199: Chapter 199 A Private Visit

Yes, Your Majesty.

Eldest Son and Second Son, although filled with a myriad of thoughts in their hearts, dared not show the slightest defiance.

They exchanged a glance, seeing determination in each other's eyes, and could only follow the example of Gao Feng, each shouldering a sandbag that was not too heavy for them, and with unsteady steps, joined the bustling ranks of laborers.

Although the two princes had lived in luxury since childhood and had never done such rough work, they were, after all, the sons of Gao Feng, and their physical fitness was far beyond that of ordinary people.

Moreover, since childhood, they had practiced the basic chapters of the Martial Classics personally simplified and taught by Gao Feng, having long ago laid a solid Martial Foundation, with abundant Qi and blood.

This mere hundred-jin sandbag meant nothing to them in terms of physical strength.

But the feeling of working and sweating alongside tens of thousands of common people from the lowest social strata, smelling the mixture of sweat and soil in the air, and listening to the rough work chants and heavy breathing in their ears, was a novel and incredibly shocking experience they had never had before.

Eldest Son, who was kind-hearted and meticulous, quickly forced himself to adapt to this completely new environment.

He did not bury his head in hard work; instead, while carrying the sandbag, he took the initiative to strike up a conversation with an old laborer beside him who looked quite aged, his face covered in wrinkles like gullies.

Old sir, how old are you this year? He tried to make his voice sound as amiable as possible.

At such an advanced age, your body is still so sturdy; why have you come to do such bitter and tiring heavy work?

The old laborer saw this young man, who looked delicate and spoke refinedly but had astonishing strength, take the initiative to talk to him. He bared his few remaining yellow teeth and revealed a simple and honest smile:

Replying to Young Master, this old man is sixty-three this year, not too old, I can still work!

This Yellow River is our 'Hanging River.' If it breaches, let alone our family's few acres of thin fields, this entire Jizhou Prefecture would turn into a vast ocean. When that time comes, the whole family would have to drink the northwest wind, so how can I not come? Protecting the embankment is protecting the home!

Besides, the old man wiped the sweat from his face, lowered his voice a little, and said with a hint of satisfaction, The wages and food provided by the government are actually quite good. I can earn thirty large copper coins a day, and I get three full meals, all of them solid food. This is much better than farming at home.

Oh? Is the food really that good? Eldest Son's heart stirred upon hearing this, and he asked calmly, How come I heard that for this kind of government-organized corvée labor, they only give out stale rice mixed with sand, and thin porridge that you can see your reflection in? Old sir, don't be deceived by others.

The old laborer's face changed slightly upon hearing this. He instinctively looked around, especially at the overseers patrolling back and forth with whips, and then lowered his voice, whispering to Eldest Son:

Young Master, please keep your voice down! Disaster comes from the mouth!

The government's notices do indeed state that every meal will be white rice and solid food, and meat can be seen every few days. But this grain is distributed layer by layer, and by the time it reaches the mouths of us mud-legged folks, it's hard to say how much is left. However, being able to eat black flour buns and drink rice porridge where you can't see the bottom is already not bad. We mud-legged folks, how dare we have so many extravagant demands.

Upon hearing this, a flash of imperceptible anger flickered in Eldest Son's usually clear and gentle eyes. He did not say anything more, but silently kept this matter, as well as the look of resignation and helplessness on the old man's face, in his heart.

On the other side, Second Son, who was resolute in character and advocated practical action, displayed a style completely different from his brother.

He did not like to talk, only burying his head and pouring all his energy into transporting sandbags. He transported them back and forth, frantically, with an efficiency that was even higher than some strong, able-bodied men!

Just at this moment, he keenly discovered that beneath a section of the embankment that had just been reinforced not far away, strands of muddy river water were seeping out like a poisonous snake! That was not ordinary seepage, but a piping failure formed under water pressure!

Not good! There is a piping failure here!

Second Son's face changed instantly. He knew the danger of such a piping failure; once it expanded, the entire embankment would collapse in an instant! He did not hesitate in the slightest, immediately threw down the sandbag on his shoulder, used all his strength, exerted his internal energy, and shouted loudly!

Someone come quickly! The embankment is about to burst here! Everyone come over to help!

His voice, full of penetrating power, was like a thunderclap, instantly attracting the attention of everyone around!

Before the officials responsible for supervision could react, he had already, like a little general, taken the initiative to organize dozens of laborers around him, and with the fastest speed, frantically filled the expanding seepage point with bag after bag of sand and block after block of giant stones!

