My lord, spare his life!

"The new leader of the Eastern Frontier Army?"

He Zhi carefully pondered these words.

Before he could ponder further, the sound of the bed sinking pulled him back to reality. He looked up and met his daughter's concerned gaze. Completely different from Lu Yuan, this daughter was innocent, cheerful, filial, and considerate, showing no trace of her mother's bad habits. He Zhi felt comforted.

He asked his daughter, "What do you think of this grandmother?"

The daughter said, "Grandmother is a kind person."

My nephew couldn't help but raise his voice: "You mean she's a kind person?"

If it weren't for the fact that the person who said this was his youngest sister, he would have scolded her for being blind. Were those two holes in her eye sockets pecked out by birds?

The daughter shrank back, unable to resist moving closer to He Zhi. She was actually somewhat afraid of this unfamiliar older brother who seemed to be even older than her father. He Zhi reassured her, asking in his usual gentle voice, "Why do you say that?"

"Grandmother was just teaching Mother."

"teach?"

"After listening to it, it sounded just like a father teaching his daughter."

He Zhi personally tutored his daughter with her homework. Unlike him, who was forced into a self-imposed confinement, his daughter was free. When she reached the appropriate age, he began her education and then sent her to a private school in the small town. The teacher wasn't very skilled, but the school had many students her age.

Occasionally, he can also go out to pick people up and drop them off.

He Zhi disliked the lecturer's classes after listening to them and often gave his daughter one-on-one tutoring. He would listen to the lecturer if the content was the same as what the lecturer taught, and he would follow the lecturer's teaching if the content was different.

"What did your uncle teach you?"

"Rule with benevolence and love for the people, and benefit all under heaven."

His nephew's expression turned somewhat strange. He clearly hadn't expected that his uncle, a man of scheming and intrigue, and Lu Yuan, a man who killed countless people, would have their children learn about benevolent governance and love for the people. It would be a miracle if they hadn't surpassed their parents.

He then asked for the specific details.

The daughter replied earnestly, "Grandma said she went out yesterday to buy some pickled fish, only to find that there was arsenic on the fish."

"Arsenic? Someone is trying to poison her?"

He Zhi and his nephew reacted in the same way as Lü Yuan.

All three men's first reaction was that the remnants of the former prefect's forces hadn't given up and were preparing to poison Zhang Yang to death. The difference was that Lü Yuan was worried that Zhang Yang would be poisoned to death, while his nephew was disappointed that Zhang Yang hadn't been poisoned. He Zhi was more worried than the other two.

Although Chesi County was chaotic, it was a rare haven in a chaotic world.

The fact that the mutiny did not affect the lives of ordinary people, nor did it lead to a prolonged stalemate, is a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune. Regardless of whether Zhang Yang was poisoned or not, the mastermind behind it all harbored murderous intentions; the only fear is that Zhang Yang might use this as an excuse to make a scene.

The daughter shook her head: "Grandma didn't say that."

Even fish pickled with arsenic didn't get a chance to reach Zhang Yang's mouth.

Zhang Yang wanted to buy pickled fish because it had a long shelf life and was a rare delicacy for poor children. Even bland food tasted delicious with a little pickled fish and vegetables. Knowing she would be returning home soon, she decided to bring some local specialties with her.

If these pickled fish are popular, we can buy more next time.

Zhang Yang bought a vat of pickled fish without haggling.

Besides the pickled fish, she also bought other things.

After going back and sorting things out, and then looking at the system logs, I realized the sky had fallen!

Congratulations on obtaining "Special Pickled Fish 1" * 99

[Special Pickled Fish 1]: In hot weather, pickled fish easily attracts flies, so clever vendors sprinkle a little bit of arsenic on the pickled fish.

Congratulations on obtaining "Special Pickled Fish II" * 67

[Special Pickled Fish 2]: These pickled fish appear to be somewhat rotten, so clever vendors soak them in urine to refurbish them and add other ingredients.

Zhang Yang: "..."

Congratulations on obtaining 81 "Special Sake"!

[Special Sake]: This sake is pure in color, does not spoil easily, and has a fragrant aroma. A guest pours a bowl and sees the sake clinging to the glass, with a rich, full-bodied flavor and a powerful aftereffect. You come seeking its reputation, drink heartily, and suffer slow poisoning, discovering that the sake contains lime water and arsenic.

Zhang Yang: "..."

Congratulations! You have obtained 33 "Special Pork Jerky".

[Special Pork Jerky 1]: The raw material used to make this pork jerky appears to be a diseased domestic pig. The meat is loose and has an extremely strong pork odor. The vendor used alkaline water to remove the odor and brushed it with fresh lard. You bought it without realizing its deception.

Zhang Yang: "..."

Congratulations on obtaining 999 "Special Shrimp"!

【Special Dried Shrimp】: This shrimp has a bright red color, but if you have a keen sense of smell, you may detect a urine-like odor when you take a small bite.

Congratulations on obtaining "Special Pork Jerky II" * 22

[Special Pork Jerky II]: The raw material does not appear to be pork.

