Chapter 52: Setting Off Again

After that, Feng Zi spent an afternoon explaining the specific situation of Daishan County to Lu Dun and the others.

And they were indeed worthy of being the talents specially selected by County Magistrate Lu; they quickly grasped the current situation and began to set about rebuilding the order of Daishan County.

They were also truly as Lu Dun had said, basing everything on the "foundation" that Feng Zi had laid, and did not disturb the lives of the common people.

After that, Feng Zi politely declined the "farewell banquet" proposed by Lu Dun and left alone, taking advantage of the gradually descending night:

For these past days, he had almost constantly been bathed in the eager gazes of the people, and had deeply realized his status in the hearts of the commoners of Daishan County.

Therefore, Feng Zi did not want to disturb the normal lives of the people again because of his departure—

Since he came alone, let him leave alone.

Looking back at the flickering lights on both sides of the street, a sense of relief washed over Feng Zi.

Immediately, he gripped the precious bow in his hand and continued walking south without looking back:

Although he had not gained much from his journey in Daishan County, he had no regrets since he was able to help the people here.

What's more, had Feng Zi really not gained anything?

The resources needed for his journey had been replenished, his pack was filled with herbs to supplement his Qi and Blood Power, and he had even memorized over ten cultivation techniques in his mind...

Most importantly, the experience in Daishan County had deepened his own insights into the Martial Dao, allowing him to comprehend an Earth Grade Fist Technique: the "Hundred Flower Misdirection Fist"!

By the next day, when the people of Daishan County discovered that Feng Zi had already left, he had already traveled more than ten miles.

……

In the two or three days that followed, Feng Zi's life returned to the routine of traveling:

In the early morning, he would first spend an hour practicing his fist techniques and archery;

When the sun had fully risen into the sky, he would travel along the overgrown main road, under the shade of the trees in the forest;

When the sun set behind the western mountains, he would hunt in the forest, eat a dinner, practice his fist techniques for another hour, and then sleep on a tree branch.

During this period, if the map gifted by Qian Lao did not match reality, he would use a charcoal pencil to make corrections.

And on the journey, Feng Zi also passed through several villages one after another.

The scale of these villages was not large, and the lives of the villagers were not very affluent, barely enough to satisfy their hunger and warmth.

But in this current world where every place is governed by its own rules and the law has gradually been lost, this kind of life could barely be considered a kind of peach-blossom spring existence.

The population of each village was not large, but they chose to huddle together for warmth—the few Martial Artists and hunters gathered together to form patrol teams to protect their respective homes.

These ordinary farmers might not have the insight of the powerful, but they were also using their own wisdom to barely survive.

Feng Zi did not disturb the normal lives of these families; he only exchanged some supplies with them and exchanged some local information before continuing on his way.

Just like this, traveling until the morning of the third day, Feng Zi saw a continuous stretch of farmland from afar.

He subconsciously took out the map book he carried with him, compared it with his own pace, and pondered:

"According to the information on the map, this should be a small village without even a name, but looking at this scene... it is at least a county town no smaller than Daishan County."

Regarding this discrepancy, Feng Zi did not feel surprised in the slightest—

The map book gifted to him by Qian Lao was already very old, and he did not know how many years ago it was made.

There is no eternal royal power in the world; after so many years, it is highly possible for villages to develop into towns and cities to turn into ruins.

For Feng Zi, this map being able to guide the general direction was already enough.

While he was thinking, he had already arrived at the side of the fields and saw an old farmer with a thin, gaunt build.

The other party was waving a rake in the field, loosening the soil.

Although Feng Zi was puzzled as to why the other party was so thin and weak, he did not think too much about it and just called out from the side of the road: "Old man, I am a passing traveler, I would like to ask you for directions!"

Hearing these words, the old farmer was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Feng Zi: "Are you looking for me?"

The moment he saw the old farmer's appearance, Feng Zi couldn't help but be shocked:

The other party was so thin and weak that the bones all over his body could be seen clearly; he was no different from the refugees fleeing famine described in the history books of his past life!

His heart was greatly shaken, and he could not imagine how dire the other party's situation was.

Seeing him standing there in a daze, the old farmer walked up and shouted loudly: "Passerby, are you calling me?"

Hearing this shout, Feng Zi immediately came back to his senses and asked with a kind smile: "Old man, I am a traveler wandering the world, may I ask where this is?"

"Listening to the way you speak, you seem like one of those scholars." Hearing this, the old farmer shook his head helplessly, pointed his hand to the south, and replied:

"This is Yuanping County. If you follow this road under your feet, you can walk to the county town."

Yuanping County... Feng Zi kept this name in his heart, nodded slightly, and said: "Thank you, old man."

The old farmer did not have much of a response to this, just turned around casually: "No trouble, no trouble. If there is nothing else, I will go back to my work."

Watching the old man's hunched figure gradually moving away, Feng Zi still couldn't help but ask: "Old man, is this year's harvest not good? You look too thin."

Hearing this question, the old farmer was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting him to ask such a question,

But the other party still turned around, and a heartfelt smile appeared on his wrinkled face:

"What kind of talk is that—this year's harvest is very good! After paying thirty-five percent to the government and thirty-five percent to the landlord, the remaining grain can still support us until next winter!"

Hearing this answer, Feng Zi was already too shocked to speak:

The tenant farmers here actually have to bear a field tax and land rent as high as seventy percent! This is basically daylight robbery, right?!

It is no wonder that this old farmer would be so gaunt... working hard for a year and only being able to keep thirty percent of the harvest, anyone would end up like this!

As the son of a farming family, Feng Zi remembered very clearly:

In Wutai County, his own family, as owner-cultivators, had to pay fifteen percent of their field tax to the County Government Office every year;

If they were tenant farmers for a large family, they would have to pay an additional ten percent in land rent to the landlord.

If they encountered a disaster year, the County Government Office would even lower the field tax by another five percent!

But seeing the old farmer's matter-of-fact demeanor, it was clear that the other party had long been accustomed to such exploitation, and the words in Feng Zi's heart were stuck in his throat.

In the end, a thousand emotions could only turn into a helpless sigh.

Feng Zi cupped his hands to the old farmer and said: "Thank you, old man. I have no other questions. Thank you for taking the time to enlighten me."

Although he had once helped the people of Daishan County escape the oppression of the Sun Family, Feng Zi knew very well in his heart that he was just an ordinary Martial Master, not a savior.

Perhaps in Yuanping County, this proportion of taxation was simply the custom?

To rashly step forward would not only be full of danger, but might also break the hard-won balance of this place.

At a moment when he knew nothing of the local situation, Feng Zi could not, and dared not, make a reckless decision.

Regarding his thanks, the old farmer shook his head with a smile and said, "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter; as long as I could be of help, that is enough."