thenovelthief #264 - Anyone who takes food away from farmers should die!
#264 - Anyone who takes food away from farmers should die!
"Forget it."
"Let's not talk about it."
"Let's eat first."
Xu Chengxian originally wanted to say a few more words.
But when he saw the group of people in front of him, most of them were sallow and emaciated, with a look of malnutrition on their faces. Immediately, he lost the mood to say anything.
Especially the little girls, who were so hungry that they were skin and bones.
Their faces made their eyes look extraordinarily large, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw them.
He hadn't felt palpitations even when fighting the demon general before.
"Is there anyone who can command the crowd?"
"Step forward and arrange for people to fetch water, carry firewood, and set up a stove."
"Old Zhang, have your family send some rice and flour, get some dry food, get some meat, and we'll talk after we eat."
Xu Chengxian said directly.
Seeing that no one moved for a moment after he finished speaking, he couldn't help but click his tongue.
"Tsk, it's really troublesome."
In the next instant, a gust of breeze suddenly rose.
Two deities, each two zhang tall, appeared in front of him.
They cupped their hands towards him and said: "Warriors come at your command, greetings!"
"Please, both of you, reveal your true forms," Xu Chengxian said again, then pointed and sent out two streams of spiritual power.
"We respectfully obey your command, Master!"
The warriors who received the two streams of spiritual power were very easy to talk to.
They immediately revealed their Dharma bodies in front of everyone.
The appearance of the Xuanmen Mountain Guardian Warriors was very intimidating.
The two golden, tall, and mighty warriors, wearing armor and holding weapons, exuded an imposing aura without anger.
Just standing there, they had an extraordinary power.
They could deter all directions.
"Oh heavens!"
"Is this, a deity manifesting?"
"Gods! Real gods have come!"
The people of Song Family Village immediately became noisy.
Immediately, some women and children wanted to kneel down.
Although the others didn't kneel, they all stood up and didn't dare to sit anymore.
"Silence!"
"Silence!"
The Yellow Turban Warriors, having received Xu Chengxian's signal, rebuked in a deep voice.
The two sounds were like thunder, immediately silencing everyone.
At this time.
The old man and old woman from the front of the crowd came out.
"This old man, Song Dayou, greets Immortal Master."
"This old woman, Zhang Yun'er, greets Immortal Master."
As they spoke, they were about to kneel down to Xu Chengxian.
Not because of respect, but because of fear.
Someone who could summon Yellow Turban Warriors at will could certainly kill them with a wave of their hand.
"You don't need to kneel to me." Xu Chengxian waved his horsetail whisk and stopped them.
Oh, ho!
These two are not young.
If they kowtowed, he felt like they could kill him.
Looking again, the old couple were probably very hungry, no wonder they had been sitting, their legs were trembling as they stood.
However, the few children beside them had rosy cheeks, as if they could barely get enough to eat.
In such a situation, there was no need to say anything.
With a heart that cherishes the young, how many of them could be evildoers?
Moreover, at least 70% of the young and strong people around were gathering here, and some even wanted to help the two old people and support them behind them.
Humans are sentient beings.
Those who are abandoned by everyone are not necessarily extremely evil, but those who are extremely evil will definitely not be supported by the majority.
"Eat, let's eat first." Xu Chengxian said the same sentence.
"Yes, we respectfully obey Immortal Master's orders."
"We respectfully obey Immortal Master's orders!"
Perhaps because they saw that he didn't make things difficult for the old people and treated them with courtesy, or perhaps because of the Yellow Turban Warriors, this sentence was said and was considered a response from everyone.
With the old man and old woman as the leaders, everyone lowered their heads and listened to orders.
Master Zhang was even more clever, shouting for the steward to open the warehouse and move rice and flour out.
He also took out the preserved meat that they had saved for the New Year to eat.
In less than half an hour.
The aroma of rice and steamed buns wafted out.
In the face of food, the potential that people can unleash is infinite.
In a short period of time, stoves, firewood, and even more than a dozen dou of rice were freshly ground.
A group of people who had been hungry for a long time also knew that they couldn't eat too much at once.
