The moment Prince Tang Zhu Yujian finished his announcement, the forest did not stir.
Not even a leaf dared to move.
Trust, after all, was not something that could be summoned with a few loud words shouted through a metal tube, especially not in a land where the people had long learned that the louder an army spoke of righteousness, the more likely it was to rob them blind the next moment.
Since ancient times, rebel armies had always been fiercer than official troops.
If anything, they were worse.
Zhu Yujian seemed to understand this perfectly well, for he showed no sign of impatience, instead raising the loudspeaker once again, his tone calm, steady, and strangely sincere.
"Fellow villagers, our Shared Governance faction has come to the capital this time not to bring chaos, but to change this country and build a better future."
He paused, then added with a trace of apology that did not feel forced, which in itself was already something unusual.
"We have frightened you, forcing you to flee your homes in haste, disrupting your livelihoods and daily lives, and for that, I offer my sincere apologies."
A few people in the forest shifted slightly.
Apologies from soldiers were rare.
Apologies from rebel leaders were unheard of.
"And so," he continued, "to make amends, we will now distribute some supplies."
The moment those words fell, an odd mechanical rumble followed.
A transport truck rolled forward, its engine growling like some iron beast that had learned to obey human commands, and stopped right at the edge of the forest.
With a sudden tilt of its cargo bed, a cascade of burlap sacks spilled onto the ground, piling up in a rough mound.
From between the leaves, Qian Qianyi narrowed his eyes.
The sacks were full.
Heavy.
Bulging.
Whatever was inside, it was not something trivial.
A soldier jumped down from the truck, his movements relaxed, as though he were not standing in front of a forest full of terrified civilians, but rather in the middle of a marketplace.
He casually opened one of the sacks and lifted it slightly, letting the contents show.
"Grain," he called out. "All of this is grain. Come and take it."
He grinned.
"No money needed. This is compensation for disturbing you."
Qian Qianyi felt his thoughts stumble.
Compensation?
For disturbing the people?
He turned slightly, glancing at Cheng Jiasui, only to find that the merchant looked just as stunned.
Around them, the forest fell into a strange silence.
Parents who had been desperately covering their children's mouths began, little by little, to loosen their grip.
One child, finally able to breathe, let out a long gasp.
"Mother, you almost suffocated me."
The moment the words left his mouth, every adult nearby froze.
Disaster.
The child had spoken.
Their position was exposed.
And yet…
No soldiers charged in.
No blades flashed between the trees.
Instead, from outside, a voice came, warm, almost amused.
"There's a child hiding over there, is there? Come out and get something good to eat. Uncle will give you an extra small bag of flour."
The sound of someone swallowing rang out clearly in the quiet.
Then another.
Hunger, after all, was a force stronger than fear.
As the old saying went, under great reward, there would always be brave men.
At last, one poor man stepped out from the forest, his movements cautious, his voice trembling.
"Y you are really giving out grain?"
"Of course we are."
The soldier handed him a full sack without hesitation, placing it firmly into his arms.
Right behind him, Zhu Yujian added another layer to the moment, his tone solemn.
"I am sorry for disturbing you. Please accept this grain, and I hope that in the future, you will support our Shared Governance faction."
The man stood there, stunned.
He had received grain.
Actual grain.
And along with it, a formal apology from the leader of the rebel army himself.
The weight of that apology was… heavy.
Too heavy.
So heavy that it crushed through suspicion, through fear, through years of accumulated distrust.
In an instant, something shifted in his heart.
The transformation was almost absurdly fast, as if a switch had been flipped.
If one insisted on naming it, perhaps it could be called something like a sudden and overwhelming emotional surrender, the kind that made a person decide, without quite knowing why, that the one standing before him must surely be a good man.
A very good man.
With that first step taken, the rest followed naturally.
One by one, the villagers emerged from the forest.
The militia soldiers handed out sacks of grain to each of them, while Zhu Yujian personally offered a sincere apology to every single recipient, ensuring that each person felt seen, acknowledged, and, most importantly, respected.
Laughter began to replace fear.
Relief replaced tension.
For a moment, it was almost as if war had never existed.
From within the trees, Qian Qianyi frowned slightly.
"This feels like… an act. A performance to win hearts."
Cheng Jiasui let out a quiet chuckle.
"Even if it is an act, it is still better than those who cannot even be bothered to act."
Qian Qianyi considered this carefully.
Then he nodded.
"That… is true."
Neither of them stepped forward to receive grain.
They were, after all, wealthy men, and pride, along with habit, kept them rooted in place.
Only after the iron vehicles finished their distribution and continued toward the capital did the two men finally emerge from hiding and resume their journey.
---
The road ahead felt… different.
Gone were the panicked refugees fleeing for their lives.
In their place were people carrying sacks of grain over their shoulders, smiles on their faces, voices filled with something that had not been present before.
Hope.
"Who would have thought, the rebels actually gave us food."
"What rebels? They are the Shared Governance faction. Don't call them rebels."
"Have you ever seen rebels give grain to the people?"
"Exactly. The rebels of the past burned, killed, and looted. That was rebellion. These people actually want to govern the country properly. They are not the same at all."
Qian Qianyi listened in silence.
Cheng Jiasui smiled faintly.
They passed through a small village.
At first glance, everything seemed normal.
Too normal.
Then the difference revealed itself.
A small squad of Shared Governance soldiers, fewer than ten men, was moving through the village, each carrying a large pack.
One was handing out illustrated booklets to the villagers.
Another was giving candy to children.
A third was helping an elderly woman carry a heavy load.
The entire scene radiated an almost unnatural harmony.
Qian Qianyi inhaled sharply.
"I know this is about winning hearts, but this is… excessive."
Cheng Jiasui shrugged lightly.
"I told you. Even if it is about winning hearts, it is still better than those who never try to win them at all."
They were about to pass through the village when one of the soldiers spotted them from afar and quickly approached.
At once, their attendants tensed, hands moving toward their weapon hilts.
The soldier, however, showed no hostility.
He greeted them cheerfully.
"Hey there, you folks look like learned gentlemen."
Qian Qianyi, maintaining his scholar's pride, said nothing.
Cheng Jiasui, ever the merchant, responded with a polite smile.
"This gentleman beside me is Qian Qianyi, a leading figure of the Jiangnan literary world. As for myself, I am merely an insignificant man. May I ask what you need?"
"Please don't call me 'sir'," the soldier laughed. "If my captain hears that, I will get scolded. Just call me little brother."
Cheng Jiasui smiled.
The soldier continued.
"You are not locals, are you? Heading to Tianjin Port?"
Cheng Jiasui nodded.
"We are returning to Jiangnan and hope to take a ship from Tianjin. We heard your forces have landed there, so we were concerned…"
The soldier waved his hand dismissively.
"That is exactly why I came over. Our Shared Governance faction may have landed at Tianjin, but it does not affect port operations at all. You can go there, find a ship, and no one will interfere with you."
Relief flashed across Cheng Jiasui's face.
Qian Qianyi also visibly relaxed.
The soldier grinned.
"In fact, this is the best time to find a ship. Our large vessels, along with Zheng Zhilong's fleet, are all gathered at Tianjin. You might even be able to hitch a ride on one of our transport ships to Shanghai."
Cheng Jiasui's eyes lit up.
"That is exactly where I intend to go."
"Well then, that is perfect," the soldier said. "Just head to the docks, find any of our people, and tell them you want to go to Shanghai. Someone will help you arrange it."