Chapter 182: I Think You Rather Envy Me

"Which village?" Li Lin asked.

"Minle Village."

Li Lin was familiar with this village as well; it was indeed under the jurisdiction of Beiliu County, but in fact it was closer to Yulin County.

In such a moment of peril, a person's instinct is to run toward the nearest safe place.

So the villagers of Minle Village running to Yulin County was indeed understandable.

But the problem was... Yulin County did not have a copy of their Minle Village household registry, and had no idea exactly how many people were in this village. If spies were mixed in among them, the ones to suffer would be the common folk of Yulin County.

Li Lin's gaze swept over those below; every one of these villagers wore a face full of sorrow and bitterness.

Their eyes held timidity, yet also concealed a trace of resentment.

This was perfectly normal. They feared the soldiers, but after finally reaching a place with city walls, they couldn't get inside and were being driven away — that was the same as being told to go die.

Li Lin walked over beside Jiang Jili and asked: "How do you plan to handle this?"

Jiang Jili's tone was calm: "Let them go. Even if they don't leave, I won't let them in. These people belong to another county. If we let them in and something goes wrong, the ones to suffer will only be us."

Li Lin pointed down below and said: "But I counted — there are at least thirty or forty children under ten years old, and some infants too. Do you have the heart to watch them..."

"County Lieutenant." Jiang Jili looked at Li Lin and said seriously: "You told me yourself — duty cannot overstep its bounds."

Li Lin frowned: "That's a different matter. We are their parent officials."

"It's the same." Jiang Jili sighed: "If something really goes wrong, out of the hundred-thousand-plus people in this county, how many would have to die?"

Li Lin smiled and said: "No, you aren't worried about how many of them would die. You're only worried that if something happens, it will affect your official career."

Jiang Jili's expression froze for a moment, then, as if insulted, he said angrily: "You look down on me."

"I don't." Li Lin looked up at the peach blossom tree illusion high in the sky: "I'm just telling it like it is. You're not that kind of person — I can tell."

Jiang Jili tried his best to put on an expression of anger and hurt, even putting a sense of lost sorrow into his eyes.

But Li Lin simply looked at the man quietly, looking into his eyes.

After a good while, Jiang Jili's expression gradually returned to normal, and he asked: "So, you plan to save them?"

"Yes?"

"What if there really are spies among them?" Jiang Jili asked.

"Find them and kill them, that's all."

At this, Jiang Jili finally smiled: "Then go ahead and do it. But I will record this matter in the official documents and submit it afterward. In a while, don't you come to regret it."

"Suit yourself." Li Lin turned and looked at the crowd below the city wall.

Over four hundred people — if he truly ignored them and watched them go die... Li Lin could not do such a thing.

One incense stick's time later, the city gate opened.

Li Lin came out with forty government office Runners, followed by a few Spirit Hunters including Bai Zhiwei.

The villagers looked at the opened city gate, hope rising in their eyes; some even wanted to rush straight in. But the archers on the city wall, their longbows aimed at them, kept them from acting rashly.

Li Lin walked up before them and said: "I am the County Lieutenant of this county. I understand very well that you wish to enter Yulin City to take shelter. But... you are people of Beiliu County. We don't have your household registry, we don't know your backgrounds. If spies are mixed in among you... you understand what I mean."

He stood in the darkness in a red official robe, and under the lingering light of the torches, he gave off an extremely oppressive presence.

An elder stepped out from among the villagers, cupped his hands and bowed, and said humbly: "Sir, everyone here is from our own village, there are no outsiders. This old man dares to stake his life as guarantee. Just let us in. If we go back to Beiliu County now, there isn't enough time."

The villagers also raised their voices, all talking at once, begging Li Lin to let them in.

"But if there really are spies among you, then the hundred-thousand-plus people of Yulin County will be in danger. Which of you can bear that responsibility?"

At these words, everyone fell silent.

The old village chief's gaze swept over the group of villagers, and he said: "Sir, I dare to guarantee that every single person here is from our Minle Village. There are no outsiders."

"I'll say the same thing again — who will guarantee that what you say is trustworthy!"

No one could answer this.

There was only silence.

After waiting a while, Li Lin finally smiled and said: "I want to save you too, so let me say the ugly part first. I can let you in, but you must stay in the place I designate, and you are not allowed to leave. If anyone dares to leave the designated area, I will treat them as spies on the spot. How about it!"

The villagers immediately rejoiced, all talking at once in noisy chatter.

The old village chief suddenly raised his head, and the four hundred-plus people fell silent.

The village chief cupped his hands and said: "Sir, we'll listen to you in everything, we'll do anything. We absolutely won't cause you trouble. If anyone dares to do so, you don't need to lift a hand — I'll personally beat them to death with a wooden staff myself."

Li Lin nodded: "Very good."

Then he looked at all the villagers and asked: "Is there anyone unwilling?"

No one answered.

Now the sky was growing darker by the moment, and with the danger of foreign enemies invading, they were desperate to get inside the county city for shelter.

"Since no one is speaking, I'll take it that you all agree." Li Lin looked at the government office Runners beside him and said: "You take them to the area beside the Tree Immortal Lady Temple. There's a section there with very few people. Let them rest there."

Hearing that Li Lin had agreed, the villagers all breathed a sigh of relief; some women even wept with joy.

The villagers kept thanking Li Lin one after another, and only then obediently followed the government office Runners into the city.

After everyone had gone in, the city gate was temporarily closed again.

Li Lin returned to the city wall once more. Jiang Jili looked at him and said: "A man like you doesn't live long."

"Impossible!"

"My family has several volumes of books that record many tales of remarkable people." Jiang Jili smiled and said: "Quite a few of them were gentlemen like you, but their final fates were all rather tragic."

"I, on the other hand, feel that I've been quite lucky."

"Walk by the river often enough, and you'll eventually get your shoes wet." Jiang Jili looked into the distance: "I'm starting to regret it now. If I'd known you were this kind of person, I wouldn't have been very willing to cooperate with you."

In the distance... the last of the fiery clouds was about to vanish.

Li Lin smiled, shook his head, and said: "I get the feeling you actually rather envy me."

Jiang Jili said nothing for a moment, then said: "Those villagers — I will help you keep an eye on their movements. But you must understand too, I am a man who values stability in his work. If they show any suspicious behavior, I will kill!"

"Agreed."

This face must be given; after all, he is the county's second-in-command.

Jiang Jili nodded, then looked toward the official road ahead.

Another group was coming from there; many held torches, forming a long fire dragon on the official road.

Seeing this, Jiang Jili took a deep breath: "The enemy has truly arrived."

If that group of villagers had entered the city any slower, it would have... truly caused trouble.

(End of this chapter)