Feng Qizhen took a look around, and it was true. The weapons of these bandits were varied. "Why would a good citizen become a bandit? Are you tired of living?" Once you are caught by the government, they will not care so much about you, just behead you... Write a memorial later, and it will be a credit for suppressing the bandits! Ning Chen said: "As long as the people have food to eat, they will not become bandits." "There are only two reasons. First, they really have no way to survive." "Second, these people are not born good people. They are idle all day long and want to get something for nothing... Obviously, they are the first type." Feng Qizhen was puzzled, "Why is it the first type?" Ning Chen smiled and said: "If it is the second type, they will not be so disciplined, not robbing this and not robbing that." Feng Qizhen nodded slightly, "That makes sense!" Ning Chen looked at the bandit leader, "Tell me, where are you from?"
The bandit leader looked up at Ning Chen with horror in his eyes. Feng Qizhen used force on the knife in his hand and said sternly: "You still don't say it, do you want to die?" The bandit leader was so scared that he trembled, "I...I am from Yangping County." Ning Chen thought for a while. When he came here, he studied the situation in Xiuzhou. Xiuzhou has twelve counties under its jurisdiction. Yangping County and Qinghe County are not far away, less than 200 miles away. "Old Feng, put away the knife first!" Feng Qizhen looked at the bandit leader and warned: "Be honest, or I will chop you with a knife!" After saying that, he put away the knife. Ning Chen squatted down and looked at the bandit leader, "Why did you become a bandit?" The bandit leader hung his head, with a hint of anger in his voice, "I can't live anymore. Instead of waiting to die, I might as well fight and maybe I can save my life." "From what you said, you have been educated?" "I went to a private school for a few years!" "What's your name?" "Yang Yongwang." Ning Chen nodded slightly, "You can't live anymore because of the fairy flower?" Yang Yongwang looked at Ning Chen in surprise, "You... who are you?" "The one who can save your life." Ning Chen said lightly: "According to the rules of the Great Xuan Law, all bandits can be killed by everyone... No matter who kills you, it will be a great achievement." "If you fall into the hands of the government, you will definitely die... Whatever I ask next, you just answer it? Maybe you can save your life, do you understand?" Yang Yongwang looked at Ning Chen blankly. "Didn't understand?"
Yang Yongwang nodded hurriedly, "I understand!" He has fallen into the hands of these people. If he is handed over to the government, he will surely die. It is better to take a gamble and try to trust these people. "You just said that there is no way to survive because Yangping County has planted a large area of fairy flowers?" Yang Yongwang nodded, "Yes!" Feng Qizheng looked at Ning Chen and interrupted curiously, "How do you know that they can't survive because of the fairy flowers?" "This is not difficult to guess..." Pan Yucheng said and walked over, saying: "Xiuzhou has fertile land, high grain production, and fabrics and embroidery are very famous... Xiuzhou is one of the richest states in Daxuan." "Now there is no natural disaster, the people should live a rich life... But they can't survive, it can only be a man-made disaster." Ning Chen nodded slightly, it is true! He looked at Yang Yongwang, "Tell me the details?" Yang Yongwang was silent for a while, then slowly said: "Five years ago, the government asked us to plant something called fairy flowers. The government provided seeds, and we just planted it." "And after the planting is successful, we can exchange the fairy flowers for food, and we don't have to pay taxes!" "But that year, all the fairy flowers we planted died. The government gave us silver and food." "We continued to plant the next year, but in the following years, none of the fairy flowers we planted survived." "But the silver and food given to us by the government are getting less and less every year, and we can barely fill our stomachs." "This year, we Finally, the planting was successful... But after we handed over the fruits of the fairy flower, the government kept delaying the grain and silver it promised to give us. " "We looked for it several times, but to no avail. But we couldn't afford to eat anymore. If we didn't see any more grain and silver, we would starve to death." "Two months ago, I took everyone to the county magistrate again, but we didn't get any grain, and we were beaten. We were even accused of rebellion and were going to be imprisoned and beheaded!" "There was no other way. I could only take everyone to escape into the mountains... Our place is high in mountains and dense in forests, and the terrain is complex. The government officials didn't dare to easily enter the mountains to arrest us." Pan Yucheng and the others looked at each other. This is similar to the situation in Qinghe County that Zi Su said. Ning Chen asked, "Besides Yangping County, are there other counties that grow fairy flowers?" Yang Yongwang shook his head, "I don't know! Since we started growing fairy flowers, we have been forbidden to disclose the news of fairy flowers to the outside world. Once discovered, we will be imprisoned and beheaded, and our family will also be implicated." "We can't contact people from other counties, not even Xiuzhou City. Every intersection in our county is guarded by government officials." Feng Qizhen couldn't help asking, "Why don't you sue the officials?" Ning Chen looked at him speechlessly, "How to sue? Who in the hall is suing me?" "No, I mean, why not sue me?" Ning Chen sneered, "Go up? Who should I find? Xiuzhou Governor? Prefect? Or Prince Duan?"
Feng Qizhen said, "Go to the capital to sue." Ning Chen shook his head, "They can't even get out of the county seat. Even if they go out, they can't get out of Xiuzhou City... Even if they get out of Xiuzhou City, they won't be able to get to the capital alive." "When the world falls, the people suffer. When the world rises, the people also suffer." Pan Yucheng's face changed slightly, "Be careful what you say!" These words seem to accuse His Majesty. If they reach the ears of interested people, they will definitely make a big fuss! Ning Chen sneered and said, "Am I wrong? What are the common people? If you are in trouble, use them to die, and if you are safe, do your best." Pan Yucheng quickly changed the topic: "Do you suspect that there are other counties where fairy flowers are planted?" Ning Chen said: "It's not a suspicion, it's a certainty... In the fairy powder case, many of the more than thirty court officials had been smoking it for several years, which shows that they successfully planted fairy flowers a few years ago." Pan Yucheng nodded slightly, "Then what should we do next?" Ning Chen thought for a while, then came back and asked Yang Yongwang, "Where do you usually hide?" Yang Yongwang said in a trembling voice: "There are many caves in the mountains, and we don't have a fixed residence... We worry about encirclement and suppression by officers and soldiers, so we often change places." Ning Chen was a little confused. These people are also very important witnesses, but it is simply unrealistic to bring so many people back to the capital. I'm afraid they won't even be able to get out of Xiuzhou City. "Yang Yongwang, I am the only one who can save you now. I hope you keep this in mind... With your abilities, it will be a matter of time before the government annihilates you. If you want to live, just do as I say." Yang Yongwang nodded repeatedly. "Lao Gao, Lao Chen... you two hide with them first to ensure their safety." Gao Ziping and Chen Chong nodded. Ning Chen pulled the two of them aside and warned in a low voice: "You must be careful. Although they are not qualified bandits, they cannot be careless." The two nodded, "Don't worry, we are not inexperienced newcomers." Ning Chen said: "Remember, leave a mark for me after entering the mountain, and I will come back to find you." Gao Ziping asked: "What mark?" Ning Chen drew something on the palm of his hand, "Just put an 'X' on the tree."