Divine Doctor Mommy Is A True Big Shot-Chapter 130 - 132 The Feeling of Having Someone to Back

They drove the group of raggedly dressed farmers to one side like herding animals, but when they saw the servants of the officials and nobility, they ordered tea and water for them without any courtesy.

Feng Bailing was in line among the common people, and with it being the busy farming season, hundreds of villagers from around Chu City had come, forming a long queue.

By 11 a.m., it was finally the turn of the farmer woman in front of Feng Bailing.

She was probably around fifty, with a yellowish, thin face, and her back was somewhat hunched. Her coarse clothing was full of patches.

“Sir, I am a farmer from Qi Village, and I would like to purchase seeds on credit for spring planting.”

The moment the farmer woman spoke, Feng Bailing couldn’t help but take another look at her.

Qi Village was Dongfang Lianhua’s fief.

It was said that Qi Village suffered a locust plague last year, with not a single grain harvested, and the farmers could not even feed themselves.

Fortunately, in the past few years, the taxes for the fiefs of the royal family had been exempted under various pretexts. Dongfang Lianhua, being soft-hearted, did not collect the taxes either, but yesterday during dinner, Dugu Wu mentioned that the Ministry of Revenue intended to collect the past five years’ fief taxes?

“Qi Village? You’re here to buy seeds on credit again, you didn’t pay for last year’s seeds, and now you want to freeload again, get out, get out!”

The agricultural officer looked at her with disdain.

In these chaotic times, there were natural and man-made disasters everywhere, and everyone seemed to be buying on credit, which couldn’t be allowed.

“My lord, please, we had a locust disaster in our village last year and harvested nothing. Just this once, if we plant grains this year, we will definitely repay. If we don’t plant grains, the people of Qi Village will starve to death.”

The farmer woman hurriedly knelt down, knocking her head on the ground several times until her forehead was bleeding.

“Take her away. You don’t have money, you deserve to starve.”

The agricultural officer showed an impatient look, and several fierce-looking soldiers were about to drag the farmer woman away.

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“Wait.”

A sharp reprimand came.

Feng Bailing helped the farmer woman up and coldly swept her eyes over the soldiers and the agricultural officer.

“The Law of Great Chu clearly stipulates that if farmers suffer from disasters, they are exempt from taxes, and they can buy seeds on credit for up to three years. As an agricultural officer, do you not even understand the basic Law of Great Chu?”

The agricultural officer was stumped. Was there such a clause in the Law of Great Chu?

Looking at the woman who spoke, dressed in coarse clothing, clearly not from a family of officials.

He sneered.

“Who is this blind fool daring to meddle in government affairs? Come, drag her out and slap her thirty times.”

Absurd!

Such a contemptuous official.

Fury surged within Feng Bailing as she looked at the farmer woman lying on the ground.

As the soldiers reached out to grab her, she swept her leg, knocking the nearest soldier to the ground, then used a grappling move to subdue another approaching soldier.

“This woman dares to strike and injure, arrest her and the farmer woman and send them for official investigation.”

“Stop.”

A man’s cold voice, like thunder striking, made the agricultural officer turn around only to tremble with fright at the knees.

Not far away, Dugu Wu and several officials from the Ministry of Revenue walked over.

He slightly squinted his eyes, cold light emanating from them.

“Prince Wu.”

The agricultural officer and the soldiers all knelt down, trembling slightly.

Feng Bailing saw Dugu Wu. How did he get here?

But as soon as Dugu Wu arrived, Feng Bailing felt her spine straighten.

She quickly helped the peasant woman to her feet.

“She’s right, as an official of Great Chu, how do you not understand the regulations of the Great Chu?”

Simply standing there, Dugu Wu made one shudder without even the cold, not to mention when he scolded someone, the official kowtowed repeatedly.

“Prince Wu, you are unaware, Qi Village has had poor harvests every year and hasn’t paid the taxes. The Princess’ Mansion informed us, if the peasants come to borrow grain, we are not to provide them with seeds.”

The agricultural officer was only an eighth-rank official, but he couldn’t afford to offend the Princess’ Mansion, and moreover, he had accepted favors from it.

Upon hearing this, Feng Bailing’s frown deepened.

This matter, needless to say, must have been the doing of Feng Zhan Tian or Aunt Xue.

Previously, when discussing taxes, Dongfang Lianhua said to sympathize with the peasants, thus exempting them from taxes. By doing so, those two couldn’t amass wealth.

“However, to my knowledge, Princess Yong’an is kind-hearted and would not do such harsh things. Surely someone is impersonating the Princess’ Mansion. I will investigate it myself and provide the grain.”

With a cold glance from Dugu Wu, the agricultural officer had no choice but to order for a hundred pounds of seed grain to be handed to the peasant woman.

“As a court official who does not study the law and bullies others with your power, drag him out and administer thirty beatings.”

No sooner had Dugu Wu spoken than the agricultural officer’s knees buckled in fright, and he was dragged out by the soldiers. Not far away, bursts of his cries could be heard.

“Thank you, noble lord, for saving the lives of everyone in Qi Village.”

The peasant woman hurriedly tried to kowtow to Feng Bailing and Dugu Wu.

“Big sister, you’re too polite. You should thank this official, I am merely a passerby.”

Although Feng Bailing was somewhat surprised by Dugu Wu’s appearance here, her face remained composed.

After disguising herself, she had slightly adjusted her accent and voice, and having altered her appearance, she wasn’t afraid of Dugu recognizing her.

“You’re not from Da Chu, yet you are quite familiar with the laws of the Great Chu.”

He had spent years in military campaigns and knew best that food is paramount for both civilians and the military. Hearing that last year there was an ongoing shortfall in various places and the spring plowing was about to start, as a new official, he had to manage these agricultural affairs.

“I am unskilled, my family trades abroad, traveling among various countries and understanding some of each country’s laws,” said Feng Bailing with a smile.

Dugu Wu then casually asked a few questions about national customs.

Feng Bailing had just read the Records of the States and answered smoothly, with no discrepancies.

This woman is no ordinary person; though young, she is exceedingly clever and well-informed, and showed no fear even before me, thought Dugu Wu to himself.

He had killed countless people, his presence filled with menace, which normally terrified ordinary people.

The only one who was not afraid of him upon their first encounter was probably just Feng Bailing.

Dugu Wu shook his head. Lately, why did he keep thinking of that woman?

“You return first and tell the villagers that if they face any grievances again, they may go to the Princess’ Mansion in East City Lane.”

Dugu Wu believed that, given Feng Bailing’s disposition, she definitely would not mistreat these peasants.

After profuse thanks from the peasant woman, she was about to leave when Feng Bailing stopped her.

“Big mother, let me check your seed grain.”

Dugu Wu frowned slightly, and the peasant woman also hesitated before opening the hundred pounds of seed grain.

As soon as it was opened, both Feng Bailing and Dugu Wu’s expressions changed, and the peasant woman, terrified, sat down on the ground, tears streaming down her face.