The prince is more stable

Chapter 371: Harsh Government Like a Tiger
The resentment is deep, the bitterness is great, and the hatred is deep.

After investigating the people's conditions, Zhao Xiaoqian was left with this impression of ordinary farmers outside Zhending City.

Border towns are so chaotic and perhaps should be relatively poor, but they should not be so miserable.

"Were all the women in the village looted by the Liao people?" Zhao Xiaoqian asked.

The old man shook his head and did not answer, his expression still somewhat wary.

Although Zhao Xiaoqian and his group were traveling in casual clothes today, the old man could still tell from Zhao Xiaoqian's temperament and the numerous imperial guards that he was protected by this person that he was an important figure, perhaps a high-ranking official in Zhending City.

In the old man's opinion, officials are people who exploit the people. He didn't dare to say too much to Zhao Xiaoqian for fear of harming the villagers.

Zhao Xiaoqian saw the old man's expression and knew he couldn't win his trust. He didn't blame him, but changed the question and asked, "Last year, the court began to implement new policies, and many farmers' taxes and labor service were reduced. Are you aware of this, old man?"

The old man sneered several times, his eyes revealing sarcasm: "The court has reduced taxes, but Zhending Prefecture has never reduced taxes. In fact, our annual grain tax is even higher than in previous years."

"The Tizhusi also forced villagers to borrow money from the government. If they couldn't pay it back the following year, the government would seize their land, demolish their houses, and sell them to wealthy landlords. Within a year or two, all the land in the village had been divided up by a few landlords, and the farmers had become refugees."

"Officials in Zhending Prefecture said this is the imperial court implementing something called... the 'Green Sprouts Law'? Oh, who came up with this new law? I wonder how many lives it's killed."

A cold light flashed in Zhao Xiaoqian's eyes, but his expression remained calm.

The Song Dynasty's Tizhusi, whose full name is "Tizhu Changpingsi", is an official agency independent of the local prefects and county magistrates.

The main responsibility of the Tizhusi was to implement the new policies of the court and ensure that the new policies were truly implemented at the local level. At the same time, it was also in charge of local charity granaries, relief, price stabilization, and supervision of local officials, etc.

In theory, it can also be regarded as the emperor's spy to supervise local prefects, county magistrates and other officials at all levels.

Zhao Xiaoqian did not expect that the Tizhuosi of Zhending Prefecture was so rotten. Not only did it fail to implement the new policies of the court, but it colluded with local officials, imposed taxes on farmers, and reaped huge profits.

Facing the sad old man, Zhao Xiaoqian still had many questions to ask, but it seemed unnecessary to ask them at this moment.

The bleak state of the village had already given him all the answers he wanted.

The old man seemed to be immersed in deep hatred. He closed his eyes and said slowly: "I know you are a noble man, and must be a high-ranking official. I am old and my time is short. I have said it, and I will offend you if I offend you."

"We common people toil day and night, begging for our lives, never slacking off. We use the people's blood and sweat to support you officials, and we have no complaints. But... at least you have left the common people a way out. If you force all the people under your rule to death, who will support you in the future?"

"I've heard that officials are all scholars, having earned their degrees after ten years of hard study. This really puzzles me. Scholars... should be reasonable. Why, after achieving fame and power, treat the people like enemies, unwilling to stop until they've killed them?"

"The Liao people's killing, pillaging, and raiding of our borders lasted only a short while, but we managed to endure it with a simple gritted teeth. Meanwhile, the officials of the Great Song exploit the people like a blunt knife cutting flesh, year after year, day and night, hour after hour... Whether we're hungry or cold, we just want to survive. It's that simple."

The old man's eyes suddenly widened, and his turbid eyes stared at Zhao Xiaoqian steadily.

Faced with the old man's questioning, Zhao Xiaoqian felt extremely powerless and ashamed.

Sighing, Zhao Xiaoqian smiled bitterly and said, "Father-in-law, I... am not them."

"You are an official, and officials are them and you." The old man's definition was simple and crude.

Zhao Xiaoqian was left speechless by this unreasonable definition.

Yes, he is also an official. What qualifications does he have to sever his ties with the government?
Squatting down, Zhao Xiaoqian looked the old man in the eye and said slowly, "Okay, I'm an official too. If you just hold on a little longer, it won't be long before your life gets better and better, at least better than it is now. Believe me, old man."

