Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

The young mother nodded repeatedly: "Don't worry, young master. We will fully support you and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince in your work. As long as it can make the village better, we are willing to do anything!"

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao talked with the young mother for a few more words and then continued on their way. They came to an orchard, where the fruit trees were full of ripe fruits, emitting an alluring aroma. An old fruit farmer was busy picking fruits, his face filled with the joy of a good harvest.

Zhu Han walked up to the old fruit farmer and started chatting with him: "Father, the fruits in your orchard are growing really well! Is the harvest good this year?"

The old fruit farmer wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled, "Yes, sir. This year the weather is good and the fruits are growing very well. However, although the fruits are good, the sales are a problem. We small farmers don't have many connections. We can only wait for the fruit vendors to come to our door to buy the fruits, and the prices are kept very low."

Zhu Han frowned when he heard this, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "Don't worry, father-in-law, we will report this problem to the court. We will suggest that the court increase support for agricultural products, help farmers expand sales channels, and increase the added value of agricultural products."

Upon hearing this, the old fruit farmer's eyes sparkled with hope: "That's great! If the court can help us solve the problem of sales, our lives will be much better. Sir, you are really our savior!"

Zhu Han waved his hand quickly: "You are too kind, father-in-law. We are just doing our part. However, these changes require time and effort. I hope you can be patient and continue to support our work."

The old fruit farmer nodded repeatedly: "Don't worry, young master. We will definitely fully support your work and that of the Crown Prince. As long as it can make the village better, we are willing to do anything!"

After Zhu Han finished talking with the old fruit farmer, they continued walking along the path beside the orchard. The sun shone through the gaps between the leaves, casting mottled shadows. At this time, they noticed a group of children sitting together not far away, with some simple toys placed in the middle, and they were obviously playing some kind of game.

Zhu Biao walked over curiously, squatted down, and asked gently: "Children, what game are you playing?"

A little girl with pigtails looked up and answered crisply, "We are playing house. Look, sir, this is the 'meal' I made." As she spoke, she held up the small ball of mud in her hand, with an innocent light shining in her eyes.

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao smiled at each other, and were also infected by this childlike innocence. Zhu Han said softly: "This game is really interesting, but do you want to play some more novel games?"

The children's eyes lit up when they heard this. They gathered around and asked in unison, "What new game is this, young master?"

Zhu Han smiled and took out a few small wooden pieces from his bag. These were simple puzzles he prepared for the children. "Look, this is a puzzle. You can put these small wooden pieces together to form different shapes. Try to make a house or a tree?"

The children excitedly took the puzzles and immediately got into the game. Some of them lowered their heads in thought, while others discussed in a low voice, with bursts of laughter coming from time to time. Zhu Han and Zhu Biao stood aside, watching the children's focused and happy faces, and their hearts were filled with warmth.

At this time, a middle-aged woman passed by with a basket. Seeing this scene, she smiled with satisfaction. "You two gentlemen are really thoughtful people. You have brought so much joy to the children." She said gratefully.

Zhu Han quickly stood up and saluted, "Thank you, sister-in-law. We are just doing our best. Seeing the children so happy, we think it is worth it."

The middle-aged woman nodded, tears glistening in her eyes. "Over the years, life in the village has become increasingly difficult, and the children rarely have such happy moments. The great kindness of the young master is remembered by all of us in the village."

Zhu Han shook his head. "Sister-in-law, you are too kind. It is our duty to seek welfare for the people. But we would like to know more about the situation in the village. I wonder if Sister-in-law's family is doing well recently?"

The middle-aged woman sighed, "My family is fine, but the harvest is not very good. There was little rain this year, and the crops did not grow well. Although the government has provided some relief, it is only enough to make ends meet."

Zhu Han frowned when he heard this, "Don't worry, sister-in-law, we will report these situations to the court truthfully. The court will definitely find a way to help everyone."

The middle-aged woman nodded gratefully. "That's great. We ordinary people just hope to have a stable life."

