Chapter 205: Smash the Grain Shop, Distribute the Grain, Save the Family!

「Immortal~」

「Calling Immortal~」

Inside the walkie-talkie came Qin Gui's anxious shouts.

Li Shishi reached out to turn on the bedside lamp, sleepy-eyed, glanced at Lin Dao snoring like thunder beside her, then picked up the walkie-talkie and replied, 「The Immortal is in seclusion. 」

On this end, Qin Gui could hear the snoring even through the walkie-talkie—whose Immortal goes into seclusion just to sleep?

He, always shrewd, was now truly anxious.

「Please have everyone make an announcement. 」

「The Grand Emperor is critically ill! 」

In Qin Gui's understanding, this was undoubtedly a major matter.

In the past, the entire city would have had to pray for blessings for such a thing.

But inside the walkie-talkie came only Li Shishi's「I dare not disturb him~」

And then she hung up directly!

Qin Gui was stunned.

Was the imperial prestige completely gone?

Li Shishi had been by the Immortal's side for only a few days, and already she paid no heed to imperial dignity.

The sky was just turning light.

Qin Gui, who had stayed up late until his eyes were bloodshot, ran all the way to Ma Qian Jie Jin Qian Xiang.

If the Grand Emperor really died, he would surely be in trouble.

「Immortal~」

「Immortal~~」

Qin Gui knelt outside the car, kowtowing and shouting without cease.

After a long while, the car door opened.

Lin Dao, clearly grumpy from just waking up, came out with a displeased expression.

「You'd better really have something important. 」

「Immortal. 」Qin Gui kowtowed heavily「The Grand Emperor is critically ill~~~」

Lin Dao frowned「What illness? 」

「This~~~」

Qin Gui found it hard to speak.

But he still had to say it.

「The Grand Emperor wielded a knife and castrated himself, and wind-cold entered his body through the wound~」

Zhao Ji had no experience with this and just cut it off directly.

It happened to be stormy weather.

Rainwater soaked the wound, and unsurprisingly an infection appeared.

Now the Grand Emperor was tormented by pain, fainting and waking, waking and fainting, his wails nearly shaking the tiles off the Qin Palace roof.

According to the Imperial Medical Bureau, he probably couldn't last more than a few days before being tortured to death by pain.

Qin Gui had no choice but to come find the Immortal.

「He really did it? 」Lin Dao laughed until he doubled over.

「Wait. 」

He turned and got into the car, and in a short while came back out, tossing a bottle over.

「One pill at a time, three times a day. 」

Qin Gui held the small bottle with both hands, feeling it was neither gold nor wood, a material he had never seen, and thought it must be an immortal's spirit pill.

Now was not the time to talk about these things.

After saluting again, he hurried back to the Forbidden City.

Lin Dao, having been woken up, did not sleep again, but turned to washing up.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure lingering outside the courtyard.

Rinsing his mouth and wiping his face, he looked over and called out, 「If you have something to say, come in and say it! 」

In a short while, the figure who had been loitering in the alley outside timidly came in.

「This humble one, Zhao You San~」

The visitor entered and saluted—it was Zhao You San, the pancake seller they had met before behind Zhang's family's pancake shop.

「Oh, it's you. 」

Lin Dao naturally remembered him.

He had given him silver and arranged for him to be a spy watching the Hu People on Zhao Zhao Si Jie.

「You came to find me. 」

「Is it that the Hu People on Zhao Zhao Si Jie are causing trouble? 」

「Immortal~」

Zhao You San saluted again「Indeed, the city's grain is exhausted, those Hu People are gradually connecting with each other, intending to loot the neighbors. 」

「This humble one received word and hurried to report. 」

「Well done. 」Lin Dao nodded「Go keep watch on them, and after the matter is settled, your reward will not be lacking. 」

「Thank you, Immortal~~~」

Back in the car, Lin Dao picked up the walkie-talkie on the charging dock, with a talisman slip from a Taixue student stuck to it.

After opening it, he called out, "Chen Dong? Answer if you hear me."

A group of Taixue Students hiding inside Da Xiangguo Temple were worrying about what to eat today.

The monks in the temple said their stored grain was nearly exhausted, leaving only winter vegetables from the vegetable garden.

Originally planning to go out to find food, the Liu Guang Er left behind by the Immortal suddenly made a sound.

"I am Chen Dong."

Picking up the walkie-talkie, Chen Dong hurriedly replied, "Immortal, what are your orders?"

"Where are you?"

"Da Xiangguo Temple."

Lin Dao lowered his head to look at the map and found the location of Da Xiangguo Temple.

