Chapter 242: The Seed Sprouts

The tranquility didn't last long. As soon as news spread that Yushun Fish Market had been raided, everyone dropped what they were doing and rushed over.

The Sixth Prince observed the expressions on their faces: the suppressed joy of years of pent-up frustration finally being released, the twisted contortions of those who wanted to laugh but ended up crying, the loud wailing of those who had finally achieved their heart's desire...

A myriad of emotions, yet not a hint of pity or compassion.

More and more people arrived. Chen Zhen and his brother protected the prince and retreated a few steps.

But this retreat was only the beginning. It was as if the entire village was converging on this spot. The crowd grew larger and larger, the cries louder and louder, and even the sky seemed to respond, gathering dark clouds and rumbling with thunder.

Despite this, the crowd continued to gather.

Wu Zheng emerged from the half-collapsed gate of Yushun, his face pale. An Tai's employees supported a group of people behind him, men and women, old and young. They were all malnourished, and several women, wearing obviously ill-fitting clothes, had ashen faces.

They had no future, only the difference of where they would die. But to see their families one last time before they died was enough.

"Ahem," Wu Zheng cleared his throat, concealing his spiritedness well. "Anyone who has an outstanding debt with Yushun, please come forward with your proof to settle the account. Those who usually deliver goods to Yushun don't need to worry. I've discussed it with Li Dong from Shun Chang, and we'll give you all a reply. We won't cut off your livelihood. However, you all know my rules. I'll take the goods, but they must be fresh. If I find any substandard goods, I'll never accept them again. I'm not Cao Dahai. I can't tolerate such things..."

"Let's go." These were just words to win over the people. The Sixth Prince didn't want to listen anymore. Sister Hua had asked him to observe the people's reactions, and seeing this was enough.

But what was the point of seeing this?

Did Sister Hua want him to go out and benefit the people in the future?

The Sixth Prince couldn't help but wonder. Even in a small village, there were so many problems. With the world being so vast, he didn't know how many dirty secrets were hidden behind the facade of a peaceful empire. His father would never know how many people were being oppressed, because no one would ever tell him about these trivial matters in the eyes of those officials.

And he wouldn't say anything. It was useless, he knew. His father couldn't personally handle everything. Sitting in that lofty position, he couldn't manage so much, so far.

But he could!

He didn't have to sit so high. If Sister Hua hoped he would be a good official, when he was able to leave the palace, he would ask his father for an official position and become an official. He would leave that position and the cramped and oppressive palace. The Great Daqing Dynasty was so vast, he could go anywhere.

The Sixth Prince stopped and turned back, looking at the crowd converging from all directions. He thought to himself, he would remember this lesson. One day, when he achieved his heart's desire, he would never allow such things to happen in the place he governed!

Hua Zhi didn't know that the seed she had planted had already begun to sprout. She made a new list and, after reviewing An Tai Fish Market's current inventory, she realized that she had underestimated the demand. She added several more items to the original list, as well as some less common seafood. Naturally, the prices would be higher, but there would always be people who knew a good thing when they saw one.

She expected the negotiation tomorrow to go very smoothly. Once the contract was signed, she could return to the capital.

Hua Zhi was a little dazed. It had been almost a month since they had last seen each other. In this era without WeChat or phone calls, maintaining a relationship was quite difficult. Now that half a month had passed, Yan Xi should have returned.

The wind picked up, and the doors and windows rattled. Soon, the rain poured down, pattering against the windows like falling beans. The usually quiet streets were now filled with shouts and angry cries, sounding quite passionate.

"Hold on," Hua Zhi commanded, halting Bao Xia's attempt to close the window. She leaned against the frame, gazing out at the tumultuous scene. As her eyes darted downward, she spotted the guards escorting the young prince, Xiao Liu, back into the inn at a swift pace.

"Prepare some dry towels," she ordered.

A moment later, footsteps approached from behind.

"Sister Hua, I'm back."

Bao Xia hurriedly offering the towels. Hua Zhi turned, her gaze still fixed on the window, the cool breeze caressing her skin. "Has Wu Zheng managed to control the situation?"

"Yes," Xiao Liu replied, wiping his face with a towel. "He brought quite a few people from the Yu Shun Fishing Village. It seems they've been through a lot." He paused, his brow furrowed. "Why doesn't the village head do something about Cao Dahai being so tyrannical? Even if the village head can't control him, there's the district head and the county magistrate. They could at least report him and make him behave. The people of Shui Guang Village wouldn't have to suffer so much."

Hua Zhi smiled and beckoned to Xiao Liu. Together, they turned to the crowd outside, who remained undeterred by the torrential rain.

"In the Great Daqing Dynasty, just like any other ancient dynasty, there were officials at the county, district, and village levels," she began. "But in some places, these positions didn't hold much weight. If the village head belonged to one of the dominant clans in Shui Guang Village – the Wu or the Li – then perhaps he would have some authority. But if he was an outsider, he'd be little more than a figurehead. Despite the centralized power of the Great Daqing, in remote areas like this, the real power lies with the clan elders and the local strongmen. They have more influence than a cartload of village heads. And when it comes to dealing with bullies like Cao Dahai, they're practically toothless. As for reporting him to higher authorities... who would dare?" she chuckled. "Most people have families to think about. They might report Cao Dahai, but then their own families would suffer. To the villagers, Cao Dahai is a vicious beast that must be avoided at all costs. So, in the end, it all comes down to perspective. They've been intimidated by him."

Xiao Liu listened intently, absorbing every word. After a moment of silence, he asked, "So, the village head is useless?"

"Not entirely," Hua Zhi replied. "But his power is limited. After all, when the government issues new decrees, they have to be passed down through these local officials."

She patted Xiao Liu on the shoulder. "Think about it, Xiao Liu, whether there is a way to solve this problem. The people's needs are simple. They just want to live in peace."

"Yes," Xiao Liu replied, his voice filled with determination.

Hua Zhi smiled. Young and eager, he reminded her of a newborn calf unafraid of the tiger. But solving the problem was far from simple. If it were easy, the system wouldn't have persisted for centuries. She thought about the future – a world powered by electricity, where a single ID card could grant access to countless resources. But first, they needed electricity, computers...

And with that thought, Hua Zhi couldn't help but laugh.

———TN: Are you missing the modern world, Huahua?