In the discussion hall in the backyard of the Yanping City Governor's estate, everyone sat around a long table, regardless of their official rank.
This practice had spread from Zhenbei Prefecture. Whenever a major livelihood issue arose, everyone would be gathered to discuss it together, pooling their wisdom. As long as they had something meaningful to say, anyone could speak their mind freely.
What was more, when they occasionally could not make up their minds, they would even send people door-to-door to ask for the opinions of the city's residents.
After all, the goal of everything they did was to make life better for the common people. Wouldn't understanding what the people needed and wanted make it easier to define their direction?
At first, quite a few people had opposed this way of conducting discussions, but they ultimately could not go against the will of the people, and their opposition gradually faded away.
As academies were built one after another and knowledge integrated into the daily lives of the common people, they had long ceased to be ignorant.
“Another twenty-eight people went to Cang Mountain today.” A young official put down the ledger in his hand, its pages rustling as they were blown open by the wind from the window. “At this rate, in less than half a month, I'm afraid only the elderly, the weak, women, and children will be left in Yanping City.”
His name was Sun Jiao, a scholar who had graduated from Yecheng Academy. He was usually a gentle and refined man, but now he could not suppress his anger.
Lu Sui frowned deeply. “If a city is left with only the elderly, the weak, women, and children, it will be very difficult to sustain its livelihood. Especially since the people of Yanping City are extremely resistant to planting potatoes, and are bent on going up the mountain to farm with those bandits from Black Wind Stronghold.”
Although the murder of the Yecheng Academy scholar pained him deeply, he had been appointed as the Governor of Yanping City, so he naturally had to prioritize the livelihood of the city first.
Shen Yu's expression was also rather grim. “In the short term, we can still borrow some grain from neighboring cities, but it is not a long-term solution.”
“Perhaps we could...”
“Mr. Shen, Governor Lu, I understand that Yanping City is currently undergoing a complete reconstruction. Managing the livelihood of the city, gaining the trust of the people, and keeping them here are of the utmost importance, and we should not conflict with them again. But as for Qiao Xun's death, I simply cannot swallow this anger!” Sun Jiao suddenly stood up and knelt before Shen Yu and Lu Sui with a thud.
“I beg you to seek justice for Qiao Xun!”
His forehead pressed against the floor, tears splashing onto the ground one by one.
The Divine Lady had once led three hundred scholars on a study tour, and he was one of them. Originally, he had planned to stay in Chaoyang City, but he was close friends with Qiao Yue's elder brother, Qiao Xun. Unable to resist his persuasion, he had followed him here to Yanping City in Wuyuan Prefecture.
They had all come with great ambitions, vowing to apply what they had learned to govern Yanping City well, so the Divine Lady would know that they had not failed Her nurturing.
Just seven days ago, everything was still going well. Thanks to their and Qiao Xun's relentless persuasion, the common people had gradually become willing to try farming and send their children to school.
They had even agreed to raise their cups in celebration that night.
Who could have thought that Qiao Xun had only gone outside the city to check if there were any children left in the surrounding villages to persuade them to come to the city to learn to read, but he never returned.
By the time they found Qiao Xun, his head had already been severed by the killer, and his skeletal remains had been trampled by horse hooves beyond recognition.
Seeing this, several other officials from Yecheng Academy looked at each other and knelt down as well.
They were all classmates who usually ate and lived together. Naturally, their bond was deep, no less than that of actual siblings.
“It is highly likely that Black Wind Stronghold did this out of revenge!”
“We investigated before. Although the bandits of Black Wind Stronghold haven't engaged in highway robbery in recent years, every single one of them was guilty of murder years ago!”
“Those bandits are by no means good people!”
“Also, not a single person who went up the mountain with them over the years has ever come down. They must not be running a legitimate business!”
Qiao Yue also knelt before Shen Yu and Lu Sui. Looking up at them, she said, “Mr. Shen, Governor Lu, I won't trouble you. I can investigate on my own. I only beg that once I find evidence that Black Wind Stronghold killed my brother, you will allow me to lead troops up Cang Mountain and wipe out that bandit den!”
Her elder brother had died a tragic death in Yanping City, and his head was missing. She had long lost the heart to do anything else.
She only wanted to find the killer and avenge her brother.
“All of you, rise.”
Shen Yu looked at the crowd, whose eyes were rimmed with red. “Qiao Xun was a scholar trained by Yecheng Academy, and also my student. Even if you hadn't spoken up, I would still seek justice for him.”
“But acting rashly will only alert the enemy.” He pondered for a moment and looked at Lu Sui. “How about this, Buyan: you stay in Yanping City to appease the people, while I go to Cang Mountain to see what they are really up to.”
Lu Sui rubbed his forehead. “Fuyan, stop joking. You are a weak scholar who knows nothing of martial arts. Going to a bandit den would be like throwing a meat bun at a dog—you'll never return!”
He patted Shen Yu's shoulder. “You should stay safely in Yanping City. I will make the trip to Cang Mountain.”
“You are the Governor of Yanping. If you leave, who will manage the situation here? It's more appropriate for me to go.”
Without waiting for Lu Sui to say more, Shen Yu added, “I have been practicing swordplay recently. Self-defense won't be an issue.”
“But...” Lu Sui hesitated.
Qiao Yue stepped forward and bowed. “Governor Lu, why don't you let me accompany Mr. Shen to Cang Mountain?”
To put Lu Sui at ease, she continued, “I am quite skilled in riding and archery. Even General Feng has praised me multiple times and intended to recruit me into the army as her deputy. It's just that I prefer being a civil official over a military officer, which is why I came to Yanping City.”
“I guarantee I can keep Mr. Shen safe.” A resolute light flashed in her eyes.
Since she had put it that way, Lu Sui could not say anything more.
...
Cang Mountain.
Yun Shu walked along a mountain path. Holding a pen she had bought from Pinduoduo, she sketched the route of Cang Mountain in a notebook, then had the system add it to the map it had created.
The little fox followed by her side, sighing in amazement.
“Host, I really didn't expect this. Those bandits are all masters of disguise. I just watched the surveillance feed from the camera on Wei Laosan, and all those people who went up the mountain with him have now been bound hand and foot with hemp ropes by him.”
As it spoke, it looked at the expressionless Yun Shu and suddenly found it strange. “Host, why are you so indifferent to those people? This is so unlike you.”
“Those bandits won't bear to let them die.” Yun Shu glanced sideways at the little fox. “They relied on giving out grain and porridge to the people of Yanping to trick them into coming up the mountain. If those people die, all the things they gave away before would go down the drain.”
The little fox suddenly realized. “So that's how it is.”
“But what does Black Wind Stronghold need so much labor for? They can't possibly really be farming on the mountain, can they?”
“No, Shen Yu said that Cang Mountain cannot grow the polished rice of the south. Could it be mining? But there are no mines in this mountain either! I really hate that I can't monitor every corner of the world.”
“Stop guessing,” Yun Shu said. “Won't we find out everything once we follow Wei Laosan to Black Wind Stronghold?”
“Oh, right.” The little fox scratched its head.
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