Starting with the titmouse, seventy-two transformations

Chapter 45 Night Plot, Moving House

The night was dark.

The servant brought over the prepared medicinal soup, fed it to Xu Qidong, and then quickly left.

Inside the house, only the four Xu brothers remained.

"I've already asked around; this man is a native of Baishui Village. His grandfather passed the imperial examination at the county level and had some wealth, but in recent years..."

"Tong Li ate almost everything."

Xu Qixia was in his early thirties, with a pale face and short beard. He squinted when he spoke, his expression fierce, like a vicious wolf.
"Two days ago, Lu Ming from Qingfeng Martial Arts School led a group to the countryside to collect taxes, but they were unexpectedly attacked by a tiger, and all of them, including the horses, died."

However, the account books remained where they were and were brought back to the yamen this morning.

I just saw it at the yamen. Lu Ming took a ruthless approach, appointing this kid as the head of the household and demanding he pay 572 taels of summer tax…”

He worked in the county government as a constable, and had a group of underlings who were the most well-informed.

When he received the news from home in the evening, he used his connections to dig up all of Liu Sheng's past.

"So, this kid came into the city hoping to get the status of a beast hunter and avoid taxes and corvée labor?"

The third brother, Xu Qiqiu, stroked his thick beard, his eyes darting around like a lurking venomous snake.

He is one of the three hall masters of the Green Snake Gang in the city.

Despite his burly appearance, he is actually a master of intrigue and scheming, and is the strategist among the four Xu brothers.

The rapid development of the Xu family in this generation is largely due to their shrewd planning and strategic thinking, which has been instrumental in their success.

He pondered for a moment, then sneered:
"That makes things easier. The boss just needs to delay the submission of the list and prevent his name from being reported immediately. Without the status of a beast hunter, he will still be just a lowly commoner."

Second brother, you'll take some men to the countryside early tomorrow morning to collect taxes. If they can't pay, arrest them on the spot and throw them in jail...

Whether they live or die is up to us to decide.

If he can hand it over, then we need to explain where he, a lowly country bumpkin, got so much silver? Is he colluding with bandits, harming his neighbors, or...?

"The stolen silver from the magistrate's house tonight?"

As long as he loses his status as a beast hunter, they will find ways to punish Liu Sheng, regardless of whether he pays the full amount of Xia's taxes.

Killing someone under the law is perfectly just and aboveboard; there's no need to even deliberately frame them.

This is the crushing power of authority.

"late."

Xu Qichun remained silent for a moment, then shook his head:

"Before He Qiang finished his shift, he handed the register of today's names to the cabinet storeroom. That person is now a genuine... beast hunter."

"Has this old man He lost his mind?"

Xu Qiqiu chuckled, his voice cold and sharp:

"To go against the Xu family for a country bumpkin?"

Xu Qixia turned to look at his fourth brother, who was unconscious on the bed, and suddenly spoke:
"I heard that the wild horse spirit's corpse sold for over a thousand taels of silver."

"It's only natural that such a large sum of money would be coveted by thieves."

During the struggle, the thief accidentally injured Old He, which is quite normal.

Xu Qiqiu understood instantly, a sinister look flashing across his face. He stood up and walked out.
“I recently recruited a new subordinate who has been on the wanted list, but has never shown his face in Shanyang County.”

Xu Qichun frowned:
"Old He is a veteran of the Demon Suppression Division; we cannot allow anyone to die."

"I understand. It's similar to the injuries on the fourth brother."

Xu Qiqiu responded, and his footsteps faded into the distance.
-
It was very early in the morning, before the roosters crowed.

Grandma Liu then got up and started packing her luggage.

She tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, feeling anxious and uneasy.

Today I'm moving to the city to settle down, and from now on I'll be a noble "city dweller".

She had dreamed of such things when she was young, but spent her whole life struggling to make a living in the countryside.

Unexpectedly, in my old age, my dream suddenly came true.

Thank goodness we have such a capable grandson!