It was easy for something to happen.
So this meal was rice porridge and noodles.
The first bowl of porridge was sent to Xu Chengxian.
It was brought by a little girl.
"Im, mor, tal, eat." The three- or four-year-old girl slowly came over and slowly sent a small bowl of porridge to 'Immortal Palm'.
"Okay, this is for you." Xu Chengxian gave her a piece of candy.
He took it from Master Zhang's house.
Then, the feast began.
The entire place was silent, only the sound of slurping.
It was very spectacular.
"Oh dear." Xu Chengxian sighed.
Before entering Song Family Village, he knew that this was a den of thieves.
However, the people in it didn't have too much karma, at least basically none of them had blood on their hands.
They were objects that had humanity and could be recruited as believers of Bai Xiaocui.
In addition, having been bandits, they had bloodiness and a fighting spirit, and perhaps he could draw out a few useful subordinates.
He couldn't let Ma Chengfeng and the other demons go out to spread the miracles of their Lady White.
And the most important point was that this group of people, because of robbery, and mostly robbing grain merchants, and living at the foot of the mountain, relying on the mountain to eat, could at least be full for half of the year.
They could still eat some meat.
"Being able to eat enough is really important." He sighed in his heart.
In fact, during that year in the Azure Dragon Secret Realm, Xu Chengxian, Lingxiao, and Ling Yunzi had talked about letting Bai Xiaocui go to the Eastern Earth Human Realm and take the path of the divine way to become a dragon.
They naturally discussed how to proceed.
Lingxiao said that he could borrow the official government to confer the position of god.
Ling Yunzi set up an altar to perform rituals and ask for the approval of the Heavenly Dao.
Xu Chengxian naturally thought that he could start with the people.
First, form a simple folk belief, and then, with this irreversible trend, let the government and the heaven and earth recognize the position of the divine way.
His reasoning was very simple.
The conferment requested from the government can also be taken back by the government.
If you ask for the approval of the Heavenly Dao, and then a Xuanmen Taoist comes and knocks you down from the altar, what should you do?
Only the people.
Only the faith of the people.
As long as you are kind to them, people will still worship you for hundreds or thousands of years.
Moreover, Bai Xiaocui won't need that long.
She is only using the divine way and the power of incense and vows to overcome the tribulation.
After ascending, it doesn't matter if the position of God is knocked down.
After all, it is a physical ascension, unlike the path of the Yin God, whose whole body is tied to the offerings of believers.
Then Xu Chengxian was despised by the Empress and Dao Lord.
These two said that he was an ignorant dandy who 'doesn't eat meat porridge'.
Good fellow!
The guys who were more precious than the other in their previous lives said that he was ignorant of the world!
Xu Chengxian refused to accept it, but they told him that the people did not know how to offer faith.
Someone needs to spur them on, use various means, deceive them, coax them, teach them, and then they will follow and believe.
People follow the crowd.
And to teach them what to believe is too troublesome.
The effect is far less than the previous two.
And they told Xu Chengxian that if he was willing, he could also use some means, combine kindness and power, move them with benefits, and then make some noise to let the government confer a formal temple, which would be twice the result with half the effort.
Why?
Because most of them can't get enough to eat.
So, apart from filling their stomachs, they won't think about anything else.
Xu Chengxian had not experienced hardship.
His most difficult time was when he ran out of living expenses and ate hanging noodles for a week.
Although he was thinking about eating meat every day, he could still fill his stomach.
Two yuan of hanging noodles could cook three big pots, which could last him two days.
Being hungry for a few days is different from being hungry all the time.
So he didn't know what it was like to be constantly hungry, and even starve to death if he wasn't careful.
But he understood a little, because he could eat enough, and felt happy, what it was like.
Why do you say that the people can be driven and spurred like cattle and sheep?
Because they are very hungry.
And the 'fodder' they grow is regarded as a gift and a bargaining chip.
Some people are high above, taking the credit of heaven, and taking other people's labor results for granted.
"Those who take food from the mouths of farmers deserve to die!" Xu Chengxian took a sip of porridge, squinted his eyes slightly, and smiled.