"But a thief!" Wang Ermao's heart twitched suddenly, as if he had been stabbed by a knife, dripping blood.

No one has ever insulted him with similar words, but Zhang Wenqi's demeanor and eyes when he spoke were extremely familiar to Wang Ermao. He remembered that when he tried everything in front of him to get some rare things and stuffed them to Zhou Ning, when he expressed his admiration to the other party, Miss Zhou looked at him like this. I didn't refuse, but I didn't thank you, I just looked at it lightly, and I saw that the blood on the person's body was a little cold, and a little bit like ice water flowed through my chest.

Wang Ermao clearly remembered that until the last moment when the two got along, Zhou Ning had this attitude. It was only after she lost the strength to stand that a little tenderness finally appeared in her proud gaze. But the only bit of gentleness is not to himself, Wang Ermao knows it clearly.

It's not himself, Zhou Ning on his deathbed was finally moved by his sincerity, but he didn't have a trace of love for himself. Wang Ermao has always been puzzled by why the other party is like this, and today he finally found the answer. And yet the answer was so sharp, so cold.

But a thief! It turned out that in her heart, I was always a thief. But a thief! The words pierced his ears like an awl, pierced his throat, and pierced down his choked throat, piercing his abdomen and six organs into a string, still refusing to pause at all, no matter how much blood and tears were shed, he stabbed deep into his heart at once. Endlessly, endlessly.

If he continued to poke like this, Wang Ermao knew that he had to go crazy. He knows how to solve it, and Zhang Dazhai has already done a good job of demonstrating. "Tie the dog officer to the pillar for me, Lao Tzu will dig out his heart with his own hands!" Suppressing his heavy gasps, he shouted in a voice that was never his own. "And those minions of his, all tied to the stake, Lao Tzu is digging one by one today!"

The guards were stunned for a moment, their eyes widened and they turned their heads to look. They are familiar with Wang Ermao's character and know that he is not a cruel and murderous person. Zhang Wenqi belonged to the high-ranking officials of the Great Sui and had to be killed. But for such an honest and backbone person, minions are more willing to give each other a good time.

"What are you doing in a daze, don't do it quickly!" Wang Ermao grabbed the startled wood and slapped the table case with a crackling sound.

"No...... Wang Duwei, let's ......." The pro-soldiers who pretended to be servants did not dare to follow their superiors, nor did they want to carry out orders, and they glared and muttered.

Just as he was hesitating, Zhang Pigskin stood up, used his body to block Wang Ermao, who was already in a state of madness, and ordered loudly at the bottom, "What are you hesitating about, Wang Duwei didn't say that he would be dissected now." Bring the dog officer first, and I have a few more words to ask him.

The guards secretly breathed a sigh of relief, rushed down the hall, pulled Zhang Wenqi, who was being dragged out, back to the lobby, and pressed his hands and feet to the kneeling stone. Zhang Wenqi refused to kneel anymore, and was kicked several times in the crook of his knee, and finally couldn't support it, so he sat on the ground with a "plop" and sneered at Zhang Pigskin and others.

Zhang Zhupi knew that the official in front of him was a rare hard bone, and he didn't want to humiliate him anymore, so he smiled and asked with a pleasant face, "You just said that you want to see me and wait before you die, otherwise you won't be blind to death, is it just to find an opportunity to humiliate me before you die?" ”

At the mention of this, the expression on Zhang Wenqi's face, the Taishou of Jijun, softened slightly, shook his head, and said with a sneer: "You thieves dare to attack the county town with a thousand people, and you are also bold. To be able to take advantage of the compassion of my subordinates for the people to deceive the city gate can also be said to be somewhat insightful. Therefore, Zhang thought that although you are a bandit, you can also afford the words "courage and knowledge, dare to act", so I have a few words I want to ask. Who would have expected you to wait like this, it must have been a vain question to ask! Forget it, if you want to kill, you will kill, don't scare Zhang with any disembowelment. It's just a death, and it's not too much of a death! ”

Due to his age and experience, Zhang Pigskin is far more calm than Wang Ermao. also shook his head with a smile, not at all disgusted by the words of Jijun Taishou, "When the two armies are fighting, they can make whatever moves they can." It can't be that the imperial court has sent officers and soldiers to recruit and suppress, and we have to greet each other with a smile at the designated place, right? ”

Zhang Wenqi, the Taishou of Jijun, was slightly stunned when asked, and then replied quickly, "So although Zhang despises your actions, he also admires your courage and insight." It's a pity that you wait for a good man, you don't know how to contribute to the country, but you want to be a thief! Although it is fast for a while, it will be infamous for eternity! ”

"Fuck your shit!" Wang Ermao opened the pigskin and grabbed it in front of Jijun Taishou. The fire in his heart has not yet dissipated, and his face looks blue and red. But his eyes were much calmer than before, and his speech became more organized.

