"It really is His Majesty!"
Yin Pobai and the Royal Guards directed the crowd, and the farmers huddled together moved aside in an orderly fashion.
Ji Chang and Chong Houhu stepped down from their carriages one after the other and bowed in greeting.
Zi Shou asked with a smile, "No need for formalities. How are things out here in the countryside?"
Ji Chang harbored ulterior motives, and Chong Houhu knew nothing about farming. As if those two could help the farmers till their fields!
"All is well."
Zi Shou nodded. "Good, so long as all is well."
It had been an instinctive reply, but the more Zi Shou thought about it, the more something felt wrong.
Judging by their expressions, this did not seem like some perfunctory lie meant to deceive their superior. Instead, it sent a chill through him.
There must be something fishy here?
Zi Shou pondered for a long while. This year's goal was to have nothing happen, stir up no trouble, and earn enough foolishness value from the nobles and bandits.
So far, the outlook was fairly optimistic. At least there had been no deductions during this settlement period yet. There had been a petition from the masses, but the person they had petitioned for was Li Jing.
Yet here he stood in the open fields, with a light breeze blowing and a chill creeping up his back. What was going on?
"Your Majesty, I have something to report."
Ji Chang presented the newspaper. After considerable thought, he had decided to continue protecting himself by staying out of trouble and yielding a little. If the nobles insisted that King Zhou was a benevolent and righteous ruler, then so be it.
Zi Shou glanced at it.
"Who is the benevolent and righteous ruler? In the age of