The Hidden Immortal

Chapter 50 Bandits

"Where did these bandits come from?" Chu Xun asked.

Li Shoutian sighed and said, "It's all because of those big men who forced us to this."

Since the founding of the Jing Kingdom many years ago, numerous dukes and marquises have been granted titles and honors.

Decades of peace had made these powerful figures increasingly arrogant. It was said that a certain marquis's wicked servant had seized thousands of acres of fertile land in his hometown, and even the county magistrate dared not interfere.

Many people have encountered injustices in their hometowns. Some have had their farmland forcibly confiscated, others have been forced to go hungry by exorbitant taxes, and still others have had their wives and daughters taken away.

His family was destroyed, and he had no choice but to flee his hometown.

With a large crowd gathered and nowhere to eat, people became so hungry that they started stealing and robbing.

"Does His Majesty the Emperor not see the suffering of the common people at all?" Li Shoutian asked, looking puzzled.

It's said that deceiving the emperor is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family. Does anyone dare to lie about it?

"Who knows? Maybe we really won't see it," Chu Xun said.

This is not surprising. How many people with power and influence can suppress their ever-growing desires?

What you've heard may only be the tip of the iceberg; the situation may be even worse in more distant places.

If I remember correctly, the current emperor should be over sixty years old.

Although they can live longer than ordinary people, they still don't live for many years.

Once such trouble is discovered, how could we tolerate leaving such a hidden danger for the successor?

Chu Xun sighed softly, thinking that if this matter escalated, countless people would lose their heads in a few days.

The people praised the emperor as a sage ruler of the time, the founding emperor of the nation, a benevolent man who cared for the world.

But it seems many people have forgotten that this was also a ruthless person who fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood to end the chaos!

Chu Xun's gaze sharpened imperceptibly.

I don't yet have the power to govern the stability of the world, but in this small area around Songguo Village, no one should try to cause trouble!

Li Shoutian came here hoping that Chu Xun would organize the able-bodied men in the village to take turns patrolling, so that the bandits wouldn't take advantage of the situation.

The young people in the village all grew up following Chu Xun around.

If you tell them to go east, they will never go west; even Li Shoutian's words don't carry that weight.

Chu Xun nodded: "I'll take care of this. You just stay home and recover."

Li Shoutian tried to move his injured right leg, and could still feel a slight pain. He couldn't help but sigh, "I'm getting old, I'm no longer useful. Fortunately, you're here in the village, so I can rest assured."

Not long after, Zhang Anxiu called Li Guangmao over and prepared some snacks to go with the drinks.

After the father and son finished eating and left, Chu Xun helped clear the table while saying, "Go to town tomorrow and have my brother close the shop for now. We'll talk about it again after the bandit incident is over."

"It just so happens that Huan'er is going to take the prefectural examination next year, so let's take this opportunity to accompany him while he studies and relax for a few days."

Huan'er, who is already fifteen years old, is not only beautiful but also intelligent and quick-witted.

With the guarantee of the county magistrate Zheng Xiuwen, he was admitted to a public school and successfully passed the preliminary examination.

I can participate in the prefectural examination next spring.

We must thank Tang Shijun, who has now been promoted to prefect, for his help in changing Zhang Sanchun's family from their lowly status back to that of farmers.

Zheng Xiuwen praised Huan'er's intelligence, believing that with proper guidance, she could become a pillar of society in the future.

Next year's prefectural examination will likely be personally supervised by Tang Shijun.

Chu Xun was also thinking that he would accompany his nephew to Fenggu City at that time.

Chu Xun had high expectations for Lord Tang, who was ambitious and capable.

I want to see just how far he can go.

Will he truly be able to realize his grand ambitions, rise to the highest position in the government, and become the Grand Secretary, second only to the emperor?

The following day, Zhang Anxiu went to Pingshui Town to persuade Zhang Sanchun to close his shop.

Lin Qiaoxi was still a little suspicious. She had heard about the bandits, but they hadn't come to Zhangnan County. Was it necessary to be so nervous?

