Chapter 53

"Does the envoy recognize Ma Zhou?" Zhao Chen's reaction was so surprised that it drew curious glances from everyone in the second hall. Liu Hui, thinking that Zhao Chen might know Ma Zhou, cautiously probed, "Do you know him?"

"I don't!" Upon hearing Liu Hui's words, Zhao Chen's expression immediately changed. He quickly put away his surprised look and said with a smile, "I was just surprised to hear from Mr. Liu that Ma Zhou is a scholar from another place!"

This response seemed a bit like trying to cover up something. It's just a scholar from another place, why should you be so surprised!

Wei Hui's lips curled slightly, and his face showed a look of disbelief. Even the rough warriors like Qin Ming looked at Zhao Chen with strange expressions.

Zhao Chen ignored the strange looks on their faces and continued to think about Ma Zhou. Since Liu Hui said that the plan to pacify the people came from Ma Zhou, it was not surprising at all.

A person from a humble background who managed to rise to the position of prime minister during the Zhenguan era, when talent was abundant, and who went from a penniless scholar to a prime minister, it was not surprising that he could come up with such a plan to pacify the people.

Since there was a proper plan in place, they couldn't afford to delay any longer. If they did, it might cause some unrest, which would be a real tragedy.

After eating the lamb stew prepared by Zhao Yuanjie, the coldness in Zhao Chen and his companions' bodies was completely gone. They then left the county office and headed straight to the various refugee gathering places in the city.

Although Zhao Yuanjie's character was not good, he was right about one thing: once these people entered the city, it would inevitably cause panic.

These people had been frozen outside the city for a whole day and were now cold and hungry. As soon as they entered the city, they immediately rushed to the various taverns and restaurants, scaring the owners into closing their doors early.

As soon as Liu Hui left the county office, he immediately went to the various neighborhoods to gather the neighborhood leaders. Zhao Chen, along with the 200 soldiers he brought and the existing guards of Lantian, began to maintain order in the city.

The crowds originally gathered in front of the taverns and restaurants were gradually concentrated in an open area in the city. Zhao Chen ordered a few large bonfires to be lit in the open area and stood there, loudly comforting the crowd. Seeing the crowd gradually calm down, he then headed to the various taverns and restaurants.

These people had been blocked at the city gate for a whole day and were now hungry and cold. The county office did not have enough people to provide porridge, so they could only mobilize the taverns and restaurants in the city to provide porridge!

Since ancient times, merchants have always been at the bottom of the social hierarchy. In this era, even the wealthiest merchants had a lower status than a poor farmer. Once someone entered the merchant registry, they were basically cut off from the possibility of becoming a scholar or official, and their descendants would never be able to enter the government.

However, Zhao Chen came from a later era and naturally had different views. When he entered the taverns and spoke to the owners, he used polite and respectful language, showing respect for them.

What's wrong with merchants? Do you think their money comes from the wind?

The news of what Zhao Chen did outside the city had already spread throughout the city. The county magistrate of Lantian was still being held outside the city by this young master's order. How dare they defy this star of misfortune?

Moreover, Zhao Chen spoke so politely. These merchants had never been treated with such respect. Zhao Chen's identity was clearly not simple; he had 200 soldiers following him before he even reached adulthood, and it was said that he was personally sent by the emperor to Lantian to provide disaster relief.

The few owners who spoke with Zhao Chen immediately promised, "It's just three days of porridge! No problem, we'll stop doing business, take out all our large pots, and set them up outside to provide porridge!"

How honest! Every time Zhao Chen persuaded a tavern or restaurant to provide porridge, he would look up to the sky and sigh when he came out. Although it was only three days of porridge, with so many people in the city, it would still be a significant amount, and these people agreed without hesitation!

In the future, if anyone dared to say a bad word about merchants in front of him, he would guarantee to beat them until they were crawling on the ground, except for the Hu merchants. He still hadn't forgotten the time he was taken advantage of by a Hu merchant in the East Market!

It took half an hour to persuade five taverns and restaurants to provide porridge. When he came out of the last one, it was already getting dark outside. It would be completely dark in less than half an hour.

He didn't know if the neighborhood leaders and security chiefs that Liu Hui had gathered had arrived. Zhao Chen started walking towards the temporary refugee gathering place, but on the way, he encountered Wang Ning, who was rushing towards him, panicking and telling him that Wei Hui had disappeared!

