Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 399 Sooner or Later the Country Will Be Deceased

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

When Li Jing and Yan Lide stepped into the Xianchi Palace and their eyes fell on the objects on the imperial desk, they were immediately shocked and instinctively stopped in their tracks.

Li Shimin was playing with a new type of hand grenade in his hand, the rope at the bottom held between his fingers and gently swaying it.

Wen He, who came in later, couldn't help but gasp when she saw this scene.

He subconsciously shrank back, quietly moving his feet behind a pillar to the side, only showing half of his head, his eyes nervously fixed on the grenade in Li Shimin's hand.

This evasive behavior happened to fall into the eyes of Li Shimin, who looked up. He first waved to Li Jing and Yan Lide, and said in a relaxed tone: "Pharmacist, Minister Yan, don't panic. The saltpeter in this grenade has been removed. It's nothing to worry about."

Then, changing the subject, she looked at Wen He behind the pillar with an annoyed expression.

"You brat, why are you hiding? You weren't afraid at all carrying a bag of grenades on the hot air balloon, but you're acting like a coward here with me?"

Wen He peeked out from behind the pillar, a slightly embarrassed smile on her face, and quickly explained.

"Hehe, Your Majesty, the main problem is that this new type of grenade has only been made for a short time, and its stability has not yet been fully determined. As the supreme ruler, it is better to be careful. If anything goes wrong, I cannot bear the responsibility."

Li Shimin glanced at him, a slight smile playing on his lips, and casually placed the grenade on the imperial desk.

Seeing this, Gao Yue didn't dare to blink, her eyes fixed on the grenade, even her breathing became soft, for fear that it would roll off the table.

He had witnessed the power of a grenade explosion in the Forbidden Garden before; the roar and the flying debris were terrifying to even think about.

"If you and your soldiers dare to hold it in your hands, what do I, as the Emperor of the Great Tang, have to fear?"

Li Shimin spoke casually as he examined the grenade in front of him.

"However, I am also curious as to why this new type of grenade does not require an open flame to ignite, but can be detonated simply by pulling this rope? Tell me the secret behind it."

As he spoke, he pinched the rope at the bottom of the grenade in his hand and tugged it gently, which startled Yan Lide, who immediately stepped forward, his voice trembling slightly.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty! You must not act rashly! This substance is dangerous. Even if we obtain the saltpeter, there may still be other hidden dangers!"

"Yan Qing, don't be nervous."

Li Shimin smiled and raised his hand to stop him.

"I already asked the craftsmen in the workshop, and they said that the saltpeter and sulfur in this grenade have been removed, leaving only an empty shell and a detonation mechanism. It will not explode."

Upon hearing this, Yan Lide and Li Jing breathed a long sigh of relief, and their tense bodies gradually relaxed.

Wen He also came out from behind the pillar, approached, and secretly examined the hand grenade on the imperial desk.

For some reason, he felt that this grenade seemed no different from the ones he usually used, but from a distance, he couldn't see the details very clearly.

"Speaking of this method of detonation, could it be related to flint?"

Li Shimin looked at Wen He, his eyes full of curiosity.

He had previously heard a craftsman mention that the new type of grenade was detonated not with a tinderbox, but by rubbing a stone together.

Wen He nodded and said.

"Your Majesty is right."

"There's a small mechanism hidden at the bottom of this grenade. Pulling the hemp rope will pull out the wooden pin inside. Once the pin falls, the flint inside will roll down and collide with the serrated wrought iron bar. The sparks produced will ignite the sulfur powder coated on the serrated iron bar. After the sulfur powder burns, it will ignite the sulfur-sodium hemp thread below."

"And the other end of this sulfur-sodium hemp thread was originally inserted into the gunpowder at the top. Once the hemp thread was lit, the gunpowder would explode in about five breaths, which is what I just mentioned as a 'boom'."

At the end, he deliberately raised his hand and made an explosion gesture, which made Li Shimin chuckle.

"The wooden handle below is connected to the ceramic piece above by a plug, which makes assembly and filling convenient."

Li Shimin listened with a mixture of understanding and confusion, but he still thought the mechanism was very cleverly designed and nodded repeatedly.

"It's amazing that you could come up with such a complicated mechanism. Not bad, not bad."

"This was not my idea."

Wen He quickly waved her hand, smiling as she pushed the credit away.

