Do Not Offend the Reborn Wicked Wife

Chapter 925: Chapter 925: A Visit to the Door

Legend has it that in years of great disaster, people were driven to the horrific act of exchanging their children for food. Li Qingmu and Long Yue had only heard about it, never witnessed it in person. Listening to the old gentleman speak, a feeling of unease settled in their hearts.

Qi Jingyu felt it even more so. As the ruler of a nation, he should be making decisions for the countless people under his care. Yet, how could a tragedy like this occur under his rule? How would the historians of the future write about it?

An inept and muddled monarch, exploiting the people, ignoring the plight of the world, corpses lining the road, unable to fill their stomachs...

Thinking of these words made Qi Jingyu feel a sharp discomfort, as if a thorn were stuck in his back.

The unchecked tyranny of these village gentry and wealthy powerful must end. Even if it means offending the Imperial Grandmother, he was determined to eradicate the corruption and evil wind of land seizures!

Watching the old gentleman carry tree bark back home, Qi Jingyu decided to begin his efforts with Bailu Village, delivering a striking warning.

"Imperial Uncle, I’ve made up my mind!"

Li Qingmu looked at him with a half-smile.

"As long as you’re mentally prepared, that’s good. Bailu Village is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many places even worse off."

Qi Jingyu knew the Imperial Uncle understood his intentions and resolutely walked toward the village.

To find out whose hands the people’s lands had fallen into, the best approach was to first understand the circumstances from the villagers and uncover who was backing them.

In this undercover investigation, Long Yue and Li Qingmu were quite relaxed, since it was primarily Qi Jingyu as Emperor who was concerned; it had little to do with the couple.

Long Yue clung to Li Qingmu’s arm, smilingly asking him, "Do you remember those days in Qingshui Village?"

"How could I forget? It’s a pity there is no mountain behind Bailu Village, or it might resemble Qingshui Village a bit."

Li Qingmu gazed around at this village weathered by time, feeling a myriad of emotions. Qingshui Village was the place where he married Yue’er.

Back then, their family was destitute, and the village looked down on the Li family. Being able to marry Long Yue felt truly like fate’s arrangement, as if everything was meant to be.

Long Yue hadn’t traveled outside in quite some time. Seeing Bailu Village, she remembered the old house at Qingshui Village. Over a decade had passed, surely everything had changed.

As the trio walked forward, they suddenly saw a large group of people coming along, heads hanging in dejection. Many had cloth-bound wounds with blood stains on them.

No wonder there were few people seen when entering the village earlier. Qi Jingyu stepped forward to stop a young man leaning on a crutch: "What’s the matter with your injuries?"

"What business is it of yours? Get lost!" The young man saw these three in their splendid attire and unfamiliar faces, shoving Qi Jingyu’s arm aside impatiently.

Long Yue, seeing him hobbling, approached: "I know some medicine. Would you like me to take a look?"

Perhaps noticing Long Yue’s beauty and femininity, the young man’s face softened, "Thank you, doctor."

His right leg had been dislocated from a beating, not difficult to fix. Long Yue asked him to bear the pain, twisted firmly, and reset his joint, causing the young man to let out a howl.

But afterward, he was surprised to find his leg no longer hurt, so he quickly expressed his gratitude.

Long Yue gestured for A Mu and Qi Jingyu to remain silent, engaging him in conversation.

"Young brother, what’s the matter with your leg? Where did those people just go?"

"Where else but to Landlord Zhao’s house!" the young man answered, sighing as he explained the situation in Bailu Village.

Bailu Village was once prosperous, with favorable weather aiding the peaceful life of its inhabitants. Though the gentry were indifferent, they hadn’t committed wicked deeds.

But ever since the trend of land consolidation began elsewhere, the gentry here formed a secret alliance and started using all sorts of ways to illegally seize villager lands, causing widespread resentment.

Especially last year, a locust plague ravaged most fields, leaving them barren. Villagers had to borrow food from the gentry to fill their bellies.

Little did they know these ruthless gentry set exorbitant terms where one borrowed grain would require tenfold repayment the next year.

Many villagers had no choice but to accept in order to stave off hunger, not expecting they’d lose their crops again this year due to a nighttime fire.

Burned land left many unable to repay debts, so Landlord Zhao and the gentry, in collusion with government officials, began collecting debts by force.

They joined forces with the county officials, conspiring to arrest those who couldn’t repay, forcing villagers to sell land to settle debts.

Now, most of the village’s lands have been usurped by a handful of gentry.

But mere possession of land without cultivation yields nothing. Hence, Landlord Zhao gathered villagers, coercing them to lease his land for farming.

Dozens of thuggish bodyguards stood watch, forcing signatures under threat of beatings. This young man cursed Zhao Bapi and was beaten like this.

"Outrageous! Truly outrageous!" Qi Jingyu was infuriated, smoke practically streaming from his ears. Was the Emperor completely disregarded under his watch?

"Take me to Zhao Bapi. I—I must see how audacious he is to act so brazenly!" In his rage, Qi Jingyu nearly revealed his identity.

Li Qingmu calmly remarked: "There’s no need. The problem is more widespread than just Bailu Village. Even if you eliminate Landlord Zhao, it won’t solve anything, as it’ll merely lead to the rise of Landlords Wang or Li."

Long Yue also frowned: "Without striking at the root, the disease recurs. How about we pay Landlord Zhao a visit instead?"

Qi Jingyu pondered, realizing the Imperial Uncle and Aunt were right, suppressed his anger, and headed to the Zhao Mansion alongside them.

Although Bailu Village had only a few hundred households, the Zhao Mansion was extravagantly built, with ten guards brandishing rods, and two stone lions reaching a meter, baring fangs and claws menacingly.

Seeing the trio’s fine attire, not resembling impoverished folk, a guard swiftly approached and bowed.

"Esteemed gentlemen and madam, may I ask the purpose of your visit to the Zhao Mansion?"

"Simply tell them Mr. Qi is here for a visit and demand Zhao Bapi to greet in person!" Qi Jingyu spoke sternly.

The guard’s eyes darted about, scrutinizing the unknown trio, then shouted: "My lord’s name isn’t something you can insult so carelessly!"

He had judged that these three were of lesser status than his master, thus arrogantly trying to exercise authority.

In Bailu Village, his master Zhao Wanqing was akin to a local emperor, even other gentry had to toe the line, so his confidence was unshakable.

Qi Jingyu arrived with anger, ready to hold them accountable, but Long Yue promptly intervened: "Our Mr. Qi is an esteemed official in the court. Hurry and call your master out."

Realizing the visitor was a court official, the guard dared not be negligent and hastily ran inside to report.

Not long after, a middle-aged man adorned with a Purple Silk Hat and draped in a bright red robe emerged, fists in greeting, sizing up the trio while guessing their identities.

"Ho-ho-ho, a long way traveled by the three of you, may I ask which honored officials are you?"

"Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Qi Jinggu."

Qi Jingyu had prepared this identity for himself.

Zhao Wanqing was taken aback, considering the Assistant Minister of the Ministry as a significant authority, then asked: "Uh... is it Yi Er Qi, or Qi?"

Qi was the imperial surname in Dazhou, linked to royal kin which he dared not offend.

Qi Jingyu hadn’t expected this level of caution, so he chuckled: "The Qi that aligns with longevity as heaven."