"Father, what did the elders say?"
At dawn, Wang Anlian clung anxiously to her husband Chu Haoman's arm. They were in the Wang Family's residence in northern Taiyuan Prefecture City. Wang Anlian, who had once issued a reward for Li Ang, turned to her father, Wang Bojian.
Wang Bojian didn't respond immediately. He poured himself a cup of cold tea, drank it down, and only then spoke, his brow furrowed. "They've decided to fight the court."
"But," Wang Anlian's face tightened, "it's not just Taiyuan Prefecture now. All the State Mansions along Hedong Road are experiencing a rat plague. The death and injury toll is severe, comparable to the plagues of the late Han Dynasty and the Two Jin Period. The army has surrounded Taiyuan Prefecture City. All city gates are closed; only vehicles transporting goods can enter and exit. The Chang'an court is terrified of the plague spreading. If things deteriorate to a confrontation, it would be no different from rebellion."
