Chapter 37 I accidentally fell from the top of the city

Xun Chen surveyed the roads on both sides. To his surprise, the roads in Beixin City were clean, and there were no starving corpses lying by the roadside. Although the houses along the way were old and dilapidated, many had been repaired, and the thatch on the roofs was also new.

This indicated that the people living inside still had the energy to do these relatively less important things.

You should know that if the people in the city were often hungry and lacked strength, they would not care at all whether the roofs and walls were broken.

Xun Chen stared at the passing crowds and noticed that although they looked malnourished, they all walked with straight backs and their heads held high, indicating that their physical condition was relatively good and they did not look like they had been starving for a long time.

Moreover, most of these people were wearing old hemp clothes, indicating that they were not from the gentry but ordinary commoners.

Xun Chen was even more surprised. This kind of atmosphere and human touch was not commonly seen even in Ye City!

You should know that after Yuan Shao's three years of governance, Ye City had become the most prosperous and flourishing city in Ji Province, and most of the gentry in Ji Province had moved there.

The gentry had land, and those who held official positions also had salaries, so of course they would not go hungry. However, there were also a large number of commoners in Ye City. If they wanted to eat their fill, they either had to work for others or farm the land for others.

However, most of the land in Ji Province was in the hands of the local gentry, and the income that the commoners earned from working could only barely provide them with enough to eat. Hunger was a common occurrence.

Therefore, the spirit of the commoners in Ye City was actually not as good as that of those in Beixin City. This surprised Xun Chen and also made him somewhat puzzled.

Yuan Xi saw Xun Chen looking around and knew that the other party was observing and assessing the situation.

This time, in order not to reveal Dong Zhao's matter, he had to send him away in advance. Now that he had no strategists by his side, he needed to deal with the extremely complex and unfavorable situation in front of him himself.

Yuan Tan, Xun Chen, and Gao Lan belonged to three different factions. A simple excuse was impossible to use to deal with all three of them.

Yuan Shao had really given him a difficult problem.

At this time, Sun Li had already ridden ahead and entered the City Lord's Mansion, found Wu Zhao, and handed her a bamboo slip.

Wu Zhao looked at the words on the bamboo slip, nodded slightly, and turned into the backyard, where dozens of women were waiting there together.

When they saw Wu Zhao return, they all lowered their heads and bowed.

Wu Zhao sighed in her heart and said, "There are distinguished guests in the mansion this time. The young master said that you can go out and perform, entirely voluntarily."

"Those who are unwilling will not be forced."

A woman said softly, "The young master saved our lives. We are willing to be used by the young master."

Wu Zhao found it increasingly difficult to speak, because Yuan Xi was actually using a beauty trap this time!

She had some resistance to this kind of thing in her heart, and there was a reason for it.

It was because Dong Zhuo had fallen for Wang Yun's trick, which led to the discord between him and Lu Bu, which led to his being killed.

After Dong Zhuo was killed, her father, Cai Yong, was also killed by Wang Yun on a pretext.

Although Wu Zhao felt sad in her heart, when she thought that Yuan Xi said that he would never force the women, she felt a little better, and then said, "There are three guests coming this time."

"The eldest son of the Governor of Yuan Province, the eldest young master Yuan."

"Xun Mou, the strategist of the Xun family, a gentry family from Yingchuan."

"General Gao Lan, a general of the Governor of Yuan Province."

"Those who are willing to accompany the guests with wine and perform, please step forward."

When the women heard this, their faces lit up and they stepped forward one after another.

Wu Zhao found that, except for seven or eight people, there were actually more than twenty people who were willing.

Seeing this, she had no choice but to say, "Those who are willing, go to the mansion gate to receive them first. Whether you can be chosen depends on your performance and your fate."

When the women heard this, they rushed back to the house to prepare to sing and dance.

Wu Zhao saw that among the remaining seven or eight people, there were a few who looked quite good. She breathed a sigh of relief and thought that there were still people who adhered to their original intentions.

She said, "Since you are unwilling to go, then go back first..."