Before Lin Qiaoxi could say anything more, Zhang Sanchun said, "Then let's listen to A-Xun. If he says to close the shop, he must be right."

Zhang Sanchun had always trusted Chu Xun implicitly, and never questioned his words or actions.

Although Lin Qiaoxi felt that it might be making a mountain out of a molehill, she thought that taking a few days off and spending time reading with Huan'er would be a good idea.

There aren't many people who listen to advice like they do.

The townspeople were mostly going about their business as usual, not expecting anything major to happen.

When displaced people cause trouble, no one can truly understand the distress unless it happens to them personally.

Even if things really get out of hand, there's still Constable Jiang Baiye, who can turn the refugees upside down.

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Just as Chu Xun had predicted, things unfolded as expected within a few days.

The refugees rebelled, looting and robbing everywhere, and the uprising spread to Zhangnan County.

Apart from Zhangnan County, where there was no major trouble due to the presence of martial arts schools and the county government, the surrounding villages and towns all encountered "bandits".

Pingshui Town was not spared either. Fortunately, Zhang Sanchun listened to Chu Xun's advice and closed his shop early, only losing some roasted goods.

Those shops that stubbornly refused to close were in dire straits; not only were their goods and money stolen, but they were also beaten by vagrants.

If they resist fiercely, they may even lose their lives.

Even at the Songliu Water God Temple, the offerings made by the villagers were all looted.

Chu Xun led his men to patrol the village day and night to prevent any unforeseen events.

As night fell, Chu Xun, having completed his patrol, was about to head back when his trouser leg was grabbed.

Looking down, I saw a weasel about a foot long that had somehow appeared in front of me and was scratching at me with its paws.

"Hey, it's Wong Tai Sin. Be careful, Xun-ge, don't let him bite you."

The young villagers were only concerned about Chu Xun not getting bitten, but Chu Xun knew perfectly well that the little guy coming to find her meant something was about to happen.

He immediately said to Zhang Erzhu, who had spoken earlier, "Go back and call for help!"

With his dark complexion and sturdy build, Zhang Erzhu sensed something was wrong from his tone and instinctively lowered his voice: "Is something going to happen?"

"Uncertain, better safe than sorry," Chu Xun said.

Although he had personally buried several scoundrels, it was with the help of two giant pythons.

Nowadays, Chu Xun can't exactly summon two giant pythons from the Songliu River in the village; at most, he can only call upon crows for help.

The number of refugees was large, like hungry wolves; who knew what they might do?

Although Chu Xun knew magic, he knew he didn't have the power to move mountains and overturn seas, so he had to act cautiously.

Zhang Erzhu didn't ask any more questions and turned to run towards the village.

Chu Xun then led the remaining people, guided by the weasel, toward the west side of Songguo Village.

Not long after, the weasel stopped and howled twice at the front.

Chu Xun looked up and saw a small grove of trees in front of him, with fields not far away.

If you want to hide someone, you can only do so over there.

He didn't make any rash moves, but squatted down and patted the weasel's head: "Go find a place to hide, I'll stay here."

The weasel howled again before turning and running away.

Several young villagers behind him looked on in astonishment: "Brother Xun, how come you're so familiar with Wong Tai Sin?"

Everyone knows that crows often gather on Chu Xun's roof, but no one expected that even a weasel would be so familiar with him.

"Shut up!" Chu Xun whispered.

The young villagers dared not speak again and quickly knelt down.

Chu Xun looked towards the grove of trees not far away, his gaze focused, and he could vaguely see figures moving in the moonlight.

Chu Xun glanced at the young villagers out of the corner of his eye and, seeing that they were all focused on what was in front of him, secretly began to perform a magic incantation.

Earth Magic +1

Although the moonlight can illuminate people's shadows, it is not daytime.

No one noticed that the dirt road from the woods to the village entrance began to tremble slightly.

The soil was constantly being turned over, and soon became pitted and uneven.

The pit walls were extremely hard, covered with soil spikes less than half an inch long.

If he didn't want people to know his true nature, Chu Xun could have even used the Spirit Earth Technique to create a pit two zhang deep.

Anyone who jumps in will be buried alive!