You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 77 Leave no one behind

As the sun set, Chen Shao sat on horseback, looking drunk, as if he might fall off at any moment.

Standing to the side, Dong Dahu watched his boss, who was blushing and swaying unsteadily, and felt somewhat nervous.

Chen Shao's mind was clear, and images of various forces and individuals appeared in his mind.

What are their interests? What are their demands? How deep is their hatred for the Western Xia? Is there a possibility that they might betray them?

The loyalty of the Mizobe clan was like finding a loose thread in a tangled mess of yarn.

From that day on, in the days that followed, with the help of the Meicang tribe, Chen Shao visited the surrounding Qiang and Hu tribes who were being exploited by the Western Xia and were barely surviving.

The five-year-long Battle of Hengshan between the Song and Xia dynasties brought immense suffering to the people of Western Xia, who lived near Hengshan.

Even if Chen Shao hadn't come, they were already on the verge of rebellion or extermination.

There is also a considerable number of Han Chinese here, who have been cultivating sorghum, buckwheat, and other crops on the few remaining arable lands in Yanzhou for generations.

This area is also rich in licorice and iron ore, and the technical work of salt production is mostly done by Han Chinese.

The Western Xia actually treated them more leniently than the Qiang and other non-Han peoples, because these Han landowners were able to provide the Western Xia government with the most taxes.

However, as Tong Guan launched a five-year border war, they were all driven to the brink of madness by the pressure.

These people were originally difficult to unite because they all lived near Yanzhou and Yanchi, and lacked a sufficiently powerful figure to distribute their interests equally.

With the Song Dynasty as a powerful backer, Chen Shao filled this gap, and everyone hit it off immediately.

Fortunately, he swayed but did not fall off his horse and arrived safely at the prefect's residence.

Dong Dahu wiped his forehead, thinking to himself that following his master on this trip was more tiring than fighting a war.

Back in his study, without even taking a break, Chen Shao wrote down the names of the people he had met that day.

After putting down my pen, I couldn't keep going any longer. Although the alcohol wasn't very strong, it still had a powerful aftereffect if I drank too much.

Thinking of the Han Chinese gentry he met today, Chen Shao felt they were far less reliable than the tribal and mixed-race people he had met a few days ago.

Sure enough, the poorer people are, the more determined they are to rebel. The more comfortable they are, the more reactionary they are. They don't want to change the status quo. The sudden appearance of Chen Shao will undoubtedly lead Yanzhou into a war.

Some people are unhappy to see this kind of scene happen.

He had to find a way to win them over. If all else failed, Chen Shao breathed a sigh of relief; the only option was to eliminate them.

Just then, footsteps sounded, and Li Shishi came up to the pavilion carrying a cup of tea.

"This is a cup of Er Chen Tang, but unfortunately there's no freshly dried Pinellia ternata. You'll have to make do with this for now to help sober up."

Er Chen Tang is made by decocting Pinellia ternata, Citrus reticulata peel, Poria cocos, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Zingiber officinale, and Prunus mume. It can dry dampness and resolve phlegm, regulate qi and harmonize the middle jiao, and relieve dizziness, vomiting, and chest tightness after drinking alcohol.

Since Chen Shao started going out for social engagements frequently, Li Shishi began preparing for him every day. She never said anything like "drink less" or "your health is more important." She just silently helped him brew herbal medicine and served him to help him sober up.

“How could I trouble you with your daily toil? You’ve been wandering with me everywhere, and you’ve only just arrived here. You should take a break,” Chen Shao said.

Li Shishi said softly, "I can't help with the important matters of my husband, so I can only do some small things, which are all things I should do."

Her soft, gentle voice could ease the pain in one's head, and Chen Shao couldn't resist touching her cheek.

Li Shishi's cheeks immediately turned rosy.

Seeing the subtle change in Chen Shao's eyes, Li Shishi smiled, turned and stood up, waving her slender fingers, and said with a light laugh, "You can't do that after drinking, my lord, please have some self-respect."

"Where did this twisted logic come from!" Chen Shao said angrily. "Taking wine as water, taking recklessness as the norm, entering the bedroom drunk, exhausting one's essence with desire, and dissipating one's true energy... hence, one declines at fifty." Li Shishi finished speaking, shaking her head, and then went downstairs with a smile, her hands behind her back, using the tea tray to cover her bottom.

She knew her own charm, so she simply covered herself up to avoid arousing her husband's interest.

If he really insists, even though I have a lot of knowledge about medicine, I can only obediently undress and serve him.

Chen Shao smiled and shook his head, then drank the Er Chen Tang in one gulp and lay down on the chair.

After much thought and reflection, I've come to consider the actions of all parties involved over the past few days.

He picked up a pen and crossed out 'Wang De' from the seventeen names on the paper.

After nightfall.

Wangjia Village, on the outskirts of Yanzhou City.

A mansion with five bays in depth sits in the village, with a dark plaque above the tall gate bearing the three large gold-lacquered characters "King of Salt Lake".

The Wang family had been engaged in salt production and iron smelting for the Western Xia for generations, and their wealth was considerable. In addition, they sent gifts to Xingqing Prefecture every year, and had connections in the court.

At this moment, the Wang Mansion was filled with laughter and joy. The clan chief, Wang De, was surrounded by his wives and concubines, and his children and grandchildren filled the house. He was also celebrating his sixtieth birthday, and he could be described as having achieved great success and satisfaction.

"Father-in-law, I wish you a long and healthy life, and boundless happiness!" A refined and cultured young man raised his glass in celebration.

"Hehe, thank you for your kind words, son-in-law." Although Wang De was already in his sixties, he was healthy and vigorous, with black hair and beard.

Rumor has it that he possesses a secret to longevity, taking a young girl as a concubine every year, thus becoming vigorous and fathering many children.

Wang De stroked his beard and smiled at the young people, saying, "You must all remember that the reason our Wang family has been able to stand firm is because we can judge the situation and act accordingly."

“To distinguish between a hero and a coward, look at Tong Guan, that spineless coward, what kind of skills can the soldiers he leads be? Look at Chen Shao, he's young and frivolous, and he even says he wants to overthrow the Great Xia. In my opinion, he'd have a hard time overthrowing a woman, he's far inferior to my son-in-law.”

A pretty young woman standing next to the young man blushed upon hearing this and scolded him playfully, "Father, you're being disrespectful to your elders again."

Wang De laughed heartily. This young man was his eldest son-in-law, and also the eldest son of the powerful Li family in Youzhou, Li Muchen.

Li Muchen laughed and said, "Father-in-law is right. He can't hold onto the position of Prefect of Yanzhou!"

Although his voice was calm when he spoke, it carried an undeniable air of authority.

Only scions of noble families possess such magnanimity. Looking at her husband, Lady Wang's eyes were filled with love.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside, accompanied by terrified screams.

Wang De frowned, kicked open the door, and saw flames shooting into the sky outside.

He immediately returned to his room, took a pair of double-edged swords from the wall, drew them, and exclaimed, "Damn it, I misjudged them!"

Wang De handed one of the weapons to his son-in-law, Li Muchen, saying, "My dear son-in-law, let's fight them!"

Li Muchen had completely lost his composure; he was trembling with fear and could barely hold the knife.

Seeing his cowardly appearance, Wang De glared at him and cursed, "Damn it, I misjudged him again!"

At this time, the area surrounding the Wang family compound was already filled with cavalry.

Someone on horseback shouted, "The governor said, 'To cut the weeds, we must nip them in the bud! Kill! Leave no one of the Wang family members alive!'"

(End of this chapter)