《Drought: I Have A Spirit Spring And A Farm In My Personal Space》


 Chapter 1

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Taoyuan Village.


    Legend has it that in the early years of the war, a militia could not bear the hardships of forced labor, so they fled to this poor rural area with their families to live. They were not discovered for several years, and they named it Taoyuan.


    Nearly a hundred years had passed, and the new dynasty had long replaced the old dynasty. Taoyuan Village gradually became a small village of dozens of families.


    It was a pity.


    Before the new year, a great drought had broken the peace of Taoyuan Village!


    Nine months had passed without rain, and the earth had long cracked. The crops planted in early spring had not been harvested, and the streams had dried up. Only the muddy and stinky bottom of the river was left, which was full of corpses that had been dead for a long time.


    In the village, in a shabby thatched cottage.


    ¡°Cough, water, give me water!¡±


    As a cool sensation entered his throat, Chen Zhiyuan slowly opened his eyes.


    What greeted his eyes was a woman. Even though she was dressed in coarse clothes, it could not hide her beautiful face and exquisite figure. She used a relatively clean black porcelain bowl to pour water into his mouth.


    Unfortunately, the obvious fear in her eyes and the bruise on the corner of her mouth made Chen Zhiyuan momentarily at a loss.


    ¡°Hubby, are you feeling better¡­¡±


    Without waiting for Chen Zhiyuan to speak, the woman spoke first. She slowly climbed out of the bed, carefully placed the porcelain bowl that was not even half full of water on the shabby table by the bedside, and pursed her chapped lips.


    Hubby?


    Did he transmigrate?


    Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s head buzzed as a strange memory barged into his mind.


    The petite and beautiful woman in front of him was called Li Zhu¡¯er, and she was his wife in this life. But in this life, he was an ignorant hooligan who only knew how to ask his wife for money to drink and gamble.


    Last night, he went to town to drink and gamble with a group of friends. On the way back, he fell by the side of the road. When there was no way out, it was Li Zhu¡¯er who dragged him back.


    He was the cause of the wound at the corner of Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s mouth. Yesterday, he took the family¡¯s last five cents to get a drink, and when his wife tried hard to persuade him, she ended up getting beaten by him.


    F*ck!


    He¡¯s a f*cking beast! No, he was worse than a beast!


    He couldn¡¯t even find such a good wife in the future. How could he f*cking humiliate her like this?


    Chen Zhiyuan cursed his original body ten thousand times in his heart. He no longer felt guilty about occupying this body.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, it was my fault in the past. I promise¡­¡±


    As Chen Zhiyuan spoke, he was about to get off the bed. However, he had not eaten any food yesterday, and that made his legs go weak and he almost fell to the ground. His stomach started to growl uncontrollably.


    ¡°Hubby, be careful! You must be famished. I will go and get food for you now.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er quickly helped Chen Zhiyuan to sit on the bed and ran to the shabby kitchen at the side.


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at his wife¡¯s thin figure, and his heart ached. He looked around the house that had only four bare walls. Other than a simple loom, there were only a few shabby cabinets left.


    There was still cotton yarn half-woven on the loom. Clearly, Li Zhu¡¯er relied on this loom to maintain the family¡¯s livelihood.


    ¡°Hubby, there¡¯s only half a bowl of porridge left. You¡¯ll have to make do with it. I will weave some yarn today. It should be enough to buy some millet¡­¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er came out with half a bowl of porridge and handed it to Chen Zhiyuan. The voice in her mouth became softer and softer, but the worry on her face became stronger and stronger.


    Chen Zhiyuan took the bowl and chopsticks. He looked at the porridge that looked like condensed rice soup in the bowl and the small bite of pickled vegetables made of unknown ingredients on it. He opened his mouth and took a bite. He could not help but frown.


    The porridge was a little sour. The pickled vegetables that didn¡¯t have a drop of oil were dry and difficult to swallow. To put it bluntly, the pigs of the later generations ate better than this.


    ¡°Hubby, don¡¯t drink and gamble with Pockmark Zhang and the others tomorrow. We are running out of food at home¡­¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er, who had already returned to the loom, kept weaving the cloth with her hands and feet. She started to persuade her husband in a low voice again.


    However, when she didn¡¯t hear her husband drinking the porridge for a long time, she quickly shut her mouth and looked up. What she saw were Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s tightly furrowed brows. Her expression changed drastically, and the fear that she had in the past returned to her heart.


    Her husband would always apologize to her after he had finished drinking and sobered up. Once his addiction kicked in, he would immediately change to another person and beat and scold her.


    ¡°H-Hubby, our house¡­ doesn¡¯t have a single cent left¡­ If I can¡¯t continue to weave¡­ Sob sob sob¡­¡±


    ¡°Hubby, I really didn¡¯t lie to you. Yesterday, I planned to use the money to exchange for some rations, but you used it to buy wine. I could only save the porridge from the day before yesterday until today, and we barely have something to eat today¡­ If you¡¯re still angry, you can slap me a few more times. Don¡¯t hit my hands and feet. If my limbs are injured, I won¡¯t be able to weave anymore¡­¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er shivered, and the sound of the loom stopped abruptly. She was afraid her husband would rush over and break the last remaining loom in the house. Instead, she sobbed and walked to the bed, curled up on the ground.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, what are you doing?¡±


    Looking at the bruises on Zhu¡¯er¡¯s legs as she curled up, Chen Zhiyuan felt even more guilty. He hurriedly put down the bowl and chopsticks, wanting to pick up his wife.


    Zhu¡¯er subconsciously shrank into the corner. After a moment, she remembered that she wanted to let her husband vent his anger. She mustered up her courage and quickly crawled two more steps forward. Gritting her teeth, she closed her eyes and extended the left side of her face in front of Chen Zhiyuan.


    ¡°What I said is true. This time, I really know my mistake. From now on, I will sever all ties with Pockmark Zhang and the others. I will keep my word and never go back on my words!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan picked up the trembling body in front of him and gently placed her on the bed.


