An eight-year-old kid emptied his scumbag father's warehouse and followed his grandparents into

Chapter 796: Save the Child, Rob the Food 2

"I told you, I'm not a bad person. I was sent by the King of Yan to rescue people."

Qingfeng's voice was low and firm. He deliberately slowed down his speech to ensure that every word could be heard clearly.

"We will open the warehouse and release grain soon. You can hide for a while. I will deliver food every few days." As he said this, his eyes swept over the several broken bowls piled in the corner, with a few moldy rice grains still remaining at the bottom of the bowls.

He saw the protruding joints on the old man's skinny wrists, which looked like a string of rosary beads. The old man moved his mouth but did not speak, but from his expression, he definitely understood Mandarin.

The air inside the room was stagnant and heavy, a mixture of musty and sour sweat. The mottled water stains on the walls resembled distorted human faces in the candlelight. The youngest girl was still clutching her steamed bun with her grubby little hands, glancing at him warily with each bite.

"They say they're going to pull it out to the sea and sell it." The old woman's hoarse voice suddenly rang out, like a blunt knife scratching rough stone. Her fingers were tightly clenched around the edge of her clothes, her knuckles turning white.

"Sell it?" Jing Chunxi's exclamation pierced the silence like a sharp sword. His raised sleeve knocked over the teacup.

The tea slithered across the table like a small brown snake. Her fingers clutched Xu Zize's sleeve tightly, her nails almost digging into the fabric.

Quickfoot slammed his fist down on the table, sending the teapot leaping and slamming back down. "They're arresting people and selling them? Nothing like this has ever happened in history!" His voice trembled with anger, and the veins in his temples bulged.

Qingfeng slammed his fist down on the table again, causing it to groan under the weight. The teacup leaped up like a startled bird, then tumbled to the floor, shattering into pieces. Tea dripped down the edge of the table, forming a small puddle on the floor.

"The government is still using the excuse of raising food for the soldiers in the northern border..." Qingfeng's voice was like a gritted voice. His eyes swept over everyone present, finally stopping at Xu Zize's face. "Just three days ago, a batch of food was taken away, a full five hundred carts."

Jing Chunxi suddenly jumped up, and the chair behind her fell to the ground with a loud bang. "Oh no! The food has fallen into the hands of the Tartars..." Her voice was so sharp that it almost broke.

Xu Zize's hand rested lightly on her shoulder, not using much force but pushing her back into her seat irresistibly.

Xu Zize's fingers tapped lightly on the tabletop, a slow, regular rhythm. His gaze passed through the half-open window, gazing out at the distant night sky. "The higher-ups definitely don't know about this." His voice was soft, yet filled with undeniable certainty.

The emperor went to such lengths, allowing his officials to do whatever they wanted. This shows how corrupt the officials in the court were. How ironic.

Jing Chunxi twisted her fingers together, "What should we do? We have to stop it quickly..." Her voice was filled with tears, and her eyes were fixed on Xu Zize, like a drowning person grabbing the last straw.

Xu Zize suddenly rested his elbows on the table, covering his face with his hands, seemingly feeling unwell. The tea stains on the table left unsightly marks on his sleeves. Qingfeng hesitated whether to wipe them, and the cloth in his hand was crumpled into a ball.

"Have you seen the beach where the child was kidnapped?" Xu Zize's voice leaked out from between his fingers, muffled.

Green Shadow's back straightened. "They followed, but the child hasn't gotten on board yet..." He spoke quickly, as if reciting a military report. "At least several thousand people, guarded by two hundred."

"Are there large forests near the fishing village?" Xu Zize still didn't look up, his voice low and steady.

Green Shadow's Adam's apple rolled: "Yes, there are mountains and forests on both sides of the estuary..." His fingers drew an arc in the air, depicting the undulating terrain.

"How far is the fishing village from the East City Gate?" Xu Zize asked questions one after another, as if he was playing an invisible game of chess.

"Three hundred miles." Green Shadow's answer was crisp and clear, without any hesitation, and he was indeed well prepared.

Jing Chunxi's brow furrowed, and she bit her lower lip until she tasted blood. "Brother Xiaokang, if we go, we'll have to go back and forth..." Her voice gradually faded, finally turning into a sigh.

If they went to rescue the children and leave food for them, it would definitely take a whole day to go back and forth, and it would be even more difficult to catch up with the teams transporting food.

Xu Zize finally raised his head, his eyes first falling on Jing Chunxi's face.

After a while, he turned to Luying and Qingfeng and said, "In addition to the ones you brought last time, I'll give you two twenty more people, is that okay?" His voice was icy cold without a trace of warmth, and his eyes were as sharp as a knife.

Green Shadow and Qingfeng stood up simultaneously, took two steps back, and knelt. The sound of their knees hitting the ground was particularly loud in the silent room. "I can definitely do it." Their voices overlapped, firm and powerful.

Xu Zize turned his gaze towards Jing Chunxi, his expression softening slightly. "Xi'er, do you want to rest for a while?" Jing Chunxi shook his head firmly.

His fingers tapped lightly on the table. "Let's change our clothes and leave right away..."

Qingfeng and Luying's knees, already standing, slammed back down, making a dull thud. "Master, just you? How can that be?" Qingfeng's voice trembled slightly with excitement. He fixed his gaze firmly on Xu Zize, not flinching.

Kuaijiao's fingers unconsciously stroked the hilt of his sword, his gaze darting between the crowd. As Jing Chunxi's personal guard, his position was clear. But at this moment, he felt the burden on his shoulders heavier than ever before.

"The young lady and I have ten secret guards, and..." Xu Zize's voice broke the silence. His eyes swept over Kuaijiao. "Just leave Tangshuang and Chuntao to watch over those children." His tone was unquestionable, and he didn't mean to discuss it with them.

Finally, Xu Zize's gaze pierced Qingfeng and Luying like a sharp sword. "If the children can't be rescued..." His voice was soft, but it caused the temperature in the room to drop sharply.

The second half of the sentence was not finished, but everyone understood its significance.

"Do you know how to solve the food problem for the children?" Xu Zize pulled Jing Chunxi, took a step forward, then took another step back and turned around with a serious face.

"We won't let the children starve!" The two men turned around and continued to kneel, knowing that food was the key to their children's life and death. The wealthy families had so much food in their farms that they could easily rob any nearby family. They weren't worried.

Seeing everyone tense, Jing Chunxi couldn't help but say, "Remember to leave them some banknotes. However," thinking of the officials and wealthy families' indifference and their lack of compassion, Jing Chunxi gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "Just leave them half of the normal market value."

"Even half is too much!" Xu Zize's final words spoke volumes about what they were thinking. These wealthy landlords had already captured many people to work for them, squeezing the hard-earned money out of the people. Giving them silver was simply too cheap.

But Qingfeng and Luying felt a little panicked, not understanding what their master meant by the word "more".

Should I give this banknote or not? Is it more or less? I can't trick them.