Yuan Yao actually doesn't care about his image in the hearts of the people at the bottom.
On the one hand, the moral concepts of the ancient people were too simple, so that Yuan Yao, a later generation, could not recognize them.
Zang Hong killed his own wives and concubines to use them as food for the soldiers. This would be regarded as a "benevolent and righteous" act by the people, and even the whole city would die for it and be buried with him.
Yuan Yao cannot imitate or understand such "benevolence and righteousness".
On the other hand, in feudal society, the lower class people's right to speak was too small, and it would not affect the reputation of the upper class.
Cao Cao massacred the city many times and committed many killings. However, it did not provoke a large-scale popular uprising and attract accountability from the emperor. Instead, it made itself famous and feared by all parties.
It’s not that the common people dare not resist, it’s just that those who rebel will die faster!
Is Liu Xuande kind enough? On the eve of the Battle of Chibi, more than 100,000 people voted with their feet and followed Liu Bei to move south, but what was the result?
Strength is the last word!
Yuan Yao's idea is very simple. He just wants the people to have enough food and clothing under his rule. Don't ask them to bury the whole city with you, just ask them not to rebel against you.
Feudal society was a hierarchical pyramid. Because of the conductivity of interests, each layer had a certain degree of blind obedience and dependence on the layer above it.
Single or multiple clans with the same surname formed the most basic villages, and together with the landlord class created by land annexation, these two factors caused the vast majority of the people to have a personal dependence relationship with them.
The powerful clans and powerful landlords were the most basic economic units of the empire. When they penetrate from the economic field into the political field, they will become local powerful families; and the best among local wealthy families will become county officials, that is, famous families.
When some wealthy families move from the local to the central government, someone in the family is promoted to the rank of Sangong or Nine Ministers, especially the Sangong - because the Sangong and above have the power to establish government and conquer the country, which will have influence across the country and make the family last for a long time. Generations of dignitaries.
Only such a family would be called an aristocratic family.
A truly aristocratic family is not something that can be achieved overnight. It often takes hundreds of years of hard work and accumulation.
Therefore, its power is so intricate that it is difficult to explain clearly. And it often represents the interests of a powerful noble clan, not just the interests of a clan.
This is true for the Yuan family in Runan, as well as the Yang family in Hongnong, the Zhou family in Lujiang, and the Chen family in Xiapi.
However, aristocratic families are not the top of the pyramid. You can still become princes and emperors if you go higher!
Although it is only a step away, it is insurmountable.
The Yuan family of Runan is already a leader among the aristocratic families, but to reach the top of the tower, it is inseparable from the recognition and support of the aristocratic families.
Therefore, Yuan Yao is more concerned about what people from aristocratic families like Zhou Yu think of him than what the common people think of him.
bass!
Yuan Yao suddenly pulled out his sword, stepped forward and stabbed Chen Ji.
Chen Ji never expected that Yuan Yao would suddenly attack him. Unexpectedly, the tip of Yuan Yao's knife was already in front of his eyes.
Phew!
Yuan Yao stabbed the horse's chest with a knife, hitting its heart.
The horse whined and fell down weakly the moment Yuan Yao drew his sword.
Chen Ji was also thrown to the ground, in a very embarrassed state.
Yuan Yao drew the sword back into its sheath and finished it in one go.
Standing in front of the frightened passerby who sat down on the ground, Yuan Yao shouted: "According to Han law, horses are prohibited from riding in the crowd!"
"Anyone who violates this will be guilty of injuring or killing someone with a chariot or a horse!"
Several cavalrymen under Chen Ji immediately rolled off their horses after hearing the sound.
"Chen Ji, the governor of Jiujiang, knows the law and breaks it, and his crime will be increased by one degree!"
Looking at the stunned soldiers behind Chen Ji, Yuan Yao ordered: "Come here, capture Chen Ji!"
All the soldiers looked at Chen Ji who was struggling to get up on the ground, but no one dared to step forward.
A deputy general bravely stepped forward and said, "Master Yuan, General Chen is the governor of Jiujiang. How can you capture him so easily?"
Yuan Yao glanced at the deputy general and said: "If the law is not up to standard, you must break it from above; if a prince breaks the law, he is guilty of the same crime as the people!"
"Even if I commit the crime of wounding or killing someone, I should still be dealt with according to the law!"