    ¡°Hubby, you are not lying to me this time, are you¡­¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er opened her eyes in surprise, and she looked at her husband, who had a sincere expression on his face. Her eyes were filled with tears, and she hesitated for a moment before saying in a daze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Zhu¡¯er. I will never go back on my words. The drought has been severe for many days. It shouldn¡¯t be easy to fetch water now, right? Where did you usually fetch water from? Today, I will fetch water.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan had a sincere look on his face. He knew that this body had lied to this woman too many times. It had broken her heart a long time ago. It was just that the ethics of this feudal society had numbed her, and she had to live her life with the thought of following her husband as an example.


    However, the husband in her eyes was no longer the hooligan he used to be, and he had to be someone worthy of his good wife.


    ¡°The old well 15 miles away hasn¡¯t dried up yet. I always fetch water before noon. If I go early, I won¡¯t be able to squeeze in. If I go late, I¡¯m afraid there will be wolves¡­¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er blinked her teary eyes and said obediently. Her husband seemed to have really changed¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll go now. If I¡¯m lucky, I might be able to bring some food back.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan wiped the tears from the corner of Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s eyes as if he was comforting her, but it also felt like he was encouraging himself.


    With that, he walked into the kitchen and found a wooden bucket that still had some water stains on it. He walked out of the door and headed in the direction of the old well.


    ¡­


    Li Zhu¡¯er sat on the bed for a long time before she slowly got up. She held onto the broken door frame and watched her husband¡¯s back as he left.


    Her husband¡­


    Did he really change?


    What was she thinking? He should have gone to look for his so-called friends to gamble again.


    Li Zhu¡¯er turned around and looked at the porridge and pickled vegetables that she had eaten half a mouthful of. She swallowed her saliva and brought the bowl to the kitchen.


    That is her husband, and he is her God. She has to keep it for him until he comes back¡­

 Chapter 2

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After leaving the house, Chen Zhiyuan realized that the drought this time was even more severe than what he had imagined.


    There was no smoke from kitchen chimneys for a hundred miles and no rooster crowing for a thousand miles.


    As far as the eye could see, everywhere was withered and yellow. Even most of the green trees on the mountain had withered away, leaving only a few shrubs struggling to survive in the mountains.


    After walking for two miles, Chen Zhiyuan felt a little exhausted. The scorching sun grilled everything on the ground. Sweating profusely and starving, he only felt his vision alternate between darkness and clarity.


    He knew that this was a sign of dehydration and heatstroke. Thinking of this, Chen Zhiyuan quickly found a withered bush and buried his entire body in it.


    Under the shade, Chen Zhiyuan finally realized how difficult it was for Zhu¡¯er. He did not know how the frail woman managed to walk fifteen miles under the scorching sun to fetch water. It was hard to say if he could even walk to the well¡­


    ¡°Ding! Host, congratulations! The portable space system has bound successfully!¡±


    ¡°The host can enter the space system at any time!¡±


    Hearing the magnetic voice in his mind, Chen Zhiyuan was overjoyed!


    As expected, transmigration always had some benefits. His system had finally arrived.


    ¡°Enter the space system!¡±


    With a thought, and after a momentary daze, a patch of greenery appeared. It was about 10 acres in circumference. One acre was equivalent to 666 square meters in the later generations. This wasn¡¯t small at all.


    ¡°Ding! Congratulations to the host for signing in successfully on the first day! You have received a newbie gift pack!¡±


    [You have received one acre of high-yield potato spirit field. Hint: The host shall receive another acre of a spirit field if thirty consecutive days of signing in are successful. The crop is unknown.]


    [An inexhaustible spirit spring. Hint: Considering the current spiritual power points in the space, the host can bring out a maximum of five barrels of spirit spring per day.]


    [One well-fed cow: Raised for 100 days in free range and has tasty meat. It can only be used as food. It cannot work on the field, and cannot be bred.]


    [One butcher knife: Using this, the host can automatically learn the butcher knife skill. This skill can slay dragons and tigers, and also slaughter chickens and sheep with it.]


    [Farm equipment set 1: Using this set, the host can automatically learn the spirit field farming skill.]


    [Two time-control cards: Time acceleration card, which can accelerate the ripening time of crops and livestock maturing in the space spirit field. The time deceleration card can slow down the deterioration speed of the food stored in the space.]


    [One bottle of physique strengthening elixir.]


    Mechanical electromagnetic sounds rang out one after another.


    A panel automatically appeared in front of Chen Zhiyuan, and all kinds of rewards in the newbie gift pack appeared on the panel.


    He casually swiped across the spirit field, and what was originally a green space appeared to be a well-cultivated potato field. On top of it were newly-unearthed potato seedlings.


    ¡°So this is how it works. It¡¯s just like the game in the future.¡±


    The corners of Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s mouth moved slightly, and his fingers quickly swiped across the panel.


    Not long after.


    A deep well with its own rocker appeared beside the spirit field. A fat cow was looking around the fence of the spirit field.


    On the spirit field, the farm tools began to mow the grass and cultivate the soil automatically. The potato seedlings also began to grow. A countdown appeared on the top right corner of the spirit field. The time until maturity was 99 days, 23 hours 59 mins.


    In his hand, there was also an exquisite small porcelain bottle and a cold-looking butcher knife.


    ¡°Activate the time acceleration card!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan did not hesitate to use the time acceleration card. 99 days was more than three months. That was a little too long. Seeing the 99 days and 23 hours quickly turned into 9 hours and 59 mins, he was even more satisfied.


    He could harvest in ten hours which was less than a day, which meant that he would be able to get hundreds of kilograms of potatoes when he woke up the next day.


    Without a doubt, the space spirit field automatically gave him potato seedlings was the thing that made him excited the most. The yield of this crop was very high. The lowest was three to five hundred kilograms while the highest could reach several tons. It could be used as a dish and also as a staple food. It was undoubtedly the thing that the people needed the most in this disastrous year.


