Chapter 597 The Locust Plague Remains Unresolved, the World Unstable
"I am just a small town mayor, merely conveying the Emperor's will. I have no right to interfere. How would I know how the taxes will be collected? I have informed everyone that taxes will be collected according to last year's practice, so please be prepared."
Mayor Sun knew that every household had stored grain and savings, and that they couldn't possibly be short of money for a small locust plague.
Jiang Fenghua had just asked Xie Shang whether the imperial court had really issued an edict to collect taxes. Xie Shang said that it was not time yet, as it was the autumn harvest season and there was a locust plague. The imperial court would reduce or exempt taxes, so it was impossible to collect them. She could not say such things at this time.
There's only one possibility for what Mayor Sun said: they want to collect a sum of money before the imperial court starts collecting taxes. If taxes are actually reduced or exempted, this money will naturally go into their pockets, and the people won't know about it, so the local officials could make a fortune.
Mayor Sun is just a small town mayor. Although he doesn't hold a high official position, he is a local tyrant, and people from all around have to listen to him.
He could issue a fake imperial edict or something, and the higher-ups wouldn't hear it or care; in the end, he would have the final say in everything.
When Xie Shang heard the words "to convey the Emperor's will," he knew that things were not simple. It seemed that someone among the people wanted him to take the blame. If the locust plague in Qingzhou was not resolved, the consequences would be unimaginable. Throughout history, there have been countless instances of riots caused by the people not having enough to eat and the government's inaction.
He had a bad feeling.
At this moment, they could not reveal their identities, but they could act as robbers. Xie Shang said, "Since Mayor Sun doesn't know anything, we don't need to ask him everything."
"Men, search!" He directly ordered Lin Feng to lead his men into the Sun family's house to search for grain.
Mayor Sun said, "What right do you have to search my house? Stop it all... I'm going to report this to the authorities."
A small town mayor has little official rank and no real power. He merely assists county-level or higher officials in managing local affairs. He only dares to call himself the boss among the people and doesn't dare to say a word to powerful people, especially when his life is threatened.
Mayor Sun watched helplessly as the grains, meat, and vegetables he had hidden in his home were all found out, one by one.
The people present were shocked. Just moments before, Madam Sun had been crying about how they weren't getting enough to eat, but now, watching helplessly as their grain was searched, she fainted from grief.
Next, Lin Feng distributed all the grain to the people present.
The old gentleman approached Xie Shang respectfully and said, "Young master and young lady, you are both of noble birth and have an extraordinary air about you. Are you from Shengjing?"
Xie Shang did not deny it, "We did come from Shengjing, and we only learned about the locust plague when we were passing through this place."
The old man sighed, "If the locust plague doesn't end, the world will be unstable, and I'm afraid a great calamity is coming!"
Jiang Fenghua and Xie Shang exchanged a glance, and she said, "May I ask your honorable name, sir?"
"My surname is Ran, and my given name is Shan. I run a private school in town, just trying to make a living. But I can't keep going. Everyone has suffered from the disaster, and no one is sending their children to school anymore," Ran Shan said.
"Does Mr. Ran know Qingshui Village in Zhushan Town?"
“Young lady, do you know Qingshui Village? I am from Qingshui Village.”
Jiang Fenghua then asked, "Do you know Mr. Ran Heng?"
The grain that Ran Shan had been given instantly fell to the ground. His eyes were full of doubt and expectation. "Have you seen Heng'er? I am his fourth uncle! He has been missing for seven years."
Afterwards, Ran Shan led them back to the Sifang Private School and said, "When I was young, I was the only scholar in our Qingshui Village, but I was unlucky and never passed the provincial examination, so I stayed in the town to teach."
Jiang Fenghua asked, "Ran Heng must be very good at studying too!"
"Heng'er is still my student. He is also the most learned person in our Qingshui Village. He passed the imperial examination and became a Juren. Our village is very proud of him. We thought that after he went to the capital, he would pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi, or at least get an official position. Our Qingshui Village is different..."
