Chapter 247 Rebellion
"Your Highness, we've found out." Zhuiying had gathered the information in less than an hour.
"I heard that there is a Tiger Head Mountain in the western suburbs, where large ferocious beasts live. Hunters and villagers from the surrounding area who went up the mountain to hunt or gather herbs all died. The prefectural government sent twenty or thirty constables to surround and kill them, but they all died as well, leaving no trace of their bodies. A dozen or so experienced hunters gathered and went into the mountain to kill the murderers, but they all died. The bodies they found had claw marks from large ferocious beasts on them. More than 90% of them were either dead or found without a trace."
The government then sealed off the mountain; the person in charge was a cousin of the Marquis of Jiangling.
"Have Zhu Feng take a few men into the mountains tonight to gather information, but remember not to alert the enemy."
"Yes!" Zhuiying was about to leave.
Xiao Xuance called him back, “The princess is a little bored at the inn. Have those two maids come and keep her company for a while. They can’t stay long, no more than an hour and a half. She needs to rest.”
Every time the two saw Yun Zhaoxue, they would pester her to stay by her side and serve her.
Zhuiying nodded, "I understand. Every time I go to see Zhufeng, they pester me to bring them to see the princess. They will be very happy to know that they can come to see the princess."
"Okay, go ahead."
Yun Zhaoxue played cards for more than an hour, and her back and hands ached. Pregnancy is tough, but being pregnant with twins is even tougher.
She planned to go back to lie down for a while, but before she reached the door, she saw Hongzao and Lvzhi who had just come upstairs. "This servant greets the princess."
"Why are you here?"
"Lord Zhuiying has instructed me to serve the princess."
"With all those bags and packages, are you moving into the inn?"
They wanted to, but Xiao Xuance wouldn't allow it.
"No, we servants have nothing to do on weekdays, so we went to the street and bought some cloth to make clothes and shoes for the future young masters. We have finished a few pieces and brought them here for the princess to see if she likes them. These are all for you, princess."
"You've all been very thoughtful."
Everyone else made clothes for her child in advance, but she didn't think that far ahead.
“Princess, you are not good at needlework, so please leave these tasks to us.”
"Okay, then I'll leave everything to you from now on."
"Princess, are you tired? Lie down quickly, and we will massage your legs and shoulders to help you relax."
Yun Zhaoxue went into the room and lay down on the low couch, asking them to massage her legs and shoulders.
Zhuiying and Xiao Xuance went to another room to discuss matters.
She slept soundly until dinner time, not waking up to find that the red dates and green branches had already left.
Pei Huaiji ordered a large table of food from the largest restaurant in Ezhou and had it delivered to the inn.
The Xiao family members, Hua Murong, Pei Huaiji, and everyone else sat around a table.
"What's the special day today? Why are you making so much delicious food?"
Pei Huaiji poured himself a full glass of wine, stood up, and said, "Well, I was too impulsive and beat up my brother-in-law. I'll punish myself with a drink to apologize to him, and also to the Princess Consort. I'm sorry!"
As he spoke, he punished himself with another drink.
Madam Yang said, "We understand that Young Master Pei is worried about Xue'er."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Pei Huaiji saw that Xiao Xuance hadn't made a move yet and assumed that he was still angry with him.
Xiao Xuance picked up his teacup. "I am injured and cannot drink alcohol, so I will use tea instead."
“I knew my brother-in-law wasn’t petty. If you’re angry, just punch me. I promise I won’t fight back. Don’t let my momentary impulse affect your relationship.”
He raised his hand, intending to put it on Xiao Xuance's shoulder.
Xiao Xuance raised his hand to block it, "I have an injury on my shoulder."
"Brother-in-law, you're not feeling well. You're covered in injuries. I'll buy you some nourishing food later so you can recover quickly! Xue'er is pregnant, so you have to protect her, otherwise she'll have to protect you too."
"I will protect my wife and children. My injuries are almost healed, and I will be able to stand up again in a while. I just don't know when I will be able to call Young Master Pei 'Second Brother-in-law'."
Pei Huaiji gritted his teeth and said with a forced smile, "It'll be soon. I'll definitely hear you call before my good brother-in-law stands up."
Yun Zhaoxue sensed something was wrong and asked, "What happened? It's like you're making your last arrangements?"
"I might have to leave."
Hua Murong was drinking a cup of wine when he almost spat it out. After swallowing it, he exclaimed in surprise, "What? You're leaving? You have some terminal illness? Good disciple, don't be afraid. Tell your master what kind of terminal illness you have. Your master can cure it. If all else fails, there's still holy water. Holy water can cure all diseases!"
