Chapter 128: Blue sky?

The tenth day.

The New Year atmosphere in Qinghe had completely disappeared, and the days became plain and ordinary again.

Li Rui got up early, circulated Qi for a large cycle in his room, and then opened the door.

Standing under the tree in the courtyard, his blood and Qi were rounded and smooth, restrained as he wished, flowing freely.

The next instant!

He pushed both hands forward.

Vaguely, it seemed like he heard a dragon roar.

Bang!

A loud noise, a giant rock ten zhang away was filled with smoke and dust, exploding into pieces of gravel; when the smoke cleared, two handprints, fully two chi deep, appeared on the giant rock.

"Good power!"

Li Rui's eyes lit up.

Dragon form takes initial shape, the power of true Qi gradually appears; this palm could make an enemy's sinews and bones shatter within ten zhang, truly very powerful.

Don't talk about the Willow Sinew Realm being powerful; just this true Qi alone is not something an eighth-rank can deal with.

You know, the three Alliance Leaders who founded the Tiandi Alliance, a large gang, were only seventh-rank.

Yang Yong and Wang Zhao, hearing the sound, rushed out.

"What happened?"

"It's already the tenth day, which naughty kid is still setting off firecrackers."

Yang Yong cursed, thinking it was the sound of firecrackers.

But when he and Wang Zhao saw the giant rock standing opposite Li Rui, they both gasped.

"Old Li, this is..."

Yang Yong looked at the two palm prints on the giant rock.

"You slapped it?"

Li Rui nodded: "Didn't hold back while practicing."

Yang Yong looked at Li Rui as if looking at a monster: "Old Li, this move of yours is more powerful than those martial arts hall masters in the city."

When he was at the Zhu family, he was a guard.

His understanding of the martial path was much higher than ordinary people.

So he knew better the gold content of Li Rui shattering the rock with his hands.

Little did he know, Li Rui hadn't touched the giant rock at all, just struck the rock from a distance with pure true Qi.

If Yang Yong and Wang Zhao knew, they would probably think Li Rui had become an immortal.

Li Rui said indifferently: "Time is about right, I'll go to the armory first."

After saying that, he walked out the door.

Leaving Yang Yong and Wang Zhao looking at each other. What opportunity did Old Li get to have such a big breakthrough in the martial path in just two years?

If they didn't live together every day, they would have thought Li Rui had been swapped.

This matter was still too shocking for the two of them.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Li Rui arrived at the Ding-grade armory.

Liang He had gone to the Night Scouts.

The remaining three were quite well-behaved, having cleaned the armory early on.

Just as Li Rui was preparing to inspect the armory as usual, one of his subordinates walked over timidly: "Li Ye, we heard that the new County Magistrate is going to re-measure the land, guessing that land might be distributed, thinking if we could ask for a day off, my family asked me to go help out, what do you think..."

"New County Magistrate?"

Li Rui raised his eyebrows slightly.

News had long spread that Qinghe was going to change County Magistrates.

In fact, this was also within expectations.

Although County Magistrate Zhang Linkang could be considered conscientious, his ability was limited after all, and he wasn't a martial artist, so he would definitely be suppressed by the Anning Guard. This meant the County Magistrate lost the function of performing his due duties.

The imperial court naturally wouldn't let such a situation of one family dominating happen.

They would often send an official of equal rank.

The Assistant County Magistrate and Registrar of the Qinghe County Office had long been replaced, leaving only Zhang Linkang, and now the new County Magistrate was finally taking office, and not a single old person from the County Office remained.

"Go, it doesn't matter."

Li Rui wasn't a black-hearted superior; he wouldn't make things difficult for such a small matter.

"Many thanks, Li Ye."

The subordinate was about to leave when he was stopped by Li Rui: "Tell me about the land distribution."

"This... heard that the County Magistrate wants to verify the household registration and land acreage, and re-determine the taxes everyone has to pay."

"Want to make those big families who privately swallowed land spit it out and distribute it to those who have no land."

"The County Magistrate hasn't even arrived, but has already sent tax officials to strictly investigate this matter, maybe wanting to make an example of a few big families."

"This is a great thing!" This subordinate was a white-servant of the armory, that is, a temporary worker, and most of their family backgrounds were average.

Li Rui nodded.

Land annexation happens in any dynasty, and the Yu Kingdom is no exception.

Some big families occupy farmers' land as their own through lending and strong-arm tactics, and farmers become tenant farmers or even refugees, causing social unrest, and the taxes received by the imperial court also decrease because of this.

The imperial court has repeatedly reformed, but it has always had little effect.

Why?

Of course, these "Blue Sky" lords collude with local big families, seeking profit from it and filling their own pockets.

It can be considered a good thing.

After all, some tenant farmers will really get land redistributed.

However, Li Rui felt that the new County Magistrate was just "three fires for a new official," wanting to break the intricate relationships in Qinghe before and redistribute interests.

Who knows.

=9+Book_Bar

Nowadays, more and more forces are entering Qinghe, including big sects like the Mingguang Sect and Qingfeng Villa, which have faces in the Anning Prefecture.

Only by changing the County Magistrate can these "fierce dragons crossing the river" be suppressed.

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

Qinghe City, on the bustling streets, bursts of exclamations came.

"What a big carriage!"

Five divine horses, each a zhang tall, drove from the direction of the city gate like small hills.

The five horses pulled a carriage that could be called a palace; with every step, their nostrils sprayed long white air.

Fortunately, the streets of Qinghe City were expanded, otherwise, it would really be impossible to set up such a big show.

"Demon horses!"

Li Rui stood in the shadows of the alley, secretly marveling.

These five horses were all specially cultivated demon horses; their endurance and explosive power were several times stronger than sweat-blood horses.

Of course.

They were also truly expensive.

One horse was worth three thousand gold.

"Tsk tsk, this County Magistrate Zhuang has such a big hand."

If he guessed correctly, the person in the carriage was the new County Magistrate—Zhuang Renhe.

"Heard this County Magistrate Zhuang comes from a big family in Yunzhou, truly extraordinary."

Li Rui went out today and happened to run into this scene.

"Blue Sky!"

"Blue Sky!"

Beside his ears, sounds of kowtowing and shouting came continuously.

Blue Sky.

Not every official can be called Blue Sky; only good officials who make decisions for the people in the hearts of the common people can be.

This County Magistrate Zhuang hadn't even arrived, but had already sent people to measure land and distribute fields, winning a good reputation as an honest official.

"Blue Sky?"

Li Rui didn't think so.

At this time.

Inside the carriage.

The unique fragrance of Yazhou agarwood permeated, and light smoke drifted slowly from the furnace, lingering around the furnace body.

County Magistrate Zhuang Renhe sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, purple smoke rising above his head.

Not bad.

Unlike those civil officials, Zhuang Renhe himself was a master of the martial path.

In fact, the martial path of the Yu Kingdom is prosperous; low-level officials are fine, but high-level officials are almost all good at martial arts.

Although he was a County Magistrate, his rank was not low.

A fifth-rank County Magistrate, his rank was even as high as a Prefect, the only one in Yunzhou.

Otherwise, if the rank was too low, he would definitely be suppressed by the Anning Guard.

Besides County Magistrate Zhuang Renhe, there was another person in the carriage.

An old man wearing a black robe, with a section of his arm exposed, withered like firewood.

"Old Qi, your demon-feeding technique seems to have improved again."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 129 =====