    Looking at the growing potato seedlings, Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s gaze quickly shifted to the elixir in his hand, as well as the cow that was leisurely eating grass beside the spirit spring.


    The system had already said that it could not be cultivated, could not be bred, and could only be eaten. When he finished taking the elixir, it was just the right time for him to test out his butcher knife skills.


    Thinking of this, Chen Zhiyuan opened the cork of the small porcelain bottle in his hand and drank it in one gulp.


    With the physique strengthening elixir and the butcher knife skill, he should have the strength of a martial arts master when he left the space.


    Soon, Chen Zhiyuan felt waves of heat in his body. Every pore seemed to be breathing. Waves of spiritual energy surged into his body to calm his heat. The refreshing and pleasant feeling made him close his eyes when he wasn¡¯t aware, and he felt the spiritual energy entering every meridian in his body, improving his physique.


    An hour later.


    Chen Zhiyuan slowly opened his eyes and looked at the black dirt that was expelled from his body. Feeling refreshed, he quickly came to the side of the ancient spirit spring well and poured a bucket of water over his head!


    ¡°So refreshing!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t help but exclaim loudly. He picked up the butcher knife beside him and dashed toward the cow that was still leisurely eating grass.


    The cow didn¡¯t even have time to whine before it was flipped over by Chen Zhiyuan. With his skillful butcher knife skills, the cow quickly turned into pieces of beef and stacked on the green grass.


    ¡°There are so many of them!¡±


    Looking at the beef piled up like a small hill beside him, Chen Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. He thought for a moment and said, ¡°Open the panel!¡±


    The fluorescent panel soon appeared in front of him.


    Chen Zhiyuan carefully swiped through every button on the panel, and he finally found the option to control the space in the upper right corner.


    ¡°Create a storage space!¡±


    As soon as Chen Zhiyuan finished speaking, he felt a wave of spiritual energy fluctuation beside him, and a small door that looked like a teleportation array appeared in front of him.


    Stepping into it, Chen Zhiyuan looked up and found that the surrounding 10 square meters were all white.


    ¡°Move the beef and use the space decrease card!¡±


    The beef that was originally piled up on the grass appeared in the air. With the amazing effect of the space increase card just now, Chen Zhiyuan did not doubt the effect of the decrease card.


    After taking out two good steaks and filling the wooden bucket that he brought with him with water, Chen Zhiyuan left the space and returned to the real world.


    Feeling his powerful body, the two fresh steaks, and the sharp knife in his hands. Then he looked at the bucket of fresh water beside him.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud.


    ¡°Rumble!¡±


    Unfortunately, a drum-like rumbling sound from his stomach interrupted his excitement at the moment. Counting the accelerated time in the space, he hadn¡¯t eaten anything for almost a day and a night.


    Chen Zhiyuan casually broke down the withered grass and dead wood beside him. He took out the flint when he had obtained the farm tools and cleared out a space to start a fire.


    The steak that was stuck in the knife quickly gave off an alluring fragrance. He tore off two large pieces of meat and feasted on them. After drinking two mouthfuls of water, Chen Zhiyuan carried the rest of the steak in his arms.


    Zhu¡¯er had suffered so much with him. It was time for her to enjoy herself. It had been a long time since she had tasted meat. How could he enjoy it alone¡­


    With that in mind, Chen Zhiyuan picked up the bucket and walked home.

 Chapter 3

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Chen Zhiyuan, who was humming a tune, had just entered the village when he saw a person with his belly exposed, staggering out of the village. He focused his gaze and saw it was Wang Xiao¡¯er from his group of friends.


    Before he could say anything, Wang Xiao¡¯er had already spotted him, and he immediately came over with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Brother Zhiyuan, I didn¡¯t expect you to be the one to fetch water today. What¡¯s wrong? Is your wife sick, or is she on her period?¡±


    Wang Xiao¡¯er circled around Chen Zhiyuan, stared at the bucket, and said with a smile.


    ¡°Wang Xiao¡¯er, yesterday, I was drunk and fell on the road. You sons of b*tches abandoned me and ran away. It was Zhu¡¯er who helped me back home. Today, when I woke up, I decided to be a new person and treat her well. I won¡¯t hang out with you b*stards anymore.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan put down the bucket and started to curse at the man in front of him.


    According to Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s memories from his previous life, this guy was not a good person. Even though he kept calling him brother, his mind was all about trying to gain benefits from him. Every time he would eat and drink with his money, he would also borrow his money to gamble, but he would never return it. Whenever Chen Zhiyuan mentioned the matter of returning the money, Wang Xiao¡¯er would only give excuses¡­


    Chen Zhiyuan decided to teach him a good lesson this time.


    ¡°Aiya, Brother Zhiyuan, don¡¯t be angry. Last night, the three of us were so drunk. We couldn¡¯t tell the difference between east, south, west, and north. How would we know that you fell halfway? Here, let me apologize to you first¡­¡±


    Wang Xiao¡¯er smiled and casually cupped his fists. He was not angry at all. Then, he extended his thumb and forefinger and rubbed them together. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go into town again today to drink and gamble? What if we¡¯re lucky enough to win back all our losses from the past few days?¡±


    In Wang Xiao¡¯er¡¯s opinion, Chen Zhiyuan had a cultured name. He had heard before that he wanted to take the examination for scholarly honor, but every time he heard about drinking and playing Pai Gow, he would immediately put down his books to drink and gamble with them.


    Later on, the books that he used to read were pawned by him. Then, he had the idea of stealing money from his wife or robbing her openly. Now that he said he wanted to change, Wang Xiao¡¯er would never believe it.


    ¡°What? Wang Xiao¡¯er, you want us to try our luck to win back our losses again? I can go but lend me ten coins first. If I win back the losses, I¡¯ll pay you back double. What do you think?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan pretended to think. His bright eyes glanced at Wang Xiao¡¯er with a hint of a smile as if it had penetrated his soul.