"I only gave the craftsmen a direction; it was the craftsmen in the workshop who truly figured out the method."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Lide stepped forward, cupped his hands, and reported to Li Shimin.

"Your Majesty, the magistrate of Gaoyang County explained the nature of gunpowder explosions to the craftsmen in the workshop. Afterwards, the craftsmen were inspired and experimented repeatedly for more than a month before finally determining the method of flint friction and creating this new type of hand grenade."

“That craftsman’s name is Ye Dagui,” Wen He added as soon as Yan Lide finished speaking.

This Ye Dagui is the young man who previously discovered the principle of artillery.

In fact, Wen He himself did not originally have the idea of ​​making pull-string grenades.

Because even he himself thought it was impossible.
Firstly, he didn't know how to manufacture detonators, and secondly, the Tang Dynasty couldn't produce yellow gunpowder at the moment. As for mercuric fulminate, which could ignite gunpowder, he only knew that it was made of mercury, ethanol, and concentrated nitric acid, but he was completely ignorant of the specific proportions and refining steps.

So he simply gave the craftsmen some direction in the workshop.

Unexpectedly, Ye Dagui actually found a different way and actually created it.

Sometimes, Wen He couldn't help but admire the wisdom of these ancient people.

“Yes, his name is Ye Dagui,” Yan Lide said.

In fact, he didn't remember the craftsman's name at all.

But since Wen He was willing to bring it up, Yan Lide went along with it.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin traced the edge of the imperial desk with his fingertips, gave Wen He a meaningful look, and slowly said, "Since Ye Dagui has such ingenious ideas, then reward him with ten strings of cash, and..."

"His Majesty!"

Wen He suddenly stepped forward, interrupting him, her eyes fixed intently on the emperor on the throne, her tone tinged with urgency.

"Has Your Majesty heard of the story of 'Zigong redeeming people, and Zilu receiving cattle'?"

As he spoke, he mimicked the manner of an imperial censor when presenting a memorial, standing with his hands clasped and reciting the memorial while shaking his head.

Legend has it that during the Spring and Autumn Period, Confucius had two outstanding disciples: Duanmu Ci, courtesy name Zigong, and Zhong You, courtesy name Zilu. The state of Lu had a law that allowed anyone who could redeem a Lu citizen who had been enslaved from another state to apply for ransom from the state treasury. Zigong redeemed Lu citizens but resolutely refused the ransom, believing himself to be acting like a gentleman. However, when Confucius learned of this, he sighed, "Zigong's actions are wrong!"

Li Shimin couldn't help but chuckle at his feigned maturity, and pointed at him with his finger: "Shut up! I could recite this story by heart when I was your age."

He put down his teacup and continued Wen He's words.

Confucius said, “Zigong’s refusal of the ransom may seem noble, but in reality, it cut off the Lu people’s path to redeeming slaves. If the Lu people see slaves again in the future and accept the ransom, they will be compared to Zigong’s ‘nobility’. If they do not accept the ransom, they will lose their own wealth. In the long run, who will be willing to meddle in other people’s business?”

“When Zilu saved a drowning man, the man gave him an ox, which Zilu accepted without hesitation. Confucius was overjoyed and said, ‘From now on, the people of Lu will surely compete to save those who fall into the water.’ This is because being rewarded does not damage one’s character, but rather encourages others to follow suit. Isn’t that the reason?”

Wen He nodded quickly, his tone even more earnest: "Your Majesty is wise! This is exactly what I wanted to say."

"Ye Dagui's groundbreaking creation is only rewarded with ten strings of cash, which seems like a lot, but what will the other craftsmen think if word gets out?"

“They will feel that even if they work themselves to death to develop new technologies, they will only receive such a small reward. Who will be willing to put in the effort to study them in the future? Just like when Zigong redeemed people, no one was willing to follow his example. If the reward and punishment are not commensurate, it will discourage the craftsmen!”

Li Shimin raised an eyebrow, pointed at him, and laughed.

"So you think my reward is too small, and you're afraid that the craftsmen won't want to follow Ye Dagui's example in the future? But do you know that ten strings of cash are equivalent to three or four years' monthly salary for an ordinary craftsman? That's not a small amount."

"That only proves that the current monthly stipend for craftsmen is unfair!"

Wen He stiffened her neck, her voice unconsciously rising.

