Chief, don't hit me in the face

Chapter 48: A Shameless Scoundrel

Xia Qian’s brother-in-law, Xia Qingdong, was a hero who enjoyed some fame within the tribe. Thanks to his connections, Xia Qian had become a tax collector, responsible for collecting taxes in part of the slum. With a little power in his hands, Xia Qian—who had little real influence—thrived, especially among the poor, who were accustomed to fawning over him and smiling obsequiously, which fostered in him a sense of haughty superiority. Here, he felt like a king—though sometimes being that king wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. There were always a few stubborn troublemakers who were as thick-skinned as thistles; no threat could faze them. Just like thistles—one touch and you might get a few stuck to you. Though they couldn’t really hurt him, they were a real nuisance. Eve, standing before him, was just a foolish girl. With a face like hers, if she were willing to sell herself, she could at least eat her fill every day. Why should she have to work herself to the bone every day—doing jobs even men couldn’t handle—and still go hungry one day and eat her fill the next? What can you do? For a fifteen-year-old girl, just supporting herself is hard enough—and on top of that, she’s stuck with a mother who’s gone off the deep end. It’d be a miracle if she didn’t have to suffer. “What’s with that look? I’m the only one who cares about you—anyone else wouldn’t even give you the time of day!” Xia Qian cursed. Xia Wa’s expression was calm, but her eyes held a rabid, frenzied glint that made Xia Qian’s heart skip a beat for no apparent reason—he hadn’t forgotten the last time this girl had nearly bitten off half his ear. “I’ve paid all my taxes!” Xia Wa’s voice was icy, as if it could freeze the very air. “Get out, get out, get out! No wonder they call you ‘Maggot Girl’—I reckon you’re destined to eat maggots for the rest of your life!” Xia Qian roared in exasperation. Watching Xia Wa walk away, he felt a twinge of regret. The Blood Survival Trial was about to begin; Xia Wa was of eligible age and had to participate—but her chances of survival were likely slim. “Damn it, I’m going to die anyway—what’s the harm in letting me get some sleep?” Xia Qian muttered to herself. After walking a short distance, Xia Wa turned around and saw that Xia Qian seemed to be heading toward Xia Lingyue’s house. Without a moment’s hesitation, she hurried after him. The winters over the years had been the hardest to endure. Thanks to Xia Lingyue’s help, Xia Wa and her mother had managed to get through them. She had never forgotten this kindness. “Xia Laoshi? Why are you running?” Just as Xia Qian rounded the corner, he spotted a man carrying a wicker basket passing by and called out to him. “Mr. Xia!” Xia Laoshi forced a smile; he knew Xia Qian liked that title, especially the character “Da”—the pronunciation had to be loud and clear. “Heading out of town? Hey, that’s quite a haul!” Xia Qian lifted the straw mat covering the basket and saw a wild pheasant inside. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and held it in his hand. “Sir, you can’t do that!” Xia Laoshi grabbed Xia Qian’s hand, a pleading look crossing his face: “My wife just gave birth—I caught this to help her regain her strength!” “Your wife’s already so sturdy—any more nourishment and she’ll burst!” Seeing that Xia Laoshi was about to say more, Xia Qian kicked him squarely in the thigh: “Stop your nonsense! Do you plan to pay double next year’s taxes?” Xia Laoshi was a burly man standing 1. 85 meters tall, but in front of Xia Qian, he was as docile as a grandson. He had no choice—though Clan Chief Xia Song had set the same tax rates for everyone, there was a whole science to how they were collected. At the very least, there was a huge difference between paying in cash and paying in grain. “Hmph, you’re ungrateful!” Xia Qian kicked him again: “I’m doing you a favor by eating one of your chickens. Now get the hell out of here!” Thinking of his frail wife, veins bulged on Xia Laoshi’s forehead in anger, and he clenched his fists. But after hesitating three times, he sighed, turned around, and walked away. Even though Xia Qian was just a lowly tax collector, he was still someone Xia Laoshi couldn’t afford to cross. At the entrance to the thatched hut, Xia Lingyue absentmindedly polished an arrowhead. It had been fourteen days since her younger brother left, and she was truly worried. “Tsk, tsk, that’s beautiful!” Xia Qian stood outside the fence, staring greedily at Xia Lingyue’s cheeks like a mangy dog, his mouth practically watering. Xia Lingyue’s jet-black, waist-length hair was tied back with a pale yellow vine into a loose ponytail that fell down her back. She wore a long linen dress, heavily patched but washed so clean it made her look like a lotus blossom after the rain. Her gentle eyes and delicate lips gave Xia Lingyue an air of graceful refinement, like a refined and elegant song—one that captivates the heart and dispels all sorrow. This was a woman you couldn’t help but fall in love with at first sight! “No wonder she’s the daughter of the First Hero, Xia Wu’an—she’s truly beautiful!” Xia Qian marveled. He surmised that Xia Lingyue’s mother must have been a great beauty that Xia Wu’an had taken by force from some tribe—otherwise, she could never have given birth to such a beautiful daughter. “Uncle Xia!” Xia Lingyue rose to her feet, smiling before she spoke. “Mm-hmm!” Xia Qian, with his hands behind his back, walked over to her. “How have you been lately? If you’re facing any difficulties, be sure to let me know. If there’s anything I can do to help, Uncle will spare no effort!” “Thank you, Uncle Xia. Everything’s fine!” Xia Lingyue didn’t believe a word of that nonsense. Xia Qian’s terrible character was common knowledge throughout the slums; because of his extortionate tax collection, children from more than a dozen families had gone hungry and even starved to death. “The trials are about to begin, and I’m really worried about Xia Ye. With his sickly