    In ancient times, there were things like Mercury. Whether they wanted the people to lose or win, the people behind the casino could arrange it properly. How could they let these poor people who couldn¡¯t squeeze out a few drops of profit turn the tables?


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Wang Xiao¡¯er hesitated. He vaguely felt that Brother Zhiyuan in front of him was a little different.


    Usually, they were the ones who borrowed money from Chen Zhiyuan to gamble. If they won, they wouldn¡¯t share the winnings with him. If they lost, they would cry about being poor. In this way, they would renege on their debts and leech on Chen Zhiyuan. He didn¡¯t expect that Chen Zhiyuan would actually borrow money from him today.


    ¡°What, Brother Wang, are you reluctant? Aiya, usually, you are the one to borrow money from me at the gambling table. I don¡¯t hesitate to lend you money whenever I have it. Is this how you treat me now that I want to borrow a few coins from you? If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to be my brother. In the future, we¡¯ll sever our friendship and take it that we were never brothers!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan pretended to be sad and indignant. He picked up the bucket and was about to leave.


    ¡°Aiya, Brother Zhiyuan, wait a minute. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to lend you money, but I really have nothing left. I only have ten coins. If I lend all of it to you, I can only be a spectator when I go to the town.¡±


    Wang Xiao¡¯er hurriedly stopped Chen Zhiyuan. He took out ten coins and gave five coins to Chen Zhiyuan. ¡°Brother Zhiyuan, why don¡¯t we try our luck in the casino with five coins each?¡±


    Although Wang Xiao¡¯er¡¯s heart was bleeding, he still endured the pain and gave half to Chen Zhiyuan. In order to continue to leech off Chen Zhiyuan in the future, he had put in a lot of money this time.


    ¡°Brother Wang, thank you for being forthright.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan caught it and stuffed it into his sleeves. He was about to continue walking home.


    ¡°Hey, Brother Zhiyuan, didn¡¯t we agree to go to the gambling den in town to test our luck? Why are you walking home!¡±


    Seeing that Chen Zhiyuan was about to go home, Wang Xiao¡¯er was anxious. He stood in front of Chen Zhiyuan and held his arm.


    ¡°Brother Wang, don¡¯t worry. Zhu¡¯er is not feeling well today. Didn¡¯t I go to fetch water? I have to send the water home first.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan was not in a hurry. He put down the bucket and explained patiently. He unintentionally opened his shirt, and a tempting aroma of roasted meat wafted in the wind.


    Wang Xiao¡¯er was shocked. He took two more deep breaths to confirm that it was coming from Brother Zhiyuan¡¯s body. Then, he looked at Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s bulging waist. It was indeed hiding something.


    ¡°Brother Zhiyuan, where did you get this high-quality beef? And it¡¯s cooked!¡±


    Wang Xiao¡¯er was extremely shocked.


    It was definitely beef!


    One had to know that cows were an important labor force. Even if a cow died, it had to be reported to the government before one could eat the meat. If anyone killed a cow without permission, they would be charged and sentenced to jail.


    All his life, he had only eaten beef once when he was a teenager, and he ate it with the other villagers in Taoyuan Village. The smell of meat at that time was unforgettable to him.


    After so many years, he could actually smell the aroma of beef again, and it was during this year of famine.


    ¡°Haha, Brother Wang, speaking of which, I am really lucky. Today was my first time fetching water, and I met an otherworldly expert who was also fetching water. We chatted for a while, and he gave me some of his rations. I didn¡¯t expect it to be this high-grade beef.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan put his knife on his belt and took out the roast beef wrapped in cypress wood from his waist. He put it in front of his nose and sniffed it.


    Wang Xiao¡¯er¡¯s eyes were fixed on the lump of beef, and saliva kept dripping from his mouth. In an instant, he forgot about the five coins just now and reached out to take them.


    To be able to eat a piece of roast beef with five coins was a sure-win deal!


    ¡°Hey, Brother Wang, wait a minute. Good meat has to be matched with good wine. You and I both love to drink wine. How can we be happy without wine?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan quickly moved his hand away and put the beef back on his waist. He looked at Wang Xiao¡¯er, who was staring blankly, and he said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and ask Dali and Laosan to gather some money to buy a pot of good wine? I¡¯ll go home and ask Zhu¡¯er to divide the meat. You and I can enjoy good wine and good meat. Let¡¯s get drunk today. How about it?¡±


    ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll go and get Sun Dali and Zhang Laosan to go to town and get a pot of good osmanthus wine. Tonight, we brothers will definitely eat to our heart¡¯s content!¡±


    Wang Xiao¡¯er¡¯s surprise turned into joy when he heard that. Although a pot of osmanthus wine cost more than 100 coins, they could still gather enough money together. Brother Zhiyuan¡¯s piece of beef was about one pound, and each of them could get a few ounces of it. With this amount of money, they could eat a few ounces of high-quality roast beef for more than thirty coins. It was a guaranteed profit!


    ¡°Okay! It¡¯s a deal!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan said with a smile.


    Looking at Wang Xiao¡¯er running into the village, his eyes gradually narrowed.


    What kind of joke was this? This was how he normally leeched on him, and he wouldn¡¯t stop until he squeezed everything out of him. Today, he even wanted to borrow money from him, and also eat his meat. He shall let him know what it means to return the favor!


    ¡­


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, come out quickly. I¡¯ve brought back the water. I have some good stuff for you.¡±


    ¡°H-Hubby! Why are you so fast? You must be famished. Eat this first.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er rushed out of the house with half a bowl of porridge. She looked at Chen Zhiyuan in surprise and handed him a bowl and chopsticks.


