Chapter 520 Extra Chapter: Nothing Left Unfinished (Part 8)
Looking at Liao Wu, who was in a daze, Liao Kong gently curled the corners of his mouth, "Since His Majesty ascended the throne, natural disasters and man-made calamities have been constant in the world."
Three years ago, torrential rains fell for more than three months, flooding not only the south of the Yangtze River but also some towns in the north.
After being flooded, not only were the houses destroyed, but all the fields could no longer be planted directly.
As the torrential rain subsided, the locals spontaneously built canals to divert the excess water into the river.
But not long after, a severe drought struck, lasting for an entire year without rain.
Under such circumstances, the people were living in misery, but the emperor indulged in pleasure and increased taxes without any limits.
I have personally witnessed families who starved to death because they couldn't afford to eat and didn't want to sell their daughters.
Of course, such cases are relatively rare; more often, women sell themselves and their children into slavery.
Do you know how cheap slaves are these days? Ten copper coins! Ten copper coins can buy one person! One person!
These ten copper coins couldn't even buy half a pound of rice.
"Senior brother, do you know what this is called?"
Liao Wu murmured, "Human life is as worthless as grass..."
Liao Kong exhaled from his chest, "Yes! But I think that's still an overstatement."
In some places, people are so poor that they've eaten all the grass roots and tree bark; they're not even worth mentioning grass anymore, they can only wait to die..."
Liao Wu had never been so shocked. "So this is how tragic the world has become..."
Liao Kong nodded, "That's right. Come to think of it, I'm quite lucky to have been born into a wealthy family."
But it is precisely because of this that I see more than the average person.
While ordinary people sold themselves into slavery or even dug up dirt to eat in order to survive, the wealthy lived a life of peace and prosperity.
In recent years, some wealthy and powerful families in the capital have become obsessed with a certain game.
He'd let the meat and vegetables at home rot and stink, then throw them outside, sitting on a high platform laughing as he watched those poor souls scramble for them like wild dogs…
She closed her eyes, unable to bear it any longer...
Liao Kong gave a bitter smile. "I want to stop all of this, but I have no power to stop it. So I can only watch helplessly as everything happens, like a coward."
On that night at the imperial palace, when the emperor and Princess Chaoyang were about to propose to me as their son-in-law, I felt a fear I had never experienced before.
The two people sitting on the high platform are the greatest source of all the suffering of the people.
They sit atop high platforms, watching the suffering of the people with amusement, and even inflicting greater harm upon them.
They're no emperor or princess; they hold high positions but neglect their duties—they're nothing but two jinxes!
Liao Kong's words, no matter where you look, would be a capital offense, but he wasn't worried about that because he knew Liao Wu wasn't that kind of person.
After saying this, Liao Kong fell silent. After a long while, he heard a distant flute melody coming from beside him.
The flute's clear, melodious sound carried further and further through the silent mountains and forests, soon eliciting a response from animals and birds.
Liao Kong listened intently to the mournful flute music, a few tears involuntarily welling up in his eyes...
By the time he realized what was happening, the surroundings were already bustling with activity.
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