"Mediocre rich kids can indulge in a life of luxury, while hardworking craftsmen who make weapons and improve tools for the country have to worry about making ends meet."

“Those seductive courtesans can be fawned over and receive countless rewards, while the craftsmen who dedicate themselves to the country and its people to honing their skills don’t even have a proper title.”

"If a country is full of actors and entertainers in the spotlight, while those who serve the country remain unknown, then sooner or later the country will cease to exist!"

"Snapped!"

As soon as Wen He finished speaking, Li Shimin slammed his hand on the imperial desk, causing the teacup to shake slightly, and his face darkened.

"You brat, how dare you!"

The hall fell silent instantly, and both Yan Lide and Li Jing were secretly alarmed.

Why did Wen He suddenly get so angry during the perfectly normal meeting?

Even if what is said is true, it is inappropriate to use such strong words as "the country is doomed"; it is far too impulsive.

But Wen He did not back down in the slightest. She still stood tall and met Li Shimin's gaze. There was no fear in her eyes, only a stubborn seriousness.

The two stared at each other for a long time. Li Shimin looked at his stubborn appearance and suddenly laughed and shook his head.

"You brat, you always dare to say things that others wouldn't. Fine, I won't hold it against you. Then tell me, how should I reward Ye Dagui? I can't just grant him a title for this little bit of merit, can I?"

He was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly caught a glimpse of light in Wen He's eyes. As if he had seized an opportunity, he immediately changed the subject and emphasized, "Don't even think about it! If you grant a title just for improving a hand grenade, how will the officials and soldiers on the frontier conduct themselves?"

"Tomorrow, the area outside the Vermilion Bird Gate will likely be packed with officials coming to submit their petitions!"

Wen He pursed her lips, knowing full well that this was the truth.

The Tang Dynasty had a strict system of nobility titles; how could one easily bestow a title?
He was just thinking about it.

"Your Majesty, I dare not ask for a title, but only request that Your Majesty remove Ye Dagui from his lowly status, increase his reward, and allow the Ministry of Works to hire him as a 'technician' in the future, and also raise his monthly salary."

Wen He bowed respectfully, his tone sincere.

"Ye Dagui was originally a lowly craftsman. Even if he had great skills, he would have little chance of advancement. If Your Majesty could remove him from this status, not only would he be able to focus on his studies, but it would also show all the craftsmen in the world that as long as they have real skills and can contribute to the country, even if they come from humble backgrounds, they can gain Your Majesty's appreciation and change their fate!"

"Your Majesty, I believe the words of the Magistrate of Gaoyang are reasonable!"

Yan Lide quickly stepped forward to echo,

“Craftsmen are the foundation of the Ministry of Works. If we can take Ye Dagui as an example to encourage more craftsmen to study their skills, the improvement of our Tang Dynasty's military equipment and agricultural tools will surely be much more efficient in the future. If Ye Dagui achieves further results, he can enter officialdom based on his skills, which would be a wonderful story!”

Actually, he also had some selfish motives.

If the artisans of the Ministry of Works are inspired by this, then it will be considered an achievement of his administration.

Perhaps he will be able to enter the three provinces before he turns forty.

Li Shimin remained silent for a moment, tapping his fingers lightly on the imperial desk. His gaze swept over Wen He and Yan Lide, then turned to Li Jing, who remained silent to the side.

Li Jing understood and nodded slightly.

"Your Majesty, the improvement of military equipment is of great importance to military affairs. If the craftsmen are dedicated, the military equipment will be of high quality. Clear rewards and punishments will inspire the people. I also agree with Wen Xianzi's proposal."

"Fine, fine, I'll do as you say!"

Li Shimin finally relented, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"Not only Ye Dagui, but all artisans of lowly status who make meritorious contributions in the future can be exempted from their lowly status based on their achievements. Rewards will be distributed according to merit, and for a groundbreaking contribution like Ye Dagui's, the reward will be fifty strings of cash. As for the monthly stipend..."

He meant to say "six hundred coins".

That's already a lot.

But when she looked up and saw Wen He's expectant gaze, as if afraid he would find fault again, she reluctantly changed her mind.

"Your monthly salary will be increased to one string of cash, and you will be registered as a technician in the Ministry of Works. If you are promoted in the future, your rank will be determined according to your skill level!"