    Usually, it would take her four hours to fetch water. How did her husband come back in an hour? It was even a bucket full of water.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, remember in the future, don¡¯t casually say that your husband is fast. Do you understand? I won¡¯t eat this. Look at this!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan scratched Zhu¡¯er¡¯s nose, put down the bowl and chopsticks, and took out the roast beef in his arms. He also gave Zhu¡¯er half a piece of fresh steak. ¡°Eat the roast beef first, then make a stew tonight. Zhu¡¯er, from now on, I will never let you suffer again.¡±


    ¡°Hubby! Am I dreaming? I can¡¯t believe it¡­ Boohoo¡­¡±


    Looking at her husband, who was smiling, Zhu¡¯er covered her face and wept.


    Chen Zhiyuan pulled Zhu¡¯er into his arms and comforted her softly. Feeling Zhu¡¯er¡¯s well-developed and full body, Chen Zhiyuan, whose physique had just been improved, was instantly moved. His body immediately reacted.


    Zhu¡¯er, who noticed her husband¡¯s strange behavior, blushed. She quickly struggled out of Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s arms and lowered her head, not daring to see anyone.


    ¡°Haha, there¡¯s no rush. Zhu¡¯er, eat some meat to replenish your body first. We have a lot of time at night¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan could not help but tease Zhu¡¯er.


    Li Zhu¡¯er happily took the roast meat and beef. She frowned slightly and handed it to Chen Zhiyuan. She said softly, ¡°Hubby, I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t eat this meat anymore. Take it to the market and exchange it for some money. Our family has an external debt to pay¡­¡±

 Chapter 4

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Did his family have an external debt?


    Chen Zhiyuan tried hard to recall it in his mind, and he also furrowed his brows. He couldn¡¯t remember at all.


    ¡°H-Hubby, I was the one who borrowed it. Three months ago, you went out to drink with Pockmark Wang and gambled. I-I really had no other choice, so I borrowed 100 coins from Xu Yuanwai¡¯s cloth shop in the county town. I¡¯m weaving two pieces of cloth every day, selling one and returning one¡­¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er stuttered as she spoke, her eyes suddenly filled with fear. She stared nervously at Chen Zhiyuan, afraid that her husband would return to his old habits and hit her again.


    ¡°I see. Zhu¡¯er, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s only proper to return money that you have borrowed. It was all my fault that you suffered so much in the past. It¡¯s only 100 coins. How much more do you need? I¡¯ll think of a way to repay it.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan heard the reason and looked at Zhu¡¯er, who was trembling slightly. He hugged her even tighter and comforted her.


    It turned out that the scoundrel only knew how to drink and gamble, leaving all the burdens on the frail woman in his arms. How would he know that Zhu¡¯er had secretly borrowed money in order to make a living? If he knew about this, Zhu¡¯er would probably be beaten up again.


    ¡°Hubby, actually I had already paid off the money in debt to Xu Yuanwai¡¯s cloth shop. It¡¯s just that the young master of Xu Yuanwai¡¯s family insisted that I had borrowed money from loan sharks and had to pay back 500 coins. Our family couldn¡¯t afford to offend them, so I thought of living frugally and scraped up 500 coins to pay them back. Who knew that last month, he sent someone over again, saying that it was already 1000 coins¡­¡±


    ¡°What? This is outrageous! Zhu¡¯er, you¡¯ve already paid off so much, yet that Young Master Xu still dares to ask for money! The next time he dares to come knocking on my door, I¡¯ll just kick him out. I won¡¯t give him a single cent!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan flew into a rage when he heard that.


    If this continued on, he would probably never be able to pay him back!


    ¡°Hubby, don¡¯t! Xu Yuanwai has a huge family and business. Other than the cloth shop, they also have businesses outside. The Xu family¡¯s current manager of the cloth shop is this young master, Xu Qingfeng. People call him Lord Xu, and we can¡¯t afford to offend him.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er raised her head and looked at Chen Zhiyuan in panic, trying to stop her husband from having such dangerous thoughts, and she said repeatedly, ¡°Hubby, with this fresh piece of meat that you brought, I will work hard to weave two more pieces of cloth tomorrow. We will pay him back in one go¡­¡±


    Every time she went to the cloth shop to sell cloth, Lord Xu always looked at her differently. She more or less knew what he was thinking, but she did not dare to tell her husband.


    Feeling Zhu¡¯er¡¯s trembling body, Chen Zhiyuan held her tightly in his arms and caressed her cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Zhu¡¯er. From now on, as long as I¡¯m here, no one will dare to bully you again!¡±


    However, a mere thousand coins were probably not enough for that Lord Xu to pay for a meal. He had sent people over and over again to collect the money. He knew very well what he wanted since he came from the future.


    He was simply tired of eating the cabbage in the city and wanted to taste the wild vegetables from the farm.


    Zhu¡¯er¡¯s eyes were filled with tears as she felt her husband¡¯s warm embrace and his restless hands. For some reason, she felt an unprecedented sense of security today.


    ¡°Hubby, there¡¯s something I want to ask. Where did you get this beef?¡±


    After a long while, Li Zhu¡¯er raised her head and looked seriously into her husband¡¯s eyes. She asked this question.


    It was the year of famine now, and there were so few cattle. Who would dare to kill a cow? She did not want her husband to go to jail just because he had become stable and reliable.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, don¡¯t worry. I guarantee that this meat is absolutely legitimate. No one will come and blame me. I met an otherworldly expert, and he gave me a cow and told me to treat you well from now on.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at Zhu¡¯er with a serious expression and said seriously.


    Calling the system an otherworldly expert¡­ there didn¡¯t seem to be anything wrong with it. Maybe it was an otherworldly expert who created this thing.


