Steward Zhang led the farmhands, escorting Qi Da, with the tenants following behind. The whole procession swept onto the threshing ground. The village was small; nothing could stay secret for long. The other villagers had heard the news too and had brought out Old Su. By now, every villager who hadn't gone out to work the fields had gathered at the threshing ground, and the two sides stood facing each other.
Ever since becoming village head, Old Su had carried himself quite differently. He wore a neat beige tunic without a single patch. Seeing Steward Zhang, he barked, "Zhang, you actually dare bring people to destroy my Land God Temple? Are you trying to get our whole village killed? I'll report you to the county magistrate, and we'll see if your master can withstand that!"
Steward Zhang smiled faintly, though he felt a little vexed. He hadn't expected to be intercepted so quickly, ruining all his earlier plans. But he was a wily old fox. "My master heard that the Land God in your village has spread his influence far and wide. They even say he can grant children, cure illness, and ensure a bountiful harvest. The Great Qian Empire has stood for more than two hundred years and stretches ten thousand li in every direction. I've never heard of an Ancestral Spirit anywhere in the realm with such powers. It must be some kind of evil spirit or demon, come here to secretly harm you all."
"So, out of the goodness of his heart, my master sent me to tear down the temple. It's a gesture of care, after all. As the local head, he also has a duty to ensure peace in the area."
Old Su's face flushed red at those words, and his neck seemed to swell with anger. "If the Land God hadn't protected us a little over a month ago, Qingshan Village would have been wiped off the map! The Land God watches over us. How could he be some evil spirit? Your Zhang master, on the other hand, took advantage of our misfortune, forcing people in village after village to sell their homes and land. Otherwise, why would the Zhangs own so much land in Qingshan Village? Take a look at those fields. They're soaked with the blood and tears of our villagers!"
Steward Zhang faltered, then sneered. "In any case, villagers from your own village agreed to have the temple torn down. We're merely here because the matter happened to arise. If you take this to the authorities, it'll be a muddle of conflicting accounts. Once we get to the county seat, it'll come down to connections and money. What do you think you can use to compete with my master?"
He turned and asked, "Qi Da, weren't you the one who invited us to tear down the temple?"
Qi Da was deathly pale, cold sweat running down his face. He was just about to say no when one of the farmhands gripping him pinched his arm. Pain shot through him, nearly bringing him to tears. The burly man's eyes seemed to glint with murderous intent. Qi Da knew how chaotic the countryside was these days. If they killed him and disposed of his body after leaving the village, there would be no witnesses or evidence. The county authorities, eager to satisfy the prefecture's inspection, could simply blame a Ferocious Ghost and close the case. Qi Da would be dead for nothing. With no choice, he could only murmur, "Mm."
"Hahaha... Old Su, you saw for yourself. One of your own villagers invited us. I wasn't the one who made the decision. Get to it!"
Steward Zhang had brought ten farmhands, all tall and burly, each armed with a club. The clubs were made of jujube wood, as sturdy as they came. The Zhangs owned long sabers and iron spears, but bringing those would have looked far too bad if word got out.
At once, eight of the men stepped forward and held their clubs crosswise, forming a firm barrier between the villagers and the temple. Old Su shouted himself hoarse, but to no avail. Most of the able-bodied men had gone out to work the fields; only the old, the weak, women, and children remained at home. How could they resist? The farmhand leading the group dragged Qi Da to the Land God Temple and shoved a club into his hands. "What are you waiting for? Get moving!"
Qi Da looked ready to cry. He knew how powerful the Land God was and didn't dare strike the temple. Trembling, he picked up the club, then recoiled and dropped it. He tried several times, only to let it fall again, until he stood there stiff as a block of wood.
The leading farmhand lost patience. He seized Wang Er's hand, forced it around the club, and dragged Qi Da toward the temple, ready to smash it.
The situation had reached a hair's breadth from disaster.
Suddenly, a thunderous shout rang out: "You scoundrels, dare you!"
