Upon learning that Qi Yue was a traveling rchant passing by, the old granny finally choked back tears and spoke.
"Young master is unaware, the old woman was afraid of causing you trouble."
Hearing this, Qi Yue beca even more curious.
"Don't worry, old granny, I am also just passing through temporarily and will leave after three days, so I'm not afraid of any trouble."
And so, several people escorted the old granny towards the suburban area of South Street.
On the way, through the old granny's rambling story, Qi Yue also managed to understand the incident that had occurred at the street corner.
The old granny's family lived in Qinghe Town in the suburbs, where they grew vegetables for a living.
In previous years, Jimo City was busy with rchants coming and going, and there were lots of restaurants, taverns, and inns, making it easy to do business.
The granny's family grew and sold vegetables, and though they weren't rich, they had enough to ensure they were well-fed, and during the holidays, they could even enjoy so eggs and a bit of at.
But in recent years, the taxes levied by the governnt had beco increasingly severe, and this year, they even started collecting money on the road.
The common folks had to pay a toll to bring goods to the marketplace, and once there, they had to pay for setting up a stall, and there was even a fee for watering the fields.
Moreover, these taxes were collected per capita, typically three large coins per head.
This way, a season's worth of vegetables, from planting to harvest, incurred expenses even before they could be sold.
And when they reached the marketplace to sell, there were more taxes to pay.
Because of this, the day the vegetable farrs harvested their crops was the day they ran out of food, barely surviving on ager als.
Take Granny Li, for example, after a year of hard work, all they had left were these two baskets of sweet potatoes.
"Ah, originally, these sweet potatoes were ant to be kept as seeds, but who could have expected... Ah, if it wasn't for my eldest son's illness..."
As she spoke, Granny Li broke into violent coughing.
Qi Yue took hold of her arm and checked her pulse, discovering that the beating she received earlier was not light, and quickly gave her two Blood-Activating Qi-Gathering Pills to take.
This dicine was Qi Yue's latest product.
It was originally prepared for the Black Feather Guard, who always operated amidst blades and swords and needed such dicine.
The effects, of course, were outstanding.
The pills not only contained the blood of the White Rhino but also integrated the active factors of the Immortal Bug, producing marvelous results!
Sure enough, after Granny Li took the dicine, she regained the strength to talk and her spirits lifted.
"Young master, what is this dicine? It's miraculous. I feel like I've gotten several years younger," Granny Li exclaims.
Qi Yue smiled with pursed lips.
"Haven't I said that I am a doctor? Of course, I have dicine."
Granny Li nodded repeatedly, tears falling once again as she kept muttering.
"I am fortunate indeed, and so is my eldest. We've encountered a savior..."
During the conversation, they had arrived at Qinghe Town.
Granny Li's ho was a row of shabby mud-brick houses, with a vegetable garden in the courtyard.
Since it was early spring, the fields were still barren.
It was only upon entering the house and seeing Li Dalang who lay on the bed, barely clinging to life, that Qi Yue understood why Granny Li had been so evasive.
Li Dalang was nearing his thirties, with rough skin and robust bones in his arms and legs.
This would not have been anything out of the ordinary, but his body bore various degrees of old sword and arrow wounds.
Who else but a soldier would have such wounds?
Beyond that, Granny Li's reactions were also highly suspicious.
Typically, an old soldier like Li Dalang returning ho in honor would be praised and celebrated by the court.
But Granny Li was clearly be so furtive, even afraid to speak the truth.
Qi Yue began to suspect that Li Dalang either had so secret, or he had deserted the army!
However, that was a matter for the Nanyue Court, and she had no interest in ddling.
"Young master, if he can't be saved, I will accept it. I know... my eldest... he probably can't make it... sob... I just thought, at least he could take his dicine before he goes, so he leaves this world a bit more peacefully..."
Hearing Granny Li's mournful crying, Qi Yue also found it hard to bear.
Truth be told, Li Dalang's injuries were no small matter.
It was a wonder how he even managed to make it ho.
Covered with knife wounds and almost completely drained of blood, not to ntion a broken leg.
Having examined him for a long while, Qi Yue found Li Dalang was barely breathing, inhaling less than he was exhaling, hardly able to even open his eyelids.
Of course, she could save him if she intervened.
With her extrely valuable Coagulation Pills and the latest wound dicine, he could soon turn the corner.
At that mont, Zhao Tai leaned in and whispered.
"Master, this man's arms are strong, his legs slightly bent, he's a heavy crossbowman, with at least fifteen years of military service."
Just then, Li Dalang on the bed suddenly struggled and cried out.
"Mother... your son is going... to pass away... Take care..."
