

"You two have a good relationship, but I have my own difficulties and cannot release them." The magistrate, moved by their deep sibling bond, locked them in a cell. "If you escape, alas, my life will be in danger. Please forgive me."

Inside the dark, foul-smelling dungeon.

The Jiang siblings, bound hand and foot, were forcefully pushed inside.

Then came the sound of the lock being put on.

"Why has someone else been brought in? Who is it?" The familiar voices of the siblings came from the cell not far away.

This is an uncle who had close ties with the Chiang family.

"Has Uncle seen my father?"

"Alas, Brother Jiang... has met with misfortune." These words plunged the siblings' hearts into an icy abyss. They couldn't understand how such a tragedy could have happened so quickly, without any prior warning.

"Why...why did that corrupt official murder my father?"

The siblings racked their brains but couldn't figure it out.

The Jiang family's relationship with the county government wasn't exactly good, but it was at least peaceful, and they maintained friendly exchanges throughout the year. Their father was upright, and their grandmother and mother were practically saints, giving alms to the poor and helping the elderly and weak year-round. How could they have suffered such an undeserved calamity?

The siblings, exhausted from cursing, burst into tears.

The others in the dungeon, however, remained silent in agreement.

Some things are what the younger generation in the family wants the children to see, and are completely different from what they see themselves.

Normally, they could lie through their teeth, but now, faced with someone like Zhang Yang who would kill at the slightest provocation and was completely unreasonable, they dared not provoke her. If even a single wrong word reached her ears, their lives would be in danger.

"If I had known this would happen, I would have preferred to pay the money to avoid further trouble."

These words revealed their true feelings. Had they known that Zhang Yang, this unscrupulous and ruthless figure, was involved, they would have gladly granted the magistrate's request to lend them grain. A profit of three or five percent might not meet their expectations, but at least the income was stable, far better than having their property confiscated.

No matter how much they regret it, it's too late.

Upon learning of Zhang Yang's actions, the county magistrate rushed to the Jiang residence.

As soon as I arrived at the gate, I was hit by a nauseating, strong smell of blood.

The magistrate turned pale, not daring to imagine how many had died inside.

"What a bloodthirsty and ruthless bandit!"

She set up a trap, killing the guests one minute and raiding their hometowns the next, the whole process never stopping for a moment. Those who knew her understood her ruthlessness, while those who didn't might have thought she was rushing from one event to another.

He straightened his clothes, trying to appear calm.

He had mentally prepared himself before entering, but he was still startled by the chaotic and blood-soaked main hall. Corpses lay scattered everywhere, leaving almost no room for him to step, and the few survivors were terrified out of their wits. He, a grown man, didn't even react when he entered.

The magistrate forced out a strained smile.

"Why is it Guan Yishi?"

A large, colorful worm lay sprawled in the main hall, its soft, flexible tail swaying from side to side, clearly in a good mood. On its back sat Guan Zong, who was yawning listlessly. Guan Zong pointed to several people whose hands were bound and whose bodies were tied to golden pillars.

"I'm here watching the big fish."

"And what about Magistrate Zhang?"

"She said she went treasure hunting."

A mansion that's a whole hectare in size—that's the best place to hunt for treasure.

Magistrate: "Lord Zhang went...to search for treasure?"

As we all know, there's only one reason why players might be prevented from going to a certain place—they simply don't want to go. If a player wants to go, no matter how far away it is or whose house it is, they'll still explore. Searching through NPCs' homes is perfectly natural, and with a bit of luck, they might even find hidden Easter eggs.

Exploration is also part of the gameplay.

Zhang Yang actually discovered many little surprises at the Jiang family's residence.

For example, in the study of the Jiang family patriarch, they found aphrodisiacs, erotic pictures, a pile of yin-yang account books, some messy maps and diaries. In his mother's room, they found another room inside, in which a set of gambling tools was hidden in a cabinet. The clue of gambling tools pointed to a steward of an outer courtyard. In the steward's room, they found specially made sheep intestines that he used to serve as a gigolo for the Jiang family patriarch's mother.

Maids and maids, wet nurses and their wet nurses, servants and maids, female servants and guards, the head of the Jiang family complains that his wife is old and faded, and that his old and faded wife is behaving like a married couple with the concubine in the back courtyard. Wow, every NPC here has so much gossip to tell!

