Zhutian: Starting from the Space-Time Merchant

Chapter 264 Se-eyed Man

Cao County, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Cao County.

During the Yuan Dynasty, this place was Caozhou.

Two hundred years ago, the Mother River delivered a blow to the center of the universe here.

The breached river destroyed the city and fields, turning everything into a vast expanse of water.

The river has been flowing for two hundred years, and only now is the work of managing it beginning.

Why would the Jurchens and Mongols care about the lives of the Han people under their rule?

The reason for starting to repair the canal now is that maritime transport has gradually fallen into disuse, making it necessary to repair the canal to transport goods from the south.

Jia Lu, the Minister of Works and concurrently the Chief River Flood Control Commissioner, personally directed tens of thousands of laborers to block the breach in the Huanglinggang Dike.

Nearly 100,000 laborers were also tasked with digging a water diversion canal that was 280 miles long.

Countless laborers, like ants, moved back and forth, hauling boats and chiseling stones, working hard.

They were dressed in hemp clothing and barefoot, working hard on the riverbank.

After working for several hours, they would finally be allowed to rest and return to camp for a meal.

A group of laborers came to collect their food, but the person serving the food poured a spoonful of rice porridge into each person's wooden bowl.

It's called porridge, but it's so thin that you can see your face reflected in it.

The ingredients are not rice, but sorghum and soybeans.

"How can this be enough to eat?"

The laborers immediately complained, "We've done a whole day's hard work, won't we starve to death if we eat this?"

The person serving the food glared at him with disdain and said, "If you're not going to eat, get out."

Everyone was furious.

But when a patrol of Wing Army soldiers came over and saw the weapons they carried, everyone could only dare to be angry but dare not speak out.

After the Yi Army passed by, the person serving the food gestured to a spacious and luxurious tent not far away, saying, "Want a full meal? Go over there and pay to buy it."

Some people couldn't resist going over.

Not long after, he returned dejected.

“A bowl of rice costs three hundred coins, and a bowl of thick porridge costs one hundred coins, which triples the price of currency.”

Everyone was furious.

How could they possibly afford such an expensive meal?

But there was nothing they could do; the Winged Army had knives!

Everyone could only squat to the side and slurp down the thin porridge in the wooden bowl.

Almost everyone licked the bottom of the bowl after finishing their drink.

"Brother," the laborer, whose stomach was rumbling louder, asked the only one who hadn't licked the bottom of his bowl, "why didn't you lick the bowl?"

Lin Dao calmly replied, "I'm not hungry."

He looked at the laborer who had gone to the tent to ask about prices earlier and asked, "Who is selling grain?"

“Several Semu gentlemen,” the laborer spat. “They’re all eating meat!”

The laborers grew increasingly angry, muttering curses incessantly.

Lin Dao squatted on the ground, lost in thought.

A moment later, he simply got up and walked towards the tent.

Just as the laborer had said, inside the tent, several Semu people with high noses and deep-set eyes, dressed in silk robes, were eating roasted meat.

Their guards watched Lin Dao warily, their hands gripping the hilts of their swords.

A man with flaxen hair, of mixed colors, picked up a silver wine cup and asked with a smile, "Here to buy food?"

They speak Mandarin very fluently, and if you don't look at their faces, they are no different from Han Chinese.

Lin Dao nodded.

The Semu person then asked, "Would you like rice or porridge?"

"I want this." Lin Dao raised his hand and pointed to the roasted meat on the plates in front of the several people of different ethnicities.

Everyone was stunned, then exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

"You fourth-class man, you want to eat meat too?"

"Hahahahaha~~~"

The Semu people laughed until tears streamed down their faces, and their guards laughed too.

Lin Dao looked at them calmly, as if they were dead fish.

The term "color-eyed people" doesn't refer to people with different eye colors—although their eye color is different, that's not the main point.

They were the chief stewards of the Mongols, holding various official positions from the Yuan court to the local level, and were the main force in exploiting the Han Chinese.

They were also the ones who conducted the Yuan court's main commercial activities.

"Semu people" is a general term.

This included the Uyghurs, Shatuo people, Tibetans, and Tanguts.

These are all old adversaries of the Central Plains, who have caused countless calamities over the years.

In addition, there were the Harald people.
The name Haralu may be unfamiliar, but those who have read history books will certainly know their tribal ancestors.

Their ancestors were the Karluks who betrayed the Tang army during the Battle of Talas, leading to the Tang's defeat.

The Arhun people were descendants of the Western Turks during the Tang Dynasty.

Without a doubt, this is also an old rival of Middle-earth.

The Sogdians, Persians, and Asus from Mesopotamia were also part of the Semu people.

Among them, the Asu people were key members of the Mongol Khan's personal guard.

They fought for many years and gradually became the main force in the Yuan Dynasty's war effort.

A century ago, the Mongols conquered vast swathes of land and brought the local people to Central China.

Like the Rus', which are Russians.

The Qishimi people came from Kashmir, the former capital of Greater and Lesser Bolu during the Tang Dynasty.

The Xindu people were Indians from India. Just like they would be hundreds of years later, they followed their masters and swaggered around the Central Plains, committing all sorts of evil deeds.

The "Shu Hu Ren" refers to the traitors who betrayed and massacred the Southern Song imperial family.

The Fulin people came from Europe, while the Rori people were Gypsies.

It can be said that all of China's adversaries over the past thousand years have been gathered under the banner of the Mongols, who have come together to oppress the Han people.

Of all the dynasties that have oppressed the people, none has been more oppressive than the Yuan.

Laugh now, laugh heartily, because you won't have the chance to laugh again.