    ¡°S-So that¡¯s how it is¡­ Then I¡¯ll have to offer incense to this otherworldly expert every day from now on¡­¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s face instantly turned red again. As the wife of a drunkard and scoundrel, she had never heard such provocative words before. She instantly became inarticulate.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, you¡¯re worrying too much. Since it¡¯s an otherworldly expert, why would it need to be offered incense and prayers every day? As long as we live our lives well and have a few cute boys in the future, it will be the best way to repay the otherworldly expert.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan had a naughty smile on his face. Seeing that Li Zhu¡¯er was so embarrassed that she could barely walk, he finally put aside his mischievous thoughts and took the fresh beef from Zhu¡¯er¡¯s hands. He walked to the kitchen and said, ¡°Zhu¡¯er, eat two pieces of roast meat to fill your stomach first. Today, let me show you my skills. The expert also taught me how to cook beef. Do you want to try it?¡±


    ¡°Hubby! How could you do this!¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er cried out in surprise and quickly walked over, snatching the fresh beef from Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s hands. She raised the roast meat in her hands and said, ¡°There¡¯s no way for a husband to work on the stove. I will save this roast meat for you to eat at night. I can make dinner with that bowl of porridge. This piece of fresh beef should be able to buy you a good set of clothes in the county town¡¯s clothing shop!¡±


    Looking at Zhu¡¯er, whose eyes were filled with satisfaction, Chen Zhiyuan was deeply touched.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, I don¡¯t need any new clothes. Don¡¯t eat that kind of porridge again in the future. I won¡¯t allow you to eat this kind of thing again. If you fall sick from eating something bad, where will I find a good girl like you again?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan bent down and kissed Zhu¡¯er¡¯s face hard. He said seriously, ¡°Zhu¡¯er, there¡¯s another family rule in our house. Men can also enter the kitchen!¡±


    Then, regardless of whether Li Zhu¡¯er agreed or not, Chen Zhiyuan picked up the beef and walked to the kitchen.


    At that moment, there was a burst of shouting outside the courtyard.


    ¡°Open the door! Open the door! Lord Xu is here. Miss Li, come out quickly to welcome him!¡±


    ¡°Miss Li, when will you return the money you owe Lord Xu? If you can¡¯t return it, go out and have a drink with Lord Xu. Perhaps, he might be able to give you another two months.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡±


    A burst of laughter came from outside the door.


    Inside the house.


    Li Zhu¡¯er, who was still smiling, suddenly turned pale. She said to Chen Zhiyuan in a panic, ¡°Hubby, Lord Xu is really here. He even brought a lot of lackeys. Quickly go out from the back door and hide.¡±


    ¡°Hide? If I hide, what are you going to do? Let them humiliate you? I, Chen Zhiyuan, am not that kind of person. Zhu¡¯er, don¡¯t panic. Let me deal with them. Go take the meat to the kitchen first!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked outside the door and sneered. He handed the meat to Zhu¡¯er and walked out.


    Speaking of the devil, he had really arrived.


    He came just in time. He wanted to see what kind of person Lord Xu was!


    Li Zhu¡¯er saw that her husband had made a decision, and her heart was filled with joy and worry. She did not dare to disobey her husband, so she could only take the meat and quietly run to the kitchen. She looked nervously outside the door.

 Chapter 5

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Chen Zhiyuan walked out of the door.


    He saw a well-dressed young master standing outside the door of the small courtyard, who kept peering into the room.


    Four or five servants were leading the horses and fanning him, and two other servants were pounding on the frail door of his house.


    When he saw a man walk out of the house, the well-dressed young master was obviously shocked as well. He sized up Chen Zhiyuan from head to toe, and a look of disdain immediately appeared in his eyes.


    ¡°I presume you are the useless husband of Miss Li, Chen Zhiyuan? Look at your poor appearance. How do you deserve Miss Li? The young lady is really blind. That¡¯s why she married a good-for-nothing like you.¡±


    The young master stared coldly at Chen Zhiyuan. With a swoosh, he opened the folding fan in his hand, and he was full of disdain.


    The Xu family was a large clan in the county, and Xu Qingfeng was the only son of the Xu family. He was a regular customer of the county¡¯s brothel, and he had slept with many young ladies from wealthy families. However, if he played too much, he would eventually get sick of it.


    Until that day, when he happened to go to his own cloth shop to look at his business, he happened to meet Li Zhu¡¯er, who came to sell cloth. Although she was dressed in a coarse linen shirt, she was extremely beautiful, and her figure was also well-developed. Suddenly, his eyes could not move, and he could not move his feet too.


    From then on, every time Li Zhu¡¯er came to the cloth shop to sell cloth, he would be waiting in the hall on time. After learning that Li Zhu¡¯er had borrowed money from the cloth shop, he directly changed Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s flat loan to a usury loan.


    He only wanted to wait until Li Zhu¡¯er could not pay back the loan, and then he could let Li Zhu¡¯er use her body to pay off the debt.


    He did not expect this peasant girl to be so virtuous. She had used the excuse of being married several times to avoid him.


    Xu Qingfeng was even more excited when he heard this. He got rid of the idea of having his subordinates kidnap Li Zhu¡¯er. He wanted to see a virtuous woman like Li Zhu¡¯er, who had no choice but to give herself to him because she could not pay back the money. That would be interesting.


    Therefore, he came personally today to collect the debt!


    He already knew very well who was in Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s family. Her husband was just a drunkard and gambler.


    However, when he saw Chen Zhiyuan, who had a strong figure and was slightly more handsome than him, coming out of the house today, this huge contrast made him a little jealous. He could only mock Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s status.


    ¡°You must be Xu Qingfeng, the young master of the Xu family. Young Master Xu, may I know why you¡¯re here today?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at Xu Qingfeng casually and said in neither servile nor overbearing manner.


    ¡°B*stard! Why are you talking to my young master? Are you blind?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Tell your wife to come out. The money she borrowed from my young master should be paid back today!¡±


    Before Xu Qingfeng could say anything, the servant beside him pointed at Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s nose and started cursing.


    How dare this poor drunkard and gambling maniac talk to his young master like that?


    ¡°Young Master Xu, my wife Zhu¡¯er borrowed a hundred coins from your cloth shop. She has paid back five hundred coins. No matter how you look at it, the debt should be paid off. So why are you still coming to my house to ask for money?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan could not be bothered by the clamor of the lackeys. He stared into Xu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes and asked in return.


