Chapter 700: Walking Through Wangchuan

The whole group was stunned.

The Prince of Yong nearly lost his seat and tumbled down.

"Vice Minister Liu, this must absolutely not happen!"

"Liu Zheng!"

"This..."

The group all spoke up to dissuade him.

After all, in their eyes, this Vice Minister Liu could be considered a person of immense value. Not to mention that it was practically a done deal that he would be the Imperial Son-in-law, and as for his fame in Longyan, who could compare?

A person like this actually wanted to take a trip to Wangchuan with them first?

This...

If something were to happen to him, who could bear the responsibility?

Gu Guan also wore a stern expression, blowing his beard and glaring: "Vice Minister Liu, this must absolutely not happen!"

Liu Zheng laughed and explained: "Everyone, do not worry. I only wish to go in and see what kind of place this Wangchuan City really is, not to cross through it directly. I, Liu Zheng, guarantee that if I encounter danger halfway, I will turn back immediately. How about that?"

"This..."

The group looked at each other in dismay.

Liu Zheng wore a sincere expression and cupped his hands: "My brothers, the matter of going to Liaodong involves much. This time, the number of people gathered at Taixi Stockade has reached hundreds of thousands! My brothers, lives are at stake; I, Liu Zheng, must be cautious! If you truly wish to walk through Wangchuan, take me along. Only when I see the situation in Wangchuan with my own eyes can I decide whether to lead these hundreds of thousands of people behind me into it! I hope you brothers understand my intentions!"

Once these words were spoken, the entire place fell silent.

Everyone was moved by Liu Zheng's painstaking efforts.

For the sake of the people behind him, he would go in first!

What kind of magnanimity was this, what kind of sentiment?

What kind of concern for the country and the people, what kind of sense of responsibility?

"Fine!"

Gu Guan was a simple and honest man; he looked at this Vice Minister Liu with new eyes once again, downed another cup of wine, wiped his mouth, and without further hesitation, nodded: "Since Vice Minister Liu has such a compassionate heart, what the hell are we brothers hesitating for! Let's go to Wangchuan!"

"Fine! Let's go to Wangchuan!"

"Let's go! To hell with fear; if there are ghosts, we can wipe them out too!"

A group of Jinzhou men never backed down.

Of course.

Although they said that...

These people still spent the whole night preparing all sorts of things to ward off evil. Things like peach wood swords, talismans, dog teeth, garlic...

"What are you saying? He wants to enter Wangchuan?"

Crown Prince Xie Fang was instantly excited and jumped up upon hearing this news.

The others also exchanged joyful glances.

"A good thing!"

"He is looking to throw his life away!"

"Your Highness, then we..."

The group's malicious intentions returned.

Xie Fang laughed heartily, feeling extremely happy, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes: "Prepare the men and follow him! If there is an opportunity..."

He made a beheading gesture.

"As you command!"

Vice Minister Liu intends to take a trip into Wangchuan first!

The entire group at Taixi Stockade had their own thoughts.

Some believed that Vice Minister Liu was scouting the path and acting as the vanguard for them. Moved, they one after another expressed that they would also send some servants to follow Vice Minister Liu to scout the path through Wangchuan!

Others believed that what Vice Minister Liu was doing was purely seeking death. But while seeking death, they could not help but feel a sense of admiration for him. At the very least, he didn't just lead this group of Longyan wealthy elites to their deaths all at once, did he?

Still others believed that Vice Minister Liu was completely putting on a show; it was possible that he was just acting to get these people to follow him to their deaths. If he went first and then came back, wouldn't these people have no reason to refuse?

All sorts of conspiracy theories.

All sorts of discussions.

But this could not stop Liu Zheng's pace.

He announced first.

The ten-day deadline originally set would be temporarily postponed until he returned from Wangchuan this time.

Afterward, he took one thousand Liangzhou Army soldiers and began preparing supplies.

The Prince of Yong was quite superstitious and insisted on stuffing his bag with things like peach wood swords, garlic, dog teeth, and even a black donkey's hoof...

This left Liu Zheng between laughter and tears, but he accepted them all with a smile.

Looking at Gu Guan's side.

The one hundred thousand prisoners nearly mutinied upon learning they were to forcibly cross Wangchuan. But fortunately, they were at Taixi Stockade, where there were many troops, and the mutiny was quickly nipped in the bud.

Liu Zheng had originally wanted to give a public speech, but was stopped by the Prince of Yong.

Because this batch of prisoners were, in fact, death-row inmates.

Scheduled for execution after autumn.

Exiling them to Liaodong was originally giving them a chance to live again.

Dealing with these people, giving them too much face really wouldn't do.

Because they would take an inch and ask for a mile.

Although Liu Zheng could not bear it in his heart, he also felt that every era has its own way of handling things, so he still followed the advice of the Prince of Yong.

And so.

The decision was made on the third day.

Gu Guan and the other jailers, leading one hundred thousand prisoners, prepared in a grand and mighty procession.

Someone might ask at this time.

How could these few hundred jailers escort the prisoners all the way without incident? The number of prisoners was, for the jailers, an overwhelming presence.

Here, one must mention the ancient penal system.

The five major punishments of "flogging, caning, penal servitude, exile, and death" have been passed down since ancient times. Relatively speaking, exile is certainly better than death. And why exile? There are many historical reasons for this. The true purpose of exile is actually to govern the frontier. Because the biggest problem in governing the frontier is population. Population migration is the most troublesome thing for the Han people; as the saying goes, it is hard to leave one's native land, and many people are unwilling to move to other places.

In that case, what is to be done?

The frontier trade markets require a massive population buffer; otherwise, those barbarians would easily invade Zhongyuan.

Then, there are only two choices.

Military conscription.

And exile.

For example, tattooing the face and being sent to the army; Lin Chong was like that at the time.

Exile, however, is different; the degree of the crime is much more serious.

But regardless of whether it is military conscription or exile.

Characters will be carved onto the face!

That is, tattooing the face!

And both implement a system of collective responsibility.

Therefore.

As long as the registered prisoners cause trouble on the road, their relatives back in their hometowns will all suffer for it!

This consequence is quite severe.

Those in exile generally have their crime tattooed on their left cheek and the name of the place of exile on their right cheek.

Even if such a person were to defect, where could they escape to? In the vast land of China, it is all imperial territory. One hundred thousand prisoners sounds like a lot, but in reality, they are just a bunch of unorganized and undisciplined thugs; what kind of waves could they stir up in front of a regular army?

Not to mention risking their family members being prosecuted by the imperial court?

Therefore.

A few hundred people escorting one hundred thousand is a very normal thing.

Furthermore, Wangchuan is indeed terrifying.

But at this moment, what they face, other than walking through Wangchuan, is death!

Could it be more terrifying than death?

If they take a gamble, they might still survive!

Looking out, the one hundred thousand people were a vast, dark sea.

Liu Zheng thought to himself, sure enough, evil is best dealt with by evil.

Gu Guan and his men very easily brought these people into complete submission.

"Set off!"

"Set off!"

Accompanied by many people from Taixi Stockade, Liu Zheng and Pei Qianyun, along with one thousand soldiers, followed behind the prisoner procession.

That Wangchuan City was surrounded by continuous mountains.

At this moment.

In the overcast weather, a sudden clap of thunder rang out.

As for this journey, what the future holds, no one knows.