Chapter 33: The Rich List Is a Slaughter List

"Heave!"

Li Gui gave a sharp shout, lifting a massive block of bluestone above his head. He then swayed his body, rocking left and right, performing various movements as if wielding a heavy weapon.

A moment later, he hurled the giant stone forward. With a thunderous crash, it struck the ground, gouging out a deep crater. Dust and debris billowed into the air, taking quite a while to settle.

Ever since he had slain more than a dozen warriors of varying rank in one go, his physical prowess had reached an incredible level. This bluestone block weighed at least one or two hundred catties, yet he could swing it with ease. Even the legendary Green Dragon Crescent Blade weighed only eighty-two catties; surely, the fierce generals of old were no more impressive than this.

The two steel sabers he had swindled from the Qin family's smithy now felt as light as paper in his hands. When he swung them, they left only trails of afterimages, cutting through the air without resistance and creating sharp, popping sonic booms that made him feel like a god of thunder descended to earth.

Li Gui had already ordered the blacksmiths recruited into the stronghold to forge him two large, high-grade steel axes. Once those were in hand, he knew that anything they brushed against would be wounded, and anything they struck would perish.

As for Li Gui’s physique, it had expanded significantly. He had once possessed a rather average build, neither particularly tall nor broad, but now he had grown a full head taller, his body a mass of knotted, corded muscle that felt as sturdy as reinforced steel.

Correspondingly, his appetite had surged several times over; he could devour half a sheep in a single sitting. If it weren't for the fact that the stronghold’s storehouses were currently well-stocked, it would be impossible to support such a glutton.

However, as more people flocked to the stronghold and the number of soldiers grew, the food, gold, and silver in the storehouses would eventually run dry. Li Gui knew he had to find another source of wealth. Setting up toll booths to collect taxes was one method, but that would take time to bear fruit and offered no immediate income. Therefore, Li Gui decided...

He would start by robbing the rich to aid the poor!

Wiping his sweat with a damp towel, Li Gui walked toward the Great Hall of Loyalty and Justice, asking as he went, "Is the list ready?"

"The list of all the gentry in the county, including their estimated assets, residential addresses, and defensive capabilities, has been thoroughly investigated and recorded. It is quite accurate. Please take a look, Brother."

Zhu Fu carefully handed over a ledger-like book. Li Gui took it, sat down in a chair, and began to flip through it slowly, accompanied by Huang Silang and Li Laoqi.

Having Zhu Fu around certainly made many things much easier. Zhu Fu had been responsible for intelligence gathering for Li Yun, and his knowledge of Yishui County far surpassed that of Li Laoqi; much of the information provided was the result of his years of diligent observation. Though he had only recently joined the stronghold, his contribution in terms of intelligence had already eclipsed that of Li Laoqi.

Take this list of gentry assets, for example. The content was not something an ordinary person could have uncovered in two or three months; it was essentially a "Rich List" of Yishui County.

Li Gui skimmed through it briefly and realized that although they were all considered gentry, there was a world of difference between them.

The powerful ones, like Master Li, possessed their own fortified manors with walls sturdier than those of the county seat, complete with house guards, hired martial arts instructors, retainers, and even private weapon workshops. Their small estates were like independent kingdoms, and even the local officials couldn't do a thing about them.

The weaker, ordinary rural gentry, on the other hand, merely owned a few hundred acres of land, a large house in the countryside, a dozen or so maids and servants, and held a hundred or so farmers in bondage.

Li Gui crossed out the ordinary rich farmers at the front and the powerful local tyrants at the back, leaving only those in the middle—those whose influence wasn't overwhelming, but whose assets were substantial.

Don't let their status as mere local squires fool you. In this day and age, people lacked investment channels and interest; when they had money, they prioritized buying land. But land was finite. When they couldn't buy more, the surplus silver was usually hidden at home. Raiding one such house would yield at least several thousand strings of cash. Furthermore, rural landlords always had grain storehouses, and a raid would likely net a significant amount of food.

After memorizing the information in the booklet, Li Gui tossed it onto the table, stood up, and shouted:

"These gentry act as tyrants in their villages and commit every evil imaginable! Now that I have raised the banner of 'Acting on Behalf of Heaven,' I certainly cannot allow these vermin to continue poisoning the common folk."

"Brothers, rally the men! Follow me to act on behalf of Heaven!"

"Today, I shall publicly try these hypocritical gentry and expose their malicious faces to the light of day!"

Huang Silang was overjoyed upon hearing this. He clapped his hands and praised, "Brother, your words are excellent! It was only after offending Master Huang that I was driven from my home and had nowhere to return!"

Li Gui laughed heartily. "Then we shall each lead a team and act separately. Quanzhuang Township shall be yours, Silang. You may take your revenge and settle your scores—that man surnamed Huang is yours to deal with."

"Thank you, Brother!" Huang Silang was moved to tears, clenching his fists and itching to slice open that Master Huang's belly and dig out his heart to satisfy his hatred.

Li Laoqi chimed in, "Others rob the rich to help the poor, but we are acting on behalf of Heaven and holding public trials for the crimes of the gentry. The people will surely turn their hearts to us."

Zhu Fu stepped forward and volunteered, "Brother, give me a few days, and I will surely investigate the evils of these gentry thoroughly, leaving nothing out."

Li Gui rolled his eyes and barked:

"Investigate what?"

"Just dump all the usual charges on them: bullying men and women, treating human lives like grass, inciting slaves to violence, seizing land, practicing usury—just throw it all at them!"

"Do you really think we would be wronging them?"

"The common folk aren't stupid; don't you think they can find their own past experiences and map them onto these charges?"

"Besides, what if they don't believe it?"

"Do you think I raised this banner of 'Acting on Behalf of Heaven' for them to see?"

"Propaganda has always been about fooling one's own side. If outsiders believe it, that's a pleasant surprise. If they don't, what does it matter?"

"Furthermore, when word spreads to the pugilistic world, do you think anyone will come over to verify the truth of the news?"

"It will be whatever we say it is!"

"Who would speak up for those dead gentry?"

"Those willing to believe will believe you even with the slightest word. Those unwilling to believe will claim you are framing them even if you lay the evidence right in front of their faces!"

"This is a matter of whose side you are on, not a matter of truth or falsehood!"

"Stop wasting time! Rally the troops immediately and follow me down the mountain!"

Zhu Fu was scolded into a daze, unable to understand the logic but too afraid to retort. He hurried out of the Great Hall to beat the drums and gather the men.

A moment later, all the soldiers had assembled. Li Gui, accompanied by Huang Silang, emerged from the hall to inspect them. Seeing the neatly arranged men, Li Gui nodded with satisfaction. He stepped forward, took a deep breath, and began his address.

"Men! The gentry of Quanzhuang Township, Huang Shuyang, has bullied men and women, treated human lives like grass, incited slaves to violence, seized land, and practiced usury... He colludes with officials, acts as a tyrant in the countryside, and is hated by both Heaven and the people!"

"The officials of the Great Song are corrupt and do not stand for the people, so we at Yushan Mountain Stronghold shall do it for them!"

"Today, we descend the mountain to execute these wicked gentry, act on behalf of Heaven, purge the evil, and restore a clear and bright world!"

Hearing Li Gui’s bluster, the men in the ranks, regardless of whether they believed it or not, raised their weapons and shouted in unison:

"Act on behalf of Heaven!"

After repeating this several times, Li Gui waved his arm. "Men, follow me down the mountain!"

The shouting stopped instantly. The soldiers formed into columns, followed their respective leaders, and split into several groups, marching down the mountain toward various villages and towns to carry out their mission of "Acting on Behalf of Heaven."