amaotonovel Chapter 393 Discovering the Existence of Unfair Forces
Chapter 393 Discovering the Existence of Unfair Forces
At dawn, shrouded in fog, Ye Wan and Xie Linchuan trudged through the woods, hidden among the mist and weeds. They had been walking for three full days. This time, their mission was to gather more intelligence about the imperial court. They were in no hurry to return, choosing instead to delve deeper into untouched areas, exploring hidden secrets.
As the team crossed a small mountain range and entered a little-known village, they sensed an unusual atmosphere. The countryside, which should have been filled with laughter and joy, was now dead silent, a sense of oppression hanging heavy in the air. Beneath an old elm tree at the village's entrance, an elderly woman with white hair sat, her face etched with sorrow, yet a hint of alertness flickered in her eyes. Noticing Ye Wan and the others' arrival, her expression froze, but she didn't show any overt reaction. As the team approached, the elderly woman finally spoke, her voice low and hoarse.
"Are you...from other places?" she asked cautiously.
Ye Wan stopped and nodded slightly, "We were passing by here and wanted to learn about the situation in the village."
The old woman looked around and confirmed that no one else noticed before lowering her voice: "Here... no one dares to speak anymore. They're all scared..."
"What are you afraid of?" Ye Wan raised her eyebrows slightly. Her intuition told her that there must be some unknown secret hidden here.
The old woman lowered her head, her lips trembling as she seemed to be struggling over whether to speak. Ye Wan was in no hurry to press the issue; she quietly waited for the old woman to continue. Finally, the old woman slowly spoke, a hint of fear in her tone: "It's...it's the imperial court. Those officials have been here for several months. They come with a group of people from time to time, plundering our food and forcibly collecting taxes. The young people in the village were taken away for hard labor, and many were forced to leave, leaving only the elderly and children. The most terrifying thing is...they said that anyone who dared to resist would have their entire family killed."
Xie Linchuan stood beside Ye Wan, his expression becoming more serious. Although he had seen many dangerous situations, he was still shocked by the oppression of the grassroots people.
A hint of coldness flashed in Ye Wan's eyes, and she asked softly, "Are these people officials from the imperial court?"
The old woman nodded. "Yes, those officials were sent by the imperial court. They treated our village as a place to plunder. Every time they came, they brought soldiers and official documents. We, the common people, were unable to resist."
Ye Wan was shocked. These officials were exploiting the people for personal gain, all under the guise of the imperial court. She vaguely realized that this behavior was no longer an isolated incident, but rather had a deeper underlying purpose, potentially impacting the stability of the entire region.
Xie Linchuan frowned and whispered, "This isn't just oppression of the people; it's also a manifestation of corruption within the court. Such large-scale exploitation must be driven by a more complex web of interests."
Ye Wan was silent for a moment, her mind already made up. She knew that the intelligence she had at hand alone couldn't fully reveal the dark side of the imperial court, but at least she could start from this area, expose the corruption, and change the fate of the people. She turned to Xie Linchuan, a look of determination in her eyes.
"We can't sit idly by. If this injustice is allowed to continue, it will inevitably affect the stability of the entire region and even trigger greater unrest." Her tone was firm, her eyes gleaming with anger. "We must do something to seek justice for these people."
Xie Linchuan nodded. Although he was accustomed to power struggles and shady dealings, today, facing the suffering of these innocent people, he felt a little shaken. He calmly analyzed, "These corrupt officials are clearly not isolated. There must be powerful forces behind them. What we can do is first understand the situation behind it and then formulate appropriate countermeasures."
Ye Wan took a deep breath and began to formulate a plan. She knew that their small team alone couldn't challenge these corrupt forces, but she also understood that with sufficient evidence and the support of other resistance forces, everything would be possible. She told Xie Linchuan, "We need more intelligence. We must find the roots of these officials and expose their crimes."
After a brief conversation with the old woman, Ye Wan and Xie Linchuan decided to stay for a while and begin to learn more about the surrounding villages. They split up, with Ye Wan visiting other villagers and Xie Linchuan staying behind to ensure the safety of the team members.
Over the next few days, Ye Wan and Xie Linchuan gathered more information. It turned out that these corrupt officials were not only plundering this village, but also committing similar atrocities in several surrounding villages. Behind these officials lay a vast network of interests, even involving local dignitaries and power struggles within the imperial court.
Ye Wan realized that this was not just a simple local corruption problem, but a corrupt force that was expanding wantonly throughout the entire imperial system. She gradually realized that if she wanted to eradicate this unfair force, her own strength alone would be far from enough.
After discussing with Xie Linchuan, she decided to unite the surrounding vagrant teams and some local forces to fight against these corrupt officials. She knew it would be a difficult challenge, but she also firmly believed that in this turbulent era, only through unity and collaboration can real change be ushered in.
Ye Wan's resolve remains unwavering. She is determined to fight for justice for the innocent people and for peace and fairness in the entire region, setting off a storm of resistance against tyranny. She and Xie Linchuan stand at the starting point of the upcoming struggle, their hearts filled with responsibility and faith.