Chapter 46: The Utmost Benevolence in the World

  "That's right, evading taxes and secretly escaping are already heinous crimes. Now, if you let these few guys who dared to beat up the government soldiers get away scot-free, do they still want their heads? The soldiers who were beaten to the ground sneered coldly, while the eyes looking at Xiao Chen were filled with resentment."

  Looking at the tattered and pale civilians with terrified expressions in front of him, then glancing at the soldiers on the ground who were radiating an aura of murder, Xiao Chen couldn't help but take a deep breath. How did it come to this?

  Within a few miles, they will enter the territory of Jiayuan County. It seems that before being attacked by the bandits of Panlong Mountain, the lives of the people in Jiayuan County were not rich and wealthy, but at least they had enough food and clothing. The soldiers led by Deputy General Ding were also humble and courteous, treating the people with kindness. But how could everything seen here be completely opposite to what was seen in Jiayuan County?

  Xiao Chen, in fact, in the Great Yan Kingdom, such situations are common, but we were lucky to have met Li County Magistrate, a good official who is hard to come by. However... A long sigh was let out. The emperor of the Great Yan Kingdom, although already over twenty years old, was weak and timid, spending his days indulging in pleasure and leisure. The monarch's inaction directly led to the inaction of the imperial court, corrupt officials ran amok, and excessive taxes were as common as cow hair, making it seem very natural. And among them, those who suffered the most were undoubtedly the kind-hearted people at the bottom of society.

  "If our great Yan state had a wise and powerful ruler, it would be the greatest fortune for all the people!" The words were filled with deep regret and a hint of suppressed anger.

  "If one can afford to pay those taxes, who would want to leave their hometown, drift from place to place, and live in constant fear? When thinking back on these miserable past experiences, the common people cannot help but sob uncontrollably."

  "If we really can't afford to pay taxes, then that's just the way it is. The government should understand everyone's situation." Xiao Chen said with a similarly heavy heart. But he didn't expect that his words would earn him one disdainful glance after another.

  "If you can't pay taxes, the government will send people to your home, demolish your house and seize your grain. Whatever they see as valuable, even a single blade of grass, won't be left for you. Is this not terrifying? If they're ruthless, they'll make you sell your children. In short, even if you're so poor that all you have left is your skeleton, they'll still think about how to squeeze oil out of your bones!" Luolan's voice was equally low and somber.

  "What's the difference between this behavior and that of beasts? What's the difference?" Xiao Chen glared at the soldiers on the ground. These people, who were originally pillars of the country, had become the claws of corrupt officials oppressing the common people!

  "What's wrong with being a beast? At least as beasts, we can survive. If we show mercy to these wretches, who will show mercy to us? Do you know what punishment we'll receive if we don't complete the orders from the government on time? Even if we're not afraid, what about our families?" A soldier yelled at the top of his lungs on the ground.

  "Listen up, kid! Either you come quietly with us and take the punishment you deserve, or you kill every last one of us, including these worthless commoners!"

  Xiao Chen was moved, and for a long time he did not want to say a word. The fate of the common people was indeed sigh-worthy, but the impression these soldiers gave him was not as detestable as before. After all, they were also forced into this situation to some extent.

  "Xiao Chen, hurry up and leave! Hurry up and leave!" Liu Lan was still desperately pulling Xiao Chen, taking advantage of these people's distraction due to their extreme sadness, to quickly leave this place.

  But Liu Lan was too self-willed. It's about his own safety, who dares to slack off? "Don't let him go, don't let him go!" he shouted loudly.

  "Xiao Chen gege, kill them off, kill them off! Take them all down, I believe you can do it, you must be able to!" At this time, only the young and ignorant Xiyuan was still extremely excited.

  "Little girl, stop messing around and get out of the way!"; At this time, Xiao Chen didn't show any courtesy to the little girl who was still causing trouble for herself, and gently slapped her hand past.

  "Liu Lan, I remember when we first left Jiayuan County, Deputy Commander Ding gave us a big package, didn't he?" Xiao Chen gritted his teeth.

  "Xiao Chen, you wouldn't be thinking......"

  "That's right, I remember that the package given by Vice General Ding contained a large sum of money, let's give it all to these poor people, maybe we can help them a bit."

  "Ah!... Liu Lan was shocked."

  "No way, Xiao Chen, you big idiot! If you give all the money to these ungrateful people, what will we do in the future? I still want to buy lots and lots of new clothes, I still want to eat lots and lots of good food. Without money, how can that be?" Little Yuanyuan exclaimed anxiously.