"Go to Dong Shi Zi Da Jie and wait for me on De Sheng Qiao."

After giving the instruction, Lin Dao ended the call.

On this side, Chen Dong was still shouting, "Immortal~ Immortal?"

"We have nothing to eat, can we~"

"Hello?"

Gao Deng, his eyes full of envy, stepped forward and said, "Since the Immortal has given instructions, we only need to go."

"I suppose with the Immortal's abilities, conjuring some food for us is not difficult."

The Taixue Students all echoed in agreement.

They left Da Xiangguo Temple and walked along Nan Men Da Jie.

Passing by one shop and restaurant after another, all doors and windows were tightly closed.

However, many pedestrians appeared on the street, all with grave expressions, searching everywhere for food.

Bianliang City, with over a million people, consumed a huge amount of grain every day.

Previously, supplies were transported via Bian He and other rivers and the Official Road to replenish consumption.

But now the Jin people blockaded internal and external traffic, so they could only eat stored grain.

Over a million mouths~

After many days, many families had already seen the bottom of their rice jars.

The Taixue Students wearing identical Confucian Robes attracted much attention.

Many people chose to follow them, to see what they were going to do.

These young scholars had considerable influence within Bianliang City.

Arriving at De Sheng Qiao, the Taixue Students looked around but could not find Lin Dao's trace.

Many commoners stepped forward to inquire.

Chen Dong immediately stepped forward and loudly recounted the glorious battle record of an Immortal descending to the mortal world and defeating the Jin people.

But most commoners did not believe it.

Previously, Guo Jing's Six Jia Divine Soldiers used the same tactics.

But what was the result~~~

In the midst of speaking, Lin Dao, riding an Electric Bicycle, arrived at De Sheng Qiao.

The Taixue Students all stepped forward to pay their respects.

Lin Dao gave no speech, but instructed the Taixue Students to follow him.

"Follow me."

Seeing it once is better than a thousand words.

Arriving near Zhao Zhao Si Jie, Zhao You San, who had been waiting there, hurriedly came forward to greet him.

"Immortal, those Hu People are causing a disturbance!"

"They are smashing shops, looting civilian houses, and committing murder in the streets~~~"

A flash of killing intent appeared in Lin Dao's eyes; he turned his head and instructed, "Follow me!"

Through streets and alleys, onto Zhao Zhao Si Jie.

The street was already in chaos.

Han Family shops on both sides were all smashed, looted, and burned, and cries and screams came from many civilian houses.

On the street lay many corpses and injured people.

The Taixue Students running over, panting, shouted, "Damn bastards!"

Seeing so many Song people arrive, the Hu People on the street were obviously somewhat fearful.

But soon someone shouted loudly, and Hu People ran out from shops and residences everywhere, gathering in increasing numbers.

A woman in disheveled clothes crawled out from a house, weeping and wailing in utter misery.

Lin Dao's gaze swept over a child on the street whose head had been smashed and who was pierced by a sharpened wooden stake.

He turned his head to look at the Taixue Students and said, "Dare you fight?"

The Taixue Students loudly replied, "What do we not dare!"

They had all witnessed Lin Dao's thunderous methods, so naturally they dared ten thousand times over.

Chen Dong strode forward, half-squatted on the ground, and extended both hands in a supporting gesture.

Lin Dao also smiled.

He took out a Machine Gun and a long Ammo Belt from the Travel Bag.

Gao Deng and others who reacted more slowly also ran over to help hold the Ammo Belt.

Chen Dong frowned in response, and the gazes among the Taixue Students clashed intensely.

Worse still, several Taixue students ran up to Lin Dao and lay prone, interlocking with each other to form a flesh cushion.

Had it been the Jin people who had witnessed Lin Dao's state of all-out slaughter, they would have turned tail and fled at the sight of this scene.

But the Hu people on the street did not understand at all.

Holding various objects, they shouted and hollered loudly, a dark mass surging over.

Lin Dao naturally would not indulge them.

Having readied to shoot, he immediately opened fire.

The terrifying sound of the electric saw reverberated through Zhao Zhao Si Jie.

Close range, a crowded throng, a machine gun, an extended four-hundred-round ammo belt.

These things gathered together amounted to a one-sided slaughter.

When Lin Dao had emptied the ammo belt, the opposite side was already a mess.

Setting down the machine gun with its barrel smoking, Lin Dao's figure flashed and he disappeared.

When he reappeared, a large pile of sabers, spears, swords, and halberds had already accumulated at his side and beneath his feet.

"Take up weapons."

Lin Dao raised his hand and pointed at the Hu people fleeing in disarray opposite.

