Chapter 119: True to One's Word

The sky was covered with the glow of the setting sun like a fire, just as if blood was gushing out and staining the mountains and rivers red. Pan Yueqing held the reins of her horse and watched as the soldiers carried huge stones back and forth, entering and leaving the courtyards of the common people in the Western City District. Luo Shui looked up worriedly, "Miss, is it really okay to do this?"

Qi Si'an's voice came from behind, "There will definitely be problems."

Pan Yueqing turned her head. Qi Si'an happened to meet her gaze and asked in a solemn and calm voice, "When will the water be delivered every day? What should we do if the daily water consumption is exceeded? Are the water sources in other places clean?" He paused for a moment. Seeing an old man in front of him blocking the government's attempt to seal off the water source, and the noisy voices spreading from the street to the alley, he shook his head, "Look, the problems are already here."

"I've been drinking the water from this well in my house for more than fifty years! There's definitely no problem with it!" The old man blocked the well.

A captain of the Su family army named Wang Bo raised his whip and threatened the old man, "Old fool! If you dare to obstruct official business again! Do you believe I'll throw you in jail?"

"Even if you throw me in jail, you can't seal up my well! What do you know? This well is the treasure basin of my family!"

The neighbors gathered outside the courtyard leaned in to watch the excitement.

I don't know who was the first to speak, "Old Man Bai, I think you should listen to the officials!"

Then everyone started chattering, "You're going to lose your life, what's the use of gathering treasures..."

Someone quickly retorted, "Shh, don't say that. I heard that in the early years, Old Man Bai's grandson wasn't in good health. He worshipped the immortal in the well as his adoptive father, and that's how he grew up so well and became successful. He passed the imperial examination half a year ago and should be in the capital now!"

"Huh? So there's such a reason. No wonder he doesn't want it to be sealed. If the immortal gets angry by accident, what if something happens to Young Master Bai who's away from home?"

"Don't seal it!" Seeing that Wang Bo didn't seem willing to back down, Old Man Bai immediately picked up a kitchen knife and held it in front of him, as if to say that if they dared to take a step forward, he wouldn't show mercy.

Wang Bo was also anxious when he saw this. He was in charge of sealing off this street. If there was a mistake, he would be in big trouble. So he raised his whip and lashed at Old Man Bai fiercely, "You old fool who doesn't care about your life!"

The strength of a person who had been in the army for years was great. This whip directly knocked Old Man Bai down. Old Man Bai, being old, fell in a mess. The common people around were dissatisfied when they saw this. Several young and strong men among the neighbors stepped forward to demand an explanation for Old Man Bai.

"What are you going to do?" Wang Bo and the soldiers who had been stopped were already full of anger. Seeing these people coming forward, they no longer cared. They picked up their whips and spears. Prime Minister Pan and His Highness, the Prince of Xiangyang, had issued strict orders. Unexpectedly, these stubborn common people were so uncooperative! According to Prime Minister Pan, those who refused to cooperate should be thrown in jail.

A young man at the front clenched his fists and stared at Wang Bo, "You officials can't be so unreasonable!"

The daughter-in-law of the Bai family, who heard that something was wrong inside the house and was supporting her pregnant belly, quickly opened the door. She squatted down with great difficulty and helped her father-in-law up. Looking at his weak appearance, she raised her head indignantly, "You're a grown man! How can you hit an old man! You're a beast!"

"I've been working my ass off, and you still call me a beast!" One of the soldiers beside Wang Bo was obviously a young man. His young face was filled with anger, and he stepped forward with his foot.

The daughter-in-law of the Bai family let out a scream, "Murder! Murder..." Perhaps because she was pregnant and her qi and blood were a bit insufficient, she rolled her eyes and fainted on the spot.

"Sure enough, none of you are any good!" The young men who had originally wanted to stand up for them were red-eyed and gritted their teeth at Wang Bo. The common people behind also came over when they heard the commotion. Some experienced old women had already helped the daughter-in-law of the Bai family up and sent her into the inner room.

Pan Yueqing, who was standing behind, crossed her arms in front of her chest and said in a solemn voice, "What are you doing?"

"Adjutant Pan."

Wang Bo and the others, who had been as dejected as eggplants beaten by frost when the incident happened, looked up at Pan Yueqing as if they had found their backbone. The common people around also unconsciously thought that the person in charge had come when they saw Pan Yueqing.

Hearing the greetings and courtesies from both groups of people, Pan Yueqing's expression didn't soften at all. Instead, she still looked very cold. She looked around and then drawled, her tone as cold as ice, "I asked—what are you going to do?"

"I..." Wang Bo stepped forward and cupped his hands, about to speak. Pan Yueqing whipped him with a lash, "Who told you to hit the old man?"

"No! Captain Wang, he..." The young man saw Pan Yueqing attacking Wang Bo and immediately stepped forward to explain. But the words that came to his mouth were also whipped away by Pan Yueqing's next lash, "Who allowed you to scare the pregnant woman?"

A young man standing beside Pan Yueqing was delighted when he saw Pan Yueqing using the whip. He was sure that Pan Yueqing was on their side. He immediately stepped forward and smiled, "I knew that Adjutant Pan is different from these scoundrels..."

Before he could finish speaking, Pan Yueqing turned her head with a solemn gaze and faced the smiling young man. She whipped him in the face, drawing blood with one lash. In the young man's stunned expression, she slightly raised her chin, "Who allowed you to slander my people like this?"

The arriving medical officer quickly stood in front of Pan Yueqing. Pan Yueqing raised her hand to excuse him from saluting, "Go and check if the people inside are okay first." Her face was serious, and even Grandma Sun, who usually had dealings with her, didn't dare to speak rashly. The air was extremely quiet, and everyone present was silent. The young man covered the blood on his face, and there was a trace of resentment in his gaze towards Pan Yueqing.

"Don't stare at me." Pan Yueqing gave him a cold glance, "Not a single drop of water from the Western City District can be drunk. Do you want us to pull over the corpses infected with the plague for you to see, or do you want to wait until you're infected with the plague and become as inhumane as animals again in order to survive... before you can understand what I'm saying?"

An old woman at the door said timidly, "This well water is special..."

"Special?" Pan Yueqing sneered, "What? Has it been consecrated? Or is there an immortal living in it?"

Before these frightened common people could speak, Pan Yueqing spat and laughed, "If there really is a just heaven and the Buddha is blessing you, you could have filled your stomach by drinking the well water before. Why did so many people die? Why did we have to come here to deal with that corrupt official Qian Cheng?" She paused, and her cold tone became more obvious as the medical officer came out and reported that Old Man Bai was okay.

"Wang Bo." Pan Yueqing said in a cold voice.

When Wang Bo reflexively responded with a "Yes", Pan Yueqing slightly raised her chin, "Put Old Man Bai, who obstructed the sealing of the Western City District, in jail."

Wang Bo was a bit dazed. Pan Yueqing turned around and looked at the shocked common people, "I hope you all remember that I always keep my word."