Lu Qing Wan's face instantly fell. Gritting her teeth, she shoved the note in her hand to Si Feng Wu.
"I don't have such good manners. You guys have your fun first, I'm going to beat someone up!"
After taking off her protective suit, Lu Qing Wan said to Si Feng Wu, "Inform all three kingdoms and their departments on my behalf. If the court intends to collect taxes, they will notify everyone to pay voluntarily at the local yamen.
For those who pay taxes, the court will prioritize the allocation of fertile land. In case of a poor harvest, or natural or man-made disasters, the court will provide compensation.
Anyone who comes to collect taxes is a骗子 (liar)."
As soon as she finished speaking, she snatched the sword from Si Feng Wu's waist. "I will arrange for people to take care of Cheng Nan Liu. You don't need to worry about his injuries.
Leave the matter of taxation and rumors to me. You go and handle other affairs.
After dealing with things here, you will accompany me to return the King of Ten Thousand Phoenixes and the True Dragon Token!"
Before her words had even fallen, she had already left the door.
Si Feng Wu, realizing what had happened later, opened the note and, upon seeing its contents, understood why Lu Qing Wan was so enraged.
Tearing the note into pieces and throwing it into the nearby brazier, Si Feng Wu coldly ordered, "Swiftly clear out the troublemakers in the city, temporarily close the city gates, and restore normal order in the city as soon as possible.
Have Shen Da quickly familiarize himself with the governance of Guihua City. Until the court sends people to take over, this place belongs to him.
Lin Feng Mian will remain to be his deputy. After Cheng Nan Liu recovers from his injuries, he will replace Lin Feng Mian and assist Shen Da in governing Guihua City."
As he spoke, Si Feng Wu had already arrived at the entrance of the Imperial Medical Office. Before he could even walk out, he heard a loud shout, "I want to see His Highness Prince Qin! Let me see His Highness Prince Qin..."
The guards at the entrance were struggling to stop him. "His Highness is busy. If you have something to convey, you can let us pass it on. If necessary, His Highness will summon you."
The gatekeepers of royalty are always imposing, and this guard's attitude was already quite good. However, the man seemed not to have heard the guard's words, continuously shouting that he wanted to see Si Feng Wu.
Somehow, he spotted Si Feng Wu. Disregarding that the guards had already half-drawn their swords, he suddenly charged in.
The guards instinctively drew their swords to stop him, but the man, with bare hands, grabbed the sword edge and, relying on brute force, broke through the guards' obstruction and rushed directly in front of Si Feng Wu.
Li Yang, who was by his side, grew anxious and thrust his long sword directly at the man's back. However, the man paid no heed and directly knelt before Si Feng Wu.
Upon seeing this, Li Yang managed to restrain the sword's edge. The tip still pierced the man's back, and blood immediately flowed down his entire back.
The man staggered and fell directly at Si Feng Wu's feet. Even so, he endured the pain and said, "This commoner has an important matter to report. Please, Your Highness, listen to this commoner's words!"
In fact, after seeing him kneel before Si Feng Wu, the guards no longer attacked him.
Si Feng Wu raised his hand and signaled the guards to withdraw. "Speak, what is it?"
The journey to see Si Feng Wu was fraught with obstacles. Even though he had seen him, considering Si Feng Wu's status, he probably wouldn't have a chance to speak.
As he was racking his brain, trying to figure out how to persuade Si Feng Wu to listen to him, he was stunned upon hearing these words.
Immediately after, he heard Si Feng Wu continue, "You had better give this king a reason for the Xuan Jia Army to disguise themselves as being in a pass, otherwise, this king will no longer stop the sharp blades in their hands from falling upon you."
The man turned his head and saw the guards he had pushed aside earlier, as well as a group of Xuan Jia Army soldiers in armor, all holding sharp blades and glaring at him menacingly.
Even though he was prepared to die in his heart, facing so many icy blades, he couldn't help but instinctively feel fear.
He turned and bowed to Si Feng Wu. "Thank you, Your Highness, for your mercy.
Your Highness, to the north of Guihua City, in a mountain hollow called Yalónggōu, there are approximately three thousand Da Gan prisoners of war. Guihua City has fallen, and they intend to kill them to offer as sacrifices to the city.
I implore Your Highness to save those people. They are all citizens of Da Gan, and many are soldiers of the Xuan Jia Army..."
"Nonsense!"
Lin Feng Mian, who had specifically come to discuss follow-up matters with Si Feng Wu, immediately retorted.
"Our Xuan Jia Army soldiers would rather be shattered jade than intact tiles. How could they become prisoners of the enemy?
Who are you, a scoundrel, to dare to slander the might of our Xuan Jia Army like this?"
The surrounding Xuan Jia Army soldiers, although they didn't dare to speak out because Si Feng Wu was present, could tell that the mention of prisoners had displeased them.
The man, who had finally found an opportunity to speak, was startled by Lin Feng Mian's roar.
However, having finally managed to meet Si Feng Wu, how could he retreat in defeat?
After a moment of panic, he hurriedly took out a token from his bosom. "I have absolutely no intention of slandering the Xuan Jia Army. This token is proof. Please believe me, Your Highness.
Although the Xuan Jia Army soldiers are prisoners, they are only trying their best to protect the weak and are not afraid of death. Please, Your Highness, save their lives."
It was a rusty Xuan Jia Army token, so covered in rust that its original appearance was barely visible. One could vaguely make out a blurry character for "Xuan".
Flipping it over, thankfully, the reverse side retained a complete character for "Chi".
Si Feng Wu rubbed the token and looked at Li Yang. "Take him down to eat something. Immediately dispatch people to investigate if such a place exists. .oγg
Shen Qing Zhou, muster five thousand troops immediately, and await my orders at any time."
The man excitedly prostrated himself on the ground, crying, "Thank you, Your Highness! On behalf of the three thousand compatriots suffering in Yalónggōu, I thank Your Highness for saving their lives!"
Si Feng Wu's expression was indifferent. "Don't rush to thank this king yet. If there are truly Da Gan citizens in Yalónggōu, this king will ensure you and they live without worry.
But if it is otherwise, this king will make you regret coming before me."
Having said that, without giving the man a chance to speak, he waved his hand and had him taken away.
Lin Feng Mian, ignored, turned ashen-faced. Disregarding the many soldiers present, he directly roared at Si Feng Wu, "What does Your Highness mean by this? Do you also believe that our Xuan Jia Army soldiers would become prisoners?"
The other soldiers also wore expressions of humiliated doubt.
Si Feng Wu scanned them, his gaze finally settling on Lin Feng Mian. "As long as they do not betray, soldiers have the right to live. Even if they become prisoners, it is important to be alive.
Furthermore, when one's mind is clear and limbs are sound, one can choose to be shattered jade rather than intact tiles.
But what if one was unconscious when captured, or too severely injured to commit suicide for the sake of the nation?"
Lin Feng Mian was rendered speechless by Si Feng Wu's string of questions.
Seeing this, Si Feng Wu did not linger. He shouted, "In the past, this king only focused on teaching the soldiers to fight bravely and forgot to tell them to protect themselves.
Listen to me all, at any time, under any circumstances, as long as they have not betrayed the Xuan Jia Army, our soldiers have the right to live."