The Return of the Demon

After listening to Ning Chen, almost everyone understood.

Ning Chen wanted Niu Anguo to lead people to pretend to be bandits and rob all the grain from the grain merchants.

Only Ning Chen could come up with such a wicked idea.

Ning Chen had no choice. He had already transferred grain from Zhangzhou, but it was too late.

He couldn't just watch the people starve to death. Even if they only had a bowl of porridge every day, it was a hope for the people to survive.

"I will obey your order!"

Niu Anguo did not hesitate at all.

First, these grains originally belonged to the Qingzhou granary.

Second, military orders are as firm as mountains.

At this time, several Ning'an Army soldiers came to report.

Ning Chen looked happy. It was just in time for him to come back.

He asked a few people to come in.

"Have you found out everything?"

A soldier said respectfully: "Your Highness, I have found out everything!"

The soldier took out a map and said, "Your Highness, all the grain stores and private granaries in the city are marked!"

Ning Chen smiled and said, "You did a good job. I will give you a credit first."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Next, Ning Chen began to deploy the tasks.

Afterwards, he handed the map to Niu Anguo.

......

Late at night, riots suddenly broke out in many places in the city.

Countless black-clad bandits broke into the grain stores and private granaries in the city and began to rob.

The people guarding the grain stores and granaries were easily knocked out.

These people were very professional, but very bold. They parked the carriage directly at the door of the grain store and granary and began to move the grain out.

And this kind of thing happened everywhere in the city.

When the people guarding the grain store and granary woke up, they cried on the spot. The store was empty, and the rats had to leave with tears.

Overnight, all the grain stores and granaries in the city were robbed.

When the grain merchants heard the news, they fainted.

The next day, early in the morning.

Ning Chen was still sleeping and was awakened by a knock on the door.

He temporarily occupied Liang Anzhi's room. He was busy all night last night and lay down at dawn. Didn't sleep for long?

It was too cold, Ning Chen huddled in the quilt and didn't want to come out.

He showed half of his head and shouted to the outside: "Come in!"

The door opened and Pan Yucheng walked in.

He was holding a bowl of porridge in his hand.

"As you expected, the grain merchants in the city blocked the entrance to the government office and shouted to see you!"

Ning Chen reached out to take the bowl of porridge handed over by Pan Yucheng, muttering: "Why are you looking for me? It's not me who stole their grain, it was Niu Anguo who did it... No, it was the bandits of the Tianshen Sect who did it."

Pan Yucheng's mouth twitched a few times.

Ning Chen lay on the bed, slurping the hot porridge.

After drinking a bowl of porridge, he felt much warmer.

He just got up, and didn't wash his face, it was too cold.

Then he went straight to the study and wrote a notice.

"Old Pan, post this notice and have people go from street to street to inform the people of the city that the warehouse will be opened to release grain this evening, and porridge stalls will be set up so that the people can come and have a bowl of hot porridge."

"By the way, how is the porridge stall set up?"

Pan Yucheng said: "People have been arranged to prepare as soon as possible, and porridge will be distributed in the afternoon."

Ning Chen nodded slightly.

He set up more than 20 porridge stalls in the city, which can temporarily solve the urgent needs of the people.

Pan Yucheng went to work.

Ning Chen came to the gate of the government office.

Outside the government office, there were crowds of people, all of whom were grain merchants from Qingzhou.

Ning Anjun was blocking the door.

Seeing Ning Chen, Ning Anjun hurriedly saluted.

When the grain merchants learned that the person in front of them was the King of Zhenguo, they were all angry for a while, and shouted for Ning Chen to make a decision for them.

"Quiet!"

Ning Chen pressed his hand.

The scene suddenly became quiet.

Ning Chen frowned and said in a deep voice: "Who are you? How dare you block the gate of the government office and make a fuss? Don't you know that blocking the government office is a serious crime?"

"Your Majesty, we are merchants from Qingcheng, and we are here to sue the officials."

Ning Chen almost couldn't help but say: "Who in the hall dares to sue me?"

"Your Majesty, I run a grain store. Last night, bandits broke into my grain store, beat up my servants, and robbed all the grain."

"Your Majesty, my granary was also robbed, and not a single grain was left."

"My grain store and granary were robbed. Please help me."

Ning Chen was furious and said sternly: "How can this be possible? Who is so bold? How dare you steal under my nose?"

Feng Qizhen popped out from the side, leaned over and clasped his fists, "My lord, after my investigation, the thieves are bandits from the Tianshen Cult."

"Tianshen Cult?" Ning Chen's face was as dark as water, and he shouted angrily: "What a cult, using crazy drugs to control the people, making a lot of money, and killing innocent people. Now they dare to steal. They deserve to die!"

"Pass my order, let the Southern Border Army search the whole city for the cult monsters. If they voluntarily surrender, I can let them go... If they are lucky and continue to do evil, they will be killed without mercy."

"If anyone provides clues about the cult monsters, they will be rewarded heavily. If you dare to shelter and hide the cult monsters, you will be guilty of conspiracy and the whole family will be executed!"

Feng Qizhen leaned over and said, "I obey your order!"

Many of the grain merchants showed fear on their faces.

Many of them joined the Tianshen Cult.

Ning Chen looked at them and said loudly: "Don't worry, I will definitely send more people to arrest the thieves and get your grain back."

"Last night, the relief grain transferred from Zhangzhou by the court has arrived. I have set up a porridge shed in the city. Your grain has been stolen. If you can't afford to eat at home, you can go to the porridge shed to have a bowl of hot porridge."

"Don't worry, as long as I am here, I will ensure that you will not starve to death!"

"Of course, Qingzhou is in great trouble, and I hope you can work together with me to overcome the difficulties... You are all well-known figures in Qingzhou, and you know more people than me. I hope you can tell each other, and donate money and effort."

"Now the people are short of food and clothing, and people are freezing to death every moment. I am heartbroken... I hope everyone can lend a hand. Donate the old cotton clothes and old quilts that are not used at home. Do a good deed every day and accumulate virtue for future generations."

Ning Chen suddenly changed the subject and said in a deep voice: "All soldiers listen to my orders!"

"In!"

Dozens of Ning'an soldiers shouted in unison, like wolves and tigers, with great momentum.

This frightened the merchants present so much that their faces turned pale.

Ning Chen pointed at the merchants and ordered Ning Anjun: "You will write down the names of all the shopkeepers later. When you find the grain, return them one by one, so that you can find them later."

"By the way, if anyone donates cotton clothes, quilts, etc., you must write it down for me... I will post notices throughout the city to commend them later."

"Also... the next imperial examination will be presided over by me. If you donate materials, and there are scholars in your family who want to go to Beijing to take the exam, you can find me when you arrive in Beijing, and I will definitely take care of them... Of course, it doesn't matter if you don't donate. This is not forced, it's all voluntary. Even if you don't donate, I will still remember you, and I will still take care of you when the time comes."

The grain merchants present were dumbfounded.