Chapter 00218: The Sinful Deeds of Old Master Li
# The Sinful Deeds of Old Master Li
Chapter 218
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 218: The Sinful Deeds of Old Master Li
From the grain accounts alone, it was evident that the work he would undertake after taking over Xiazhu would not be easy.
Supporting the front lines was undoubtedly a task that Xiazhu could not refuse.
With the front lines in crisis, He Chunhua would have to dig three feet into the ground to gather people, horses, and grain.
"Old Master Zhu sent word that the Grand Supervisor has just arrived in Xiazhu and will need to gather troops and horses soon?"
"Yes, and it must be quick."
He Chunhua had only brought three hundred men from Heishui City, and after incorporating Wu Shaoyi's troops along the way, he finally had six hundred subordinates.
This number of personnel was far from sufficient for warfare; he would need to recruit more soldiers and horses immediately upon arriving in Xiazhu.
At the beginning of the Great Yuan Dynasty, local officials did not have the authority to recruit soldiers; all were dispatched uniformly by the central government.
By now, however, the royal court was often too preoccupied with its own affairs, and local uprisings were common, so it tacitly allowed local officials to privately recruit soldiers and gather provisions.
In Qiansong County, He Chunhua had gone from being a lone wolf to building a complete regiment; he had mastered this process, and upon arriving in Xiazhu, he was ready to showcase his skills.
"Then, Grand Supervisor, you need to know that Dunyu, along with the surrounding seven counties, has four prominent families whose relationships are intertwined and complex. They basically control the lifeblood of the capital, and other factions can only look to them for guidance. Among them, the Li and Shu families have been rooted here since the eighth year of the Great Yuan, and they even have their own private armies. The last two Grand Supervisors maintained good relations with them," Qian, the steward, said sincerely.
"Without their support, it will be very difficult for you to operate in Xiazhu."
He Chunhua raised an eyebrow.
"The ironclad four families, and the ever-changing Grand Supervisors of Xiazhu?"
Qian, the steward, found it hard to respond and went to fetch several thick ledgers.
"This is the information you requested about Dunyu and the four families—population, assets, and networks. I have tried to collect as much as possible, but it may not be comprehensive. Some clandestine dealings are beyond my knowledge."
"Good, first tell me, who is currently in charge of military affairs in Dunyu?"
"The Military Department's official, Peng Ju'an," Qian, the steward, recalled.
"He oversees about sixteen to seventeen hundred troops."
"Where does he reside?"
"In Qingping Township, only about ten miles from Dunyu."
He Chunhua nodded and asked, "Has my arrival in Xiazhu been communicated?"
"Everyone knows that the new Grand Supervisor is coming, but the exact time of your arrival in Dunyu is unclear," Qian, the steward, replied honestly.
"However, since you have lingered here for two days, I believe the news has spread. Ru County also has the assets and manpower of the four families."
"That's right; I have visited the county office in Ru County these past two days."
He Chunhua exhaled.
"Thank you. You are very reliable; I will recommend you for special commendation from Old Master Zhu."
Qian, the steward, smiled with delight but quickly added, "Additionally, recently in Xiazhu, not only have commoners fled from famine, but gentry have also slipped southward. The difference is that some commoners are willing to flee north into Xunzhou, while the wealthy can only retreat south. The Xie and Zhan families of the four families have also been selling off their properties and dismissing servants. According to their servants, the masters are preparing to withdraw."
Mo Zhejingxuan shook his head.
"If they lead the way in leaving, the people's hearts will surely be even more unsettled."
"Who says otherwise? The Grand Supervisor has been appointed in a time of crisis; it is not easy. I wish you good luck," Qian, the steward, bowed to He Chunhua and withdrew.
He Lingchuan stretched lazily and pointed at the ledgers.
"Father, reading is not my strong suit."
"You don't need to read," He Chunhua addressed everyone.
"The situation in Dunyu is basically as Qian, the steward, described, with little deviation from the intelligence I have gathered. A journey of a thousand miles must eventually come to an end; now we need to discuss our strategies for entering Dunyu."
As a result, the meeting lasted for a couple of hours.
Old Mo came in to add coal once, deliver a meal once, and refill the oil lamp once.
When the meeting concluded, He Chunhua, full of energy, instructed his subordinates, "Unless there are unexpected developments, we will execute according to these plans."
Everyone solemnly responded, "Yes," and then departed.
...
After all the idle people, including the He brothers, had left, the steward Old Mo surprisingly brought Qian, the steward, back in.
Only these three remained in the room.
Qian, the steward, had just sat in the back for a while to rest and alleviate his travel fatigue when he saw Old Mo hand over a silver ingot worth ten taels.
Grand Supervisor He spoke gently, "It's hard to handle the affairs; you have worked hard."
"How could I dare to accept!" Despite his words, Qian, the steward, still accepted the silver.
"I want to confirm once more, is the spokesperson of the Li family in Dunyu still Li Zhao?" He Chunhua frowned.
"Is he the second uncle of Minister Li?"
"Yes, his biological second uncle," Qian, the steward, replied.
"If you can establish a connection with him, the Li family will not be a problem."
"I'm afraid he is the biggest problem."
He Chunhua pondered, "If I remember correctly, he is almost seventy, right?"
"He just celebrated his seventieth birthday a few days ago," Qian, the steward, smiled.
"Locals say that Old Master Li Zhao is the true authority in Dunyu. Although the Li family's business has been handed over to the younger generation, they still need to consult Old Master Li for major matters."
He gave a thumbs up.
