Chapter 1145: Chapter 632: Rebel Party (Double-Length) (Part 3)

Soldiers like bandits? No! These Tusi who rule one region are more ruthless than bandits! Bandits only rob once, but they are like blunt knives cutting flesh, year after year, generation after generation.

Chen Yi squatted down, extended his hand, but didn’t help the old farmer, only pressed his shoulder that was constantly kowtowing. That bony shoulder was sharp to the touch, like holding a bundle of dry wood.

The old farmer’s cries abruptly stopped, his body rigid like iron, leaving only uncontrollable trembling.

Chen Yi looked at his tear-stained, dirt-covered face, and said word by word:

"I will handle this matter for you."

......... 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

The manor hall was brightly lit, yet filled with an oppressive suffocation.

The cold light from the Iron Scale Army’s armor reflected on the pale faces of the Dao Family’s servants.

Dao Chengsi stood at the center of the hall, his waist almost bent at a ninety-degree angle, holding a blue-covered register carefully presented on the black lacquered table in front of Qin Qingluo.

"Your Highness, permission to report, all here are grateful for Your Highness’s boundless grace. The investigation of population and land deeds is truly a measure to set right sources, blessing the countryside! This is the result of my overnight supervision of the accounting room, turning over old records from previous years, personally verifying each village and manor, and compiling a new register of population and land deeds without any falsity. Please, Your Highness, review!"

Qin Qingluo sat upright at the main seat, not immediately flipping through the register, only lightly tapping her fingers on the smooth tabletop, making a soft "tick, tick, tick" sound with each tap, reverberating in Dao Chengsi’s tense nerves.

The Chief Clerk standing beside stepped forward respectfully, picked up the register, and quickly flipped through it. For a moment, only the rustling of turning pages and Dao Chengsi’s heavy, oppressive breathing filled the hall.

The Chief Clerk’s brows furrowed tighter and tighter as he paused on a particular page, verified with careful scrutiny, then flipped rapidly further, his expression growing increasingly grave.

Finally, he closed the register, turned to Qin Qingluo, and reported clearly and steadily: "Your Highness, according to this register, the population of three villages and eighteen manors totals two thousand eight hundred seven people. However, upon verifying with the mansion’s archived records and recent county government reports, just these three villages, twenty-four years ago, registered a population already exceeding four thousand. There are... numerous discrepancies in this register."

Dao Chengsi’s body shuddered violently, hurriedly and at great speed, he defended:

"Your Highness must see clearly, Your Highness must see clearly! Chief Clerk, permission to report! This... this shortage... is truly not an intentional concealment! It is absolutely... absolutely due to natural disasters and man-made calamities, beyond control!"

The Chief Clerk couldn’t help but say: "Twenty-four years ago, it was already over four thousand, and now you have only registered two thousand eight hundred. In twenty-four years, did you do nothing but count deaths?"

"... In recent years during the transition from summer to autumn, diseases ran rampant, and many strong men died in the manor! Entering winter, we were hit by mountain floods that destroyed fields and houses, leaving dozens of households homeless with unknown whereabouts... I... I am also heartbroken, wishing I could have replaced them myself! This new register records only those truly living in the manor; I wouldn’t dare falsely report those who died out or scattered and tarnish Your Highness’s ears. After the flood, the landscape changed, many fields were either buried or turned into mudflats, difficult to reclaim, the starving starved, the sick died... I... have also honestly written them off but did not have time to report..."

Dao Chengsi watched the situation, seeing Qin Qingluo unmoved, cold sweat trickled down his temple.

"I am muddle-headed, I am muddle-headed indeed! Your Highness has graced this humble manor with your presence, I was so concerned with official matters, I forgot proper etiquette! I deserve death, I deserve death!" He turned to a housekeeper behind him and snarled: "What are you waiting for! Quick! Quickly lift the ’local gifts’ prepared for Your Highness and the soldiers. A token of the manor’s admiration for the mansion!"

Before his words even finished, several strong servants struggled to carry two heavy, large red-lacquered boxes inside. The boxes were opened, immediately revealing resplendent radiance, brightening the hall. One box was filled with neatly arranged, pristine white silver ingots, glistening temptingly in candlelight; the other contained various treasures: flawless Mutton Fat Jade Pendant, intricately carved rhinoceros horn cups, and several bolts of dazzling Shu brocade and Su embroidery... all of considerable worth.

"Your Highness," Dao Chengsi’s face was plastered with a flattering smile, his waist bent even lower, "these are just a humble token from the manor; the Southern Border is crude compared to the splendor of the Central Plains, such meager local produce is inadequate, we humbly ask Your Highness to accept with a smile, offering these for the soldiers to buy a drink, to also fulfill my sincere admiration..."

The implication was no more than offering the manor’s accumulated wealth as tribute, hoping for leniency this time. Previous Princes of Annan, while inspecting and pursuing Hidden Households, often came for the contributions.

The Prince of Annan remained silent, not even sparing Dao Chengsi a glance, his gaze merely fixed on his tapping fingers, the "tick tick" soft sound unchanged in rhythm, pressing the air in the hall into solidity.

Dao Chengsi’s smile froze, a chill raced from the soles of his feet to the Heavenly Spirit Cover.

His voice inadvertently turned into a shriek: "Your Highness, Your Highness must see clearly. I... I truly spoke no lies! This population... this population... maybe some rebels fled elsewhere... or... or were sheltered by other Tusi lords... This... this inquiry into population is major... a single thread could move the entire body... should... should one push too tightly... disturb... disturb other households... the seventy-two Tusi are interconnected... once... once it stirs unrest... causes unnecessary... disturbances... unsettles Your Majesty... I... I would die a thousand times and still not atone!"

Masses of refugees flocked to the Southern Border, and the unity of the Tusi over this opportunity was no mere rumor. With Dao Chengsi’s words, it was akin to desperate gambles; should the Tusi be incited to revolt, even if the Prince of Annan’s mansion quelled it, it would surely be at great cost.

Dao Chengsi’s diligent yet fearful eyes were steeped in resentment almost solidifying.

Such that he didn’t notice someone quietly entering from outside, approaching the side of the Annan Prince.

Chen Yi walked over slowly, suddenly asked:

"Can I kill?"

The female Prince glanced sideways and said:

"Yes."

Chen Yi then raised his hand and struck.

Blood splattered against the wall, the servants’ pale faces froze there in fright, just as terror struck, a heavy sound followed as something fell from Dao Chengsi’s neck.

The head rolling on the ground still carried a look of deference.

"Attempted assassination by rebel party, slain without mercy."