Under his command, the scene, which had been somewhat chaotic, actually became orderly! That huge hidden danger, which could have turned into a monstrous tragedy at any moment, was actually forcefully blocked by them!

Gao Feng stood not far away, quietly watching his two sons, who had vastly different personalities but performed equally well. A smile of heartfelt gratification appeared on his face, which was usually as calm as an ancient well.

...

During the evening rest, outside the huge temporary tent, bonfires were burning fiercely.

Although they were exhausted from the heavy manual labor during the day, the two brothers, Eldest Son and Second Son, were still gritting their teeth, insisting on Cultivating the basic martial arts that had long been ingrained in their bones.

Every punch and kick, every move and stance, although they looked simple, were full of power and rhythm, and every punch and kick carried a faint sound of wind.

Gao Feng sat by the bonfire to the side, drinking warm rice wine while quietly watching his two sweat-drenched sons, occasionally speaking to point out the shortcomings in their movements.

Eldest Son, your fist is aimed at benevolence; you have a surplus in defense but are insufficient in attack, losing your sharpness.

Second Son, your kick is aimed at dominance; you have a surplus in attack but are unstable in defense, easily taken advantage of.

Watching his sons' steadily improving cultivation, he felt gratified but also felt a sense of indescribable melancholy.

Since ascending the throne, state affairs had been busy. Although his cultivation had long reached the Peak of the eighth stage, he had been unable to touch the threshold of the legendary ninth-stage Human Immortal Realm that could transcend mortality and become a saint.

He felt as if he were being tightly blocked by an invisible but indestructible membrane, and even his omnipotent spirit spring space had not had any changes for a long time.

This made him realize that the simple accumulation of power seemed to have reached its end. Perhaps he needed a special opportunity, some kind of new understanding of the Heavenly Dao or Dao, to break through this shackle and step into a new and broader world.

...

The next evening, Gao Feng did not choose to rest in the heavily guarded palace.

He took his two sons, as well as Big Fool and Wulu, who had also changed into plain clothes, and like the most ordinary wealthy men, entered Jizhou City incognito, which was brightly lit and bustling with people.

They casually walked into a tavern that looked quite popular, named Yuelai Inn, found an inconspicuous spot in the corner to sit down, and ordered a few local specialty dishes.

Inside the tavern, the noise was deafening, and people from all walks of life gathered here.

The common people, who were drinking until their faces were red, were spitting as they discussed the current government affairs, which was also one of the main purposes of Gao Feng's trip.

If you ask me, the current Martial Emperor Your Majesty is truly a sage king rarely seen in a thousand years! Look at this new policy of 'taxing the land, not the head' that has come out; we mud-legged folks can finally catch our breath! No longer have to worry about those damned landlords and wealthy people shifting all the taxes onto us! a burly man said loudly.

That's right! And that 'officials and gentry pay taxes together,' I saw with my own eyes that when Master Wang from the east of the city was paying taxes, his face was as green as a bitter melon! Hahaha! It's truly gratifying! The person next to him immediately echoed, drawing a burst of laughter.

Listening to the heartfelt praise of the common people around him for the new dynasty and himself, a faint smile appeared on Gao Feng's face.

However, just at this moment, the topic changed, and the faces of those common people all revealed a hint of resentment that they dared not speak of.

Sigh, the imperial court's policy is good, but once it reaches our Jizhou Prefecture, it has completely changed its flavor. A middle-aged man who looked like a scholar sighed.

Who's to say it isn't? That Chen clan is simply the local emperor of our Jizhou Prefecture! On the surface, they are respectful to the imperial court's new policy, but secretly, they have passed on the taxes they should have paid to us common folks through various means!

And that's not all! They also made up various excuses to create some kind of 'New Policy Adaptation Fee,' and every household has to pay it! If you don't pay, their evil servants will come to smash and grab! A few days ago, Old Li from the next street couldn't pay, and his leg was broken! This is simply giving us no way to live!

Shh! Keep your voice down! Do you want to die? If the Chen family hears this, we'll all be in big trouble!

Listening to these whispered curses and discussions, Eldest Son's kind face was already furrowed with brows, full of unbearable expression. And Second Son was so angry that his clenched fists were creaking, and he lowered his voice, squeezing a few words through his teeth: The parasites of the country must be killed!

Gao Feng's expression remained as calm as water; he just slowly raised the wine cup in front of him and drank it down in one gulp.

The cold wine slid down his throat into his stomach, but it could not extinguish the raging anger that had already ignited in his heart.

