Chapter 254 - 254 Freeloading
254 Freeloading
When Pei Qian arrived, Lu Ze and Lin Suisui were sitting at the dining table.
Looking at a certain someone who seemed to have come at the right time, no matter how unwilling Lu Ze was, he had no choice but to smile and politely order someone to add a set of bowls and chopsticks for him.
“Don’t despise me so much. I didn’t come here just to freeload!” Pei Qian picked up his bowl and started eating.
His movements were not rough, but he ate very quickly.
In the blink of an eye, Pei Qian had already devoured most of the dishes on the table. However, thinking about how he had just returned from patrolling outside, Lu Ze and Lin Suisui didn’t say anything, especially Lin Suisui. She even gave Bai Guo a look and asked her to instruct the kitchen to add a few dishes.
After dinner, Lin Suisui thought that Pei Qian probably had something to discuss with Lu Ze, so she took the initiative to leave. However, Pei Qian didn’t let her leave this time.
“Madam Liu, wait. It’s best if you stay and listen to what happened today.”
Pei Qian stopped Lin Suisui and raised his hand to signal her to take a seat first.
Lin Suisui subconsciously looked at Lu Ze. Lu Ze didn’t say anything. He just walked over and pulled her to sit at the table. Bai Guo was also very tactful. She quickly served tea and bowed before leaving with Yin Qiao. Then, they chased the girl in the courtyard away. The two of them guarded the corridor to prevent outsiders from disturbing them.
“According to my previous plan, it would have been a few more days until I returned! However, we really can’t delay this matter any longer, so Qian He and I rushed back first.”
As Pei Qian spoke, he had already taken out a small pouch from his pocket. He placed it on the table before gently pushing it in front of Lin Suisui. “Madam Liu, look. Do you recognize the things in this pouch?!”
“This is a hemp leaf?!” Lin Suisui reached out and picked up the pouch. After opening it and taking a look at the contents, she looked up at Pei Qian and her expression immediately became serious. “Where did you get this?!”
“This matter originates with the northern barbarian soldiers Wei Qing encountered previously!
Previously, those people disguised themselves as caravans and secretly infiltrated after bribing the soldiers guarding the pass!
Therefore, my first stop this time was to go over and check that pass. The previous centurion had already been interrogated and convicted by Wei Qing before being executed!
Logically speaking, if we go back in the next few days, the defense there should be completely different, right?
However, when we secretly went over, we realized that those soldiers were still collecting bribes to let northern barbarians pass!”
Pei Qian mentioned what he had seen and heard when he was patrolling the border this time. His expression darkened again. “Then, in a fit of anger, I arrested all the soldiers at the pass and interrogated them one by one!
After the strict interrogation, we really managed to get some information.
The entire army at the pass is obsessed with the grass you’re holding! You also know that the border is deserted all year round and the environment is very harsh!
Winter is long and harsh in the north. When they guarded the pass, they had to patrol at night as well.
It seemed that a few years ago, someone had introduced this grass to them! They said that chewing it could energize them and help them resist the cold. This way, it would be easier to go out and patrol the defense area.
At first, those soldiers didn’t know how terrifying this grass was and only accepted the other party’s kindness with the intention of giving it a try! However, after trying it, everyone really felt that this grass was quite effective. It was indeed as that person had said. As long as they chewed it, not only could it refresh their minds, but it could also ward off the cold when they went out to patrol the border!
However, after everyone chewed this leaf, the people over there were no longer willing to provide them with this leaf for free! Originally, those soldiers didn’t take this matter seriously.
After all, before they chewed the grass, they had also patrolled the border and survived the harsh winter previously, so they should be fine even if they stop chewing it now!
However…”
“This leaf can indeed be used to refresh the mind and relieve pain! However, it can’t be abused because it’s addictive! Once you’re addicted and stop consuming it, you’ll have symptoms like mental exhaustion and itchiness!
If the person who provided these hemp leaves to those soldiers is captured, he should be sentenced to death!
How is this kindness? That person clearly wants to push these soldiers to their deaths!”
Lin Suisui had seen the symptoms of people who were addicted to hemp leaf. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that they were better off dead! After becoming addicted to this thing, not to mention continuing to guard the border, they wouldn’t even be able to be normal people anymore!
As the addiction level increased, it was impossible for those people to stop chewing hemp leaves anymore. Hemp leaves would paralyze one’s thinking ability bit by bit. In the end, they wouldn’t be able to eat any other food except chewing the hemp leaves!
This would continue until they starved to death…
“But there’s something strange. These hemp leaves can only grow in the Siamese Kingdom outside the southern border. How can they appear in the north?!”
Lin Suisui pinched the dried hemp leaf and sized it up carefully. Then, she looked up and asked Pei Qian, who was sitting opposite her, “Very few people in the country need this herb!
Even if we doctors want to make medicine with it, we only need to use very little!
Who would sell such a large batch of hemp leaves to the northern region?!”
“No matter who it is, this person and the faction behind him must be investigated and dealt with!”
Lu Ze seemed to have thought of something, and his eyes were bloodshot. His killing intent made Pei Qian, who was sitting opposite him, shiver. Lu Ze said, “I came back this time to investigate this matter as soon as possible!
Fortunately, I didn’t encounter such a thing again after walking through the other passes!
In order to prevent any accidents, I left some of the grass you mentioned for those people at the pass so they can pay attention to anything suspicious! As long as someone sells this grass, no matter who it is, they’ll secretly send them to Cloud Mountain City!”
“Then, what about the soldiers who became addicted? How did you deal with them?!” Lu Ze and Pei Qian only had to worry about how to capture the culprit. What Lin Suisui was concerned about now were the soldiers who had become addicted!
“I’ve already ordered the execution of the soldiers who participated in the bribery! I’ve also arranged for people to escort the eight who didn’t participate back to be interrogated! I knew that Madam Liu would definitely need to study a way to get rid of addiction!” Pei Qian looked at Lin Suisui as he gave an answer that didn’t disappoint her.