Chapter 36: The Will of the People

"That one riding the horse is His Highness the Yan Wang, I have seen him before."

"What a dashing and elegant figure; the lives of the people of Yan Commandery are now in his hands."

"A hero emerges from youth; for the Yan Wang to be able to topple the Huang and Du families at such a young age, he is truly an outstanding man."

"……"

In Dong Shi, the small execution ground was so surrounded by the masses that not even a fly could squeeze in.

After the clansmen of the Huang and Du families were escorted to the execution ground, Liu Fu reported to Zhao Xu and suggested that Zhao Xu make an appearance.

After all, this was a prime opportunity to increase the standing of the Yan Prince Mansion in the hearts of the people of Yan Commandery.

However, Xu Lie objected.

The execution ground was chaotic, and he worried that people with ulterior motives might be hiding among the commoners to harm the Yan Wang.

The two of them argued a bit over this.

But in the end, Zhao Xu decided to show himself.

Living in troubled times, what would it look like to be spineless?

If this continued, he would only be met with the contempt of others.

"Your Highness, sit here."

Once Zhao Xu arrived, Liu Fu led him to the main seat, while Xu Lie led the guards to stand watch.

Zhao Xu did not sit down immediately; standing before the main seat, he said: "My fellow elders and folks of Yan Commandery, the Huang and Du families have wreaked havoc in Yan Commandery for many years, and now they have even raised an army to rebel; they are simply unforgivable. Today, I shall hand them over to you for judgment, to denounce their crimes."

As an elder spoke out, the hearts of the commoners outside the execution ground instantly warmed up.

When had the Rich Clans of Yan Commandery ever treated them like human beings?

None were as kind as the Yan Wang.

At once, some commoners were moved to tears.

In the past, they had only faced desperate suffering.

They knew in their hearts that no one in Yan Commandery could uphold justice for them.

But now it was different; the Yan Wang had appeared.

Now it was actually their turn to judge the Rich Clans; this was something they could never have dreamed of.

In this atmosphere of disbelief, the execution ground was deathly silent.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on Zhao Xu.

"What is it? Do you not believe me?" The sudden silence made Zhao Xu feel surprised.

"Your Highness, let this commoner go first."

As Zhao Xu's voice faded, an old man in rags, with white hair and leaning on a cane, walked up tremblingly.

"This old man has a lowly life; I do not fear the retaliation of the Rich Clans." The old man smiled brightly and pointed at a member of the Huang Family on the execution platform.

"Huang Ren, do you remember six years ago when you snatched my daughter to be a concubine? My poor, lowly wife went to the Government Office to seek justice, but you bribed the officials, framed my wife for extortion, and beat her to death with torture." The old man wailed in grief.

The crowd of commoners was moved upon hearing this.

Someone who knew the old man chimed in: "This matter is absolutely true."

Zhao Xu looked toward where the old man was pointing; a fat member of the Huang Family was trembling with fear.

"Go and bring the old man's daughter here." Liu Fu called over a soldier.

The concubines of the Rich Clans who did not bear the surnames Huang or Du were all detained elsewhere.

The soldier left for a while and returned with a woman.

Upon seeing the old man, the woman immediately threw herself into his arms and wept.

The commoners all looked on.

"Men, take Huang Ren out and behead him!" Zhao Xu ordered.

This was the first case; he had to set a good precedent so the commoners would gain the courage to speak.

"Spare me, spare me..." Huang Ren was so scared he didn't even have the strength to beg for mercy.

An executioner came up behind him, a blade flashed, and a head rolled to the ground.

"Good!" Someone among the commoners shouted.

Then, the sound of cheering spread among the commoners like boiling water.

The atmosphere grew heated, and a commoner rushed forward, pointing at a member of the Du Family: "Do you recognize me? My older brother was beaten to death by you."

After him, a group of commoners rushed forward, pointing their fingers at the Huang and Du family members on the execution platform; the hatred in their eyes seemed ready to erupt at any moment, and they shouted loudly.

The crowd was suddenly incensed.

Zhao Xu nodded with satisfaction.

He said to Liu Fu: "The rest is up to you."

Liu Fu bowed, stepped off the execution platform, and recorded the grievances of the commoners one by one.

He punished them immediately according to the crimes the commoners accused them of.

In one day, over six hundred members of the Huang and Du families were beheaded, over a thousand were sent to prison, and two or three thousand were demoted to slaves.