For a craftsman, a single string of cash was already a great privilege.

Upon hearing this, Wen He's face instantly lit up with joy, and she immediately bowed deeply to Li Shimin.

This time he was truly sincere.

"On behalf of all the artisans in the land, Your Majesty thanks you! Your Majesty's act is not only a reward for Ye Dagui, but also points out a way forward for all artisans. I believe that in the future, there will be many more skilled craftsmen serving the Tang Dynasty!"

In Wen He's opinion, a string of cash wasn't actually a lot.

In the Tang Dynasty, even a minor official received a monthly stipend of two strings of cash. Ye Dagui earned one string through his groundbreaking innovation. Although this was far better than the previous treatment of craftsmen, there was still room for improvement. However, he knew in his heart that this was already a rare change. As long as he broke the precedent, it would be natural to promote the improvement of craftsmen's treatment in the future.

Seeing Wen He deep in thought, Li Shimin shook his head helplessly, picked up the hand grenade from the table, and strode out of the hall.

"It's getting late. Today, you may all have lunch with me by the sea pool and try the roasted lamb chops that the Imperial Kitchen has just made."

"The minister obeys the order."

Wen He, Li Jing, and Yan Lide responded in unison and quickly followed in Li Shimin's footsteps.

But just as they stepped out of the Xianchi Palace gate, a deafening "boom" suddenly came from behind them, and a shockwave carrying smoke and dust rushed towards them, causing the tiles on the eaves to rattle.

"His Majesty!"

Wen He, Li Jing, and Yan Lide's eyes widened instantly, their hearts leaped into their throats, and they turned sharply and ran towards the direction of the explosion.

Where did that explosion come from?!
When they rushed back to the open space outside the palace, they saw Gao Yue slumped on the ground, her face deathly pale, her hands still trembling uncontrollably, while Li Shimin clapped his hands, threw his head back, and laughed loudly, his tone full of satisfaction.

"Indeed excellent! This new type of grenade is much more powerful than the previous one ignited with a tinderbox!"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this, this is..."

Yan Lide's mouth trembled, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time. The explosion just now almost made him think that His Majesty had met with misfortune.

Li Shimin turned to look at him, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"Minister Yan, do not panic. I was just deceiving you. The saltpeter inside this grenade was not removed at all. I just wanted to test its actual power."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Lide's legs went weak, and he would have collapsed to his knees if Li Jing hadn't been there to support him.

His Majesty actually joked about using live grenades! If anything goes wrong, the consequences will be unimaginable!
Wen He was also dumbfounded, secretly cursing in her heart.

When did Li Er become so playful?
While he was explaining the principle, Li Shimin was playing with a hand grenade. Wasn't he afraid of accidentally triggering the mechanism and blowing himself up?
He dared not think too deeply about what would happen if Li Shimin truly killed him; how would history record it?

"Emperor Taizong of Tang died in Xianchi Palace due to an accident while testing a hand grenade?"
That's ridiculous.

The commotion quickly alerted the Imperial Guards. Hundreds of soldiers, armed with spears and scimitars, rushed over. Seeing that Li Shimin was unharmed, they breathed a sigh of relief and slowly retreated at Li Shimin's signal.

Before long, the palace maids and eunuchs had set out lunch in the Haichi Pavilion next to the Xianchi Palace.

Golden-brown roasted lamb chops are served on a celadon plate, the steam carrying the aroma of lamb; fresh seasonal vegetables are arranged on a crystal plate, with amber-colored grape wine placed next to them, making it look very exquisite.

Because ministers Li Jing and Yan Lide were present today, Li Shimin specially instructed that the meal be served according to the individual serving system, with each person having their own portion.

Throughout the meal, Li Jing and Yan Lide sat upright, looking reserved, barely moving their chopsticks, clearly still shaken from the shock of the explosion.

Only Wen He seemed at ease, as if she were at home. She picked up a lamb chop and ate it with gusto, dipping it in sauce until her mouth was greasy. Li Shimin couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"You brat, you have no manners at all."

Wen He swallowed the mutton in his mouth, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and laughed, "Although the Imperial Kitchen's skills are a bit inferior to mine, the food is good. Besides, it's a waste not to eat it. If I were to be polite, wouldn't I be losing out?"

One sentence made Li Shimin laugh and scold repeatedly.

"You little rascal, you're always losing out if you don't take advantage of others."