Suddenly, a young and beautiful girl spoke up, "Sister, it's not that I'm unwilling, I just want to ask, is there a chance to stay with the second young master Yuan?"

Wu Zhao was stunned: "Is that what you think?"

Another girl also nodded and said, "That's right, we have been in the city for a while, and we know that the second young master Yuan has a prominent family background and a reputation for benevolence and righteousness. If we can be his concubines or maids, we don't have to worry about being punished for no reason. It can be said to be a very good destination."

Wu Zhao was stunned: "I thought you didn't want to..."

A girl said softly, "Sister, we were all looted together and suffered the hardships of the Xiongnu people. Is that the life people live?"

"In fact, before I was robbed, I also had no food for the next meal in Luoyang City. Sister, do you know how uncomfortable it is to be hungry, and how embarrassing it is to beg for food but not be able to support yourself?"

"The second young master Yuan saved us. We can at least eat our fill now. Even ants know how to repay kindness. We want to repay kindness, and we also want to live a better life. Is there anything wrong with that?"

Wu Zhao said hoarsely, "I recognize you. Aren't you the daughter of an official..."

The girl said sadly, "My whole family was killed by Dong Zhuo, that dog thief, and most of the women in the clan were robbed and humiliated."

"Now it's good enough that I can live. What else can I expect?"

The other girls felt the same way and began to cry.

Wu Zhao felt as if something was stuck in her throat and she couldn't speak.

So, the so-called misfortune that she had was simply a self-pitying lament compared to them?

Yes, in this chaotic world, people are not as good as dogs and live without dignity. What qualifications did she have to blame them?

Yuan Xi led Yuan Tan and the other three all the way to the gate of the City Lord's Mansion. Yuan Tan frowned slightly when he saw that there were only dozens of soldiers guarding the gate.

He looked displeased and said, "The gentry in this Beixin City are too much!

"I am here on behalf of my father this time. Gongsun Zan has killed Marquis Liu without authorization and has become a rebel. My father is fighting against him on behalf of the imperial court. The gentry of You Province should also welcome us!

"Now, in front of my younger brother's mansion, there isn't even a single scholar. Could it be that they all support Gongsun Zan, this rebel, and won't come to see me?"

Yuan Xi smiled when he heard this and said, "Brother, don't be angry. It's not that they won't come, but there are no gentry in Beixin City now."

Yuan Tan was puzzled when he heard this and said, "What about the original gentry?"

Yuan Xi laughed, "When I was besieged by Gongsun Zan, the city was short of food, and many people were about to starve to death. Those gentry were still hoarding food and threatening me."

"So I confiscated their food and made their heads of household stand guard on the city wall. As a result, they were too careless and all accidentally fell down."

"The rest ran away overnight. I couldn't stop them, so I had to handle their family property for them and exchanged it for a lot of food."

"However, what brother said is also correct. Speaking of which, Marquis Liu was killed by Gongsun Zan because the gentry generals betrayed him. Hoarding food during the siege is equivalent to supporting Gongsun Zan. They didn't die unjustly."

He said this lightly, but Yuan Tan was shocked. Xun Chen and Gao Lan also widened their eyes, with an expression of disbelief.

Accidentally fell down?

No one would believe that!

Moreover, these were gentry!

How could they be treated like this!

The Yuan family was also a gentry!

The Han family ruled the world with the gentry. The land was all in the hands of the gentry. If they couldn't get the support of the gentry, it would be impossible to govern a place!

The Rebellion of the Ten Attendants involved complex entanglements between scholars and eunuchs. Now, after several palace upheavals, the eunuch forces have been completely uprooted, and the world is at a time when the gentry are triumphant.

Now, openly killing gentry is no small disaster.

Xun Chen's goat beard also trembled. He said hoarsely, "Young master, even if they are wrong, but you treat the gentry like this, it is contrary to the lord."

"Moreover, if there are no gentry in the city, how can it be governed?"

Yuan Xi smiled when he heard this and said, "Since there are no gentry in the city, then I will choose some for them."

As soon as this was said, Yuan Tan and the other three were even more dumbfounded.