Let Me Explain, Fairy-Chapter 51 - Forty-Eight s Chaos

51: Forty-Eight Chapters: Chaos

51: Forty-Eight Chapters: Chaos

Given the existence of long-distance communication methods, the timeliness of court reports in this world was quite strong.

Each evening, before the hour of the watch, various counties would summarize the major events of the day and send them to the Imperial Capital, where the editorial department of Hanlin Academy’s Morning News Office would select the important parts to compile overnight.

By the next day, before the hour of the rabbit, the Morning News Office would send the compiled court report content back to the various counties, where the local government office would post them at the gates promptly at the hour of the dragon and also print copies for sale at bookshops throughout the city.

It served as a kind of alternative morning news report and was the only way for the vast majority of the people to learn about national affairs.

The thickness of a court report was somewhat greater than that of a newspaper from my past life, but the layout was similar.

Big headlines, smaller headings, followed by written narrative, and some even came with illustrations.

As Xu Yuan read on, his expression grew increasingly strange.

Apart from some prefectures in the north suffering from the annual winter cold disaster that resulted in some deaths, the rest of the Dayan Empire could be summarized in four words: peace and prosperity.

It wasn’t completely inconsistent with the background he knew of Cang Yuan, but it was utterly irrelevant.

After a long silence, Xu Yuan pulled apart the curtains of the carriage and glanced at the bustling streets outside.

The common folk bustled about, vendors weaved through the crowd hawking their wares, young nobles and beauties walked among them chatting and laughing, and as dusk fell, the Bright Pattern Lamps began to light up.

With his own eyes, he saw the prosperity.

He withdrew his gaze and continued to peruse the report.

Soon,

Xu Yuan found the information he was looking for.

The northern part of the Dayan Empire was at war.

However, it was only mentioned in the last part of the court report, allocated only a few lines of space.

“The Ninth Princess led the army northward, achieving a major victory over the barbarian forces at Hanbei City, slaying over ten thousand of the enemy.”

This description was passed over briefly as if it were a trivial matter.

Xu Yuan put down the report, his eyes filled with confusion.

He did not remember such a war in Cang Yuan, but from this brief description, the scale of the war must have been significant.

Because he had a vague memory of Hanbei City.

He had visited it once as a child with Xu Changge.

It was a military megacity on the Northern Frontier of Dayan, with hundred-zhang tall city walls that seemed boundless, emanating a cold aura.

Looking down, there was a vast expanse of snow and fog, resembling an end-of-the-world wall.

There were also many satellite military towns around it, corresponding to the main city of Hanbei, forming strategic points of defense.

Xu Yuan vaguely remembered Xu Changge telling him, who was still young at the time:

“Hanbei City is the gateway to the northern provinces.

Once breached, the plains behind it will have no defense, and the Barbarian Tribes could spread out like locusts causing immeasurable harm.

“This place, must not be lost.”

And yet, a decade later, this critical stronghold was under siege by barbarian forces.

“…..”

Xu Yuan rubbed his temples and collected his thoughts, deciding not to dwell on it and simply spoke aloud:

“Mr.

Zhou, are you aware of this northern war?”

“Hm?”

Zhou Chen, who was driving the carriage, heard Xu Yuan’s sudden question, uttered a light sound of doubt, pondered a bit, and then shook his head saying:

“Not very clear.

Zhou has never been to the Northern Frontier…

Master, did you read about the war between Great Yan and those barbarians in the court report?”

Xu Yuan nodded slightly:

“Yes, I’ve never understood before.

Now that I’ve seen it, I’m curious, so I asked you.”

“Master is concerned for the country and the people.”

Zhou Chen gestured a fist salute toward the back and then smiling, said, “I really don’t know the specifics, but if Master you are truly interested, after we return to the mansion, you can have the steward prepare a copy of the inside reference from the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

The reports we have inside the Prime Minister’s Mansion are much more detailed than what’s written in this newspaper.”

“Inside reference?” Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow.

Zhou Chen said nonchalantly:

“The official court report is always selected by the Morning News Office; many things are omitted.”

“….”

Understanding the hint, Xu Yuan did not say more.

Zhou Chen, driving the carriage, appeared to have been struck by the topic and suddenly let out a long sigh.

He took a swig from his wine gourd and mumbled:

“Those guys at the Morning News Office always deliver good news and not the bad.

