In years of famine and drought, their village even rejected fatty meat.

Chapter 121 Go to his mother

However, it was just a suspicion.

Neither the Yuan family nor the Fang family knew that Xu Zhiwen was a seventh-rank martial artist, and Xu Zhiwen did not have much power to mobilize in Taiping County, so it was impossible for him to wipe out the Zhu family.

Therefore, the Yuan and Fang families only had slight suspicions and did not identify Xu Zhiwen as the murderer who wiped out the Zhu family.

Of course, compared to the murderers who wiped out the Zhu family, the Yuan and Fang families were actually more concerned about the Zhu family's money and supplies!

In their view, after the Zhu family was wiped out, their money, grain, and resources should rightfully be inherited by them; however…

On the night the Zhu family was massacred, the money, grain, and medicine stored in the Zhu family's various warehouses and shops vanished without a trace. When the Yuan and Fang families opened the warehouses, they found only empty rooms, so empty that even rats could starve to death.

This undoubtedly infuriated the Yuan and Fang families. The murderer who wiped out the Zhu family was truly despicable. Not only did he kill the entire Zhu family, but he also took all of the Zhu family's belongings. Clearly, he came prepared!

While they were furious, the Yuan and Fang families were also secretly alarmed. Since the murderer had gone to such lengths to wipe out the Zhu family, it was hard to guarantee that he wouldn't target their families in the future.

Realizing this, the Yuan and Fang families immediately intensified their search for information about the murderer.

Unfortunately... they were just wasting their time!

The Xia Kingdom was not like the Hua Kingdom in Chen Dao's previous life, where the lights were still on at night.

In reality, Taiping County was completely dark at night. Even the people in the town could not see the faces of Zhang He and the other refugees. The Zhu family members and guests who had seen Zhang He and the others had all been killed. Under these circumstances, no matter how capable the Yuan and Fang families were, they could not find the murderers who wiped out the Zhu family. They could only try to gather useful information like headless flies every day.

"So what if you're dissatisfied?"

Xu Zhiwen chuckled and said, "They might suspect that I did it, but they can't be sure. After all, in your eyes, I've always been a scholar who can't even kill a chicken!"

Xu Zhiwen's identity as a scholar who was powerless was his best cover. No one would have guessed that this scholar, who was powerless, was actually a powerful seventh-rank martial artist!

"And... even if they find out, so what?"

Xu Zhiwen then asked, "Could they possibly kill me?"

Although Xu Zhiwen was just a minor official, he was still a formal official of the imperial court with the rank of seventh grade. Attacking and killing a seventh-grade official of the imperial court was a crime that even the Yuan and Fang families would not dare to bear!

Therefore, as long as the Yuan and Fang families do not want to rebel, Xu Zhiwen will not be in any danger.

Of course, the Yuan and Fang families could also choose assassination, but Xu Zhiwen is a seventh-rank martial artist. How could the Yuan and Fang families so easily assassinate him?

"Neither the Yuan nor the Fang families would dare to openly confront the county magistrate!"

Li Hu said, "However, the county magistrate should still be careful, after all, these powerful families have a lot of dirty tricks up their sleeves!"

"I understand."

Xu Zhiwen nodded, looked at Li Ying who was practicing boxing, and said, "Brother Li's daughter has quite a talent!"

Xu Zhiwen, who frequently visited the Fuhu Boxing Gym during this period, often saw Li Ying practicing boxing. In his observation, Li Ying's progress was undoubtedly extremely rapid. In just a few days, he was already close to entering the eighth rank.

"You flatter me, Your Excellency!"

Li Hu smiled but remained silent. He naturally knew that Xu Zhiwen had guessed something, but he still wanted to avoid the county magistrate finding out about the Blood Feather Chicken.

However, at that moment, two figures appeared at the entrance to the backyard. With his keen senses, Li Hu turned his head and immediately smiled: "Young friend Chen has arrived?"

The people appearing in the backyard were none other than Chen Dao and his bodyguard Chen Cheng.

"Young friend Chen, come and sit here!"

Li Hu patted the stone table beside him, gesturing for Chen Dao to sit down, and then introduced him to Chen Dao: "Young friend Chen, this is Magistrate Xu of Taiping County!"

"Your Excellency, this is Chen Dao, a young friend."

As Chen Dao listened to Li Hu's introduction, he glanced at Xu Zhiwen sitting opposite Li Hu and felt that he was somewhat familiar. Then he remembered that he had seen this person once outside the door when he left the Fuhu Boxing Gym last time.

I never expected him to be the magistrate of Taiping County!

Chen Dao thought to himself that he didn't have a good impression of the county magistrate because of the tax increase.

However, Chen Dao was no child after all, and he did not show his disgust on his face. He simply clasped his hands in greeting to Xu Zhiwen and said, "This humble one, Chen Dao, greets the County Magistrate."

Xu Zhiwen looked at Chen Dao in front of him, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. The boy was dressed very plainly, even poorly, in coarse cloth clothes with patches on them, typical of a poor farmer's son.

Yet, this farmer's son could elicit such enthusiasm from Li Hu... This was clearly very unusual.

In addition, Xu Zhiwen also noticed Chen Cheng, who stood behind Chen Dao like an iron tower. Chen Cheng's height was undoubtedly very imposing. At 1.8 meters tall, he was considered to be a towering figure in Xia Country. Moreover, after he started practicing martial arts, Chen Cheng's muscles were far more developed than before. His clothes were stretched high by his muscles, and he stood there like an iron tower, which was truly majestic.

"Where is Chen Xiaoyou from?"

Xu Zhiwen asked calmly.

"I am from Taiping County."

Chen Dao answered succinctly.

"..."

Xu Zhiwen was speechless, only then realizing that he had asked a pointless question. In those days, due to the limitations of transportation and the household registration system, ordinary people rarely left their place of origin, except for businessmen. Chen Dao's appearance at the Fuhu Boxing Gym meant that he was most likely from Taiping County.

"Young friend Chen, our county magistrate is a rare and excellent official!"

At this moment, Li Hu, who was standing nearby, spoke up: "In order to alleviate the tax burden on the people of Taiping County, our county magistrate personally exterminated the entire Zhu family!"

When Li Hu said this, not only Chen Dao was shocked, but even Xu Zhiwen was stunned!

Chen Dao was surprised because... the rumors circulating in the streets were actually true, and the person who instigated the massacre of the Zhu family was indeed the county magistrate.

Xu Zhiwen was stunned because... he had always thought Li Hu was someone who could keep secrets, but he never expected... Li Hu to be such a blabbermouth, revealing such a secret as the massacre of the Zhu family...

He casually told this to the stranger...

Damn it...

Xu Zhiwen, a scholar, couldn't help but curse under his breath. He was already considering whether to break off his friendship with Li Hu. Associating with someone who couldn't keep a secret would only lead to his death sooner or later!