HLnovel Chapter 106: Negative Examples, Pointing Out and Criticizing
Chapter 106: Negative Examples, Pointing Out and Criticizing
When the time came, the yamen runners didn't care whether you were ready or rested enough. With a gong and a whip, all the prisoners headed toward the city gate.
The streets were still half-dry, with many potholes. The prisoners were pulling carts along the uneven surface when suddenly the cart wheels sank into a puddle, splashing up dirty water. This infuriated the prisoners, whose clothes, which had just been cleaned, were now covered in filth. Who could stand that? They would grab the cart puller, hurl insults, and even resort to violence if they weren't satisfied.
The constables were ruthless with their whips, lashing anyone who caused trouble or delayed their journey. The offending criminals howled in pain, and before dawn, their cries echoed through the North Street, waking many who were still asleep.
However, everyone in Yanta Town knew that a large number of prisoners had left the town this morning.
Merchants eager to do business and ordinary people who love to join in the fun were even more enthusiastic than the prisoners.
Before dawn, candles were lit one after another in front of the shops on both sides of the street leading from the post station to the north gate, illuminating the street as if it were daytime.
Among the onlookers, there were undoubtedly some officials and merchants dressed as ordinary people, gathered in groups of three or five, with their children in tow.
Some of them pointed at the prisoners and even solemnly lectured their young children.
"See? When it comes to being a good person, you have to learn to be honest and never be like those cunning and deceitful people."
"Yes, if you don't study hard, you'll end up badly."
"Look at those criminals, that's the lesson, you understand?"
"Yes, yes, we understand. We'll listen to the teacher in class."
Today's onlookers no longer have emotionally charged citizens, no rotten vegetables or eggs; they are only used as comparisons and negative examples, and this round of pointing fingers will inevitably result in some criticism.
After walking down the street, Wenwen finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The Wen family has always been at the back of the procession, as if it has become a habit. Whenever a member of the Wen family is in the middle of the procession, they are bound to get into a conflict with someone.
Take the incident of stealing the cart in the backyard of the post station as an example.
At that time, Wen Qikang and his group went into the backyard, heading straight for their own cart.
I happened to see someone trying to tow away their own cart.
That's pretty cool!
Without saying a word, Wen Chengjian and Wen Chengbin went up to stop them. No need for words, they beat anyone who dared to resist until the person who stole the cart was subdued. Only then did they turn around and carefully tidy up their own cart.
Upon seeing this, the group was stunned. One of the vehicles was half burned, and the boxes on it were gone. Another vehicle was missing a wheel and was lying crookedly on the ground, with wooden boxes also on the ground.
The group looked at each other, discussed it for a while, and then started dismantling the cart, patching up whatever was missing. After a lot of hammering and banging, they pieced together a complete cart. Not a single piece of the burnt-out cart was wasted; all the usable planks were dismantled and loaded onto the cart.
The struggle for the car in the backyard was observed by the yamen runners and soldiers from beginning to end. They did not interfere at all, letting whoever had the ability get it. Only after the dust settled did they give a perfunctory reprimand, "Have you made enough trouble? If you have, hurry up and clean up the mess."
Just before setting off, Lord Zhu learned of the carriage theft in the backyard. He frowned and pondered for a moment, and finally gave an order: "The Wen family will stay behind. Keep a close eye on them and do not delay the journey."
And so, the Wen family, trailing at the back of the procession, followed the steps of those in front, walking step by step toward the city gate.
Wenwen glanced at the man pushing the cart next to her.
She couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. She had thought that with a car, the elderly, children, the sick, the disabled, and pregnant women in her family could take turns resting. But now, with boxes, a pile of broken planks, and their belongings on the car, there was nowhere left for them to sit. None of her plans could be realized.
Before she could finish expressing her regret, the yamen runner in front shouted.
"Wait to the side. After your identity is verified, you can leave the city. If you want to buy supplies, hurry up, or you won't find another opportunity. The goods are of good quality and low price, perfect for long journeys and overnight stays in the wild. Bulk discounts are available."
Even at the end, the yamen runners didn't forget to give the merchants a shout-out and chat a bit.
At this time, the North Gate was very lively, and a special area was set aside next to the gate for merchants to use.
Merchants who learned yesterday that the prisoners would be leaving the city this morning rushed to secure prime locations to set up their stalls.
Hearing the yamen runners chime in, they also joined in the shouting.
"Yes, yes, yes, bulk orders get discounts, good quality and low prices..."
"Buying raincoats, straw hats, and straw sandals—the perfect items for rainy days! Come take a look!"
"Umbrellas, made of oilcloth, are lightweight, convenient, and practical..."
"Sorghum cakes, delicious and long-lasting cakes..."
For a time, the vendors near the city gate were all craning their necks and shouting loudly, with all sorts of sales pitches coming out one after another.
Wenwen nudged the hand of the older brother next to her, gave him a wink, and peeked around.
"Little sister, is there anything else you'd like to buy?"
Wen Chengjian can now understand her hints.
After explaining things to the elders, I led Wenwen through the crowd and headed towards the vendors' stalls.
Even from a distance, you can tell there are many merchants and a lot of goods. Getting closer, it's even more dazzling. The goods on display can cover you from head to toe. Whatever you can think of, they have it for sale. And what you can't even imagine, they've prepared for you. It truly lives up to the saying, "There's nothing they can't do if you can imagine it. The vendors know you better than you know yourself!"
As Wenwen strolled around, she secretly marveled at the skill of the artisans here. In her opinion, many of their creations were modern cultural relics.
The brother and sister squeezed to the umbrella stall, listening to the salesman's chanting sales pitch, "Umbrellas, umbrellas, don't forget to bring an umbrella on a sunny day..." Wenwen reached out and picked up a very pretty and elegant short-handled bamboo umbrella, examining it carefully.
Suddenly, a hand reached out from the straw sandal stall next door. "Hey guys, take a look at my straw sandals and raincoats. They're very cheap, and there are discounts for bulk orders. We have all sizes, from three-year-olds to the elderly. Absolutely great deals! Come on, come on, have a look!"
Wenwen followed the hand and saw a short young man with a big smile, insisting that they come over to take a look. The young man grinned, revealing his big white teeth, and gave a shy but standard smile.
Just then, the umbrella stall owner came over, snatched the umbrella from her hand, and said with a dark face, "Go to his shop. My stuff isn't suitable for you."
"I can't catch the rain."
Wenwen was caught off guard when her umbrella was snatched away. Just as she was about to explode, the vendor lowered his voice and said a few more words.
The key point is that these words were emphasized and pronounced slowly and deliberately. After the vendor finished speaking, he went to serve other customers as if nothing had happened.
Her reaction suggests there's something fishy about those words; is this person up to something?
"Humph!"
Wenwen, with a dark expression, pulled Wen Chengbin around and went into the stall next door.