The leading farmhand had just started to turn around when a heavy punch struck his face. He toppled to the ground, spitting out several teeth.
Qi Da recognized the newcomer: Li Dazhuang, from the eastern end of the village. A few days earlier, he'd said the Land God had appeared in a dream and chosen him to serve as temple caretaker. Every day, he came to sweep the temple and arrange the incense and offerings, almost neglecting his own fields. Qi Da had secretly laughed at him for being possessed.
The leading farmhand scrambled to his feet and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. He grinned viciously. "Good! Very good! Don't you move. Leave him to me." Then he lunged.
Watching the two men grapple, Steward Zhang furrowed his brow. This sudden brute was enormously strong, but he had no martial training; his attacks were straightforward and full of openings. Still, he was built like a bull and could take several blows without trouble. The leading farmhand was the one getting pushed back.
After watching a little longer, Li Dazhuang seized an opening and punched the farmhand in the lower abdomen. The man collapsed and couldn't get back up.
Steward Zhang flew into a rage. "All of you, get him! Use your clubs!"
Seeing their leader lose, the other farmhands stopped holding back the villagers. Gripping their clubs, they formed a ring around Li Dazhuang, exchanged glances, and shouted, "Attack!" Then they charged together.
Li Dazhuang fought with all his might, but even a man's strength had its limits. He'd already spent a great deal of energy knocking down the leading farmhand. Now, with so many men coming at him with clubs, he couldn't hold out and began to fall behind. Steward Zhang's face brightened.
Then a club struck Li Dazhuang across the face, swelling one side of it.
At that moment, Li Dazhuang seemed to make up his mind. He stamped his foot, formed a hand seal, and said in a low voice, "I beseech the Land God to possess me with divine power!"
The farmhands hesitated, thinking the burly man had gone mad. Then they recovered and swung their clubs even harder, bringing them crashing down. Li Dazhuang roared, reached out, and caught one of the clubs. The others struck his body as if they'd hit leather armor, then bounced away.
The farmhand holding the other end of the club yanked, but couldn't budge it. Li Dazhuang pulled, and the man was dragged bodily toward him. The giant before him looked the same as before, yet somehow seemed much taller and more ferocious. A faint red glimmer shone in his eyes, making the farmhand's scalp prickle.
Li Dazhuang swung a fist into the farmhand's chest and sent him flying. The sound of cracking bones rang out.
The farmhands were chilled to the bone and began to think of retreat. But Li Dazhuang charged into their midst like a fierce tiger plunging down the mountain. Screams and the crack of breaking bones rang out one after another. When any of them fought back, their blows landed on him, but he paid them no mind. In a matter of moments, all ten farmhands lay on the ground, groaning.
Steward Zhang's expression changed drastically. He had just started to say something when Li Dazhuang rushed over and slapped him to the ground. He couldn't get back up for a long while.
Old Su was overjoyed. He stepped forward and patted Li Dazhuang on the shoulder. "Young Li, I never knew you had a trick like that up your sleeve. Well done..." He was about to say more when he noticed Li Dazhuang's pale face and unsteady steps. He immediately understood that defeating all those men had cost him dearly.
But this was no time to show weakness. Old Su gave a glance behind him, and Su Hu understood. He came forward and put an arm around Li Dazhuang. "Brother Li, what fine fighting! I'll have to ask you for pointers from now on..." As he spoke, he quietly helped support him.
Old Su walked up to Steward Zhang, who was still sprawled on the ground, and looked down at him with great satisfaction. "Steward Zhang, you saw for yourself. Most of our village still oppose tearing down the temple. As for the rent, we'll pay only half. Take it or leave it. If you don't like that, pick a place and we'll settle it with our fists. Go back and report that to your master..."
The Great Qian Empire had always governed according to ancient customs, including the principle that "the king's power does not reach the countryside." In practice, the realm was simply too vast and its people too numerous; the costs were high, and the authorities couldn't manage everything. So long as the villages paid their taxes and no major incidents occurred, each village's affairs were generally left to its own village head and the local head of the township.