In addition to this, Zhang Yang had an unexpected surprise.

She discovered that she could put anything she touched into her game inventory, instead of receiving warnings like "This item cannot be moved," "This item cannot be picked up," or "This item cannot be put into the game inventory" as before. Zhang Yang excitedly stuffed everything into her inventory.

It filled up the remaining spaces in no time.

Taking up an entire shelf with just one item is an intolerable waste, so Zhang Yang took them out again, her gaze sweeping over the fabrics rummaged through the warehouse. After a moment's thought, she made an attempt—to pack up the odds and ends with scraps of cloth.

Upon picking it up, I saw it was "a bag of miscellaneous items".

Pack another one; this one is also "a bag of miscellaneous items".

What does this prove?

This proves that things with the same name can be combined.

Zhang Yang tirelessly packed everything he could into his game backpack until the county magistrate hurriedly arrived.

The magistrate called out cautiously and softly.

"Lord Zhang?"

He had been to the patriarch's study once and clearly remembered its furnishings. The books on the shelves were gone, the antique treasures on the display shelves were missing, the rare ancient zither hanging on the wall was nowhere to be seen, and even the stone bricks behind the screen in the study were gone, revealing a dark, gaping entrance…

If Fan You and his group hadn't actually only arrived in Tianyue in the last two days, the magistrate would have suspected that Zhang Yang had already scouted the place and figured out the Jiang family's plans, just waiting to make his move and take everything. The magistrate searched all the way but didn't find any valuables gathered in one place. Where had they gone?

Surely she won't take it into her space too?

The magistrate gasped. If that were true, this ability to ensure the logistics of the three armies would indeed be more cost-effective than becoming the prefect of Tianyue. As the commander-in-chief of the three armies, he would not let Magistrate Zhang go.

Zhang Yang, who was prying open the floor tiles, turned around: "You were looking for me?"

"Where is Magistrate Zhang?"

"explore."

Magistrate: "..."

This is clearly an act of breaking into a private residence and looting!

He swallowed the truth: "Why doesn't Magistrate Zhang go to the granary?"

On the one hand, they act swiftly and decisively, and on the other hand, they waste precious time on so-called "treasure hunting and exploration," wishing they could peel off all the gold leaf pasted on the screen of the Chiang family and take it away. This is truly perplexing.

Zhang Yang: "Oh, I forgot."

This happens frequently.

Players are easily distracted, easily getting sidetracked into other activities. Based on Zhang Yang's observations of the participants' behavior, their actions were always driven by interest. Giving up halfway wasn't important; what mattered was what they wanted to do.

Zhang Yang had just wanted to explore this NPC courtyard.

Magistrate: "..."

Zhang Yang stood up as if no one else was there, showing no embarrassment or awkwardness at having delayed important matters: "Did Guan Zong find out the location of the fortified village?"

The magistrate nodded.

Zhang Yang: "Okay, then find someone to lead the way."

Passing by the main hall, I called out to Zhang Dami.

Zhang Dami is her only mount right now. Although it's a bit slow, the good thing is that she doesn't have to walk herself.

"Big Meow, let's go collect grain from the fortified village!"

The magistrate looked around and found that everyone in the Jiang family who could have escaped had fled, leaving only an empty house. Since the remaining belongings could not be returned to the Jiang clan, he simply confiscated them all and put them into the county government's coffers. The county government was short of funds, so this was a timely help from the Jiang family.

only--

Several warehouses were empty.

The place where valuables were kept was so clean it looked like it had been ransacked by thieves.

It either "looks" like something, or it's been visited by a "thief".

The magistrate calculated the time and realized that Zhang Yang's "treasure hunt" time could not exceed two quarters of an hour! How could this man have emptied such a large house in such a short time?

He wouldn't believe Zhang Yang hadn't scouted the location!

"Guards, arrest the Jiang family thief immediately!" It's impossible for Magistrate Zhang to have taken everything alone; a significant portion must have been stolen by Jiang family servants in the chaos. The magistrate can't get Zhang Yang to return the goods, but can't he control the servants?

These servants had all signed slave contracts.

