The arrested villagers were released.

Cao Shu lived in Xiacai's official residence that night.

In the gazebo in the backyard.

Cao Shu and Pang Tong sat facing each other, and a jar of wine was placed on the low table between them.

"I haven't had a long time to drink with Shi Yuan." Cao Shu said, "We'll have a good time to drink tonight."

"There is no reason to let the young master pour wine." Pang Tong reached out with both hands, trying to take the wine jar from Cao Shuo.

Cao Shu stopped him: "There are no outsiders here, so there are no rules."

Holding the wine jar, Cao Shu was pouring wine. Pang Tong asked, "Young Master put the villagers back, aren't you afraid that they won't come back?"

"Scared, of course I'm afraid." Cao Shu didn't raise his head and said to Pang Tong: "So Cai Ji took his people to follow him."

"All people have been arrested, and the young master has let them go." Pang Tong said: "Is there a backup plan?"

"Of course there is." Cao Shu said: "If you are honest, you will be killed when you come back and get them. I will order you to be closed for a year or two before you release them. If you are dishonest, you will disappoint you. No matter who pleads with you, they will be dead."

"Young Master wants..." Pang Tong suddenly realized.

Cao Shu picked up the wine glass and smiled and said to Pang Tong: "Shi Yuan's guess is right. My purpose is very simple. It is to let the people know that as long as they are honest and kind, they will not only not suffer any losses, but they will also gain benefits. If they are not honest and cheating with others, they will not only not get any benefits, but they will lose even their lives."

"The people's customs are simpler and more likely to be restrained." Pang Tong said: "If the people can be allowed to follow the laws, the young master's rule will definitely be in order in the future."

"Huo Wu has sent back the news. The Yuan family in Hebei is planning to use troops to Xuzhou." Cao Shu said: "Although my father-in-law strictly controls the leak of the news, he ignores one thing. As long as the army shows signs of mobilization, Huo Wu can also judge what he wants to do."

"What are the plans for the young master?" Pang Tong asked.

"I have ordered Sima Zhongda to secretly mobilize troops to the Taishan area to watch Zang Ba and others fight with the Yuan family." Cao Shuo said: "Yuan Hao once suggested that I seize Qingzhou first and then Liaodong. After strengthening the territory, I will cooperate with my father to seize Hanzhong and other places. Once the Cao family has Hanzhong and Yizhou, even if Liu Xuande gets Jingzhou, what he can do is extremely limited."

"Liu Xuande is indeed a capable person." Pang Tong smiled slightly: "If it weren't for the young master, he might have really accomplished a great thing."

"Liu Xuande has Zhuge Kongming, and from then on, he will definitely be like a tiger with wings." Cao Shuo said to Pang Tong: "I know the ability of Shiyuan. I just hope that you can severely suppress his spirit shortly after Kong Ming came out."

"Don't worry, young master, I'm still confident in dealing with Zhuge Kongming." Pang Tong replied with his fist.

Dozens of villagers who were let go by Cao Shuo returned home sadly.

There were no soldiers on the way.

One of the villagers said: "No one is taking care of us, we will be destined to die when we return to Xia Cai. It's better to run away at this moment..."

The villagers who had stabbed the county magistrate with a stone looked ahead and clenched their fists tightly and said, "It's our fault that we have first. Because of our fault, how many people died? It's not a loss to fill the lives of those who died..."

"Why should we seek death if we have a way out?" said the villager who asked to escape: "Whoever wants to return to Shouchun will go back. The world is so big, I don't believe that only Huainan is where we settle down."

"What should I do with my family?" The villagers who injured the county magistrate turned their heads and looked at him: "Would they let them run around again? You know, when we came to Huainan, how many villagers died along the way? There are wars everywhere, so where can we settle down? Where can we make our family live as free as we are now?"

These words came out, and some villagers who were planning to escape hesitated again.

"Our death can make our family live with dignity and make them live and work in Huainan. What if they die?" The villager continued, "The head fell off, but the scar was as big as a bowl. But if we escape, our family will only be able to live in humiliation from now on."

"I'm almost gone, who can care about those things?" Although the villagers who asked to run away showed guilt, they still shouted to everyone: "Who is willing to go with me?"

Several villagers walked up to him.

More villagers are still hesitating.

The villagers who injured the county magistrate stood there without moving.

In the end, only a dozen people planned to escape, and more villagers watched their backs disappear into the night, and followed the villagers who injured the county magistrate to their village in despair.

That night, several villages that had fought in armed battles because of robbing water were filled with sadness.

They tried to prevent officers and soldiers from arresting these villagers.

But if the officers and soldiers really want to arrest people, how could a few villages be able to block them?

Knowing that these villagers were going to return to Shouchun to die, the next morning, men, women, young and old from various villages sent them to the entrance of the village, with a strong sense of sorrow.

When the villagers returned to Shouchun, Cao Shu was sitting in the front hall.

The officials sat down on both sides with their heads down.

The villagers who were brought into the front hall by soldiers and injured the county magistrate said after saluting Cao Shu: "Young Master, we are back..."

"There are fewer people." Looking around them, Cao Shu smiled slightly: "When I left yesterday, I was not such a small number of people."

The villagers who came back all lowered their heads and did not dare to speak.

"Did they run away?" Cao Shu's smile became brighter and he asked the villagers: "Why do you want to come back even though you know you will die? If you run away, maybe I can't find you."

The villagers who injured the county magistrate raised their heads and said to Cao Shu: "Reply to the words of the young master, the villagers came to Huainan from afar, and they had suffered a lot and died on the road. If we ran away, they would be shamed in the village. How can we feel at ease because of the pain of our family?

"It's OK!" Cao Shu said: "Since you're back, then be prepared to die."

The guards stepped forward and tied up the villagers one by one.

Cao Shu stood up and said, "The execution office is at the intersection of the street, and I will be executed in person today!"

The guards were escorted away from the government, and the villagers bowed their heads one by one.

They knew very well that in the near future, they would kneel at the entrance of the street and beheaded by someone.

Some people feel regretful. If they really ran away last night, they might be able to save their lives.

Seeing that they were about to arrive at the entrance of the street, the villagers who were escorted found that there were many people gathering in front of them.

When the team reached the intersection of the street, the onlookers made way out.
Chapter completed!