As the setting sun cast its final rays, the commoners outside the execution ground were reluctant to leave.

They were excited to the extreme.

Not just because they had vented their hatred, but because the Yan Wang was like a beam of light in the dark night, letting them see the dawn.

"From now on, if the people of Yan Commandery have any grievances, you may all come to the gates of the Prince Mansion to beat the drum and seek justice; I will specifically set up a grievance-redress drum in front of the mansion."

Amidst the expectant gazes of the commoners, Zhao Xu fed them another dose of reassurance.

"His Highness is truly a righteous official."

"With His Highness here, we people of Yan Commandery have a future."

"Wuwu... Your Highness..."

"......"

As if they had agreed upon it beforehand, the commoners knelt in a vast expanse.

They had no silver, no treasures; they could only use their own knees to express their gratitude.

"Rise, please rise."

With so many people kneeling before him, he truly dared not accept it.

Clearing his throat, he continued: "The lands of the Du and Huang families have been confiscated, and the indentured servant contracts of the tenant farmers of both families are hereby voided, to be re-executed according to the Prince's Mansion's contracts."

"Thank you, Your Highness." The commoners in the crowd who had farmed the lands of the Huang and Du families trembled with excitement.

Zhao Xu continued: "The Prince's Mansion will continue to lease out the surplus land on a first-come, first-served basis. Furthermore, starting from today, the commoners of Yan Commandery may reclaim land on their own at locations designated by the government, with a limit of six mu per household. The reclaimed land will be exempt from taxes for three years, and after three years, it will be executed according to the Prince's Mansion's contracts."

Although the lands of the two families had been seized, land in Yan Commandery was still scarce.

He had to find a way to increase the land in Yan Commandery.

And to prevent this land from flowing into the hands of the Rich Clans.

What he implemented was still that the land belonged to the Prince's Mansion.

As for the five-year tax exemption, one reason was as a reward for the commoners who reclaimed the land, and the other was to store wealth among the people.

"Three years of tax exemption." The commoners immediately became excited.

The Rich Clans of Yan Commandery wished they could scrape away the very last grain of rice in their homes, yet Yan Wang was genuinely letting them live a good life.

Comparing the two, the status of Yan Wang in their hearts became even more unshakable.

The veil of night gradually descended.

Xu Lie's expression grew increasingly grave, and he said: "Your Highness, it is time to return; hidden arrows are hard to guard against at night."

Zhao Xu nodded and said to the commoners: "Everyone, return home. In a few days, the Government Office will issue a decree; I hope all you fellow villagers will act according to the order."

"Respectfully sending off Your Highness."

"Your Highness, please return."

"......"

The commoners shouted fervently.

Zhao Xu bowed to the commoners and headed toward the Prince's Mansion under the guard of Xu Lie.

Tonight.

Yan Commandery was destined to be sleepless.

The commoners scattered; those within the city returned home, and those outside the city left the city, also returning home.

Upon returning home, they recounted the day's joy and what Yan Wang had said to their neighbors.

The commoners who had not entered the city to watch the execution slapped their thighs in hatred, regretting deeply that they had missed it.

But they could still feel that sense of hope from the words of those who recounted it.

For the first time, they felt that the dark night did not seem so terrifying.

Because the light would eventually arrive.

However, unlike the fervor of the commoners, the Rich Clans of Yan Commandery were terrified.

The miserable state of the Huang and Du families was a nightmare to them.

They knew very well that the days when the Zhang, Huang, and Du families could run rampant in Yan Commandery were over.

Under the rule of Yan Wang, they had to tuck their tails between their legs.

Even the Dong, Yang, and Lu families were filled with trepidation.

That very night, they informed their clansmen not to violate Da Song Law.

Otherwise, they would be immediately sent to the Government Office.

The Zhang Family.

Zhang Kang listened to Zhang Yue's account, his expression growing increasingly ugly.

"It's not simple, not simple at all. He could even think of such a method; I fear he is truly going to become a major variable in Yanzhou."

Gazing at the night outside the window, a cold glint appeared in his eyes.

Zhang Yue nodded, and remembering something, he said respectfully: "By the way, Commandery Governor, we have investigated how the night raid on the Prince's Mansion was leaked..."

After hearing what Zhang Yue said, Zhang Kang was shocked.