    Sensing Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s sharp gaze, Xu Qingfeng felt a strange chill in his heart. However, when he thought about how he knew Chen Zhiyuan was just a good-for-nothing who only knew how to drink and gamble, his courage grew again.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Miss Li has paid back 500 coins. However, that was last year¡¯s interest. This year, the interest has increased again!¡±


    ¡°Since the great drought, the price of grain has been changing every day. As for borrowing money, naturally, it¡¯s also the same. The debt your little wife owes has accumulated to a thousand coins. Even though you paid back 500 coins, you still owe me 500 coins. I want the money by today. If you can¡¯t pay it back, then use your little wife to pay off the debt!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng snapped the folding fan shut and stared at Chen Zhiyuan as he said viciously.


    He wasn¡¯t going to act anymore. He laid his cards on the table!


    No matter what, he wants to have Miss Li today and right in front of Chen Zhiyuan.


    ¡°Young Master Xu, since you have said so, it means that you¡¯re going to snatch a woman today!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan grinned and stared at Xu Qingfeng like a bloodthirsty hungry tiger.


    ¡°So what if I am? In this small area, if I say so, no one will dare to say no. I, Xu Qingfeng, am the sky here! Men, charge in. The blame for beating Chen Zhiyuan to death will be on me. Today, I must bring Miss Li back!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng put the folding fan behind his back, rolled up his sleeves, and led a few servants to charge in.


    The servants were used to being arrogant. Now that they had Xu Qingfeng¡¯s orders, they even tore down the courtyard door with just a few punches and kicks. They charged in, raised their fists, and were about to punch Chen Zhiyuan in the face.


    ¡°Hubby! Hubby, there are too many of them. Leave quickly, and don¡¯t bother me. Young Master Xu has practiced martial arts before. You are no match for him. Hurry up and leave!¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er, who saw the scene outside through the crack in the door, couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. She rushed out and blocked in front of Chen Zhiyuan, telling him to leave quickly.


    Seeing this scene, Xu Qingfeng, who hadn¡¯t entered the courtyard yet, couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. ¡°Chen Zhiyuan, what kind of man hides behind a woman? Miss Li, what¡¯s there for you to feel reluctant about this kind of trash? Why don¡¯t you come with me and be my mistress? You will be able to lead a good life. Won¡¯t that make you happier?¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er ignored Xu Qingfeng¡¯s words and kept pushing Chen Zhiyuan into the house. Seeing her husband standing still, she was so anxious that she almost cried.


    Just then, she suddenly felt a pair of warm hands caressing her face again.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er.¡± Li Zhu¡¯er raised her head in a daze.


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at her with a gentle gaze and said, ¡°You made this courtyard door yourself. How much do you think Young Master Xu should pay for it? How about starting with 5,000 coins? Young Master Xu should be able to afford it, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Hubby¡­¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er was completely stunned.


    The few lackeys and Xu Qingfeng were also stunned.


    However, Xu Qingfeng was not stunned for long. The color of his face changed from white to red, from red to green, and his eyes were filled with ferocity.


    ¡°Men, charge. Beat him to death for me! Beat this good-for-nothing to death, and you will be rewarded with 100 coins! I will personally go to the county office to bail you out!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng was completely mad, and his eyes were bloodshot. Not only did this young couple flirt in front of him, they even discussed making him pay and even starting with 5,000 coins. That was 5,000 taels of silver!


    5,000 taels of silver!


    Even if he massacred Taoyuan Village during this year of famine, and threw 5,000 taels of silver in front of the county grand master, the county grand master would probably vouch for him and report that all the villagers of Taoyuan Village had starved to death!


    ¡°Kid, you¡¯re courting death!¡±


    ¡°Hand over your life!¡±


    With the master¡¯s words, a few servants charged forward without fear of death.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, stand back and see how I¡¯ll make Young Master Xu pay up obediently.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at the rushing servants and gently pulled Zhu¡¯er behind him. He grabbed the first fist that came smashing towards him.


    He twisted it casually.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    A heart-wrenching howl resounded through Taoyuan Village.


    A servant spun two and a half times in the air and fell heavily to the ground!

 Chapter 6

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Chen Zhiyuan put down one of the servants without any hesitation and quickly pounced on the second servant.


    After the strengthening of his physique, the actions of these servants were no different from a tortoise crawling in his eyes.


    In just a moment, of the five servants that Xu Qingfeng brought with him, apart from the one leading the horse outside the courtyard, the remaining four were lying in the courtyard wailing.


    Looking at the valiant Chen Zhiyuan, Xu Qingfeng, who had just been clamoring about snatching Zhu¡¯er, stood rooted to the ground while staring blankly.


    Didn¡¯t they say that this kid was a drunkard and a gambler? When did he become so powerful?


    ¡°Young Master Xu, didn¡¯t you want to snatch a woman? You don¡¯t dare to anymore?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan was full of provocation as he beckoned Xu Qingfeng with his hand.


    ¡°This is the young master of the Xu family in the county town. Why did he come to our Taoyuan Village?¡±


    ¡°From what that kid from the Chen family said, this Young Master Xu must have taken a liking to Chen¡¯s wife¡­¡±


    ¡°Heh! I didn¡¯t expect Chen to be so capable that even Lord Xu is afraid of him.¡±


    ¡°Lord Xu doesn¡¯t dare to fight back anymore¡­¡±


    Because of the cries of the Xu family¡¯s servants just now, most of the able-bodied villagers in Taoyuan Village came out to watch the show. They surrounded the Chen family¡¯s courtyard, and at this moment, they were discussing animatedly.


    It was human nature to watch the show. Even in this year of famine, it was still good to have a show that could make people forget about their current poverty for a short while.


    Hearing the discussions of the surrounding villagers and the contempt in Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes, Xu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. If he were to cower here today, perhaps tomorrow there would be people in the county town saying that Lord Xu had been scared out of his wits by a poor kid. How could Xu Qingfeng continue to mingle in town? How could the Xu family retain their foothold in the county town?


