Ye Feng watched the shifty-eyed young man step forward and cup his fists in greeting. "This matter, when all is said and done, has a connection to Your Majesty!"
Ye Feng scratched his head. To be dealt with like this on his own territory, didn't that mean it was undeniably connected to him? This was a statement that couldn't be more accurate, a true truism!
"Is it truly because of Your Majesty that so many troubles have arisen here?" the young man pleaded on behalf of the people. "I implore Your Majesty to be merciful and spare them; they are also subjects of the Great Han!"
"You want this King to spare them?" Ye Feng's gaze turned cold. He tapped the side of his sedan chair with his fingers and asked with feigned interest, "Do you know what they did back then!"
"This humble one knows, of course, but after all, it was the act of one person. Your Majesty cannot involve the innocent! Your Majesty!" The young man shed a few tears and hurried on, "If Your Majesty spares them, it will be a great merit!"
"These people are already weak and frail, with no possibility of continuing labor. Heaven cherishes life!" the young man babbled on.
"Silence! Back then, why didn't they consider Heaven's mercy and try to put this King to death? It is simply retribution!"
Upon hearing this, the hopeful glint that had just appeared on the faces of the villagers instantly dimmed. After all, they had elders who had lived through the Qin Dynasty, and they knew that Ye Feng had already shown them utmost benevolence.
"If we had enough to eat and drink, and a way to survive, who would be willing to stand here and block the path!" a woman sobbed, her tears flowing freely. She then quickly pushed two children in front of her. "It doesn't matter if Your Majesty kills me, but please spare the lives of my children!"
"Mama!" The two children immediately ran over and hugged the woman, their tears streaming down their faces. "Mama, we don't want to go, we want to stay with you!"
Seeing the woman staring at Ye Feng, the two children immediately understood. They knelt on the ground and kowtowed desperately, begging for mercy. "Your Majesty, please spare us!"
"Spare us, I will sing for you!"
"Wuyi, Wuyi, with you my brothers in arms!"
"..."
The innocent voices struck Ye Feng's heart again and again. Many of the Third Legion soldiers were moved to tears, wiping them away with their hands. The young man, as if driven mad, rushed forward but was firmly held back by the guards!
"Tell me, quickly tell me how you learned that song!" The young man struggled to move forward, watching the little girl cry while hiding in her mother's embrace.
"Be good, tell him how you learned it!" The woman wiped the little girl's tears and gently comforted her. "He is not someone to be trifled with!"
The little girl turned to look at the young man a few times before speaking weakly, "My, my mother taught me. She said, she said I must not fail to learn it!"
"Indeed, I taught her!" The woman bowed deeply. "I implore you, sir, to find a way to save my son and daughter!"
"Come back. How could his heart of stone possibly agree!" an old man said, striking his pipe against a stone several times. After a few puffs, he slowly spoke, "Back then, we wronged Your Majesty. Whether you wish to kill or dismember us, we will accept it. However, we would rather die standing than live kneeling!"
For a moment, Ye Feng saw many of the generals and soldiers in the Third Legion with red eyes and trembling uncontrollably. He couldn't help but feel a pang of doubt!
"Your Majesty, these are the old Qin people. Aren't you afraid of inciting a mutiny, thus ruining all your efforts?" the young man spoke frankly, flicking his sleeve. "I implore Your Majesty to forgive them!"
Old Qin people. A strange term, yet Ye Feng knew it well. "Jiu Jiu Lao Qin, together for the nation's suffering," they had carved out an empire. These people were actually old Qin people!
If he were to act, it might truly chill the hearts of his soldiers. But if he let them go, where would his authority lie!
The young man seemed to have seen through Ye Feng's thoughts and quickly reminded him, "If Your Majesty can forgive them, your virtue will be as high as the heavens, and no one will speak ill of you!"
"Roar!" Ye Feng narrowed his eyes, a smile curling at the corners of his lips. "Since they are old Qin people, they should know the crime of assassinating their lord. I am not clear about it; I ask you, sir, to explain it thoroughly!"
The young man's heart was greatly alarmed. Back then, the First Emperor had killed an entire village over a rumor. Let alone assassination, Ye Feng was already infinitely more benevolent!
Seeing the young man stammering, Ye Feng rose and whispered in his ear, "What this King gives you, you can accept. Otherwise, you must not utter a word. If you want to earn fame, this King will teach you. Go fight on the battlefield; why resort to such despicable acts!"
The young man glared at Ye Feng, but he truly had no way to explain. After a long while, he heard the old man's faint voice, "According to the Great Qin Laws, if one attempts to assassinate the ruler, their entire clan will be executed. Others will be exiled a hundred li. There is no such food as this!"
The first old man put down the basket in his hand, carefully moved a stone, and took out a list of names. He sighed repeatedly, "I am old, my body is failing. I can't even move this little thing. It seems this old man truly needs to rest!"
The young man stepped forward and moved the stone away. The old man respectfully presented the list of names and said slowly, "We know our sins are deep and dare not beg for the Emperor's forgiveness. But there is only one thing: these people starved to death. They cannot have died in vain!"
Starved to death? Ye Feng yelped as if his tail had been stepped on, his brow furrowed. "Impossible! The money was spent; no one could have starved to death!"
The old man produced names written in blood and carefully handed them to Ye Feng. "Your Majesty, the records are here, there can be no mistake!"
The young man, while staring at the old man with astonishment, seized the opportunity. "Your Majesty, it would be better to release these people. Then you won't have to spend so much; isn't that killing two birds with one stone!"
The old man instantly pulled away, raising his walking stick and scolding, "Are you trying to die? If you want to die, don't drag our entire village down with you!"
"Bring forth the Great Qin Laws!" Facing the many old Qin people within the Third Legion, Ye Feng had no choice but to act. He extended his hand slightly, and someone immediately placed a bamboo scroll in his hand. Ye Feng read it for a long time. Indeed, this was not right.
"Your Majesty, it's really impossible!" The young man was about to speak when he was struck several times by the old man's cane. "Have all the sage books you read gone to the dogs? Do you really want these people to vanish into thin air!"
Ye Feng sighed heavily.锦衣卫 (Imperial Guards) surrounded the few individuals. The old man slapped the young man across the face. "I'll beat you to death, old man, I'll beat you to death!"
The young man struggled in his grasp, but it was to no avail. After a long while, he emerged, bruised and swollen, hiding to the side with a flushed face. Ye Feng stared at the energetic old man and became interested. "Old sir, who exactly are you? If you came to help this King, perhaps this King would spare these people!"
"Although this old man is muddled, I am not so foolish as to be deceived by you, young man!"