After Wen He had eaten his fill and put down the lamb bones in his hand, Li Shimin put down his wine cup, changed the subject, and became serious.

"Jiaying, I told you before that next spring we would promote the migration of people from Guanzhong to the Hetao region to populate the frontier. However, according to the Ministry of Revenue, very few people have reported to the counties about the migration. What is going on?"

Wen He picked up a handkerchief and wiped her hands, then calmly said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, the number of people reporting will increase in a few days."

Li Shimin looked at him, his tone carrying a hint of admonition.

"This matter concerns your two disciples, Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei, who will be taking up their posts next year. If the immigration is not handled properly, I will not be lenient with them."

His words were ostensibly directed at Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei, but in reality, they were a reminder to Wen He not to try to fool him with empty words.

Upon hearing this, Wen He chuckled softly.

"Your Majesty, when have I ever lied to you? As for the immigration matter, since I said I could handle it well, there will certainly be no mistakes."

"Very well, then I will wait and see."

Li Shimin smiled, picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and turned his gaze to the window.

The sky had gradually darkened, with thick clouds that looked as if snowflakes were about to fall.

He gazed out the window, a slight smile playing on his lips: "It's going to snow. A good snow promises a good harvest; next year will surely be a prosperous one."

After saying that, he lowered his head and glanced at the three people present.

Wen He and Li Jing instantly understood his deeper meaning.

Next year will be a good year.

The aquatic plants are lush.

The granaries are overflowing.

With a well-trained army and sufficient supplies, it was time to destroy Jieli.

……

"Boom!"

A crisp clapper sound pierced the morning mist of Dongshi. In front of Lihe Department Store, two men wearing thick wool sweaters were shouting at the top of their lungs. Their burly figures and loud voices overpowered the winter wind and the light snow.

"Look, take a look! The newly arrived Shuofang wool yarn is so soft and warm!"

"A mother's thread in her hand, a traveler's clothes on his back! A bundle costs a hundred coins, it's a good deal! Knit a sweater for winter, it's lighter and more windproof than a cotton-padded coat!"

As soon as the shouts subsided, two tall men, also wearing wool sweaters, immediately responded from outside the "Natural Residence" restaurant across the street.

A man was leading a plump sheep, its wool white and fluffy.

Another person held up a wooden sign that read "Lamb Hot Pot" in large characters, and spoke even louder than the staff at Lihe Department Store.

"Fresh mutton from Shuofang! Just slaughtered, tender and juicy, absolutely delicious!"

"Hot pot! A mutton hot pot with a rich, flavorful broth that will make your tongue tingle! The broth only costs ten coins!"

"Natural Residence Winter Special Offer! Add 50 coins to your hot pot order and we'll deliver the pot and charcoal to your door. You can enjoy a hot meal without lifting a finger!"

Two shops across the street, one selling wool yarn and the other promoting mutton hotpot, their shouts rising and falling, attracting passersby to stop and watch despite the light snow.

Many people stared at the waiter's wool sweater, then looked at the fat sheep in front of Natural Residence, their eyes full of curiosity.

"Shopkeeper, why is this wool yarn so much cheaper this year than last year?"

In the crowd, a woman wearing a patched cotton-padded coat stepped forward, picked up a bundle of wool yarn, and examined it closely.

She remembered that a similar bundle cost 150 coins last year, but this year it was 50 coins cheaper, which was really tempting.

The speaker was Zhao Dafu, the manager of Lihe Department Store. He explained in a loud voice with a smile on his face.

"Honorable guest, you may not know this! Shuofang has now been recovered and renamed Shuozhou. Our Great Tang has built pastures there and raised tens of thousands of sheep, so we have no shortage of wool!"

"Not long ago, the imperial court issued an edict to relocate people from Guanzhong to Shuozhou and Hetao. With more people raising sheep, wool will only become cheaper. If you buy now, you're getting a great deal!"

"Immigration?" someone in the crowd immediately questioned.

"Who would give up a good life near Chang'an to go to that harsh and remote place? Shopkeeper, are you just exaggerating to sell wool yarn?"

Zhao Dafu didn't take it to heart and waved his hand with a smile.

"Don't disbelieve me, sir! The imperial court is only allocating five thousand households for this immigration program, and the benefits are exceptionally good."

