txolops Chapter 83 Robin Hood-like Activities
Chapter 83 Robin Hood-like Activities
Chapter 83 Robin Hood-like Activities
At 3:45 PM, the night watchman's gong echoed through the empty street, sounding particularly eerie.
The Zhao residence, located in the east of the city, was brightly lit.
Inside the high-walled compound, a dozen large iron pots were lined up in a row. They weren't cooking thin porridge to relieve disaster victims, but rather a late-night snack for the guards.
The pot contained large chunks of fatty pork stewed with vermicelli, the oil bubbling and the aroma wafting far into the night air, a stark contrast to the shivering refugees huddled under the eaves outside the wall.
Master Zhao sat in the flower hall, playing with two warm and smooth jade pebbles in his hands, listening to the steward report on the day's grain collection.
"Sir, those poor wretches may be stubborn, but they're still afraid of death. We lowered the grain price by another 10%, and they obediently gave back all the old rice."
The steward, with a fawning expression, rubbed his hands together and said with a smile, "Adding the grain allocated by the county magistrate, our grain reserves are enough to raise the market price by another 30% next spring."
"Hmm, well done."
Master Zhao nodded in satisfaction, a smug gleam on his fat face. "Remember, how can we show our skills if we don't squeeze food from the teeth of the peasants? In this world, the bold get rich, and the timid starve."
They are poor because they are stupid and don't work hard; they have no one to blame but themselves.
"Your Excellency is wise! Those peasants know nothing about economics; they are destined to be stepping stones for you."
The master and servant looked at each other and burst into laughter, their laughter filled with the arrogance and greed of those in a superior position.
Just then, a piercing scream tore through the night sky.
"ah--!"
The sound was short and terrified, like a rooster being choked, and then abruptly stopped.
Master Zhao's hand trembled, and the jade gall fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
"What's going on?! Who's making a scene outside?"
He roared, and before the butler could even come out to check, the heavy doors of the flower hall shattered with a crash.
Two corpses dressed in guard uniforms flew in like tattered sacks, crashing heavily onto the expensive mahogany round table, their blood staining the untouched roast chicken.
On the corpse's neck, there was a thin red line, as fine as a hair. The wound was smooth and neat, and even the curve of the rolled-up flesh was exactly the same.
fast.
The sword was almost at its limit.
A cold wind swept into the flower hall, extinguishing the candles all around, leaving only the ever-burning lamp in the main hall flickering on and off.
In the flickering lamplight, a tall, slender figure slowly walked in.
The newcomer wore a long robe as red as blood, and a blank mask without any facial features, except for two points of chilling scarlet light shining from where the eyes were.
He didn't hold a sword in his hand, yet his entire being was like a drawn blade, exuding a chilling aura.
"Who are you?!"
Master Zhao was so frightened that he fell to the ground, his fat jiggling violently. "I'm a guest of honor of the county magistrate! I have money! I'll give you whatever amount you want! Don't kill me!"
The man in blood-red clothes, also known as the Blood Swordsman, tilted his head, as if he was thinking.
He didn't act immediately, but instead said in a hoarse voice, "Master Zhao, I heard you think the ponds in Changning County are too small and there are too many people, which is why it's poor?"
Master Zhao was taken aback. He had just said these words at Zuiyue Tower during the day. How could this jinx know them?
"Yes—yes—"
He stammered in response, trying to appease the other person, "If you find it too crowded, I'll move out right away, I'll move out right away—"
"No need."
The man in blood slowly raised his hand, a drop of bright red blood condensing at his fingertip. "I think you make a lot of sense. Since the pond is small, if we just kill the fish that takes up the most space, the water freed up will be enough for the remaining smaller fish to live in."
"You've eaten so much, you've grown so fat, you alone consume the food of ten thousand people."
The eyes beneath the blood-stained mask blazed with a bright red light. "According to your logic, killing you would be the greatest contribution to Changning County."
"No! That's just sophistry! I'm a law-abiding citizen of the Great Wei! I am—"
Before Master Zhao could finish speaking, the drop of blood transformed into a crimson sword aura, instantly piercing through his brow.
After the sword energy entered his body, it transformed into countless tiny blood threads, which burrowed into Zhao Yuanwai's limbs and bones.
In just a few breaths, this 300-pound fat man deflated rapidly, like a punctured balloon.
His life essence, fat, and even his filthy soul were all drained by this domineering Blood River Technique, turning into a blood pill the size of a longan, which flew back into the blood-clad man's hand.
"As expected, he's bloated and bloated, and his blood and energy are certainly abundant."
The man in blood-red clothes glanced disdainfully at the dried corpse on the ground and casually put away the blood pill.
This is the method of the demonic path: simple, direct, and cruel.
Meanwhile, chaos had already broken out outside the Zhao residence.
