Chapter 29: Overthrowing the Tyrants and Distributing the Land

Zhou Papi was currently lying on the lap of his eighth concubine—newly acquired from a brothel—happily munching on a strawberry. Kneeling before him were several tenant farmers.

"Master Zhou, it is not that we refuse to pay the rent, it is just that we truly have no silver left." The tenants kowtowed until their foreheads hit the ground, their tearful, sorrowful pleas enough to break anyone's heart.

"No silver won't do. Even a landlord's family has no surplus grain these days!" Zhou Papi replied dismissively. "Enough. Looking at how poor you lot are, you clearly have no future. I think it would be better if you sent your wives and children to me; I shall keep whichever ones are suitable."

At these words, the tenants broke into even more frantic wailing. Annoyed, Zhou Papi ignored them and signaled the steward beside him to drive them away.

It was at this moment that frantic shouting drifted in from outside. "Old Master! Old Master! Something terrible has happened!"

His mood ruined, Zhou Papi frowned slightly. "What are you hollering about? Has someone dug up your ancestors' graves?"

The servant let out a long, shuddering sigh. "Old Master, it is not our family’s ancestral grave—it is yours!"

"What!"

Choked by the news, Zhou Papi began to cough violently. He nearly lost his breath, staring blankly for a long time. Supported by several servants, he slowly climbed onto his terrace, only to discover Chen An and his companions standing by his family's ancestral grave not far away.

"Chen An, isn't doing this a bit bad for our karma?" Zhang Xiaojing asked with a wry smile.

"For a man like this, we must use some methods," Chen An laughed. "Besides, our new recruits need some practice!"

Speaking of the new recruits, Chen An felt a wave of satisfaction at how convenient it was to have his own territory. The unit of thirty-seven men had been filled shortly after Zhang Xiaojing returned to the Li-surname refugee camp. They just needed drilling and discipline, and Zhou Papi was the perfect whetstone.

The light of torches illuminated the graveyard. Zhou Papi led a swarm of his vicious henchmen out in a grand, aggressive procession. Chen An and Zhang Xiaojing stood their ground, their eyes filled with mockery and amusement.

"You little bastards! How dare you dig up my ancestral grave! Are you tired of living?" Zhou Papi’s eyes narrowed, his voice laced with frantic rage.

A smile spread across Chen An’s wrinkled face. "Oh, is this your ancestral grave? I thought it was a pit for turtles. My apologies!"

"You—you! What kind of nonsense are you spouting!"

"According to the land registry provided by the Huyang County Magistrate, this is unowned wasteland. If you bury your ancestors here, aren't you just asking for someone to dig them up?"

As Chen An finished speaking, the atmosphere in the area grew abruptly somber.

"Boy, I see you came here looking for trouble on purpose," Zhou Papi said coldly. "It seems you don't know the consequences of crossing me!"

"Consequences?" Chen An and Zhang Xiaojing exchanged a glance and burst into laughter. "You hit the nail on the head. We were waiting for you precisely to see what those consequences might be."

"Men!" Zhou Papi gestured sharply. "Attack! Strip these two brats of their skin and pull out their bones! Turn them into lanterns!"

No sooner had he spoken than dozens of thugs armed with short blades and clubs swarmed forward.

"Quite the grand display," Zhang Xiaojing remarked with a hint of surprise.

Facing dozens of henchmen, Chen An smiled instead of showing anger. "I was wondering where your confidence came from. Keeping so many people—it seems you’ve made a habit of terrorizing the countryside."

"Less talk! Today I will make sure you two regret ever being born!"

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

Dozens of henchmen drew their blades in unison, forming a tight circle around Chen An. It was a common tactic for local thugs to use intimidation to overwhelm their opponents. However, the thugs were surprised to find that Chen An and Zhang Xiaojing showed no fear; they were even chatting and joking, as if they didn't take these men seriously at all.

"Shall we have a contest to see who takes down more people today?" Chen An joked in front of them all.

Zhang Xiaojing advised, "You are a battalion commander now; acting so rashly is beneath your dignity."

With that, Zhang Xiaojing let out a roar. Suddenly, over a hundred men emerged from the shadows around the quiet graveyard. These were no simple hired thugs, but the genuine soldiers of the Tiger Battalion.

Zhou Papi was stunned. "Who exactly are you people, and what are you doing here?"

"I already told you—we're here to audit the land and tax records."

"You are government officials? Then do you know Cheng Qian?"

Chen An sneered. "Still trying to negotiate with me? My apologies, I don't know anyone—I only recognize the land beneath your feet!"

*Woooo!*

A shrill horn blast echoed through the sky, and the battle-ready Tiger Battalion began to advance slowly. Their steps were uniform, their armor clanking with power. A hundred men might be a drop in the ocean in a great war, but against this pack of local bullies who only knew how to ride on the coattails of power, it was a completely different matter.

Chen An’s expression remained calm, his lips curving upward. "Put down your weapons. No killing, but breaking an arm or a leg is fine."

"Stop! I am Cheng Qian’s own uncle!"

Only then did a sense of unease begin to creep into Zhou Papi’s heart. He felt it was strange; the Baichuan Post Station had no garrisoned troops—why were these men here? Yet, no matter how conflicted he felt, a sound beating was unavoidable. Do not underestimate the sight of hundreds of men charging; the suffocating pressure of their armored forms was overwhelming. Some of the more timid servants dropped their weapons, trembling. Having never seen a real battlefield, they had never encountered such a formation.

...

"Ouch, ouch! Stop hitting, stop hitting!"

"Chen An, you wretch, aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?"

Zhou Papi knelt on the ground, wailing incessantly. Scattered before him was a stack of signed contracts.

"In this world, Heaven doesn't punish the wicked, so the wicked need those even more wicked to sharpen them," Chen An explained. "Sign all of these, and I will pretend today’s events never happened. I won't hold it against you."

Looking at the black-and-white text on the contracts, Zhou Papi’s lips trembled uncontrollably. Reducing rents, expanding food sources, and voluntarily lowering taxes—any one of these could be the death of him.

"Who are you people? What exactly do you want?" Zhou Papi asked, his voice thick with tears.

"Nothing much," Chen An replied nonchalantly. "Take from the people, use for the people, and return to the people."