After a few days, Tuoba Yan's health gradually improved, and his complexion also gradually returned to normal.
Yu Shuo's treatment was proceeding smoothly under Luo Zhi's arrangement. Qin Su kept an eye on things while instructing Dengyue Tower and Zhuang Heyu to keep an eye on Xue Huai'an's whereabouts.
Xue Huai'an had been staying in Shacheng for the past few days, until seven days later when he suddenly headed to Huang County.
Qin Su had heard the old woman mention the problem in Huang County before, but because things were important here, she hadn't paid attention to Huang County. Now that Xue Huai'an had gone there, Qin Su had to take it seriously.
What if we cause a huge mess?
Qin Su was always worried about Xue Huai'an, so she asked Chongyang to keep an eye on Luo Zhi while she took Lian Tao and Zhuang Heyu with her to Huang County.
Huangxian is neither far nor near Shacheng, and Zaocun was previously under the jurisdiction of Huangxian.
Zhao Xiaocui is still being held at the inn; perhaps she will need to inform the village chief of Zao Village later.
Of course, if it involves that area, it's not worth making a separate trip.
How much do you know about what's going on in Huang County?
She had asked Zhuang Heyu before, but only about the basics and hadn't gotten any specific information.
Looking at the streets of Huangxian County alone, they seem to be bustling with activity, and not at all desolate.
Although Zhuang Heyu wasn't entirely clear about what was going on here, he had heard some things.
"Not much. It just depends on what kind of information Madam wants to know."
His eyes were always subconsciously scanning his surroundings, seemingly a habit he had developed over many years.
"I've heard that the people in Huang County aren't doing well. But looking at the people coming and going on the street, it doesn't seem like that." Qin Su was also paying attention to her surroundings, but she didn't go to the vendors because she was talking to Zhuang Heyu.
Some information can only be understood by going down to the grassroots level.
"Well, you can't judge a book by its cover, Madam. Many people in Huang County are doing quite well, but it's hard to say about the villages." He spoke softly, wanting to keep a low profile.
"The magistrate of Huang County is the nephew-in-law of the city lord of Shacheng, and they have a close relationship. As for why this place is rumored to be so poor, hehe." He sneered, his eyes filled with sarcasm. "The taxes have been heavy for years. Even though the land in Huang County is much better than that in Shacheng, it can't withstand this kind of torment."
"The grain collected by the people is handed over to the county magistrate, and what is left is barely enough to fill their stomachs. It's better if there are wild vegetables and fruits to eat, but if there are none of these, people often starve to death."
Qin Su straightened her lip line, and her complexion didn't look so good.
"Shacheng is not a wealthy area, so the imperial court shouldn't impose heavy taxes on it. Why is that?"
Before Zhuang Heyu could speak, Qin Su already understood.
Why?
It was obviously deceiving superiors and subordinates, and it was obviously a local voluntary act.
Well then, since Yu Shuo and Tuoba Yan both need to recuperate, and Xue Huai'an has come here again, we might as well eradicate this place.
After something happens, we'll send Yu Shuo and the other two away first; nothing will go wrong.
"Go to the clothing store."
Zhuang Heyu and Lian Tao didn't know what Qin Su was going to do, but they naturally listened to her because she said that.
The shopkeeper noticed that Qin Su was dressed in fine silk and satin, and her earrings were made of the finest jade. Apart from the lack of ornaments on her head, nothing suggested that she was a wealthy patron.
"What would you like to buy, young lady? We have all kinds of styles, including clothing from Da'an and Yuehai Kingdom." The shopkeeper greeted her warmly.
Qin Su was also sizing him up.
The shopkeeper was about thirty years old and was wearing an indigo robe, but the cuffs were worn and turned white. It was unclear whether he hadn't noticed or was reluctant to change his clothes.
Qin Su couldn't decide whether it was the former or the latter.
Looking at the clothes in the store, the fabric wasn't very good, but as he said, some styles did resemble those from the overseas country.
"Just pick two sets of clothes made of the fabric he's wearing," Qin Su said, pointing to Zhuang Heyu.
Zhuang Heyu looked completely bewildered.
How can his clothes be worthy of Princess Consort Chen?
"This...this girl has delicate skin, and the fabric of this clothing is too rough. It might chafe her skin." The shopkeeper was not about to let go of the opportunity to fleece a fat sheep.
The clothes the man was wearing were worth very little money, and were exactly the same as the clothes he was wearing.
"We'll take this one. If you want to do business, then do it; otherwise, we'll go somewhere else."
The shopkeeper thought to himself: Where did this strange person come from? He looks like he comes from a wealthy family, so why is he so stingy?
"Please don't be angry, I'll go right away." He smiled ingratiatingly, showing no sign of his disdain.
Qin Su didn't bother with him. After changing her clothes, she had the shopkeeper pack them up and left.
Where are we going?
Zhuang Heyu found it even stranger that Qin Su had rented a donkey cart.
"Which village do you know? That's the village we'll go to," Qin Su said indifferently, handing the reins to Zhuang Heyu.
Zhuang Heyu vaguely sensed something and felt increasingly strange.
He knew Kang Lin wasn't a delicate girl when he captured her, and he also realized she was no ordinary person when she came to find Prince Chen.
But he never imagined that such a noble person would choose to change out of her fine silks and satins, remove her gorgeous ornaments, and not ride in a luxurious carriage, but instead choose a donkey cart, simply to make her more credible and approachable in the eyes of the common people.
Zhuang Heyu guessed that Qin Su wanted to get close to the villagers and learn the most authentic information from them.
She's already done all that, so how could Zhuang Heyu find a reason to refuse?
They immediately drove the carriages and horses to a village without stopping.
At the village entrance, several women were washing clothes by the river. When they saw outsiders, they craned their necks, their faces and eyes filled with undisguised curiosity.
Outsiders rarely come to the village, so the person driving the donkey cart was clearly a stranger.
"Madam, we've arrived." Zhuang Heyu jumped off the donkey cart and said respectfully to Qin Su.
Qin Su and Lian Tao came down, and she looked around. The weather in Shacheng was cold, and the trees in the village were bare, without a single patch of green.
In front of them was a stone tablet with the three characters "Liu Family Village" engraved on it.
It seems that the village they visited before was originally called Zhao Family Village.
Qin Su wasn't surprised. There was indeed such a saying here: many villages were made up of people with the same surname, and gradually they became villages of that surname.
The men here all find wives from the next village, and the remaining children all take the village's surname.
Such villages tend to have stronger cohesion.
Qin Su noticed several women curiously looking at them. She walked over, but before she could speak, one of the women with a high bun spoke up loudly, "Who are you? Are you here looking for someone?"
Her voice was loud and clear, and her speech was a bit rough, but it was cheerful and straightforward, and you couldn't detect any malice in it.
Qin Su smiled gently and said, "It's like this, my husband and I are divorced, and I originally came here to find relatives."
"relative?"
The women looked at each other, all bewildered.
Could this angelic girl be a relative of someone in Liujia Village?
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