Chapter 005: External Challenges Faced by the Han Ethnic Group
In the back garden of the Han residence, Han Mo lay on the bed, illuminated by the light, admiring the spring palace paintings that had just been exchanged a few days prior. The depictions of men and women were vividly lifelike, with realistic movements and an array of peculiarities. However, for Han Mo, who had been exposed to a plethora of artistic films in his previous life, the spring palace paintings, though rare in this era, seemed relatively outdated in terms of creativity; at this moment, they were merely better than nothing.
"In my eyes, you are the smartest." Madam Han chuckled, resembling a young girl: "In my heart, you will always be that gentle young man who lifted my red veil that night. Come, my lord, give me another smile, just like the one you had that evening."
Half of the people in Donghai County rely on fishing for their livelihood Madam Han furrowed her brows and said If the fish market prices drop, then half of the people in Donghai will be affected
Madam Han smiled and said, "My lord, you are the wisest and most intelligent man; you will always find a way."
"Young Master, whatever you command, I will accomplish it, even if it means going through fire and water," Han Qing said with a chuckle. "I do not seek any rewards; I am just happy to follow you, Young Master... By the way, Young Master, what do you plan to reward me with?"
To deal with a mere Xiao Muzan, would it not be an overreaction to mobilize the forces of the Han and Hu families' cabinets? Han Xuanchang shook his head: "Moreover, as you know, Xiao Muzan is the collateral nephew of the Chief Minister Xiao Taishi, which means he has connections. When he was initially sent to Donghai as the governor, it was precisely because Xiao Taishi wanted to place a pawn in Donghai County, to keep a close watch on our Han family's movements and to hinder us. If my elder brother and Minister Hu were to take action, it would not be difficult to transfer Xiao Muzan, but it would offend the Xiao family. At this moment, we would rather offend the Prince of Yan than the Xiao family." My elder brother and Minister Hu, if they were to take action, it would not be difficult to transfer Xiao Muzan, but it would offend the Xiao family. At this moment, we would rather offend the Prince of Yan than the Xiao family.
Madam Han walked up behind Han Xuanchang, gently massaging his shoulders, and asked, "Did you go to find Xiao Muzan today just for this matter?"
Han Yuan, with a beaming smile, said cheerfully: "Fourth Brother, how could you be so unappreciative? This is two jars of Cordyceps wine produced by the Southern Wind, which Fourth Brother has gone to great lengths to obtain, even compensating for the jar of rice flower fragrance you had yesterday." He placed the two jars of wine on the table and then took Han Mo's hand, expressing his gratitude: "Little Five, Fourth Brother has prepared a feast of wine for you at the Eight Treasures Pavilion, and Huo Qiuyuan and the others are all waiting for you, so let’s hurry!" Without giving him a chance to refuse, he firmly pulled Han Mo towards the Eight Treasures Pavilion.
Han Mo was practicing the "Longevity Sutra" in a meditative posture when he heard Han Yuan's footsteps on the bridge. He inhaled, stood up, and smiled, saying, "Fourth Brother, congratulations on achieving your wish." Upon seeing him carrying two jars of wine, he curled his lip and remarked, "Fourth Brother, is this how you thank your little Fifth Brother?"
En! Han Xuanchang said solemnly: "This Xiao Muzan has been in the position of the governor of Donghai Prefecture for nearly five years; it is time to change personnel." He stroked Madam Han's soft hair, smooth as silk.
Today, the words of the Grand Master left him truly perplexed, wondering what kind of woman would soon arrive. Han Mo was not a fool; he understood that the woman arranged for him must possess an extraordinary identity. However, he could not comprehend why the Grand Master would place such an important woman by his side
The garden was quiet, and Han Mo gazed for a while without any stirring thoughts. After putting away the spring palace picture, he stood by the bed, looking out at the night.
... ...
In the late night, in the main room of the eastern courtyard, Han Xuanchang sat by the window, looking up at the dark night sky, his expression appearing somewhat haggard. Meanwhile, Madam Han had prepared tea and brought it over to Han Xuanchang, gently saying: "My lord, you have looked unwell since you returned today. I did not ask much at the table, but what exactly happened?"
Han Mo picked up the shoe from the ground and threw it at Han Qing. Han Qing smiled as he caught it and respectfully placed it back before softly saying: "Little Yan Wang found a place to hide Xiang Yuer. When we inquired about the location and arrived, that kid was just about to take Xiang Yuer for himself. Following the young master's orders, we did not use lethal force; we merely knocked him out and then brought Xiang Yuer out, who is now safely arranged outside the city"
Han Xuanchang chuckled, took Lady Han's hand, and said: "Madam, I am already of a considerable age; how could I still be clever and wise? My mind is merely a tangled mess."
