Chapter 965: The Southern Plague
Chapter 965: The Southern Plague
The locust plague had been ravaging the southern regions of Bingzhou for over ten days now, and the situation was far from under control. In fact, the problem had spread across the southern counties of Bingzhou, leaving the local populace in despair.
As the newly planted crops, barely a month old, were devoured by the relentless insects, the people of southern Bingzhou cried out in anguish.
Although the cultivation of potatoes and sweet potatoes had been promoted in the northern regions, these crops had not yet gained popularity in the south, where wheat remained the primary crop.
Life in the south was significantly more arduous than in the north. Not only were their crop yields lower, but the taxes they bore were much heavier than those in the north.
The people of southern Bingzhou not only had to pay taxes to the imperial court, or rather, to Lu Hai Kong, but they also suffered under the exploitation of the local aristocratic families. In reality, much of the tax revenue they paid to Lu Hai Kong was appropriated by these aristocratic families.
In this harsh environment, the southerners of Bingzhou struggled to make ends meet. Their homes were often devoid of surplus food, and the little they had was barely enough to sustain them until the next harvest. Many families had to borrow from the aristocratic families just to get by. Occasionally, when disasters struck and they couldn't repay their debts, they faced the dire consequence of having their land seized. Their daily lives were already challenging, and the locust plague only exacerbated their struggles.
In those ten days, a sense of despair had enveloped the entire southern Bingzhou.
While Lu Hai Kong was working on a solution, some of his officials were sent to southern Bingzhou to manage the plague and pacify the people. But their efforts had little effect.
What was more critical was that, as Lu Hai Kong was trying to take action, someone was pulling strings behind the scenes.
These string-pullers were the aristocratic families of southern Bingzhou. Instead of fulfilling their obligations during this crisis, they took advantage of the situation, making underhanded moves.
Some, with their shortsightedness and disregard for life, seized the opportunity to annex land, forcing the locals into servitude.
Others, with a more long-term vision, outwardly complied with Lu Hai Kong's orders while secretly communicating with neighboring powers, and discreetly sending their wealth and heirs outside of Bingzhou.
But there were those who played an even bigger game.
Bingzhou, Shang County, the County Governor's Mansion.
After the locust plague, the County Governor spent an entire day in his study.
During that day, he made a decision, one that would impact southern Bingzhou, the locust plague, and also affect his own fate and that of the aristocratic family backing him.
This decision was not made lightly, as he was aware of the challenges and dangers that lay ahead. But sometimes, the choices one makes are not entirely within their control.
The circumstances compelled him to make this decision, even though he understood the price he might have to pay. But he had no other choice.
........................................
Chapter 9: The True Mausoleum
As someone else was about to make a critical mistake, Lu Hai Kong eagerly awaited the system's response.
[Your bonus rewards are being calculated, your bonus rewards are being generated, you have obtained the following rewards!]
[You have cleared the Mausoleum (03), you have obtained the challenge authority of the True Mausoleum!]
[You have cleared the Mausoleum (03), you have obtained 20 million personal skill experience, your legion has gained 1.5 billion war experience!]
[Your command value has increased, current command is 85.]
[Your subordinate general Pan Feng's martial value has increased, current martial value is 93.]
[Your Heavy Armored Warriors (1123 people) have leveled up, current level is [Exquisite]!]
[You have obtained 2 random reward draw chances!]
A series of system prompts sounded, each carrying significant information.
The most significant, the most eye-catching one, was undoubtedly the challenge authority of the True Mausoleum.
From this information, it was clear that the Mausoleum Lu Hai Kong had just cleared was a fake, and a true one awaited him.
Of course, holding the Failed Elixir of Immortality, Lu Hai Kong had no desire to challenge the true Mausoleum.
On one hand, his purpose had been fulfilled, and there was no need to clear the so-called True Mausoleum.
Title: The Emperor's Seal
Chapter: The Random Reward
---
Han Lingdi, the Emperor of the Great Han, had just completed a challenging quest and was presented with a random reward. He had always considered himself well-versed in the ways of the game, but the rewards on display were truly exceptional. He couldn't help but feel excited, as any one of these rewards would significantly enhance his empire.
Han Lingdi had previously ignored the 'Random' aspect of quests, believing that the rewards were not worth the effort. But now, as he gazed upon the options, he felt a surge of anticipation.
The reward wheel appeared before him, a common sight in the game, with ten possible prizes. Han Lingdi's eyes widened as he took in the impressive array of choices, each one a potential game-changer for his empire.
Among the ten rewards, Han Lingdi's heart yearned for two in particular—the 'Master Craftsman' and the 'Unique Talent for a Scholar.'
The 'Master Craftsman' was a legendary figure, responsible for creating formidable entities like Zhang Han, Meng Tian, and even Xu Fu. Acquiring such a craftsman would undoubtedly boost Han Lingdi's empire, perhaps even leading to the establishment of a 'Craftsman Camp' or the emergence of a 'Terracotta Army.'
The 'Unique Talent for a Scholar' was equally enticing. Han Lingdi already had a talented scholar, Xun Yu, with the 'Flawless Strategy' talent. But the chance to acquire another unique talent, especially for a scholar, was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.
As the reward wheel spun, Han Lingdi's anticipation grew. He knew that random rewards were just that—random. But the potential impact of these rewards on his empire was undeniable.
The wheel came to a stop, and Han Lingdi's heart raced as he awaited his prize...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
