Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 12: Youjiao
There was a commotion at the entrance to the pavilion, and someone could be heard shouting faintly, "Marquis Si and You Jiao are here."

Yan Yi looked calm, but Fan Yan and others breathed a sigh of relief.

You Jiao's arrival here shows that Yan Baihu is no longer turning a blind eye as he did in the past, but has personally taken action and started to strictly prohibit looting of civilians.

Except for Yan Yi, everyone else felt a ripple in their hearts, and they felt the changes that were quietly taking place in Wucheng.

Footsteps were heard, and Si Qing led three people into the backyard.

Standing to Si Qing's left, half a length behind him, was a man dressed in a simple black official robe. He was about thirty years old, with rough skin, evidently someone who traveled frequently. On one side of his leather belt hung a long sword, and on the other a sash pouch, a fragment of a dark blue ribbon peeking out from the opening.

The color of the sash varies depending on the official position and title. A blue sash indicates that the person is an official with a salary of 100 dan.

"I am Wei Miao, here to meet the young master." After seeing Yan Yi's figure, Wei Miao quickened his pace and bowed.

Two men who looked like attendants behind Wei Miao, one holding a wooden box in both hands and the other holding a scroll of bamboo slips, also followed suit and bowed.

Yan Yi extended his hand to support him and said with a smile, "You came so quickly. You must have worked hard on the journey. Just go about your business. There's no need to be so polite."

Wei Miao clasped his fists, took the bamboo slips from his attendant, walked over to Du Qiu, unfolded them, and said solemnly, "Captain Du, the commander has urgent orders. The refugees entering this country must be properly accommodated by all townships and villages. Any looting or harassment is strictly prohibited. I order you to patrol the villages and major thoroughfares. Any criminals you encounter looting or harassing civilians must be arrested immediately and reported to the county."

"promise."

Du Qiu was startled. He took the slip, examined it briefly, and then handed it back to Wei Miao. Hesitantly, he said, "Lord Wei, there are only four guards in this pavilion. Together with me, the pavilion father, and the thief hunter, there are only seven of us in total. Moreover, we have to patrol separately. If the thieves are strong, how should we deal with them?"

Those who could serve as pavilion chiefs were usually familiar with local customs. Whenever refugees arrived, nearby bandits and robbers would pounce like wolves smelling meat. Du Qiu knew exactly who this document targeted. Taking down a few petty thieves was no problem. But against those bandits and gangs of bandits, even if he had several lives, they wouldn't be enough.

Wei Miao understood his concerns and immediately said, "The military officer will send someone over, and you will all help catch the thief."

Du Qiu's tension and worry suddenly disappeared, his expression relaxed, and he began to notice something unusual.

There has never been such a high-profile crackdown on looting in previous years.

Behind Wei Miao, the attendant holding the wooden box took two steps forward and opened the lid.

There was a layer of lime at the bottom of the box, and on the lime was a pale human head with wide-open eyes and a terrified face.

Du Qiu was caught off guard and took a step back in shock.

Wei Miao clasped his fists and bowed in the direction where Yan Yi was standing. Pointing to the head in the box, he said, "This criminal soldier plundered the people and has been beheaded by the young master. I am now displaying this to all the pavilions so that you will all know. If you encounter resistance while arresting the thief, you can execute him on the spot!"

Du Qiu looked at the head in the box in shock, feeling mixed emotions.

This head was familiar to him. West of White Tiger City, there were over a dozen camps, large and small, and this man was on duty at one of the camps north of Geqi Pavilion. He would periodically visit Guangchengli within the pavilion, and over the past year, this had caused widespread resentment among the people of Guangchengli.

As a pavilion chief, Du Qiu had met this man several times in Guangchengli, and he was always very angry.

But now, this man's head was casually thrown into a box, for people to see. The arrogance that was usually on his face disappeared, leaving only fear.

Du Qiu couldn't help but glance at Yan Yi and felt the power of authority.

Wei Miao's voice drifted past my ears: "Kill one thief and you'll get a reward of 1,000 yuan. Capture one thief and you'll get a reward of 2,000 yuan. If anyone robs the people in the pavilion, the pavilion chief and those below him will be fined 5,000 yuan."

Du Qiu woke up with a start: "Yes."

Wei Miao took back the bamboo slips, closed the lid of the box, and walked up to Yan Yi: "Young Master, I have two more pavilions to go to before sunset, so I won't stay here long." Yan Yi nodded slightly.

Wei Miao turned around and strode away with his two followers. Soon, the sound of horse hooves gradually faded away at the entrance of the pavilion.

At this time, Si Qing asked, "When does the young master plan to recruit soldiers?"

"Tomorrow at noon, I will be recruiting soldiers in Wuheli and publicly trying Wang Mai. Captain Du, go and inform everyone in the village first." Yan Yi thought for a moment, then set a time. He then looked at Fan Yan and said, "Please draft the recruitment standards."

He is happy to leave professional matters to professionals and relax.

Fan Yan and others responded in unison and started to get busy.

Du Qiu also called over several of his subordinates and ordered them to patrol the various areas.

Arriving in the bedroom, Yan Yi lay down on the couch. Two maids knelt at either end of the couch, their delicate hands gently roaming all over his body, gradually making him sleepy.

A few screams were faintly heard from outside the house.

It was Chen Gan who was interrogating Wang Mai.

"Young Master, for some reason the headman here is kneeling outside the house." A maid who was standing by the window and adding lamp oil to the copper lampstand suddenly said.

Yan Yi stretched himself, got up from the couch and said, "Open the door."

A maid opened the door, and the creaking sound of the wooden door startled Du Qiu, who was kneeling at the foot of the door with his head bowed.

Du Qiu had returned half an hour earlier. Ge Qiting and his group of seven were each patrolling one li. But he had something on his mind, so he chose the nearest li, Wuheli.

Wuheli is located to the north of Geqi Pavilion, less than a mile away from the pavilion, almost next to the pavilion.

When Du Qiu returned to the pavilion after inspecting Wuheli, the other six people in the pavilion had not returned yet. Yan Yi did not need to be accompanied, so he went to see Chen Gan interrogating Wang Mai.

Chen Gan was a soldier and didn't have the torture tricks that the jailers had, but he had been rolling around among piles of corpses for a long time and had his own set of interrogation techniques.

Wang Mai was a delicate man, used to a comfortable life, and even before the torture began, he was already half frightened out of his wits. Furthermore, Cao Qiu's piercing eyes saw through all his actions, and Wang Mai's psychological defenses were on the verge of collapse.

When Chen Gan started to torture him, Wang Mai blurted out everything he should and shouldn't have said.

Cao Qiu took notes on the side, and asked a question or two at key points from time to time, each question hitting Wang Mai's sore spot.

Cao Qiu was born in a humble family and had worked his way up to his current position step by step. He had also served in the Household Department for a long time, so he knew all too well the tricks behind what Wang Mai had done.

It can be said that he knew everything that Wang Mai knew, and he also knew what Wang Mai didn't know.

Du Qiu witnessed the entire interrogation process and was sweating profusely.

Whenever Wang Mai's somewhat distracted gaze swept over him, his body would involuntarily tense up, fearing that the other party would say something.

After a fierce ideological struggle, he walked cautiously to the outside of Yan Yi's bedroom and knelt down.

(End of this chapter)