Those guards and servants who usually acted arrogantly and domineeringly were terrified and scattered in all directions.
The man in the blood-stained clothes was too lazy to chase after these small fry.
He walked outside the flower hall, looked at the dozen or so large pots, and with a casual wave of his hand, a wave of blood overturned the pots and stoves, and a fire broke out, setting the mansion, which was full of sin and extravagance, ablaze.
Finally, his figure blurred, transforming into a blood-red shadow, and disappeared into the night.
After an incense stick has burned.
The location of the Demon Suppression Division in Changning County.
Gu Yan, who was in "seclusion for cultivation," suddenly opened his eyes, his expression changing drastically.
"Oh no! A demon is causing trouble!"
He flung open the door and shouted to the captain on night duty in the courtyard, "Quickly, go and fetch Lord Xiao and Lord Song! There's a terrifying aura emanating from the east of the city; a great demon may have appeared!"
This acting skill is even more superb than when he was still in the county government.
Before long, Xiao Chen and Song Hong arrived in a hurry. After the three of them met, they rushed to the Zhao residence without stopping.
When they arrived, the fire at the Zhao residence had already been mostly extinguished by the surrounding villagers, and the air was filled with the acrid smell of corpses.
The once magnificent Zhao Mansion is now a ruin.
At the main gate, more than a dozen guards lay dead, all with their necks severed, clean and tidy.
"What domineering sword energy."
Xiao Chen squatted down and carefully examined the corpse. His expression turned solemn, and his tone was filled with worry. "This residual aura is cold and bloodthirsty. It is definitely not the work of an ordinary demon. It must be the work of a demonic cultivator."
"Demonic cultivators?" Gu Yan feigned surprise. "Could they be remnants of the Blood River Sect?"
The three entered the flower hall and saw Master Zhao's shriveled and withered corpse.
Song Hong gasped: "His life essence was drained—this method is undoubtedly from the Blood River Sect."
She turned to look at Gu Yan, her eyes filled with inquiry: "Sir, although this Master Zhao was rich but heartless, he was still a major taxpayer in the county. Now that he has died so tragically, I'm afraid it will be difficult to explain to the county magistrate."
"Explain?"
Gu Yan sneered, his gaze sweeping over the ruins to the huge, intact granary in the backyard.
There were 30,000 shi of grain piled up there, which was irrefutable evidence of Zhao Yuanwai's exploitation of the people.
Meanwhile, the people who heard the commotion rushed over and surrounded the Zhao residence.
Some of them were ragged and others were emaciated, standing timidly outside the cordon, watching the tragic scene inside.
Their eyes, when they saw the Zhao family mansion, held no sympathy whatsoever, only a desire to rush in and seize something, yet they dared not move due to the authority of the government.
Gu Yan knew that the time had come.
He straightened his clothes, strode to the granary, and channeled his spiritual power, his voice booming like a bell, echoing throughout the entire neighborhood.
"Fellow villagers!"
The crowd fell silent instantly, and countless eyes turned to the young commander.
"This was caused by demonic cultivators. I deeply regret the unfortunate death of Master Zhao."
Gu Yan looked grief-stricken, then changed the subject, pointing to the granary behind him, "However! I just inspected it and discovered that this demonic cultivator is extremely vicious. Not only did he kill people, but he also left demonic energy in these grains!"
The crowd erupted in uproar.
"This grain is contaminated by demonic energy. If it remains piled up here for a long time, it will surely breed a plague and wreak havoc on the entire city!"
Gu Yan spoke with righteous indignation and stern words, his face filled with determination to rid the people of this scourge.
Xiao Chen and Song Hong, who were standing nearby, were taken aback.
Demonic energy? Where did this demonic energy come from? The grain is perfectly clean; apart from a slight stale rice smell, there's no trace of demonic cultivation whatsoever.
Just as Song Hong was about to speak up to remind him, Xiao Chen gently tugged at her sleeve.
Xiao Chenchong shook his head at him, gesturing for her to watch Gu Yan's next move.
Gu Yan waved his hand and shouted, "To prevent the demonic energy from gathering and erupting, we must immediately disperse this grain! Only by borrowing the yang energy of the people can we dispel the yin poison of this demonic energy!"
"Someone! Open the warehouse!"
"Every household in Changning County is entitled to one shi of rice! Collect it immediately, without fail! This is for the safety of the entire city; anyone who dares not collect it is obstructing my efforts to rid the city of evil!"
The entire crowd held their breath, and then erupted in a thunderous roar of cheers.
"Oh, Your Honor!"
"Long live Lord Gu!"
What demonic energy? What exorcism?
The people didn't care how convincing the reason was; they only understood one thing: they were receiving free grain!
The crowd, which had been observing, began to stir. No longer afraid of the government's swords, they surged toward the granary like a tide.