Pointing to Zhang Wenqi's nose, he continued to scold, "If Lao Tzu is like you, there is a vermilion lacquer bathtub soaking every day, and there are big fish and meat to eat, what else is the opposite?" You look around with wide eyes, which of the brothers in this hall was forced by you to have no way to live, so he had to pick up a knife? ”

Seeing Zhang Wenqi's face full of dissatisfaction, Wang Ermao turned around and nodded and called the nearest minion to him, "Liu Laosan, you tell this dog official, why don't you go to the exam to be an official, but become a thief!" ”

"I, I..." The minion didn't turn around, touching the back of his head and muttering, "I, my family is so poor that I can't even afford to eat, how can I have the money to study?" The year before last, the year before last, there was a drought, and my family owed the government a dow, and the officials had to take the land away. My grandfather pleaded with them, and they kicked and vomited blood on the spot......"

In the first few sentences, he stammered. Speaking of the future, the anger of grief and indignation rises from the heart. His eyes were red, and he added, almost shouting, "I saw that I wasn't alive anyway, so I rushed out with an axe." They won't let me live, and I won't let them live anymore. , it's all dead anyway, it's better to pull a few pads first! ”

"You, Zhu Laogen'er, why do you have to live a good life, you have to be a bandit?" Wang Ermao casually found a minion and asked loudly.

"Who wants to be a bandit? I don't have food, I don't have clothes, I don't want to be a bandit, how can I live? Zhu Laogen glared at Zhang Wenqi and responded hatefully.

didn't give Zhang Wenqi a chance to speak, Wang Ermao ordered a series of orders, and ordered more than a dozen minions one after another, but they couldn't survive and were forced to take risks.

Zhang Wenqi, the Taishou of Jijun, didn't believe it, and stared around for support. Wang Ermao guessed what he was thinking, and called another one who looked sven, and asked loudly: "What about you, Yuan Shouxu, you have read books, why don't you take the county order, and the county guard will be in charge?" ”

Zhang Wenqi, the person who pretended to be a servant, was very familiar with it, and it was he who moved his compassion just now to pull the officials from under the knife to the lobby, and then led to a farce.

Which Cheng thought that although Yuan Shouxu looked polite and polite, his hatred for the Great Sui court was no less than that of Liu Laosan, Zhu Laogener and others. "My family has 130 acres of land, and I have a good life. I don't know which bastard ordered my family to move to the city. He said that he was a thief, but he went and did not give him food. My family's family was tossed up in less than half a year, and my two younger sisters were all sold to others as girls, and they were only exchanged for three buckets of su......."

Thinking of his lost sister, he couldn't talk anymore. He bowed to Wang Ermao and clenched his fists, choked up and said, "My subordinates know that they are wrong." All the dog officials of the court should be killed. The subordinates are soft-hearted for a while, please punish the captain! ”

"Taishou-sama, what else do you have to say? Do I need to ask a few more people? Wang Ermao held up Yuan Shouxu's arm and asked Zhang Wenqi who was stupid with a smile. Instantly saved a game, and his mood was slightly soothed. It's just that the pain, but it is like a stone pressing on the chest, and people can really feel its presence every time they breathe.

Zhang Wenqi was born in a family of eunuchs, although he knew that the rule of officials in the Great Sui Dynasty had been getting worse and worse in recent years, but he didn't expect it to be so bad. Not only did those peddlers and pawns not survive anymore, but even the children of good families like Yuan Shouxu lost their support for survival. He is an honest reader, and he has no face to continue to quibble. sighed and said in a low voice, "I lost in your hands today, and it's not wrong." It's a pity that the emperor didn't know about this, otherwise Zhang would have risked his life to admonish him......."

