northernbook Chapter 983: Kyoto Secret Report Reappears
Chapter 983: Kyoto Secret Report Reappears
The next morning, when the first rays of dawn barely penetrated the thick clouds and sprinkled on the streets of Fusang Kyoto, the whole city was still immersed in a depressing and depressed atmosphere. Most of the shops on both sides of the street were closed, and only one or two shops were reluctantly open. The proprietress or the clerk stuck their heads out and looked at the empty streets indifferently, as if they were expecting something, but also seemed to be afraid of something.
There were few pedestrians on the street, and everyone was in a hurry, with their heads down, as if they were afraid of being recognized, and even more afraid of becoming innocent victims in the storm of war. The air was filled with an indescribable tension and uneasiness, and the dark cloud of war was like a huge black cloth, tightly covering the sky above Kyoto, making people feel breathless.
In the Nishiban Market in Kyoto, the usual hustle and bustle had long disappeared, replaced by a dead silence. In a corner of the market, several vendors gathered together, talking in low voices, their eyes flashing with fear and uncertainty about the future.
"Alas, life is getting harder and harder these days." A shabby-clothed vendor spoke first. He rubbed his red cheeks with his hands, frowning, "Have you heard? The war may spread to Kyoto at any time. The Chinese army has already reached the Acropolis. I'm afraid we won't be able to hold out for much longer."
Another vendor sighed upon hearing this, with a hint of helplessness and despair in his eyes: "Yes, who doesn't want to live? Those who have connections have already fled to Kanto with their families, which is relatively safe. We civilians, with no money or power, can only stay here and wait for an unknown fate to come."
At this time, an old man slowly walked into their circle. His hair was already gray and his face was full of traces of time. He looked around and said softly, "Young man, don't be so pessimistic. At least, we still have His Majesty the Emperor with us. He is our spiritual pillar and the soul of our nation. As long as we unite as one, there may be a glimmer of hope."
"That being said, but..." A vendor hesitated to speak, obviously skeptical about what the old man said.
The old man smiled and patted his shoulder: "I know what you are worried about. But please remember, although war is cruel, it cannot destroy our will and spirit. As long as we have faith and hope in our hearts, we have the power to overcome all difficulties. And His Majesty the Emperor is our common faith and hope."
As he spoke, the old man slowly turned around and looked at the sky in the distance, as if he was praying for something.
The old man's words were like a ray of warm sunshine, penetrating the haze brought by the war and comforting the vendors. They looked at each other, their eyes flashing with gratitude and respect, then they sighed and returned to their stalls, ready to start a day's work.
Despite the shadow of war and the fact that the market was almost empty, these vendors still had to continue their business. They were all vendors selling food. In this turbulent era, food became one of the most scarce resources, with prices soaring and it was very easy to sell. This made them a fortune in a short period of time, but they were obviously not happy about it. The pain and uncertainty brought by the war made them lose the joy they should have for these wealth.
The entire market was completely silent, with only the occasional sound of footsteps breaking the silence. The vendors were busy with their own things, some sorting out the food on their stalls, while others bowed their heads in deep thought, as if pondering their future fate.
At this moment, a vendor suddenly found a newspaper the size of a human face in a hidden corner of his stall. He picked it up curiously and saw the words "Kyoto Secret Report" written on it.
He was surprised by the familiar name. You know, in the past few months, this newspaper has been the topic of conversation for countless people. It revealed many secrets that ordinary people could not know, such as the corruption of a certain official, the affair between former cabinet minister Suzuki Taro and his student's wife, and even the emperor's critical illness.
As the ban on this secret report in Kyoto became increasingly strict, it had almost disappeared in the past half month. Now, this newspaper suddenly appeared again, how could it not be surprising?
The vendor picked up the newspaper, his fingers trembling slightly. He slowly unfolded the newspaper, and his eyes were instantly attracted by the most conspicuous page on the front.
In the center of the page, a very eye-catching headline appeared: "The hypocritical Fuso royal family, important personnel have already left Kyoto." This line of big words is like a sharp dagger, piercing people's hearts. Below, several clearly visible photos are even more shocking. In the photos, several princes of the royal family, under the strict escort of the guards, took a car and left Kyoto in a hurry. Their faces were full of anxiety and uneasiness, as if they were fleeing from an unavoidable disaster.
The vendor's eyes stayed on the photo for a moment, then slowly moved to another page. Here, another equally shocking headline came into view: "The shocking inside story of the Fuso Imperial Family: The Emperor is terminally ill and will not live long." This line of words was like a thunder, exploding in the vendor's ears. He widened his eyes and looked carefully at the photo below. In the photo, Emperor Jindong looked pale, with blood on the corners of his mouth. He looked like he was dying, as if he would fall down at any time. The vendor couldn't help but feel an inexplicable fear and uneasiness in his heart. He couldn't imagine what kind of chaos and turmoil the whole of Fuso would fall into if the emperor was really critically ill.
However, what shocked him even more was yet to come. When his eyes fell on the third page, an even more shocking headline appeared in front of him: "Shocking! The truth behind the emperor's appearance to appease the people!" This line of words was like a sharp sword, pointing directly at the core of the imperial family. The vendor couldn't wait to read the following content. The article detailed the truth that the emperor had no intention of leaving Kyoto because he was critically ill.
At the same time, it also reveals the cruel fact that the royal family had no confidence in winning this war. They secretly sent several princes away just to preserve the royal bloodline, while the people of Kyoto became the victims of their evasion of responsibility.
After reading these, the vendor seemed to have lost all his strength. He leaned weakly on the stall, staring blankly ahead. He couldn't believe that the emperor and the royal family, whom he had always admired, could be so hypocritical and cold.
He could not imagine how the entire Kyoto, or even the entire Fuso, would be plunged into panic and despair if the news really spread.