Although it is highly likely that this matter will be accomplished, Han Mo still revealed a smile on his face, sat up, and said: "Han Qing, this time I truly have to commend you, you did well, I will reward you with something later"
Han Xuanchang said with a bitter smile, "It's still about the tax issue"
Han Xuanchang was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, saying: "Madam, you... sigh..."
"Taxes?" Madam Han blinked her beautiful eyes and said, "Aren't all households in each county paying rent monthly every season?"
"Young Master, rest assured," Han Qing said confidently, "In Donghai City, there are very few who can track us without our knowledge."
"Who says otherwise? This time last year, fish could still be sold for twenty-two wen per jin, but now it can only be bought for fourteen wen, which is a drop of more than half." Han Xuanchang's eyes were filled with intense anger: "I fear this is not the end. Who knows when Xiao Muzan will stir up trouble again, further tormenting the common people. If this continues, even if everyone knows that the root cause is Xiao Muzan, our Han family, as the foremost family in Donghai County, must take action; otherwise, the resentment of the people may very well be directed at us, the Han family."
The only servants allowed to freely enter and exit the back garden are the butler and his son; no other servants are permitted to set foot there without prior authorization.
The next evening at dusk, Han Yuan excitedly ran to the garden carrying two large jars of wine, entered the elegant residence, and exclaimed: "Xiao Wu, Xiao Wu, Fourth Brother is very grateful to you. Ah, what can I say about this?"
Come in, the door is not closed
"My lord, your smile is even more unappealing than your tears," Lady Han chuckled softly and said, "If it really doesn't work, go find the Grand Master and let him think of a solution."
"Go back and secretly inform Fourth Brother about this matter," Han Mo instructed in a low voice. "Take him out of the city to see Xiang Yuer. Remember, everything must be done discreetly. First, we must not let either of the two houses know about this. Most importantly, after suffering this loss, the Little King of Hell will definitely send people to investigate Xiang Yuer's whereabouts. He might already know that we are behind this and could potentially send someone to follow Fourth Brother, so we must avoid the Little King's attention at all costs"
In the quiet of the night, the shadows of the bamboo sway gently
Han Qing walked into the room with a smile, respectfully saying: "Young Master, the matter you instructed has been taken care of."
"My lord, please do not be angry," Madam Han said with a smile. "If there is a matter at hand, we can think of a solution slowly; being anxious is of no use. Since Xiao Muzan is here acting recklessly, why not write a letter to my uncle in Beijing? I will also write a letter to my brother. They are both cabinet ministers, and it should not be difficult for them to work together to have Xiao Muzan transferred out of Donghai County, right?"
Han Xuanchang placed the teacup on the table beside him, his eyes filled with a hint of anger: "It is not that we are unwilling to pay the rent, but that Xiao Muzan has become increasingly excessive. Recently, the commercial tax has risen by 10%. Particularly for the fishing industry, it has shockingly increased by 20%. Those merchants from Qing are facing heavier taxes; they cannot operate at a loss. They come to our Donghai County to earn money, and with the rise in taxes, the fish market prices have also dropped. Fishermen brave the winds and waves, spending months at sea fishing, and they hardly earn any silver as it is. With the price drop, they will earn even less for their survival. " Seemingly feeling a bit parched, he took a sip from the teacup and continued: "The common people earn less silver, yet the court's tax revenue does not decrease. We must meet the court's tax demands, and each season we are required to pay the full amount of silver to the court. Naturally, we cannot arbitrarily reduce the taxes on the common people. Over time, this may lead to grievances against our Han family. Xiao Muzan's actions might very well be aimed at undermining our Han family's support among the people."
Madam Han's maiden name is Hu, and the Hu family is also one of the nine prominent families of the State of Yan. Although their strength ranks second to last among the nine prominent families, they still hold a place in the cabinet
"Yes," Han Xuan Chang nodded and said, "I approached him and explained the current situation of the fish market and the income of the fishermen, hoping he would consider reducing taxes for the merchants. Instead, he opposed me, stating that the Northeast Army stationed at the Yanqing border was preparing for war, and that the people of Qing were eyeing us covetously. Therefore, each province needed to strengthen tax collection in preparation for war with the Qing. " He slammed his palm on the window sill, appearing quite furious: "Isn't this nonsense? I have heard that the Qing court is embroiled in power struggles, with various factions vying against each other. Our Yan State has already been left alone by the Qing; how could they possibly have the leisure to attack us?"
Young Master! The voice of Han Qing came from outside the door
Han Mo shot him a glance, thinking that he was still bragging; the Grand Master was well aware of the existence of the Black Panther