Pig Killer

Chapter 250

"Hezhong Prefecture is not good, very bad." Shen Changsheng frowned as he looked at them and said, "Prices are soaring, and people are selling their children and land every day."

"The winter is tough. People freeze to death in the city every day and are taken to the mass graves outside." Shen Penglai said angrily with a dark face, "The shacks outside the city are simply unable to keep out the cold. People who freeze to death are carried away by their families and thrown into the mass graves. The bodies are eaten by wild dogs."

"Hiss..." The big beast and the raccoon slave covered their faces in fear, and their already big eyes widened even wider.

"Look at you, why are you talking so much?" Shen Changsheng patted his third brother's arm and said, "Look how scared the children are." He quickly coaxed his eldest nephew and niece, saying, "It's okay, it's okay, you are safe." He said with a gentle look, "We will protect you and will not let you fall into this situation."

"Don't you open the granaries to release the grain?" Shen Hui'e said to him with a frown.

"The officials dare not step out of the city gate, for fear of being torn apart by the refugees." Shen Penglai said with cold eyes.

"Didn't they think of any solution?" Zhang Jixian asked them with a frown.

"The government doesn't have it." Shen Penglai shook his head slightly.

"That means it's already among the people." Shen Hui'e said sharply, looking at them warily.

"Yes!" Shen Penglai said with a sullen face, "People in the city recruit people outside the city. Men are only given wild vegetable dumplings, and women with good looks are sold to brothels."

There was silence in the room, a deathly silence.

"They are so abominable." Zhang Jixian was the first to break the silence.

"What should we do?" Huang Zhongchang looked at his wife with his dark eyes and said, "Can we send troops now?"

"How is the military deployment of Hezhong Prefecture now? Can you find out?" Shen Hui'e's eyes fell on the Shen brothers.

"You can say that there isn't." Shen Changsheng said directly.

"Ah!" Huang Zhongchang looked at them in disbelief and said, "That's impossible!"

"If we had soldiers, we would have driven out the refugees outside the city long ago. They wouldn't be so scared and afraid to go out." Shen Changsheng said as he looked at them with his eyes as dark as black holes.

"That makes sense." Huang Zhongchang nodded when he heard it.

"The county governor is not to be feared now, as he only has so few people." Shen Changsheng tapped his thigh with his index finger and said, "What we should worry about are the wealthy families in the city. They have to organize a lot of troops."

"Tsk..." Zhang Jixian said with a contemptuous smile, "It's not that I look down on them, they are just a mob. They only bully men and women and take advantage of the weak. Compared with real trained soldiers, they are nothing to worry about." He looked at them with sparkling eyes and said, "I have confidence in us."

Shen Hui'e shook her head and laughed, "Training is different from real combat."

"So let's try them." Zhang Jixian looked at her with a somewhat crazy look.

"Why are you so enthusiastic?" Huang Zhongchang looked at him in surprise and said, "Knowing yourself and your enemy will ensure victory in every battle. We don't have a comprehensive understanding of Hezhong Prefecture."

"Uh..." Zhang Jixian scratched his head and said, "How can we understand it in depth?"

"Is there any news about the people you arranged to go out?" Shen Hui'e said to them with her ink-black eyes.

"The person hasn't come back yet. I wonder what the situation is?" Huang Zhongchang said to her with a frown.

"I have to go there in person." Shen Hui'e said as she looked at them with her deep and penetrating black eyes.

"No, no, it's too dangerous." Shen Changsheng said immediately after hearing this.

"What's the danger?" Shen Hui'e looked at him in surprise.

"It's not dangerous for women to be outside now!" Shen Penglai said disapprovingly, "Second sister, this is our men's business, don't make trouble."

"You little brat." Shen Hui'e looked at him unhappily and said, "No one can hurt me now."

"Second sister, there are always people who are better than you." Shen Penglai said with a straight face, "How can we let a woman like you take risks here? How can you save your dignity?"

"What you inquired about can be seen from outside." Shen Hui'e said to them with eyes as clear as water.

"Then where are you going to get the news?" Huang Zhongchang looked up at her and asked.

"The County Magistrate's Mansion!" Shen Hui'e said simply and easily.

"No, no. The county magistrate's mansion is heavily guarded. There is a sentry every three steps and a guard post every five steps. Not even a fly can fly in." Shen Changsheng looked at her with horror on his face.

"Oh my!" Shen Hui'e's eyes lit up and said, "Such a tight guard, either they are scared to death, or they have some arrogance."

"No, how did Mr. Shen know?" Zhang Jixian asked curiously.

"That's what we saw when we went in." Shen Changsheng looked at him gently and said, "It's obvious that the guards have been strengthened." Then he said embarrassedly, "Don't call me Master Shen, it's awkward, just call me Changsheng."

"Changsheng..." Zhang Jixian looked at him in surprise and said, "You can enter the county governor's mansion."