The old man looked at him steadily, and his expression finally changed a little. He still had doubts, but his face, which was wrinkled like orange peel, seemed to have a hint of hope for the future.

This official seems really different.

He was humble and gentle, and even when facing beggars like them, he knew how to respect and show courtesy. His words were calm and peaceful, yet powerful, and people couldn't help but trust him. Perhaps he really was different.

Zhao Xiaoqian no longer needed to ask other questions. In fact, just one look at the ruined village gave him the answer.

Just as I was about to say goodbye to the old man, he hesitated and whispered, "Actually... there are women in the village, but they all live in the deep mountains to the east."

"For the past six months, the Liao people have been looting frequently, and the local officials have also bullied us. When we can't pay our taxes, the officials take women and children to pay off our debts, detain them in jail, and demand money to redeem them. We can't come up with the money, so we have no choice but to let the women and children of the village hide in the mountains to prevent the officials from finding them."

"There are only a few of us dying old people left in the village, so we have nothing to fear."

"It's strange to say, a family recently moved into the village. It's just a woman. She spent money to build two houses at the foot of the mountain on the east side. We advised her to move deep into the mountains, otherwise she would be harmed by the government, but she was not afraid at all and refused to listen. She insisted on living in those two new houses."

After letting down his guard, the old man became noticeably more talkative, chattering on and on about family matters.

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled brightly, squatted patiently in front of the old man, and chatted with him along the lines of his topic.

After a long time, Zhao Xiaoqian looked up at the sky and finally stood up to say goodbye.

Before leaving, he quietly left a silver ingot under the shabby table.

The old man looked at Zhao Xiaoqian and turned around, and suddenly asked: "I haven't asked for your name yet..."

Zhao Xiaoqian turned his head and smiled, "My name is Zhao Xiaoqian. Yes, I am also an official. If you and the villagers' lives don't improve within six months, come to Zhending City and curse anywhere. I will kneel before you and listen to you."

The old man also smiled: "If life is really good, I will offer a longevity tablet to you, and your descendants will kowtow and burn incense every day. I wish you a long life and happiness for generations to come."

…………

After Zhao Xiaoqian left, the old man still sat at the table in front of the door, looking at the mountains in the distance with his weathered and turbid eyes.

Living to this age, I have lived a life of hardship and misery. It seems that there is nothing in the world worth remembering or lingering on. The only thing I have is painful experience.

A little bit of sweetness in life may be enough to cure all the bitterness, but I have never tasted it in my entire life.

The sound of light footsteps came on the quiet country road.

A graceful figure came over. The young woman was carrying a bamboo basket in her right hand, which was filled with a lot of picked mushrooms and winter bamboo shoots.

The old man came to his senses, squinted his eyes and identified the woman for a while before he recognized her as the hostess of the family that had recently moved to the foot of the mountain.

The villagers didn't know much about the hostess. They couldn't understand why she insisted on living in this remote, impoverished, and war-torn village. Isn't this courting death?

But the hostess was very firm in her attitude and never listened to advice. Although she had only moved here a short time ago, she was gentle and kind to others, and the villagers all had a good impression of her.

"Oh, girl, why are you out in this cold weather? Be careful not to catch a cold." The old man stood up and greeted her.

The young woman smiled sweetly, placed the bamboo basket she was carrying on her right hand on the ground, and said, "Life is not easy. I asked my servants to go up the mountain and pick some mushrooms and bamboo shoots for you to try. I can't help you or the villagers much, but I can only do my best. I hope you don't mind."

The moment she bent down to put down the bamboo basket, the woman suddenly found a silver ingot on the ground and exclaimed in surprise: "Huh? Why is there an ingot of silver on the ground? This is not a small amount, Mr. Ge..."

Mr. Ge was also stunned for a moment, then he quickly understood. He slapped his thigh and said, "Oh, that noble man just now... must have been left behind by him!"

The woman blinked and asked, "Which distinguished person?"

Old Master Ge said vaguely, "He must be a new official from Zhending Prefecture. I don't know how high his rank is, but this official seems a little different. Oh, this silver... what should I do? I can't accept it."

(End of this chapter)