I’m Still Practicing Martial Arts, But How Did My Daughter Become an Immortal? – Chapter 67

Ch 67: Gradually Understanding

Lin Tian looked at A Mao and said slowly, “Seeing how confident these people are.”

“The influence of the Green Bamboo Gang in Anyuan County is probably not small.”

“Do you think you can leave the city peacefully after hitting their people?”

A Mao said somewhat helplessly, “Sir is right, what should we do?”

Lin Tian’s eyes sharpened, and he said in a deep voice, “This matter is probably not simple. We just asked casually, and they were already about to attack.”

“Now it seems, they are very afraid of someone investigating this matter.”

“From the moment we encountered the refugees, we learned from them that the taxes had increased by fifty percent.”

“But according to our understanding, the imperial court clearly only increased them by twenty percent.”

“Then to the grain price soaring five times, do you still remember what the shopkeeper said?”

A Mao seemed to have an epiphany: “Sir, are you talking about the grain merchants?”

“They actually bought up all the grain in Anyuan County, truly a grand scheme.”

“Looking at it this way, these Western Regions merchants may be used to confuse us.”

Lin Tian gave a ‘hehe’ laugh: “This foreign merchant bought up all the grain in Anyuan County, don’t you find it strange?”

“After two years of major disasters, the common people must not have much surplus grain, and the grain merchants also have limited grain.”

“The grain merchants, having discovered this opportunity to make money, will definitely not let go easily.”

“They cannot bear the consequences of forcibly collecting grain from the people, so there must be a force backing them.”

After listening, A Mao said angrily, “Then won’t the people resist? Are so many people afraid of them?”

Lin Tian shook his head and sighed, “It’s not that easy. Do you think the people can fight against the grain merchants?”

“What’s more, there are forces colluding with the grain merchants.”

“So blatant, disregarding the law, there is probably a big fish backing them behind this.”

Having calmed down, A Mao also felt that this matter could not be clarified in a short time.

He started with full enthusiasm to stand up for the refugees.

But after he saw a glimmer of hope, he felt very uncomfortable.

If he were to investigate, he would probably be killed before he even started.

A Mao hesitated: “Sir, what should we do now? Should we withdraw or wait?”

Lin Tian said calmly, “It doesn’t matter, we’ll do our thing.”

“They will naturally come to us. Then we can follow the clues.”

“But what I said is just speculation, we need to ask someone to know if it’s right or not.”

A Mao asked suspiciously, “Ask who?”

Lin Tian glanced at the two of them and said calmly, “These people were brought by the inn shopkeeper, we have to reason with him.”

“Even a clay figure has some temper, if you do something wrong, you have to pay the price.”

As soon as A Mao heard this, he was immediately furious and said, “So it was him, I was wondering why someone wanted to deal with us for no reason.”

“We have already offended the people of the Green Bamboo Gang.”

“Are we still afraid of a small shopkeeper?”

“I’m going to cripple him!”

Saying that, A Mao rolled up his sleeves, picked up his broadsword, and walked downstairs aggressively.

Lin Tian and A Li followed closely behind.

Seeing the three of them coming, the inn boss quickly smiled obsequiously: “Several sirs, this has nothing to do with me.”

“Did you do something to offend them?”

A Mao coldly grabbed the shopkeeper’s collar and dragged him into the backyard.

A Mao shouted angrily, “Damn it, did you report us?”

“Do you think we wouldn’t dare to touch you with the Green Bamboo Gang backing you?”

The inn boss wanted to cry but had no tears, and said, “No, really no, I am honestly running a small shop and have nothing to do with the Green Bamboo Gang.”

A Mao snorted coldly and said, “Your mouth is quite tough, let me see you…”

Before he could finish speaking, the broadsword in his hand suddenly slashed towards the shopkeeper’s palm. With a “creak” sound, a section of finger fell to the ground.

“Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!”

The shopkeeper let out a shrill scream, his face turned pale instantly, and bean-sized beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

He painfully covered the severed finger, his eyes filled with fear.

A Mao was also stunned. He looked at the knife in his hand suspiciously and muttered to himself, “That’s not right, I didn’t even draw the saber, how did the finger fall off?”

Lin Tian walked over, pulled A Mao, and said, “Let me do it. You just came out of prison, have you forgotten that sometimes reason is useless?”

Lin Tian looked at the constantly wailing shopkeeper and said coldly, “Say whatever you want to say, if I’m not satisfied with what you say, one word, one finger, think carefully before you speak.”

The shopkeeper trembled with fear, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he looked at Lin Tian in horror.

He said tremblingly, “I’ll say… I’ll say… I’ll say everything.”

Lin Tian nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.

The shopkeeper gasped for breath and said, “The Second Leader of the Green Bamboo Gang said that anyone who inquires about the refugees must report to him.”

“I had no choice, if I didn’t do as they said, they would know, and I wouldn’t be able to keep my shop open.”

Lin Tian “mm” sounded as a response, and then asked: “Then why didn’t you say there were no refugees before?”

The shopkeeper quickly said, “Yes, yes, yes, there are refugees, but the County Magistrate suppressed it and solved it all.”

“Solved it all? How did they solve it, they didn’t kill them all, did they?” A Mao asked suspiciously.

The shopkeeper had a hard time saying, “I really don’t know about this, but there have been a lot of deaths recently, it seems like there is some kind of infectious disease in the county.”

“The County Magistrate told everyone not to go out at night if they have nothing to do, it’s not easy to cure if you get sick.”

Lin Tian pondered for a moment and said, “Then tell me everything from the beginning, what’s going on.”

The shopkeeper tried hard to recall and said, “This has to start from half a month ago.”

“Half a month ago, a group of merchants came and said they wanted to buy grain, and the price was fair.”

“I was thinking of selling some at the time, but then I thought, it’s almost winter, isn’t it stupid to sell grain at this time.”

“The grain merchants seized this opportunity, after two years of natural disasters, they didn’t have much grain in their hands, so they set their sights on the people’s grain.”

“They bought it at a low price, and the people were naturally unwilling, so disputes broke out with the grain merchants.”

“That’s how the forced buying and selling happened.”

“There are indeed quite a few refugees, but they were all suppressed by the County Magistrate.”

“After that, the grain merchants also restrained themselves and no longer forced the people to sell grain, but every household had to sell some symbolically.”

Lin Tian thought for a while and asked, “What about the imperial court increasing taxes by fifty percent?”

The shopkeeper replied, “Fifty percent, where is there fifty percent? That’s what the grain merchants said to force them to sell grain.”

“The purpose is to make them afraid, if they don’t sell the grain, they will have to hand it over.”

After listening, Lin Tian fell into deep thought. He felt that things were gradually becoming clear, and there was no need to continue investigating.

What if he found the evidence, who would punish them?

Saying that, Lin Tian and the others walked out, leaving behind the shopkeeper with a face full of fear.”

The inn waiters also rushed to offer warmth, they didn’t dare to speak when he was shouting just now, and now they all showed their faces after the people left.

“Shopkeeper, report it to the authorities.”

The shopkeeper gave the waiter who spoke a cold look: “Report your head, these people kill without blinking an eye.”

“They don’t even care about the Green Bamboo Gang, once you report it to the authorities, your life will be gone.”

The inn shopkeeper saw it quite clearly. After all, in this Anyuan County, the County Magistrate is the biggest, and the Green Bamboo Gang is the second biggest.

Those who can go up against the Green Bamboo Gang are definitely not simple characters.

Report what kind of authorities, he might as well send himself in.

He can only blame himself for being blinded, this thumb is a lesson.