Intercepting the grain convoy.
The secessionist faction is truly causing chaos.
If they dare to rob the grain convoy dispatched by the City Lord’s Mansion to resolve the food crisis for the refugees, what else wouldn't they dare to do?
If they aren’t properly managed, they truly believe they run this city!
Chen Yu, too lazy to waste more words with these people, directly entered through the city's main gate. Anyone who dared to show up and intercept the grain, he wouldn't burn them to ashes. After subduing them, he would investigate their motives. Anyone who sought to take advantage of the city's distress to stab it in the back would be thrown into the mines to become black slaves.
He wasn’t worried about not having space to put these people.
With territory spanning seven thousand li in all directions, there were plenty of mining areas. If they were so capable, let them spend their lives as black slaves in the mines.
Instead of being decent people, they chose to be bandits?
Frowning, Chen Yu walked at the forefront, while Hill and the others followed behind him, their expressions solemn and tinged with a bit of tension.
It was clear that robbing grain was not the first time this had happened.
“City Lord, if we really encounter grain robbers, I implore you not to burn them to ashes directly,” Hill whispered as he jogged to Chen Yu’s side. “Actually, many people don’t genuinely want to rob grain; they simply wish to change the current situation of the city. Their methods are just a bit extreme, but their intentions are definitely good.”
“I will make a fair judgment on this matter.”
Chen Yu did not directly agree but said softly, “Regardless of their intentions, hijacking a grain convoy is their transgression. What will they do with the grain after they’ve hijacked it? Will they distribute it to the refugees? If they don’t, the refugees will starve to death. In such a situation, no matter how good their intentions, the outcome is wrong. Should such circumstances also be forgiven?”
The former Hurricane City might have been very corrupt.
The heavy taxes made the lives of the city’s residents unbearable, forcing them to rise up in rebellion amidst the chaos, attempting to enact reforms within the city.
Chen Yu would not blame these people.
When life is difficult to maintain under oppression, it is not wrong to rally and rise up. The city’s corruption indeed needed reform to clear out the rot and bring in fresh blood.
However, even reform should not be built upon the suffering of others.
Chen Yu understood the idea of robbing grain, thereby cutting off the refugees’ support for the City Lord’s Mansion, and then distributing relief grain themselves to gain favor with the refugees.
Even to this extent, Chen Yu did not blame them.
He still understood.
Under normal circumstances, if they wanted to compete for popular support with the City Lord’s Mansion, they should have sent their own people to procure grain and then distributed it to compete. Instead, they resorted to such disruptive acts of grain hijacking.
The fact that Chen Yu was still willing to understand their actions to this degree was enough to show his tolerance.
But—
If they robbed grain but did not distribute it, causing those refugees and vagrants to starve to death within the city, watching those refugees fight over a mouthful of food, even risking their lives.
Unforgivable.
No matter how benevolent their intentions, the actions of such people are no longer related to kindness; their so-called kindness is perhaps merely hypocrisy to disguise their inner desires.
They merely want to achieve their own goals, and the number of people who die in the process.
Is not important to them.
However, it cannot be denied that such people are also capable individuals. With a ruthless heart, they can achieve great things. Excessive compassion can sometimes harm oneself and others.
Chen Yu couldn’t say they were entirely wrong.
From Chen Yu’s perspective, they were absolutely mistaken. From their perspective, they were absolutely righteous. The two sides stood in opposition, and their differing starting points naturally led to divergences in their thinking about matters.
Hill fell silent and did not speak further. Chen Yu also did not wish to dwell on this topic.
How those who hijacked the grain would be dealt with, Chen Yu would make the most just judgment. Whether to give them a chance to reform or directly make them black slaves would be determined after further investigation, but he would absolutely not forgive their crimes outright. Those who have committed acts must bear the corresponding consequences.
Chen Yu, walking at the forefront, had already arrived at the city gate. The towering city gate, however, had no guards visible. With such severe internal division, the city could only be considered an empty shell, devoid of its former order.
Within the buildings lining the city streets, refugees could be seen taking shelter.
Strangely, the grain robbers had not appeared.
Chen Yu and his group walked openly into the city. Occasionally, a few refugees attempted to approach and beg for food, only to be scared away by Ah Zhuang and the others brandishing their weapons.
As for the separatist grain hijackers, they were nowhere to be seen.
“Strange, we haven’t seen any grain robbers all this way,” Hill remarked with significant surprise, his eyes scanning the sides of the streets. “Could it be that they knew the City Lord was here and were too afraid to come out?”
“How could that be?”
Chen Yu smiled and shook his head, his gaze deepening.
“They have no idea of my strength, so how could they be afraid? If we don’t see any grain robbers here, and you are also convinced that grain robbers will definitely appear, then there is only one possibility.”
“What is it?”
“It’s likely that the personnel who returned first have encountered trouble.”
“Father!”
The simple-minded Ah Ben instantly clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with visible anxiety. He almost immediately grabbed his weapon and lunged forward, but Chen Yu pulled him back.
“Don’t be impulsive.”
“City Lord, my father and the others might be in danger.” Ah Ben’s eyes were filled with urgency. Chen Yu looked at him and said sternly, “I understand how you feel right now, but what if you rush out recklessly and encounter an ambush? You all know there are grain robbers at the city gate, do you think they wouldn’t know to change their location to intercept you? Furthermore, your father and those people are not weak. Even if they do encounter grain robbers, they won’t be in too much danger. Regardless, this is within the city, and Clay will receive the relevant news. As long as he sends reinforcements, the crisis will be resolved.”
“City Lord, what should we do now?” Hill asked, clenching his fists and frowning.
Although Chen Yu told them to remain calm, Uncle Ali was very important to them. If he was suspected of being in danger, it was difficult for them to remain as composed as Chen Yu.
“You mentioned taking a detour earlier. You should have a secret passage into the city, right?”
Chen Yu glanced at Hill and asked, “If we don’t encounter an ambush, then the most likely scenario is that your secret passage has been discovered by the grain robbers. If Ali and the others went through the secret passage, then the grain robbers would definitely intercept them at the passage’s exit.”
“In other words…”
“Let’s go to the exit of the secret passage. We should be able to encounter the people we are looking for there.”