"Uncle, it seems that the gangsters in Linkou are gathering more and more. What if they have evil intentions and want to capture us?" Lao Zhang asked uneasily.
Song Che pointed at the refugees crowding the woods and said, "I only need to wave my hand, and these well-fed refugees will swarm up and drive them away."
"It turns out that this is the purpose of my uncle giving porridge."
Giving out porridge is not just for this purpose. Song Che also wants to find out the nature of the stick gang. If they come to make things difficult for them to rob, it means that they have become bandits and have real intentions of rebellion. They must use strong methods to kill them;
If they still have a grateful heart, use gentle tactics to comfort them.
"Uncle, they are here...the leader took off my clothes and took away Lao Li." Lao Zhang was so frightened that he hid behind Song Che.
There were seventy or eighty members of the Stick Gang, led by a dark-faced man with disheveled hair, holding wooden sticks and walking towards the woods in a hurry.
"Gang Leader Chen, this high-ranking official is a kind man. Look, it's meat porridge. You can't embarrass him."
Before the stick gang could approach, the refugees spontaneously stopped the black-faced man.
But the black-faced man said: "Old man, don't be deceived by the false benevolence of these profiteers. Maybe he will add poison to the porridge in the next pot!"
"You black-faced man, why are you talking? My uncle risked being punished and made a special trip from the west of the city to Shilipo to give you porridge to cure your hunger. These ingredients, grains and rice, were cooked with the eyes of fellow villagers. , some fellow villagers even took the initiative to help, but you don’t appreciate it, forget it, and even slandered us as poisoners, you are really ignorant!"
Lao Zhang stood up and was aggrieved.
"Skinny Monkey, I recognize you!" The black-faced man pointed at Lao Zhang, "You are the silk merchant who was intercepted by my gang this morning! What do you think? Have you raised the food to redeem people?"
Lao Zhang couldn't hold on for a moment and then retreated behind Song Che.
Song Che stepped forward and said politely: "Clan Leader Chen, the merchants you kidnapped are all my associates. I have brought you the grain and rice you asked for. Please let them go."
The black-faced man glanced at the boiling meat porridge in the pot and said, "What I want is rice. Why did you cook it into rice porridge?"
Song Che sighed: "The Suzhou Prefecture has issued an order that no one is allowed to help the refugees outside the city. If I give you food, I will be aiding the violence and may be punished with beheading, so I cooked them into meat porridge to give to you." distributed to refugees,"
He looked at the black-faced man again and asked: "Gang Leader Chen, aren't you using this grain and rice to help your compatriots?"
If the black-faced man answers yes, it means he can stay.
If the black-faced man answers no, he will die.
"You still have some conscience," the black-faced man and the people beside him ordered: "Erhu, go and bring his guys over."
Erhu nodded and exited the woods. A quarter of an hour later, Lao Li and three companions walked into the woods with two carts of silkworm cocoons, neatly dressed.
"You are lucky to be with a good master. Go quickly!"
The black-faced man let Old Li and others go, and then said to Song Che: "Official, we are forced by life to ask you for two carts of food. Don't blame us!"
Song Che nodded secretly. After several tests, he was sure that these people were not gangsters and even had some moral integrity.
"Gang Leader Chen, before I leave, I have a few words of advice. Do you want to listen?"
"Oh? Then you should tell me."
"Gathering a crowd to rob is a temporary solution, but it is by no means a long-term solution. Originally, the gang was not established, and the villagers still had a mouthful of porridge and water. Now things have become serious, and the government has labeled it a crime of 'rebellion', and tens of thousands of refugees have to go with you." Sitting together, but 'the people do not fight against the officials', you have no armor, equipment, food and grass, only a wooden stick, the outcome can be imagined." Song Che said.
The black-faced man said: "At least we resisted and we live with a backbone!"
Song Che pointed at the greasy-haired homeless man squatting under the shade of a tree, "Is this the integrity?"
"Boy." Hei Mian frowned, faintly angry, "I let you go today because you are kind-hearted. If you want to be a lobbyist for the government, don't blame me for turning your back on me! "
Song Che remained calm and shook his head slightly: "I am not a government lobbyist, but I can't bear the refugees to suffer, so I came here to help you."
The black-faced man said disdainfully: "If you eat today's porridge, you will be hungry tomorrow. Don't tell us. You will come to bring us food every day."
Song Che said confidently: "Teaching people to fish is worse than teaching them to fish. I have a plan that can solve the livelihood of the refugees. I wonder if the gang leader is willing to consider it?"
The dark-faced man folded his arms and looked at Song Che quietly.
Song Che walked among the refugees and said loudly: "I know that all of you fellow villagers are from the coast and have been harassed by Japanese pirates. You must not leave your hometown and flee here."
He then questioned the men of the Stick Gang: "We are just old, weak, women and children. You have hands, feet and strong bodies. Why would you rather pick up sticks and rob your own family than have the courage to fight against the Japanese pirates and restore your homeland?"
Maybe it hit a sore spot, and the members of the Stick Gang lowered their heads and felt guilty.
The black-faced man said: "You are an official who is used to fine clothes and fine food, how can you understand our difficulties? Men should join the army to defend the country, but what should our families do?
Yes! We are indeed refugees who have lost our homes, but we are also registered ordinary people. According to Daliang regulations, people who have been displaced due to war should be resettled.
But we walked all the way from Huainan and passed every county, village and store. The local people avoided us as if they were the god of plague. Those who were officials were afraid of poor governance and a stain on their political performance, so they drove us away ruthlessly, and even more There are unscrupulous people kidnapping children and women to sell!
Facing the harsh conditions of the world, we have to pick up a stick to protect our wives, children, and children, and fight for ourselves a life-saving food! "
The black-faced man was filled with indignation and took out another token from his arms, holding it high and presenting it in front of Song Che:
"If you ask me why I didn't join the army to fight against the Japanese, I'll tell you the reason - I, Chen Wei, was originally from Huainan East Road, Dongyang Navy, the Third Fleet, Centurion Commander, and fought against the Japanese Wei Kingdom as if I was dead! But it's ridiculous and hateful. , our army fought hard outside, but the Imperial Government embezzled military funds and withheld food and grass, resulting in insufficient gunpowder and armaments. It was repeatedly defeated by Japanese pirates, and more than ten thousand naval forces were wiped out!
In such a country full of corrupt officials, how can we be asked to serve? "
No wonder he was able to pull up the stick gang. It turned out that he was an officer.
All Zhengyi are dog-slaughters, but the most ruthless scholars are. Behind every declining dynasty, there is a group of corrupt officials at work.
Song Che was deeply touched and sighed, "Gang Leader Chen, if I can protect the livelihood of the old, weak, women and children, are you willing to put down your sticks, pick up your swords and guns, put on your armor, and fight against the Japanese again to protect your family and country?"
"You?" Chen Wei said disdainfully, "A businessman?"
Song Che said loudly: "Although I, Song Che, am a businessman, I always care about my family and country. Gang Leader Chen only needs to answer one question, are you willing or not?"
Chen Wei's eyes were startled and he couldn't help exclaiming: "You are Song Che!"
