This night was destined to be long for Lu Jingze.
The situation in Liangzhou was a tangled mess, weighing heavily on his mind and preventing him from sleeping peacefully.
He tossed and turned, but finally got up.
As Lu Jingze got dressed and was about to leave, Wang Xiuxiu stopped him.
"Although it's early autumn, the morning breeze is still a bit chilly, so please wear an extra layer."
She draped the cloak that Lu Jingze had given her over his shoulders.
Lu Jingze nodded slightly, looking at her, a warm feeling flashing through his heart, but he quickly suppressed it.
"Yes, I'll be away for the next few days. I'll leave the guards to you. If you need anything, just tell them."
---
In the courtyard, the guards that Lu Jingze had sent to keep watch arrived under the moonlight.
"how's it going?"
"He's been clamoring to see you. Lin Yufan's condition isn't good. The old doctor said his injuries are too severe and he won't last much longer," the guard replied in a low voice, his tone tinged with helplessness.
Lu Jingze frowned and strode over.
When they arrived at Lin Yufan's courtyard, they found that he had already sat up.
Lu Jingze frowned, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.
"Lin Yufan asked the old doctor for a dose of potent medicine and, taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, forced it down his throat..." A subordinate inside the room immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness.
Lin Yufan is the key figure in resolving the situation in Liangzhou. If something happens to him, all of them will undoubtedly be put in a passive position.
Upon hearing this, Lu Jingze suppressed his anger.
Now is not the time to assign blame; we must meet with Lin Yufan as soon as possible and understand the true situation in Liangzhou.
"You all go out and keep watch."
As Lu Jingze approached, he saw Lin Yufan holding a blood-stained garment, barely holding on, watching him warily.
"So you're the official sent by the imperial court?" Lin Yufan's voice was weak and hoarse, but his tone carried a hint of sarcasm.
"Yes," Lu Jingze replied calmly.
"You officials from the capital, coming and going in Liangzhou, it's all just a show, money paving the way! You're all... the same!"
Lin Yufan was emotional, his voice trembling, and the last sentence seemed to have exhausted all his strength.
Lu Jingze looked at Lin Yufan quietly without saying a word.
He could sense Lin Yufan's grief and disappointment, and he also understood his views on the court officials.
But at this moment, he could only learn more about Liangzhou from Lin Yufan and find a solution to the problem.
“This time is different. There’s been a major upheaval in Liangzhou. No one can cover it up, and I’m different from those officials who are afraid of the powerful families in the capital.”
Seeing Lin Yufan's hesitant look, Lu Jingze simply took off the jade pendant from his waist and handed it to him.
Lin Yufan took the jade pendant, and when he saw the patterns on it clearly, even his lips trembled: "You...you are..."
"Putting everything else aside, the fact that you were willing to drink that potent medicine and insisted on seeing me means you must have made up your mind to entrust me with the truth no matter what. And the fact that I'm willing to tell you my identity is because of your loyalty."
Lu Jingze stepped forward, patted Lin Yufan on the shoulder, and spoke with a rare gentleness in his voice.
Lin Yufan was so excited he couldn't speak. It took him a while to calm down before he said, "My lord, I understand!"
Liangzhou, once a land of plenty, has now become a living hell.
The nobles controlled the grain and land, but refused to sell any of it to the common people.
All that was left for the people of Liangzhou was ruthless exploitation.
The lives of ordinary people cannot be explained simply by the word "exploitation".
They scrimped and saved all year round, but when the harvest was finally calculated, it was still not enough to repay the debts owed to the landlords.
They resisted and made trouble, but in the end, they lost their homes, their relatives were sold into slavery, and their whole family was exiled as slaves.
The officials are not officials, they are wolves.
The people are not the people, they are slaves.
But what can we do?
Can't beat them, can't win a lawsuit...
This situation lasted for a very long time, so long that they became numb and no longer hoped that anyone could save them.
But fate is full of surprises and unexpected events. Just when they were feeling desperate, an organization called the Star Moon Cult emerged and appeared in the eyes of the people of Liangzhou.
The emergence of this organization completely changed the lives of the people of Liangzhou.
The Star Crescent Cult and its followers spread rapidly like wildfire, becoming the only salvation in the hearts of the people.
During that period, the fervor of the people for the Star Crescent Cult was astonishing.
They can go without food and water, and even resort to stealing and robbing, just to raise enough funds for the Star Crescent Cult.
However, this almost insane behavior also made the nobles of Liangzhou feel an unprecedented threat.
Fearing that the Star and Crescent Church would threaten their rule, they took action.
Ultimately, under the combined attack of various powerful families and the government, the Star Moon Sect was completely wiped out.
The sudden collapse of faith plunged the people into even greater pain and despair.
Those high-ranking nobles thought that with the destruction of the Star Crescent Cult, the people would return to meekness and continue living a submissive life.
However, this seemingly victorious outcome brought unexpected consequences.
The people became angry and frenzied, disregarding even life and death.
That's how Liangzhou gradually descended into chaos.
They raided the mansions of nobles, looted their property, and ambushed officials on the road, killing them without mercy.
The entire Liangzhou was shrouded in this terrifying atmosphere, and order was completely lost.
At first, the nobles tried to suppress the riots, but the people's resistance became increasingly fierce and their numbers grew.
Gradually, the situation spiraled out of control.
"My lord! This is a letter written in blood by Zhou Yun'an, the Grain Supervisor of Liangzhou Prefecture. It records everything he knows about the truth. This is the evidence! You must give the people of Liangzhou... justice!"
After saying these words, he could no longer support his body, spat out a mouthful of blood, and then fell silent.
Lu Jingze stared at his hand, which was stained with a few drops of blood, clenching it tightly, unable to calm down any longer.
---
When Lu Jingze led the entire Qingzhou garrison to Liangzhou, the famine victims there were already so hungry that they looted the state granary.
Forcibly seizing a granary is considered treason.
The troops stationed in Qingzhou were insufficient to quell such a large-scale rebellion.
Liangzhou Prefecture lacked sufficient food reserves, and Lu Jingze was unable to carry out effective disaster relief operations.
Thus, they had no choice but to retreat back to Qingzhou.
Although a letter has been sent to the capital requesting assistance, the drought in Yazhou and Pingzhou had only recently eased, and the national treasury is currently empty.
It's easy to imagine that it would be difficult to come up with more money to appease the disaster victims.
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