readytorunbook Chapter 691 The ringleader deserves to be punished
Chapter 691 The ringleader deserves to be punished
Chapter 691 The ringleader deserves to be punished
Beidaying.
Sun Chuanting was handling official business when a guard suddenly came to report that a large number of Hanshan people had gathered in front of the military camp to petition.
Sun Chuanting frowned deeply. He immediately realized that it must be Wang Wenzhou's doing. When bandits attacked government troops in Shaanxi, they would coerce civilians into charging ahead, forcing unarmed civilians to be at the forefront.
Sun Chuanting rushed to the front of the military camp and was immediately dumbfounded. Tens of thousands of Hanshan people had completely surrounded the camp entrance, and elderly men and women were even throwing things into the camp. Fortunately, Sun Chuanting was strict in disciplining his troops, and the discipline was relatively good. If it were any other army, the soldiers would have rushed up and slapped them across the face long ago.
Sun Chuanting thought for a moment and then quickly ordered, "Qiao Qiangao, pass down the order: no matter what drastic measures the people take, no one is allowed to lay a hand on them!"
Qiao Qiangao said with a wry smile, "Sir! It's not our brothers causing trouble, it's the people of Hanshan who are causing trouble under the instigation of the mad dog Wang Wenzhou. We can't just sit here and wait to die!"
Sun Chuanting said helplessly, "They are all unarmed civilians. If our soldiers take action, it will give them a pretext to criticize us. The reason why Mad Dog Wang Wenzhou is inciting the people is to provoke us and use us to stir up a popular uprising, so that he can openly raise an army to rebel!"
Qiao Qiangao nodded and quickly said, "Your Excellency is right. I will pass on the order immediately."
"Punish the murderer severely!"
"Resist corrupt generals! Resist arbitrary taxation!"
"Sun Chuanting, get out here and give us an explanation!"
The people's slogans were incredibly powerful.
Sun Chuanting strode out, and the people of Hanshan, upon seeing him, began to shower him with whatever they were holding.
"Protect the master!" Sun Chuanting's guards rushed forward and used their bodies to protect him.
"Bang bang bang..." In a short while, the guards protecting Sun Chuanting turned into garbage people, covered in rotten vegetable leaves, rotten eggs and other disgusting things.
"Wang Wenzhou! What exactly do you want to do?" Sun Chuanting roared angrily!
"Shameless old man, how dare you address an elder by his name!" An old woman said, picking up a rotten egg and throwing it at Sun Chuanting.
In an instant, the people threw whatever they were holding at the scene.
Wang Wenzhou smiled slightly, put his arm around the baby, and walked forward, saying with a laugh, "Little Sun, what are you doing? Why do you smell so bad?"
"Hmph!" Sun Chuanting snorted coldly and said angrily, "Wang Wenzhou, do you really want me to start a bloodbath?"
"Haha!" Wang Wenzhou laughed loudly, "Little Sun, stop bragging! If you've got the guts, go ahead and kill him! I think you've lost all shame. Just how poor are you that you're sending people to set up checkpoints to collect taxes? I ask you, who gave you the right to collect taxes?"
Sun Chuanting said righteously, "I was ordered by the Emperor to train troops here. It was only by chance that some unscrupulous merchants were smuggling, so I sent troops to set up a checkpoint to inspect them. How could I be asking about collecting taxes?"
Wang Wenzhou cursed and said, "Little Sun, you really have no shame!"
"Don't slander me!" Sun Chuanting was furious. Mad dog Wang Wenzhou was trying to pin all sorts of accusations on him. He had only ordered checkpoints to prevent strategic materials such as grain and ironware from entering Hanshan City, and he had not ordered any taxes to be collected.
Wang Wenzhou turned around, cupped his hands to the people, and said with a smile, "Fellow elders of Hanshan, that old bastard Sun Chuanting has no shame. He denies setting up checkpoints to collect taxes. Does anyone have a receipt written by his subordinates? Bring it over and let the old man see it!"
"Sir, I have it!"
"I have one too!"
