Star Trace Gate

Chapter 726: Oppression, exploitation, and the change of human nature

Just as Ren Ye and others were sitting in the stone pavilion arguing with each other, a familiar voice was heard outside the courtyard gate.

Chunniang put down the wine bowl in her hand and replied softly: "Who is it?"

"Master Wu Dao of Xianlan Sect is here, why don't you come out to greet him?!"

Outside the door, a slightly scolding voice arose, which startled Chunniang. She thought to herself, "Why did this Taoist priest from the Xianlan Sect suddenly come to my house?"

She was puzzled, but she did not dare to neglect it. She quickened her pace to the gate of the courtyard and greeted them with a smile: "I am Chunniang, the slave, to greet the Taoist masters and military masters. I wonder...what do you have to do for me?"

Outside the threshold, there were four Taoists in white, all wearing jade pendants with dull white luster on their waists. According to Mingquan's previous statement, these people should not have a high status in the Xianlan Sect. Behind these four Taoists, there were two Chaolong Guards in black armor.

Judging from their attire, these two Chaolong Guards should be small leaders in the army, not ordinary soldiers.

"My Senior Brother Wu has come here to read out legal documents." On the left side of the door, a young Taoist priest, who looked not very capable, was full of arrogance in his gestures: "How can you, a woman, be so ignorant of etiquette? Why don't you stand aside and answer me?"

The expression and tone of this young Taoist priest are completely different from those detached people of Taoism. Instead, they are just like those officials in the mortal world who have a little power and make things difficult for ordinary people. For example, at a vehicle management office, you ask him, where can I go to get the vehicle mortgage release procedure? He will tell you, can't you read the process card yourself?! You ask again, but the process card says that you need the original business license of the loan bank. I can't get this, and they can't give it to me...

He will tell you, go, go, go to another vehicle management office. Then you turn around and leave, but when you look back, you will see a mysterious man. He will tell you, I have the original documents from the loan bank... I have all the state-owned ones, but they cost money, 200.

What can you do? I'm asking you what can you do?!

Of course I choose to pay...

The young Taoist priest standing next to Senior Brother Wu had the potential to be a villain. It seemed that if he spoke one more word to Chun Niang, he would feel that his immortal spirit would be lost and he would lose value.

The people should not fight against the officials. Chunniang did not dare to talk back when she heard the scolding. She just stepped aside and said with her head down: "May I ask the Taoist priests and military officers, what kind of legal documents do I have to read out?"

The young Taoist priest ignored him, stepped aside, and said flatteringly, "Brother Wu, please!"

Senior Brother Wu walked into the Xing family courtyard without looking around. Then he looked up and saw Ren Ye and others who looked confused.

In fact, as soon as the middle-aged Taoist priest entered the door, Ren Ye and others recognized him.

This man had a long neck and an ugly face, droopy eyelids, and facial features that were too compact and flat. He was the "Turtle Prime Minister" who collected more than two million star sources from Ren Ye and others when they entered the pass that day.

"Why is he here?" Yin Hu muttered.

"It's definitely not a good thing... I'm so annoyed by this bastard." Old Liu frowned and cursed.

"Don't make any noise. Let's see what he wants to see." Ren Ye waved his hand and immediately said to Xing Wu and the others, "You guys get up."

Prime Minister Turtle, along with his three fellow apprentices and two military leaders, walked to the vicinity of the stone pavilion and took a special look at Xing Wu and the other five children.

He kept a straight face and said lightly, "The little ones are all here, which saves a lot of trouble."

When Chunniang saw him staring at her child, she immediately became uneasy and followed him, asking solemnly, "Master Daoist, what exactly are you...?"

Prime Minister Turtle still ignored Chunniang's questions. He just raised his neck to look down at everyone, shook the sleeves of his Taoist robe, and raised his hands.

The young Taoist priest next to him immediately took out a notice from his sleeve and handed it to Prime Minister Turtle.

He stretched out his hand and spread out the document, his face stern, and he said in a serious tone: "In Wangchuan Village, Daze Township, Chaolong City, Xing Hong's family has a wife and five children. Xing Hong left his hometown for one year, nine months and twenty-two days, and unfortunately died outside. Qin Mingquan, a supernatural person from the same village, brought back the news of his death and paid the tax for his death in a foreign land, a total of 400,000 Xingyuan."

"According to the first chapter, article 1 of Chaolong City's 'Transcendental' law document, if a family has only one person with supernatural powers and unfortunately dies outside, then within that year, the family must give birth to a second person with supernatural powers. Only those over 70 years old can be exempted from enlightenment, and the rest are not exempted. According to the first chapter, article 8 of the Transcendental Law Document, all the people of Chaolong City must undergo an enlightenment ceremony before the age of 18, recognize a master and become a supernatural power, and fight for the prosperity of their hometown."

"Now, Xing Hong has passed away, and there is no one with supernatural powers in his family to pay taxes. According to the law of transcendence, one of his sons must be selected within a year to be enlightened by our Xianlan Sect. Secondly, according to the records in the household register, Xing Hong's son Xing Wu has turned eighteen this year and has reached the age where he must be enlightened. Therefore, in summary, I came here today to take Xing Wu away and help him become enlightened and become a supernatural power."

He read the document in a loud voice, then smiled and looked at the oldest Xing Wu: "You are Xing Hong's eldest son, right?! You look quite strong... a good candidate. Today, your opportunity has come, and I can enlighten you personally. Come back to the sect with me for a month, and when the enlightenment is over... you will then pay me the apprenticeship gift according to the law."

As soon as Prime Minister Turtle finished speaking, everyone present was a little dazed, especially Xing Wu himself and Chun Niang.

