Chapter 40: The Plight of Yu County and the Enigma of Wealth

Long before they reached Yu County, Magistrate Lin Wei had already led a group of people to welcome them. He wore a tattered hemp garment, covered in patch after patch, appearing even more destitute than the commoners themselves. His frame was gaunt, and his face bore an expression of such sorrow and weariness that he truly looked like a virtuous official who had exhausted himself in service to the people.

Li Chengyin cast a light glance at Lin Wei. Though he harbored doubts, he did not reveal them. With a composed expression, he issued a brief, authoritative command for Lin to find a secure residence for the Crown Princess, so that Xiaofeng could rest.

Just as Xiaofeng was about to speak, Li Chengyin turned and strode away in a hurry, determined to inspect the state of the people himself without a moment's pause. He walked with a tall, steady gait, his presence drawing eyes from the townspeople—some filled with curiosity, others with numbness and fatigue.

Li Chengyin frowned, observing everything along the way. The houses lining the streets were mostly dilapidated, and the people were clad in rags, their faces sallow from hunger, their eyes revealing the hardship and helplessness of their existence.

Finally, Li Chengyin stopped in an open area within the town. He summoned Magistrate Lin and asked in a low, stern voice, "I have heard that the disaster relief grain issued by the imperial court vanished before it ever reached Yu County. What is the reason for this? Speak the truth."

Magistrate Lin bowed slightly, his face etched with helplessness and woe. He replied respectfully, "Your Highness, Yu County is remote and constantly plagued by mountain bandits. These bandits are powerful, ruthless, and intimately familiar with the local terrain. Every time a grain shipment passes, they ambush it. I have tried many times to organize forces to suppress them, but the county office has limited manpower and severely insufficient equipment. The bandits come and go like ghosts; we are truly no match for them. I have reported this to the court many times, but there has been no effective solution."

As he spoke, he sighed and stole a glance at Li Chengyin’s expression.

Li Chengyin listened silently, his face growing darker. His gaze was like a torch, fixed on the magistrate, as if he were trying to see through the truth of his words. After a moment of silence, he said slowly, "If you knew these bandits were so rampant, why did you not take precautions earlier? Why did you not seek reinforcements from neighboring counties? Hmph, could it be that you, as magistrate, are guilty of dereliction of duty?"

Though his voice was not loud, it carried an unquestionable authority and pressure.

Magistrate Lin trembled violently at these words, falling to his knees with a thud and kowtowing repeatedly. "Your Highness, please examine the facts! I am truly powerless. I am busy with the daily affairs of the county and pacifying the people. Yu County is poor, and our tax revenue is meager; we cannot gather enough supplies to expand our military or organize a defense. The neighboring counties are barely surviving themselves; how could they possibly send troops to assist? I deserve death; I beg for your mercy, Your Highness."

Li Chengyin watched the kneeling magistrate coldly, saying nothing. He knew in his heart that the situation in Yu County was likely not as simple as it appeared. While the magistrate's words seemed reasonable, there was an underlying strangeness to them. He resolved to start from other angles to investigate the thick fog surrounding the county, determined to uncover the truth and restore a peaceful, prosperous life to the people.

Meanwhile, Xiaofeng followed an attendant to the residence arranged by the magistrate—a slightly dilapidated small courtyard with crumbling walls and simple furnishings. Sitting inside, Xiaofeng felt as restless as an ant on a hot pan. She paced back and forth, her eyes filled with anxiety and concern.

Finally, she could not help but say to A-Du, "A-Du, let's go out and take a look. Seeing the people in such a state, I cannot sit still. Perhaps we can help in some way."

A-Du looked at Xiaofeng and nodded gently. She knew Xiaofeng's temperament; once she was moved by compassion, not even nine oxen could pull her back.

The two walked out of the courtyard and were immediately struck by the scene that met them. The streets of Yu County were deathly silent; the bustle of the past had long since vanished. Most of the shops were shuttered, and the few still struggling to remain open were desolate. The ragged townspeople lay or sat about, their eyes hollow and lifeless. Hunger and despair hung over everyone like a shroud.

As they walked, Xiaofeng suddenly heard a heart-wrenching wail. She followed the sound and saw a mother slumped on the side of the street, clutching a child tightly in her arms. The child was gaunt and sallow, his life already extinguished, yet the mother held him fast, weeping in inconsolable grief. Her cries echoed through the quiet street, a protest against the injustice of fate and a lament for the suffering of the world.

Xiaofeng’s eyes turned red instantly, and tears streamed down her cheeks. Her heart felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer, aching painfully. She hurried forward, wanting to comfort the mother, but her throat felt blocked, leaving her unable to speak. She knelt slowly and placed a hand gently on the mother's shoulder, trying to convey a shred of warmth and comfort.

