Chapter 478 Pine Waves

Zhang Songtao is the current prefect of Wuma Prefecture, and the son-in-law of the Ni family, one of the three major families in the area.

The Zhang family, one of the original five prominent families of Wuma Prefecture, has seen the world change drastically, and no one cares anymore about a family that has vanished. Like dust, they disappeared and never returned.

Zhang Songtao's eyes were cold, as if he had seen through the cycle of life and death, as if he had experienced countless wounds and was now hardened by a thousand trials.

With a simple and honest face, he smiled slightly, his eyes revealing a kind of wit and cunning. He said softly, "The choice my brother gave me will naturally not harm me, so I naturally agree."

I wonder what benefits the Red King will offer me.

Betrayal, betrayal—it's a grave sin, a shameful act that will be condemned. To leave or to stay? At this moment, a steely resolve hardens within me, thoughts drifting back to some inexplicable past. My eyes sharpen with determination.

Falcon chuckled softly, "Brother Songtao, rest assured, my king is magnanimous. As long as you sincerely submit to my king, I would gladly bestow upon you the position of Prefect of the Five Horses Prefecture. After all, the Qi Kingdom is quite vast."

When Zhang Songtao heard that Falcon and others really intended to occupy the State of Qi, he couldn't help but find it hard to believe. However, the unquestionable tone in their voices at that moment made him feel strangely at ease.

He nodded slightly, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you very much, Brother Falcon. I hope you will take good care of me in the future."

Falcon nodded in satisfaction and said, "Good, Brother Songtao, make the preparations here. Once I, the King, arrive, I hope you will not break your promise."

Zhang Songtao stood up without hesitation, took out an envelope from his sleeve, and said softly, "No need to wait for later, this is written by my own hand. It is about the families and gangs in Gaogang Prefecture that have encroached on fertile land and bullied the market."

If the Red King enters the city and wipes out all these family heads and gangs, he will not only quickly win the hearts of the people but also rapidly acquire vast amounts of real estate and fertile land.

I gently took it, opened it, and saw that it was filled with the glorious deeds of the family. The handwriting was indeed that of my friend, and the ink marks were different in age, so it seemed that he had been preparing for a long time.

The King of Qi was a figure of great renown, and his laws were quite strict. Why was this so? Falcon was completely puzzled.

Zhang Songtao sighed softly and explained in a low voice, "Brother Falcon, the area around the Qi King's palace is indeed quite strict, but the annual quota is sufficient. The Qi King will also raise some more, waiting for the right time to win over the people and reap the rewards—a win-win situation."

He sighed softly, his eyes filled with resentment, and said, "In times of famine, a servant might only earn three taels of silver, or even just one tael. A dead soldier would only earn twice that, and it still wouldn't be as much as the silver given to the constables who escorted prisoners."

In this Gaogang Prefecture, I am merely a son-in-law of the Ni family. It is only because my wife is quite talented that the Ni family has no male heirs. My coming out here is just to pave the way for future children.

Within aristocratic families, the rules and regulations, the restrictive outer shell, are never something one can defy alone.

Zhang Songtao himself is just an average person. He may have choices, but not now. He needs to cultivate himself to a certain level before he can make them.

Falcon smiled slightly, as if he didn't know or care about these things. He wouldn't ask what he didn't want to ask, and he wouldn't say what he didn't want to say.

He whispered, "Well, that's a good thing, isn't it? At least we still have a few taels of silver, and a few more people can survive."

Upon hearing this, Song Tao smiled slightly and nodded, saying, "Indeed. I hope the Red King will keep his word."

Falcon nodded slightly, replying with certainty and reassurance, "Of course, my king never breaks his word, nor am I ever afraid of others breaking theirs."

His tone was firm, his confidence certain, and there was a hint of trust and loyalty to the Red King.

In the Red King's Hall, the four subordinates were in full armor, braving the biting wind. She Yunqin, dressed in a long red robe, stood quietly before him with a cold gaze and a phoenix-headed zither.

The Red King, still clad in his unchanging battle robes, gently touched the armor on his left shoulder with his right hand. At this moment, he felt as if he had returned to his original battle armor, filled with joy, wielding a large sword, practicing martial arts and advancing by leaps and bounds.

The ideal man in my heart would die for his confidant, but I don't know when I changed. Why can't the rich share even a fraction of their wealth with the poor? I don't understand, and I don't want to understand now. The people who follow me and are loyal to me are enough.

The moonlight was dim, and a cold wind whistled through the air, bringing a chill to the bone. The towering buildings cast long shadows in the moonlight, occasionally echoing and rustling.

Within the city walls, there are farmers mending clothes under the moonlight, hardworking men twisting straw ropes and weaving straw sandals, and elderly people.

The Red King muttered to himself, "I've heard that in some prefectures, resources are abundant, and every household has stored grain. And in border towns, even three-year-old children have books to read and schools to attend. I wonder what the situation is like there."

The falcon gently replied, hands clasped respectfully, with an air of reverence, "Your Majesty, under your leadership, no one in the Red Kingdom froze to death last winter, and no one died of heatstroke last summer. Next year will be even better, and we will gradually achieve all the other things as well."

The Red King nodded unconsciously, gazing into the distance. "Good, that's good. The Red Kingdom's land is barren; it needs some fertile land so our people can have enough to eat."

His eyes flashed, sharp and domineering, exuding confidence and arrogance. 'Tonight, Wuma Mansion. Let's go.'

The border region enjoyed a rare few days of peace. News from various places was quickly collected, processed, and analyzed. Yun Su, Yun Qing, and others arranged for people to handle all of this, and He Chen didn't pay much attention to it.

Dragon blood rice, each grain is as translucent as a ruby. Looking at such large dragon blood rice grains, one can't help but marvel. Nature truly is a creator of all things.

Seeing all the women present today, Han Linling, who had been at the forging workshop for the past few days, returned today and looked at her lover with a mysterious gaze.

"For the first time planting, the harvest is so plentiful, estimated at over 1600 plants, including the seeds. It's truly a cause for celebration," Wei Qinghui, Yun Su, and the other women said softly, looking at the plants.

'Each of you take ten and do with them yourselves.'

Bi Yunyan, Tu Fanghua, Huifu, Bai Rong, and the other women nodded thoughtfully.

Liu Qianqian, Han Linling, and Jingzhai nodded slightly.

Looking at the women, he whispered, "Commander Guan and the Governor of Wanzhou will each receive one hundred pills. The inspectors and soldiers will also receive one hundred pills each."

He whispered to Yun Su, "From now on, some of this Dragon Blood Rice can be reserved for their rewards and exchanges. Everyone should try the rest; there's no need to save any."

Yun Su nodded in agreement.

He Chen gently took out about twenty pills, which were then slightly rotated and surrounded by thunder and fire.

It seemed as if wisps of smoke were rising from a chimney, filling the air with a fragrant aroma. The fully ripened dragon blood rice had an enticing reddish-brown color, its shimmering luster resembling the brilliance of a gemstone.

With a gentle wave of his hand, he gave one to each person. As each person swallowed it, their entire body's cells quickly absorbed it, emitting joyful cheers.