Chapter 1727: Chapter 548: Suppression and Pacification

Zhang Yiqing’s inner turmoil was of no use.

The Zhang Family has indeed been flourishing in recent years, but in the lineup of prominent families in Qinghua City, it’s still just a minor role. Not to mention anything else, just take the three chiefs dismissed by Cai Yunzhou; which one didn’t have a higher status than Grandpa Zhang Kuang?

In the entire Cai Qiu, the Zhang Family is even more insignificant.

If the whole Zhang Family is like this, what of Zhang Yiqing, who isn’t even a favored member of the Zhang Family?

Grandpa Zhang Kuang is also among the troops dispatched from Cai Qiu this time. He came in advance just to deliver the news, worried that his negligence might implicate the entire Zhang Family.

With Grandpa’s early warning, Zhang Yiqing paid special attention to the conscription of labor for this occasion. He almost agreed to every request from the people sent by the three chiefs. Coordinating with the other four villages of Red Tiger Ridge, it took only one day to clear the snow path along the thirty-kilometer stretch from north to south of Red Tiger Ridge.

With tall ones to bear the brunt, Cai Yunzhou’s wrath is unlikely to target a small role like him. Moreover, Grandpa Zhang Kuang’s advance notice ensured that he completed his task rather well this time.

The 200,000-strong army marched through Red Tiger Ridge just past midnight on the second day. His task, supposedly, ended there.

But in fact, his task had just begun.

"The City Lord has ordered that from now on, Bone-Eroding Path is a crucial southern stronghold of the Feudal Town. Taking advantage of this southward march, the official road construction must now begin. All conscripted laborers will not be going back but will continue to repair the official road."

Those above speak effortlessly, while those below run themselves ragged!

The upper echelons of Qinghua City make valid points. Since Cai Qiu’s 200,000-strong army advances south through Red Tiger Ridge, they are bound to return via Bone-Eroding Path after the war, so quickly repairing the official road is imperative.

The laborers conscripted over the two consecutive days only managed to temporarily clear a barely adequate snow path for the troops, which is still vastly different from a proper official road.

Yet, this order was somewhat abrupt.

To swiftly clear that snow path, Zhang Yiqing gathered everyone possible from the village, including many Cold Resistance level Earth-digging Realm individuals from the southern villages, and even Logging Realm, using whatever means—enticement, intimidation, or coercion.

Initially, they were told that once the snow path was cleared, and with the southern march of the army done, they could go home. Now the army has moved on, but the promise cannot be fulfilled—they have to stay here and continue building the official road.

One should know that the laborers conscripted from Evergreen Valley are all undocumented, meaning they haven’t registered as citizens, making them not bona fide Cai Qiu people. Conscripting them meant no compensation was possible.

In other words, their work here was done for free.

Among the other four villages of Red Tiger Ridge, Zhang Yiqing is unsure, but on his end at Tiger Tail Village, they didn’t even prepare meals for the laborers.

Initially, he believed clearing the snow path would take at most one night and wasn’t especially strenuous, so preparing any food seemed unnecessary.

Of course, the main reason was his unwillingness to spend money.

A small amount of food isn’t much, but as the number grows, the situation changes.

He conscripted over ten thousand people from Tiger Tail Village, and in order to make an impression on the Qinghua City dignitaries, he conscripted over twenty thousand more from the eight villages south of Tiger Tail Village, totaling more than thirty thousand people.

With over thirty thousand people, even one meal’s expense is daunting.

But now, that’s not an option!

"When we came over two nights ago, it was clearly stated that once the snow path was cleared, we could go back. Now, we’re not allowed to leave?"

"Isn’t this just bullying? The army left long ago; what are we still doing here?"

"Repair the official road? We’ve gained no benefits from you; why should we stay here to build the road? We’ve already worked a day for free, and you still expect more, utterly outrageous!"

"We haven’t eaten for fifteen hours. Coming to work for you, and you don’t even provide food—where is justice?"

.........

On the west side of Tiger Tail Village, at the end of the official road, tens of thousands of ragged laborers gathered, questioning the Tiger Tail Village management with voices filled with anger, almost on the verge of eruption.

On Tiger Tail Village’s side, although there were just over a hundred people, they were dressed in silk clothes, clean, and evidently far more energetic than the laborers.

Despite facing the rage of tens of thousands of laborers, they remained arrogant and displayed no fear whatsoever, occasionally showing disdain in their eyes.

Careful observation would reveal that among the tens of thousands of laborers, only a hundred and more at the forefront were really shouting in anger, while those behind mostly had fear reflected in their hesitant expressions despite their angry eyes.

"A bunch of savage wretches without documentation, working for the Feudal Town is a blessing you couldn’t hope for, even in eight lifetimes. If you’re here to cause trouble, anyone who doesn’t want to work on the road, step forward and let me see!"

The angry shouts of the laborer crowd were quickly interrupted.

From Tiger Tail Village’s managerial team, a young man with a vicious look stepped forth, drawing the large saber from his waist and pointing at the hundred or so leaders of the laborer group, speaking fiercely and instantly suppressing their spirit.

"Zhang Hai, he’s the son of Tiger Tail Village leader Zhang Yiqing, aged twenty-three this year. Rumor has it he broke through to Cold Resistance Level at nineteen, and he now possesses a strength of 7 bristles."

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