Dominating Martial King
Chapter 261 - 261 198 They Underestimated West Mountain Hall_3

261: Chapter 198 They Underestimated West Mountain Hall_3 261: Chapter 198 They Underestimated West Mountain Hall_3 At the age of twelve, I had already reached the cultivation of Grade Eight Subordinates, with a partial awakening of my bloodline to the Fifth Tier—if even this isn’t enough, wouldn’t I be considered trash?

Nonetheless, Chu Xisheng was quite pleased to hear her speak.

He hadn’t expected Lu Luanti to rush back to attend the “Blood Burning Ritual” of Zhengyang Martial Arts Hall.

Chu Xisheng’s face showed no unusual color, and he asked with just a hint of curiosity, “I thought you wouldn’t come back.

By the way, is your Uncle Dong alright?

And the Rebellion Banner, who has it fallen into the hands of?”

Chu Xisheng was quite concerned about the whereabouts of the Rebellion Banner.

Lu Luanti crossed her arms and looked helplessly resigned, “Neither the flagpole nor the Lie King’s Treasure have turned up—how could I leave now?

As for Uncle Dong—”

She glanced regretfully to the north: “He is safe and sound.

Thankfully, he wasn’t confused and tossed the flag out when he saw that the situation was off.

Now the Rebellion Banner has ended up in the hands of ‘Ghost Shadow’.”

This outcome was not bad to Lu Luanti, considering that Ghost Shadow, although ranked two hundred and twentieth on the Earthly List, had an Escape Technique that was within the top thirty in the world.

Importantly, he held deep-seated hatred for the court.

In his thirty years since he emerged, he has killed over twenty court officials and generals of Fourth Grade or higher.

With such a temperament, even in death, he would not let the banner fall into the hands of the court.

Lu Luanti knew this was the best outcome but still felt inexplicable regret.

She felt as if she had missed out on one billion taels of Demon Silver.

Chu Yunyun appeared indifferent but was listening intently the whole time.

Her expression slightly shifted when she heard the name ‘Ghost Shadow’, but it then settled back into calmness.

She had heard of him; Ghost Shadow’s combat strength was average among those of Third Grade, but his Escape Technique surpassed many First Grade Martial Cultivators.

Ghost Shadow indeed harbored extreme hatred toward the court, particularly loathing the experts of the Inner Palace.

His bounty remained high, consistently listed at fifty-seventh on the Black List.

Chu Yunyun had been most concerned that the court would get the flag and trace it back through high-grade mages.

But since the banner had fallen into ‘Ghost Shadow’s’ hands, for the short term, she need not worry about it anymore.

Chu Xisheng also relaxed slightly, his thoughts similar to those of the two women.

As long as the flag was not in the hands of the court or evil demons, any outcome would be acceptable.

“That’s a real shame.”

Chu Xisheng then changed his tone and said with a beaming smile, “It’s just as well that you’ve returned, there’s a bit of trouble over at West Mountain Town.

As the altar master of ‘Chaotic Word Altar’, you should put in some effort for the hall and earn the salary I pay you.”

Lu Luanti couldn’t help but let out a cold ‘heh’ of laughter.

She hadn’t even seen the shadow of a salary yet, and here was Chu Xisheng telling her to earn it?

Lu Luanti had already moved past the excitement of being promoted to ‘altar master’ and had seen through Chu Xisheng’s ploys.

This guy had trapped her with the empty title of ‘altar master’ and a monthly salary of merely four hundred taels of Demon Silver, making her—a formidable Sixth Grade Lower expert—serve him for nothing.

However, Lu Luanti still raised her eyebrows in confusion, “Isn’t Tie Xiaosheng in charge over in West Mountain?

Who would dare to make trouble for you guys?”

“Tie Xiaosheng can’t always stay in West Mountain, and besides, he can’t help with this matter.”

Chu Xisheng shook his head and a trace of a mocking smile appeared on his lips: “Just six days ago, the county government set the amount; West Mountain Town must pay fifty thousand stones in land tax and forty-seven thousand in poll tax, within a month.

If not, they’ll hold me, the village chief of West Mountain Village, responsible.”

In the past, Haiqing Gang’s West Mountain Hall was responsible for collecting local taxes on behalf of the government.

Now, that responsibility had fallen on him.

“Forty-seven thousand in poll tax?” Lu Luanti was taken aback, “How on earth did the government come up with that figure?

And the eighty-five thousand stones in land tax, that’s pretty extravagant as well.”

In Daning, the poll tax was one tael per adult male.

West Mountain Town had a relatively dense population but certainly not as many as forty-seven thousand adult males.

Furthermore, West Mountain Town’s land amounted to only nine hundred thousand acres, of which only one-third was high-quality.

Lu Luanti narrowed her eyes.

She realized that this was an attack targeted at Chu Xisheng’s canal project.

In the past, Chu Xisheng, unshod and unafraid, could simply resign and ignore the county government’s demand for taxes.

But now, with the canal project at stake, he couldn’t ignore the county government any longer.

If he neglected the taxes, the county government could seize the canal as grounds for action.

Lu Luanti let out a cold laugh, her expression scornful, “They wish.

You can activate the local relationships and check against the county’s records—you can’t let them have the final say on how much is owed.

If the county office refuses, just allocate the taxes according to the local influential families; if they’re displeased, they can take it up with the county themselves.”

This was a method of driving the lower by applying pressure from above.

The previous years’ land tax had also been allocated by Liu Dingtang to the locals and influential landlords.

The county government could not withstand the surge of these emotions.

“That’s a good strategy,” Chu Xisheng nodded slightly, his expression approving, “The problem is that the influential families of West Mountain Town are also planning to take a share of my canal.

They are now secretly rallying, preparing not to pay the taxes.

The largest family in West Mountain Town, the Wen family, has sent me a message.

Either I swallow the eighty-five thousand stones of land tax and the forty-seven thousand in poll tax myself, or I give up thirty percent of the canal’s shares to them.”

“The snake swallows the elephant out of greed!”

Lu Luanti remained unconcerned, “What’s there to fear?

Just kill our way through!

We have five hundred gang members and six thousand West Mountain Hunters at our beck and call.

Do these local nobles really think our West Mountain Hall’s blades are dull?”

But then she saw that Chu Xisheng’s expression was quite strange.