Chapter 1245: Our Own People

After being disciplined by Baifeng, those Leaders of the Suiren Clan were much more obedient. Although it could be said that none of them listened to Fu at all, they still each chose a courtyard to move into.

They were very curious about everything in the houses, but having been threatened beforehand, and with a few smiling people who spoke in humble tones and claimed to be there to take care of them—yet who gave them the feeling of being there to supervise them—they didn't dare to move at all. They just sat obediently on the floors of the rooms or simply sat in the courtyards.

Such a large courtyard for a Second Ring Resident already housed more than fifty people in a single family, so accommodating this many people was not much of a problem; there were so many rooms, it was just that they didn't dare to move.

Those who were slightly bolder lay down on the kang and went straight to sleep, not thinking about anything and doing nothing. Anyway, they were already so tired from this day, why bother with those things?

Besides, it had already been said that this house was for them to rest in; was there a problem with sleeping here? Those few smiling people had also said that this was a place for sleeping.

It was just an earthen platform with some dried Grass spread on top; could they eat the Grass?

That's right, it was just dried Grass—thoroughly sun-dried wheat straw spread thickly on the kang. It was more comfortable than spreading a layer of animal skin rugs, though it might be a bit prickly. However, he believed these people of the Suiren Clan would have no complaints; he estimated that what they usually slept on was not even as good as this.

There were originally skin rugs, but the owner was afraid of getting lice from the Suiren Clan, so when they left, they had stored all the skin rugs in the warehouse. This dried Grass was something the servants had hurriedly found to spread out.

The rugs hadn't even been laid out yet when these people arrived. The servants were a bit panicked, thinking they had been slow in their work and had mistreated the guests, fearing they would be punished. But who would have thought the Ministry of Rites Official would tell them directly that there was no need to lay them out, and that there was no need to treat these people so well, because they had offended the King and were not yet that submissive to discipline.

With the Ministry of Rites people backing them up, these servants were naturally emboldened. Although they were there to serve these people, since they dared to offend the King, why would they put their hearts into it? So, when they smiled, they smiled a bit strangely, which actually frightened the Suiren Clan people to the point that they didn't dare to speak recklessly or move around at will.

Chengqie finished his day of lessons and had just left school, preparing to go home, when he discovered someone was already waiting for him, saying that people from the Suiren Clan had arrived and asking if he wanted to go take a look.

Chengqie had to go see them; perhaps his father had even sent some message to him. So, he led his group of younger brothers and sisters and walked over in a swarm, though he was still curious why they had been settled in this place.

On the way, the official also told Chengqie about what had happened at the meeting, mentioning in his words that these people had bad tempers and bad attitudes, and that the King was a bit angry.

Chengqie clenched his fists as he listened. What kind of people had his father sent him? Wasn't this just looking for trouble for him? But then he thought about how, when he first arrived, his own heart hadn't been much better, and he had had absolutely no sense of identification with Huaxia. Thinking of himself this way, his anger toward those people lessened a little. However, disciplining them was still something that had to be done; otherwise, if they did something else in Huaxia, with his current status and ability, could he protect them?

If they committed a crime, they would be punished; that was no problem. But if they dared to lay a hand on Baifeng, he reckoned their lives would likely be in danger. If they dared to lay a hand on Baifeng, Chengqie felt he probably had no way to save them. Never mind himself, even if his father came, he probably wouldn't be able to do anything. If someone dared to lay a hand on his father, Chengqie felt he would absolutely have to take action; it would be impossible to let it go.

After Chengqie arrived at one of the courtyards, he found that many people were just sitting in the courtyard, neither speaking nor moving, as if someone had restricted them.

Chengqie curiously pointed at them, looked at the Ministry of Rites Official with a puzzled expression, and said nothing.

When the Ministry of Rites person saw this situation, he was also a bit embarrassed: "Because this is a house borrowed from another Resident, I told them not to rummage or move things around, and not to destroy someone else's home. But it seems they might have taken it a bit too much to heart."

Chengqie had nothing to say to this reason. Although these people made Chengqie a bit angry, they were his own people after all, and they certainly couldn't be bullied by others at will. Otherwise, where would his dignity be? Wouldn't he be losing face to the people from the Ministry of Revenue?

But it was true, they had offended Baifeng as soon as they arrived. It was only right for the Ministry of Rites people to give them a hard time and straighten them out; he could only ease the situation a little.

"Ahem!"

Chengqie coughed lightly. Those Leaders looked back and saw—oh my, it was actually Leader Chengqie! He was followed by a large group of children; some were familiar, some were completely unfamiliar, and even Leader Chengqie looked like he was becoming almost unrecognizable.

"Why are you all sitting here? Where are the others? Call them all over to me!"

As soon as Chengqie gave the order, those Leaders immediately sprang up from the ground, then went into the rooms to call people, or went to the neighboring courtyard, or squeezed out from among the group of children.

In a short while, the courtyard was already full of people—over a hundred of them, packed tightly.

Chengqie, of course, couldn't lecture them first; he still had to be a bit more amiable: "You have all had a hard journey. My father gave you a task, right?"

Everyone was talking at once, which made Chengqie's head spin, so he pointed to one sitting in the front whose name he knew: "Pen, you tell me. Everyone else, be quiet."

Chengqie's words were more effective than Baifeng's; it became quiet all at once.

"Leader Chengqie, we were ordered by the Tribal Chief to come to Huaxia to deliver things and send letters, and also, that is, that is..."

His gaze turned toward the people who did not belong to the Suiren Clan. The Ministry of Revenue person knew he wasn't suited to be here, so he said with a smile: "Oh, Chengqie, then I will head back first. If there are any problems later, just send someone to find me; I will still be in the office."

Chengqie also said with a smile: "Alright, sorry to trouble you. You go ahead and get busy."

The Ministry of Revenue Official nodded, then left the courtyard and pulled the courtyard gate shut.

But how could he just leave like that? Of course, after walking a few steps, he tiptoed back to eavesdrop!

With a whole courtyard of Suiren Clan people, and those Leaders stammering and refusing to speak, only willing to talk once he had left—if this were something unimportant, that would be fine, but if they had some important, secret matter that was unfavorable to Huaxia and he didn't hear it, wouldn't that be trouble?