According to the law, stolen goods belonging to servants must be confiscated.

The Jiang family's true wealth wasn't in the storerooms, but in the vast tracts of meticulously cultivated fertile land, the oxen and farming tools they couldn't take with them, and the scattered slaves and tenants. A calculating glint flashed in the magistrate's eyes as he quickened his pace, his robes fluttering in the wind.

He needs to act quickly.

Guan Zong was a reckless brute, and Magistrate Zhang, seemingly wild and ignorant, didn't understand such things, but Fan You and Puyang Kui beside her certainly did. The county magistrate needed to collect everything and hand it over to the county government before these two could, so the others couldn't very well ask him to hand it over again.

How do I pay?

These are county assets; they can't be taken away.

Ultimately, it must be implemented to improve people's livelihoods within the county.

The first helper the magistrate thought of was naturally Du Fang.

The Du family home was already draped in mourning clothes, and the mourning hall was properly arranged. In the center stood a coffin, inside which lay Du Fang's son. Du Fang sat on the threshold, lost in thought, while his family, young and old, kept vigil inside. The magistrate, watching the flickering candlelight in the mourning hall, calmed his feverish mind, his steps hesitant. Only when Du Fang called out the purpose of his visit did the magistrate sheepishly reveal his purpose.

"...I only realized something was wrong when I got here."

"There's nothing wrong with it; public matters are public matters, and private matters are private matters."

That's how chaotic times are; you live for today, not knowing where tomorrow will come from. The number of his own children and adopted children who died young was countless. Compared to the refugees outside the city whose entire families of over a dozen people froze to death, he only lost one son, which wasn't so tragic. Thinking that his son had once ordered the shooting of refugees crossing the moat, Du Fang felt this was also a form of karmic retribution.

If it weren't for retribution, how could I have fallen into the hands of the Heavenly Demon Star?

The magistrate wanted to comfort him but didn't know where to begin.

He sat with Du Fang on the threshold for a while.

Unexpectedly, Du Fang got up first, turned around and gave a few words of advice to the old and young in the mourning hall, then grabbed the long sword and tucked it into his waistband, looking as if he was about to go out to work. The county magistrate hurriedly followed, lifting the hem of his robe.

Du Fang asked him, "Did you get your hands on the Jiang family's account books?"

"Account books? No."

Magistrate Zhang swept away all the clouds in a whirlwind.

Du Fang considered the matter for a moment, then whispered to the magistrate, "If Magistrate Zhang and his men don't pursue the Jiang family's land and houses, then you and I should pretend we don't know anything. But if her advisors bring out the account books to reconcile the accounts with us, don't argue with them, lest she become murderous."

Magistrate: "Then what should we do?"

The Chiang family has amassed quite a fortune over the years.

It was indeed uncomfortable for him to vomit up what he had swallowed.

Du Fang said, "Are you the county magistrate or am I? Since you are the local official in charge of the people's livelihood, you should act as a father and have a good cry with her. Even the poorest family has to feed their child with meager food to keep them alive, let alone you."

Raising children costs money.

Zhang Yang's desire to take this money is tantamount to taking the child's life.

What if she doesn't agree?

Du Fang, as if struck by a thought, curled his lips into a self-deprecating smile: "Nothing will happen. Didn't she say that her children froze to death here? How could a father say something like 'it takes time to bring about this'? Times have changed, circumstances are different now, so why don't you use a more expedient method?"

The magistrate calmed down.

"I understand."

Just be a "father" who loses control of his emotions for his children.

If we can truly seize this opportunity to eradicate these scourges and re-register their hidden land and property holdings under the jurisdiction of the county government, that would be a wonderful surprise. It's important to understand that the county actually has a large population, but too many of them are unregistered and hidden.

Whether these unregistered households live or die is beyond the government's control.

Without the tax revenue from these people, each household tried to evade taxes, causing the county government to suffer annual deficits. They also had to deal with the royal court's demands for regular taxes, making life extremely difficult. In the past, the county magistrate could do nothing about them and dared not show them the slightest displeasure.

Now that the offensive and defensive roles have shifted, he was able to vent his anger.

