章 7: Chapter 7 Collecting Silver
Hall Master Wang sized up the surroundings and even glanced subconsciously toward the distant Chen Yuan, only relaxing after seeing no one paying attention to this area. Tonight's delivery of silver to the Huang Family's steward was crucial for the opportunity to remove the "deputy" prefix from his title.
The Huang Family openly supports the Beihai Gang, not secretly, but in a nearly blatant manner. Whether it's the Gang Leader or Hall Master, their words mostly carry the weight of the Huang Family's influence.
The Huang Family's chief steward also had a say in matters, and Hall Master Wang had cultivated a relationship with the steward for exactly this critical moment so that not even the slightest hint of rumor could leak out.
Otherwise, who knew what tricks the other competitors might pull out?
From afar, the corners of Chen Yuan's mouth curled up slightly, "Silver? Here it comes indeed."
Chen Yuan even entertained a thought: that during the absorption of Tie Shou's Qi Fortune by the Qi Fortune Altar, he had inadvertently absorbed some as well.
Otherwise, it would be hard to explain why he had just thought about making money, and then the silver appeared right before his eyes.
Could it be...
That he was actually the protagonist?
...
...
After a good meal, Chen Yuan did not pay the slightest attention to Hall Master Wang and turned to walk down from the second floor.
He headed home but was calculating about Wang Er in his mind.
Since Wang Er was planning to deliver silver to the Huang Family tonight, it surely must not be a small amount. Intercepting him en route would make the operation foolproof.
Wang Er was just an ordinary person with a rudimentary knowledge of fighting, not a practitioner of Martial Arts. Chen Yuan wouldn't find it difficult to deal with him, as long as no one noticed.
As he walked, a sudden commotion by his ear caught his attention; shouts were coming from not far away, heading in his direction.
"Robbery, murder!"
"Help!"
"Stop, stop…"
A familiar voice rang out. Chen Yuan focused his gaze and saw it was Xiao Fang's father, chasing a middle-aged man with a kitchen knife in hand.
Chen Yuan thought swiftly, his long knife streaked through the air, and planted itself right in front of the fleeing man, causing him to panic and fall to the ground.
Xiao Fang's father approached and directly grabbed the man, cursing loudly:
"You little punk, got the guts of a leopard, daring to..."
As Chen Yuan casually approached, the crowd parted to create a path upon seeing the official uniform he wore.
"Here comes someone from the Government office..."
"Lord, Lord, this old crook tried to steal my money, I beg the Lord to grant me justice," the man cried out upon seeing Chen Yuan.
"You... you dare to slander me."
"Uncle Zhou..." Chen Yuan greeted softly.
"Chen... is that you, Brother Yuan?" Xiao Fang's father rubbed his hands, seeming a bit nervous.
"Hehe... Uncle Zhou, calling me 'young Chen' is still more pleasing to my ears," Chen Yuan chuckled.
Chen Yuan hadn't held back in taking advantage of him in his younger days, but Uncle Zhou always laughed it off without holding a grudge. That is why Chen Yuan, having become a Government Official, was willing to stand up for the Zhou Family.
Wang Er from the Beihai Gang dared not act rashly out of fear for Chen Yuan's relationship with the Zhou Family.
"Lord... Lord..." The man on the ground went pale, realizing to his alarm that the constable seemed to know the old man.
People nearby murmured among themselves.
Chen Yuan's gaze swept over the crowd, moved a little closer, and he fixated on the skinny man on the ground:
"You said Uncle Zhou wanted to steal your money?"
"No... that's correct, I went to buy medicine for my mother, and I was passing by his bun shop when my coin pouch accidentally fell to the ground. He saw it and wanted to rob me..." the man complained amidst his tears.
People around were even discussing the oppression of the good.
"Nonsense, I had just come back from buying meat at the butcher shop when my coin pouch fell to the ground. Before I could pick it up, you dog stole it," Uncle Zhou's face showed urgency.
"How could I dare to steal your coin pouch with all these wounds on my body?" The man argued, lifting his arm to display the marks.
"You said you were buying medicine for your mother?"
Chen Yuan sheathed his long knife back into its scabbard.
"Yes..."
"As far as I know, there are no medicine shops in North City, so how did you come to North City to buy medicine?"
"I... I came in from outside the city, and was preparing to go to a medicine shop in South City."
"Outside?" Chen Yuan pointed at the man's shoe soles.
"There has been light rain every night these past few days, so if you came from outside the city, why is there no mud on your shoes?"
"I... I..." The man was at a loss for words momentarily.
"Did you change your shoes after entering the city?" Chen Yuan chuckled lightly.
"Yes... no... no, I cleaned off the mud from my feet."
"Heh... you had time to clean off the mud while buying medicine for your mother?"
"Yes, I hope the Lord sees clearly," the man pleaded tearfully.
"Alright, let's assume you cleaned off the mud. I still have a way to verify whose money is actually in the purse," the constable stated.
"What way?" The man on the ground was already somewhat afraid.
It was not just the fear of Chen Yuan's government authority, but also the words he spoke.
Chen Yuan's gaze swept around and moved towards a middle-aged man.
"Could I use some water from your bucket?" Chen Yuan tossed him a copper coin.
"Lord, please feel free to use it."
The man's face brightened as he carried the bucket to the person collapsed on the ground.
"Dump the copper coins from the purse into the water, and it will be clear who is lying."
"It's all up to Brother Yuan," Uncle Zhou immediately said.
Chen Yuan shifted his gaze to the man on the ground and said in a low voice:
"If you dare not, then the purse is stolen by you."
"Who said I wouldn't dare." The person on the ground hesitated for a moment, opened the purse, and a hundred copper coins clattered into the water.
"How can this prove it? I expect the Lord to decide," the man said loudly.
Chen Yuan glanced at the man and pointed at the layer of oil floating in the bucket:
"You say you were going to buy medicine for your old mother, so why is there oil in the bucket? Look at Uncle Zhou, he has just come back from buying meat at the butcher's, with greasy hands."
"Do we still need to say whose money it really is in the purse?"
"This Lord truly has divine skill!"
"Yes, indeed."
The man's face went from green to white, glanced at Chen Yuan, and turned to flee.
Chen Yuan suddenly threw his sheathed knife, hitting the man's back and knocking him to the ground; he walked over nonchalantly and stepped on the man's face.
"You're a habitual thief, you should take a trip to the constable's prison," he declared.
"Please, please... Lord, I know I'm wrong, give me a chance," the man begged.
Uncle Zhou approached with a beaming face, the more he looked at Chen Yuan, the more satisfied he became:
"Chen Yuan, thank you."
"Uncle Zhou, you're too polite, we're just neighbors," Chen Yuan smiled.
In the memories of his original self, he had a good impression of the Zhou Family, and with those memories accepted, Chen Yuan also couldn't bring himself to have any ill feelings towards them.
"Let's go, you dare to quibble in broad daylight right before a constable's eyes," Chen Yuan said as he grabbed the man's neck and lifted him up.
"Lord… Lord, spare my life, it was my first time doing this, my family..."
"The border is short of men, you, go serve at the border," Chen Yuan decreed.
"Lord... Lord, I'll give silver, just please let me go," the man pleaded with a mournful face.
Being sent to the border was a matter of life and death.
Thank you to book friend Wolf Turning Back for the reward of 5000 Qidian Coins.
Thank you to book friend 35161lisahy for the reward of a hundred point coins.
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