“Master, you misunderstood. When I said I was leaving, I meant I was going back to Lin’an. Something big has happened in Jiangnan. The people’s uprising has already occupied two prefectures and five towns, and they are still heading north. They will soon reach Lin’an.”
"Such a thing has happened? Where are the authorities? Is nobody going to do anything about it?"
"The government sent troops to suppress the uprising, but they were no match for the rebels. They were routed and scattered. The generals were killed and their heads were hung under the city walls. In the cities where the rebels went, the garrison commanders and prefects fled at the mere sight of them. It was as if there were no people there. Along the way, many civilians and bandits joined them. In just ten days, the army grew to more than 100,000 people, and its momentum was enormous."
"In cities occupied by the rebels, officials or wealthy families who do not surrender and hand over their property, and who join them, will be brutally murdered. I am worried that if we reach Lin'an, my father, mother, and brother will be in danger, so I will set off for Lin'an tomorrow."
The Pei family was wiped out twenty years ago, leaving only his branch. He must go back to protect his family and not let anyone harm them.
Hua Murong asked, "Aren't they afraid of losing their heads if they rebel against the imperial court?"
Pei Huaiji sat down and poured himself another glass of wine. "If the people have land to cultivate and can fill their stomachs, and no one wants to rebel, it must be because they have no other choice."
Hua Murong: "What do you mean? Jiangnan is the most prosperous place in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, except for the capital. If the people of Jiangnan can't make a living, how can the people in other places survive?"
He visits Jiangnan every few years for a short period of time, enjoys the local customs and culture, and even plans to retire there.
It seems that things aren't peaceful in Jiangnan either. He should probably go back to the mountains of Yaogui Valley to hide.
"The current emperor is obsessed with rare flowers and stones. He has set up the 'Suzhou-Hangzhou Imperial Tribute Bureau' in Suzhou, which is run by treacherous officials. The bureau is dedicated to collecting rare and precious items in the southeast region. In particular, after the national treasury was robbed, the search for all kinds of rare treasures has been intensified and sent to the capital. The Grand Canal is often blocked by ships transporting 'flower and stone tributes,' and merchants' ships are unable to pass. The Pei family's silk shops in the capital have all closed down."
Merchants may earn less money, but they won't starve for the time being. However, the common people will suffer greatly.
To curry favor with the emperor, treacherous officials seized the opportunity to extort and blackmail, leaving no stone unturned, causing countless people to lose their fortunes. Furthermore, ministers formed cliques, sold official positions, and engaged in rampant corruption. Heavy taxes and corvée labor were imposed on the people, while officials and landlords took the opportunity to seize vast tracts of land, resulting in a situation where "the rich owned vast fields, while the poor had nowhere to stand." Most farmers lost their land, becoming tenant farmers or vagrants, but even this was insufficient to fill their stomachs, forcing them to sell their children and pawn their wives.
The officials forced the people to rebel, leaving them no choice but to rebel!
Yun Zhaoxue's chopsticks fell to the table with a loud crash!
The original book says the rebellion started in late autumn, but it's still summer now, so it happened three or four months earlier.
She plundered the national treasury, indirectly harming those people.
But without her, they would rebel sooner or later; it was only a matter of time.
She has so much stuff in her space that she could never spend it all in dozens of lifetimes, and keeping it would be a waste. Given the chance, she would definitely use it to benefit the people.
But while a common man is innocent, possessing a treasure is a crime. If she lacks the ability to protect herself and suddenly produces a large sum of money, she could invite disaster and be killed...
Looking down at the tea ripples in the cup, I seem to see countless reflections of wandering and displacement.
A warm, large hand grasped her cold, small hand. She looked at the man beside her, a thought flashing through her mind, and her clear, cold eyes sparkled with a few stars.
His eyes were slightly closed, and when he opened them again, the last trace of struggle in his eyes had subsided, leaving only determination.
Neither the current emperor nor the next emperor can enable the people to live a peaceful and prosperous life.
The Zhao royal family of the Great Zhou Dynasty originally belonged to her maternal grandfather's country, which they have ruined to this extent.
One wanted to avenge his mother, and the other wanted to avenge his father. Their enemy held a high position, and in order to ensure that the people could live a good life, he had to take that position.
"Why are your hands so cold? Were you scared? Don't be afraid. We can't reach you for a while. I'll focus on recovering and try to get back on my feet as soon as possible to protect you and your child and make sure you don't get hurt!"
Yun Zhaoxue squeezed his hand back, "I'm fine."
It's inconvenient to talk about those things now that there are too many people around, so I'll find an opportunity to probe his thoughts.
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