Shen Wei set down the storybook in her hand and instructed Cai Ping to immediately gather news.
The next day, Cai Ping reported the findings to Shen Wei. It turned out that the officials in Yunzhou had been ruthlessly exploiting the people, embezzling a large portion of the disaster relief grains and textiles allocated by the imperial court.
Moreover, excessive taxes had also been imposed.
Deprived of relief supplies and burdened by oppressive levies, the people rose in anger, revolting and setting fire to the prefecture's granaries.
"His Majesty has already dispatched envoys overnight to Yunzhou to pacify the people, distribute winter provisions, and severely punish the corrupt officials," Cai Ping said, her eyes darting around before lowering her voice. "Mistress, it's said that His Majesty has sent men to surround the Duke of Lu's residence and arrested five or six male members of the Lu family."