Zhang Yang closed his eyes and couldn't help but check the descriptions of the other items. Good heavens, not to mention food, even the most ordinary salt blocks were mixed with saltpeter, talcum powder, and even lead powder.

【Special Aged Vinegar】: It seems to be made with inferior vinegar residue and water. You can't tell the difference from regular aged vinegar by taking a small sip.

Congratulations on obtaining 99 "Special Dried Fruits"!

【Special Dried Fruit】: These dried fruits are not fresh, but the vendors have a set of drying techniques and a unique recipe. Whether it is color or taste, they seem to be not much different from regular dried fruits.

Zhang Yang: "..."

She stared at these primitive instruments, lacking in technology but rife with ruthless craftsmanship, her expression more vivid and ferocious than ever before, her knuckles cracking as she clenched them. Wang Qi, who had been elusive these past few days, was caught witnessing this scene during their rare encounter.

He picked up a piece of dried meat and put it in his mouth.

He opened the cloth seal and poured himself a small half-jar of wine.

Halfway through his drink, he noticed Zhang Yang staring intently at him. He said, "You can't even bear to part with a single thing I eat from you?"

The mountain spirit is getting more and more stingy.

He considered himself a major contributor to her success, having done his part even if it wasn't hard work. And yet, instead of being rewarded, she complained that he'd eaten her food? Wang Qi's expression changed, and a surge of anger rose within him. However, before he could unleash his fury, Zhang Yang abruptly interrupted him with a single sentence.

She asked Wang Qi, "How does it taste?"

Wang Qi said, "It doesn't taste good, it's not fresh."

It couldn't compare to the fresh meat he hunted, nor could it compare to the skills of the chefs in the Mountain Ghost Prefecture. The only thing that was somewhat interesting was the wine; it had a bit of a kick, but not much.

Zhang Yang: "Don't eat anymore, I'm afraid you'll eat yourself to death."

Wang Qi sneered, "Did the mountain spirit poison this thing or something? Could it possibly kill me with my physique?"

That's a huge underestimation of his abilities.

Zhang Yang hesitated, unsure whether to tell Wang Qi the truth.

Her intuition told her that if Wang Qi knew what ruthless tricks these local merchants had up their sleeves, he could take a knife and slaughter his way down that street in the prefecture. There were no shortage of unscrupulous merchants in this world, but there were also honest merchants who ran their businesses diligently; she couldn't afford to harm them.

Zhang Yang: "..."

Wang Qi finished the rest of the drink, wiped his mouth, and said, "That's strong."

Zhang Yang stared at Wang Qi's health bar. Two inconspicuous debuffs had appeared near the health bar: one was chronic poisoning, which caused him to lose ten health points per minute, and the other was an upset stomach, which caused increased intestinal peristalsis and could lead to diarrhea and vomiting if the condition was serious.

However, Wang Qi is helpless against these two debuffs, as his abundant health and star power can dispel the negative status effects.

Zhang Yang watched as the two negative status effects appeared for a few seconds and were then dispelled, while Wang Qi acted as if nothing had happened.

She began to understand why hard-to-eat foods were so rampant.

The NPCs in the Homestead side map, whether they are the lowest commoners or evil stars like Wang Qi, all possess star power within them.

The difference is that ordinary people can only let the star power pass through their bodies briefly through breathing, which will subtly enhance their physique and improve their resistance to disease. They can get through minor illnesses even if they don't get medical treatment, and ordinary women can give birth to children more safely. But people like Wang Qi can cultivate, which not only allows the star power to be integrated into themselves, but also allows them to use the star power to temper their muscles and bones.

Therefore, a little food safety won't cause any deaths.

Consuming a small amount will only cause an upset stomach.

Large intake —

The economic situation simply does not support such a large intake.

A sucker like Zhang Yang, who buys everything without haggling, is a once-in-a-century find. Even if she discovers it and someone dies from eating it, so what? Selling poisonous meat, fake wine, fake dried fruit, or adulterating products with filth, will only result in a 20 to 50-point cane.

No one will die.

If you bribe the county yamen runners, the beating won't even hurt; it's just a show of force.

Zhang Yang, who was aware of the situation: "..."

The arrested vendors looked completely self-righteous.

Among the vendors, some were timid, and some were bold. The bold one was the salt seller; he had connections and was confident nothing would happen. At worst, he'd get a few lashes, and whether he got his money back depended on how much he had left, but there would be no compensation whatsoever.

Zhang Yang retorted angrily, "You're getting tough with me now?"

As an NPC, she felt a tightness in her chest and a burning sensation in her head, with an urge to actively kill these yellow-named NPCs. These NPCs were just too infuriating, too infuriating! Even the Survivor Base didn't have this many ruthless characters.

"If I don't get rid of you, I'm not Zhang Yang!"

A terrible thought popped into her head.

The goods traded between the mountain prefectures, including Chesi County, and Tianyue must all be high-quality goods, right? If so, she's truly become a sucker, ruining Tianyue's children. Zhang Yang immediately pulled out a rope, tied these unscrupulous merchants together, and dragged them to see Lu Yuan with one hand. Besides witnesses, physical evidence was also collected.

