novelaction Chapter 1474 Requesting an Order
Chapter 1474 Requesting an Order
When Zhan Miao heard the rumors, he was helping Mo Ziyu handle the city's government affairs.
His close confidants were all furious, their faces turning pale. They all volunteered to find the rumor-mongers and punish them severely.
"Miss, these people are utterly slanderous! You risked your life for Jingcheng, and they dare to defame you like this!"
"Miss, give the order! I'll go and arrest those who are spreading rumors and causing trouble right away!"
Zhan Miao remained calm, lightly tapping the table with his fingertips, and said indifferently, "No need. The innocent will remain innocent, and the guilty will remain guilty. A few rumors cannot shake the foundation."
She knew in her heart that this was no accident; it must be that the fish that escaped the net that day were unwilling to give up and began to retaliate with underhanded means.
She had assumed that the other party would only resort to underhanded tricks.
Little did they know, this was just the beginning.
The other party's scheme was far more vicious and deadly than she had imagined.
Three days later, something happened at the Jingcheng granary.
The official granary was the lifeline of the entire city's population, and Zhan Miao personally dispatched men to guard it strictly. Normally, not even a fly could get in. But one day, the granary's commander rushed in in a panic to report that a large quantity of grain and fodder had vanished overnight!
The news caused an uproar throughout the city.
Food supplies are the foundation of a city and the source of confidence for its people.
Now that the grain supplies have been stolen, the entire Jingcheng will be plunged into dire straits should any natural or man-made disasters occur.
The people were already unsettled by the rumors, and when they heard that the granaries were empty, panic erupted instantly.
Sheng Tianlin, who had been lying in wait, finally jumped out.
He led a group of indignant citizens and bribed aristocratic officials to the city lord's mansion, shouting that Zhan Miao should give the people of the city an explanation.
"Zhan Miao! Come out now! The grain and fodder in the official granary have been stolen, and you cannot escape responsibility!"
"You keep claiming to protect Jingcheng, but now you've lost the city's lifeline. What are you up to!"
Sheng Tianlin stood at the front, righteous and awe-inspiring, his voice resounding, placing all the blame on Zhan Miao.
"Fellow villagers, you have all seen it clearly! I told you before that Zhan Miao harbored ill intentions, but you didn't believe me! Now that the official granary has been robbed, it's obvious that she stole the grain from the granary to cultivate her own power! She is not a guardian at all; she is a scourge to Jingcheng!"
"If she hadn't controlled the city's defenses, sidelined us old subordinates, and strictly guarded the granaries, how could the grain have been transported away so quietly? This was clearly a trick she orchestrated herself!"
Sheng Tianlin's words were like adding fuel to the fire, instantly igniting panic and suspicion in the hearts of the people.
Those who were skeptical looked at the empty granary and recalled the previous rumors, their doubts turned into anger.
"So that's how it is! No wonder she was able to stabilize the situation so easily!"
"Give us back our supplies! She doesn't deserve to stay in Jingcheng!"
"Get Zhan Miao out of here! Make her give us an explanation!"
Shouts and curses rose and fell, and the city lord's mansion was completely surrounded.
Mo Ziyu was still young and had never seen such a scene before. Her face turned pale with fright, and she tightly gripped Zhan Miao's sleeve, her voice trembling with tears: "Aunt Miao, why are they scolding you? You didn't lose the grain, did you?"
Zhan Miao bent down, steadily protecting the boy behind him, his eyes calm, his gaze cold and sharp as he looked at the crowd outside the mansion.
She knew that the other party intended to kill her.
The theft of grain and fodder, framing of criminals, inciting the people, pressing forward step by step, each step linked to the next.
If handled improperly, she will not only be disgraced, but also be devoured by the angry people, and may even trigger internal strife in Jingcheng, allowing the enemy hiding in the shadows to reap the benefits.
Her attendant was frantic: "Miss, what do we do now? The people have been deceived!"
Zhan Miao took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and said calmly, "What's the panic? The theft of the grain had a reason, and it was definitely not my doing. Today, I will investigate this matter in front of the entire city, clear my name, and give Jingcheng an explanation."
She straightened her robes and stepped out of the city lord's mansion.
The sunlight shone on her, and she stood tall and straight, showing no sign of backing down even when facing thousands of angry people.
She raised her hand to signal for quiet, her clear voice carrying through the crowd to everyone's ears.
"Fellow elders of Jingcheng, I, Zhan Miao, am the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Zhanyi. Since the day I stepped into Jingcheng, I have never wronged this city or you in the slightest. The theft of grain from the official granary has caused me the same pain and anger as you. I know you have doubts and dissatisfaction, and I understand that."
"But I swear on the honor of the Zhan family and on my own life: the theft of the grain has nothing to do with me. If I have even the slightest intention to embezzle grain or harm Jingcheng, may heaven and earth forsake me and I will never live a life of dishonor."
Her vow was resounding.
The noisy crowd fell silent for a moment.
Many people looked into her open and honest eyes and remembered how she worked tirelessly day and night to deal with the chaos.
Could such a person really be a fraudster?
Seeing this, Sheng Tianlin became anxious and immediately stepped forward, shouting sternly, "Even now, you still dare to argue! You sent people to guard the grain supplies. Besides you, who else has the ability to transport such a large amount of grain supplies away silently? Your oath now is nothing but a pretense to deceive everyone!"
Zhan Miao's gaze shifted, becoming sharp and cold as a knife, and landed directly on Sheng Tianlin.
"Who are you? You seem more anxious than I am! The grain supplies have been stolen, and I'm still investigating, yet you're already accusing me of it. Could it be that you knew the grain supplies would be stolen all along? Or perhaps the stolen grain supplies were already in your possession!"
In short, it hits the nail on the head.
Sheng Tianlin's expression changed drastically, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes. He quickly regained his composure and angrily retorted, "You're talking nonsense! I was only thinking of the people of Jingcheng, how dare you slander me!"
Zhan Miao sneered and said loudly, "Slandering you? You're the first to jump out and accuse me? Are you really acting for the people of Jingcheng, or for your own ulterior motives?"
Zhan Miao's words awakened many people.
Yes, Sheng Tianlin's identity is unknown, so how can we believe everything he says?
Discussions arose again among the crowd, and the tide began to turn.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Sheng Tianlin knew that he could not delay any longer, so he immediately gave a wink.
From the crowd, several henchmen he had already bribed suddenly brandished sharp blades and charged towards Zhan Miao, roaring, "That witch is a menace to Jingcheng! Everyone has the right to kill her!"
This sudden turn of events stunned everyone.
No one expected that someone would dare to commit violence in front of the city lord's mansion!
Mo Ziyu let out a soft cry of fright, and her confidants immediately reacted, rushing to protect Zhan Miao: "Protect Aunt Miao!"
Zhan Miao's eyes sharpened, and instead of retreating, he advanced.
She was the daughter of the Marquis of Zhanyi. She had practiced martial arts since childhood. Although she was not very skilled, she was still able to protect herself.
She swiftly dodged the incoming blade, raising her hand to block it with a clean and decisive motion.
Then a white shadow suddenly pounced over, roaring and snapping the necks of several assassins in an instant.
Who else could it be but Xuelang Zhan Xiaobai?
The scene was chaotic, and the people scattered in panic.