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao continued to talk with the middle-aged woman, asking her about her family's situation and the living conditions of other families in the village. The middle-aged woman told them everything she knew, including all the major and minor affairs in the village.

As they talked, the sky gradually darkened. Zhu Han and Zhu Biao said goodbye to the middle-aged woman and prepared to return to the inn to rest. Before leaving, Zhu Han reminded her again: "Sister-in-law, if you have any difficulties in the future, just come to us. We will definitely do our best to help you."

The middle-aged woman thanked them repeatedly and watched Zhu Han and Zhu Biao walk away, her heart filled with gratitude and hope.

After returning to the inn, Zhu Han and Zhu Biao immediately sorted out what they had seen and heard today. Zhu Han took up his pen to record every detail, while Zhu Biao supplemented his observations and thoughts. The two of them sometimes lowered their heads in contemplation, and sometimes discussed in a low voice. The atmosphere was tense and serious.

"Uncle Han, I think we should emphasize the village's education problem in our report," Zhu Biao said suddenly. "Those children's eyes are full of desire for knowledge. We can't let them lose this opportunity."

Zhu Han nodded in agreement. "Yes, education is the key to changing one's destiny. I will elaborate on this in my report and suggest that the court increase investment in rural education."

The next morning, Zhu Han and Zhu Biao got up early, had a simple breakfast, and prepared to continue their incognito tour. Every day's visit may be the key to changing the fate of a village or a family.

Walking on the country road, the two stopped from time to time to talk with the villagers they met along the way. An old farmer was bending over to work in the fields, and Zhu Han walked up to him and started a conversation.

"Father-in-law, the crops in your fields seem to be growing well. The harvest this year should be good, right?" Zhu Han asked with concern.

The old farmer straightened up, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said with a smile: "Thanks to you, the weather has been good this year, and the crops are growing better than in previous years. But the rent and taxes on the land are too heavy, so there won't be much food left in the end."

Zhu Han frowned when he heard this. "Don't worry, father-in-law. We will report your difficulties to the court truthfully. I hope it can relieve some of your burden."

The old farmer nodded gratefully: "Thank you very much, gentlemen. We farmers are looking forward to a good harvest and a good life." Continuing forward, the two came to a simple village house. A middle-aged woman was washing clothes at the door. Seeing the two extraordinary gentlemen, she was a little surprised and a little shy. Zhu Biao walked up to her and talked to her gently.

"Sister-in-law, you washed the clothes so clean. Is everything okay at home?" Zhu Biao asked.

The middle-aged woman looked up and saw that they were two kind young men, so she put down her work and replied, "Thank you for your compliments. My family is fine, but the child's father fell ill a few days ago, and all the housework fell on my shoulders."

Zhu Biao's heart tightened when he heard this, and he quickly took out a few taels of silver from his pocket and handed it to her: "Sister-in-law, take this silver first, and use it for the child's father's medical treatment. We will contact the doctor to come and treat him as soon as possible."

The middle-aged woman took the silver, her eyes slightly red, and thanked him repeatedly: "Thank you, gentlemen, you are really our family's savior!"

Zhu Han also stepped forward and comforted her: "Don't be sad, sister-in-law. The court will not sit idly by. We will do our best to help you through this difficult time.

After leaving the village, the two continued to visit. Everywhere they went, they listened patiently to the villagers' demands and tried their best to solve their problems. Sometimes they helped solve farmland irrigation problems, sometimes they coordinated conflicts between neighbors, and sometimes they comforted villagers who were anxious because of illness.

In the afternoon, the two came to a barren land. This was originally a fertile farmland, but due to years of drought, the harvest of crops dropped sharply, and the villagers gave up farming. Zhu Han looked at the barren land, his heart full of worries.

"Your Highness, we can't let this land continue to be abandoned." Zhu Han said to Zhu Biao, "We must find a way to help the villagers resume farming and bring vitality to this land."

Zhu Biao nodded in agreement: "Uncle Han is right. We can apply to the court for some funds for water conservancy projects to help the villagers build irrigation facilities and solve the problem of drought."

