Chapter 109: Rebellion!
Translator: NullTranslationGroup
The sword made a whooshing sound, flashing several light shadows in mid-air. Liu Taozi weighed it horizontally again, finding it perfectly balanced and easy to handle.
Everyone gathered around Taozi, watching the sword in his hand. Yao Xiong couldn't take his eyes off it, "Brother, what a great sword! Where did it come from?"
"The Governor gave it to me."
Yao Xiong was puzzled by the logic. His brother killed someone, and the Governor gave him a sword??
Shi Yao was also staring at the sword, murmuring, "Hua Ting Sword."
"Oh, does this sword have a name?"
Shi Yao nodded and explained, "I heard that during the time of Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, he selected fine metals and had the national craftsmen refine three swords. One was called Flying Scenery, the second was Flowing Colors, and the third was Hua Ting. All were four feet two inches long, weighed one pound fifteen ounces, tempered with clear water, and polished with jade. This is Cao Pi's third sword, the Hua Ting Sword."
"Lou Rui couldn't put this sword down and often showed it off. How did it end up in Liu Jun's hands?"
Liu Taozi didn't answer the question. He looked at Tian Zili, "Have all the goods been transported?"
"Not yet... there's too much, the donkey carts aren't enough, so we borrowed carriages from these families. We're still transporting them, and the officials are very tired..."
"Go to the Prefecture Government Office now and ask the officials and the county soldiers to help with the transportation."
Tian Zili was stunned, "Brother... will they agree?"
"Just say it's the Governor's order."
Everyone exchanged glances. Tian Zili asked again, "Brother, what's going on?"
Liu Taozi sheathed his sword and led everyone back inside. He sat in the main seat, looking at the people around him, "I've already negotiated with Lou Rui. Half of the grain we've seized will go to him, and the other half will be used to appease the people."
Yao Xiong immediately became anxious, "Brother?! We took it all by force, why should we split it with him half and half?!"
Tian Zili also hesitated, "Isn't half a bit too much..."
Shi Yao, however, was deep in thought, gently stroking his beard, "It's good to share."
Everyone looked at him. Shi Yao, seeing the confusion, continued, "Although the Li family gathered people to resist taxes and attacked officials, bringing about their own downfall, their family is powerful and has many friends in the court. Such an incident will definitely draw attention."
"If Lou Rui protects us, no matter how many friends the Li family has, they won't dare to say a word."
"Secondly, the people of Liyang Prefecture really have no grain reserves. If we want to open the granaries and distribute grain, our County Yamen alone is not qualified. Once it's reported to the Imperial Court, it could lead to a military campaign... Moreover, currently, Liyang has two counties and one large township. In the name of the County Yamen, we can appease the people of Liyang County, but what about the people of Dunt Qiu County and East Li?"
"If we can induce Lou Rui to take action against the major families in the entire prefecture, even if he takes half, the other half can feed countless people and allow the people to survive until the next autumn harvest."
Everyone quieted down, nodding slightly.
Yao Xiong was still unhappy, gritting his teeth in frustration, "No wonder that old dog was so generous, willing to give away such a precious sword. It turns out it was bought with half of the grain and money... The state of Liyang Prefecture is largely his fault. We can kill the Li family, but we can't get rid of him, it's really annoying!"
Shi Yao chuckled lightly, "Yao Jun, don't be impatient. Although I despise those foreign monks, there's one thing they say that I agree with—good and evil will be repaid. Such a villain will get his retribution, it's just not time yet."
Liu Taozi, however, had already started assigning tasks.
Tian Zili was responsible for continuing to transport the grain, while Yao Xiong was in charge of maintaining order and hanging heads on the city gates. Chu Jiande was to treat the injured officials and bury the dead to prevent disease.
Everyone left, but Shi Yao stayed behind.
"Liu Jun, you haven't given me any tasks yet."
Shi Yao naturally sat down next to Liu Taozi, looking at him.