Under Gu Yan's oppressive aura, the tide did not get out of control.
Under Gu Yan's instructions, the captains of the Demon Suppression Division not only did not obstruct the process, but also began to maintain order and issued numbered tokens.
Looking at the people carrying sacks of rice, their faces beaming with the joy of the New Year, Song Hong finally understood what the commander intended to do.
This is not exorcising demons at all, but rather using the name of exorcising demons to carry out the work of robbing the rich to help the poor!
Moreover, their methods were extremely sophisticated.
If they directly seize the grain distributed by the Zhao family, it would be condoning a rebellion, violating the laws of the Great Wei Dynasty, and damaging the reputation of the Liuyun Sect.
However, if the problem is that the grain has been contaminated by demonic energy and it is necessary to use the people's spirit to exorcise the evil, then that is the job of the Demon Suppression Division. It is a special case that needs to be handled specially, and even the county magistrate cannot find fault with it.
After all, a local official is more powerful than a county magistrate. When it comes to exorcising demons, even the prefect, the county magistrate's superior, has to listen to Gu Yan's words!
"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant."
Song Hong couldn't help but sigh in admiration, "I thought he was a bookworm, but I never expected him to be so good at using someone else's talent to curry favor."
Gu Yan stood on the high ground, looking down at the jubilant crowd below.
As the first bag of rice was distributed, the City God's Seal in his arms began to vibrate once more.
A golden force of aspiration, even larger and more intense than the one that had flowed into Guanyao Town yesterday, converged continuously like a river flowing into the sea. If the aspirations of Guanyao Town were a trickle, then the gratitude of all the poor people in the town at this moment was a mighty river.
This is not only a matter of being saved, but also a release of pent-up emotions.
The common people had suffered greatly from the exploitation of people like Master Zhao in their daily lives. Now, seeing the wicked man brought to justice and his family fortune scattered, the joy that came from the depths of their souls was transformed into the purest form of incense offerings.
"Gu Qingtian————"
"A living Buddha!"
In the crowd, the man who had been beaten bloody in the rain yesterday was kneeling on the ground, holding two bags of rice, and desperately kowtowing in the direction of Gu Yan. Blood was flowing from his forehead again, but he was smiling, with tears and snot streaming down his face.
As Gu Yan looked at him, the Dao Heart in her heart became even more clear.
Under the influence of this will, the spiritual power within him began to undergo a qualitative transformation.
At the center of the originally gaseous vortex of spiritual energy, the first drop of golden liquid magic quietly condensed.
The foundation has been laid, and the most solid step has already been taken.
"Master Zhao, thank you for your gift."
Gu Yan silently said in his heart, "Your flesh and blood nourished my avatar, and your wealth built my foundation. Although you died, you died a worthy death."
Just then, an enraged constable pushed through the crowd, brandishing a token and screaming, "Stop! Stop! The magistrate has ordered that the Zhao family's property be confiscated, and no one is allowed to touch it! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"
The once lively scene cooled down.
The people, clutching their rice sacks, stared in terror at the yamen runner who represented the magistrate's authority.
Gu Yan turned around, raised his chin, and looked down at the constable. The smile on his face disappeared, leaving only a chilling aura.
"Confiscated?"
Gu Yan said coldly, "These grains are tainted with demonic energy; they are malevolent creatures. Does Lord Wu intend to take these malevolent creatures back? Or is he plotting to cultivate demonic arts and commit wicked deeds?"
"this----"
The constable, having been falsely accused, was speechless. "But—but—"
"No buts."
Gu Yan took a step forward, releasing his peak Qi Refining power without reservation, which made the constable's legs go weak. "Go back and tell Lord Wu that when the Demon Suppression Division is handling a case, all bystanders should stay away. If this demonic energy is not completely eliminated, and one or two demons happen to run out and visit the county government, injuring the county magistrate's precious body, I cannot bear the responsibility."
This was a blatant threat. The implication was clear: if you dare to stop me from distributing the grain, that demonic cultivator might go to the county government office tonight, and Gu Yan wouldn't come to your aid then.
The constable looked into Gu Yan's eyes, then glanced at Xiao Chen standing beside him with his hand on his sword and Song Hong playing with her throwing knife. He swallowed hard, threw down a "You wait," and slunk away.
Upon seeing this, the people erupted in even more enthusiastic cheers.
This time, their feelings weren't just gratitude; their eyes held something more: trust.
In this chaotic world, it is rare to find someone willing to offend the county magistrate for the benefit of ordinary people.
Even if this person looks weak, at this moment, his image in the hearts of the people is a thousand times greater than the clay statues of gods in the temple.
Gu Yan stood with his hands behind his back, and the surging incense and prayer power within his divine essence caused his aura to rise steadily.