Palace Coup 13

The vendor was sharp-witted. Upon seeing the young man—a handsome youth neatly dressed, unlike the usual flowing robes and wide sleeves, wearing no ostentatious or extravagant attire, and notably modest without exposing his chest or arms in pursuit of elegance—he immediately guessed he was a stranger from out of town.

Without hesitation, he began his sales pitch. “Finest rouge, the latest style from the capital. Not to boast, but even the noble ladies of the capital’s prestigious families use this. I’ve heard the consorts in the palace themselves swear by it. If you come to the capital and don’t buy some, then your visit is wasted. Young sir, won’t you take one?”

Xie Yuanju glanced at Que Si, who promptly took out silver coins and, without much thought, bought up all the vendor’s goods.

They left amid the vendor’s delighted farewells.

Once past the bustling market, they mounted their horses and rode off. The morning breeze in the fields was piercingly cool. Xie Miaoxuan nibbled on a pastry and breathed in the fresh air, feeling utterly refreshed.

Scattered among the fields were many laborers, who, upon noticing her, touched their cheeks and smiled faintly. The autumn harvest was near; grain was the lifeblood of the peasants. She refused to believe they would abandon their precious crops and run home in broad daylight.

Leading her group to a raised embankment, she surveyed the fields before glancing back at the dozen or so men following her. Each carried a sword and exuded an intimidating aura, resembling street bullies.

She paused and looked around, noticing a large empty area to the northwest—the grain drying ground. Turning to the group, she said, “You all wait at the drying ground. Da Niu, come with me.”

They would likely spend the entire day outside. The sun was rising, and the autumn sun was still strong. Concerned that her men might be too straightforward and honest, she added thoughtfully, “If the sun becomes too intense later, find some shade to shelter in.”

Her men were touched—did the lady truly care for them?

Da Niu assumed she was assigning them to keep watch over the surroundings and quickly said, “Is the lady worried about manpower? Rest assured, before the young master left, he arranged for over ten men to hide nearby. If anything untoward happens, they will swiftly seal off all escape routes.”

“Xie Yuanju made these arrangements in advance?”

“The young master was concerned for your safety. Not only did he arrange men to hide nearby, but he also carefully instructed me to stay by your side at all times, not leaving your side for a single step.”

Xie Miaoxuan nodded, acknowledging this. Having spent the past two days with Da Niu, she found him adorably earnest, seeming to have only one thought in his mind: her. She could tell he genuinely cared for her, which was inexplicably endearing.

Who doesn’t appreciate someone loyal and devoted?

Yet, she still sent the men to the drying ground. Patting Da Niu’s shoulder, she instructed, “When we arrived at the manor yesterday, the peasants seemed terrified, as if they had seen ghosts, avoiding us at all costs. There must be something suspicious. Today, they might be unable to avoid us because of their work, but with such a large group pressing in, we probably won’t uncover anything.”

She spoke thoughtfully as they walked, soon reaching the fields.

Just as she expected, the peasants didn’t anticipate any noble visiting the fields under the high sun. Each wore an expression of wanting to hide but having nowhere to go.

So, they buried their heads in their work, pretending not to see or hear anything.

Xie Miaoxuan observed carefully, seeking the best person to break the ice.

Da Niu followed closely, watching each peasant’s reaction, admiring the lady’s prescience.

The estate covered more than twenty-seven thousand acres. By noon, after a thorough inspection, Xie Miaoxuan had formed a clear picture.

Normally, being close to the capital and blessed with abundant resources, the golden autumn rice fields should signify prosperity. Her father only levied two layers of tax here. In recent years, the weather had been favorable, so the peasants should be at least comfortable, if not wealthy.

Yet, she didn’t see a single peasant without patched clothing. Before the harvest, any experienced farmer would know to buy meat to fill their bellies and save some fat to endure the laborious harvest season. But what she saw was peasants eating hard, blackened cakes with plain water at best.

Some were reduced to eating bran cakes or bean cakes—so tough they could break teeth.

No one returned home to rest at noon.

Even four or five-year-old children worked relentlessly, trailing behind their parents.

Small bodies, fragile as bamboo sticks, yet their innocent faces still radiated naïve joy.

She couldn’t understand why these children, living such hardship, were so cheerful.

A fleeting emotion stirred within her.

Earlier during the estate inspection, she noticed one man who, upon seeing her, didn’t try to hide as obviously. He stole several glances at her.

She and Da Niu turned back toward that man, who was resting in the shade, his face etched with sorrow.

“Does this bean cake taste good?” Xie Miaoxuan asked.

Startled, he abruptly stood, nervously tugging at his clothes. He glanced at her, then at the bean cake he had saved for his evening meal. After a moment’s struggle, he picked it up with both hands and offered it to her. “Lady, would you like to try? It’s for you.”

Xie Miaoxuan took it, intending to taste and draw closer for questioning.

But when she tried to break it, it was as hard as stone—impossible to snap.

“You have to hold it in your mouth and let saliva soften it slowly before you can eat it,” he explained.

Her face darkened immediately. She motioned to Da Niu to try. With effort, Da Niu broke off a small piece, some fragments falling to the ground. Xie Miaoxuan saw the pain in the peasant’s eyes as if it could materialize.

She took the small piece from Da Niu, picked up the fragments from the ground, patted them, and put them in her mouth. “The harvest is soon. Eating this won’t give you any energy. After the harvest, your body won’t hold up.”

The peasant remained silent, the lines on his face seeming even deeper.

“These past years have been good harvests. Your family should have plenty of stored grain. Why not eat better food? If your body weakens now, it will be hard to recover later.”

“And if you are reluctant to use the grain, you shouldn’t let your own children go hungry, right?”

The peasant lifted his eyes and stared at Xie Miaoxuan for a long moment, then glanced around nervously. This spot was shaded, and after walking around the fields, fewer people noticed their presence.

Lowering his head slowly, he replied, “My children are gone.”