"Magistrate Shi, you will be responsible for distributing the grain."
"Once the grain and money are in place and the statistics are done, we can start distributing."
Shi Yao nodded heavily, and suddenly, a relaxed smile appeared on his solemn face. He actually laughed.
"I never thought that being a villain could be so satisfying. I once thought about leading people to kill in the southern city, but alas, I didn't have the ability."
"I only know how to kill. The task of pacifying the people must be left to Magistrate Shi."
Shi Yao said seriously, "From now on, Liu Jun, just give the orders. I've been here for two years and achieved nothing, not even doing a little for the people. You've just arrived and have already removed a great harm for the people! I am convinced, from now on, Liu Jun, just give the orders, don't worry about ranks or affiliations! I will do my best!"
Liu Taozi nodded slightly, saying nothing more.
Shi Yao hesitated for a moment, then said, "There's just one thing I want to ask Liu Jun."
"I wonder, what is Liu Jun's background? Why does Lou Rui call you nephew?"
Liu Taozi said, "I was previously appreciated and promoted by Cheng'an Magistrate Lu Yao. Lu Yao is related to the Prince of Changshan, so he is cautious and calls me nephew."
"The Prince of Changshan..."
Hearing this title, Shi Yao's face changed slightly.
His expression was conflicted, and he seemed to want to say something several times, but in the end, he sighed deeply, "Forget it, the big matters of the Imperial Court should be left to the great dukes of the Imperial Court to worry about."
"We'll just do what we can, save the people of Liyang first... No matter what..."
"I will not be an enemy of Liu Jun."
Shi Yao spoke again, "Liu Jun, there's also the matter of Chongguang Temple. The grain and money accumulated by Chongguang Temple, and the land they've seized, are no less than the Li family's, if not more! How should we deal with them?"
Liu Taozi's left eye twitched, and a hint of ferocity flashed in his eyes.
"We'll deal with them one by one."
Four senior monks were solemnly sitting in the back courtyard, all wearing black kasayas, their faces solemn and sacred.
A foreign monk was standing beside them, telling them about what had happened outside.
"After Lord Lou arrived, he actually took the demon's hand and helped him into the carriage!"
"This demon truly knows no bounds..."
The foreign monk was the one who had previously stopped Liu Taozi. Now, he was trembling all over, his voice shaking, his eyes filled with fear, and his heart filled with regret.
Remembering how arrogantly he had blocked the other party that day, he felt lucky to be alive.
The four senior monks all frowned. One of them opened his eyes—it was Ayanna, who had previously appeared at Lou Rui's residence. "Why are you so panicked? I told you to cultivate your mind, and this is how you've cultivated it?"
The foreign monk quickly closed his mouth and lowered his head.
Ayanna waved his hand, and the foreign monk bowed again, then turned to leave.
Only the four of them remained in the room. Ayanna looked at the others, "A great demon has come to Liyang City... He slaughtered in the southern city, killing over a thousand people. If we don't subdue this demon soon, I'm afraid the good men and women of the city will suffer from this demon's havoc."
An old monk with white hair opened his eyes, "The Governor is so polite to him, he's probably not an ordinary demon. We should first find out his background before taking any action."
As soon as he finished speaking, another fierce-looking senior monk spoke up, "Judging by this demon's killing nature, before we know his background, he might kill us first... No matter his background, we should subdue the demon first and get through this calamity!!"
"No, if the Governor helps him, destroying the temple would be a matter of moments. We can't be rash."
The three argued, their tones becoming increasingly harsh.
The peaceful and serene atmosphere of the room was gone, replaced by four ferocious beasts in human skin roaring at each other.
Ayanna stood up angrily, looking at the others, "A County Assistant Magistrate has ruined decades of your Buddhist practice?! Why are you so afraid?!"
The three closed their mouths and slowly returned to their solemn appearance.
