Chapter 1118: Clearing the Streets
Xie Jiaofeng had witnessed this entire incident from beginning to end. In a very short time, he saw two completely different sides of Qi Xuansu.
One side was gentle. Facing a group of unarmed civilians, Qi Xuansu not only refrained from using force but even made himself appear humble. He did not use any harsh words nor issue any threats. Aside from patiently explaining facts and reasoning, he mostly appealed to the people sincerely. This was why Qi Xuansu could disperse the crowd with just a few sentences. His attitude carried genuine sincerity.
The other side was cold. Facing armed rioters, Qi Xuansu showed not a shred of mercy. He made decisions others feared to make and ordered the streets to be cleared without hesitation.
When dealing with ordinary civilians, he asked them to give him 30 days. But when dealing with rioters, he gave them only two hours.
Qi Xuansu had never shied away from using force to curb force.
It must be said that although Sage Donghua was Qi Xuansu’s superior and Sage Cihang was his soon-to-be mother-in-law, it was Sage Qingwei whom he learned from. Many of Sage Qingwei’s methods on the Fenglin battlefield deeply influenced him, allowing his thinking to mature rapidly. Poluo became the place where Qi Xuansu tested and refined his ideas, allowing his approach to governance to mature as well.
The gentle side was what he learned, part of his growth. The cold side was his innate attitude. Someone who tumbled through the rough streets of Jianghu would prefer force rather than politeness and social niceties when necessary.
Qi Xuansu’s orders were swiftly executed. The Nanting Protectorate issued a martial law order, posted notices, and sent people to announce it in the streets.
It had an immediate effect. Those watching out of curiosity no longer dared to linger. Others who had been taking advantage of the chaos got scared and quickly went home.
These people were not necessarily incited. Many simply saw an opportunity to profit and joined the chaos. It was much like those who did not help or flee during a disaster but instead went to loot and rob others.
Qi Xuansu had no time to deal with them yet. He would settle accounts later. For now, his priority was dealing with the ones paid to cause trouble.
Two hours later, the number of rioters had decreased significantly, yet it was still sizable.