"Wait, Dongsu, you—" Before the pair split up, the magistrate remembered something, grabbed Du Fang's sleeve, and glanced hesitantly at Du Fang's stomach, asking worriedly, "Your 'Star Descending Calamity' is almost here, isn't it? Can you hold on?"

Du Fang said, "We can still hold on."

At least we can hold out until all this mess is over.

The magistrate breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you for your hard work."

Du Fang mounted his horse without responding.

The icy night wind, carrying cold raindrops, lashed against his face. The magistrate glanced one last time in the direction of the mourning hall before turning and leaving.

The Chiang family's granaries and fortified villages were all outside the city.

Each location had a varying number of granaries, and all of them were full. Most of the grain was produced from the fields, while the remainder was acquired by the Chiang family through a combination of buying and looting. According to the account books, this was preparation made in advance by the Chiang family for this chaotic natural disaster.

They're just waiting to make a fortune after the disaster.

When Zhang Yang arrived at the first fortified granary, he was surprised to find the gate of the fort open, the inside in a mess, and the place deserted.

"Did someone tip you off?"

She had only caused a scene in the front yard of the Jiang family's residence and hadn't paid attention to other places, so naturally many people escaped. These escapees were terrified and at a loss. Some, like the Jiang siblings, went to the county government for help, while others ran to their relatives' homes.

Only upon arrival did I learn that my family's old friend had also suffered misfortune.

This isn't just targeting one family, it's targeting everyone! Realizing this, those who had slipped through the net disregarded the freezing snow outside the city and chose to flee. They took their valuables and, under the escort of trusted confidants, rushed to the nearest fortified granary to gather reinforcements.

Before leaving, he set fire to the granary.

Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate, and the fire failed to start.

Zhang Yang didn't hold back and seized the entire granary.

He also put everything else he could pick up into his bag and took it with him.

Pat Zhang Dami between his legs.

"Big Meow, let's go, next place!"

She had no trouble, but the county clerk who led the way was pitiful. The clerk on horseback was breathless with exhaustion, and the horse he was riding was panting heavily, while he also had to suppress his fear of Zhang Dami. Before dawn, Zhang Yang returned laden with spoils. Except for a few hidden fortified villages still guarded by his troops, the rest were wide open—just go and rob them!

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the remaining members scattered like drifting clouds.

On his way back to the city, Zhang Yang ran into Du Fang.

The latter was returning from outside the city with a troop of men.

Upon seeing Zhang Yang, Du Fang bowed respectfully from afar.

Zhang Yang had Zhang Dami carry him over, a faint smile playing on his usually expressionless lips. "I've collected the grain; there's plenty. You and the magistrate should send people to arrange a place in the city so it won't affect the original inhabitants. All the problems you mentioned before are no longer issues. You won't stop me now, will you?"

Du Fang pursed his thick lips and remained silent.

Those sharp, tiger-like eyes stared intently at Zhang Yang, as if trying to pierce through his very soul. He hadn't expected that after a whole day of running around and completing this job, Zhang Yang's first thought wasn't how to profit himself, but rather to have him open the city gates and let the refugees into the city to escape the disaster.

This can be considered as staying true to one's original aspirations.

"Please wait a moment, Magistrate Zhang."

Du Fang didn't give him a friendly look, but he wasn't as cold and hard as before.

The county government was not very efficient at its grassroots level, but with Zhang Yang watching them like a hawk and the bloodshed that had occurred the previous day, which official dared to be negligent? They immediately decided on the area to take in the refugees and allocated a batch of firewood to build temporary earthen stoves for cooking.

Zhang Yang was even preparing to take out all the blankets.

Fan You stopped him, saying, "My lord, you must not!"

Zhang Yang: "Why is that?"

The county government transported cartloads of winter supplies from somewhere, but all of these items combined were not as warm as a Raschel.

Fan You: "What we have now is enough; going too far is as bad as not going far enough."

Tianyue is not just one county.

Zhang Yang chose to trust Fan You's 93 points of wisdom.

??|??w?`)

During the first month of the new book's release, there will be a 10,000-word update for every 1,000 monthly votes received, and another 10,000-word update for each additional Alliance Master. This is only valid for this month. Next month, I'll be preparing for the Chinese New Year (#^.^#). Normal updates will resume with two chapters combined daily.