Ayanna looked out the window, his eyes becoming increasingly fierce, "The demon is extremely cruel, we must not act rashly. From today, Chongguang Temple will close its doors for cultivation. I will write a letter... seeking the protection of good people."
Hearing this, the three senior monks all clasped their hands and bowed, "We will follow the abbot's words."
Zhao Kai rode a tall horse, leading many county soldiers, slowly moving along the official road.
This rugged official road led to the distant large township.
The group moved in silence, only the sound of breathing could be heard. Zhao Kai rode for a long time, and finally, he looked up at the city wall in front of him.
The wall was in ruins, the walls of Liyang were old and short, but they still served as a substantial protective barrier. The wall before them was cracked all over, with many gaps, some places reduced to just a section of tilted earth, seemingly on the verge of collapse.
Many places were blackened, signs of being burned.
There was no one guarding the city gate, and in fact, there was no need for a city gate here. The wall was full of gaps, and Zhao Kai could lead his men through those gaps at any time.
The group entered the city, and all they could see were ruins of buildings.
One after another, the courtyards were open, the ground overgrown with weeds, insects and ants everywhere. Looking around, not a single person could be seen.
They moved along the main road of the city, the buildings on both sides half-destroyed, the courtyard gates open, the house doors open, the dark interiors seemed to harbor unknown horrors, and the county soldiers dared not look too closely.
This place was Dongli Village under the jurisdiction of Liyang County.
Seven or eight years ago, this place was not called Dongli Village, it was called East Li County.
Because of its flat terrain and the convenience of the eastern official road, it developed quite well.
Later, for some reason, the arable land here became less and less, the people became fewer and fewer, and even the major families abandoned this place, moving to Liyang, leaving only a few local tyrants here. It no longer met the conditions to be a separate county town, so it became Dongli Village.
The entire city was devoid of people, and all that could be heard along the way was the breathing of the county soldiers.
They walked to the easternmost part of the county town.
The situation was somewhat different here. What appeared before them was a tall fortified village.
The walls of the fortified village were high, with guards patrolling back and forth.
There were gates everywhere, a city within a city.
A group of people, barefoot, some wearing chains, under the scolding of servants, carrying farm tools, walked like zombies in the distance.
A servant saw the approaching group and shouted something.
Moments later, the gates of the fortified village opened, and a group of people on horseback galloped towards them.
A fat man, riding a warhorse, charged towards them. The man was huge, a large mass, the warhorse beneath him almost invisible, it was a wonder how the horse could carry him.
The group rushed to Zhao Kai's front, the man's face full of smiles.
"Lord Zhao!! What brings you here?"
"Distinguished guests! Distinguished guests!"
The man was helped down from his horse with great difficulty.
"Third brother! Get all the beautiful dancers from the estate..."
Zhao Kai shouted, drawing his sword and slashing at the man.
The man quickly raised his hand, and the sword cut a gash in his arm.
The man was shocked, "Lord Zhao!! Why is this?!"
"The tribute grain is insufficient! It needs to be shared by the whole city! You're no exception!"
Zhao Kai shouted, looking around, "Charge in!"
The county soldiers looked at each other, unsure of what to do. An official led the charge, and the other county soldiers followed. The man was slashed several times by the county soldiers, covered in blood.
The man became furious, he raised his head and shouted, "Charge!! Stop these beasts!!"
"Anyone who doesn't charge, I'll kill their whole family!!"
The guards, hearing this, gritted their teeth, holding sticks, and charged forward. At first, they didn't dare to fight back, just poking and pushing with their sticks, but after the county soldiers slashed a few guards, both sides stopped holding back, and they fought together.
From within the fortified village, someone else rushed out, "Stop!! Everyone stop!!"
But his words were lost in the chaos, and the two sides continued to fight, the chaos escalating.
Zhao Kai had brought over two hundred county soldiers and more than twenty officials, while the other side had five to six hundred.
