Chapter 20: One Alliance, Two Gangs, Three Families

"Taxes are paid twice a year in summer and autumn. Although you currently have no land, you still need to pay taxes. Considering you are seventy and have no children, the corvée labor can be exempted."

"You need to come and report every year from now on; if you don't report for a year, it will be considered as removed from the register."

The clerk reminded him emphatically.

Li Rui was already seventy and could die at any time.

So he needed to report frequently; if he didn't come in any given year, the household department would assume Li Rui had died.

Otherwise, given the technological level of ancient times, there was no way to determine the population situation.

"Thank you, young master."

Li Rui bowed.

If not for Registrar Ma's favor, this clerk certainly wouldn't have pointed out so much.

Left the county government.

Li Rui went to an agency.

He rented a small room of only one square zhang in the East City for one tael of silver a year.

From then on, he finally had a home in Qinghe.

After redeeming his freedom, there were more things to consider.

Before, when he was a slave at the Zhu household, he didn't need to consider taxes or anything else; he just had to work hard, but now there was much more to consider.

"First, settle down in the city."

"Fortunately, I still have thirty taels of silver, enough to last half a year, but I still need to find a way to earn money."

He was now a Rank-Entered martial artist, and money flowed like water.

No matter how thick the family foundation, it couldn't withstand sitting and eating away at the mountain.

Days passed one by one.

Without a saber, Li Rui had to use a wooden stick to practice the Bai Yuan Saber Art.

With the blessing of the Martial Bone and the breathing technique, his progress was terrifyingly fast.

In just half a month.

He reached the mid-stage of Stone Skin; perhaps in less than a year, he could break through to the Eighth Rank.

If those geniuses knew of this speed, they would probably vomit three liters of blood.

Even the most monstrous genius would pale in comparison before Li Rui.

Although he was already seventy...

During this period, Wang Zhao and Yang Yong also came a few times.

Since Li Rui left the Zhu household, Master Zhu seemed to have changed his nature, scolding Zhu Lie when he tried to force Wang Zhao to lend him a horse.

With Zhu Ping, the head of the Zhu household, stepping in, Wang Zhao's life became much more comfortable.

Li Rui was completely relieved.

This day.

Li Rui was practicing his saber at home as usual.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

When he opened the door, he thought it was Wang Zhao or Yang Yong, but it was Wu Tu.

An uninvited guest!

Wu Tu still smiled heartily: "Old brother, your body is still so sturdy. You redeemed your freedom without telling me, making me search for you."

Li Rui: "A small matter, no need to trouble Boss Wu."

A flash of surprise crossed Wu Tu's eyes.

"Stronger again?!!"

In just one month, this old man felt much stronger to him, even making him feel wary.

"Does Boss Wu have business?"

Wu Tu laughed: "As soon as I heard you redeemed your freedom, old brother, I brought good news."

"Good news?"

"I wonder if you've heard of the Tiandi Alliance?"

Tiandi Alliance!

Li Rui's pupils contracted slightly when he heard these three words.

Seeing Li Rui's reaction, Wu Tu continued: "The Qinghe Jianghu has always had the saying of 'One Alliance, Two Gangs, Three Families.' A while ago, several bosses of the Dark Eight Sects joined the Tiandi Alliance. I thought, how could such a good thing be missing you, old brother, so I came to tell you."

Li Rui naturally knew what the "One Alliance, Two Gangs, Three Families" in Wu Tu's mouth meant.

These were the strongest forces in the nearby counties.

Even the County Magistrate would have to give way to them.

This "One Alliance" refers to the Tiandi Alliance, the "Two Gangs" are the Blood Tiger Gang and the Broken Saber Gang, and the "Three Families" are the Zhang, Wang, and Zhao families.

Yes, there is no Zhu family; compared to those three, the Zhu family is not qualified.

The word "Alliance" in Tiandi Alliance already highlights its nature.

It is said to have been founded by three martial arts experts, and then it grew rapidly by absorbing Jianghu experts from several counties south of Anning Prefecture. The momentum is strong; he had only heard of it in neighboring counties before.

He didn't expect the Tiandi Alliance to reach Qinghe so quickly.

Since they are recruiting people.

Besides martial arts halls and escort agencies, where else would there be more brave and fierce martial artists than the Dark Eight Sects?

And coincidentally, one of the three founders of the Tiandi Alliance came from the Dark Eight Sects, so as long as one is willing to wash their hands of the past, the Tiandi Alliance will accept them.

Wu Tu joining the Tiandi Alliance made sense.

Unlike the Dark Eight Sects, which cannot see the light, the Tiandi Alliance is a sect properly registered with the imperial court.

It is true that the Yu Kingdom was founded on martial arts.

But the territory is too vast, with tens of thousands of miles of mountains and rivers; the imperial court cannot manage it alone.

With no other choice.

Local governments often rely on local forces to help manage things.

Like Wu Tu, once he joins the Tiandi Alliance, it is equivalent to being washed clean, and in the future, he can enter and leave the county government gate openly without anyone bothering him.

Hearing Wu Tu say this, Li Rui was tempted.

Originally, he wanted to participate in the Martial Examination to obtain a title.

But the provincial examination is once every three years, and it just ended last year; he would have to wait another three years. He certainly couldn't sit and eat away at his savings for three years, so joining the Tiandi Alliance was a good path.

The Tiandi Alliance had just infiltrated Qinghe and was short of people.

Joining now, he might even be able to get a good job.

And the Tiandi Alliance isn't something anyone can join; one must either already be somewhat famous locally or have someone to recommend them.

Wu Tu belongs to the former.

As someone who just redeemed his freedom, he must have someone to recommend him to join the Tiandi Alliance.

Li Rui had already made a decision in his heart and cupped his hands:

"I can't let Brother Wu do the 'three visits to the thatched cottage' thing; I will respectfully comply."

Hearing Li Rui agree.

Wu Tu was overjoyed.

Just as Li Rui thought, the Tiandi Alliance had just arrived in Qinghe and was short of people.

Li Rui was a Rank-Entered expert.

Pulling Li Rui into the Tiandi Alliance, Wu Tu would not only be able to record a merit but also receive rewards; otherwise, why would he be so active?

"Old brother, rest assured, I will definitely get you a good job."

Wu Tu patted his chest loudly.

Now that the Qinghe branch of the Tiandi Alliance was newly built, the other bosses of the Dark Eight Sects were all working hard in secret, trying their best to stuff people into the Tiandi Alliance.

The principle of strength in numbers works everywhere.

The more of one's own people, the greater the say in the Tiandi Alliance.

The imperial examination has the saying of teacher-student ties, and the Jianghu is actually about the same.

The people he introduces are half his own people.

If his own people can hold important positions, things will be much more convenient in the future.

Wu Tu was determined to find Li Rui an important position, so he could use this to climb higher.

Immediately, he laughed again: "I practice the Eagle Claw Art, and my eyesight is okay. I happened to see that you had already entered the rank, old brother. If I told the Tiandi Alliance about this, you could at least be a deacon, with a monthly salary of ten taels, while ordinary disciples only get one."

Li Rui's eyebrows twitched.

Wu Tu actually had such ability.

He pondered slightly, then nodded: "Then I will trouble you, Brother Wu."

He was now at the mid-stage of Stone Skin, and with the Bai Yuan Saber Art, his strength far exceeded that of an ordinary Rank-Entered martial artist; he could hold his own even if exposed, and the gap between a deacon and an ordinary disciple was indeed too large.

Martial artists with good eyesight like Wu Tu would definitely be encountered in the future; it couldn't be hidden for long.

It was better to take this opportunity to show four-tenths of his strength.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 21 =====