northernbook Chapter 598 Rumors 4
Chapter 598 Rumors 4
After Xie Shang's team left Zhushan Town, another group of people came here. The leader was wearing a black brocade robe, a jade belt around his waist, and riding a large maroon horse.
Walking side by side with him was Xie Minmin, who was dressed in red. She even gloated over the misfortune, "This is the world that Xie Shang governs, it's a mess. He encountered a locust plague in the first year of his reign. I think the locust plague is the biggest punishment for him. Looking at Qingzhou like this, he must be very worried."
Xie Yun sneered, "During the reign of Emperor Hui Jing, the Great Zhou Dynasty was made a mess by them. My grandmother and grandfather had long said that Xie Jing was not suitable to be the emperor and were ready to depose him, but in the end he killed my grandfather and seized the initiative. It was Xie Jing's incompetence that made the world what it is today. If it was my father who ascended the throne..."
Xie Yun heard from his father that the Cheng family was actually the first to rebel against Xie Jing. It was a pity that Duke Cheng died early, and Xie Jing married the daughter of the Cheng family as queen to silence many people.
Xie Jing’s move back then was really a smart one!
Xie Yun is the youngest son of Prince Kang. He was born and raised in the northwest. He always emphasized that he was born at the wrong time. If he was born ten years earlier, he would never have allowed Xie Jing to sit on the throne for decades.
At this moment, he suddenly had a plan in his mind. As soon as Xie Shang ascended the throne, he recovered the border areas and tore up the armistice agreement with the border areas. Even God could not tolerate such a warlike emperor, so he sent down a disaster as a punishment. All these sins were caused by the emperor's warlike nature.
Once this public opinion gets out, let's see how Xie Shang will explain it to the world and to the ancestors of the Xie family.
On this side, seven days later, Xie Shang and Jiang Fenghua walked around the towns and villages in Qingzhou before arriving at Qingzhou City. They did not go directly to the county town to find the county magistrate, but planned to go directly to the Qingzhou prefect.
Only when they arrived in Qingzhou City did they feel the living atmosphere of the world. Qingzhou City and the rural towns were two completely different scenes. The cries of vendors on the street were endless, and the shops on both sides of the street were dazzling with everything you could imagine.
The city of Qingzhou was not affected by the locusts.
There were many soldiers patrolling the streets, and the defense at the city gate was very strict. Almost no refugees were allowed to enter the city. If they wanted to enter the city, they had to pay silver. Xie Shang and Jiang Fenghua disguised themselves as a caravan and also paid tolls.
After checking into the inn, Lin Feng came back with an angry face.
Xie Shang asked him, "I asked you to go find out the situation, but who are you showing your displeasure to when you come back?"
Lin Feng poured a glass of water. "Everyone in the restaurants and teahouses out there is spreading rumors. I got so angry after hearing them. I don't know who spread them. If anyone catches me, I'll kill him with a chop."
"What rumors made you so angry?" Jiang Fenghua poured him a cup of tea: "Drink some water, your body is your own, don't get yourself hurt by it."
Lin Feng took a sip and drank it, then he said incessantly: “Some people say that the natural disaster in Qingzhou is a punishment from God to the emperor. These are all God’s will. God is not happy with the new emperor’s accession to the throne, so he released locusts as a warning.
They spread the rumor that the emperor encountered a locust plague in the first year of his reign, implying their dissatisfaction with the new emperor because the emperor launched a war, tore up the agreement with the Hu people, occupied the border areas, and the people suffered terribly.
Some people say that locusts are sacred insects and cannot be killed, but can only be worshipped. His ancestors may not have asked him to worship them every day, but he wanted to worship locusts that eat up all the food. I think the people who spread this rumor are mentally ill.
I also heard that some people went to the fields to burn incense and paper just to pray for the "divine insects" to return to heaven after eating their fill. Some people even saw people looking for food being beaten to death after catching locusts to fill their stomachs. They said that their actions would offend the gods, and their families would be asked to pray and offer sacrifices to the locusts every day..."
Lin Feng talked a lot and Jiang Fenghua poured him another glass of water.
Xie Shang frowned and said in a deep voice, "Another statement against the emperor, who is it?"
Jiang Fenghua also sensed something was wrong and asked, "What does it mean that the new emperor ascends the throne? Hasn't the emperor always been your father? Why is it his first year on the throne? Even if you fabricate rumors about locusts, the emperor is not the new emperor!"
Lin Feng immediately covered his mouth. He was so angry that he looked in the direction of Xie Shang.
Xie Shang stared at Lin Feng with cold eyes. Why didn’t he think before speaking?
Lin Feng was also so angry that he didn't expect so much.
Lin Feng continued, "They are all rumors, all slander. They don't even have the capital to make up rumors. They say whatever they want. I don't know which bastard made up these rumors. Of course, the emperor did not ascend the throne this year. The emperor has been in power for decades. They dare to spread such beheading rumors without even knowing the year the emperor ascended the throne. I think they don't want to live anymore."
Xie Shang said: "Someone is talking nonsense, making up stories, and spreading rumors. If we are really angry, we will be fooled. It seems that someone wants to use this natural disaster to deal with the royal family."
Jiang Fenghua narrowed his eyes slightly, "Is this really a fabrication?"
"Could it be that Ruan Ruan also believes that this locust plague is God's punishment for the emperor?"
"I naturally don't believe such absurd remarks. The locust outbreak in Qingzhou is related to this year's climate. The locusts reproduced rapidly after the drought, causing a locust plague. There have been many locust plagues in history, and we will slowly accumulate experience to solve them. There are always more solutions than problems, and we will definitely get through this difficult time." Jiang Fenghua said.
"Ruan Ruan has read a lot of books so she understands things, but the common people don't. When they are in trouble, they will believe these rumors and really blame the disaster on the royal family. Most of the common people are ignorant and don't care what year the emperor ascended the throne. They only know that they have indeed suffered a disaster. The locusts ate their crops and it was God punishing them. Someone made up such rumors to frame the royal family." Xie Shang followed her words and explained: "At this time, more people go to the temple to pray to the gods. Even if there is only a little food left at home, they will take it to the temple to offer to the gods."
Jiang Fenghua was successfully fooled by him. "Praying to gods and Buddhas is also a kind of spiritual sustenance for them. People will pray to Buddhas when they can't think of a solution. You are a prince of the royal family, you should find a way to solve this matter as soon as possible."
"This king will definitely make the decision for the people."
Xie Shang's eyes flashed with a sharp look, and he said to Lin Feng, "Go check on the Qingzhou prefect right now, what's going on with them?"
At this time, news also came from Shengjing City. Lin Feng took the secret letter from the secret guard and handed it to Xie Shang, "Ye Ying sent someone to deliver it."
After Xie Shang opened the letter and read it, he thought to himself: It turns out that Su Qingqing was rescued by Prince Kang's men. How did Xiao Yu learn this news when he stayed in Shengjing? If it is really related to Prince Kang, what did he want to do by rescuing Su Qingqing?
There has been no news of Prince Kang since he was demoted to the northwest. Qingzhou used to be the northwest.
Xie Shang said: "I will write a letter, Lin Feng, you ask someone to deliver it."
He said to Jiang Fenghua, "Wait for me here. I will write a secret letter and give it to Lin Feng to send out to investigate the northwest."
"You guys go!" Jiang Fenghua didn't read his letter. It should be the court's business and it was not convenient for her to interfere.
She thought to herself: I wonder if Bai Yuhan has returned to Jiangzhou?