After the mother and son looked at each other, Chunniang subconsciously stood in front of her son and raised her head to reply: "Master Wu is very skilled in Taoism. My son is very lucky to have your favor. However... he is stupid and has very poor comprehension. He is only capable of being a hunter, but does not have the capital to practice Taoism. Moreover, my son will not be eighteen for more than four months. According to the law of transcendence, he must be eighteen years old before he can be enlightened by the immortal."

“Why, do you think that my Senior Brother Wu is unworthy of enlightening your son?!” The young Taoist frowned and said impatiently, “What’s more, you said that he will be eighteen in just over four months, so why did you have to delay it for a few months?! Are you unwilling to pay taxes for Chaolong City, or do you disrespect our Xianlan Sect?!”

"Master, you misunderstood. It's just that... my husband just passed away, and many things have not been properly dealt with." Chun Niang made an excuse: "Besides, as the eldest son, he should at least observe mourning for his father for a period of time... For the time being, it is not suitable for him to be enlightened."

For Chunniang, if she had a choice, she would not want her children to join the Xianlan Sect. Because once they are enlightened, they will have to pay money to the "master", wear slave shackles, pay taxes, be exploited, and travel to various dangerous secret places...

Therefore, she thought in her heart that she would delay it as long as possible. If she had a choice, she would even be willing to bribe some acquaintances in the city lord's mansion to make some secret operations so that her eldest son could live a peaceful life for a few years.

Unexpectedly, when Prime Minister Turtle saw Chunniang talking about the Tuofan Law, he sneered and said, "You are a very cunning woman, and you tell lies all the time. I have brought your son Xingwu's household registration. According to the time recorded in the register, he turned eighteen three months ago."

"boom!"

When Chunniang heard this, her brain buzzed and she was stunned: "This... This is impossible! How could I not remember the time of my own son's birthday?!"

"See for yourself."

The young Taoist priest pulled out a page of the household registration book from his sleeve and threw it on the ground.

Chunniang ignored this arrogant move. She just lowered her head, picked up the paper and took a look. Her face turned pale. "This... this household register has obviously been altered by someone! Look... this birthday time has been erased with a pen, and the month and time behind it were filled in later. The ink is still fresh..."

Ren Ye stood up after hearing this, and stood behind Chun Niang to take a look at the household registration book. He saw that the record of Xing Wu's birthday had been altered by someone with a pen. Moreover, the alteration was very sloppy, with only two strokes on the original birthday, and then the birth date was tampered with again at the back, and the two handwritings on the book were obviously different.

Ren Ye frowned, but said nothing.

"Woman, are you slandering the officials of Chaolong City and secretly tampering with your son's household registration?!" Taoist Wu said coldly, "Are you overestimating yourself? Who would plot against you for no reason in a country family?! Since you just lost your husband, I will not bother with you... Come, take Xing Wu away, and we will return to the city."

"go!"

After he finished speaking, the other three Taoists did not move. Instead, the two military officers who had been silent stepped forward and shouted, "Master Wu gave you an opportunity, so you should take it. Stop talking nonsense and come with us."

"Master, my son is clearly not yet at the age where he needs to be enlightened! And his father just passed away... I beg you to let him stay at home for a few more months." When Chun Niang saw that the other party was trying to catch her son, she immediately opened her arms and protected her son behind her.

"Are you going to defy the law?!"

One of the military leaders immediately pulled off the whip from his waist.

Upon seeing this, Mingquan immediately stood up and stepped forward, blocking Chunniang and Xing Wu, and said to Prime Minister Gui: "Master, please spare me a moment to talk... The Xing family just lost a man, and only has this slightly older eldest son, so please raise your hand... Haha, please stay away, I will definitely reward you handsomely."

His intention to bribe was very obvious, but Prime Minister Turtle didn't buy it. He just said coldly: "I am only acting according to the laws of Chaolong City. There is no need for me to make things difficult for you, nor do I need to raise my hand. Don't talk nonsense...!"

Prime Minister Turtle was upright and righteous, as if he was a great official who had emerged from the mud without being tainted.

Mingquan was very confused, thinking, why did this bastard from the Xianlan Sect change his nature today? He didn't even want such an obvious bribe...

But why did they do that? They tampered with Xing Wu's household registration information and were so stubborn about taking him away? What was the meaning behind this?

Mingquan was born in Daze Township, so he knew the rules here very well. When he saw that Prime Minister Gui was not convinced, he secretly sent a message to a military officer: "Military officer, judging from your clothes, you should be the captain of the Fuma Guard in Chaolong City, right? I have been friends with Xu Nan of the Fuma Guard for many years... If you can give me some face and let this child stay at home for a while longer, I will definitely reward you handsomely."

After hearing Mingquan's voice transmission, the slightly older military leader replied helplessly and decisively: "If there is no reason, why would the Taoist priest of Xianlan Sect stare at a half-grown child in the countryside and make things difficult for him?! You should find another reason. Xu Nan and I have a good relationship... but I can't plead for him in this matter."

When Mingquan heard this, he became more certain in his heart that the Turtle Prime Minister must have come here for other purposes, and these two military officers were just following him to do his job. They didn't care at all about whether Xing Wu was arrested for enlightenment, and they might even be a little disgusted...

After all, whether Xing Wukai is enlightened or not, they won’t get any benefits, and they will also offend people along with the Xianlan Sect.

After the army leader replied to Mingquan's words, he urged: "Hurry up, don't let me do it!"

"You can't do this! My son is not old enough to be enlightened... This doesn't comply with Chaolong City's transcendental laws!!!" When Chunniang saw that Mingquan's plea was ineffective, she used her frail body to protect her son tightly, her eyes extremely stubborn: "If you use force, I... I will go to the city to beat the drum and cry out for justice!"