Chapter 108.3: Part 3: Tyranny
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Marriage of the Di Daughter Chapter 108 Part 3: Tyranny fancy version of ancient wine shop / tavern / restaurant
At first the people looked at them with interest, travelers who seemed to come from a cave. But when Ye Ming Yu’s bodyguards started asking about Xue family’s affair, these people’s faces suddenly showed fright and one by one ran away in all directions, as if they were trying to hide. Some kept their mouths shut and just shook their heads.
Jiang Li had stayed in Tongxiang for many years and knew that the people in Tongxiang were very enthusiastic and hospitable. Yet obviously, Ye Ming Yu’s group of people frightened these people and not a single person dared to approach them. They were even treated like a plague. In a short half an afternoon, when the people saw their group, they would either take a detour or whisper among themselves.
By the time they sat down in the wine shop, not a single guest was visible.
The same went for the shopkeeper, seeing Jiang Li and their group came in, he probably thought of closing up shop but afraid of provoking Ye Ming Yu who was carrying a sword in his waist. Thus he directly handed the place to the waiter while he went to do the accounts. The waiter was even more ridiculous, he carried tea while trembling in fear. Ye Ming Yu wanted to ask him to bring fruits over for Jiang Li to moisten her throat. He had just opened his mouth and the waiter looked as if he was afraid that some terrible words would be spoken from Ye Ming Yu’s mouth and he ran and disappeared.
“Hey, am I so weird?” Ye Ming Yu felt both angry and funny. “What did we do? These people are like mice upon seeing cats, can they run more quickly? I didn’t even see people being this scared when I had a beard and walked around the rivers and lakes.”
Jiang Li smiled slightly, “Because you mentioned the word ‘Xue’.”
“The word ‘Xue’ is not a taboo word, why can’t you mention it?” Ye Ming Yu’s belly was full of anger after saying this. “Ah Li, I think what you said was right, this place is strange, these people are also strange. If there is really nothing wrong with Xue Huai Yuan, why the need to be this mysterious, trying to hide it makes it more conspicuous! The way I see it, Xue Huai Yuan was most likely being framed. Then which bastard schemed against the Xue family in the rear?”
These words just fell when the sound of a falling object came from downstairs. It seemed like the shopkeeper did not hold the abacus steadily and dropped it onto the floor, thus producing such noise. Jiang Li glanced downstairs, the shopkeeper was sitting at the side of the wine shop’s door, as if trying his hardest to stay far away from Jiang Li’s group.
“Be frightened into complete silence but to exchange their hatred with eyes.” Jiang Li said.
“Ha?” Ye Ming Yu was puzzled.
Jiang Li spoke unhurriedly, “In the 34th year, Wang Yi Yan, the countrymen did not dare to speak, they were frightened into complete silence but to exchange their hatred with eyes.” historical
“In history, there was this king who ruled tyrannically and was incited by his courtiers to change the imperial system. Many businesses that the commoners relied on to earn a living were all transferred to the royal families. For a period of time, the people had a difficult life and the feeling of injustice boiled over. Not only was the monarch turned a deaf ear to the admonition, he still dispatched people to invite many shamans to roam the streets and alleys in the capital city to eavesdrop on the people’s conversations. Anyone they pointed out that was believed to rebel or slander were at once sentenced to prison. As such, the entire nation no longer dared to judge the nation’s affairs and when they met each other, they did not chat arbitrarily. Rather, they were frightened into complete silence but to exchange their hatred with their eyes.”
Ye Ming Yu said, “So you are saying that someone is monitoring the people in Tongxiang, eavesdropping on the people’s conversations and once they find that someone is talking about the Xue family’s affair, an order would be given. Thus the people would ‘change their colors when talking about Xue’ and look at us as if we are great scourges.”
Jiang Li said, “Precisely.”
“This is too....” Ye Ming Yu said, “this is too arrogant! Who in Tongxiang dare to be this tyrannical and proclaim himself as king, does he want to be the overlord of this land? Even Tong Zhi Yang in Xiangyang still worries about the people’s mouths. Who dares to be this brazen, who gave them so much power?”
Jiang Li smiled sarcastically in her heart. The person doing all these naturally had huge guts because the person supporting him at the back was Cheng Wang’s biological younger sister. The situation in the court was restless, whether Emperor Hong Xiao could stably sit in this position was still unclear. Following Yongning, the future might be glorious and splendid. No need to talk about the future, even now, the people fawning over Yongning were not scarce.
Since they were secured in the knowledge that they had a backing, they naturally dared to frighten the people into complete silence in Tongxiang.
“Ah, I understand!” Ye Ming Yu suddenly patted the table. “No wonder Ah Li, you want us to ask about the Xue family with such fanfare. If those people were eavesdropping among the people, the other party would soon be aware and take the initiative to look for us!”
“Correct.” Jiang Li said, “This will save a lot of time.”
Ye Ming Yu saw that Jiang Li was sitting upright, clearly without any trace of foreboding or restlessness. He couldn’t help asking, “But, Ah Li, aren’t you afraid?”
“I’m not afraid,” Jiang Li said indifferently. “In terms of conscience, the body is not afraid of devious shadows. In terms of power, my father is the first scholar, I’m not afraid of anything, the only thing I fear is that he doesn’t dare to come. But fortunately,” the corner of Jiang Li’s mouth lifted and for an instant, Ye Ming Yu felt that her smile was somewhat taunting, “they’ve arrived.”
Ye Ming Yu looked downstairs.
Outside the wine shop, he saw a group of officers riding horses suddenly rushed forward. The waiter was so scared he was shaking all over and nearly fell out of his chair. The leading officer shouted loudly, “Where are the people talking about the Xue family?”
“I, your father, is here!” Ye Ming Yu arrogantly put his cup on the table and stood up. He was tall and had quite an imposing manner as he walked downstairs in large strides.
Jiang Li put down her cup and followed Ye Ming Yu downstairs. Tong’er and Bai Xue were a bit anxious and immediately followed Jiang Li, afraid that Jiang Li would be at a disadvantage.
The group of people dispatched by Ye Ming Yu had also returned to the wine shop and were being surrounded in the middle by those officers. At this tense situation, Ye Ming Yu still calmly strode down the wine shop’s wooden stairs, each of his steps making a creaking sound, yet it made his steps appear even more heavy and resounding.
He was tall, with a sword on his waist, a scar on his face, and an arrogant bandit air, which intimidated people for a while. Behind him, a young girl delicately and gracefully descended the stairs, her smile warm and gentle, pure and clear.
The hero and beauty were peculiarly harmonious, but the leading officer felt that, although the beauty was carrying a smile, her murderous air was more vigorous than the hero and her expression was colder.
Perhaps it’s his delusion.
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