After leaving Chaoge's South Gate, Bo Yi and Shu Qi were so exhausted that they were bent double.
Chaoge was enormous, and their temporary residence lay in the city center. Luckily, dusk was approaching and there were few people on the streets. Had it been noon, they would not even have made it out of the city by now.
"Brother, there's a grove of fruit trees over there." Shu Qi pointed into the distance.
"Come on. Hold out a little longer." Bo Yi strode forward resolutely.
Sustained by their firm determination not to let a taste for extravagance take root at court, the two made their way into the grove, step by step.
To their surprise, quite a few commoners were already there.
Shu Qi's steps grew heavier still. Was the Pool of Wine and Forest of Meat not enough? Had King Zhou become so benighted, so intent on pleasure and squeezing the lifeblood from his people, that ordinary folk could no longer make a living and had to gather wild fruit to fill their bellies?
Had even Jizi, renowned for his virtue, deceived us to cover for King Zhou?!
"King Zhou is a tyrant..." Unable to bear the sight of the commoners busily picking wild fruit, Shu Qi wiped his eyes.
"What nonsense are you talking?" Just then, an old man slowly approached and squeezed in beside Shu Qi, looking rather angry.
Huh?
Shu Qi froze. He had already heard that King Zhou claimed "the guilt lies with the myriad lands." Had his rule become this harsh?
Were the commoners forbidden even to discuss him, with severe punishment awaiting anyone who spoke openly?
Shu Qi's heart grew heavier at once.
"Judging by your accents, you're from out of town?" An old woman came over and casually picked a cluster