"When you arrive, you'll be given a ready-made house. If your family doesn't have a wife, the government will help you find a wife! Not only that, each household will also receive twenty acres of fertile land, fifty acres of pasture, ten sheep, and two cows. This is not just empty talk!"

He paused, deliberately lowering his voice so that everyone around could hear: "To tell you the truth, a cousin of mine signed up to go to Shuozhou last month. A few days ago, he wrote back saying that he had sheared the sheep he raised and made more than a guan on his first sale! The mutton is also cheap there; you can buy a jin for just a few wen. Now he has meat to eat every meal, and his life is much better than farming poor fields on the outskirts of Chang'an!"

These words immediately caused a stir among the crowd. Some people still didn't believe it and asked loudly.

"But I've heard that Shuozhou is close to the Turks and is often harassed by them. Wouldn't going there be suicide?"

"Look at what you're saying!"

Zhao Dafu clapped his hands, his tone resolute.

"Now that the Duke of Cao is stationed in Shuozhou with tens of thousands of troops, and the camps are connected in a row, the Turks don't even dare to approach, let alone harass us! Think about it, with such a large army protecting us, what is there to be afraid of?"

Someone else scoffed, with a hint of provocation.

"Shopkeeper, you describe Shuozhou so well, why don't you go there yourself? Instead, you're here selling wool yarn and making money off us!"

As soon as he said that, people around him immediately chimed in, "Yeah! Why don't you go?"

"Could it be that they're afraid it'll be tough over there, and they're just trying to coax us into going?"

Zhao Dafu, however, remained calm and unhurried, taking out a piece of paper from his pocket and waving it around.

The paper was stamped with the official seal of the Shuozhou government and read, "Purchasing 300 catties of wool and 50 live sheep, totaling 320 strings of cash."

He handed the paper to those around him, his voice tinged with smugness: "Go ahead! Why didn't I go? I just went to Shuozhou to pick up the goods a few days ago. This receipt is proof. It's a deal worth over three hundred strings of cash. Would I lie to you?"

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

Three hundred strings of cash is more than an ordinary person can earn in a lifetime!

"If I weren't currently working for Gaoyang County and managing Lihe Department Store, which keeps me busy, I would have moved my whole family to Shuozhou!"

Zhao Dafu put away the receipt and continued speaking.

"Besides, the imperial court will exempt those who go there from taxes and grain payments for two years. They can save a lot of money just by raising sheep and farming. Such good things don't happen every day!"

A murmur arose among the crowd, with many whispering amongst themselves, their eyes filled with uncertainty.

Several men dressed in coarse cloth quietly retreated to the side and began to discuss in hushed tones.

"Although Shuozhou is remote, we don't even own a piece of land near Chang'an. We make a living by doing odd jobs, and we don't even have a decent cotton-padded coat in the winter. What future do we have if we stay here?"

"Yes! They'll give you a house, cattle, and sheep when you go, and if you don't have a wife, you can even get one. Where else can you find such a good deal?"

"But what if... what if it's really as tough over there as people say, and it's hard to even come back!"

“Even suffering is better than starving to death here! I heard that a few days ago, Old Wang from the west of the city sold all his children because there was no work in the winter and his family ran out of food…”

Just then, a gasp suddenly rang out from the crowd, breaking everyone's hesitation.

"What? You mean those powerful and influential families also want to compete for these five thousand immigration slots?"

Immediately afterwards, another person's voice was almost shouted.

"Yes! I heard it from the entrance of the county government office. They said that the scions of those aristocratic families were saying that the pastures and fertile fields of Shuozhou were all good land, so how could they leave them to us lowly commoners? They even impeached the magistrate of Gaoyang County, saying that he shouldn't give all the benefits to the common people, but should give them to the aristocratic families first!"

"What should we do?"

The other person spoke passionately.

"How can we compete with the powerful families? If they snatch the spots, we'll have no chance!"

"Don't panic!"

The person who had spoken earlier hurriedly replied.

"Now that the magistrate of Gaoyang County is here, he is strongly opposing the aristocratic families vying for the quotas. He even told the imperial court that these five thousand households must be reserved for us landless and jobless people! But we have to hurry and go to the county government to report now. If we are late, and the aristocratic families use tricks, there won't be any quotas left!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the streets of Dongshi fell silent.

All eyes turned to them.

(End of this chapter)