Harvest, Someone Wanted to Pick the Peaches

Chapter 23: Harvest, Someone Wanted to Pick the Peaches

"Dead... he's dead!"

"The Gang Leader was killed with a single palm strike."

"He was too strong. The Gang Leader was a First-class Martial Artist, yet he couldn't even withstand one palm."

"Even the Gang Leader was beaten to death. We're even less of a match for him."

"..."

To the Iron Palm Gang members, their Gang Leader Wang Shi had been an invincible existence. Yet now, Wang Shi had been killed by Zhou Shan with a single palm strike. The faith in their hearts collapsed, and they immediately lost all will to fight.

These ordinary gang members dropped their swords one after another, no longer daring to fight.

However, the Iron Palm Gang's five Hall Masters had not given up.

"Run!"

The five Hall Masters exchanged glances, then immediately darted toward the rear entrance of the council hall.

"My lord, leave these five to us."

As the voice rang out, five men from the Black Armored Army also leaped forth and confronted the Iron Palm Gang's five Hall Masters.

These five were Centurions of the Black Armored Army, each a peak second-rate martial artist with nearly fifty years of cultivation.

"Behave yourselves. All of you, clasp your heads and squat down."

Several dozen Black Armored Army soldiers entered the council hall and took control of the Iron Palm Gang members inside.

Outside, the resisting gang members fell one after another beneath the Black Armored Army's blades. The cries of battle quickly ceased.

Before long, the Black Armored Army's five Centurions had also slain the Iron Palm Gang's five Hall Masters.

"My lord, how should we deal with these Iron Palm Gang members?"

A Centurion named He Yong stepped forward and asked.

"The Iron Palm Gang's crimes are too numerous to write down even on bamboo strips. Later, execute these people together with the Horse Bandit leaders at the execution grounds." Zhou Shan pondered for a moment, then said, "Right, if any of the watching citizens step forward to identify someone among them as a good person and explain what good deeds they have done, show mercy and release them. If no one does, chop them all down."

"This subordinate understands."

Centurion He Yong nodded.

After all the Iron Palm Gang members had been subdued, the Black Armored Army began the crowd-pleasing business of confiscating their property.

This was the Iron Palm Gang's main headquarters, where most of the gang's wealth was stored.

Chest after chest of gold, silver, jewels, antiques, calligraphy, and paintings—anything valuable—was carried into the council hall.

"My lord, there are a total of thirteen thousand five hundred and thirty taels in silver notes, five thousand six hundred and seventy taels of silver, one thousand five hundred taels of gold, two chests of jade and jewelry, three chests of antiques, calligraphy, and paintings..."

After roughly taking stock of the items, He Yong reported to Zhou Shan.

That was because the Black Armored Army was still continuously carrying things out.

However, the valuable items—such as silver, gold, silver notes, jade, and jewelry—had all been moved into the council hall first.

"These dog bastards, who knew how many wealthy households they'd robbed? They truly deserved to die."

Zhou Shan could not help cursing under his breath.

The ratio of gold to silver was one to ten. One thousand five hundred taels of gold amounted to fifteen thousand taels of silver. Adding the thirteen thousand five hundred and thirty taels in silver notes and five thousand six hundred and seventy taels of silver, the total came to thirty-four thousand taels of silver.

Besides that, there were two chests of jade and jewelry. Even though the land was in chaos and the prices of antiques, calligraphy, and paintings had plummeted, the three chests would still fetch quite a sum.

An Iron Palm Gang with no fixed industries, relying primarily on protection fees, could never have accumulated so much wealth. This wealth had all come from the Iron Palm Gang disguising themselves as bandits to loot wealthy households, as well as controlling Horse Bandits to plunder merchant caravans.

This did not even include the homes of Wang Shi and the five Hall Masters.

The goods in the gang had not yet been divided. There had to be quite a bit of silver in their homes as well.

But now that Zhou Shan had destroyed the Iron Palm Gang, all of it had fallen into his hands for nothing.