Although Sun Chuanting did not order the collection of taxes, his officers would not let go of a good opportunity to make money. When they set up checkpoints, they certainly collected a lot of money.
Soon, several angry Hanshan residents handed the receipt to Wang Wenzhou. Because of the city entrance tax, the Hanshan residents were used to having a tax receipt when paying taxes, and the officer collecting the money felt that even if they issued a receipt, the residents would dare not speak out, so they issued receipts when the residents asked for them.
Wang Wenzhou said with a smile, "Little Sun, still won't admit it? Look for yourself, what's written in black and white on this paper?"
Sun Chuanting took the receipt and glanced at it. He was instantly enraged. These bastards under his command were truly despicable, ruining his reputation like this! No wonder Wang Wenzhou was able to lure so many people here; it was all their doing!
"Qiao Qian Gao, quickly send someone to summon Jiang Yongjie here!" Sun Chuanting hurriedly ordered.
Jiang Yongjie was the officer with the most signatures on these receipts.
A short while later, Jiang Yongjie rushed over.
"Your subordinate greets Your Excellency!" Jiang Yongjie hurriedly bowed.
"Slap!" Sun Chuanting threw the receipt in his hand at Jiang Yongjie's face and asked sternly, "Who told you to accept the money?"
Jiang Yongjie looked at the receipt on the ground and said helplessly, "Your Excellency! I know I was wrong!"
"Bang!" Sun Chuanting kicked Jiang Yongjie to the ground, drew his sword, and wanted to kill him on the spot to give the people an explanation.
"Wait!" Wang Wenzhou stopped Sun Chuanting and sneered, "Little Sun, it's really unlucky to be your subordinate. I'll take the blame for you and even lose my life!"
"Wang Wenzhou, don't you dare slander me!" Sun Chuanting pointed at Jiang Yongjie and asked sternly, "I'm asking you, who told you to accept the money?"
As Jiang Yongjie kowtowed, he said, "It was all my fault for being greedy and acting on my own initiative! I have ruined Your Excellency's reputation, and I am willing to die for it!"
Jiang Yongjie was a close associate of Sun Chuanting and was once Sun Chuanting's servant. Because of his intelligence and eagerness to learn, he was favored by Sun Chuanting and was given the position of a junior officer.
Jiang Yongjie was deeply grateful to Sun Chuanting for this. He fought bravely and made outstanding military achievements, rising all the way from a junior officer to a commander of a thousand men, and was therefore highly appreciated by Sun Chuanting.
This is why Jiang Yongjie dared to charge fees without authorization. He was also doing it for the sake of his men. Since arriving in Hanshan, they hadn't received a single tael of silver in military pay. While serving in the army was about protecting the country, it was also about supporting their families. Without pay, how could they support their families?
Sun Chuanting cupped his hands to the people of Hanshan and said, "Fellow elders of Hanshan, I have failed in my duty to manage my subordinates, resulting in my soldiers oppressing the people. I am deeply ashamed. Today, I will execute this scoundrel to atone for my sins to you all!"
"Haha!" Wang Wenzhou laughed loudly, "Little Sun, you really have no shame! You made the mistake yourself, and you're putting forward a scapegoat. Is that meaningful?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yongjie quickly said, "Lord Wang, this was not an order from the Governor; it was my own initiative!"
"Pat pat!" Wang Wenzhou patted Jiang Yongjie on the shoulder and said, "Xiao Sun, look how loyal your subordinate is! How can you be so shameless as to use him as a scapegoat?"
"Slander!" Sun Chuanting roared angrily.
Wang Wenzhou loudly proclaimed, "Those with wicked intentions will not be punished until they are accomplished; the ringleader will be the most severely punished, while the honest will be treated lightly. The ringleader should be executed!"
"The ringleader should be executed!" In an instant, the onlookers were filled with righteous indignation and roared angrily.
Sun Chuanting broke out in a cold sweat. The ringleader? How did he become the ringleader? That mad dog Wang Wenzhou was instigating the people to kill him!