inspire-indiana Chapter 719: Corvée Laborers Make Trouble: The Ouyang Family is Soaked in Blood, Too Much to Speak
Chapter 719: Corvée Laborers Make Trouble: The Ouyang Family is Soaked in Blood, Too Much to Speak
Qiao Jianer was wondering what was going on and threw the chicken leg bones into the trash can: "Let's go."
"Sickle, have another roasted pork chop. You look so thin, you need to gain weight quickly." Old Mrs. Qiao felt that it was not enough, so she handed over a large pork chop, which was roasted until it was sizzling with oil and sprinkled with cumin and chopped green onions.
"Grandma, I'm full. How can I have dinner with you guys later?"
Qiao Jianer quickly fled from the kitchen.
Only Old Lady Qiao was left in the kitchen, holding a large piece of pork ribs and muttering to herself, "Our Jian'er now has another state to manage. I don't know how hard it must be. At the dinner table, you should all save the good food for her."
"Mom, if you don't give the best to Jian'er, who else should you give it to?" Feng said with a smile.
At the gate of the Ouyang family, there was a group of ragged, dark-skinned people. Some of them were missing an arm, some were limping, and some were coughing helplessly in the cold wind. They gathered there, holding broken axes, blunt knives, and carrying crude hoes.
At first glance, the street in front of the door was filled with them.
Such a situation immediately attracted a lot of spectators.
All the guests in the nearby teahouses and restaurants turned their heads to look out the windows.
"Master Ouyang, our family paid you money and thought you would let us go home. But you drove us to a place with even harsher working conditions, a place we can never leave. You want us to work ourselves to death there."
"We only had two rotten steamed buns a day, and we watched people die every day. We didn't know when the same misfortune would befall us. Now someone has finally rescued us, and we are here to seek justice from you."
"You hold a high position and a generous salary. You should be protecting the people, but you treat human life with such disregard. How many innocent souls have died at your hands? Your crimes are heinous and you will go to hell after death."
When people heard this, they started talking about it.
"This is the system stipulated by the imperial court. Paying money can exempt Yao people from labor service. Why can't these people return home after paying the money? Instead, they have to do even harder labor?"
"Alas, if we capture those who work on the canal or the mountain roads, not many of them will be able to return home. Paying them money won't help. We'll squeeze every last bit of your labor out of you."
"People are dying every day. It sounds horrible."
"This is the way the world is. The Ouyang family looks so glamorous and is a noble family, but their hands are stained with blood, which is too numerous to list."
The Ouyang family's guards came out to drive people away, which caused a conflict and the two sides fought each other.
These laborers risked their entire lives and property, and resisted with all their might, resulting in a stalemate.
Ouyang Yi came out with a sullen face.
He raised his hand and the palace guards stopped. The workers became even more excited when they saw that someone in charge had finally come out.
"Give us justice, and also our dead brothers, uncles, and uncles. They died with their eyes wide open, watching you from the underworld."
"This matter will not be let go easily. You will pay for your sins."
Ouyang Yi said: "Who brought you here?"
He didn't ask who saved them, but his words implied that someone was deliberately instigating these laborers to cause trouble, otherwise it would be tantamount to admitting slavery.
These laborers weren't stupid. One of them sneered, "Young Master Ouyang is asking why we came to your distinguished Ouyang family's doorstep to expose your crimes when we were working so well in the mines that could collapse at any moment, and even if we died, it would be quietly."
"That's because Heaven has eyes," one worker shouted. "You've killed so many people. One day, your crimes will be revealed to the world. Do you really think Heaven will let you do whatever you want?"
"Yes, God has eyes. Master Ouyang, come out and face us and give us an explanation."
Seeing this, Qiao Jian'er lowered her head and took a sip of tea: "Any other arrangements?"
"Of course." Pei Shijiu raised his chin towards a place: "Here it comes."
Then he saw Master Pei coming with a team of imperial guards. Seeing the commotion in front of the Ouyang family's door, he quickened his pace.
"Something happened."
When Ouyang Yi saw Mr. Pei, he immediately had a bad feeling. There was a commotion here, and people from the Pei family came over. It was hard to say that this was a coincidence.
He immediately winked at the housekeeper and asked him to ask Master Ouyang to come out.
"These are just some troublemakers. Send them away immediately and General Pei won't have to worry about it." Ouyang Yi said.
However, when these laborers saw Master Pei, they immediately knelt down in front of him.
"General, please help us. We were forced laborers digging the Daliang Canal for water transport. Our families paid us the money required by law, as well as a large amount of grain and cotton cloth, hoping to exempt us from labor service. Instead, we were immediately transferred to the illegal mining area, where we are living a life worse than death."
"Every day, a large number of people die, and a large number of people are sent here. The Ouyang family, who are in charge of the grain transport, do not follow the regulations at all. Instead, they take the opportunity to enrich themselves and squeeze out the remaining value from us until every last drop of blood and sweat is drained. They not only deceive the court, but also disregard human lives."
Master Pei frowned upon hearing this. "If it's really as you say, then the situation is very serious. I'm afraid we'll have to report this to the Dali Temple for trial."
"For someone as distinguished as Master Ouyang, it's not enough to just report to the Dali Temple; he also has to go before the Emperor."
Ouyang Yi's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot. He said coldly, "General Pei arrived just in time! He even wants to sue my Ouyang family. What an arrogant official he is."
Master Pei bowed to him with an indifferent expression: "Master Ouyang, you are overthinking it. I was just on my daily patrol and happened to pass by. Seeing that the people in the capital were angry, of course I had to take it seriously."
A figure stepped out, Master Ouyang had a cold expression on his face.
"Mr. Pei is being presumptuous. These unruly people are just escaping from the mining area and trying to extort some money, so they come to the Ouyang family to cause trouble. My Ouyang family has a clear and honest family tradition and is kind and generous. We won't bother with them and will just drive them away. Why is Mr. Pei making such a fuss and making things embarrassing for both parties?"
Master Pei knew that Master Ouyang was hinting to him that they would meet each other sooner or later and not to make the situation awkward.
He also showed an embarrassment on his face: "Master Ouyang, if what these laborers said is true, I am afraid we have to take it seriously. If the Ouyang family has been wronged, it is a good opportunity to clarify it through official channels."
"Our Ouyang family has always followed the court's regulations and laws, and has never overstepped our bounds. If unruly people cause trouble, we can simply appease them. There's no need to file a case and go through the formalities. I will submit a petition to the emperor detailing the situation of the canal workers. Master Pei, don't worry about anything else."