'I will exterminate you all!'

Lin Dao raised his hand and took out a silver ingot from his clothes.

The laughter of the Semu people abruptly stopped.

Staring at the silver in Lin Dao's hand, the leader of the Semu people shook his head, "Not enough."

Lin Dao casually tossed the silver on the ground and then took out another silver ingot.

The group of people of mixed ethnicities were finally moved.

Upon receiving the signal, a young man of Central Asian descent stood up, brought over a plate of roasted meat, and reached out to take the silver ingot.

"Wait." Lin Dao's words made them change color, and the guards even drew their swords.

"Where did your food come from?" Lin Dao asked calmly.

The Semu man was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter again.

"Are you stupid?"

"Of course, it's about deducting the wages and rations of you laborers."

His words were full of candor.

Lin Dao remained noncommittal.

He had suspected this before, and now he just wants a definite answer.

"Does Jalu know you're doing this?"

“Fourth class, you should address him as Lord Jialu.” The leading Semu man shook his head. “For the sake of the money, I will forgive you this time.”

"Of course Lord Jialu knows, and we work for Lord Jialu."

"Can you understand me?"

Everything has been explained so clearly; if you still don't understand, aren't you just a useless person?

While Jia Lu did indeed make contributions in controlling the river, he also committed every evil deed he was supposed to do.

He was a capable minister, but he was also truly wicked.

This was true throughout the entire Yuan court, from top to bottom.

The Mongol nobles plundered and enslaved Han Chinese people.

They frantically seized land, turning vast fertile fields into pastures, and the Han people lost their land and became slaves.

From the Yuan court down to local government offices, everyone was levying exorbitant taxes and levies.

There were numerous and exorbitant taxes and levies.

The national tax revenue has been increasing every year, and in just a few decades, it has increased twentyfold.

They left the people with absolutely no way to survive.

The Mongols and Semu people were extravagant.

He scours the land for treasures and beautiful women, and spends his days offering sacrifices to Buddha and refining elixirs.

Excessive money printing, cruel punishments, and rampant exploitation have brought disaster to the country and its people.

Its hierarchical system was extremely cruel.

When the Mongol herders on the grasslands suffered from disaster, the Yuan court provided relief by distributing grain, money, offering condolences, and sending supplies.

In the south, the Han Chinese population often suffered from disasters affecting millions, with countless deaths.

However, the Yuan court turned a blind eye to this, and the taxes due were not reduced by a single coin; in fact, they collected even more.

The truly miserable Han Chinese sons could no longer survive.

I don't know what those who say that the Mongol herders are just as miserable as the Han Chinese are thinking.

how can that be!

Lin Dao nodded, tossed down the silver ingot, took the plate, and turned to leave.

Jia Lu, the day you succeed in controlling the floods will be the day you die!

The young man of mixed ethnicities picked up the silver ingot, raised his hand to his neck, and whispered, "He's so rich, should we...?"

The leader of the Semu people shook his head. "You're too young, and your methods are too crude. You won't get the maximum profit this way."

He turned to his guards and instructed them to "keep an eye on that Han Chinese man."

Back with the laborers, Lin Dao handed them a tray of roasted meat, saying, "Help yourself."

The laborers were all in an uproar.

The eyes of everyone looking at Lin Dao were filled with admiration.

They actually managed to get roasted meat from the Semu lord?!

The laborers, already starving, shared the roasted meat with profuse thanks.

Many of them had never eaten such delicious roast meat in their entire lives.

It was sprinkled with fine salt and spices.

After they finished eating and licked the plates clean, everyone apologized to Lin Dao, feeling embarrassed.

"Sorry bro, we ate it all!"

"It's alright." Lin Dao waved his hand. "I wasn't planning on eating anyway."

Lin Dao would never eat something that someone else had already eaten.

"This brother."

This group of laborers must have come from the same village, and only Lin Dao had managed to sneak in.

The leader clasped his hands in a salute and said, "Zheng Twenty-Seven from Guide Prefecture and Bozhou, may I ask your name?"

"Lindao, Yingzhou."

He reported where he had been.

The placement of the time portal there must have a purpose.

"Brother Lin," Zheng Twenty-Seven greeted him warmly, "You're tall and imposing, with an extraordinary air about you, and such a fair complexion. You must come from a wealthy family. What brings you to this riverbank?"

"Have you ever heard the saying?" Lin Dao replied solemnly, "When the Wise King is born, he will save all living beings."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, then lowered their voices and said, "It's been around for a while, of course we've heard of it."

Lin Dao looked at them and slowly said, "I am the Bright King!"

For a moment, there was complete silence.

The laborers stared wide-eyed, mouths agape, all looking utterly astonished.

"Lin, Brother Lin."

Zheng Twenty-Seven hurriedly waved his hand, "You can't say things like that carelessly."

If the imperial court heard of this, they would immediately be dragged away and beheaded.

If the Ming Cult members hear this, they won't have a good ending either.

Having just eaten Lin Dao's meat, these laborers are still willing to help him.

After all, he's beholden to those who feed him.
Lin Dao smiled, a smile of composure and confidence.

He pointed to the plate that had been licked clean and said, "I can make sure you can eat meat every day while you are repairing the river."

"Do you believe it or not?"

The laborers were all at a loss and extremely embarrassed.

Definitely don't believe it.

But since he had just eaten their flesh, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

How to do?
All I can do is remain silent and smile foolishly.

Lin Dao stood up and said, "Let's go back and rest."

"I'll treat you to a late-night snack tonight."

Whether I can keep my word or not, you'll know once you've eaten the meat.

(End of this chapter)