The Emperor is Above

Chapter 8 Arrogant Kou Qiang

"Blood Wolf Tribe?"

The big bull's eyes were wide open like a bull's, and his face was full of shock.
"How come the tamed wolves from the Blood Wolf Tribe are here? They are vassals of the Wild Folk Black Wind Tribe, and their settlement is at the border three thousand miles away in the southeast."

"It's the Black Wind Tribe again!"

Qing Yi couldn't help but frown. His adoptive father Mu Qing in this life was killed in an ambush by the Black Wind Tribe eight years ago. It was the most brutal battle in Xing State in the past twenty years.

"The Black Wind Tribe worships the Black Wind Evil God. Both the priests and totem warriors are very powerful. Even the Right Master was once defeated by them. Now they have sent the trained wolves of the Blood Wolf Tribe deep into the capital of Xing State. I am afraid they are planning something.

Last night, the ghosts had a big fight with these tamed wolves. It seems that these ghosts that attack every night recently are from another force. Is there something here that attracts them?"

"Forget it, forget it. When enemies come, we will fight them with soldiers. When water comes, we will block it with earth. Next time I enter the Divine Lord's spiritual realm, I will ask Mu Ling if he knows anything!"

Qing Yi soon dispelled the haze in his heart, patted Daniu on the shoulder, and comforted him, "Our Huaiqiuli is only 150 miles away from the capital. Who cares about the Blood Wolf Tribe or the Black Wind Tribe? How dare they come here so brazenly?"

"That's true. We are in the capital. Not only are the left, center, and right masters here, but there are also many masters in the worship hall! Not to mention that Shimen Sou and Qianye Weng, two first-class grandmasters, are also here."

When Daniu thought of this, he felt relieved and happily picked up the corpses of wild wolves that were discarded everywhere. He could not give up such a fortune easily.

When seventeen wild wolves gathered together, he became particularly troubled.

An ordinary wild wolf weighs more than 300 kilograms, and together with the wild wolf that is 14 feet long, the total weight is about 5,000 to 6,000 kilograms. The two of them cannot drag it at all.

"Huh? There's a herd of reindeer over there!"

Qing Yi saw a group of tall animal shadows slowly approaching on the snowy field in the distance, then looked at the little white fox standing on the wolf's corpse showing off its might, and suddenly he showed a smug smile.

······
The atmosphere in Huaiqiuli in the early morning is particularly solemn.

"Huaiqiu Yi went hunting yesterday morning and promised Aunt Bo that he would be back before nightfall, but he didn't come back all night and there is still no sign of him till now—"

"This winter snowfield is full of dangers. The desolate wolf pack ate Dawai and Erwai the other day. I'm afraid it's going to be very dangerous."

"It's such a pity that Huaiqiu Yi is such a good person. Daniu also went with him yesterday. Wouldn't Auntie Bo cry to death?"

In the village, women gathered in groups of three or five and exchanged information in low voices, their voices filled with worry about their family's future.

"Qing Yi is such a reckless kid. How could he go out alone? Now that Da Niu has found the prey, he can just let everyone help capture it!"

Several elderly people in the village looked worried. If Qing Yi really had an accident, Huaiqiuli might really fall into the control of the Kou family.

The young and strong men were relatively silent, each looking at the village gate with a serious expression. A young man wearing a crown, gorgeous clothes and fur coat came in swaggeringly, escorted by a team of private soldiers.

"A wolf killed someone in Huaiqiu the other day. Where is the village head, Xia Shuyi?"

The young man in fancy clothes had a sinister look on his face and an arrogant expression. "I am Kou Qiang, the second son of Kou Rui, a thief from Maoqiu Pavilion. I have come to Huaiqiu Village to question Shu Yi on the orders of the pavilion chief Maosheng and Kou Rui. Quickly ask him to come and see me."

"The village chief went hunting yesterday to obtain this year's tribute, and now he has not returned after one night——"

The voices of several women could be heard from the crowd. As lowly people, they did not dare to provoke the Kou family.

"You haven't returned from hunting yesterday?"

The young man in fancy clothes first looked cold, then he clapped his hands and laughed, "I heard that Shu Yi has been weak and sickly since childhood, and he is nearly fifteen years old and still can't even tie a chicken, but he actually has the courage to go out for winter hunting.

The snowfields are dangerous everywhere in winter. If he hasn't returned home for one night, he might have died in the wilderness, and naturally he won't be able to offer this year's tribute.