Lu Yuan came to see his daughter.

He was hit with a huge bombshell before he could even exchange two words with his daughter.

"Do the Eight Winds know of this matter?"

Lu Yuan replied with shame, "I have never heard of this, Mother."

The old man's attempts to win her over were genuine; he'd covet all sorts of good things for her. Therefore, Lu Yuan's material conditions were quite good, and she naturally had no access to these adulterated items. These inferior goods would never be delivered to her.

These unscrupulous merchants knew this all too well.

It's one thing to bully ordinary people, since they have no recourse, but if they offend these powerful figures, their good days are over. These powerful figures can wipe out their entire families with a mere flick of their wrist. Making money is important, but you also need to stay alive to enjoy it.

Zhang Yang: "I don't believe that no one has died before."

She extracted a number of horrifying things from unscrupulous merchants. Besides the products she unfortunately bought, there were also cases of using moldy rice to impersonate old rice, old rice to impersonate new rice, and using moldy rice to ferment other ingredients... Even the most resilient person can't be completely immune to accidents. As long as there are accidents, there will always be someone with a strong will to bring them to the county government, and the county government will keep a record of them.

"Have someone go to the county court to search for the case files. I want to review them. Send them all to me, whether they are unprocessed or already concluded. We'll go through them one by one."

Lu Yuan was taken aback: "I want to see it too?"

Zhang Yang said earnestly, "Of course you should see it. You are now the nominal governor of Chesi County, the mother of its people. As a mother, shouldn't you control what your children eat?"

She used her eldest granddaughter as an example.

"Could these eight vices cause my granddaughter to be contaminated?"

"Of course not!"

Zhang Yang replied naturally, "Isn't that settled then? You should treat your daughter with the same love and care, and do the same for the people within your territory, so as not to fail in your responsibilities. With great power comes great responsibility. It's not enough to be able to fight a war to protect them."

As he spoke, Zhang Yang nodded in agreement.

"Raising a child means worrying for ninety-nine years of your life."

Lu Yuan was stunned. She tried to refute and explain, but under her adoptive mother's pure gaze, she swallowed her words, her throat bobbing, unable to utter a single syllable. Her overly young adoptive mother thought she was reflecting on her mistakes and blamed herself, so she gently patted her shoulder to comfort her: "Actually, there's no need to blame yourself too much. No one is born a parent. Some things are learned little by little."

For example, she studied very well.

Lu Yuan studied diligently and was able to achieve such good results.

The county courts in other places couldn't access the files in time, but the county courts within the prefecture capital could. Lü Yuan thought there wouldn't be many, but who knew the first batch would weigh over thirty jin. The books were a bit heavy, but the sheer weight was astonishing, and the more he looked at them, the more alarmed he became.

Each volume is inscribed with the four words "treating human life like dirt".

Lu Yuan's face grew increasingly gloomy.

Zhang Yang: "I remember a friend who was observing a particular type of population saying that the more prosperous and flourishing a place is, the more likely it is to breed lice. At first glance, it may seem like a riot of flowers and blooming blossoms, but if you peel back the layers, it's already crawling with maggots. You have to catch the maggots as soon as they appear, otherwise, what's the difference between it and a cesspool or a mountain of excrement? They just keep multiplying."

Lu Yuan exhaled a breath of stale air: "That makes sense."

Zhang Yang continued, "Perhaps to others, people's livelihood is not a big deal, but to you and me, people's livelihood is not a small matter. Every single one of these matters should be treated as a matter of utmost importance. A thousand-mile dike can be breached by an ant hole. It will be too late to fix things when the building is about to collapse."

Lu Yuan clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your daughter has learned much."

Zhang Yang said with relief, "Then let's re-examine these cases. We can't just let them off with a few lashes; we need to impose severe sentences, even make an example of them, and crack down on this trend so that unscrupulous merchants won't dare to show their faces for a while!"

Lu Yuanlang responded in a clear voice, "Yes, sir."

In short, it ignited immediately.

He Zhi's daughter: "My grandmother told my mother all this."

He Zhi: "..."

He Zhi's cousin: "..."

Their expressions became even more subtle.

They never expected Zhang Yang to come and discuss such a simple matter with Lu Yuan. Arsenic poisoning wasn't targeted at Zhang Yang alone; it was a common occurrence in society. In the past, if no one filed a complaint, it was considered as if nothing had happened. If someone filed a complaint, the defendant would be symbolically beaten a few times. Only when many people died would a scapegoat be found to hastily settle the matter…

all in all--

In the chaotic world, this was just a minor matter.

The daughter looked up at He Zhi: "Father?"

He Zhi stroked his daughter's slightly frizzy, downy hair, and after a long while said in a complicated tone, "Your grandmother is right."

??|??w?`)

Everyone says ancient foods were natural, but after researching shiitake mushrooms, I found that modern food is all about technology and grueling work, while ancient food was all about grueling work... making it even harder to regulate. _(:3」∠)_