A-Du watched from the side, her heart heavy with sorrow. She whispered to Xiaofeng, "Princess, this is too tragic. What should we do?"

Xiaofeng gritted her teeth, stood up, and said firmly, "Let's go see how many more people are starving. We must help whoever we can."

Thus, Xiaofeng and A-Du began to travel throughout the city, assessing the extent of the suffering. They found that many families had been without food for days, and the elderly and infirm were on the brink of death. Anxious, Xiaofeng sent A-Du back to the residence to fetch dry rations and clothing, while she organized the few residents still strong enough to help distribute the supplies.

Standing at the makeshift distribution point, Xiaofeng busied herself handing out food and clothes. Her gaze swept over the crowd, and a flash of suspicion crossed her mind. She had assumed that even in a less-than-prosperous county, there would be some wealthy families with a surplus, but the reality shocked her. The wealthy of the town were dressed only slightly more neatly than the others, yet they still exuded an unavoidable air of poverty.

Take the so-called "richest man" in Yu County, for example. In Xiaofeng’s imagination, he should have been a man of great status with droves of servants and mountains of wealth. However, when she saw him, she realized the difference between him and the commoners was merely that he could barely keep himself fed. His house was slightly larger than others, but it was in disrepair with peeling walls. His clothes were of a slightly better fabric, yet they were also patched, and he had no excess grain or wealth to spare for others.

Unable to contain her curiosity, Xiaofeng stopped an old man and asked softly, "Old sir, why is no one in Yu County wealthy? Is the land here barren, or is there another reason?"

The old man raised his cloudy eyes, looked at Xiaofeng and then at the bustling crowd, and sighed heavily. His voice was hoarse and low. "Miss, you are a visitor; you do not know. The taxes in Yu County are crushing. After the harvest each year, most of it is taken away. In recent years, all manner of exorbitant levies have appeared—road taxes, water taxes, security taxes... all sorts of schemes. The people toil for a year, yet end up with almost nothing. Furthermore, the officials here..."

He stopped abruptly, checked his surroundings warily, and lowered his voice. "The officials collude with certain wealthy merchants to line their own pockets with what little resources and wealth remain. How can the common people survive? It is a struggle just to stay alive; there is no way for anyone to be wealthy."

Hearing these words, Xiaofeng felt as if a violent storm had been stirred within her. She could never have imagined that such darkness and injustice lay hidden behind the seemingly calm facade of Yu County. She stood there, stunned, the old man’s words echoing in her mind, filled with sympathy and pity for the people.

Xiaofeng returned to the courtyard in a daze. As soon as she saw Li Chengyin, she could no longer hold back her grievance and sorrow. She threw herself into his arms, tears flowing freely. "Li Chengyin, seeing them like this... my heart hurts so much. They work so hard to live, yet they are squeezed to such a miserable state."

Li Chengyin held her tightly, patting her back gently and comforting her tenderly. "Xiaofeng, it is because you are so kind that you feel such pity for the suffering of the people. Rest assured, I will not allow them to remain in such dire straits. As a prince, it is my duty and obligation to seek their welfare, uncover the truth behind this, and restore clarity to Yu County."

Xiaofeng nodded slightly against his chest. A moment later, she looked up, her eyes still teary, as she recalled something. "Oh, that’s right, Li Chengyin, I have a new discovery."

Li Chengyin paused, then smiled. "What a coincidence, Xiaofeng. I have also made new discoveries today. Let us go inside and talk."

They entered the room, and Xiaofeng said impatiently, "I discovered today that the tax system in Yu County is incredibly unreasonable; the people are being crushed by all kinds of levies. Moreover, I heard that the officials are colluding with wealthy merchants to line their own pockets. That is the root cause of the people's poverty."

Li Chengyin’s expression turned solemn. He said slowly, "I have also found some clues. I discovered many suspicious points in the city's accounts; funds that should have been used for public welfare have gone missing. Furthermore, I noticed that while those wealthy merchants complain of hardship on the surface, they are actually secretly transferring their assets. It seems they are planning an even greater conspiracy."

Xiaofeng frowned, angry. "How can these people be so wicked? Do they not care about the lives of the people at all?"

Li Chengyin held Xiaofeng’s hand, his gaze firm. "Their greed and selfishness will eventually come at a price. Xiaofeng, what we must do now is collect more evidence and sweep away these dark forces once and for all. I have already sent people to investigate the ledgers between the officials and the merchants, as well as their properties and assets outside the city. I believe we will find a breakthrough very soon."