What is the name of the current Great Qian Emperor?
What does the emperor look like?
Who are the civil and military officials?
About these, the people of Qingniu Town know nothing, or rather, the vast majority of the Great Qian’s citizens are completely clueless.
Even though they live in the Great Qian, even though they are part of the human race.
However.
For the townsfolk of Qingniu Town, the highest-ranking people they usually interact with are just the tax collectors and the government officials who arrest people.
Life is gray, never vibrant.
The future is chaotic, never clear.
In their muddled state.
Many don’t even know what crime they’ve committed before being branded as “criminals” and forced to move from the Thirteen Provinces of the Great Qian to the borderlands.
But even after arriving at the border, arriving in Qingniu Town, they still have to pay taxes.
The people of Qingniu Town don’t find this strange.
They’ve lived on the land of the Great Qian for generations.
They’ve always believed that paying taxes is a given, and they’re willing to do so, even feeling proud, thinking that the prosperity of the Great Qian is partly due to their efforts.
However.
But, but, but.
Year after year of demon tides, year after year of increasing taxes.
It has already crushed the people’s backs, making it hard for them to stand straight.
“Sir, please, we beg you…”
“We really don’t have a single grain of food left…”
At the entrance of Qingniu Town.
The sparse townsfolk, faces filled with fear, cautiously plead with the tax collector on horseback, hoping he won’t collect the taxes this time.
Their turbid eyes reveal a glimmer of hope.
Their dry, trembling hands clasp together.
Yet, the tax collector, sitting tall on the Azure Scale Horse, his back to the sun, appears especially imposing, utterly arrogant.
He snorts coldly, whipping the ground fiercely with his horsewhip.
“Snap!”
A sharp, loud crack.
The whip sends sand and gravel flying, striking fear into the hearts of the people.
“You lowly peasants, the court allowing you to live is already a great mercy!”
The tax collector yanks the reins, cursing harshly.
“Swine,” “thieves of the court,” “wretched slaves wasting food.”
He curses fiercely, but the emaciated people dare not retort, only continuing to beg.
“But, but we really have no food…”
“Next year, we’ll definitely make up for it!”
Hunger.
So hungry.
Under the tax collector’s cruelty, the people of Qingniu Town shrink back in fear, but what overcomes that fear is the deep-seated weakness and hunger in their bodies.
Everything edible in Qingniu Town.
Be it grain, livestock, or even the weeds by the roadside.
Has long been consumed by the people.
How can they produce, how can they conjure enough food out of thin air to pay the taxes?
Under the sun, the pleading crowd gathers, their clothes tattered, looking utterly pitiful.
Gradually.
An old woman tries to kneel and beg.
But before she can, a pair of hands gently holds her up.
“Granny, stand up.”
Xu Xi’s voice is as gentle as ever, like a warm spring breeze, soothing to the ears.
But beneath that gentleness, a long-hidden flame finally reveals itself, burning fiercely, scorching without restraint.
“No, no, no.”
The old woman shakes her head desperately.
She wants to kneel, she wants to beg the tax collector, to plead for Qingniu Town to be spared this year.
However.
When the old woman looks back at the tax collector.
She sees an astonishing sight—the tax collector, sitting tall on his fierce horse, taller and more imposing than anyone else.
Is suddenly knocked to the ground by Xu Xi’s casual punch, rolling over a dozen times.
He curses.
He roars.
But at this moment.
The atmosphere becomes strangely quiet.
“Xi, Brother Xi, how could you…”
The old woman tightly grasps Xu Xi’s hand, wanting to say something but not knowing where to start.
She looks blankly at the tax collector.
For the first time, she realizes that the fallen tax collector isn’t so tall after all—he’s the same height as the people of Qingniu Town, even slightly shorter due to his overweight frame.
For the first time, she realizes that the tax collector, covered in dust, doesn’t look intimidating at all.
So…
So are we…
The same?
The scene before them leaves the people of Qingniu Town deeply confused. They don’t know what to do—should they help the tax collector up, or blame Xu Xi?
Is Xu Xi wrong?
Impossible, Xu Xi, who has always protected Qingniu Town, couldn’t possibly be wrong.
Then, is the tax collector wrong?
This bold thought instantly shocks the people into denial. The tax collector represents the Great Qian, how could the Great Qian… be wrong?
The people hesitate.
Finally, someone steps forward from the crowd, intending to help the fallen tax collector.
But just as they approach, the tax collector harshly berates them.
“Lowly peasants, lawless, utterly lawless!”
“Do you even respect the law anymore?”
“Peasants will always be peasants, and their offspring will only be peasants. You damned lot, just wait to be killed by demons!”
The tax collector’s curses are vile.
His sharp, piercing voice causes the Azure Scale Horse to neigh in distress.
At first, the people of Qingniu Town feel guilty, thinking that their inability to pay taxes is their fault, an unforgivable sin.
But as the tax collector’s insults escalate.
Especially when he mentions their families, some people’s expressions darken.
“No, you can’t!”
“Curse my mother!!!”
Someone snaps—it’s the person who was about to help the tax collector, a sun-tanned, usually simple-minded A Niu.
His eyes are red with anger, his body trembling.
He clenches his fist, ready to strike the tax collector.
But he hesitates, not daring to act.
“Lowly peasant, I knew you didn’t have the guts. Attacking an official is a serious crime. Can you bear that responsibility?” The tax collector, sitting on the ground, sneers.
Like a noisy duck, he quacks away, mocking A Niu relentlessly.
A Niu’s movements freeze.
He falls silent, slowly retracting his fist.
But then, Xu Xi walks over to A Niu, grabs his wrist, and pushes it forward again.
“Brother Xu?”
“It’s fine, A Niu. Do what you want to do.”
“But, but I can’t do this…”
A Niu stammers.
Trying to explain to Xu Xi the severe consequences of attacking a Great Qian official—how can commoners fight against officials?
Yes.
Commoners can’t win against officials, not even minor ones.
Xu Xi smiles, asking A Niu and the townsfolk present, “Are you hungry?”
“Hungry!”
A Niu answers quickly.
“Do you want to eat? Sweet, white rice.”
“I want to eat!”
A Niu still answers quickly.
“Then, throw a punch. Punch him.”
Yoyo Novel provides book lovers with great web novels for free online reading. If you like this site, please share it with more book lovers!
If you think “Life Simulation: Regret of the Female Sword Immortal” is a great novel, please paste the following URL and share it with your friends. Thank you for your support!