My new policies, when they reach the local level, have actually become this.

He snorted coldly in his heart, "It seems that relying solely on imperial decrees is not enough; a blade sharp enough is needed to sever these tumors that have rotted to the core."

At this very moment, a burst of arrogant noise suddenly erupted from outside the tavern!

A young Young Master, dressed in magnificent silk with a purple-gold crown on his head, his face full of the arrogance and hollowness of someone drained by wine and women, stormed in sideways like a crab, accompanied by seven or eight vicious-looking servants!

This person was none other than the eldest grandson of the Chen clan, who was known among the common people as a local emperor—Chen Tianbao!

His triangular eyes, filled with lecherous light, scanned the tavern unscrupulously. When he saw a pair of father and daughter quietly eating in the corner, and specifically the daughter who looked only fifteen or sixteen years old, with delicate features and a pitiful appearance, his eyes instantly lit up!

He licked his chapped lips and, without another word, walked straight over with his group of vicious servants!

"Little beauty, how boring it is to eat alone; why don't you have a drink with this Young Master?" Chen Tianbao stretched out his greasy hand to grab the wrist of the young girl, who was already pale with fright!

"Young Master! Young Master, you must not! This is my daughter; she is still young and doesn't know any better!" The honest-looking old man hurriedly stood up, blocked his daughter, and knelt before Chen Tianbao in a tone bordering on begging!

"Get lost! You old immortal!" Seeing this, one of the vicious servants did not hesitate to kick the old man to the ground!

The surrounding patrons all changed color, but no one dared to step forward to say a word; they could only lower their heads and pretend they had seen nothing.

Looking at the crowd trembling under his tyrannical power, Chen Tianbao revealed an extremely proud and arrogant smile!

"Hahaha! In this Jizhou City, my Chen family is the sky! I, Chen Tianbao, am the law!"

"The woman I fancy, even if the Emperor himself came, would have to obediently make way for this Young Master!"

"Presumptuous!"

A shout filled with endless fury exploded in the tavern like a thunderclap!

Gao Jing'an could no longer suppress the anger in his heart. He slammed the table and stood up, his eyes filled with Killing Intent, staring fixedly like the sharpest blade at the now outwardly tough but inwardly weak Chen Tianbao!

"In broad daylight, under the bright sky! Forcibly seizing a woman, oppressing the common people! Is there any law in your eyes at all!"

Chen Tianbao was so frightened by the Aura of imperial majesty emanating from Gao Jing'an that he subconsciously took a step back.

Although he was a playboy, he was not a fool. He could tell that the young man before him, despite his ordinary clothes, had an extraordinary bearing and was definitely no ordinary person.

Moreover, the middle-aged man beside him who had not spoken yet but gave him a terrifying pressure like facing an ancient Vicious Beast, along with those two tower-like strong men, made him feel a trembling from the depths of his Soul!

"Who... who are you?" Chen Tianbao shouted, putting on a brave front. "Do you know who I am? My grandfather is..."

"Slap!"

A crisp sound interrupted his arrogant words.

Gao Feng slowly set down the wine cup in his hand. He didn't even glance at Chen Tianbao, but in a calm, emotionless tone, said to Big Fool, who was already raring to go beside him, "Make him kneel, and slap his face."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Big Fool grinned, his signature big mouth revealing a set of bone-white teeth. His mountain-like, burly body took just one step forward, causing the entire tavern floor to tremble violently!

His palm-leaf-sized hand stretched out casually, and like an eagle catching a chick, he easily lifted up Chen Tianbao, who was already frightened to the point of Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering!

No matter how Chen Tianbao struggled or cursed, he appeared so pale and powerless before that hand which was like an iron pincer!

"Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!"

Amidst the crisp, pleasant sounds of slapping and Chen Tianbao's shrill, pig-like screams, Gao Feng slowly turned his head. With a calm gaze filled with endless majesty, he looked at his two sons, who were already dumbfounded, and said word by word:

"Remember. Power is used to protect the weak, not to bully them. When reasoning is useless, use your fists to make it useful."

Just as Chen Tianbao was about to be slapped to death by Big Fool's unreasonable palms, the long-overdue Prefect of Jizhou finally arrived at the scene, panting, with a large group of yamen runners who looked like a ragtag bunch.

When he saw clearly the young figure sitting in the corner—who, despite wearing plain clothes, possessed a supreme majesty of ruling the world that could not be concealed—he felt the world go black before his eyes. His legs went weak, and his whole body, as if all his bones had been removed, collapsed with a "thud" onto the greasy floor. His head, already terrified to the point of Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, began kowtowing frantically like a pestle pounding garlic!