Chen Ji stood up unsteadily and froze in place when he looked at Baoju, who was on the ground with too much air coming out and too little air coming in. He was already dying.
Although this horse is not a thousand-mile horse, it is still a good horse. More importantly, this horse has been with Chen Ji for seven or eight years, and is regarded by Chen Ji as a relative or friend.
After a while, Chen Ji knelt down, hugged his head and cried: "Old horse! Ah! Old horse!"
Chen Ji lay on the horse and cried so sadly that he looked like he was mourning his heir.
This was far beyond Yuan Yao's expectations.
Yuan Yao was already prepared to confront the furious Chen Ji in the street, but he didn't expect that the other party would cry so much that he couldn't help himself because of a horse.
But now that the matter has come to this, Yuan Yao has no choice but to look back. He can only say with a cold face: "Why, what I said doesn't work?"
The lieutenant is afraid of Yuan Yao, but he is even more afraid of his cruel boss Chen Ji.
Gritting his teeth, the lieutenant held up his hands and said: "Master, please forgive me for not being able to obey your order... This matter should be reported to the lord and let him decide."
"Although the young master is now a powerful general and is in charge of the affairs of the Yuzhang prefect, he has no right to interfere with matters of criminal law and civil administration."
Although Chen Ji violated the "forbidden horse in public" in the Han law and rode his horse in a crowded place, he did not actually injure anyone with his carriage and horse, so the maximum sentence he was given was thirty to fifty lashes.
If you follow Yuan Yao's wishes and arrest Chen Ji, you can certainly make Yuan Yao happy today. But what about the future? Even if Chen Ji is dismissed as the governor of Jiujiang, he is still his superior in the army. He does not need a second sentence to kill him!
Yuan Yao smiled, even a minor character would dare to say "no right to interfere" in front of him.
"You still know that I am General Yangwei? Very good!"
"Then what should you call me, general?"
Cold sweat broke out on the lieutenant's head, and then he realized that he had called him inappropriately.
"My subordinates should call you general! General Yuan!"
Yuan Yao smiled and said: "Okay, since you know that I am General Yangwei and am in charge of the governor of Yuzhang, do you know that I am also the governor of Yangzhou?"
"Captain of Yangzhou?!"
There was a roar from the crowd.
Governor of Yangzhou?
Zhou Yu frowned slightly, feeling something was wrong.
The lieutenant general was also surprised: "Captain of Yangzhou?"
Yuan Yao pulled out the weeds on his head, tore off his cloth, revealing the chain armor on his body, making himself look as powerful as possible.
"Yes, I am in charge of Yangzhou affairs as the governor of Yangzhou!"
"In terms of official position, Chen Ji is the governor of Jiujiang. Let me ask you, is Jiujiang County a county of Yangzhou? I oversee everything in Yangzhou, can I punish him?"
The lieutenant general broke into a cold sweat: "Yes, yes, yes, the governor can certainly punish the crime!"
Yuan Yao: "In terms of military positions, Chen Ji is a senior general, and his rank is below me; as for you, let alone... My words are military orders! Do you know the consequences of disobeying military orders?"
Thump~
The deputy general knelt down directly, kowtowed and admitted his mistake: "How dare you disobey the general's order!"
When all the soldiers saw that the lieutenants were kneeling, they also knelt down together.
"Come here, arrest General Chen and bring him to justice!"
The deputy general waved back, immediately got up and counted several people, and stepped forward to hold Chen Ji down.
Chen Ji was dragged aside. Only then did he react. He suddenly turned from sadness to anger and said, "Why have I never heard of the Governor of Yangzhou?"
Zhou Yu and the crowd looked at Yuan Yao.
Governor Yangzhou's affairs?
What is the difference between the governor of Yangzhou, the governor of Yangzhou, and the shepherd of Yangzhou?
Why have we never heard that Yangzhou also has a governor?
The deputy general also secretly raised his head and looked at Yuan Yao.
Yuan Yao chuckled: "It's so rare and strange!"
"If you don't believe me, just ask my father!"
After saying that, Yuan Yao waved and led his three men away.
"Those who attacked, whipped, and whipped women and children just now should go and get twenty military sticks by themselves, and then be responsible for treating people's injuries. Those who did not disturb the people came to greet me as normal. Go to Yuan Mansion to report my name and receive a reward of five hundred coins!"
Without saying a word, Yuan Yao disappeared at the end of the street.
