Chapter 440: Tax Silver

Chapter 440: Tax Silver

Zhao Changhe arrived at the town at the foot of the mountain, planning to stay the night there.

Looking around, he saw that almost everyone had undergone basic body training, and most people were well-built, though only at the level of fitness enthusiasts. Not everyone had the innate talent or potential for martial arts.

Another significant limiting factor was nutrition.

As the saying goes, scholarly pursuits are for the poor, while martial pursuits are for the rich. Large and established sects could provide better nutritional support to their disciples, but those not admitted to these sects had to fend for themselves. In the current state of the world, it was hard enough for the average person to get enough to eat, let alone provide the nutrients necessary for martial arts training.

This area, being under the control of the Divine Brilliance Sect, was relatively prosperous. Not because the land was particularly fertile, but because the government did not dare to overtax or exploit the area.

As long as no one caused unnecessary trouble, those who were diligent here could be self-sufficient.

At the inn, Zhao Changhe heartily ate three big bowls of pork rice noodles, finding them far more satisfying than the fancy, hard-to-name dishes served by Di Muzhi’s people.

After having dinner, night had already fallen. Standing in the courtyard, Zhao Changhe looked out and felt that the town had a somewhat tense atmosphere. If he listened closely, he could faintly hear the sound of a large group of people gathering at the foot of the mountain, the noise drifting over from the distance under the cover of night.

This commotion made Zhao Changhe uneasy. Since crossing over into this world, he had often been amidst wars and battles, and this situation felt familiar. He was almost certain that a conflict was about to erupt.

This doesn’t seem to be an invasion. It’s more like... a gathering of bandits? Are they going to attack someone?

Yet, looking around the inn, the innkeeper and the servants acted as if they were completely unaware of anything happening.

Li Shentong had mentioned that most of the businesses in the town were owned by the Divine Brilliance Sect.

In the courtyard, Zhao Changhe picked up a stone lock[1] and began practicing his horse stance, but the longer he stood, the more restless he became. His mind was itching with curiosity.

The Divine Brilliance Sect doesn’t seem like the type to engage in banditry. If this is a gang war or a local conflict, should I help them out a little?

Zhao Changhe set down the stone lock and, taking advantage of the night, quietly slipped out of the town, following the sounds he had heard.

Sure enough, he saw a large, well-organized group of people. Zhao Changhe narrowed his eyes slightly as he recognized the elderly man leading the group—the same man he had passed by earlier when leaving Li Shentong.

It seemed the troops had already finished assembling, and the old man led them forward. Zhao Changhe hesitated for a moment, then decided to follow them in secret.

After about an hour of marching, they had left the Divine Brilliance Sect’s territory. The area was still mountainous, and scattered around the slopes were several squads of government soldiers escorting carts, cautiously making their way along the mountain paths. Zhao Changhe could hear one of the officers shouting, “Hurry up, move ahead to Emei to rest!”

Before the words had fully left his mouth, arrows rained down from both sides, and the old man led his men in a sudden charge.

I thought they were going to fight some gang, but you’re actually robbing the government troops?

“What’s so impressive about that? That’s like something a woman would do!” The townspeople glanced at Li Sian’s delicate appearance and instantly lost interest, quickly running back to Zhao Changhe. “Brother Zhao, show us another move!”

Li Sian could not help but laugh, feeling slightly exasperated. “You’re really enjoying yourself, huh?”

Meanwhile, Zhao Changhe was putting his shirt back on. “I was waiting for you, stop complaining. Besides, I did forget what true body training was. I had started to see myself purely as an internal cultivator. But over the past couple of days, I’ve felt a return to my roots, and I think my strength has improved.”

Li Sian, still skeptical, asked, “You got stronger in just two days?”

“It’s not like I raised my actual power. It’s about reconnecting with the foundation that suits my cultivation.”

Li Sian still did not quite understand, and said, “There are a lot of strange and mysterious things in Miaojiang. Maybe you can find a solution to your meridian problem there.”

“I hope so. In the end, advancing both internally and externally is the true path.”

“I see... Oh, on a different topic, have you heard? A recent shipment of tax silver sent by the Pacification Commission was intercepted here. The whole of Shu is in an uproar, and I bet it won’t be long before the imperial court gets shaken too. Government soldiers will be coming here to investigate soon.” Li Sian glanced around, puzzled by the calm atmosphere. “This place is really close to where it happened. Why aren’t the people here panicking?”

Because they did it... Zhao Changhe smirked. “This is the Divine Brilliance Sect’s territory. They have someone watching over them. This isn’t like other places where they have to fear the officials getting too heavy-handed. Besides, if they didn’t do it, what’s there to worry about?”

Li Sian lowered his voice, “Are you sure they didn’t do it?”

He paused, his gaze falling on a passerby whose shoulder was wrapped in a fresh bandage, clearly from a recent injury.

Zhao Changhe casually replied, “Of course they didn’t. I’ve been here for two days. Wouldn’t I know if something was off? Tsk, why are you staring at that guy’s injury? He was scratched by a dog. I saw it happen.”

Li Sian was an undercover agent for the Demon Suppression Bureau, and his well-honed instincts immediately kicked in. Looks like I’ll have to cover for them. If there’s anything to deal with, I’ll talk to the bureau chief about it privately.

Li Sian looked at him meaningfully. “Hey, I have another identity too, you know. I’m also a bandit.”

Zhao Changhe remained expressionless. “You can save that line for the fifth lord.”

What kind of messed-up world is this? Everyone has a bunch of identities. Honestly, the masks of the Four Idols Cult seem much too fitting.

Hm, I have a secret identity too.

Zhao Changhe went into the carriage and reattached the fake beard that belonged to his Wang Daozhong disguise. “Let’s go. Even though I’ve gained a lot from this trip, I’m still worried about Hongling. I really want to get to Miaojiang as soon as possible.”

1. These are weights that are quite similar looking to kettlebells, though much less refined and made of stone. ☜

2. 250 to 300 kg ☜