The village and township heads were usually appointed from among the most powerful families in the area, giving them the authority to keep the villages in line. Village matters were mostly decided by the village head. When disputes arose between villages, there was basically only one way to settle them: brawling.
When farming season came, villages fought over irrigation water and other resources. Such fights were commonplace; sometimes people even died. But the law didn't punish an entire crowd, and the county authorities had no good solution, so they usually smoothed things over. There were even more people in a township, and the fights were fiercer still. That was why the township head held a rank above the village head and had a greater say in local affairs.
Zhang, the wealthy landowner of Qingxi Township, kept more than a dozen farmhands, all fierce and hardy. They served as the backbone of any fight and had never lost. The villages had no choice but to submit. They were said to be unbeatable throughout Qingxi, so Zhang Huaizheng naturally threw his weight around, raising the land rent whenever he pleased, with no one daring to resist.
Now, things were entirely different. This incident had torn away the Zhangs' tiger skin. If it came to a major fight, Old Su could unite four villages under the banner of protecting the Land God Temple. Their numbers would rival the whole township. Li Dazhuang could deal with the farmhands, and they might even win. That would give them confidence and straighten their backs. Even if the matter reached the county, it would be the landlord who had arbitrarily raised the rent and driven the villagers to resist.
Steward Zhang groaned as he slowly got to his feet. He didn't dare say anything, not even a threat. Supporting one another, the group left Qingshan Village in a sorry state.
After He Dong finished telling Fang Ming what had happened, Fang Ming only sneered in silence.
He thought it over, then said, "Now that they've been driven off, there shouldn't be any trouble for the next couple of days. My campaign to suppress bandits in the mountains was a great success, and I've also taken in some wandering souls. Go and settle them in one by one. I've already appointed the strongest among them as Yin Soldiers, so you don't need to concern yourself with those. First, send the old and weak to the Land God's Divine Domain in Qingshan Village. Haven't you always said you were short-handed? You can recruit a few to help you."
When He Dong nodded, Fang Ming summoned Guo Sheng and introduced him. "This is Guo Sheng. I've appointed him as a clerk. He'll work under you for now."
The moment He Dong saw Guo Sheng, his old face blossomed into a smile. "I've been worried that I don't have enough people and might fail our lord. With Mr. Guo here to help, I can finally relax." Guo Sheng repeatedly said he didn't deserve the praise, and the two exchanged greetings.
Then Fang Ming summoned Wang Liulang and Xie Jin and instructed them, "You came with me to suppress the bandits in the mountains and earned merit; I can't leave you unrewarded. First, take the Yin Soldiers to the edge of the village to rest and count the number of heads taken. This requires a clerk, Zheng Kuan. You'll handle it. Do a good job, and I'll promote you by one rank. Come report to me later, and I'll reward you according to your merits." The three were delighted. They bowed and withdrew.
Turning to He Yuqing, Fang Ming said, "Please come with me to settle in the Land God's Divine Domain. I'd also like to learn from you every day."
He Yuqing nodded. "I heard on the way here that the Divine Domain is extraordinary. I've been eager to see it. I would be rude to refuse your kind invitation."
When they entered the Land God's Divine Domain, He Yuqing was astonished. "This... it's practically a small blessed land. The faith of a single village can create such a Divine Domain. The wonder of this creation is truly breathtaking!"
Fang Ming laughed heartily. "It's nowhere near as good as a blessed land, sir. You flatter me..."
He ordered the servants to tidy up a small courtyard, then said to He Yuqing, "My humble home is rather simple. Please bear with it for now."
Then he turned to the two young men following He Yuqing and instructed them, "Since you're in Mr. He's service, I'll appoint you as attendants, specifically responsible for looking after him. Do not neglect your duties!"
The two young men were somewhat unwilling, but they still knelt and bowed, though only reluctantly.
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