Even with the army now pressing in, with Suzhou city filled with garrisons everywhere, the common folk within the city were still busy with their own livelihoods.
Although the streets were bustling with people, and the hawkers lining the roads called out their wares with great effort, there were very few who stopped to patronize them.
Of the restaurants that had once filled every street and alley, more than half were now closed.
"Life in Suzhou city isn't easy either!"
After walking through seven or eight streets consecutively, aside from the long queues outside the grain stores, most other shops had no customers to speak of.
However, this situation was understandable. After all, the roads were already becoming impassable. Roads that could still barely be used today might be occupied by the rebel army tomorrow morning.
Furthermore, there were troops everywhere at this time, and the vast majority of them were auxiliary troops.
Perhaps the elites drawn from various regions would absolutely not disturb the local populace. But these auxiliary troops and the local imperial guards were another matter.
The so-called auxiliary troops were, in fact, the failures screened out through layers of selection.
These men were either seasoned veterans or scoundrels who had committed military offenses and were subsequently expelled.
One could imagine how poor the military discipline would be in an army comprised primarily of them.
Especially at this juncture, with the imperial army not only stationed around Suzhou city, but the rebel vanguard was also no more than a hundred miles away.
In such circumstances, looting passing merchants for wealth and killing nearby civilians occurred frequently.
When safety was no longer guaranteed, commercial activities naturally had to decline.
Moreover, Suzhou and Hangzhou prefectures had never excelled in agriculture.
Normally, the citizens of the city relied on sericulture and silk reeling. By the end of the year, aside from supporting themselves, their households would have a slight surplus.
Therefore, they did not need to toil away planting grain.
But now the situation was different. With the rise of these rebels, the nearby water and land transportation had become unsafe. Grain could not be imported, and prices could only soar.
Their silk suddenly became worthless, while the price of grain rose higher and higher. For ordinary people, even if they had some savings, how could they withstand such natural and man-made disasters?
"Young master, young master, this won't do, this won't do! This old man's entire family hasn't eaten for three days. My wife and children just want to sell this to get some grain to survive. You can't just take it away!"
While Han Mo was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a man's heart-wrenching cry from within the crowd ahead.
"You dog, do you know who I am? Let me tell you, I'm from the Imperial Service Bureau. The Emperor fancies this. Presenting this to the Emperor is your honor. If you dare to hesitate further, believe it or not, I'll chop you right now!"
Without even getting close, Han Mo had already a general understanding of what was happening.
Historical records described the Imperial Service Bureau in only a few dozen words. But after witnessing today's events, Han Mo realized that he had indeed underestimated the situation.
Even now, in Suzhou city, these people felt so brazen in their extortion.
One could imagine how rampant they would be in other places.
The greed and ugliness of human nature were truly displayed to the fullest extent in them.
Under the guise of the Emperor's name, they had committed all sorts of wicked deeds. If they had not been so oppressive, how could so many people have taken up arms to rebel?
Before heading south, Han Mo had always believed that sending Zhong Shidao and Prince Xin Zhao Zhen to suppress the Fang La uprising was a brilliant move on his part.
But it was only now that he realized he might have been terribly wrong, and profoundly so.
Perhaps this experience would not become a glorious achievement in the lives of Zhong Shidao and Prince Xin, but rather a stain upon their lives.
Zhu Mian and his son, though deserving of death, and all the people under them were also deserving of execution. But what about them?
Were not Han Mo and his associates now brandishing their cleavers at the victims?
For a fleeting moment, Han Mo felt his worldview was on the verge of collapse.
Zhu Mian and his son were scourges of the nation, and Han Mo had become the accomplice behind the scenes.
"Master!"
Listening to the screams erupting from the crowd, Jiang Yan's eyes turned red.
If not for the fact that Han Mo only had him to guard him at this moment, he would have already drawn his weapon and charged.
"They are already destitute, and you birds are still trying to rob them. How can the court have scum like you!"
Just as Han Mo was about to act, a burly man with a full beard, over eight feet tall, wearing a tattered sackcloth, suddenly pushed through the crowd and squeezed his way in.
"Who do you think you are, you military deserter? You dare to meddle in the affairs of the Imperial Service Bureau, you must be tired of living!"
Only then did Han Mo realize that the person in charge was not wearing official attire, but a brocade robe.
Although he appeared to be only in his twenties, he wore more than a dozen ornaments on his person, and any single one of them looked like priceless treasure.
"This fellow's identity seems unusual. Go and find out who this kid is!"
Taking a deep breath, Han Mo once again focused his mind and shifted his attention to the matter at hand.
Although he didn't know who the man who stepped in to uphold justice was, judging by his attire alone, Han Mo was quite certain that this fellow's identity must be rather unusual. If he didn't intervene, the one who was upholding justice might be in great trouble today.
"Yes!"
Xu Fengnian responded with a "yes" and quickly walked into the crowd. After quietly inquiring for a moment, he ran back.
"Brother Mo, this fellow is Zhu Chong's nephew, Zhu Cheng. The people around him are all officials from the Imperial Service Bureau!"
"Whether Grandpa wants to live or die is none of your business. If you know what's good for you, get lost now, otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"
As the strong man spoke, he also kicked out, sending a subordinate who was preparing to ambush him flying a considerable distance.
"What great martial skill!"