NFBE Chapter 275 Whose body is that?
Chapter 275 Whose body is that?
Mobei City!
It was freezing cold, and all I could see was a sea of white. The snow on the ground was as high as my calves.
Mo Lingchen asked people to check the evacuation situation of the people in the city.
Xiaobei brought his men back to report the situation: "Sir, we have investigated several counties and prefectures, and only 10% of the people have left."
"Some are hesitant and want to leave but don't want to leave at the same time."
“But most people refused to leave.”
Mo Lingchen frowned, just as he expected.
If it were summer now, this would be very easy and a city could be cleared in less than three to five days.
But the difficulty lies in the fact that it is winter now and it is an extremely cold place.
He knew without asking that those who were leaving were the wealthy people in the city, who had countless gold and silver and were not afraid of traveling in the wind and snow.
Those who hesitated were from ordinary families who had enough food and clothing, but they knew that traveling in the snow would be dangerous.
Those who refused to move were the poor people, who had little food and clothing, and no winter clothes. Once they set out on the road, they would die.
Therefore, they would rather hide at home and wait for the enemy to attack the city than evacuate.
"Sir, what should we do now?"
"Those people would rather spend the winter at home than go on the road."
"How can we last until April next year with so little food and soldiers?"
"Although the imperial court has sent a batch of food and fodder, who knows if they will still send it next month?"
"Besides, our troops are getting fewer and fewer. We are not sure whether we can hold out until next month."
"Ah, Your Majesty, this is really making things difficult for us. You want the horse to run but not eat grass. How can such a good thing happen in this world?"
"The Emperor is simply confused."
Mo Lingchen listened to Xiaobei's complaints and scolded him harshly, forbidding him to talk nonsense to avoid causing trouble.
"Ask Lieutenant General Li to come over."
"Ben will go to the city to see the situation himself."
"Yes."
Mo Lingchen explained some things and then left.
But not long after he left, someone suddenly came to the camp, and judging by their attire, they looked like someone from the palace.
Li Quan immediately went to meet him, thinking that the emperor had sent another decree.
When Li Quan got closer, he could clearly see that there were several eunuchs following behind the guards, and the eunuchs were pulling a cart behind them.
The cart is covered with thick snow and you can't see what's underneath the snow?
But it shouldn't be food. After all, there is only one car, and it is not full. One or two bags of food are enough for everyone to eat.
What's more, the emperor would not travel thousands of miles just to send a bag of food.
"Your humble servant greets you, sir." Li Quan saluted the leading guard.
"Where's your general?"
"In reply to your Excellency, the General has gone to the city to inspect the people's sentiments and will probably be back later."
"Please come in, sir. I will send someone to find the general right away."
The leading guard waved his hand: "No need, it's not a big deal."
"I am here under the Emperor's orders to escort the criminal who forged the imperial edict. Just let your general know when he returns."
"Come on, hang the prisoner's body on the city wall."
"Yes."
Several eunuchs shook off the snow on the cart, and found a straw mat on the cart with two feet sticking out from the other end.
When the straw mat was opened, it turned out to be a woman from the body shape, but the hair was disheveled and the face could not be seen at all.
Several eunuchs carried the body down, tied a thick hemp rope around its neck, then brought out a ladder and placed it on the city wall, and hung the woman's body at the city gate.
This action attracted many people in the camp to watch and everyone was talking about it.
"Who is this woman?"
"What crime did you commit that you can't rest in peace even after death?"
"I heard that the emperor was furious because of a false imperial decree, so he hung the woman's body on the city wall for public display."
"What imperial decree did this woman falsely convey?"
"Does it have anything to do with us?"
“Why are you hanging here?”
"Could this woman be a spy from the Northern Rong Kingdom?"
"Otherwise, why is it hanging here?"
"You have a point. This woman is most likely a spy from the Northern Rong Kingdom."
Li Quan was also trying to find out the news, but those people acted arrogant and refused to say anything.
Li Quan also knew that he should give these people some silver and money at this time, but he didn't even dare to eat dry rice now, so how could he have the spare money to bribe these officials.
"Go tell the cook to prepare some wine and good food for the adults so they can warm themselves up."
"Yes."
"No need for that. I have to go back and report immediately."
"Tell your generals, no one is allowed to remove the body without the emperor's order. Anyone who disobeys the order will be executed!"
"Yes, yes, I will definitely convey your message."
After the people left, more people gathered at the city gate, talking and speculating about the woman's identity.
I always feel that there must be some mystery behind the emperor sending a corpse from thousands of miles away and hanging it on the city wall.
It was late at night and everyone was asleep. Mo Lingchen came back from outside, walking with one foot deep and one foot shallow, braving the biting wind and snow.
When I looked up, I saw a female corpse hanging on the high wall at the city gate.
The man's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly had a bad feeling.
Could it be that the city was broken?
The Beirong Army will hang a corpse here as a demonstration?
But the next second, he denied his idea.
Everything was normal in the camp. The patrolling soldiers were in order. Torches were brightly lit on the city walls, and patrol soldiers passed by from time to time.
"I greet the general!"
"What happened in the camp?"
"The emperor sent someone to deliver a female corpse."
"They say he's a spy from the Northern Rong Kingdom."
Mo Lingchen frowned: "A spy from the Northern Rong Kingdom?"
"I have only heard about it and do not know the details."
"Have the people in the palace left?"
"left already."
"Did they leave behind any imperial edict or oral instructions?"
"I don't know the humble position."
Seeing that he couldn't get anything out of him, Mo Lingchen went to find Li Quan.
The emperor's behavior is becoming more and more confusing. First, he issued an imperial decree, clearly stating that no food or fodder would be provided and the city gates must be defended to the death!
Later, food and fodder were delivered.
Now another body is sent here?
What does the emperor want to do?
"General, you are finally back."
"If you don't come back, I will go look for you myself."
Mo Lingchen asked directly, "What's going on with the body on the city wall?"
"Someone from the palace said this woman falsely conveyed the emperor's decree, and the emperor was furious..."
"But I just can't figure out why the Emperor sent the body all the way here."
Mo Lingchen frowned: "Have you found out the identity of the corpse?"
"I asked, but they were very tight-lipped and told me everything."
"Just tell me to tell you that no one is allowed to take down the body without the emperor's order. It will remain hanging there."
Mo Lingchen frowned. Anyone who could forge an imperial decree must be of some status.
Ordinary people will never come into contact with an imperial edict in their lifetime, let alone falsely pass on an imperial edict.
The people have never even seen what an imperial edict looks like!
For some reason, he suddenly remembered the burning of the imperial edict!
Why would someone burn an imperial edict?
Could it be that the imperial edict that was burned was fake?