"Father!" Li Yuan cried out in alarm. His father had suffered from back and leg problems since his early years of hard labor in the fields—how could he withstand such a vicious kick to the ribs?
Moving with astonishing speed, Li Yuan threw himself in front of his father, taking the full force of the blow. He grimaced in pain, groaning loudly. Li Pingfu quickly pulled open Li Yuan's shirt, revealing an ugly purple bruise—the kick had been delivered with brutal force. Fortunately, he always carried medicinal oil and began massaging the injury, shooting a glare at Uncle Li Fang.
Li Fang stood frozen in shock, his face ashen with fear.
"You hit Brother Yuan! You evil man!" Li Qian was seeing red, baring her teeth like a feral kitten ready to pounce. Li Pingcan barely managed to restrain her—the girl had the strength of a bear cub! Without his martial training, no ordinary teenager could have held her back.
The second Li daughter slipped past the tax collector, wiping tears as she helped her father up. A murmur of discontent spread through the Peach Blossom Village crowd like wildfire.
"Even if he's an official, he can't just beat people!"
"Li Fang didn't mean any harm—we farmers treasure every grain."
"Honestly, nine pecks get kicked down to seven—that's outright robbery!"
The tax collector sneered. Remote areas always bred troublemakers! Without a word, he swept his arrogant gaze across the crowd. One by one, the villagers lowered their heads under his stare.
This accusation of treason instantly silenced the crowd. Their earlier courage evaporated, leaving them standing uneasily in place.
The old village chief trembled as he spoke: "Honored official, Peach Blossom Village has always been loyal subjects of the court."
Ignoring the elder, the collector pointed at Li Fang's nose. "Then don't follow this old fool's example—all of you behave!"
Returning to the official grain measure, he put his full strength into every kick, reducing each portion by half—pure retaliation.
Li Pingcan frowned. As the saying goes, it's easier to deal with the King of Hell than his minions. For petty officials , even a speck of power became fuel for tyranny. The autumn tax season was their only chance for substantial bribes—no wonder they seized every opportunity to extort money.
"Yuan Yuan, go tell Father we need more rice," Li Pingcan whispered to Xie Yuan. The girl nodded obediently, hugged her friend Li Qian, then darted home like a sparrow.
Measure after measure of Li Fang's rice was taken, each time reduced by half. Soon, his harvest fell short of the tax requirement.
The collector smirked at Li Fang. "Can't pay in full? Then you'll mine the mountain veins. Don't worry—a year or two's labor should cover your debt."
Li Pingcan's heart sank. Countless men died in those mines each year—a fate reserved for criminals. Would honest Uncle Li Fang survive?
Li Fang collapsed to his knees, kowtowing desperately. His entire family followed suit—elderly parents, children—all wailing except the furious Li Yuan and Li Qian. As the family's sole provider, Li Fang's arrest would be their ruin!
The collector relished this display of peasant submission. "Kowtowing won't help. Pay what's owed—who dares evade imperial taxes?"
Just then, Li Rongzhou arrived with sacks of rice, making up the shortfall. "Honored official," he said cheerfully, "who would dare withhold the court's grain?" He discreetly slipped two silver taels into the official's hand. "For your trouble—please enjoy some tea."
"Hmm, at least someone here understands propriety."
The collector studied Li Rongzhou, greed stirring. Anyone who could casually produce two taels to help others must be wealthy—perfect for further extortion. Why else flaunt your money?
"Which family are you from?"
"This humble one is Li Rongzhou."
Checking his register, the official's eyes lit upon "xiucai tax exemption" and Li Ping'an's age. His face blossomed into a chrysanthemum smile. "Brother Li! I've heard so much about you."
With visible reluctance, he added another tael, pressing all three back into Li Rongzhou's hands. "Serving the court is its own reward—I couldn't possibly accept this."
Li Rongzhou maintained his humble posture. "Your integrity is admirable, honored official."
Li Pingfu quietly helped Uncle Li Fang up. "Uncle, don't worry—this ordeal is over."
Li Fang seemed dazed, overwhelmed with gratitude as if reborn. "Pingfu... without your family, I don't know what I'd have done..." Being taken away would have meant almost certain death—never seeing parents or children again!
He grabbed Li Yuan's arm. "Yuan, remember—Pingfu is your sworn brother for life! Never betray him! All you children must honor Uncle Rongzhou!" Turning to Li Pingcan, he added, "Thank you for stopping my daughter. If she'd attacked an official..."
While he might have survived the mines, his young daughter wouldn't have.
"Pingcan, I'm forever grateful! Qian, kowtow to your brother!"
Li Pingcan quickly intervened. "Uncle, I'm too young to accept such respect—it would diminish my fortune."
"Ah..." Li Fang fumbled for words, wiping tears of emotion.
"What bad luck for Uncle Fang," Li Pingcan sighed heavily upon returning home.
Honest to a fault, Li Fang hadn't understood the unspoken rules—he'd simply hated seeing grain wasted. Without their family's xiucai status, they too might have suffered. Though Father would have nipped any trouble in the bud.
Now he understood why Second Brother had wanted to become an immortal official—it showed foresight.
"Father, why did you take back those three taels?" Li Pingcan asked.
Li Rongzhou sipped tea calmly. "Unless he took the money, that official would never have let the matter rest. This way, it's truly settled."
Though Li Pingcan usually trusted his father's judgment, this time he was wrong. The matter wasn't over.
That winter, shocking news spread through Peach Blossom Village like wildfire:
"Li Fang's daughter tested positive for spiritual roots! Superior grade!"
The revelation electrified the village, sparking even greater excitement than when Li Ping'an earned his xiucai status.
"Li Fang's suffering has finally borne fruit! With an immortal daughter, his whole family will rise!"
"I always knew that Qian girl was special!"
"Why couldn't my daughter have such fortune?"
At the center of attention, Li Fang stood humbly before Li Rongzhou, offering one hundred taels.
"Brother Rongzhou, this is the compensation that official brought me personally. It's all yours!"