  "We don't have any money, but we still have our hands." Xiao Chen said calmly, looking at Liu Lan with deep affection. As long as I, Xiao Chen, am here, you will absolutely not suffer a bit. This is a man's solemn promise.

  Liu Lan didn't say a word. She just smiled and nodded gently. Everything was in silence!

  "So that's your plan, to become a bandit to support us. Good strategy, alright, I'll agree to distribute these goods to those ungrateful people!" Xiang Yu's little servant girl suddenly realized.

  When the silver coins fell into everyone's hands, no one dared to believe their eyes. Is there really such a person in the world? Not only did they not know how to repay kindness to someone who had helped them, but they also wanted to forcibly detain him and make him accept undeserved punishment.

  Their despicable behavior would make even themselves blush. But looking at the other party, not only did they not show a hint of anger, but they also gave us all their money. Why are they so foolish? With their ability, it would be easy for them to turn the tables on us and leave unscathed. So why didn't they do that?

  "Benefactor, I'm so sorry to you!" Finally, the young woman who was holding her child could no longer bear the inner torment and fell to her knees in front of Xiao Chen, sobbing uncontrollably.

  "Sister, please get up quickly! Please get up quickly!" Xiao Chen panicked. But just then, one after another 'thud' sounds kept ringing out, and the citizens who couldn't bear the condemnation of their conscience knelt down to the ground one by one.

  "Little brother, I have lived a long and useless life for so many years, but I have never seen anyone as kind and benevolent as you!" Among the crowd of people kneeling on the ground, there were also old men with white hair.

  "Get up, everyone, please get up!" Xiao Chen hastily reached out to pull them up, but no one was willing to stand up straight.

  "Big brother, you'd better leave quickly! Let us handle things here!" The young woman gritted her teeth. Such a kind and benevolent person absolutely cannot be allowed to suffer misfortune because of people like us.

  "Really! Benefactor, you can leave now, please leave now!" The people who had fallen to the ground said in a flurry of voices. The good side of human nature hidden deep within each person's heart finally fully recovered under Xiao Chen's influence.

  "Then thank you all!" Liu Lan was overjoyed. She had to leave quickly, lest she have too many dreams.

  "What are you, a group of insolent commoners, daring to let him go?" At this time, the soldiers knocked down by Xiao Chen also finally caught their breath. They struggled and with great difficulty got up from the ground, surrounding Xiao Chen. "You little brat, if you want to leave, kill us first! I'd like to see if you have the guts to harm government troops!"

  "Alright, Xiao Chen gege, you've made their day, go ahead and have a killing spree!" At this moment, Xiang Xuan was extremely excited.

  "Shut up!" Xiao Chen slapped her hand again, this time with a bit more force. Liu Lan didn't say anything, but she gripped Xiao Chen's arm tightly. However, her trembling body revealed how tense she was.

  "A few soldiers, I'll go with you!" Xiao Chen finally spoke up. He absolutely couldn't let these innocent civilians be implicated because of him. Everyone was stunned once again.

  "Oh no! General, this young brother is a good person, the most benevolent and kind person in the world. You absolutely cannot take him away! As long as you don't take him away, I'll give you whatever you want... money, wealth, will that do?" Although it was very hard to part with, for Xiao Chen's safety, he had no choice but to give up.

  Young woman clenched her teeth, tightly grasping the silver coins still warm in her hand and handed them over. "Soldiers, as long as you let our benefactor go, all of these are yours!" One by one, kind-hearted citizens came forward, handing over the warm silver coins in their hands to the soldiers.

  This... This time the soldiers were stunned! They knew very well how desperately people in dire straits yearned for money. But it was precisely these people who, for the sake of a young boy they had just met, would willingly give up the silver that could bring them happiness. What's going on? What's wrong with this world?

  Anger unknowingly receded from everyone's heart. Even the most evil people may have a good side in their hearts, let alone these soldiers living at the bottom of society?

  So what to do now? All the soldiers looked at me, I looked at you, and everyone hoped that the other would take the lead! In the end, their eyes were fixed on a sturdy man with a full beard. The sturdy man was silent, but his Adam's apple could be seen jumping constantly.

  After a long time, the strong man finally spoke up, his voice extremely hoarse. "Alright, since you're all so sincere, let me, Big Brother Bing, show great mercy today and spare this little guy! Brothers, take back your lives before we leave!" After finishing speaking, the strong man walked forward, took a small silver ingot from a commoner's hand, turned around, mounted his horse with big strides, whipped it, and galloped away.

  One of his senior officers made a move and the rest of the soldiers followed suit. In an instant, the soldiers were gone in a cloud of dust.