"Sure!" Shen Changsheng said briskly, "Let's go and pay our respects to the county governor."

"Is there anything I don't know?" Zhang Jixian looked at them in disbelief.

"We'll talk about this later." Huang Zhongchang tilted his head slightly and looked at him.

Zhang Jixian moved his lips, then swallowed back the words that were about to come out of his mouth.

"Are you sure, madam?" Huang Zhongchang looked at her with his dark eyes.

"Without the diamond, I wouldn't dare to take on this porcelain job." Shen Hui'e looked at him calmly and said.

"Then I'll go with you." Huang Zhongchang said without thinking.

"Brother-in-law (Second Brother Huang)." The Shen brothers and Zhang Jixian screamed in shock.

"Keep your voices down, I'm not deaf." Huang Zhongchang said, blocking his ears with his two index fingers.

"How can you put yourself in danger?" Zhang Jixian looked at him seriously and said, "Absolutely not."

"No, no, brother-in-law, this is too dangerous." Shen Changsheng also said firmly disagreeing.

"It's okay if you go. I'm not going to fight anyone." Huang Zhongchang looked at them nervously with amusement and said, "Besides, if I go with my wife, you can guarantee my safety!" He looked at her with a smile and waited for her answer leisurely.

Shen Hui'e rubbed her nose with her index finger and said, "Then you must not act on your own."

"Second sister, second sister, you didn't stop him and actually went crazy with him!" Shen Changsheng said with a stern face, "I don't agree."

"Come with us!" Shen Hui'e said to him with her clear and bright eyes.

Shen Changsheng breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this, and then said, "No, this is not a problem for both. This is too dangerous."

"No risk, no gain." Shen Hui'e looked at them with deep, bottomless eyes and said, "I was planning to make a move on Hezhong Prefecture in the spring. But it seems that it's no longer possible now."

"Is it because of the refugees outside the city?" Huang Zhongchang looked at her with his bright black eyes.

"I wonder how many people will not be able to survive this winter." Shen Hui'e said as she looked at them with her ink-black eyes.

"Alas... it's really tragic, not fake." Shen Penglai looked at them with his bottomless black eyes and said, "The wheelbarrows were pulling corpses to the mass grave outside the city." He slammed the table angrily and said, "The county governor is really a despicable person."

"It seems you can't go." Shen Hui'e pointed to her head and said.

"My hair?" Huang Zhongchang touched his hair which was no longer prickly and said simply and briskly, "Just wear a hat." He smiled and said, "Who would take off my hat?" Then he added, "Besides, what does it have to do with them if I shave my head?"

"Those Confucian scholars would say: The body and hair should not be damaged." Shen Hui'e kindly reminded him.

"This is hair, it will grow again. It's not skin, it will leave scars." Huang Zhongchang said, patting his arm.

Shen Hui'e shook her head and chuckled when she heard this, "Sophistry."

"Isn't what I said the truth?" Huang Zhongchang shook his head lightly and said nonchalantly, "Short hair is indeed very comfortable. When washing your face, you can wash your head at the same time. If there are lice or fleas, they can't hide."

Shen Hui'e stroked her forehead when she heard this, "Don't mention them, it's disgusting!"

"Don't mention it, don't mention it." Huang Zhongchang nodded and responded with a smile, and then continued, "Besides, I haven't even met a few Confucian scholars, why should I care what they say!" He snorted and said, "Compared to their chattering, it's most refreshing to not have lice, fleas, and be bitten." He scratched his head.

"Are there any different opinions now?" Shen Hui'e said as she swept her clear eyes across them.

"In what capacity?" Shen Changsheng pondered for a moment and said seriously.

"The identities of your sister and brother-in-law! When you are free in winter, take us out to see the world!" Shen Hui'e said to them with her jade-like eyes.

"Okay!" Shen Changsheng responded with a smile, tilting his head slightly to look at Shen Penglai and said, "Third brother, stay and look after our home."

"After I leave, Mr. Zhang's family will be left to you." Huang Zhongchang said to Zhang Jixian with a gentle look.

"No problem." Zhang Jixian responded readily.

"You two are so quiet, why don't you clamor to go with them?" Shen Hui'e said to her two children with eyes as gentle as jade.

"We want to go, but we can't." The big insect looked at her with its black eyes and said obediently.

"Don't distract mother and don't cause trouble for her." The raccoon slave looked at her with eyes like black grapes and said sweetly.

"Be good!" Shen Hui'e looked at them with a gentle gaze that could drip water, and said, "I'll buy you something nice when I come back."

"No, no, as long as you come back safely, that's all." Li Nu grabbed her warm hand and said, "I don't need any gifts."

"I really don't want to!" Shen Hui'e raised her eyebrows and looked at her.

"No need, as long as you and father are safe." Li Nu said, holding her hands tightly.

"Okay then!" Shen Hui'e stretched out her hand and rubbed her furry hat, "Don't regret it!"