Chapter 14: The Suffering of the People
Capítulo 14: O Sofrimento do Povo
In their work, Zhou Jin and Fan Jin had the opportunity to encounter the real situation of the common people. They found that many people lived in poverty and suffering, yet the officials of the imperial court turned a blind eye to this.
Em seu trabalho, Zhou Jin e Fan Jin tiveram a oportunidade de encontrar a situação real do povo comum. Eles descobriram que muitas pessoas viviam na pobreza e no sofrimento, mas os funcionários da corte imperial fechavam os olhos para isso.
Natural disasters occurred frequently, harvests failed, and people were hungry and cold. However, the court's relief policies were poorly executed, and many relief supplies were embezzled through layers of transfer.
Desastres naturais ocorriam frequentemente, as colheitas falhavam, e as pessoas passavam fome e frio. No entanto, as políticas de alívio da corte eram mal executadas, e muitos suprimentos de alívio eram desviados no processo de transferência.
Taxes were heavy, and the people were overwhelmed. Many farmers were forced to sell their children and even sell themselves into slavery to survive. This situation shocked and angered Zhou Jin and Fan Jin.
Os impostos eram pesados, e o povo estava sobrecarregado. Muitos agricultores eram forçados a vender seus filhos e até mesmo a se vender como escravos para sobreviver. Essa situação chocou e irritou Zhou Jin e Fan Jin.
The extravagant lives of officials formed a sharp contrast with the suffering of the people. They built luxurious mansions, held grand banquets, and lived lavish lives. Meanwhile, the people struggled on the line between life and death.
A vida extravagante dos funcionários formava um contraste gritante com o sofrimento do povo. Eles construíam mansões luxuosas, organizavam grandes banquetes e viviam uma vida suntuosa. Enquanto isso, o povo lutava no limite entre a vida e a morte.
Zhou Jin and Fan Jin decided to speak up for the people. They wrote memorials to reflect the suffering of the people to the emperor and requested the court to reduce taxes and improve the people's lives.
Zhou Jin e Fan Jin decidiram falar pelo povo. Eles escreveram memoriais para refletir o sofrimento do povo ao imperador e pediram à corte que reduzisse os impostos e melhorasse a vida do povo.
However, their memorials were often intercepted by powerful people and could not reach the emperor. Even when they reached the emperor, the emperor could not truly solve the problems for various reasons. This made Zhou Jin and Fan Jin feel powerless and frustrated.
No entanto, seus memoriais eram frequentemente interceptados por pessoas poderosas e não podiam chegar ao imperador. Mesmo quando chegavam ao imperador, o imperador não podia realmente resolver os problemas por várias razões. Isso fazia Zhou Jin e Fan Jin se sentirem impotentes e frustrados.