We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

Li Lin opened his eyes wide, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

He knew very well what kind of people these aristocratic families were. They often exploited the common people, and their children did not have any decent family traditions. Many of them brought trouble to the village.

Since I have captured these noble families, the people should be celebrating, but why are they pleading for them instead?

Li Che narrowed his eyes, already having a plan in mind.

He silently looked back at Wang Yu and others in the prison van, but the latter just lowered their heads in silence and refused to look at him.

Seeing Li Che's expressionless face, Li Lin couldn't help but ask, "Everyone, where did you get this from?"

The old man stepped forward and said in a sad voice, "Your Highness, you don't know that we are all tenants of the families of several masters."

"In recent years, taxes in the North have been rising, and natural disasters are frequent. Life has long been unsustainable for common people like us.

Fortunately, the family heads took over our land and made us tenants. Although we no longer have the status of farmers, at least we don't have to pay taxes and can barely survive.

During disaster years, the heads of families would provide free porridge. Our children could also become servants in various families, and their future lives would be secure.”

As the old man spoke, his eyes turned red:

"The family heads are good people. They protected us. Now that Your Highness has captured them, how are we going to survive?"

The old man's words were like a fuse, igniting the emotions of the people. The cries and pleas for mercy were deafening.

Li Lin was stunned and didn't know how to answer for a moment.

He turned around to look at Li Che, but saw that he was just watching coldly with an indifferent expression, as if all this had nothing to do with him.

Li Lin sighed and asked, "The imperial court hasn't raised taxes in recent years, so why are they saying the taxes are so heavy?"

The old man replied, "Your Highness, you may not know that the imperial court's taxes are not high, but the officials in the north collect a lot."

After saying that, the old man listed out the miscellaneous taxes one by one, which left Li Lin stunned.

The officials in the north are really bold. The reasons for collecting taxes are extremely outrageous, such as the leftover women tax, the barefoot donation, and the feces tax...

Even when you die you have to pay a grave tax!

Li Che watched coldly, sneering in his heart.

In fact, the taxes in the north are not high. They are all set by the court. Li Che believes that the court is unaware of these miscellaneous taxes in the north.

It is definitely wrong for Emperor Qing to say that he loves the people like his own children. Since ancient times, there has never been an emperor who completely loves the people like his own children. They all treat the people as their own livestock. No one should laugh at anyone else.

If we don't say that he loved the people like his own sons, then Emperor Xuanzong of Tang should be considered one of them. He really treated the people and his sons equally.

Emperor Qing also treated the people as the private property of the Li family, but among many feudal emperors, he was considered to be relatively good to these people. After he ascended the throne, he had been resting and recuperating with the people.

The reason why the people had a hard time living was because the officials in the north arbitrarily imposed heavy taxes and levies.

And who are the officials in the north?

Either he is from a noble family, or he is from a noble family!

These noble families harmed the people while annexing the land, but the people could not see through it and regarded the bad guys as saviors!

The aristocratic families took the common people as tenants, but occupied their land, forcing the common people to farm for them from generation to generation, with no chance of turning their lives around!

Such vicious means became a good deed in the eyes of the people, which Li Che found ironic.

No wonder the Legalists led by Shang Yang believed that the weaker and more ignorant the people were, the stronger and more stable the country would be.

Most of the time, these people really can't tell who their enemies are.

Even the famous rebellious saying "Are kings, princes, generals and ministers born of different species?" seems to have broken the shackles of imperial bloodline, but in fact it is still within the discourse system of "kings, princes, generals and ministers."

In this system, those who successfully rebel will only become the next "king, prince, general or minister". The world will remain the same and the people will still be oppressed.

But Li Che also knew that the reason why people are ignorant is actually because of ignorance, that is, the lack of mastery and understanding of knowledge.

Ultimately, it is the family's monopoly on knowledge that is the cause of this evil.

At this moment, Li Lin was still trying to persuade them earnestly: "Once this matter is resolved, the court will naturally send people to settle you down and will not let you lose your way."

"Your Highness, we have no land..." a young tenant whispered, "My whole family is tenants. We have no land, so we can only farm for the masters, and they give us a bite to eat..."

"Yes, Your Highness, without the family heads, we would starve to death..." another commoner echoed.

Li Lin felt a pang of sadness in his heart, but he still patiently persuaded them: "Apart from the excessive taxes and levies, the imperial court's taxes are not high. As long as you work hard on your farm, you can live a good life!"

"Don't worry, the court will distribute land to you and restore your status as farmers. You will own your own land and no longer have to be exploited by the aristocratic families!"

The people looked at each other, their eyes full of suspicion.

They no longer believed in the imperial court, and they did not want to regain their status as farmers. Even if they became slaves to aristocratic families, at least their lives would be safe.

Seeing that the people were about to make trouble again, Li Che on the side finally spoke up.

"have you had enough?!"

His voice was cold and majestic, like the north wind in winter, sweeping across the entire city gate in an instant, shocking the crowd into silence.

"Do you know that these noble families are colluding with foreign enemies and intending to rebel?" Li Che's voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable force that silenced everyone. "If you plead for them, you are guilty of treason!"

The people were immediately frightened out of their wits and trembled like sieves.

Li Che is not as easy to talk to as Li Lin.

It’s true that he is good to the people, but he will not be morally kidnapped because of this.

"Tell me! Who gave you the courage to come here to stop the king?!"

Li Che looked sharply at the old man in the lead.

The old man was startled and said quickly, "What do you mean, Your Highness? We all came here voluntarily."

"Come here voluntarily?" Li Che sneered, "Okay, then I want to ask you, you just said you were a tenant?"

"Exactly."

"Stretch out your hands! Let us see which farmer has such smooth hands!"