Zhao Shu disguised himself as an ordinary young man visiting relatives in Jiangnan. He wore a plain light gray satin scholar's robe and a wooden carved hair crown, which was extremely inconspicuous.
Su Xiu and the others didn't need to dress up specially, as they usually dressed plainly. The only one who disguised himself was Xiao Guozi, who dressed as a woman and was very graceful.
After washing up, the first rays of the morning sun had already pierced through the clouds and spread across the earth. After having breakfast, Zhao Shu unfolded her folding fan and left the inn.
As soon as they stepped out of the inn, they heard a burly man say, "The imperial edict has been posted. I heard that Lord Huo has promulgated new laws, which are of great benefit to us common people."
"What's new? Let's go, let's go see!" said an old man carrying a hoe, who was about to go to the field.
"Lord Huo sent someone to read the imperial edict aloud. If you don't understand, you can ask. The official is very easygoing and not fierce at all." The big man and the old man went back to look at the imperial edict again.
Zhao Shu shook her folding fan. Just then, Sun Benqian came over, raised his hand in a bow and said, "This humble servant greets the honored guest. The goods have all been loaded, and the ship will depart in half an hour. I wonder if the honored guest still has matters to attend to? If it is convenient at this time, this humble servant will take the honored guest aboard."
He held the folding fan to his left palm, smiled, and nodded, saying, "Thank you."
Sun Benxian understood and gestured for him to enter, saying, "Please, distinguished guest."
Zhao Shu took the lead, while he lagged half a step behind, walking alongside Xiao Guozi, and led Zhao Shu to the ferry.
Along the way, Zhao Shu saw people discussing the imperial edict. "There were floods in Jiangnan and Sichuan. I was worried that the court would increase taxes again, but I didn't expect that taxes would be reduced. I have lived most of my life and have never seen a tax reduction. The emperor is a good emperor, and Lord Huo is a good official."
“In the past, many wealthy families didn’t have to pay taxes. But the people from the imperial court came to us poor families every day to collect taxes. Every time, my wife would curse for half a day, but in the end, she still had to hand over the last bit of food she had left.” The old man was probably over fifty years old, and he looked much older than his actual age due to years of hard work.
He rolled up his trousers, wore a straw hat, and carried a hoe on his shoulder. After finishing his previous sentence, he continued with a beaming smile, "My eldest daughter-in-law said that if the court raises taxes again this year, she will send my youngest sister to a wealthy family to work as a maid. Although she will sign a contract of servitude and be registered as a lowly person, it's still better than starving to death. My heart aches for her. How can my beautiful granddaughter be sent to be someone's beast of burden? Now it's all good. Not only will there be no increase in taxes, but taxes will also be reduced. The court has finally done something good."
"Yes, but I wonder where the court will procure grain to provide disaster relief in the flood-stricken areas of Jiangnan and Sichuan. Alas, I wonder how many innocent young men and women will have to become slaves or servants." The younger man walking beside him said.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Shu choked up for some reason. These simple and honest people were so easily satisfied.
"I heard from Erni at the village entrance that her younger sister was working as a personal maid for the Guo family's illegitimate daughter, earning two hundred coins a month. At first, she would often send a few coins home, but after a few months, she disappeared without a trace. Erni's mother went to look for her, but the Guo family said they didn't have such a girl. Erni's mother didn't believe it and spent a year's savings to find out from the gatekeeper that the girl had committed a crime and was sold to a brothel. You tell me, what a waste of a perfectly good girl's life. Oh, how pitiful. That child seemed like an honest one to me. Oh." After saying this, she shook her head and sighed.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Shu chuckled and asked Sun Benxian, "Where is the imperial edict? Take me to see it."
"Hey." Sun Benxian also listened attentively. In the past few days, the imperial court seemed to have accomplished a great deal, changing many systems, all of which were beneficial to the people's livelihood.
The imperial edicts were posted not far away, nor were they limited to the entrances of government offices or city gates. They were posted at intersections and places where people would rest on the way.
Sun Benxian found a place where everyone usually gathered to chat during their leisure time. There were two giant, century-old trees growing there, and several wooden benches were placed under their shade. Many people who were about to go to the fields had gathered in front of the imperial edict to listen to the yamen runners read it out.
Su Xiu and the others pushed through the crowd for Zhao Shu so that she could see the contents of the imperial edict. She saw a bright yellow brocade pasted on a giant tree, and a yamen runner with a sword was patiently answering questions.
"Sir, does that mean we common folk can also write letters to the Emperor to report things?" The one who asked the question was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy in the first grade. He had dark skin and was carrying a carrying pole in his hand, as if he was about to go to work in the fields. However, he was very polite, his eyes were neither humble nor arrogant, and his expression was open and confident, very sunny.
The official was in his early twenties, a handsome young man with dark, healthy skin, just like the boy who had just asked him the question. He nodded seriously, "Yes, starting today, the imperial court will set up complaint boxes at the city gates. Anyone has the right to report corrupt officials."
"Young man, can I only report corrupt officials?" a middle-aged man asked. He looked like he had read a few books, wearing a scholar's robe, but the robe was torn, and the original black robe had been washed to gray. He was also holding a sickle in his hand.
At this time of year, the crops in the fields are in their growth stage, and the cattle and sheep at home should not be allowed to roam freely as they would damage the crops. If there are cattle and sheep at home, they should usually go up the mountain to cut grass. This middle-aged man looks like he is going to cut grass.
The official smiled and explained again, "Of course not. Unfilial piety, plotting rebellion, murder, arson, forcibly marrying women, bullying men and women, acting tyrannically—in short, anything bad can be reported, and anonymously."
"Oh, I see." The crowd surrounding the imperial edict nodded after hearing this and began to discuss it with their neighbors.
Zhao Shu was a stranger, and with people protecting her around her, her overall demeanor was out of place with them, so no one talked to her. They just saw that she was good-looking and had a good temperament, and adhering to the principle of "it's better to avoid trouble," they simply praised her in their hearts, saying that this young man was quite handsome, and then left it at that, without saying anything more.
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