TNIBFT -Chapter 166 Correcting the Little Villain’s Mindset

Without asking any questions, Tao Lichun turned and instructed his subordinates at Ye Tian’s suggestion: “Do it immediately!”

“Gather all the city guards in Sifang City!”

“Yes!”

Someone immediately took the order and ran through the city.

Voices buzzed all around.

All eyes were on Tao Lichun. As the highest-ranking civil official in Sifang City, with the city lord absent, Tao Lichun was the de facto authority. Coupled with his reputation, his presence immediately reassured the citizens who were thinking of fleeing.

“Lord Tao, we just want to survive. The city lord has fled—there’s no way we can stand against the forces of Dazhou!”

“Yes, we have elderly and children at home. What are we supposed to do?”

“Doesn’t the imperial court care about us?”

“Natural disasters and human calamities… there’s no way to survive here!”

The crowd groaned in despair.

Tao Lichun bent slightly, his face wrinkled and drawn, looking extremely aged. In his murky eyes was endless helplessness. When the people suffer, the official suffers; when the people perish, the official suffers even more!

Moreover, in the capital of Daliang, Tao Lichun sighed helplessly. The emperor must surely know about the Sifang City avalanche. In the past few days, when the imperial court learned that the Dazhou Empress was seriously ill, many tried to take advantage to redeem past humiliations.

But recent spy reports indicated that the Dazhou Empress had taken new actions, even sidelining the prime minister.

The empress was not seriously ill at all; on the contrary, her power was surging.

Now, war was out of the question. The emperor would probably submit at once if he came personally. Sifang City, bordering Dazhou, would easily fall into their hands if the court wished it—handed over without a fight.

Leaving the citizens behind would be a death sentence under Dazhou’s ruthless rule.

Opening the city gates to let citizens leave would damage Daliang’s dignity and invite ridicule from the world.

Tao Lichun found himself in an impossible dilemma.

Ye Yunting glanced at Ye Tian without expression and whispered, “Teacher, my father can’t even read. Let him stay out of these complicated matters. The situation is too complex. Helping might only make things worse and cause you trouble.”

Ye Yunting only wanted his family safe.

With the situation unclear, he didn’t want Ye Tian to take risks, and he certainly didn’t want him to shoulder the blame for Sifang City.

Tao Lichun nodded; he truly had no other choice. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have pinned his hopes on Ye Tian.

“You brat!”

Hearing this from the eldest, Ye Tian felt indignant. He stepped forward a few paces and grabbed Ye Yunting’s little ear. “Who said I can’t read?”

Ye Yunting’s face turned red as he glanced nervously around.

After all, he had some official standing. Normally, all the city guards would respectfully address him as “Little Lord,” yet Ye Tian was publicly pulling his ear—how would he maintain his dignity in the future?

Ye Yunting, expressionless, said, “Let go!”

Ye Tian ignored him entirely, scooped him up, and planted a loud kiss on his face.

Ye Yunting’s face turned crimson. Squirming shyly, his voice lowered, he clutched Ye Tian’s neck: “Put me down quickly… someone saw us.”

“Ha ha ha…” Seeing the eldest acting so cute and bashful, Ye Tian laughed heartily.

He then turned to Tao Lichun: “Once the city guards arrive, open the gates. If these people want to leave, let them leave. As for the refugees outside the city, we can employ them to aid in reconstruction. They participate in the rescue, and the city recovers. Those who do not work do not receive any reward.”

Tao Lichun was stunned.

It was the first time he had heard such unfamiliar terms. He froze in place, still trying to process them. Ye Tian continued, “Once the city guards arrive, have someone tally up all the empty houses in the city. Gather any food, cotton, and supplies that can’t be moved, concentrate them, and assign areas to settle the refugees…”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Tao Lichun nodded repeatedly.

Ye Tian’s words were like a key opening the door to a new world for him.

Such a good plan—why hadn’t he thought of it himself?

Tao Lichun was overjoyed.

Meanwhile, a hundred or so city guards, dressed in uniform and armed with sidearms, arrived at the city. The townspeople at the gates, upon seeing them, looked at Tao Lichun with fear in their eyes.

“Lord Tao… are you planning to imprison us?”

“All officials are the same. What good could they be?”

“If we stay, we die. If we leave, we die. Better to fight them!”

The crowd began to riot.

Xiao Xun’er, riding a tall horse, anxiously tried to explain to the townspeople. Her passion urged them to stay and fight alongside the Great Zhou, but the people responded with relentless hostility.

Seeing this, Ye Tian called out to Tao Lichun, “Master Tao!”

Tao Lichun nodded. Surrounded by his aides, he shouted loudly, “Open the city gates!”

“Let them go. From today onward, entry and exit will only involve simple inspections!”

As soon as the words were out, cheers erupted. Many people inside and outside the city wept with joy.

The gates were crowded with people, and many city guards stepped forward to maintain order.

Ye Tian held Ye Yunting at a distance. The boy’s bright eyes fixed on the crowd, his little head deep in thought, seemingly unsure what to make of it all.

Ye Tian said, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch. If there were, why would people work at all?”

Ye Yunting, half-understanding, looked up at Ye Tian with his dark, wide eyes: “These people are disobedient… shouldn’t they be strictly controlled? Everyone in this world fears the strong and protects their own interests. As long as your fists are strong enough, even if you send them to their deaths, they have no choice but to obey.”

The five-year-old boy’s gaze held a strange seriousness as he looked at Ye Tian.

Ye Tian was taken aback.

No wonder this child would become a major villain in the future. Such a ruthless, unempathetic mindset—how could he fail?

“You’re not wrong,” Ye Tian said, “but extremes always backfire. Hasn’t a certain teacher ever said: he who wins the hearts of the people, wins the world? Without benefits or rewards, who would follow you?”

Seeing the boy frown, Ye Tian continued, “Using violence to control people only makes them fear you temporarily. As soon as someone stronger or more opportunistic comes along, they’ll replace you. But if following you brings them significant benefits, even without risk, why would they resist?”

Ye Yunting pondered.

“Humans can tame and raise wild beasts—the principle is the same.”

“Ye Tian!”

As Ye Tian finished speaking, Xiao Xun’er dismounted and walked toward him.

Seeing Ye Tian look over, she wiped the sweat from her face and squinted slightly. “Thank you. If it weren’t for you today, I might have been beaten to death.”

She said it so casually that when Ye Tian didn’t respond, she continued, “I have no home. You’re my only friend. I’ve decided—I’m going to live at your place from now on.”

Live at my place?

Ye Tian was shocked, eyes wide in disbelief. “You’ve decided? On what authority? You’re a girl refusing to go home and want to stay at my place—how can you decide that?”

Tao Ling’er, standing behind Ye Tian at some point, looked anxiously at Xiao Xun’er, scanning her up and down.

A sense of danger spread through Tao Ling’er’s mind.

Xiao Xun’er didn’t care about Ye Tian’s words. She stepped closer, cupping Ye Yunting’s little face in her hands, her eyes sparkling. “So cute! Let your big sister give you a hug.”