"The upper beam is not right and the lower beam is crooked, what kind of emperor is there, what kind of dog official must be there. It's fucking strange that you, a dog official, are not greedy or vain, and you can still be a county guard! This time, it was Wang Ermao's turn to sneer, "Lao Tzu asked you, what did you want to say to me just now." When that's done, I'll make you a full ghost! ”

"Zhang, as an official of the Great Sui, can't eradicate traitors for the emperor, and he can't guard Liyang for the imperial court, so it's not a pity to die!" Zhang Wenqi's arrogance was lost, and he responded with a sigh. But before Zhang died, he wanted to persuade the king. You occupy Liyang, and you can take and move things as you like. If you can't take it away, if you can't move it, please don't destroy it! ”

"You mean this Liyang Cang?" Wang Ermao, who was slowly regaining his calmness, reacted quickly and asked with a little admiration. Death is on the verge of death, and the dog officer still wants to guard the grain depot for his master, which can really be called loyal. But Liyangcang had to be burned, Zhang Jiajun couldn't come for a while, and there was no danger around the city to defend at all. Once the imperial court mobilizes a large army to seize it, it will be able to snatch all the grain back in the blink of an eye.

Zhang Wenqi sighed and nodded lightly, "This warehouse is the savings of more than 20 years in Hebei counties. Yang Xuangan was reluctant to burn it back then. General Li was trapped in the lonely city and was reluctant to burn it. Although the king is from a reckless background, he seems to be a bold and knowledgeable person, don't do this thing that people and gods are angry about! ”

"If you don't do things that people and gods are angry about, when the officials and soldiers come, they will leave me a way to live? If I don't burn it, will I let the court recruit troops and fight me again? Wang Ermao laughed, very disdainful of Zhang Wenqi's nerdy remarks.

Zhang Wenqi, the Taishou of Jijun, was speechless and sighed. Seeing his disheartened appearance, Wang Ermao also felt a little sorry for his talents, walked closer, squatted down and asked, "If you surrender, I won't burn Liyang Cang." Is the county keeper willing to do this deal? ”

When Zhang Wenqi heard this, his face was first happy, and then he became miserable, "Zhang failed to defend Liyang, and he has already insulted his ancestors once." How can you be an enemy and let the ancestors of the Zhang family be disgraced? Don't force me, the king, although Zhang was defeated by you, this face is to be kept to see the ancestors! ”

Wang Ermao persuaded this nerd to surrender in a few words, and he didn't have much hope. Hearing the other party's response, he smiled and ordered someone to drag him down. Another lieutenant, Zhang Zhupi, still admired the personality and courage of the county guard, stepped forward and persuaded in a low voice, "Brother Ermao, do you really have to kill him?" ”

"Kill what kill. Someone comes, put him in prison, eat and drink and wait! Wang Ermao smiled bitterly a few times and ordered the brothers to shackle Zhang Wenqi, who was already about to be killed, and put him in a prison behind the yamen. Lao Tzu didn't kill him first. Lao Tzu asked him to see how he is a real good official! ”

After that, he ignored Zhang Wenqi's protest and walked back to the seat of the county guard. Sit upright, take a deep breath, and then order in a dumb voice, "Come on, bring me Liyang Cang Sicang!" ”

The minions agreed, dragged them from the pile of prisoners, and escorted Liyang Cang Sicang Tang Decai to the lobby. The Lord Sicang was far less backbone than the county guard Zhang Wenqi, and he didn't wait for others to kick him, so he immediately "pounced" and knelt down, and while kowtowing, he cried and shouted: "The king spares his life, the king spares his life, the small one is a person who watches the grain depot, but he has never done anything bad!" ”

"Look at your pee!" Wang Ermao was very disgusted with the other party's personality and scolded in a low voice.

