My Promotion Story Through Time Travel

Chapter 170 Hanging

Lin Ziping glanced at Constable Qi, wondering if he had just arrived or had been back in the woods for some time.

Thinking back on my words and actions, it seems I didn't do anything out of line.

Lin Ziping felt as if he had developed PTSD upon arriving in this era. He was paranoid, with a sense of unease that "there are always treacherous people trying to harm me."

With a mix of trepidation and excitement, I followed Constable Qi back to the county office, reported the day's events to Inspector Chai, and then went home.

The time to leave work flies by, and before you know it, it's the next day.

As instructed by Constable Qi, Lin Ziping changed into a short brown robe and rushed to the assembly point at the city gate, where the other eleven people had already arrived.

The men were still wearing the county government uniforms from yesterday, and their injuries had been bandaged.

Everyone gathered around when they saw Lin Ziping.

"Lord Lin, thank you so much for yesterday. If it weren't for you finding a way to stop the bleeding, I would be in trouble today..." Qi San was the first to speak.

He had several bandages wrapped around his forehead, simply bandaged.

Perhaps due to excessive bleeding yesterday, Qi San's lips are pale today, his face is sallow, and he even walks unsteadily.

"Brother Qi, you should rest for another day," Lin Ziping suggested.

Qi San waved his hands repeatedly and said, "No need, no need, I'm fine."

Gou Sheng said, "Lord Lin, you have no idea how many people are eyeing our positions."

“Yes, yes, we can’t rest here.” The others nodded in agreement.

Lin Ziping looked at Gousheng. Qi San must have said something to him. His attitude was much better today, and he even gave him a smile.

"That's true, but your health is also important," Lin Ziping said.

Qi San laughed and said, "What's my worthless life worth? At least I don't have to pay taxes now, and I get paid."

He then proudly held up two fingers and whispered to Lin Ziping, "This is enough for my whole family to eat and drink for half a year."

"Uncle Lin, Brother Qi is right. Many people from our village are vying to come. We're tough and resilient, so this little injury is nothing," someone next to him said with a smile.

Lin Ziping couldn't bear to discourage them, so he joined in the laughter.

"Brother Qi, you overacted a bit yesterday. I was worried sick watching you from the sidelines, as were the others. We were really afraid the village wouldn't let us leave," Lin Ziping said, feigning lingering fear.

The laughter stopped abruptly, and Qi San and the others all turned to look at Lin Ziping.

"W-wh-what? Is something wrong?" Lin Ziping stammered. "There are only a dozen of us, but there are dozens of them. If they get angry, they could drown us with just a spit from each of them."

The group stared intently at Lin Ziping, creating an awkward atmosphere.

“Lord Lin, this is my first time going, so I’m not very familiar with the area. We’ve carefully selected this village. Most of the young people in the village have gone to join the army, and the rest of the village is mostly made up of the elderly, women, and children,” Qi San explained.

Gou Sheng also smiled and tried to smooth things over: "Yes, this isn't the first time we've collected grain and taxes, Officer Lin. We've seen all sorts of things."

“Yes, these people are all scoundrels, we’ve seen plenty of them, Officer Lin, there’s no need to worry.” Several others chimed in.

"Hehe, really? Is that so?" Lin Ziping chuckled dryly as he watched the crowd grow increasingly indignant.

As they were talking, Constable Qi arrived slowly.

Qi San and the others stopped smiling and stood respectfully in a row.

Officer Qi was also wearing a short brown robe today, his clothes were still covered in mud, and he wore a pair of dusty cloth shoes.

Lin Ziping clasped his hands in a salute: "Captain Qi."

Officer Qi looked Lin Ziping up and down.

"Your clothes are too new, and your shoes are no good either," Officer Qi frowned. "Never mind, just make do. Go over there and get some mud on your hands."

Lin Ziping was puzzled. He looked at Constable Qi and followed his instructions to walk towards the puddle, getting mud on his shoes and clothes.

Lin Ziping only returned after Officer Qi nodded.

"Everyone's here, let's set off."

With a command from Constable Qi, the group set off from Fuchun County.

Officer Qi and Lin Ziping walked to the back of the line.

"Xiao Lin, just like yesterday, we'll keep our distance today," said Constable Qi.

Lin Ziping turned to look at Constable Qi: "Is today the same as yesterday?"

"Xiao Lin, it seems you still haven't thought things through after going back last night." Officer Qi slowed his pace. "If it weren't for seeing you with Old Chai, I wouldn't have said these things."

Lin Ziping slowed down to follow Officer Qi's pace: "Officer Qi, please speak."

"In Xiao Lin's work at the county government, the process isn't important; what matters is the result," said Constable Qi.

this?!

Having nearly ten years of experience as a corporate slave, I certainly understand this principle.

But Lin Ziping still stared at Officer Qi with clear, foolish eyes.

Officer Qi sighed: "For example, Fuchun has to hand over one hundred dan of grain to the imperial court. It doesn't matter where the grain came from, what matters is that there must be one hundred dan of grain."

Lin Ziping lowered his head and remained silent, deep in thought.

"Think it over carefully, and you'll understand." Officer Qi patted Lin Ziping on the shoulder and quickened his pace.

They traveled in silence until they were almost at the village, when the sound of a suona horn came from nearby.

Gou Sheng muttered to himself, "I've never heard of any weddings or funerals in this village."

"Everyone, be alert and put your headscarves on properly," Officer Qi instructed.

"Yes."

Everyone covered their faces completely with headscarves.

I didn't notice it yesterday, but I realized it today. Officer Qi and Qi San and the others had their faces covered up completely, except for their eyes.

Especially Qi San and his group, apart from their clothes which revealed them to be from the county government, their attire was no different from that of bandits in TV dramas.

Around the corner, before even getting close to the village, you can see the archway standing tall at the village entrance in the distance.

Qi San and the others continued forward along the road.

Officer Qi led Lin Ziping into the nearby woods, taking a detour towards the village.

What are you trying to do?

Before we even got close, we could hear the sounds of arguing.

"Follow me." Officer Qi led Lin Ziping to a secluded spot where they could see the village entrance.

Qi, the head constable, covered his mouth with both hands and let out a sharp bird-like cry.

Lin Ziping didn't understand what this meant, and seeing that Constable Qi had no intention of explaining, he had no choice but to turn his gaze to the village entrance.

Something was hanging on the archway at the village entrance, and the villagers were kneeling at the entrance.

Lin Ziping squinted and looked over.

They were immediately terrified.

That...that hanging there is a person!

"Officer Qi... Officer Qi, um... um... someone hanged themselves," Lin Ziping stammered.

Officer Qi looked in the direction Lin Ziping pointed.

"What a nuisance." Officer Qi frowned and muttered, then covered his mouth with both hands and let out a long bird-like cry.

A short while later, Qi San's voice came: "What's going on? Today is the day to pay the grain tax, what's this all about? Don't think you can get away with this."

Lin Ziping saw Qi San turn his head and say something to the person next to him.

Two people nearby stepped forward to take the person hanging from the archway down.

"What are you doing?" The two young men who had been kneeling next to the village head yesterday were at the front. Upon seeing this, they hurriedly got up to stop them.

"That's right, what are you trying to do?!" The villagers also stood up and grabbed sticks from the side to stop them.

Qi San reached out and pressed down, softening his tone: "Don't get agitated. You can't just leave him hanging up there like this. Everyone, lend a hand and get him down."

The villagers looked at each other and finally nodded.

The crowd carefully used a ladder to lower the person hanging from the archway.

Lin Ziping could still faintly hear the villagers crying.

He couldn't help but wonder who the person hanging on the archway was.