Zhu Zhuqing completely failed to understand Ye Tian's actions in Heavenly Star Province.
Nobles were the essence of an empire.
Nobles understood management, understood governance, understood creating wealth.
An empire without noble support was destined to be short-lived.
Commoners without noble rule were nothing but scattered sand.
This knowledge could be learned even by elementary school students in remote towns.
As a rebel, didn't Ye Tian know this?
Distributing the nobles' land wasn't just as simple as offending the nobles of Heavenly Star Province.
All the nobles throughout the Star Luo Empire would be wary of Ye Tian because of this.
They wouldn't even need the Star Luo Southern Expedition Army to come.
The surrounding nobles would spontaneously organize and fight Ye Tian to the death.
"Hehe, Ye Tian really is a vulgar person who doesn't understand how to win hearts and minds."
Zhu Zhuqing mercilessly mocked Ye Tian in her heart.
Of course, the "hearts and minds" she referred to naturally meant the hearts of nobles.
After all, what power could commoners possibly have?
No weapons, no organization.
Nothing at all.
Nobles were different. They had elite armed forces in their hands.
Spirit Master retainers.
And plenty of money.
Any one of these things, taken separately.
Was beyond what commoners could match.
Therefore.
Zhu Zhuqing had already concluded that Ye Tian's rebel army wouldn't last long.
At this moment.
The red-clothed woman beside her was still consoling Zhu Zhuqing, lightly patting her shoulder:
"You rest well here. No one will disturb you anymore."
"After you recover, whether you stay or go is entirely up to you."
These words warmed Zhu Zhuqing's heart. The red-clothed woman before her reminded her of Aunt Tang.
Because of her willfulness, she had put Aunt Tang in anxiety and danger.
Thinking of this, guilt surged in her heart.
"Thank... thank you. How should I address you?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, licking her dry, somewhat cracked lips.
"Just call me Aunt Pan. Several children in the village about your age call me that." Aunt Pan said with a kind face and a smile.
"Aunt Pan..." Zhu Zhuqing's heart skipped a beat. Because she needed to maintain secrecy, she originally didn't want to continue.
But Zhu Zhuqing wasn't a heartless person. Aunt Pan had saved her life and had a kind heart.
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't just watch Aunt Pan jump into a fire pit.
Gritting her teeth, Zhu Zhuqing made up her mind. She raised her eyes and said, "Aunt Pan, you and your family should escape from here quickly."
"The Star Luo Empire's rebellion-suppressing army will arrive soon. By then, hundreds of li in all directions will be ravaged by war."
Although Zhu Zhuqing had some confidence in her father's military discipline.
Restraining soldiers had always been an extremely difficult matter.
When bandits pass through, it's like combing with a comb—there are survivors afterward.
When soldiers pass through, it's like combing with a fine-tooth comb—everything is looted clean afterward.
Soldiers experienced life and death in every battle.
If they weren't allowed to loot some things and gain satisfaction.
Those soldiers would likely mutiny.
This was the army.
Weapons were inherently inauspicious tools.
To be used only when necessary.
Aunt Pan had saved her.
She couldn't not warn Aunt Pan.
"Sigh." Hearing this, Aunt Pan sighed.
"What you say, I actually already know."
"Lord General Ye rebelled. How could His Majesty the Emperor and those noble lords let this go?"
Seeing that Aunt Pan was aware of the severity of the situation, Zhu Zhuqing was quite gratified.
Since she knew the empire's army would come, she would be easy to persuade.
"So, Aunt Pan, you should quickly persuade your family to leave and go somewhere safe."
"If anyone in your family is working for the rebel army, also quickly persuade them to leave the rebels, otherwise they could very likely face death."
Zhu Zhuqing's expression was serious.
However, these words were met with a chorus of rebuttals from those around her.
"What did you say?"
"Say that again!"
"How could Lord General Ye possibly be a rebel!"
"The Star Luo Emperor and those noble lords are the unjust and unrighteous ones!"
The surrounding women were filled with righteous indignation, all denouncing Zhu Zhuqing.
This startled Zhu Zhuqing. What was wrong with these people?
"Quiet!" Aunt Pan pressed down with her hand, reducing the noise in the room to a minimum.
But some were still discussing.
As if they wanted to turn Zhu Zhuqing over to the authorities for a thorough investigation.
Aunt Pan tucked in Zhu Zhuqing's blanket and said earnestly:
"Even if Lord General Ye is destined to fail, we will stand with him."
"You're still young. You don't understand these things."
Aunt Pan shook her head, staring at Zhu Zhuqing's beautiful, delicate hands for a long time.
How could a young lady born into a wealthy family understand their suffering?
Aunt Pan's husband had been driven to death by the local Lord Pan three years ago.
Lord Pan was a baron who controlled the 120 households, large and small, in Peach Blossom Village.
By blood relation, Aunt Pan had to call Lord Pan "uncle."
But it was this vicious old uncle who coveted her beauty.
Coming to harass her every few days.
Aunt Pan's husband was an honest man, while Lord Pan had a large estate and his son was even a Great Spirit Master, loyal to a viscount.
It could be said that no one dared provoke him.
For years, Aunt Pan could only endure this torment.
But unexpectedly, seeing that Aunt Pan's family didn't resist, Lord Pan became increasingly unrestrained and brazen.
Not only did he openly confiscate Aunt Pan's family's best farmland as tax revenue, but he also spread vicious words in the village: whoever associated with Aunt Pan's family would have their land rent doubled the next year!
Aunt Pan's husband was beaten into critical condition just for arguing a few words.
He died soon after.
As a widow, Aunt Pan ultimately couldn't escape his clutches either.
Lord Pan's servants, holding a fake IOU, captured her and brought her to the Pan manor, where she suffered humiliation for two years!
If not for Lord General Ye's arrival, executing this chief villain Lord Pan.
She would have long since had a death wish.
And in all of Peach Blossom Village, how many families besides hers had been persecuted by Lord Pan!
Not only did Lord Pan die.
The land that Lord Pan's family had forcibly bought was also distributed to them by Lord General Ye!
This was their hope for living!
"The noble lords have never seen us as human."
Thinking of this, Aunt Pan's eyes even showed some resentment, and she clenched her fists tightly.
"Lord General Ye is different. Only he is the pillar of support for us commoners."
"So, when the Star Luo army arrives, we will certainly take up weapons to resist, because Lord General Ye once said, this is our homeland!"
Of course, what Aunt Pan didn't know was that Ye Tian never said this.
It was all written by the scholars under Ye Tian to coordinate with the land distribution strategy.
Aunt Pan's words caused a commotion.
"That's right. Although we're just women with only women's opinions, we still know who treats us well!"
"Even if I die, I don't want to be ordered around by noble lords anymore!"
Zhu Zhuqing opened her mouth, her expression stunned for a long time, but ultimately said nothing more.
At this moment, she finally realized that Ye Tian... was an unimaginably powerful enemy!
This damned pigeon...
(End of Chapter)