She happily reorganized the luggage she had packed the night before, her gaze drifting towards the main room—

Yu Niang had been a student for some time, and she struggled every night, but her belly remained flat.

Once we get to the city, should we find a good concubine for our grandson, or should we find a good family for him to marry into?
The old woman has lived enough and has no regrets in this life. She just hopes that the Liu family can have many more descendants and a few more precious great-grandchildren!
……

After breakfast, the family boarded a cart, which Liu Sheng pulled, and headed straight for the county town.

Yu Niang wore new clothes today, with a touch of powder on her face and her hair styled in a bun, giving her a somewhat demure and refined air. Environment shapes character, and upbringing shapes physical constitution.

After following Liu Sheng for more than half a month, eating meat and staying warm every day, and receiving plenty of nourishment, this young widow has changed drastically. Even her own family probably wouldn't recognize her.

But before they could even leave the village, they were stopped by the villagers.

"Brother Sheng, today is the last day of the summer tax deadline, what are you doing...?"

Someone was blocking the road, wearing a forced smile. He was one of the village hooligans, Qian Da and Qian Er.

The two men initially wanted to take advantage of the childless woman and seize Yu Niang, but Liu Sheng gave them a severe lesson.

From then on, whenever he saw Liu Sheng, he would avoid him.

I can't believe they actually dared to block my way today!

This is…

Did they think that because they outnumbered me, I wouldn't dare to make a move?

"Ha, what our family does is none of your business."

Liu Sheng chuckled softly, his eyes narrowing.

"This is Yu Niang... how did she become so beautiful?"

Qian Er walked around to the side, glanced at it a few times, then shouted in a daze, his eyes revealing lewdness, and said sourly:

"Such fair skin, such perky breasts, just like a city girl. How much money must it cost to maintain that…"

What a waste!

"They brought all their belongings...they're trying to evade taxes!"

At this moment, some villagers realized something was wrong and shouted loudly.

tax evasion?

How can you evade taxes!

You, Liu Sheng, are the head of the village. If you evade taxes, wouldn't all of them have to share the burden of the 572 taels of tax?

No!
Absolutely not!
Immediately, the crowd was outraged and began to speak out.

Some offered earnest advice, while others resorted to harsh words and curses.

Seeing that Liu Sheng remained unmoved, they turned their attention to pressuring the old woman and her daughter, Yu Niang…

The ugliness of the world is all contained within it.

A dozen or so households, numbering in the dozens, gathered around, their emotions running high, spitting as they spoke, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of "being condemned by a thousand men."

Even though Granny Liu was used to seeing all sorts of things, she gripped the package tightly in her hands…

There was a kitchen knife hidden inside!

As for Yu Niang and her daughter, they were so frightened that their faces turned pale and their bodies trembled.

"Ow~"

Just then, the little tiger cub, awakened by the noise, poked its head out from Liu Sheng's arms, waved its little paws, and roared at everyone.

These two-legged creatures are so noisy, so annoying!

Did I wake you up?

Liu Sheng gently stroked the tiger's head, took out his beast hunter's token, and shouted:

"I am now a beast hunter in the Demon Suppression Division, exempt from all taxes and corvée labor."

Your gathering to obstruct the road has violated national law!

Get out of here immediately!
Otherwise, I will slaughter you all here.

Don't blame me... I didn't warn you!

In an instant, a foul stench filled the air, as if a tiger spirit had appeared, roaring with a voice as loud as thunder.

The villagers were all horrified and scrambled to the sides to retreat, fearing that if they were a step too slow, they would lose their lives.

Only after Liu Sheng and his group had gone far away did they come to their senses, look at each other speechlessly, and fall into despair—

The Liu family is gone…

What should we do about this summer's taxes?
I'll handle it as I see fit!
Liu Sheng grinned, the rainbow in his eyes faded, and he lightly pulled the cart along the mountain path, jogging along.

Shanyang County, here comes the young master!

(End of this chapter)