The deeper they understood Xiao Hu Village, the more the hatred for Old Master Hu grew in the hearts of Zhu Erdan and Geng Rui.
If Old Master Hu had merely bullied the innocent and oppressed the weak, like the scholar Liu before him, it would have been nothing. After all, most gentry under the rule of our Great Qing were like that. Adding one more or taking one away made no difference. Eliminating him would have been enough.
The crucial point was that this Old Master Hu had also established a farmers' association.
The farmers' association established by Old Master Hu was no ordinary one. When the government levied taxes, Old Master Hu's farmers' association would levy taxes on the people. Afterward, he would tell the government that the people were resisting the levies. When the government became too lazy to send people to collect taxes, Old Master Hu would claim that Liangmengshan was collecting taxes for resistance.
Simply put, Old Master Hu collected taxes both for the government and for Liangmengshan. However, the collected taxes would go to neither the government nor Liangmengshan, but would ultimately fill Old Master Hu's own pockets.
Report the official or report to Liangmengshan?
Your legs will be broken!
Even when Zhu Erdan and Geng Rui passed through Xiao Hu Village with the Liangmengshan army, Old Master Hu found every way possible to coerce the villagers into transporting grain and artillery for the army.
On the surface, the farmers' association in Xiao Hu Village seemed to be thriving, serving as a model for many surrounding villages.
When Old Master Hu and his retinue of household guards and bodyguards were escorted to the threshing ground by Geng Rui and his men, Geng Rui couldn't help but spit and curse, "Our previous suspicions were indeed correct. It was this old fox surnamed Hu who was causing trouble!"
Hearing this, Zhu Erdan cast his gaze towards Old Master Hu. However, with his arms held fast, Old Master Hu showed no fear. After struggling a couple of times and finding he couldn't break free, he simply gave up struggling and looked at Zhu Erdan with a cold smile, asking, "You've arrested me, but do you know which law I have violated?"
Zhu Erdan's face darkened, and he cursed, "You haven't violated any Qing law, but you shouldn't have used the name of a farmers' association to oppress the people!"
Old Master Hu snorted, completely disregarding Zhu Erdan's reprimand. "Since you want to be the masters for these country bumpkins, then fine. You release me now, and I'll give you all the land deeds of these bumpkins. As for this farmers' association, you can do as you please."
As he spoke, Old Master Hu sneered again and said, "However, I must remind you that the several townships and more than a dozen villages near Xiao Hu Village are all related to me. Even the prefect of Laizhou has to call me uncle. This matter today is not over!"
Zhu Erdan was stunned. After staring blankly at Old Master Hu for a moment, he asked Geng Rui, "Speaking of which, is it Old Master Hu who is tied up now, or are we two tied up? Also, he's using the prefect of Laizhou to scare us?"
Geng Rui glanced at Old Master Hu with the look one reserves for the mentally challenged. "Are you foolish? These ropes are tied around Old Master Hu, so of course he's the one tied up. As for the prefect of Laizhou... perhaps he thinks the prefect of Laizhou is very formidable?"
Zhu Erdan no longer paid attention to Old Master Hu. Instead, he turned and climbed onto the threshing stone on the threshing ground—in rural Shandong, a threshing stone is an even more iconic landmark than a large willow tree.
Standing on the threshing stone, Zhu Erdan cleared his throat, about to imitate the way Zhu Xiaosong had spoken when killing scholar Liu. However, the gazes of the villagers below the threshing stone made Zhu Erdan unsure of what to say.
The villagers below the threshing stone were all looking at Zhu Erdan, their eyes filled with confusion, apprehension, and even hostility.
Old Master Hu had taken advantage of the farmers' association to oppress the people extensively, and all the benefits had gone to Old Master Hu alone. However, the reputation of the Liangmengshan farmers' association had been thoroughly ruined by him.
Zhu Erdan's hatred for Old Master Hu deepened. After a long pause, he shouted loudly, "Elders and fellow villagers! My name is Zhu Erdan. I am the younger brother of Zhu Xiaosong, the leader of the Liangmengshan righteous army! I am also the second-in-command of Liangmengshan!"
Below the threshing stone, the fear in the villagers' eyes intensified.
Zhu Erdan continued shouting, "Fellow villagers! Old Master Hu has deceived you! The farmers' association he established is completely different from our Liangmengshan farmers' association!"
"Our Liangmengshan farmers' association speaks and acts for us poor villagers. It does not defecate and urinate on the heads of the villagers!"
"I know you don't believe me, but it's alright. First, we will publicly try this Old Master Hu, return all the money and grain he extorted from the villagers to the villagers, and then, following the example of our Liangmengshan farmers' association, we will establish a farmers' association here in Xiao Hu Village!"
The villagers below the threshing stone still had doubtful expressions in their eyes.
Having suffered for so long, they were hesitant to believe that such good fortune could befall them.
Indeed, in the eyes of these villagers, being able to get back the money and grain extorted by Old Master Hu was already as good as a pie falling from the sky.
As for the Liangmengshan farmers' association... in the minds of these villagers, it probably meant first getting back the money and grain extorted by Old Master Hu, then collecting it under the name of the Liangmengshan farmers' association. At most, it would mean reducing the rent to twenty or ten percent, or perhaps, the taxes collected by Liangmengshan would be lighter?
Zhu Erdan looked at the villagers below the threshing stone with their varied expressions, his heart filled with even greater hatred. He no longer bothered with pleasantries and directly commanded Old Master Hu, "If you confess honestly, you can avoid physical suffering. Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll have to endure much worse!"
Old Master Hu had lost his initial arrogance. He looked at Zhu Erdan and snorted, "You just want to confiscate my money and grain, right? Go ahead and confiscate it. I don't care! Don't forget, you all have a day to leave!"