"Child..."
Old Lady Li scread miserably and collapsed in front of the bed.
Qi Yue's heart skipped a beat, and she imdiately stuffed a Coagulation Pill into Li Dazhuang's mouth.
"Zhao Tai, pull the old lady away!"
"Yes."
Thirteen Silver Needles were sent flying, sealing the major acupoints around Li Dazhuang's body, shaking and trembling, instantly activating the remaining vitality in his body.
After a short wait, Qi Yue pulled out the Silver Needles, and Li Dazhuang was already able to open his eyes.
Seeing that the person was out of danger, Qi Yue took out so external injury dicines and instructed Zhao Tai to clean and dress the wounds.
After learning that Li Dazhuang's life was saved, Old Lady Li was imnsely grateful and wanted to kill a chicken to stew for Qi Yue, who promptly refused.
She originally wanted to ask Li Dazhuang what exactly had happened, but ultimately, she held her questions back.
Curiosity killed the cat, it was better for her to mind her own business.
Upon returning to the inn, Zhao Chong had already investigated the incident of the governnt officer blocking the road and collecting Silver Coins, and had even obtained relevant intelligence from the Rishengchang branch.
Qi Yue flipped through several reports recording the movent of Official Silver by the Jimo Governnt Office over the past five years, her heart stirring slightly.
An ordinary Shopkeeper of a branch actually understood how to observe and record the trends of local Silver Coin flows.
Quite talented indeed!
"Are all these collected by the Shopkeeper of the Rishengchang Jimo branch in the past few years?"
"Yes," Zhao Chong asked, "Is there a problem?"
Qi Yue silently shook her head, focusing her thoughts on the docunts in front of her.
The large-scale extortion of wealth by the local Jimo Governnt Office was actually to repay the taxes owed to the Imperial Treasury?
Moreover, since Han Linghe ascended to the throne as the new Emperor of Nanyue, the Jimo Governnt Office had increased taxes by ten percent.
This year, the Jimo Governnt Office even ca up with various pretexts to levy money.
Strangely enough, the coffers of the voraciously money-collecting local Jimo treasury were still in deficit?
Everyone in the world knew that the forr Emperor of Nanyue, during his fifty-year reign, had placed great emphasis on trade, leading to the prosperity of many large cities like Jimo.
The Nanyue National Treasury was also overflowing as a result, claiming to be the richest in the world.
It was precisely because of this that Nanyue had always maintained a hegemonic position among the four nations, looking down upon the rest of the world.
Yet now, to so desperately press local governnt offices to pay the taxes owed without regard for people's livelihood seed like sothing only a foolish Emperor would do.
But the new Emperor of Nanyue's reputation didn't seem to be poor, did it?
Could it be that the Nanyue Court was not as strong as it appeared from the outside?
Or, was their treasury empty?
Qi Yue chuckled at the thought that suddenly sprung to her mind.
How could that be possible?
With Nanyue's considerable strength, even if there were changes after the new Emperor took the throne, it was impossible for them to be broke so suddenly.
Qi Yue shook the papers in her hand and couldn't help but chuckle.
"Zhao Chong, this matter is a bit odd, inform your Marquis about these details, and see what he thinks. Also, ask Rishengchang's other branches throughout Nanyue to pay attention to this information, especially in the Liangjiang Region."
The Nanyue Liangjiang Region was known as the moneybag of the Nanyue Court; if there were any problems with the Nanyue National Treasury, it would be in this region where clues could be found.
"Yes, I will go imdiately."
Zhao Chong acknowledged and turned to leave, but was called back by Qi Yue.
"Wait, co back here."
"Master, is there anything else you want to do?"
"The person who recorded these things, you said he's the Shopkeeper of the Rishengchang branch?"
"Yes, his na is Xu You."
"This person can be of great use," Qi Yue said, handing the few docunts to Zhao Chong, "Send these to your Marquis as well."
"Yes." Zhao Chong paused for a mont, then respectfully took the docunts.
"Do you want to et this person in advance?"
"No need, your Marquis has his own ideas on personnel matters, I can't be bothered," Qi Yue lazily waved her hand.
"Tell Qingzhu, I want to rest, do not disturb unless it's an urgent matter."
"Yes, Master."
Zhao Chong bowed and watched Qi Yue's departing figure, a smile curving at the corner of his mouth.
—She says she doesn't care but she's actually concerned!
Now that Longnan County Governnt's jurisdiction and Yecheng to the east were connected, the combined size was no less significant than the mainland of Beiyuan Kingdom, and it was ti to start appointing officials.
With such a master, their future was limitless!
Hehe!
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