"My lord, Captain Liu from Ye County has arrived."

Just then, a Black Armored Guard entered and reported.

At those words, Zhou Shan raised his head and looked outside the council hall. A young man of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight led more than a dozen Black Armored Guards inside.

When he saw the chests of gold and silver, jade and jewelry, antiques, calligraphy, and paintings piled in the hall, his eyes lit up. He secretly thought, This Iron Palm Gang is actually this wealthy.

"My lord, the Iron Palm Gang was under your jurisdiction. These ill-gotten gains squeezed from the people should rightfully belong to you."

A Centurion behind Captain Liu stepped forward and whispered into his ear.

"That makes sense!"

Hearing his subordinate say this, Captain Liu was tempted as well.

The gold, silver, jade, and jewelry combined were probably worth fifty or sixty thousand taels of silver.

Although he came from the Liu Family of Taishan Commandery and was a direct-line descendant, the silver allotted to him each year was limited. Otherwise, he would not have joined the Black Armored Army as a Captain, where his annual salary amounted to only a few thousand taels of silver.

Taishan Commandery was one of the three commanderies originally controlled by the Guiyuan Sect.

Within these three commanderies, there were countless factions.

The Liu Family ranked among the top five factions in Taishan Commandery. They had more than a dozen Aperture-Opening Martial Artists with over a hundred years of cultivation overseeing them, and when the Guiyuan Sect overthrew the government, they had chosen to follow it at the first opportunity.

There were quite a few factions like the Liu Family.

Not everyone in the Black Armored Army was a Guiyuan Sect disciple. There were also elites from the major factions of the other three commanderies.

After all, Qingyang City alone had six thousand Black Armored Army soldiers. Adding those stationed at important sites such as mines and medicinal gardens, as well as those garrisoned in the various county towns, there were at least twenty to thirty thousand in total.

All of them were ranked martial artists with more than ten years of cultivation.

Besides Qingyang Commandery, Black Armored Army soldiers were also stationed in the cities of the other three commanderies.

Therefore, there were many disciples from major factions who had boarded the Guiyuan Sect's chariot within the Black Armored Army.

The Guiyuan Sect ate the meat, while they could follow behind and drink the soup, claiming a share of the benefits.

"Hahaha, why didn't Captain Zhou notify me in advance when you arrived? I could have gone outside the city to welcome you." Captain Liu laughed, then said, "This time, I must thank Captain Zhou for taking action to wipe out the Horse Bandits who had been plundering merchant caravans these past days, exposing the Iron Palm Gang—the malignant tumor colluding with the Horse Bandits. On behalf of the people of Ye County and all merchant caravans, I thank you.

"To show my gratitude, I will make the decision myself. Of the stolen goods confiscated from the Iron Palm Gang, I can take out five thousand taels to thank Captain Zhou and reward the brothers.

"Thank you, Captain Zhou, for wiping out the Horse Bandits and removing the Iron Palm Gang, this malignant tumor that had brought disaster upon Ye County."

Damn it, he wanted to pick the peaches.

Hearing Captain Liu's words, Zhou Shan immediately felt displeased.

He had wiped out the Horse Bandits, and he had eliminated the Iron Palm Gang. The Black Armored Army of Ye County had done nothing, yet they wanted to take all the spoils and dismiss him with five thousand taels of silver as though he were a beggar.

Besides, all these things were his.

Using my own things to reward me? A toad dreaming of swan meat—wishful thinking.

Zhou Shan sneered inwardly.

Originally, he had intended to leave some things for the Black Armored Army of Ye County. For example, properties that could not be taken away could only be left behind.

But seeing Captain Liu's attitude now, he would not leave them even a single copper coin. Even if things like properties could not be taken away, he would auction them all off. Even if he had to sell them cheaply, he would never leave them to that damned Captain Liu.

If they wanted to pick peaches from his hands, they would first have to possess the strength to do so.