I Have a Date with a Thousand-year-old Female Corpse-Chapter 1897 - 1899: Villain (Fifth Update)

"Legitimacy? Ha, hahaha!" You suddenly let out a loud laugh, "What do I need those empty things for? Can they feed me? Today, I’ll make things clear right here; you people, to tell the truth, are all parasites, equal to trash!"

"A gentleman can be killed but not humiliated!" An elderly scholar with a long white beard shouted tremulously, pointing at you with his shaking hands, "Even if you suppress us with violence, don’t forget, outside Xuzhou there’s a world of heroes, and sooner or later, they’ll take your dog head!"

"Oh, well said!" You listened without anger but clapped your hands, while turning to Zhao Yu beside you, "Who is this old man, and how much land does he own in Xuzhou?"

Zhao Yu flipped through the register in his hand and whispered a few words in your ear.

Upon hearing, you couldn’t help but clap and laugh: "Good, very good indeed! Oh dear, you are still the great scholar of Xuzhou, with a thousand acres of good farmland, ten mansions, tsk tsk, you must’ve done quite a lot of immoral and unethical things, right?"

The elderly scholar was about to speak when he heard you shout angrily, "Strip this old man naked and tie him to the street. I think his spirit is quite well; a few days in the cold should be fine. As for all his mansions and fields, confiscate them all!"

"Yes!"

Soon, two guards stepped in and dragged the elderly scholar away.

"Li Muyun! You will die a miserable death!"

The elderly scholar, after all, was a scholar, his curses were just a few repeated sentences, boring.

You scratched your ear as if you suddenly remembered something, smiled cheekily at Cao Hong, who was kneeling in the center, and said: "I heard, Lord Cao, you used to be a prominent figure beside Tao Qian, right? Over the years, you must have gathered quite a few benefits?"

Cao Hong, naturally cowardly and desiring to live, at this moment, his gaze happened to fall on the middle-aged scholar you killed with chopsticks earlier. He hurriedly knelt and prostrated on the ground, begging you loudly: "My Lord, I still have quite a bit of land. If Sir can spare my life, I will offer everything I own!"

However, your words immediately made Cao Hong’s face turn ashen—"When you are alive, I feel you are wasting my food; killing you gives me an opportunity to sell your family cheap as slaves to increase my income. Enough, I was originally hoping to watch some tragic acts from you, but you have truly disappointed me, a bunch of scum and even claim to be so noble, all of you are just dog shit! Zhao Yu."

"I am here!"

"I am here!"

Zhao Yun and Zhao Yu both quickly stood up to respond.

"I require you to inspect these people’s family assets, confiscate them all, turn their family members into slaves, whereas the lower-class men will be issued severance pay and sent home." You thought for a moment and added, "Tomorrow at dusk, at the cityhead, publicize these people’s crimes and behead them as a warning!"

"Yes!"

With those words, you stood up and left, paying no further attention to the cries, curses, and pleas behind you.

As you stepped out of the hall, you inhaled a breath of fresh air, sighed deeply, and said: "This is just the beginning, huh, it seems this villain, I, Li Muyun, am destined to be!"

The Seven-Day Blood Bath started at Xuzhou and simultaneously unfolded throughout the entire Xuzhou area. Your goals were explicitly set, first conducting a meticulous inspection of the officials left by Tao Qian, including considering complaints from the public, and rewarding or promoting those with good characters for encouragement; whereas those with poor characters, were jailed with their past crimes punished tenfold. This part was done relatively civilized, although it still involved killing many, but the general public continuously supported it.

Afterward, came the focal point of the Seven-Day Blood Bath. You indiscriminately attacked those who resisted you, regardless of social status, within a mere seven-day span, chaos gripped the Xuzhou region, countless heads rolled, those who once lived in luxury all fell to become cheap slaves, and collectively controlled for so-called "labor reform."

Of course, Seven-Day Blood Bath is a term of contempt by the scholar gentry outside Xuzhou, but internally within Xuzhou, the commoners call it the October Revolution!

Though Xuzhou territory wasn’t expansive, it was historically affluent, thus when promoting new governance and reforms, you encountered significant obstacles. Initially, the scholar gentry banded to obstruct change, utilizing every possible tactic, yet under your sharp blade, most had to bitterly abandon their existing worlds and wealth, retreating to elsewhere; among them, only a few saw new life, and cooperatively engaged in a novel lifestyle.

Naturally, the push for these reforms and policies wasn’t by you; people’s perception of you was akin to a ferocious beast looming over Xuzhou, more like a sharpened blade stained with countless blood above their heads, threatening to decapitate anyone who slightly faltered.

After addressing all rebels and dissenters, you summoned Zhao Yu and Ren Hongchang back to Xuzhou from Xiapi. At this time, Zhao Yu and Ren Hongchang enjoyed high reputations among the public in Xuzhou, with Zhao Yu leading and Ren Hongchang assisting, coordinating various officials leading Xuzhou into a fervent transformative movement historically referred to as the October Reform.

You might describe your use of those around you as utter effectiveness, people to their respective roles. For instance, with Gan Mei who recently confirmed relations with you, to avoid her idleness, you had her follow Zhao Yu, facilitating emotional bonding among the three, plus not wanting to waste talent. Gan Mei’s few words during public interactions were compensated by her insights in textile matters.

It must be said however about the Zhen Sisters. Traditionally women follow their husbands, upon learning of your presence in Xuzhou nearly a month later, Zhen Luo and Zhen Jiang hurriedly arrived from Xiapi by carriage overnight, Xuzhou then still amid turmoil; yet they were deeply anxious, under the protection of a few guards, swiftly rushed to Xuzhou.

At this moment, you were staring dazedly at a map spread on the table in front of you.

A guard suddenly rushed in and addressed you, "Lord, the Mistresses have returned."

Upon hearing, you couldn’t help but be surprised, not yet having lifted your head when familiar but somewhat frenzied footsteps reached your ears.

Soon, a voice, intimate yet tinged with anxiety, summoned, "Husband!"

You hadn’t expected Zhen Luo and Zhen Jiang to return; truth be told, at this moment, you felt ashamed to face them. Although during this trip to Wuji, you poured your efforts, plus Zhang’s family initially plotted against you, ultimately you failed, and indirectly bear responsibility for the opponent’s death.

The two entered the room, with the guard hastily withdraw and closed the door.

Yet, you were astonished to discover the two did not rush into your embrace but knelt together before you, prompting your bewildered reply, "What are you doing?"