What’s happening outside, don’t they have any idea?”

Hearing this, Xu Yuan’s eyebrows immediately furrowed.

What’s happening outside, that it’s so chaotic?

With Jingjiang City this prosperous, could the situation outside be in turmoil?

But if that were true, it would align with the storyline.

After a moment of contemplation, Xu Yuan then asked:

“Mr.

Zhou, what do you mean by ‘chaos’?”

“….”

Zhou Chen looked back at the small window on the carriage with some surprise.

Isn’t it common knowledge that demonic beasts and bandits are rampant nowadays?

Why wouldn’t the Third Young Master know?

After a moment’s thought, Zhou Chen came to a realization and smiled with a touch of helplessness.

This Third Young Master, if he’s not in the Imperial Capital, he’s in the vast Jingjiang Prefecture; he has hardly ever left the city.

It’s normal for someone who grew up in a “honey pot” to be unaware of the outside world.

Zhou Chen carefully chose his words and spoke softly,

“Third Young Master, you have always been in the city and might not know that in recent years, natural and man-made disasters have been unceasing.”

As he spoke, Zhou Chen sighed, his tone slightly complex,

“I was previously ordered to rush to Jingjiang City from the Imperial Capital.

Along the way, I encountered demonic beast attacks countless times; passing many villages from the air, all I could see were ruins and some skeletons.”

Xu Yuan felt a sinking feeling in his heart:

“Demonic beasts attacking people?”

Zhou Chen clarified, “I’m not referring to the tamed demonic beasts hurting people, but those remaining in the wild.”

“I know.

What I mean is, what about the people from the Celestial Watch?

Isn’t it within their duty to deal with demonic beasts harming the populace?”

“…..”

Zhou Chen did not reply to that.

After a pause,

Seeing that Zhou Chen remained silent, Xu Yuan took the initiative to speak:

“Mr.

Zhou, you can speak frankly.

There’s no need to be reserved.”

Seeing this, Zhou Chen no longer kept his silence, he smiled:

“Because the Imperial Court has no money.”

His laughter carried traces of indistinct irony.

Because there’s no money, the Celestial Watch is understaffed; they couldn’t manage everything.

As for why there’s no money?

Heh.

The carriage remained quiet for a few moments before a voice sounded again:

“Mr.

Zhou, could you tell me the reason for this?

Is it official corruption?”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen had no more reservations and said softly,

“That’s only one of the reasons.”

“What are the others?” Xu Yuan asked.

Zhou Chen did not answer directly but instead asked,

“Does the Third Young Master know how many Sects’ properties are inside Jingjiang City?”

Xu Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly as he shook his head,

“I do not.”

Zhou Chen sipped his wine and rambled on,

“Zuixian Pavilion, Xiao Xiang Tower, the Demonic Beast Market to the east of the city, the vast fertile fields outside the city…

All of these are the properties of the Sects.

“Heh, the silver required to support those Sect members who produce nothing is several times more than the annual military expenses of the Border Army.”

Zhou Chen spoke at a slow pace, yet his voice was deep,

“But these Sects do not pay taxes.

They talk about tribute.

As for how much they offer each year, heh…

they decide for themselves.”

Xu Yuan felt a tingling in his scalp, roughly understanding the situation.

The reason was right before his eyes.

Zuixian Pavilion is owned by that Mr.

Qin.

And the fact that Xu Changge went as far as to harm Mr.

Qin during the Tiandao conference indicates that he too belongs to the local Sects.

At least, that’s the official story.

Zuixian Pavilion, as a den of extravagance, its nightly profits are immeasurable.

And that is just one corner of the countless properties of the Sects, none of which the imperial treasury receives a fraction of.

The ancient scholars of past eras weren’t this outrageous.

No matter how it was actually implemented, at least officially, these people’s taxes were just reduced or exempted.

But here, these Sects straight up don’t pay.

Seeing Xu Yuan speechless for a long while,

Zhou Chen made a gesture towards the sky,

“Third Young Master, the Prime Minister has submitted numerous petitions to the Crown Prince, trying to address this issue, but they are always rebuffed by the Crown Prince with the reason that ancestral systems should not be lightly altered.

“I guess, the reason Mr.

Qin took action against you is mostly because of this.”