"Your... Your subject... pays respects... pays respects to Your Majesty! Long live, long live, long live your Imperial Majesty!"

Gao Feng ignored the Prefect, who was already scared out of his wits, and said calmly to the Crown Prince, Eldest Son, beside him, "Chengzhi, read to him what you recorded yesterday."

"Yes, Father." Eldest Son took a small notebook from his bosom and, in a voice devoid of emotion but every word piercing the heart, read out without omission all the evidence recorded therein regarding the government's embezzlement of the laborers' food rations and the falsification of project funds.

Witnesses and material evidence were all present! After hearing this, the Prefect of Jizhou was ashen-faced and had no defense!

"Strip him of his office, throw him into the celestial prison, escort him to the Divine Capital, and hand him over to the Three Judicial Offices for a joint trial!" Gao Feng pronounced the final fate of this corrupt official in an unquestionable tone.

Immediately after, his cold gaze fell upon Chen Tianbao, who had already been beaten beyond recognition. "Pass on my decree: Order the Skynet to thoroughly investigate the Chen clan!"

"I want them to pay the most painful price for the sins they have committed over the past hundreds of years!"

The efficiency of the "Skynet" was horrifyingly high!

In just one night, the Skynet secret agents, who had already infiltrated every corner of Jizhou Prefecture, presented to Gao Feng every detail of the evidence proving the Chen clan's centuries of oppressing the people, seizing land, treating human lives like grass, and even colluding in secret with remnants of the previous dynasty in an attempt to rebel!

The next morning, on the Yellow River embankment.

The principal culprits of the Chen clan, along with all the clansmen who had participated in the evildoing, totaling one hundred and seventy-two people, were bound hand and foot and escorted to the execution platform that had already been set up!

In front of the tens of thousands of laborers, Gao Feng personally read out their crimes!

Then, amidst the eyes of everyone filled with endless gratification and relief, he waved his hand sharply!

"Execute!"

One hundred and seventy-two heads, filled with shock and disbelief, flew into the sky!

The hot, steaming blood dyed the turbid waters of the Yellow River red!

The confiscated massive family fortune, enough to rival a nation, was partly used by Gao Feng on the spot to reward the hardworking laborers, and the rest was all invested in the repair work of the Yellow River embankment!

"Long live the Emperor! Long live! Long live your Imperial Majesty!"

Those tens of thousands of laborers, who had witnessed the bullies being executed, the corrupt official arrested, and had received tangible benefits, could no longer suppress the excitement and gratitude in their hearts at this moment!

They spontaneously knelt down towards the young Emperor, who stood on the high platform like a god, and let out their most pious and fanatical cheers!

The sound was like a mountain shouting and a sea roaring, shaking the heavens, even completely drowning out the roar of the Yellow River!

After experiencing this event in person, the two brothers, Eldest Son and Second Son, gained a deeper and more intuitive understanding of "imperial power" and "responsibility," two words that seemed simple but were incredibly heavy.

They knew that what they carried on their shoulders was not only supreme honor and power, but also the eager expectations of the thousands upon thousands of common people!

After decisively resolving the long-standing tumor in Jizhou Prefecture, the inspection team did not stop there but continued south along the endless Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, which ran through the north and south, slowly entering the land of Jiangnan, which had been praised by scholars and poets since ancient times with the most magnificent words and hailed as a "paradise on earth."

Completely different from the magnificent, rugged, and bold grandeur of the north, what Jiangnan presented was another scene, exquisite to the bone.

This was a world of water, the hometown of ink. There were small bridges, flowing water, and houses; black-awning boats drifted leisurely through the crisscrossing river network, and on both banks were dwellings with white walls and dark tiles, with strings of fiery red lanterns hanging under the eaves.

In the season of misty rain, the whole world seemed to be shrouded in a thin veil; distant pavilions and towers loomed in the mist, arranged in a scattered and orderly fashion, like a beautiful painting carefully rendered by a Great Master of ink wash, with every corner filled with intoxicating poetic charm.

The literary atmosphere here was flourishing to the extreme; it could almost be said that there was a scholar at every step, and a provincial graduate every five steps. If you pulled any peddler or foot soldier from the smooth bluestone road, even if it was just a steamed bun seller, they could shake their heads and recite a few poems from the previous dynasty, and in their conversation, they would quote classics and references, possessing a certain elegance of their own.