constitution, I’m afraid he won’t make it!” Xia Qian’s tone grew even more considerate, putting on the act of the kind Uncle Xia. “He’s fine—I wouldn’t dare trouble Uncle Xia with worries!” Xia Lingyue’s reply was cold and dismissive. “I’ve got some good news. Come on, let’s go inside and talk!” Accustomed to being bossy, Xia Qian didn’t give Xia Lingyue a chance to refuse; he forced his way into the thatched hut, and his gaze immediately fell on the smoked ham hanging from the rafters. His mouth began to water again—the ham from Xia Lingyue’s family was truly delicious, and it was well-cured. Every time he visited, Xia Qian would sneak a large chunk home with him. If sold at the market, one shi of that meat could fetch five shi of millet. As for the Xia family’s reputation as a pair of good-for-nothings, Xia Qian was well aware of it. Compared to that maggot-infested girl, Xia Wa, Xia Lingyue’s situation was even worse—she was a “blank slate” who couldn’t absorb any spiritual energy, a complete and utter waste. Her younger brother, Xia Ye, did have decent talent, but unfortunately, after the blood sacrifice to the Prince of Zhao, he was completely crippled. He spent most of the year bedridden, recuperating, and relied almost entirely on his sister to support him. Xia Qian had been waiting for Xia Lingyue to hit rock bottom and come begging for help, so he could seize the opportunity to make some inappropriate advances. But he’d been waiting and waiting for years, and his wish had yet to come true. Although the Xia siblings were poor, they always had enough to eat. It was unclear where the food came from. Given Xia Lingyue’s character, she would certainly never accept charity. That left only one explanation: her father’s friends were providing support and relief. Although Xia Wu’an was dead, he had, after all, once been the Xia clan’s greatest hero. It made perfect sense that a few people he’d helped in the past would be supporting the siblings. Xia Qian’s mind was running wild, conjuring up this non-existent explanation. After all, with his limited intellect, he would never have guessed that Xia Ye was a college student—much of the knowledge lost when civilization collapsed still lingered in his mind. “Uncle Xia, when you leave later, remember to take a slice of ham with you.” Xia Lingyue felt a bit exasperated. She hated having to play along with a guy like this, but she had no choice but to do so. “No problem, no problem!” Xia Qian closed the door. Xia Lingyue frowned and was about to open it. “The trial is about to begin. I have a way to get Xia Ye out of it—otherwise, given his physical condition, he’d definitely die if he went.” Xia Qian threw out the bait; he knew Xia Lingyue cared deeply for her younger brother, so he was confident she’d take the bait. “Oh!” Xia Lingyue replied indifferently. “Huh? You care?” Xia Qian was taken aback. “It’s a chance to participate in the trial—it’ll be good practice for Xia Ye, too.” Xia Lingyue explained. “What the hell kind of training is that? He’s going to die, for crying out loud!” Xia Qian felt like spitting blood in frustration. What happened to Xia Lingyue sacrificing herself to repay her brother’s debt? But when he looked into her clear, lucid eyes, Xia Qian understood. She simply didn’t believe that he, a lowly tax official, could possibly have the ability to help Xia Ye avoid the trial. This left him with a deep sense of frustration. “It’s thanks to my brother-in-law!” As Xia Qian spoke, he couldn’t wait any longer and reached out to grab Xia Lingyue’s butt. “Then why didn’t I just go straight to Xia Qingdong?” Xia Lingyue dodged, her expression turning somewhat serious. “Uh!” Xia Qian was at a loss for words—there was simply no way to refute that. Seeing that bribery hadn’t worked, he resorted to threats: “Ling Yue, I’m the kind of person who holds grudges. If someone treats me badly, I’ll remember it and pay them back a hundredfold someday!” “Please leave!” Xia Lingyue reached for the doorknob. Slam! Xia Lingyue wasn’t easily fooled. Xia Qian grabbed her hand, his eyes turning ferocious: “Then I’ll talk business. Last time your brother sold that merchandise, he made at least three thousand Dao coins. Where are the taxes? Hand them over!” “That wasn’t for sale—it was for people to sample. Besides, all the Dao coins belong to the Grand Shaman!” Xia Lingyue explained. “Goods out, money in—that’s a transaction, and it’s subject to tax. As for the Grand Wizard? Where is he?” Xia Qian demanded. Over the past ten days or so, Xia Qian had gone over this plan in his head countless times. At least three thousand Dao coins—who wouldn’t be tempted? That strange substance, resembling red sand—one coin for a single taste? This business was a goldmine, and Xia Qian couldn’t wait to get his hands on it. So what if it belongs to the Grand Shaman? He certainly wouldn’t dare offend him, but he could step in for Xia Ye—wasn’t that just presiding over the “Thousand Gold Identification” ceremony? Could he really do a worse job than that good-for-nothing? A pile of red sand—who knows how many bites that would yield? That meant there’d be no exact figure for the knife coins earned, so embezzling a little here and there wouldn’t even be noticed by the Grand Sorcerer. “The Grand Sorcerer doesn’t see outsiders—unless someone tastes a rare treasure!” Xia Lingyue frowned, trying to shake off Xia Qian’s grip, but he was holding on too tightly. “I don’t think there’s anyone like that at all!” Xia Qian roared, glaring intently at Xia Lingyue: “The tax was set by Clan Chief Xia Song. If you don’t pay, I’ll strip you naked, parade you through the streets, and then hang you at the city gate!” Xia Lingyue knew she was in trouble. Xia Qian had clearly come prepared—he wanted both her body and that rare treasure, greedy as a vulture. “Ling Yue, you know the deal—as long as you agree to my terms, everything can be worked out!” Seeing Xia Lingyue’s silence, Xia Qian assumed she was afraid. Smugly, he leaned in, opened his foul-smelling, gaping mouth, and leaned in to kiss her cheek.