Chapter 485 - 19: Tax Silver

Zhu Mansion.

Zhu Ju sat upright in the center of the main hall. Nursing Director Zhang stood guard beside him, listening to the reports his guards had gathered from outside.

"News of the trouble in the city reached the Gang Leader’s ears immediately. The gang’s experts rushed back at top speed."

"All the Demons in the city have now been killed, but the common people... have suffered devastating casualties."

South City and East City were relatively fine.

South City had prominent families like the Zhou Family.

East City also had wealthy households like the Zhu Mansion, with modest fortunes and no shortage of Martial Artists as guards. Resisting Low-Tier Demons wasn’t difficult for them.

The other districts weren’t so lucky.

Especially West City.

West City was full of the poor; anyone with any means would have moved away. This time, when the Demons rampaged, the West City District alone suffered hundreds of casualties. The gutters and canals were filled with blood.

"I heard the Celestial Eagle Thieves had been cornered by experts from the Qingyi Gang and the Court. But because of the incident in the city, a gap appeared in the encirclement, and they failed to capture the bandits in the end."

The guard continued:

"What’s more..."

"There’s a rumor that the Qingyi Gang’s leader, Hong Qingyi, was ambushed by an expert on his way back and was severely injured."

"Oh!" Zhu Ju turned his head and asked:

"What grade is Gang Leader Hong?"

"Upper Sixth Grade," Nursing Director Zhang replied.

"In all of Taiyuan Prefecture, very few Martial Artists can surpass the Seventh Grade. Gang Leader Hong is one of them. He became a Sixth-Grade Martial Artist thirty years ago, and some even rumor he’s already reached the Fifth Grade."

With that,

he gently shook his head.

’Fifth Grade and Sixth Grade might only seem one grade apart, but the difference is as vast as heaven and earth.’ He didn’t believe Hong Qingyi could have broken through.

"If Gang Leader Hong is injured, the situation in the city will likely become even more unstable." Zhu Ju stroked his chin.

"Pass down my orders. For the next few days, we’ll continue with three shifts a day. None of the guards are to let their guard down."

"Young Master," one of the men below frowned.

"The daily shifts are so tight, and it’s been going on for so long. The brothers can barely hold on."

"Can we relax for a few days?"

"Silence!" Before Zhu Ju could speak, Nursing Director Zhang’s face darkened and he shouted:

"The Young Master treats us with great kindness! You complain after just a little hard work? Do you even have any loyalty to this family?"

"Besides, there’s a bonus of silver coins. If you don’t want to do it, I can have you replaced at any time. Do you really think you can take advantage of the Young Master?"

"No... not at all." The guard below turned pale and quickly bowed his head.

"This one wouldn’t dare."

The guards had been patrolling day and night for some time, and they were indeed dissatisfied. Moreover, their new master was too young, so they naturally felt a bit defiant. They were fine with continuing the patrols, of course; their complaints were just a roundabout way of asking for a raise.

Originally, Nursing Director Zhang had been on their side.

But ever since witnessing Zhu Ju’s strength, his loyalty was absolute. Upon hearing the complaint, he had immediately rebuked the man.

"That’s enough."

Zhu Ju waved his hand.

"I’m going to check on the rear courtyard."

...

His two aunts and several brothers and sisters were in the rear courtyard. Seeing Zhu Ju approach, they hurried forward to ask questions.

"What’s happened?"

"Are the Demons in the city dealt with?"

"..."

"Rest assured, aunts. The Qingyi Gang’s experts have returned to the city, and all the Demons have been exterminated," Zhu Ju said.

"Also..."

He paused, his gaze falling on Aunt Zhou and Zhou Nan.

"During last night’s chaos, the Qingyi Gang’s prison was destroyed, and all the prisoners escaped."

"Zhu Ji was among them."

"Ah!" Aunt Zhou froze, a flash of ecstatic joy appearing on her face before she quickly bowed her head.

"That heartless Zhu Ji! How dare he move against his own brother! He deserved this misfortune."

