The entire city was in a state of distress, with people complaining incessantly.
However, there was nowhere to run, as the Beast Tide had just subsided and the trade routes were still not restored, so they could only endure in silence.
While the common people could bear it, the merchants and noble clans in the city were finding it increasingly unbearable.
Compared to the ordinary folks with little wealth, these noble clans, in the eyes of the cavalry, were seen as fat sheep ripe for shearing.
They would come with various pretexts to extort money and goods, which need not be mentioned.
Some cavalrymen even directly stayed in the homes of these noble clans, demanding whichever women they fancied.
And these noble clans dared not refuse.
For with just their Manor Guards, they weren’t even enough to fill the gaps between the cavalry’s teeth.
At that moment, these noble clans were experiencing considerable misfortune.
A few families, with some guts, attempted to resist.
After being defeated, not only were their properties confiscated, but their women were also taken and made public property, while the men were branded with various charges and sent to prison, where they died within days, leaving them completely destroyed and broken.
Such tragedies scared the remaining noble clans into no longer daring to resist, and they met the cavalrymen’s demands unconditionally, becoming lambs to the slaughter.
The Zhu Family.
Once portly and prosperous, the Patriarch of the Zhu Family, Zhu Zihao, had long lost his former prestige.
His large belly had flattened, the sheen on his face had disappeared, and even his eye bags drooped.
He sat slumped on a chair, listening to his steward report the latest situation.
"Yesterday, someone from the government office came saying it’s mid-winter soon, and the soldiers haven’t purchased winter clothing yet, asking us to come up with five thousand taels of gold to buy cotton-padded coats," the steward said cautiously.
Before Zhu Zihao could speak, a young man beside him had already lost his composure.
"Five thousand taels of gold! Are those cotton-padded coats made of gold?"
His voice was sharp, filled with resentment.
"Mind your words, young master, mind your words!" The steward was startled, glanced around, and upon seeing no one present, he sighed with relief and begged bitterly.
"How can I mind my words? A few days ago, they talked about renovating the government office, taking ten thousand taels of gold, and now, they want cotton-padded coats, asking for another five thousand. Even if our family’s gold was blown in by the wind, it wouldn’t withstand such extortion!"
The young man was boiling with anger, shouting loudly.
The steward was so frightened that his head was covered in sweat, his face turned pale.
Given the highly tense situation in the city, everyone was keeping a low profile.
Should today’s words of the Zhu family’s young master spread, it could very likely lead to a disaster of unimaginable proportions.
Yet he dared not console him and could only look at Zhu Zihao with pleading eyes.
At this moment, Zhu Zihao finally woke from his trance-like state, softly saying, "Chengwan, say no more."
"But father...," Zhu Chengwan was still full of unwillingness.
Zhu Zihao, however, ignored him and instead looked at the steward. "Old Cheng, go to the vault and bring out five thousand taels in gold notes, and send them to the government office now."
"Yes!" Only then did Steward Cheng wipe the sweat off his forehead and leave hurriedly.
As soon as he walked out, Zhu Chengwan angrily said, "Father, when will this end? At this rate, it won’t be long before our Zhu family is completely ruined."
Zhu Zihao sighed softly.
"What else can be done? Refuse to give? Do you believe if the gold notes aren’t delivered today, our Zhu Family will be trampled by the Iron Cavalry tomorrow? At that time, your mother, your newlywed wife, including your sister, will all become camp prostitutes. Have you thought about this consequence?"
Zhu Chengwan was rendered speechless because this outcome wasn’t a scare tactic from Zhu Zihao but had indeed happened before.
He knew several noble clans who had ended up with this fate.
"But this can’t go on," Zhu Chengwan muttered, suddenly having an idea.
"Father, don’t you know some officials in the Capital City? Can’t we ask them for help?"
"Help, how?" Zhu Zihao sneered.
"Not to mention the trade routes are still closed, just sending a message to the Capital City and having it return would take time, and then people like Wei Hongbin, who are direct lineage from the Wei Family, are considered top-rate gentry children in the Capital City. The officials we support aren’t even worth a fart in front of them, how could they help?"
"So, our Zhu Family is just to be slaughtered at will?" Zhu Chengwan expressed despair.
"It’s not as bleak as you think," Zhu Zihao said faintly.
"Hmm? Is there a turning point?" Zhu Chengwan’s hope was immediately rekindled.
"Currently, the martial artists in the city and Wei Hongbin’s cavalry are as incompatible as fire and water. The conflicts between them are growing deeper, and I believe it won’t be long before they explode completely. When that time comes, it will be our Zhu Family’s only hope for a comeback."
"Those martial artists?" Zhu Chengwan was stunned, then hesitantly asked, "Father, do you have such high expectations of these rough men?"
"Rough men?" Zhu Zihao glanced at his only son and then shook his head helplessly.
"The way you are, how can I be assured to entrust you with this vast family business?"
Zhu Chengwan flushed and quickly lowered his head, "I was wrong, please, Father, enlighten me."
"Indeed, most of these martial artists are simple-minded, brute-force types, but among them, there are also outstanding ones."
Zhu Zihao couldn’t help but recall the young man who once stood before him, gesticulating boldly.
At that time, that young man had indeed come demanding in the autumn, and eventually left with five hundred pieces of cloth armor.