Later, I heard that he had made a mistake in Shengjing City and was expelled from the examination hall. I believe Heng'er would not cheat in the examination hall; he would not do such a shameful thing.” Ran Shan’s eyes reddened as he said this.
Jiang Fenghua didn't know how to comfort him, so she asked, "Are his parents still alive? Does he have any other siblings?"
“There’s no one left. Ever since that incident, our Ran family has been unable to stay in Qingshui Village. His father, the eldest son, went to find him after hearing the news that day, but unfortunately broke his leg. Even with his broken leg, he never thought of leaving Qingshui Village. He believed that Heng’er hadn’t cheated. But less than two years later, his mother and two younger brothers drank pesticide at home and died. A fire broke out in their house, and the whole family was wiped out.”
Hearing this, Jiang Fenghua asked in confusion, "Ran Heng's family has survived for two years, so why would he still commit suicide by drinking pesticide? He also has two younger brothers, both young lives. How could his mother be so cruel? The fact that his father did not leave Qingshui Village shows that he will wait for his son to come back."
“We don’t know why my brother’s family members were so distraught. They reported it to the authorities, but the government had already decided that the Ran family were despicable people. It didn’t matter that they were dead, so the case was dropped.”
Jiang Fenghua felt heavy-hearted. Ran Heng had really made the wrong choice back then. If he could have returned to his parents' side, would his family have survived?
Ran Shan said, "A few years ago, someone brought silver into our house. Was that Heng'er?"
"Maybe!" Jiang Fenghua said.
Where is he now?
"He's dead." Jiang Fenghua couldn't express her feelings at this moment. Perhaps only in death could he find true relief. Even if he came back, he would be pointed at and gossiped about. There was no one left in his family. He would never have to face the pain of losing a loved one again.
The tragedy of the Ran family may really be the work of Song Peng. Ran Heng had been sending money home, but his parents never received it. If he knew that his whole family was dead, I don't know how heartbroken he would be.
Ran Shan was just a lonely man in his fifties, and he had one wish: that Ran Heng could come back.
His eyes welled up with tears, and he knelt on the ground, bowing to the heavens. "Brother, Heng'er has come to find you. Rest in peace!"
"We would like to visit Ran Heng's parents' graves to pay our respects, but we don't know if it's convenient."
“Of course it’s convenient. I never expected Heng’er to meet such distinguished people. It’s his good fortune. I even asked someone to help with his parents’ graves. Because of what happened with the Ran family, they weren’t buried in Qingshui Village. They’re buried not far from the entrance of Zhushan Town, which is also the only way back to Qingshui Village. I live in the town, so it’s convenient for me to pay my respects.” Ran Shan said while packing.
"Because of Ran Heng's matter, your Sifang Private School business must have been affected as well!"
Ran Shan didn't care. "I believe Heng'er won't cheat. What others say is their business, and I can't control them. I'm the only private school in Zhushan Town. Even if they don't want to, they'll still send their children here."
Rural areas lack educational resources, and many people are willing to send their children to study in the county. He mainly accepts children from poor families, so the tuition is not high.
Jiang Fenghua went to the graves of Ran Heng's parents and brothers and personally burned each of the letters Ran Heng had prepared to send home.
She then handed Ran Heng's ashes to his fourth uncle, saying, "This is Ran Heng. Fourth Uncle, let their family be reunited!"
Ran Shan held the urn and wept uncontrollably. He had thought he could raise a promising nephew, but he never expected him to end up in such a tragic state.
He said, "Thank you, young lady. I will make sure Heng'er is properly buried."
Jiang Fenghua then handed the silver left by Ran Heng to Ran Shan, saying, "This contains his savings over the years, the money he earned from selling books and writing materials. Give it all to Uncle Ran! He will be at ease knowing that his money has been handed over to his fourth uncle."
Jiang Fenghua could tell from the graves of Ran Heng's parents and brothers that Ran Shan was not a materialistic person. She felt at ease handing the money over to him, considering it Ran Heng's way of repaying his fourth uncle for guarding his parents' graves for so many years.
With this matter resolved, she finally felt relieved.
Ran Shan opened the box and saw that it was full of silver. Heng'er had suffered so much to earn so much silver.
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