"In Dunyu, even the biggest troubles can be resolved if the respected Old Master Li steps in."
"Impressive," He Chunhua said lightly.
"Does this include a grain depot catching fire?"
"I heard that after this incident, Old Master Li was furious. In the end, the grain official and two unfortunate souls from the government took the blame and were sent to the capital, where they are said to have already been tried and are awaiting execution in the autumn."
"To dare send them there means they are confident that they won't dare to speak," He Chunhua nodded.
"Indeed, the capital still has Minister Li. I truly hope they have the same ability when facing the army of Yan Zhanli."
Qian, the steward, sighed, "When it comes to warfare, they are not capable."
"So it means that Li Zhao is the backbone and stabilizing force of the entire Li family."
"Exactly."
He Chunhua smiled.
"How is Old Master Li's health?"
"Robust; his eyesight is sharp, and his back is straight. He has always taken good care of himself," Qian, the steward, said with a wry smile.
"I think he will live longer than I will."
"Good, then I need you to take care of two more matters."
He Chunhua raised a finger.
"First, investigate whether Old Master Li has ever committed any sinful deeds that would keep him awake at night and be unforgettable for a lifetime."
"Unforgettable and sleepless?" Qian, the steward, tried to recall.
"Hmm—there seems to be something!"
He Chunhua reminded him, "As people grow old, they become cunning. He must have done quite a few immoral things, but most likely, he won't take them to heart."
"Too many lice won't bite; having done many bad deeds doesn't necessarily mean he will care."
"The first matter I heard from the elders in Dunyu. When Old Master Li was in his forties, his third son insisted on marrying a commoner. Somehow, Li Zhao ended up with his future daughter-in-law before the wedding and even got her pregnant. As a result, the future daughter-in-law became his seventh concubine."
Talking about such matters, Qian, the steward, couldn't help but squint.
"Not long after, the concubine suddenly fell ill and died, even though she was seven months pregnant—one corpse, two lives."
"Gradually, rumors spread in the streets that the concubine did not die of illness, as the child in her womb was not Old Master Li's. How could Old Master Li endure such a green hat? He had her dragged away and buried alive, only saying she died of illness and was buried with great ceremony. Before she died, the woman screamed, cursing Old Master Li to have a bad death."
He Chunhua's brow furrowed and remained so.
"Such vivid details; how credible is this?"
"A few days later, wild dogs dragged a female corpse from a mass grave, with signs of having been bound, and dirt and sand in her throat, indicating she had been buried alive," Qian, the steward, said.
"From the timeline, it matches up."
He Chunhua hummed.
"Is there anything else?"
"Old Master Li originally had a twin brother, and the two were very close, inseparable. When they were about ten years old, one summer, they went to play in the river, and suddenly a flash flood occurred, putting both in danger. There was only a small tree in the water to cling to. Old Master Li seized the opportunity, or rather, snatched the opportunity, stepping on his brother's shoulder to jump up, and was rescued by adults, while the tree broke, and his brother was swept away."
He Chunhua was cautious.
"Where did you hear this? Li Zhao himself is already seventy; how many people still know about these matters?"
The average lifespan of citizens in the Great Yuan was only thirty-three years, and it was a stroke of luck for commoners to live to fifty.
"This was revealed by Old Master Li's third son. Yes, it was the son of the woman he snatched away, who was feeling bitter and spoke about it while drinking with someone, saying that the clan knows about it; it's not a secret."
"Good!" He Chunhua casually took out a gold ingot and placed it on the table.
"I need you to help me with one more thing. After it is accomplished, there will be another ingot as a reward."
Qian, the steward, quickly said, "You are a benefactor and esteemed guest of the Zhu family; it is only right for me to serve you wholeheartedly!"
Zhu Xiyan had anticipated that He Chunhua could open up a situation in Xiazhu, so he had instructed Qian, the steward, to cooperate fully in his letter.
Then He Chunhua quietly stated his request.
Qian, the steward, was taken aback.
"Can it be done?"
"I will do my best to try. Please be patient for a few days, Grand Supervisor."
...
The next day, the supporting army did not continue north as originally planned because Grand Supervisor He had fallen ill.
The passing nobles heard of his ailment, and the magistrate of Ru County came to visit.
He Chunhua, pale and lying in bed, received guests, saying he was fatigued from travel and had caught a cold, needing a few days to recuperate.
The magistrate of Ru County naturally agreed wholeheartedly and sent people to provide the most attentive service.
He Lingchuan and the others heard that He Chunhua had sent spies to Dunyu again, which would take some time for back and forth.
They would not engage in battle unprepared.
A few days were nothing; what was there to wait for?
During the day, He Lingchuan either practiced the Ziwu Jue or strolled around the county town with the Medicine Ape and Rock Wolf, making quite a show; at night, he continued to dream, practicing martial arts, patrolling, and earning military merit in the Panlong Dream Realm, receiving people's praises.
Battles like the one at Ghost Needle Stone Forest were rare, and his days in the dream realm were equally methodical.
Next door, Sun Fuling was still not home, and no one knew where she had gone.
￥￥￥￥￥
On the evening of the fourth day, a guest arrived at the Li family in Dunyu.
The visitor was Shu Qian, the second brother of the head of the Shu family.
After exchanging pleasantries with the helmsman of the Li family, he presented a gift for his visit and patted the snow lingering on his neck.
"I apologize for disturbing you, Old Master. My elder brother sent me to convey a message: the newly appointed Grand Supervisor of Xiazhu, He Chunhua, has fallen ill at the relay station in Ru County."
(End of Chapter)