Summer arrived before anyone noticed.
Great East Township.
"Didn't King of Liang issue a decree long ago, limiting collection to fifty percent?"
An old farmer looked at the tax collector and pleaded, "Why has it increased again?"
"This is an order from the court. Are you planning to defy the king's law?"
The tax collector's expression darkened as he barked, "The Chancellor is preparing a northern campaign. You commoners should endure it! Enough nonsense—pay up in full at once, or we'll take your family's ox!"
To a farming household in ancient times, a plow ox was its lifeline.
The old farmer's eyes instantly reddened with bloodshot veins, yet he dared not speak in anger.
A carriage slowly traveled along the ridges between the fields. Feng Erlang sat inside, looking somewhat worried. "With the summer grain being collected like this, aren't you afraid something will go wrong?"
"Please rest assured, sir. These commoners have lived like this for countless years. Great Song was like this back then, and Great Liang is the same now. They can only endure."
Across from him, Yan Er said with a smile, "Besides... with milord helping us cover things up, we all have benefits to offer."
As he spoke, he slipped over a stack of gold leaves.
Feng Erlang found them somewhat glaring. After all, he had once been one of those oppressed commoners himself. Yet he still accepted them. "I'll walk around and take a look. You needn't concern yourself with me."
After drunkenly losing control and accidentally sleeping with another man's wife—then finding himself unable to get enough of it—Feng Erlang had been dragged into the mire.
First, he could not bear to part with that dewy, delicate little lady. Second, he feared the affair being exposed.
After all, the Chancellor had repeatedly