"If he comes looking for the two of us, I’ll definitely have him arrested."

"There’s no need." Zhu Ju waved his hand.

"Someone saw him flee the city during the chaos. Who knows where he went. He probably won’t come looking for you."

"I see." The light in Aunt Zhou’s eyes dimmed.

"Let him be, then."

Beside her, Zhou Nan tugged on her sleeve. ’It’s better for my brother Zhu Ji to be far away in a strange land than to end up on the executioner’s block.’

*

*

*

「For several days straight.」

Funerals in the city were endless.

It was said that the coffin makers had to hire extra hands and work overtime just to meet the demand for the city’s burials.

Thanks to Zhu Ju’s advance preparations, no one in the Zhu Mansion was harmed, but the same could not be said for the rest of the Zhu Family clan.

Several clan elders had unfortunately perished.

Therefore, Zhu Ju had been frequently visiting the various branches of the Zhu family over the past few days, paying his respects to the fallen elders and offering condolence money.

He didn’t have a moment of rest.

"Young Master."

A servant reported:

"Steward Guo is here to see you."

"Oh!" Zhu Ju looked up from the travelogue written by a Martial Artist he was reading and said:

"Show him in!"

"No need." Guo Jie strode in, his voice muffled.

"I’m already here."

Zhu Ju raised an eyebrow. Seeing the embarrassed look on Nursing Director Zhang’s face behind Guo Jie, he waved a hand to dismiss him.

"I heard the gang has been swamped with affairs lately. Steward Guo must be very busy. What brings you here?"

"I came to see you because I have business with you, of course," Guo Jie said, his brow furrowed with impatience.

"I’m here to inform you that this year’s autumn tax is being collected early, along with next year’s two taxes."

"The total is thirty thousand taels of silver!"

"Hm?" Zhu Ju’s expression darkened.

"Steward Guo, you just took forty thousand taels of silver from me not long ago, and now you want another thirty thousand?"

"It’s not me who wants it!" Guo Jie retorted.

"Many of our gang’s disciples were killed or injured while suppressing the bandits. On top of the Demon rampage, the gang is in dire need of silver taels."

"Besides, this is tax. You have to pay it sooner or later. We’re just collecting it early."

"Hmm..." Zhu Ju asked:

"Are the other families paying as well?"

"Of course."

"The same amount of silver taels?"

"More or less."

Guo Jie’s expression grew even more impatient.

"Thirty thousand taels of silver..." Zhu Ju sighed softly.

"Steward Guo, you must have heard. To raise those forty thousand taels of silver, I already went against my ancestors’ teachings and sold the Ink Jade Dyeing Formula. I’m afraid I can’t scrape together so many silver taels on such short notice."

"I didn’t come here to listen to your sob story," Guo Jie said with a cold face.

"The Zhu Family built this fortune in just twenty or thirty years using the Qingyi Gang’s channels. Now that the gang is in trouble, you are naturally expected to contribute."

"You have half a month. I want to see thirty thousand taels of silver. If you don’t pay up by then..."

"Hmph!"

He snorted coldly.

"Since the Qingyi Gang could build up the Zhu Family, we can certainly have another family replace you."

"Farewell!"

Zhu Ju’s expression remained unchanged as he picked up the teacup beside him.

"Steward Guo, take care."

"Young Master." Only after Guo Jie was far away did Nursing Director Zhang enter the room and report in a low voice:

"That guy surnamed Guo barged right in without waiting for the gatekeeper to announce him. I tried to stop him... but I couldn’t."

As he spoke, his face flushed with shame.

The older a man gets, the smaller his courage. That was him.

Guo Jie was a Steward of the Qingyi Gang, representing the entire gang. A mere guard like him didn’t dare to forcibly block his way.

"I know."

Zhu Ju said noncommittally.

"Help me investigate. Find out if everyone is really being forced to pay their tax silver early, and find out how much the other families are paying."

"Also..."

He sighed.

"Make some calls. I need to sell two of my shops."