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chen was stunned. When everyone left the county office, Liu Hui went to gather the neighborhood leaders, and he and Wei Hui were supposed to go to the refugee area. Later, he and Qin Ming came to this side, and Wei Hui and Wang Ning stayed at the refugee area. How could he have disappeared in the blink of an eye!

Zhao Chen began to worry. With so many people suddenly flooding into the city, it was possible that there might be a few troublemakers. Now that Wei Hui had suddenly disappeared, how could he not be worried!

"Could Wei大人 have returned to the county office first?" After a long pause, Zhao Chen suddenly looked at Wang Ning and asked.

"I have already searched the entire county office, but there is no sign of Wei大人!" Wang Ning shook his head vigorously in response.

In such cold weather, his head was sweating. This Wei大人 had always been with him. If anything happened, he would be held responsible, and disaster would be upon him!

"What about Wei大人的 servant?" Zhao Chen couldn't help but clench his teeth and then looked at Wang Ning, who was wiping the sweat from his forehead, with a stern expression.

"He has also disappeared with Wei大人!" Wang Ning was almost in tears. Zhao Chen's suddenly darkened face made him feel a sense of foreboding, and he began to regret not following Zhao Chen to this side but staying with Wei大人.

Upon hearing that Wei Hui's servant had also disappeared, Zhao Chen felt a bit more relieved. One person could be quietly taken care of, but two people together would be much harder to do so quietly.

"Find him immediately!" Despite this, Zhao Chen still didn't dare to be careless. He coldly ordered Wang Ning and the others, including Qin Ming.

Wang Ning and Qin Ming bowed to Zhao Chen and immediately turned to go in different directions.

"Damn it!" Zhao Chen watched Qin Ming and the others leave, looked at the sky that was about to turn dark, and clenched his teeth, finally unable to hold back his anger.

While everyone was busy searching for Wei Hui, Wei Hui himself was actually walking hurriedly down a dilapidated alley with his servant, following a tall and robust man.

"What is the current situation of General Xue?" Wei Hui, supported by his servant, looked at the tall and robust man in front of him and couldn't help but ask anxiously.

He had come to Lantian this time because he received a letter a few days ago. After the incident at Xuanwu Gate, Xue Wanche, who had fled, had arrived in Lantian, but something had gone wrong, so he was asked to come to Lantian.

Xue Wanche bypassed his brothers and directly sent a message to Wei Hui because they were both supporters of the Crown Prince Li Jiancheng. Now, with Li Jiancheng dead, Wei Hui was the only one who still had influence with Emperor Taizong.

At this point, Xue Wanche urgently needed someone in the court to speak for him. Although Emperor Taizong had previously said he would pardon the people of the Crown Prince and Prince Qi, this did not include Xue Wanche.

On the day of the Xuanwu Gate incident, Xue Wanche first led troops to attack Xuanwu Gate, and when he saw that it was not possible, he boldly led troops to attack the Qin王府. If he hadn't seen the head of the Crown Prince, Xue Wanche might not have stopped so easily.

Therefore, for the sake of the empire, Emperor Taizong could temporarily pardon some people, but he would never easily let Xue Wanche go!

"General Xue's condition is very bad!" The robust man in front of him, without stopping his steps, looked around vigilantly and said to Wei Hui, "That day, a few of us fled from Chang'an to the Zhongnan Mountains. However, when we reached the mountains, General Xue's old injuries flared up. We had no choice but to quietly leave the mountains and hide, eventually finding a temporary place to stay in Lantian!"

"What is the condition of General Xue's injuries now?" Wei Hui, listening to the robust man's account of their escape, thought of the time they spent together in the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace and couldn't help but sigh, feeling a deep sense of empathy.

"Very bad!" The robust man seemed to see something in Wei Hui's eyes. His eyes suddenly turned red, and he sniffed, "General Xue's injuries have become infected, and his body is burning hot. His mind is sometimes clear and sometimes confused, and his condition is very poor!"

As they spoke, they arrived at a dilapidated courtyard. The robust man looked around vigilantly and then gently knocked on the tightly closed wooden door.

After a short while, a faint sound of footsteps came from inside, and the tightly closed door opened, revealing another robust man's face.

"Lord Wei!" The man inside, looking over his companion's shoulder, suddenly saw Wei Hui behind him. The tall man, a seven-foot-tall man, couldn't help but have his eyes well up and choke up.

"It's good that you are all alive!" Seeing the man's red eyes, Wei Hui's eyes also turned red, and he choked up, nodding vigorously, feeling a deep sense of empathy.