Zhou Yu looked at the end of the street with a strange expression, unable to look away for a long time.
What kind of person is this Yuan Yao!
He acts absurdly, but he has his own methods.
No wonder he was able to drive away Zhuge Xuan, capture Liu Yao, defeat the Jingzhou army, unify the land on the right side of the Yangtze River, and become famous in Jianghuai!
He is really not an ignorant and ordinary person!
But compared to Sun Bofu...
Zhou Yu stood there, lost in thought, and didn't even hear Daqiao say goodbye to him.
On the way back to Qiao Mansion, Xiao Qiao jumped out of nowhere, followed by two servants.
Daqiao couldn't help but get angry and asked: "Girl, where did you run away just now?"
Xiaoqiao made a face, shook his small pink fists, and said proudly: "Of course I'm going to beat the scum for you!"
"That lecherous man with a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks peeked at us all the way!"
"I caught you and you were still trying to defend yourself with a smooth tongue!"
"If you don't teach him a lesson, he won't even know how powerful our surname is Qiao!"
"You didn't use your father's name, did you?"
Daqiao showed a hint of worry.
"of course not!"
"The one who was beaten is okay, right?"
Daqiao asked the two servants behind Xiaoqiao.
The two of them shook their heads and said, "The little people only punished him lightly, not harshly."
Daqiao nodded, something like this happened almost every time she went out.
Only this time, Daqiao had a different plan in mind: "Qiaoer, I'll give you five hundred dollars. Now go back and pay for the soup and medicine for the person who was beaten."
Xiaoqiao and the two servants were stunned.
Daqiao suddenly remembered that person and explained:
"He deserves to be beaten, and he deserves to pay for his medical expenses."
"Go ahead."
"promise!"
Xiaoqiao watched his sister take out a bunch of money from her sleeve and hand it to the servant. He rolled his eyes and jumped directly to Daqiao.
Shaking the scratched skin on his pink fist, Xiaoqiao pretended to have a pitiful expression: "Sister, look, Xiaoqiao even scratched his hand in order to vent his anger on you!"
Daqiao looked at his sister's little hand with wide eyes, and suddenly reached out and patted the back of Xiaoqiao's hand.
"Ouch!"
"Why are you hitting me, sister!"
Daqiao said angrily: "Who asked you to hit others?"
"They just peeked at us and didn't do anything to us. A gentleman's actions have no regard for his heart, so why would you instruct your servants to beat others up?"
Xiaoqiao quickly retracted his little hand, stuck out his tongue, and jumped to the side again.
After walking a few steps, Xiaoqiao jumped to the side of Daqiao.
"Sister, guess who I just saw?"
Daqiao didn't want to talk to her and just walked his own way.
Xiaoqiao suddenly had stars in his eyes, covering his chest and said: "It's Zhou Lang! It's Zhou Gongjin of Lujiang, the one known as Mei Zhoulang!"
"It's right at Nanjiekou. I just went to look for my sister but didn't find her, but I saw him!"
"At first I thought I saw a beautiful woman like my sister, but then I heard an aunt next to me say that he was Mizuro!"
"Wow, he is exactly as people said. His face is like jade, his lips are like red, his appearance is elegant, and his appearance is beautiful!"
"If I can marry him, I won't have to eat or sleep every day when I see him. I can wake up laughing in my dreams!"
Zhou Yu's graceful appearance instantly appeared in Daqiao's mind.
But the next second, Yuan Yao's angry and scoundrel look changed.
Pinching Xiaoqiao's pink nose, Daqiao smiled and said: "It seems that our Xiaoqiao has just begun to fall in love!"
Only then did Xiaoqiao realize what nonsense he had just talked about, and his face suddenly turned red.
"I don't want to get married!"
"Even if you get married, you have to wait until your sister gets married before you can get married!"
"..."
"Sister, when will Mr. Yuan marry you?"
Da Qiao was startled, with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
When will Mr. Yuan marry me?
Silly sister, my father’s marriage proposal has already been rejected by Mr. Yuan.
Also, Mr. Yuan's status is noble, and the Yuan family in Runan will sooner or later become the family of the fifth generation and the third prince. Those who want to marry and become nobles flock to him. Even if he is a little handsome, how can the Qiao family be better than other aristocratic families?
I'm afraid, the Yuan family has already made a match for Young Master Yuan.
But, how can I repay Young Master Yuan for saving my life?
