mtl008 Chapter 828 The Princess Zhenguo is coming to collect exorbitant taxes.
Chapter 828 The Princess Zhenguo is coming to collect exorbitant taxes.
The man had a full head of black hair tucked into a transparent black veil, and wore a wide-legged robe. He had a handsome face and looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old.
"Yes, I am their brother, a sibling from the same mother."
“From childhood to adulthood, my two younger sisters have always been outwardly friendly but inwardly hostile, yet they have always been very close to me.” A look of pain welled up in Takumi’s eyes.
“They should have returned to their country long ago, but it was not them who returned. I sent people to investigate in Dazeguo, only to find out that they had died there, their bodies were fed to wild wolves on the mountain, and there was no trace of their remains.”
"And the person who killed them was none other than Qiao Lian'er, whom Brother Mu Tai hated the most. Now, Qiao Lian'er is our common enemy."
"So, you are the crown prince of Dongfu Kingdom?"
Compared to that, Mutai was more concerned about the other party's identity and the benefits that it would bring him.
Princess Hefeng and Princess Lingyu are dead, what does that have to do with him?
"That's right, I am the future heir of the Dongfu Kingdom. Before inheriting the kingdom, I must complete the great task of avenging my two younger sisters."
"Why did Prince Takumi come to find me?" Mu Tai asked.
"As I said before, Qiao Lian'er is our common enemy. We are both princes with high status in the royal family. One of us left his homeland forever because of Qiao Lian'er's pressure, and the other lost his loved ones because of Qiao Lian'er. Compared to each other, we have many similarities, which is the basis for our cooperation."
"So, Prince Takumi suddenly came to me for cooperation, what bargaining chips do you have in exchange?" Mu Tai didn't have a good look on his face. He had already had enough troubles lately.
The task assigned to him by the emperor was to rebuild a gunpowder depot, a task he has yet to complete.
Under his threat, most of the powerful families in Daze Kingdom who had been implicated with him in the past and whose secrets he held against them chose to confess their shady dealings to the Daze Emperor in order to receive leniency. After all, transporting gunpowder to Danu Kingdom was extremely dangerous, and one wrong move could lead to being accused of treason and collusion with the enemy, resulting in the execution of their entire family. Therefore, they preferred to plead guilty.
There were still some high-ranking officials left, but Mu Tai didn't want to be without anyone to use in the future, so he had no choice but to leave them alone for the time being.
Therefore, he was preoccupied with the gunpowder depot and had no time to pay attention to Qiao Lian'er. He couldn't explain to Emperor Zhenyou, and his situation wouldn't improve.
Now that Prince Takumi has come to him, he wants to see what benefits the other party can bring him.
“I know what Brother Mu is most concerned about right now. If I can help you solve this problem, I hope you can lend me some help so that I can successfully avenge my two sisters.”
Mu Tai's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm.
Prince Tuohai continued, "Our Dongfu Kingdom has no shortage of explosives. As long as we transport them by sea and then deliver them to Brother Mutai on the grasslands, Brother Mutai will soon be able to report back to Khan Zhenyou."
This was exactly what Mu Tai wanted to hear. He immediately stared at the other person, a strange light igniting in his eyes.
"Is what Prince Takumi said true?"
"Filling up the explosives depot? Is that less important than my two younger sisters? Brother Mutai, you can rest assured about that. As long as you nod, I will immediately write to Dongfu Kingdom and dispatch a fleet to transport the best gunpowder for the use of Danu Kingdom."
“Alright, since Prince Takumi is a straightforward person, I won’t hold back anymore. As long as the gunpowder depot is established, I am willing to work together with Prince Takumi to send Qiao Lian’er to hell.”
Mu Tai narrowed his eyes: "She has lived far too long."
Now that Prince Takumi is helping him, and Pang You has also passed the imperial examination, his future looks very promising. He doesn't believe he will really lose to Qiao Lian'er.
The irrigation problem in Queyuan Prefecture and its two counties was almost solved. Qiao Lian'er looked at the other counties and found that there were no problems for the time being, so she went to Jinglang Prefecture.
In comparison, Jinglang Prefecture is located in the northernmost part of the Great Swamp Kingdom, bordering the northern tribal states. Its geographical location is very important, and governing it is more risky. Northern cavalry would frequently invade the south, harassing the border and even continuing to probe inland. The people of Jinglang Prefecture did not live a stable life, and in severe years, it could even be said that the people were living in misery.
The garrison troops of Jinglang Prefecture were already used to such situations. As long as they did not launch a large-scale invasion that would cause great unrest and alert the capital, they would only make a show of fighting back, and sometimes they would even turn a blind eye.
After all, there are several lines of defense outside the capital, which are generally impossible to breach.
Therefore, when the emperor entrusted this prefecture to her, it was as if he had placed a burden on her shoulders.
Although the Great Lakes are now peaceful and the people live and work in peace, this is the general situation. The specific situation in different regions is another matter entirely.
Several years ago, the northern tribal states united and launched a major invasion southward. After being repelled by the Great Swamp Kingdom, the two sides signed a reparations agreement stipulating a fifty-year non-aggression pact. While things seemed to be at peace, relations between the two sides had become strained.
However, the border trade continued, with people from both sides selling agricultural products and handicrafts they needed, creating a lively exchange of goods.
Qiao Lian'er and Pei Shijiu walked through the market, passing through the bustling crowd. The market was full of life and the atmosphere of everyday life, yet it also had the exotic feel of the desert grasslands. When Qiao Lian'er saw something that interested her, she would buy it. Before she knew it, she had bought a lot of things, but luckily there was space to put them all.
As she strolled around, Qiao Lian'er almost forgot that she had come to manage Jinglang Prefecture.
The temperature here is a bit colder than in the capital. At this moment, the rising sun casts a warm orange hue on the withered yellow grassland, and the light shines on the faces of the people traveling between the two places, which are both weathered by time and exceptionally peaceful.
Despite the bustling crowd, Qiao Lian'er felt a tranquility that transcended the world, allowing her busy mind to find rest.
Pei Shijiu suddenly frowned, clearly displeased.
"What's wrong?" Qiao Lian'er asked when she noticed this, as she had been somewhat distracted.
"Listen," Pei Shijiu said in a low voice.
Qiao Lian'er concentrated and heard some piercing sounds.
“Exorbitant taxes? That can’t be right. Isn’t it said that Princess Zhenguo is a good person who brings good fortune to wherever she goes? We’re hoping that Princess Zhenguo will make our lives better.”
"You actually believe this? Those in power are all wolves who eat people without spitting out the bones. Those who seem kind are just putting on a good show. We have never encountered such harsh taxes in Jinglang Prefecture, no matter how many prefects we have had. As soon as she came, she wanted to collect five times the original amount. She is like a vicious wolf who wants to drink our blood dry."