Shengjing Noble

Chapter 515 Enemy or Friend

"It should be here, let's go in."

Fu Wuyang pushed lightly, and the faded red rope on the door broke.

As the dilapidated wooden door creaked, the two men walked into the yard.

In the moonlight, I could barely see that the yard was overgrown with weeds, dirty and messy.

"It looks like no one has lived here for a long time."

"Go inside and take a look."

"it is good."

The two looked around to make sure no one was following them, then they walked into the middle room with confidence.

Su Lanyin took out the fire starter she carried with her and managed to create a little light.

There was almost nothing in the room except for a broken table and a few broken stools. It looked like the main room.

It was the first time that Fu Wuyang understood what it really felt like to be penniless.

As he walked forward, his foot hit a fallen stool, so he bent down to pick it up. Just as he had put it in place, the stool broke apart and fell down again, with all its legs spread out.

Su Lanyin said: "What are we doing here?"

"Of course, I'm looking for evidence."

"What evidence?"

"Fang Hengzhi said that their land was forcibly bought away because of a drought that hit the village and the harvest was total. So Zhao Zide took advantage of the natural disaster to drastically lower the price and forcibly take the villagers' land."

“Won’t the villagers resist?”

"Of course the villagers resisted and even took the case to the county government. Unfortunately, Zhao Zide had bribed the county magistrate long ago, so he was able to act lawlessly and bully others."

"This is the Emperor's territory. Can't we go to the capital to file a complaint?"

"That's too simple. Zhao Zide is all-powerful and has spies everywhere. Not to mention that the villagers don't have the money to go to the capital, even if they are lucky enough to run to Shengjing, not everyone can beat the drum to file a complaint to the emperor."

"why?"

"It has been a law since ancient times that those who beat the Ascension Drum must first be beaten with thirty military sticks to show their determination. Ordinary people may die from even ten sticks, let alone thirty. Even a strong man like me who has practiced martial arts since childhood can only endure thirty sticks, and I may not be able to withstand it."

"Isn't this forcing people to die?" Su Lanyin was dissatisfied. "Is this Dengtian drum used to redress the grievances of the people, or to take their lives?"

"This is the rule, no one can change it. However, if we find evidence that Zhao Zide forcibly bought the villagers' land, we can hand it over directly to my brother."

"But where is the evidence?"

"Fang Hengzhi said that before he was arrested, he hid the receipts for the sale of land in the main hall. They recorded how many acres of land his family had and how much money they sold it for."

"It's been so many years. Are you sure the evidence is still here?"

"No matter what, since we are here, we have to look for it. If we really can't find it, we can only ask other villagers."

"Then let's split up and search."

"it is good."

Su Lanyin handed him a fire starter, and then they both started checking from one place each.

Soon, the small house was searched thoroughly, but still no clues were found.

"Did you find it?" Fu Wuyang asked.

Su Lanyin shook her head: "No, didn't Fang Hengzhi tell me where it was hidden?"

"He said he hid it in a hurry. He can't remember it clearly after so many years, but he is sure that he hid it in this room."

"Since he can't remember clearly, it is very likely that it is in another room and he remembered it wrongly. In any case, since we are here, let's search them all."

"Well, what you said makes sense. I'll go to the left wing, and you go to the woodshed over there to look for it."

"it is good."

The two men turned and walked towards different rooms. After a while, they met again in front of the main room door.

"did you find it?"

"No."

Both of them returned empty-handed and looked at each other helplessly.

Fu Wuyang was somewhat discouraged: "Could it be that Zhao Zide has really looted it?"

Su Lanyin analyzed: "When we came in, the main room was in a mess. It was obvious that someone had rummaged through it. It seems that someone came to look for it in advance, so the receipt is likely to have been taken away."

"That's not right! If it was Zhao Zide who sent people to search, there would be no need for him to tie the red rope at the door when he left." Fu Wuyang questioned.

"Hmm...what your Highness said does make some sense. Since it wasn't Zhao Zide who sent someone to look for him, then there must be someone else."

"I just don't know if this person is an enemy or a friend."

"It seems there are no clues. What should we do next?"

"Fang Hengzhi said that there was a widow next door who was willing to disfigure herself to protect herself, and that's how she escaped Zhao Zide's clutches. At the time, she and her young daughter lived on the pension left by her husband, so even after their land was forcibly bought away, they were able to barely make ends meet."

"Then let's go take a look?"

"Ah."

Su Lanyin and Fu Wuyang quietly came to the yard next door under the cover of night.

After climbing over the earthen wall, the two men landed in the yard. There were two dilapidated mud houses in the middle. There was no light. Either no one was there or everyone was asleep.

Su Lanyin and Fu Wuyang were about to step forward when they suddenly heard the sound of a woman sobbing sadly in the silent night.

"Shh!"

Fu Wuyang made a gesture to keep quiet, then naturally took Su Lanyin's hand, gently moved to the outside of the main house, and lay down at the wall to eavesdrop.

There were no candles in the house, but one could clearly hear two women talking.

"Mother...I can't do it...wuwuwu..."

It was a young girl crying. She must have encountered something sad. There was some fear in her tone and she was trembling slightly.

"I have to do it even if I can't! Nannan, after your father died in the army, we are the only ones left to depend on each other. Your mother is useless and can't protect you, so this is the only way to keep you alive!"

The woman's voice was hoarse and she sounded like she was holding back her tears, and she sounded very painful.

The girl named Nannan broke down and burst into tears.

"I just came of age... I don't want to be disfigured... I'm afraid..."

"Mom doesn't want to either... But if that beast Zhao Zide spots you, you're doomed, Nannan... Listen to mom, it's just a few cuts, it won't hurt as much as you think. Look at mom, she has scars all over her face, but she's still alive and well, isn't she?"

"But...but my daughter can't do it..."

"Okay! Since you can't get down, let mother do it!"

Su Lanyin and Fu Wuyang looked at each other, realized that something was wrong, and no longer hid. They quickly pushed the door open and rushed in.

"stop!"

"Clang" is the sound of the knife falling to the ground.

The mother and daughter in the house were so scared when they saw someone suddenly break in that they dropped the knife in their hands.

At one moment, both of them screamed, and the woman retreated, protecting her daughter.

Su Lanyin hurried forward to comfort them, "Don't be afraid, you two! We are not bad people!"

Hearing that the other party was a woman's voice, the mother and daughter gradually calmed down, but they still kept their frightened eyes open in the darkness, staring at the two people who came in from the door.