Zhu Erdan grunted, strode up to Old Master Hu, and slapped him fiercely, knocking out two of Old Master Hu's large front teeth.
Zhu Erdan pointed at Old Master Hu and shouted, "We do have a day to leave Xiao Hu Village, but that doesn't mean the farmers' association will leave with us. Also, don't think the prefect of Laizhou is so great. Your Grandpa Zhu has slapped imperial envoys, and I've killed several minor officials like prefects, so one more prefect of Laizhou wouldn't matter!"
Old Master Hu was stunned, unable to believe what he was hearing.
What had the prefect of Laizhou said before?
He had said that the Liangmengshan rebels were merely grasshoppers in autumn. They might be jumping merrily now, but as soon as the Great Qing court freed up its hands and the army arrived, they would be immediately suppressed.
He had told me to confidently establish the farmers' association, saying that the prefect of Laizhou would handle the government side, and I would handle the local farmers' association. The profits would be split three-seven.
How could what this fellow surnamed Zhu said be completely different?
And this fellow surnamed Zhu has slapped an imperial envoy?
My heavens, an imperial envoy represents the emperor and carries the imperial sword, with the power to kill anyone. He travels with a large military escort. And you slapped an imperial envoy?
This fellow surnamed Zhu is just bragging!
Thinking this, Old Master Hu gradually regained his confidence and looked at Zhu Erdan with a cold smile, saying, "Anyway, I'm already in your hands. You can do whatever you want, and I'll endure it. However, I'd like to see if these few townships and over a dozen villages nearby can spare you if you kill me!"
Zhu Erdan was furious and was about to slap Old Master Hu again, but Geng Rui stopped him. "This old coot won't shed tears until he sees the Yellow River, and won't give up until he hits a dead end. Why bother with him?"
After speaking, Geng Rui first had the account books found in Old Master Hu's house brought over, and then had the man who had been beaten in Old Master Hu's house escorted to the threshing ground.
Geng Rui smiled at the man and then asked the villagers below the threshing ground, "Are there any literate people among the villagers? If so, please come up to the threshing ground and read this account book with our Third Brother Hu."
The villagers below the threshing ground still did not react.
Or rather, the villagers below the threshing ground were not without a reaction, but they were powerless because they were illiterate.
During the Ming Dynasty, there was one community school for every fifty households.
During the Qing Dynasty, there was one community school for every township.
To put it simply: during the Ming Dynasty, novels and storybooks were popular because many people could understand them and had a foundation. By the Qing Dynasty, storytelling and opera became popular because these only required listening and did not require literacy.
Therefore, in the entire Xiao Hu Village, only Old Master Hu himself was literate. Any matters from the county or prefectural yamen were directly handed over to Old Master Hu, who would then convey them to the common people.
Seeing that no villagers stepped forward from below the threshing ground, Old Master Hu couldn't help but laugh and say, "Otherwise, shall I read it for you? Don't say I look down on you, but judging by you rebels and outlaws, I doubt any of you are literate!"
Geng Rui stopped the enraged Zhu Erdan and glanced at Old Master Hu expressionlessly. "You don't need to worry about it, Old Master Hu. While we at Liangmengshan dare not say everyone can write well, we can still understand account books."
After speaking, Geng Rui picked up the account book and read word by word, "In the first month of the fortieth year of Qianlong, two taels of silver were used to acquire two mu of inferior land from Wu Lao'er's family."
"In the first month of the fortieth year of Qianlong, five hundred copper coins were lent to Hu Lao San, with interest of five hundred coins. Fully received."
"In the first month of the fortieth year of Qianlong, five hundred copper coins were lent to Hu Lao Liu, with interest of five hundred coins. Fully received."
"In the second month of the forty-first year of Qianlong, three taels of silver were used to buy Hu Lao San's younger daughter as a slave. The transaction was settled."
"..."
As Geng Rui was reading word by word, a villager suddenly rushed to the threshing ground and shouted, "That's not right! That's not right! In the first month of the fortieth year of Qianlong, Old Master Hu acquired my two mu of land for one tael and eight fen of silver, not two taels! Also, those two mu of land were fertile paddy fields, not inferior land!"
The man who had been beaten in Old Master Hu's house also cried out, "That's not right! In the first month of the fortieth year of Qianlong, I did borrow five hundred copper coins from Old Master Hu. The agreement was to repay it within two years, and the interest was also agreed upon at five hundred coins. However, by the second month of the forty-first year of Qianlong, Old Master Hu insisted that I hadn't paid enough interest and forcibly took my younger daughter to his house as a slave. There was no mention of three taels of silver to buy my child as a slave!"
Geng Rui helplessly shook the account book in his hand. "This is what is written here. As for what went wrong in between, that's something we need to ask our Old Master Hu."
The villagers were instantly enraged and glared at Old Master Hu. Old Master Hu, however, remained composed, showing no regard for Geng Rui and the villagers. Instead, Old Master Hu's wife let out a wail, glared at Old Master Hu, and cried, "Hu! How much money have you embezzled behind my back! If you don't explain it clearly to me today, you'll be in trouble later!"
Geng Rui chuckled and instructed his soldiers, "Go and gag their mouths. The account book hasn't finished being read yet. If Madam Hu wants to settle accounts with Old Master Hu, she'll have plenty of time later."
After Old Master Hu and his wife had their mouths gagged, Geng Rui continued reading the account books. By the time he finished reading several account books, the sun had already set in the west, and it was about to get dark.
Geng Rui glanced at Old Master Hu, then turned to the villagers and shouted, "Today, we will light torches and settle Old Master Hu's accounts! Villagers, what do you say? How should Old Master Hu be dealt with?"
The villagers below the threshing ground looked at each other. After a long while, they shouted in unison, "Kill him! Kill him!"