0p0 Chapter 471 Like being struck by lightning
Chapter 471 Like being struck by lightning
Thanks to the fact that the soldiers of Chen Family Army were all familiar with Xu Zhiwen, Xu Zhiwen entered Chen Family Village without any obstacles and went straight to Chen Dao's house.
Xu Zhiwen never expected that he would see such a scene when he rushed over.
Because he arrived late, Xu Zhiwen did not witness the battle taking place inside the courtyard. However, the corpses that were gradually being carried out of the courtyard after the battle were enough to shock him!
As a scholar and a highly skilled martial artist, Xu Zhiwen possessed an excellent memory. He immediately recognized the identities of the corpses that had been moved out. They were none other than the attendants of the Chief Secretary of the Qing Prince's Mansion whom he had met yesterday...
More importantly, Xu Zhiwen also saw Huang Ting's head, which had been separated from the corpse...
This completely stunned Xu Zhiwen!
As the chief steward of the Qing King, the Chief Secretary of the Qing King's Mansion was a figure second only to the king in Qingzhou. Yet, such a person died in Chenjia Village...
"This……"
Xu Zhiwen stared blankly at the corpse being carried out of the yard by Chen's army soldiers, his mind completely blank!
He had always known that Chen Dao was very bold, but he never imagined that Chen Dao's audacity would reach this level, daring to kill even the chief secretary of the Qing Prince's mansion...
Wasn't he afraid that the Green King would be furious and send troops to Chenjia Village?
"Lord Xu, what brings you here?"
At this moment, Chen Da, who was directing the soldiers to move the bodies, noticed Xu Zhiwen and asked him in surprise.
"I……"
Xu Zhiwen wanted to explain his purpose, but he immediately realized that his purpose was no longer important, so he said, "I've come to see my young friend Chen."
"Daoge'er is in the courtyard, please make yourself at home, Lord Xu."
Chen Da nodded and continued to command the soldiers.
Xu Zhiwen's head was buzzing as he walked into Chen Dao's front yard and saw Chen Dao lying back in the recliner.
Looking at Chen Dao, who was lounging comfortably in the recliner as if nothing had happened, Xu Zhiwen couldn't help but ask, "Young friend Chen, did you kill Huang Ting?"
"Not bad!"
Chen Dao nodded.
Upon receiving a definitive answer, Xu Zhiwen was struck dumb, his eyes wide as he exclaimed, "Young friend Chen, how could you do such a thing!"
"Why not?"
Chen Dao countered, "If the Qingwang Mansion intends to seize by force, I will naturally respond."
"But……"
Xu Zhiwen opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.
He was not unaware of the importance of Blood Feather Chicken and Red Blood Chicken to Chenjia Village, and even to the entire Taiping County. In fact, not only did Chenjia Village benefit from these amazing chicken breeds, but Taiping County, which is closest to Chenjia Village, also benefited considerably.
Putting aside everything else, just take Zhang He's business as an example. Xu Zhiwen has a share in it. Through Zhang He's business dealings with Chenjia Village, Xu Zhiwen has enough money to improve people's livelihoods and make the people of Taiping County live a better life.
It is evident that the chicken breed produced in Chenjia Village is of paramount importance to the entire Taiping County. Even Xu Zhiwen was unwilling to let it be taken away by the Qingwang Mansion, which is why he rushed to Chenjia Village to remind Chen Dao.
But... no matter how important the Blood Feather Chicken and the Crimson Blood Chicken are, we can't kill Huang Ting!
That's the chief secretary of the Qingwang Mansion. If the Qingwang finds out about this, the entire Chenjia Village, and even Taiping County, will probably suffer.
"Lord Xu, there is no need to worry."
Chen Dao comforted him, saying, "The emperor is far away, and the King of Qing may not know about this."
fart!
Xu Zhiwen rolled his eyes. Huang Ting was clearly sent to Chenjia Village on the orders of the Green King. If Huang Ting didn't return for a long time, the Green King's Mansion would definitely realize that Huang Ting had gotten into trouble in Chenjia Village. At that time...
The 100,000-strong Qingzhou army is no joke.
"Young friend Chen, you acted too impulsively!"
Xu Zhiwen said with great distress.
Chen Dao, however, was unconvinced: "Then what does the county magistrate think I should do? Surrender? Hand over the Blood Feather Chicken and Crimson Blood Chicken to the Green Prince's Mansion?"
"..."
Xu Zhiwen remained silent.
To be fair, if he were in Chen Dao's position, he probably wouldn't have had any other choice. Giving the Blood Feather Chicken and Crimson Blood Chicken to the Green King's Mansion was simply impossible, as for refusing the Green King's Mansion...
That's even more impossible!
You can't just refuse the Green King's mansion. Given the Green King's domineering nature, if Chen Dao doesn't hand over the Blood Feather Chicken and the Crimson Blood Chicken, Chen Family Village might face annihilation in no time.
After careful consideration, silencing Huang Ting and the others seems to be the only way to break the deadlock.
Looking at Xu Zhiwen, who had remained silent for a long time, Chen Dao said, "Lord Xu, there is no need to worry. Right now, the imperial court and the Qingwang Mansion are both overwhelmed by the White Lotus Sect in Yuezhou, and they probably have no time to attend to us."
"What happens next?"
Xu Zhiwen asked.
"after?"
Chen Dao scoffed and said, "Does Lord Xu think the Xia Kingdom has a future?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhiwen fell silent again, recalling Huang Ting's previous order to increase taxes. He wasn't a fool; he could naturally see that the Xia Kingdom was now teetering on the brink of collapse. Official corruption was rampant, land annexation was severe, powerful families owned vast tracts of land, and the poor had nowhere to stand. The court was constantly increasing taxes, adding to the burden on the people...
Xu Zhiwen was almost certain that the additional tax policy was not only being implemented in Qingzhou, which meant...
Throughout the entire Kyushu region, all the people were required to bear 70% of the grain tax.
Such heavy taxes were like a thousand-pound burden on the people, making it hard for countless poor people to breathe and leaving them with no way to survive...
Once the people can no longer survive, war will break out everywhere in the land, and the change of dynasties will not be a distant dream, but an imminent event.
"Perhaps, you are right."
Xu Zhiwen said in a deep voice, "Tyrannical government is more ferocious than a tiger. Now the court has repeatedly increased taxes, and the people are already living in misery. I'm afraid the Xia Kingdom doesn't have much time left."
"exactly."
Chen Dao nodded and said, "The Blood Feather Chicken and the Red Blood Chicken are not only the foundation for Chenjia Village to make a living, but also the key to the prosperity of the people of Taiping County. Lord Xu should know that these two breeds of chicken must be in our hands."
Xu Zhiwen nodded in agreement. Since the blood-feathered chicken and the red-blooded chicken began to be sold in large quantities, the villagers of Chenjia Village have become rich quickly. The prosperity of Chenjia Village has in turn boosted Taiping County. Now, countless people in Taiping County have benefited from Chenjia Village.
It can be said that the entire Taiping County is profiting from the trade of blood-feathered chickens and red-blooded chickens. Not to mention anything else, just take the yellow-feathered chicken. Because of the existence of the yellow-feathered chicken, the price of meat in Taiping County is very low now. Even ordinary people can occasionally afford to eat a bite of meat if they grit their teeth. Although their lives are not very rich, they are better than before.
This is a change that Xu Zhiwen has truly witnessed, and it is also the reason why Xu Zhiwen is willing to stand on the same boat as Chen Dao.