Nearly a thousand people caused a great commotion at the gates of the fortified village. Zhao Kai's fine white horse was so frightened it kept shaking. A guard, eyes red, charged forward to slash at Zhao Kai, who was terrified, turned his horse, and fled.
He knocked over several county soldiers and finally broke through the chaotic crowd, retreating.
Seeing him flee, several officials also quickly followed on horseback. Seeing the mounted ones run, the county soldiers also began to follow.
For a time, the county soldiers began to retreat. Zhao Kai steadied his horse, turned around, and saw a group of county soldiers rushing towards him.
Zhao Kai shouted loudly, but as the county soldiers got closer, he chose to retreat again on his horse. After retreating a distance, he stopped again, shouting to dissuade them.
He repeated this several times.
But his method of dissuasion only caused more and more county soldiers to collapse.
When the county soldiers began to throw down their weapons and flee in droves, the guards began to pursue them.
The owner of the fortified village watched this scene, shouting in despair and helplessness, "Stop!! Everyone stop!!"
His voice was already hoarse, but in the chaos of nearly a thousand people, shouting was useless.
Zhao Kai led the county soldiers all the way out of East Li. When Zhao Kai gathered his men again at a wasteland outside the township, only sixty to seventy of the over two hundred county soldiers who had followed him out remained.
"Rebellion... rebellion!"
"The local tyrants of Dongli Village attacked officials, leading servants to kill county soldiers, they've rebelled! Rebelled!!"
Zhao Kai trembled, accusing the other side of their crimes.
Meanwhile, at the gates of the fortified village, the owner of the fortified village was slapping the face of the injured fat man.
"Why didn't you just die?!"
"Why didn't you just die?!"
The fat man, covered in blood, looked at the old man in front of him, crying bitterly.
The old man trembled as he looked at the county soldiers lying motionless around him, raised his hand shakily, and pointed at his son, "I..."
The old man only said one word before his mouth twisted, and he collapsed.
Three people rushed forward, hurriedly supporting him, and had him taken back.
Two younger fat men stood in front of the injured fat man.
"Big brother! We've killed county soldiers and beaten officials, what are we going to do now?!"
The injured fat man took a deep breath, "Things have come to this. Now, the only way is to take our belongings and find a place to hide."
"With our nearly thousand men, even if we leave the city and occupy a mountain, no one would dare to provoke us!"
"Moreover, we've all seen the capabilities of the county soldiers, the army of Great Qi is simply no match!"
"We must flee before they mobilize more troops!!"
Hearing his words, his two younger brothers couldn't help but cry.
"We have everything here, why bother going to the wild to become bandits?"
At this moment, the city gates no longer saw the presence of the commandery officials, completely controlled by the county officials.
Today, the county gate was unusually quiet, with hardly anyone coming in or out.
A county official sat at the gate, chatting and laughing with his colleagues.
"Lord Liu is truly a man among men!"
"You didn't see it that day, he alone defeated hundreds of people, fighting from one end of the south city to the other, slicing through enemies left and right as if they were melons and vegetables, it was truly..."
"And our Patrol Governor Yao! He was also very brave, always by Lord Liu's side, suffering several wounds but never retreating a step, stubbornly following Lord Liu through the enemy lines!"
The incident in the south city had already caused a huge sensation throughout the county and the commandery.
As the protagonist of the event, Liu Shanxiao was repeatedly mentioned, his fame skyrocketing.
Even Yao Xiong got a nickname, called Yao the Ghost.
Just as the man was speaking enthusiastically, several riders appeared in the distance, speeding towards here at full speed, causing the county officials to quickly stand up and call for the county soldiers to intercept.
The steed rushed all the way to the city gate, a commandery official fell off the horse, panting heavily.
"East Li has rebelled! East Li has rebelled!!"
PS: Aha, the average subscription has smoothly surpassed the ten thousand mark, looking forward to breaking through twenty thousand soon!!
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