I became the tyrant's only belief.

Chapter 105: Cleverly Designated Names
The emperor's majesty was overwhelming, and Zhao Yue's heart was beating wildly with nervousness. She even stuttered when she spoke: "It's sung like this in operas and plays."

Xiao Jingfan asked: "What play?"

Zhao Yue told several plays in succession, all of which were popular with the people, in which wronged people were vindicated and corrupt officials suffered the consequences of their actions.

In Zhao Yue's narration, these plays all have a plot of going to the capital to file a complaint to the emperor, and after the drum is beaten, the person who beats the drum will be punished.

There were nail boards, long sticks, long whips with barbs, clamps... There were all kinds of punishments, and they mainly highlighted the misery of the person beating the drum, which was terrifying to watch.

In two of the plays, the person beating the drum could not endure the punishment and died. Then his relatives and friends took over beating the drum and were punished too, like a relay race.

There are many similar plays. Over time, people like Zhao Yue who watched and listened to plays came to feel that in order to file a complaint with the emperor, they had to endure torture and lose half of their lives before they could see the emperor and state their grievances.

After hearing what Zhao Yue said, Xiao Jingfan's face had become completely gloomy, as if a storm was about to come.

He asked in a deep voice: "Have you never heard the government announce that there will be no punishment for beating the drum to report the incident?"

Everyone thought Zhao Yue would shake her head, but she nodded unexpectedly, "I have heard it. The official read the notice and asked the villagers to go and listen."

Hearing this, Xiao Jingfan frowned, and a hint of doubt appeared in his eyes: "Then why did you ask about the punishment just now?"

Now that you have heard of it, you should know that there is no punishment for filing a complaint with the emperor.

[Of course I don’t believe it.]

“No one believes it.”

Chu Liuzheng's inner voice and Zhao Yue's answer sounded almost at the same time.

Xiao Jingfan was stunned, trying not to look at Chu Liuzheng, and asked, "Why don't you believe it?"

[Why else? Loss of credibility.]

Loss of credibility? What does that mean?
Xiao Jingfan didn't understand.

He looked at Zhao Yue, hoping that Zhao Yue could give him an understandable answer.

After several Q&A sessions, Zhao Yue discovered that the handsome emperor in front of her was not as scary as she had imagined. She became bolder and answered more fluently.

"Because a relative of an official said that everything written on the notice was a lie, just to trick everyone into knocking the drum. Whoever knocked the drum would be captured by the guards, and not only would he be punished but also exiled as a slave, doing the hardest, most tiring, and dirtiest work, and he would not be able to return home until he died."

This is also the reason why she did not go to beat the drum to file a complaint, but instead begged the Princess of Western Xia to take her into the palace and then took the opportunity to file a complaint to the emperor.

She was not afraid of punishment or exile as a slave, but she was afraid that even if she sacrificed her life, her parents would not be able to redress their grievances. She was afraid that her parents would not be able to close their eyes in the underworld.

Xiao Jingfan: "..."

Who said such outrageous words and where does it put the laws of Dasheng?

The doubts in his heart not only did not get answered but deepened, and he even felt it was a bit absurd: "Why don't you believe the official documents stamped with the imperial seal, but believe the nonsense of an official's relative?" He really didn't understand.

Aren’t his words as convincing as those of some official relative?
[Tsk tsk, it's not surprising that a tyrant would ask such a question, after all, he has never been among the masses. He can play tricks on the civil and military officials, but he takes the people's reactions for granted. The emperor is indeed prestigious, but such a title will only make the people afraid and difficult for them to believe. ]

[However, this is not the fault of the tyrant emperor alone. There were already signs of this when the founding emperor was in power. The following emperors left it alone. Only Emperor Ren De helped his son to pull back a little, but only a little.]

Xiao Jingfan's eyes darkened. He wanted to hear what this woman would say next.

Chu Liuzheng was gossiping while complaining in his mind.

[Not to mention the previous emperors, although Emperor Rende implemented benevolent policies to reduce taxes and issued many policies to benefit the people, he did not make the people love him very much. Of course, it was not that the people did not know what was good for them, but that the officials under him pretended to obey but secretly violated the rules and made up excuses. The tax policy was reduced, but the burden on the people became heavier.]

[Take the issue of grain tax collection for example. Emperor Rende was concerned about the people and whenever there was a disaster, he ordered the grain tax to be reduced by half, fearing that the people would not be able to make ends meet. However, although the policy was in place, the officials who were truly responsible pretended to obey it but secretly violated it.]

[Those with a bit of conscience would reduce it by 10% or 20%; those with a bad heart would still collect the full amount, or even collect more. But no matter which one, the report to the higher authorities is that the grain tax collection is reduced by half, so how to balance the accounts? Simple, just create more items. ]

Chu Liuzheng looked at the long and messy list of charges listed in the gossip and checked them out one by one.

[After collecting the money and grain, we need something to store it, right? We need to find a warehouse to store it, right? Then we need to pay a few hundred million for the boxes, bamboo baskets, bamboo sacks, etc.? And we need to pay a few hundred million for the warehouse management fee, right?]

[After collecting all the money and food, we still need to transport them. We need to charge a little for transportation and food and lodging for the people and horses, right? Before setting off, we need to burn incense and pray for a safe journey. We need to charge a little for incense, candles, and paper, right? If we meet someone with a headache or fever on the road, we need to prepay a little for medical expenses, right? ]

【Worn boots cost money, worn clothes cost money, saddles cost money, axles cost money, oiling boats cost money, and…Frog fun! Even the transport personnel have to pay for shaving! Why don’t you say that the people have to pay for toilet paper? It’s outrageous! If a miser walks past these people, he will be ripped off without a penny left! 】

Chu Liuzheng finally opened his eyes.

[With billions here and billions there, the emperor's purse is still the same, but officials along the way have become rich, while the people are suffering.]

[The court shouted slogans of reducing taxes and benefiting the people, but the people's lives became more and more difficult. The emperor, who was high above, turned a blind eye to this. In the long run, who would believe the court's orders? Who would believe that the emperor stood on the side of the people? Isn't this how the credibility of the emperor was lost bit by bit? ]

Xiao Jingfan finally understood what "credibility" meant, but he was not happy at all.

My heart sank bit by bit, but the overwhelming anger kept rising up, as if it was going to burn the string of rationality.

Cold murderous intent was brewing in his eyes, his angular jaw was tense, and even his breathing became heavier than usual.

Zhou Yuande, who was serving on the side, shuddered for no reason, his eyelids twitched, and he felt very panicked.

The last time he felt so panicky was when the late emperor passed away suddenly. His master, holding a bloody knife, walked step by step into the silent Yangxin Palace under the horrified gazes of everyone.

He subconsciously raised his eyes to look at the young emperor sitting on the front right, and even his gaze seemed cautious.

The emperor's lips were tightly pursed, and there was no expression on his handsome, almost evil face. He looked the same as usual.

Zhou Yuande's heart skipped a beat as his eyelids did, as if a calm drumhead was suddenly struck hard by a drumstick, exploding in his mind with a "bang".

——I’m afraid this day is going to change.