This first test sentence was like a thunder, exploding in the minds of the four affairs officers. Their faces instantly lost their color and became as pale as the plaster on the wall.
One of the older clerks had his lips trembling, as if he wanted to say something, but could not utter a single word.
Suleiman looked at their reactions and sighed. Knowing that they might not be able to complete the job well, his voice became cold and without a trace of warmth. "Go back now!"
"From the citizens to you, I want a list, an accurate list of every person, his name, his address at Military Fort, who his wife is, and how many children he has."
"Find out for me the men from those families who are working as bandits in the mountains outside, and make another list."
I'm afraid it won't work without some harsh words. Suleiman stood up, and the invisible pressure almost made the four of them collapse to the ground.
"I make you become the lord's stewards! I want you to work for me! I don't want you to live a good life!"
"Whoever does well will be rewarded! Whoever does poorly...!"
Suleiman did not say any more, but the fear brought by those unfinished words was heavier than any direct threat.
"You will be responsible for the consequences!"
The four affairs officers almost exited Lion's Den on their hands and knees. It was not until the cold night wind blew on their faces that they realized that their backs were soaked with cold sweat.
This order, which was like a reminder, was taken back to Military Town under their respective jurisdictions and informed to their fellow military officers and tax officials.
The news is like the wind, passing through Household Head and then to Neighbor Head at the lowest level, spreading downward layer by layer and quickly spreading among the people.
The originally peaceful night was broken, and every Military Town was filled with noise, undercurrents of suspicion, suspicion, and fear, which began to surge crazily among the simple wooden houses and stone houses.
The military affairs officers are all junior officers among the three hundred veterans who once followed Suleiman.
Mountain-Back Fort's military officer summoned all Household Head, relayed the lord's order in the harshest terms, and added his own interpretation.
"You are all veterans who have followed Master Suleiman! Obtain the private land promulgated by Master Suleiman! This is an opportunity,
An opportunity for us to prove our worth to the adults!"
He announced in public that the first parent to submit a valid list and his superiors Neighbor Head and Household Head would receive a bag of wheat as a reward.
Any family that tries to cover up or conceal will be severely punished once found out.
The orders were passed down from level to level, Household Head, Neighbor Head, the parents were all veterans who had followed Suleiman, and they were all very enthusiastic to complete the mission of Suleiman.
Suddenly, the trend of informing spread, and the formerly harmonious neighbors began to look at each other with scrutiny and suspicion.
An unintentional word or an abnormal move may lead to disaster.
In South Gorge Fort, a "parent" named Thomas is experiencing unprecedented suffering.
Counting his own family, the five households he is responsible for live in the widow Amy, and he has basic and basic information about her family.
Amy's husband was drafted by House Terry and died last year, leaving only her and two children. The eldest one is called Laban, who just turned sixteen this year.
His neighbor, another family he manages, came to him late the night before yesterday and told him that Laban disappeared during the reign of House Terry.
Amy claimed to the outside world that Laban just wanted to go out and make some money so that he and his brother could have enough to eat.
Thomas knows that Laban is probably in the mountains and has become one of those bandits.
Late at night, Thomas was sitting by the firepit at home, staring blankly at the dancing flames, not even paying attention to his wife's call to rest.
Household Head, Neighbor Head, Bai Tian's words are still echoing in their ears. "How well Mr. Suleiman treats us! You know it!"
We must be grateful to Master Suleiman!"
"Secondly! One family hides it! Five households sit together! Think clearly! Is it your own wife and children who are more important? Or is it someone else?"
Yes, I am the first veteran to follow Mr. Suleiman. Mr. Suleiman divided the seizures for us and gave us private land. How could he hide it and not report it?
When he closed his eyes, he seemed to be able to see the haggard face of Amy and the thin figure of her little son.
But he saw his wife mending clothes under the dim oil lamp, and his daughter sleeping on a straw mat, breathing evenly, and thought of the figure of Lord Suleiman who lived and died with them in Water Valley and handed the land contract to him.
After a long time, he stood up suddenly, grabbed a coat, rushed into the cold night, and knocked on the wooden door of Neighbor Head.
"Boom, boom, boom."
Every sound was like a knock on his heart,
"Who?" The door opened, and Neighbor Head held a candle and looked at him with sleepy eyes.
Thomas's lips moved, and his voice was hoarse as if it had been sandpapered:
"Ai... Mi family... her... her... son, Laban."
Unlike South Gorge Fort's struggle, something unexpected happened to Crevice Fort.
A gray-haired old woman, leaning on a wooden crutch, and with the support of her granddaughter, took the initiative to find the "parent" to whom she belonged.
After the old woman saw her parents, two lines of tears flowed from her cloudy eyes, and she tremblingly said the name of her useless son.
"I heard that the lord just wants to investigate, not to kill them all."
The old woman grabbed the parent's hand, her thin fingers cold and strong.
"My damn son really couldn't live anymore...
... Please be kind and give him a way to survive. She believes in the kindness Suleiman showed them when they took over this land. That kindness is her last hope.
A few days later, four lists were sent to Lion's Den again.
The four affairs officers stood in the same position, but their expressions had changed from fear to extreme exhaustion and excitement.
Their hands were shaking slightly.
Evelyn took four pieces of rough parchment and copied the ugly names written on them one by one onto a piece of more delicate paper.
Her quill rustled on the paper, and every name dropped seemed to represent the fate of a family.
When the last name was written, she raised her head and reported to Suleiman solemnly, "Sir Suleiman, there are a total of one hundred and twelve names, involving one hundred and twelve families."
This number made Lushen and Roslyn frown. Even Evelyn had a flash of surprise in his eyes, but Suleiman didn't show any surprise.
He stood up from his seat, walked to Evelyn, and picked up another heavy list of all the subjects.
His blood was boiling. He didn't care how many family members had become bandits. He paid more attention to this register that registered all the people in the territory.
Looking at the densely packed records on it, down to the details of family relationships, he felt a strong excitement surge in his heart.
This system works.
It is like an invisible giant net that has tightly entangled the entire territory and every family. No disturbance can escape his control.