"Whew... Hmm" The soldiers who made a temporary cameo appearance also felt that Tang Decai had embarrassed the official just now, and cheered in unison. After drinking it once, Tang Decai was already paralyzed on the ground in fright, his official robe was wet for a long time, and he didn't care about shame, he cried out at the top of his throat: "King, I really haven't done anything bad." I've stolen a few bags of rice at most, but it's not a capital offense! ”

"Shut up!" Wang Ermao almost made him happy, and slapped the table. "The official doesn't care if you have stolen grain or not, the official asks you, how much grain is stored in Liyang Cang? Do you have a total there? ”

"Yes, yes, absolutely!" Li Yang Cang Sicang Tang Decai heard that the other party was useful to him, and his spirit was unconsciously lifted, "The small one has a stack of account books, and in the past ten years, every grain in and out of the grain depot has been recorded on it. The small ones will be checked every month, and even if there is a mistake, it is not more than a thousand stones! ”

"I asked you how much grain you have, and I didn't say I wanted to check your ledger!" Wang Ermao slapped the table again and ordered the other party not to talk nonsense.

The number of thousands of stones, in the Sicang officials, is only a small error, and the huge amount of grain stored in Liyang Warehouse is naturally conceivable. However, the figures reported by Tang Decai were far beyond everyone's expectations, not only stunned the minions, but even some officials who were crying and begging for mercy stopped crying in a daze and opened their mouths wide.

"Liyang warehouse was built by the emperor to prepare for famine, and there are 1,125 grain cellars in one. If all of them are full, each warehouse can hold 8,000 stone of grain......"

Wang Ermao's eyes were dark when he heard this, and he almost fell from his seat. Unable to maintain his image, he held the table with both hands and asked loudly, "Now, is every grain cellar full, or is it empty?" ”

Sicang Tang De thought about it and replied truthfully, "Full, most of them are full!" Yang, Yang Xuangan transported some away. Lee, General Li gave some to the people. But, but, that's just nine, a drop in the bucket. It's just that some of the grain in the warehouse has been stored for too long and is no longer edible! ”

"***, I'd rather put the grain so that I can't eat it, and I don't want to help the people, and the dog official is embarrassed to pretend to be profound in front of Lao Tzu!" Wang Ermao slapped the table case again and again, regretting and angry. His hometown, Guantao, is not far from Liyangcang, and with the help of a ferry, he can go back and forth in three days. But in his childhood memories, the time when he was hungry was much higher than when he had something to eat.

Thinking of guarding a large granary at the door of his house, but he was always dizzy with hunger, a nameless anger rushed to his top door again, "You dog officials, you steal by yourself, how can you bear to let the grain rot." I don't know if it was all sweat beads that fell to the ground and fell eight petals to pick it up? He***, I see that you and others are all *** he should be killed, no one is wronged! ”

"My lord, I am wronged. My lord! "Unexpectedly, Wang Ermao said that he would turn his face, and Sicang Tang Decai leaned over to the ground and howled loudly." We are just guarding the grain depot, how can we have the courage to open a warehouse and release grain! Even if it is the lord of the county guard, he has to go to the fold first, and wait for the approval of the imperial court before he can move the grain in the warehouse......."

"My lord, it's not like I'm waiting to die! This winter's excerpt was handed over, and by the time the imperial court approved it, it would already be next autumn. Those who should have starved to death would have starved to death a long time ago! Another scribe of the yamen, fearing that he would suffer from the fish in the pond, preemptively defended himself.

Wang Ermao angrily slapped the table case, but he didn't have the heart to kill again. Gritting his teeth, Sen Ran said, "Tang Sicang, let me ask you, do you know which granary has good grain and which one is rotten?" ”

"This?" The opportunity to escape was in front of him, but Tang Sicang saw that it was difficult for him to grasp it, and hesitated for a while before telling the truth: "Villain, villain doesn't know very well." There are also many warehouse chiefs and warehouse soldiers under the command of the villain, and they are responsible for taking care of the grain. The villain just counts the total! ”

"And what about your minions?" Wang Ermao took a breath and continued to ask.

Tang Sicang looked at the crowd outside the lobby and replied respectfully, "There are a total of thirty warehouse managers under the command of the villain. More than 200 soldiers. All the soldiers ran out, the warehouse chief ran a dozen times, and four of them were cut down by the heroes under the king's command, and the rest were kneeling outside! ”

Note 1: According to historical data, the Great Sui successively established Liyang Cang, Heyang Cang, Hanjiacang, Guangtong Cang, and Luokou Cang. Among them, the largest Luokou warehouse has 3,000 grain cellars, and each cellar stores 8,000 stones. These five granaries have not been exhausted after the war at the end of the Sui Dynasty, and until the Zhenguan period, there is still old grain from the Sui Dynasty that can be taken out for disaster relief.