"Kill them all!"

The Taixue students took the lead, and the spectating commoners followed.

The entire situation on Zhao Zhao Si Jie reversed.

The Hu people who had previously plundered and butchered became the ones being hunted down.

In the process, many Hu people and Hu concubines begged for mercy, no longer bearing their previous ferocious demeanor.

But the crowd, already killing with reddened eyes, paid no heed whatsoever, dragging them straight to the main street for disposal.

Lin Dao, who witnessed all this, did not care in the slightest.

Before the Hu people acted, they should have anticipated this outcome.

What you do not desire for yourself, do not impose on others.

Since you did it, others doing it back to you is only right and proper!

Sitting askew on the electric bicycle, Lin Dao opened a bottle of mineral water.

He just watched silently like that.

By noon, the clamor all around finally gradually subsided.

On the whole of Zhao Zhao Si Jie, there was now a mountain of corpses and sea of blood.

Hu people of distinct features were casually discarded on the street.

The Song commoners who perished were collected by people who stepped forward.

The Taixue students, their Confucian robes stained with blood, gathered one after another before Lin Dao, each pair of eyes still glowing red, clearly their excitement had not yet faded.

"Do you all know~"

Lin Dao raised the electric trumpet: "Why did these Hu people dare to commit atrocities?"

He was not only speaking to the Taixue students, but more so to the commoners on the street.

Chen Dong replied loudly: "It is because the Imperial Court is incompetent!"

Lin Dao nodded in satisfaction, took out an electric trumpet and threw it over: "Say it again."

"It is because the Imperial Court is incompetent!!!"

"Well said!" Lin Dao spoke again: "The Imperial Court is incompetent, causing the land and rivers to be lost, the people to live a life worse than death."

"What use is there in keeping an Imperial Court that only harms the people!"

Chen Dong waved his arm and shouted: "Useless~ useless~~"

He turned his head and signaled the Taixue students, who all shouted in unison.

Infected by the emotion, many commoners gathered around to listen.

Lin Dao simply found a large cart, stood on it, and called out loudly.

"The Imperial Court is incompetent, the Emperor is unjust!"

"Causing the people to suffer calamity!"

"Such an Imperial Court, such an Emperor, ought to be abandoned!"

"Now the Imperial Court and the Emperor single-mindedly want to surrender to the Jin people outside the city."

"Handing over the lives and property of all the city's people to those wild people."

"Your family wealth will be robbed by the Jin people."

"Your wives and daughters will be bullied and humiliated by the Jin people."

"You yourselves will become slaves of the Jin people, unable to be reborn for generations!"

Lin Dao was not talking nonsense; everything he said was fact.

The previous city-wide search, seizing gold, silver, silk fabrics, and women, had only passed a few days ago.

"You!"

Lin Dao suddenly reached out, pointing at a man in the crowd.

"What is your name, where does your home reside?"

That man was clearly frightened, feeling the gazes of everyone around him, trembling and not knowing what to do.

Lin Dao gave a look, and Chen Dong immediately ran over.

Coming to the man's side, he whispered instructions: "Don't be afraid, answer properly, there will be a reward if you speak well."

Immediately after, he placed the electric trumpet by his mouth.

"This lowly one, this lowly one is named Liu Jin."

"Home is on the third Sweet Water Alley~"

"Liu Jin." Lin Dao asked again, "You tell me, for what matter did you leave home?"

"This lowly one's household has run out of rice, came out to seek grain."

"Have you found any?"

Liu Jin shook his head repeatedly, "Many households have run out of grain, nowhere to borrow."

"Have you been to the Grain Store?"

"Went." Mentioning the Grain Store, Liu Jin's face instantly showed anger, "Those damn profiteers, a dou of rice sells for five thousand cash, five thousand cash ah~~~"

"Did you all hear that?"

Lin Dao calmed his breath, spread five fingers and roared, "Five thousand cash!"

"Five thousand cash per dou!"

"You, and your families, will all starve to death!"

"Why would you starve to death?"

"Because the Imperial Court is incompetent! The Emperor is incompetent!"

The commoners who felt the same, their emotions were obviously stirred up.

Lin Dao clenched his fist, suddenly swung it down.

"The East House behind the Grain Store, what manner of people they are, you all naturally know clearly!"

"Those who don't want their families to starve to death, now all follow me."

"Smash the Grain Store, distribute the grain, save the families!"

Emotions gradually built up to the right pitch, the commoners whose blood-qi had not yet settled after the earlier killing.

One after another they raised their arms and shouted.

"Smash the Grain Store, distribute the grain, save the families!"

(End of Chapter)