With the mobilization of Zhu Han and Zhu Biao, the whole village seemed to be activated by a new force. The villagers gathered together spontaneously to discuss how to build irrigation facilities as quickly and effectively as possible.

"Everyone, listen to me," Zhu Han said in a loud voice, standing under the old locust tree in the village. "What we want to build is not just a canal, but a road of hope for our future. Every shovel of soil and every stone is a testimony to our joint efforts."

"Yes!" Zhu Biao took over the conversation. He walked into the crowd and stood shoulder to shoulder with several young and strong villagers. "We want this river to nourish our land again and make our crops grow more luxuriantly than in previous years!"

Uncle Li, the older villager, patted the shoulder of Xiao Zhang, a young man beside him and said, "Xiao Zhang, you are young and strong, so you should take the lead. We need to dig this canal deep and wide to ensure that the water can flow smoothly."

Xiao Zhang nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination: "Uncle Li, rest assured, I will set a good example. If all of us in the village work together, there is nothing we can't accomplish!"

So, the villagers picked up their tools, some used shovels to dig the soil, some carried stones, and some were responsible for clearing the weeds on both sides of the canal. The children were not to be outdone, they carried buckets and helped to fetch water from the river to quench the thirst of the working adults.

"Uncle Han Wang, do you think it's okay to dig like this?" A middle-aged villager, Wang Wu, came running over with sweat all over his forehead, pointing to a section of the canal that had just been dug.

Zhu Han squatted down, checked it carefully, and nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, that's it. Remember, the channel must be dug evenly and the slope must be moderate, so as to ensure smooth water flow."

Zhu Biao encouraged everyone: "Everyone work hard, once the canal is built, we will have a great harvest!"

As time went by, the sun gradually set, but the villagers were full of energy and showed no intention of stopping. Zhu Han and Zhu Biao shuttled among the crowd, giving guidance and encouragement from time to time.

"Thank you for your hard work, but our goal is right in front of us. Just hold on a little longer!" Zhu Han shouted loudly. His voice was full of power, as if it could dispel everyone's fatigue.

A middle-aged woman wiped the sweat from her forehead and responded with a smile: "Your Highness Prince Han, we are not tired! Thinking about having water to irrigate the fields in the future, we feel full of energy!"

At this time, several children came over with buckets of water and carefully poured the water into the temporary reservoir. One of the little boys looked up at Zhu Biao, his eyes sparkling with curiosity and admiration: "Your Highness, now that this canal is built, will we never go hungry again?"

Zhu Biao squatted down and gently touched the little boy's head: "Yes, child. Once the canal is built, we will have more water to irrigate the land, the crops will grow well, and everyone will no longer be hungry."

Not far away, several elderly people gathered together to discuss the direction and layout of the canal. A white-haired old man leaned on a cane and pointed to the fields in the distance and said, "We have to build the canal to that slope. The soil there is the most fertile, but it lacks water."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han immediately came over and listened carefully to the elders' opinions: "What you said makes sense, old man. Let's do as you say. However, the terrain on the slope is complicated, so we may need more stones and manpower."

The old man nodded, his eyes flashing with determination: "Don't worry, we villagers have nothing but strength! As long as we work together, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome!"

With Zhu Han's affirmation, the villagers became more confident and expressed their willingness to contribute their own strength. The old man turned to the crowd and shouted: "Fellow villagers, listen to me! We must leave a way out for our descendants, and this canal must be built! Everyone, do you have the confidence to build it together?"

"Yes!" The villagers responded in unison, their voices resounding through the sky, full of firmness and determination.

At this time, a middle-aged strong man stood up. He was Li Tiezhu, a carpenter in the village. He was good at all kinds of carpentry. He suggested: "Your Highness Prince Han, Your Highness the Crown Prince, we can make some simple water wheels to draw water. This will improve the efficiency of irrigation and save a lot of manpower."

Zhu Han heard this and a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes: "Brother Li, this is a good idea! In this way, we can not only complete the construction of the canal faster, but also provide convenience for future farmland irrigation. What do you think?" (End of this chapter)