It seems that the head of Huaiqiu Village really needs to be replaced. I will report to the head of the pavilion, Sergeant Maosheng, and you will be my people in a few days." He ignored the ugly expressions of the villagers and ordered arrogantly, "I have traveled far in winter, in the cold wind and snow for more than ten miles, which is so hard and tiring.

You guys quickly kill the chickens and dogs, and also slaughter a few pigs and sheep, and prepare some hot soup and food to reward my good son of the Kou family."

Not only was Kou Qiang arrogant and domineering, the ten private soldiers of the Kou family who followed him also stared at the dozen or so women in the village who were somewhat pretty with greedy looks on their faces.

"What are you all still standing there for? Do you want me to do it myself?" Seeing that the villagers were slow to move, Kou Qiang started to scold them.

The young men were filled with anger, and the women were so anxious that tears came out of their eyes.

Due to years of famine, they could not even get enough food to eat, so they hoped to sell the livestock they raised to the capital at the end of the year in exchange for some food to get through the difficult spring of next year.

But now Qing Yi, the village head, has not returned home all night and his fate is unknown. Kou Qiang is the second son of Corporal Kou Rui and is very likely to take over Huaiqiuli. If they disobey orders, their lives will be even more difficult in the future.

Of course, Kou Qiang's actions were deliberate. He wanted to use tough measures to shatter the villagers' fantasies and force everyone to submit.

"Who is bullying my locust hill? It turns out to be Kou Qiang from Corporal Kou Rui's family. I thought it was some barbaric bandit who came to rob us."

A faint voice suddenly came from the village gate, and Qing Yi took off the cloak on his head and looked at Kou Qiang with mockery in his eyes.

“Yeah——”

The villagers seemed to have seen a savior and could not help but cheer in unison. Having found their backbone, they gathered around Yi and glared at Kou Qiang and his group.

"Haha, I didn't expect that you, Xia Shuyi, are so lucky that you can stay in the wilderness at night without any harm. I was worried that you would turn into a pile of wolf shit."

Kou Qiang's face changed, and after making two sarcastic remarks, he sneered,

"I heard that two people were killed by wild wolves in Huaiqiu the other day. Was it because you deliberately drove those two people away that they died tragically? The head of the pavilion specifically asked me to come and question you about your dereliction of duty."

"Dawai and Erwai have been in arrears of taxes for many years, insulting the head of the village, provoking neighbors, and causing disharmony among the neighbors. I have every reason to expel them."

Facing Kou Qiang's questioning, Qing Yi said without showing any weakness.
“Instead, it is the Pavilion Chief and Qiu Dao who should give me an explanation. Why did a group of wild wolves appear in Maoqiu Pavilion for no reason, and the leader is a ninth-grade exotic beast.

The head of the pavilion and Qiu Dao should have promptly alerted the other villages. If Huaiqiu Village had known about the wolf pack earlier, how could such a tragic incident have happened?"

It is the duty of Tingqiudao Kou Rui to promptly inform all villages of dangerous situations in the wilderness. If Qing Yi is to be held accountable for dereliction of duty, then the head of the pavilion, Maosheng, and the dao Kou Rui must also be held accountable for their dereliction of duty.

This argument made Kou Qiang speechless and he could no longer blame Qing Yi for this, but he was not discouraged and sneered: "In the past, I only knew that the lower Shu Yi was weak, but I didn't expect that he was so eloquent.

Seeing that you returned empty-handed, I'm afraid that you didn't get much from this winter hunting adventure. The head of the pavilion also asked me to tell you that he had to rush to the capital on the 16th day of the twelfth lunar month, so this year's annual tribute must be handed in before the 15th day of the twelfth lunar month. All the upper and lower officials of Maoqiu Pavilion must not make any mistakes. "

"What? Sergeant Maosheng secretly moved the New Year's offerings forward from the Little New Year to the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month?"

“It’s really too much.”

"It's just a sinister intention."

The villagers were filled with righteous indignation. In their opinion, it was clear that the Kou family had colluded with Shangshi Maosheng to target Qingyi. Once Qingyi lost his title of lower common scholar and the position of village head, life would definitely be difficult for the villagers of Huaiqiuli.

Seeing Kou Qiang's smug expression, Qing Yi couldn't help but laugh: "In order to get the head of the pavilion to agree to collect the annual tribute nearly ten days in advance, your Kou family must have paid a lot.

But I'm sorry to disappoint you. The annual supply from this winter hunt is perfect. Look what's that over there?"

Following Qing Yi's finger, I saw four tall and strong reindeer pulling a huge and crude sled approaching rapidly from the southeast. The sled was piled with a hill of wild wolf corpses.

(End of this chapter)