Concerning personal property and lives, this news needed no pushing to spread wildly, sweeping across New Xia like a shockwave, causing public uproar. New Xia had been established for less than a year and had always implemented a policy of light corvée and low taxes—people only needed to hand over one copper coin for every thirty they earned. Now suddenly they had to hand over six, and the benefits they had enjoyed for less than a year vanished without warning.

Moreover, there was the matter of corvée labor—if able-bodied men were all conscripted into the army, who would till the fields?

However, raising taxes and conscripting labor were common wartime policies across all kingdoms. When Wei had attacked An Kingdom before, and now with Yan attacking Xi Kingdom, they had all temporarily implemented one-tenth or one-fifth tax rates. This wasn’t just some arbitrary harsh taxation New Xia had come up with. Wars required money, grain, and people. When national policies shifted toward war, normal production, and life would inevitably be greatly affected. Just like during An’s resistance against Wei, when Yinzi City implemented strict control and surveillance over wealthy merchants.

The critical issue was that New Xia was conducting a tax reform rather than implementing temporary wartime measures. This meant the one-fifth tax rate would likely be enforced for the long term.

No explanation was needed; everyone understood why:

The national treasury was empty, and they couldn’t afford a war of attrition.

New Xia had been established for less than a year with no accumulated reserves, and even the money collected was immediately spent on construction and public welfare. This was originally a virtuous cycle, but war completely disrupted it. With no money in hand, what could the nation do? Without taking foreign loans, they could only reach into the people’s pockets.

But this was still just a rumor. The royal court had not yet officially issued the decree, so people still had hope.

Hope that this was just a false rumor.

While everyone was holding their breath in anticipation, the Queen of New Xia issued her first decree: To strengthen the military and raise war funds, thirty-seven major cities including Wuseier City and Lubo City would implement the one-fifth tax law on a trial basis! The remaining towns and villages would implement the one-tenth tax law, with full implementation within half a year.

The tax rate had increased five-fold or two-fold at once—the rumors had come true! And it was early summer, just the time for tax collection. The first batch of taxes would be collected at this rate!

When government orders were carried out, tax officials showed no courtesy to the common people. Those who couldn’t pay would have to substitute with goods, and those without goods would be forcibly conscripted into military service, using labor to substitute for taxes.

In an instant, countless people were worried sick, and countless families were devastated.

Even aristocratic households couldn’t be pleased, because New Xia immediately issued a second trial decree on land tax, collecting based on acreage and land quality, twice a year. Upper-grade land was taxed at seven to nine sheng per mu, while lower-grade land was taxed at three to five sheng per mu.

This tax rate was more than triple the original! The more land the noble families owned, the more tax they had to pay, and every household felt the pain.

While the outside world was in turmoil, Feng Miaojun came to visit the Wei envoy who had supposedly been “expelled from the country.”

Yun’s wounds were healing well, and this person had managed to restrain himself from wandering outside. When Feng Miaojun arrived, Xu Guangxiang was playing chess with him in the garden.

Feng Miaojun dismissed her attendants, propped her chin with her hand, and sat to the side to watch the game.

Yun glanced at her but said nothing. After the first time she changed his medicine, Xu Guangxiang learned that Feng Miaojun had taken advantage of her absence to visit, which greatly displeased her. Since then, she had stayed by Yun’s side, attending to his every need. When Feng Miaojun came to visit the great State Preceptor Yun twice afterward, Xu Guangxiang kept watch nearby, adamantly refusing to give the two any chance to be alone.

Yun naturally had ways to deal with her, but the problem was that Feng Miaojun was quite content to have Xu Guangxiang present. This way, Yun wouldn’t dare to openly flirt with her, and the pressure she felt when facing him was greatly reduced.

After a couple of such encounters, how could Yun not understand her intentions? Adding to that, this girl never agreed to sleep, clearly guarding against fire, theft, and Yun, which made him somewhat angry.

Xu Guangxiang’s mood soured at the sight of her. Distracted, she made several wrong moves and was soon forced into a corner. She couldn’t help but say coldly: “With the current state of affairs, does Your Majesty still have leisure to watch chess?”

Although Xu Guangxiang was in the palace, she had heard the rumors from outside. New Xia’s chaotic issuance of policies would invite disaster. Despite the unmatched beauty of New Xia’s queen, she was a total incompetent inside, and together with Fu Lingchuan, had thrown the entire New Xia into turmoil. She also didn’t understand how her royal brother and the State Preceptor had become so infatuated that they insisted on allying with New Xia, even offering such generous terms.

Hmph, most likely bewitched by beauty. Xu Guangxiang secretly glanced at Yun before her. The jade gentleman wore white today, sitting there like an immortal descended from heaven, with a natural, unrestrained grace that others couldn’t imitate no matter how they tried.

With his temperament and vision, was he still a hero who couldn’t resist a beauty’s charm? Xu Guangxiang was displeased.

Feng Miaojun took no offense and smiled gently: “Let alone being at a dead end, even if we were on a road to death, there are ways to find life in a desperate situation.”

Xu Guangxiang lost two more pieces, but seeing Yun staring intently at the chessboard without sparing Feng Miaojun a glance, she felt pleased instead.

“Your Majesty seems full of spirit and wisdom.”

She spoke sarcastically, but Feng Miaojun responded: “Human effort determines outcomes.”

It was unclear where her confidence came from. Xu Guangxiang’s peripheral vision always caught sight of her. She saw this queen wearing a lake-green summer garment sitting under the magnolia tree, more beautiful than the flowers. Her skin was like the finest white jade, delicate and smooth—something that a wind-beaten and sun-exposed military leader like herself could never hope to attain.

She faltered slightly, then looked back at the chessboard. It was already beyond salvation. She couldn’t help but sigh: “The State Preceptor is formidable. I admit defeat.”

Yun smiled slightly: “The wise know when to yield. Don’t keep hitting the wall without knowing to turn back.”

There was a hidden meaning in his words, but Feng Miaojun didn’t respond. She simply took some cherries from the golden basin brought by the maid. She was here for a courtesy visit, purely out of diplomatic protocol, going through the motions before returning.

What did Yun think? What did it matter to her?

During this season, cherries from the Jin Kingdom were widely available in the market. Princess Hanyue knew of her love for them and specially sent over some premium varieties. Each one was almost as large as a copper coin. When placed in the mouth and gently bitten, they burst with sweet juice, yet were delicate without pulp—truly a summer delicacy.

Yun was familiar with her expressions. Seeing her slightly squint her eyes, he knew the girl was enjoying her food, probably oblivious to everyone around her, which annoyed him.

Here he was, sitting right in front of her, and all she cared about was eating cherries.

Seeing her slender fingers reaching toward the fruit plate again, he also extended his hand, reaching after her but arriving first, directly grabbing the cherry she had chosen… and her small hand.

Feng Miaojun was startled and withdrew her hand, and that plump, juicy cherry was snatched away and eaten by him.

This scene repeated itself afterward—she could only get two or three cherries into her mouth, while the rest were stolen.

Childish!

Xu Guangxiang, however, found something strangely intimate in their actions, which irritated her eyes. She simply took a few cherries to eat herself.

Indeed, Yun didn’t try to snatch hers.

This made Xu Guangxiang even more depressed.