    ¡°Chen, I¡¯m going to fight it out with you. I, Xu Qingfeng, am here today to collect the debt, not to snatch a woman!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng shouted loudly, rolled up his sleeves, and rushed towards Chen Zhiyuan.


    Chen Zhiyuan was not in a hurry. His left hand grasped the fist that Xu Qingfeng threw at him, and his right hand clenched into a fist, smashing it firmly onto Xu Qingfeng¡¯s left cheek.


    Xu Qingfeng didn¡¯t want to be outdone. When he fell, he even used a sweeping kick, but Chen Zhiyuan dodged it nimbly.


    Then, a fist the size of a sandbag landed on Xu Qingfeng¡¯s nose bridge again, and blood immediately flowed out.


    Chen Zhiyuan pounced on him and sat directly on Lord Xu¡¯s body. After another two punches, Lord Xu had already vented a lot of his energy, and he didn¡¯t have much energy left to fight back.


    ¡°Chen, this is Lord Xu from the county town. You can¡¯t beat him anymore. If you kill him, I¡¯m afraid our Taoyuan Village will be in trouble.¡±


    Seeing that Chen Zhiyuan had gained the upper hand, an elderly man holding a walking stick hurriedly advised him, and the surrounding villagers echoed him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Elder Liu. I know what I¡¯m doing. I won¡¯t kill Lord Xu. It¡¯s just that when Lord Xu saw my beautiful wife Zhu¡¯er, he wanted to take her back as a mistress forcefully. Don¡¯t you think I should teach him a lesson?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan put down his fist and raised his head to ask the elder and the crowd outside the courtyard who was trying to persuade him.


    ¡°This¡­ he should be taught a lesson! Originally, a lewd man going after another man¡¯s wife and daughter would be drowned in a pig cage!¡±


    Elder Liu knocked his crutches twice heavily. With a hint of anger, he began to educate the surrounding people of Taoyuan Village.


    All the people looked at Xu Qingfeng angrily. After all, no one wanted their wife to suddenly disappear just like that.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­ I¡¯m just here to collect the debt¡­ Chen¡¯s wife borrowed money from my cloth shop, and she still owes my family 500 coins¡­¡±


    Xu Qingfeng struggled to raise half of his body, and he couldn¡¯t speak clearly to refute.


    Chen Zhiyuan raised his fist and smashed it down like raindrops again, he said hatefully, ¡°I owe you money. I owe you money. I paid back 500 coins for 100 coins, and I still owe you money, right? What kind of calculation is that? Calculate it for me again! How much do I owe?¡±


    ¡°Hey! Stop hitting me. Stop hitting me, Chen¡­ Ah, no, Grandpa Chen, I miscalculated. It¡¯s not that you owe me money, but I¡¯m the one who owes you money. Please stop hitting me. I really can¡¯t take it anymore.¡±


    Xu Qingfeng finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore. His face was badly bruised and he begged for mercy.


    Chen Zhiyuan finally let go. He pulled Xu Qingfeng¡¯s collar and asked, ¡°Tell me, how much do you owe me?¡±


    ¡°A hundred coins¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh!¡±


    ¡°Ah! No, no, no. Just like Grandpa Chen said, five thousand coins! Five thousand coins!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng was a wise man who knew to avoid than fight when the odds are against him. He quickly changed his words.


    ¡°Lord Xu, isn¡¯t your Xu family a big family with big businesses? Today, didn¡¯t you say that the interest rate is different every day? I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s the same for me too. Ten thousand coins! Not a single cent less!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan leaned closer to Xu Qingfeng¡¯s pig-like head and spoke slowly, word by word.


    ¡°Aiyo, Grandpa Chen, you must be joking. Even if I sold the Xu family, I still wouldn¡¯t be able to get 10,000 coins. Please be merciful!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng¡¯s face immediately turned bitter when he heard that. He couldn¡¯t stop complaining.


    ¡°The Xu family is rich. Besides shops and caravans, don¡¯t you have land? You can sell it too. 10,000 coins. If you agree, I¡¯ll let you go. If you don¡¯t, we¡¯ll just wait here and see who dies first!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan was unreasonable and was not going to let him go. He turned his head and looked as if he was going to wait until nightfall.


    Another quarter of an hour passed.


    ¡°I agree, I agree. As long as you let me go back, I¡¯ll definitely gather 10,000 coins and give them to you¡­¡±


    Xu Qingfeng gave in. After all, a wise man would avoid the current disadvantageous situation. If this continued, he might really die. As long as he could go back, there was still room for maneuver.


    ¡°Young Master Xu, you are quite smart. Words don¡¯t mean anything. Give me a written statement.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan laughed when he heard that. He got off Xu Qingfeng¡¯s body and picked him up. He looked at the old man outside the courtyard and smiled. ¡°Elder, I don¡¯t have a pen and paper at home. Please lend me your pen and paper. I will definitely thank you in the future.¡±


    ¡°Junior, you don¡¯t have to thank me when you¡¯re just borrowing a pen. My grandson, go back quickly and bring me my pen, ink, paper, and inkstone.¡± Elder Liu smiled happily when he heard that and ordered his grandson.


    Lord Xu usually bullied men and women in the county. Today, Chen Zhiyuan could be considered to have helped his fellow villagers vent their anger. The villagers nearby were all overjoyed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± a child responded and ran away in a hurry.


    Not long after.


    The brush, ink, paper, and Inkstone appeared in front of Lord Xu.


    Xu Qingfeng gritted his teeth and used his trembling hand to write down [Xu Qingfeng owes Chen Zhiyuan 10,000 coins today]. After that, he dipped his hand into the blood at the corner of his mouth, stamped it with his fingerprint, and handed it to Chen Zhiyuan.


    ¡°Brother¡­ Brother Chen, 10,000 coins is not a small amount. Even if I amass it, it will still take some time. Why don¡¯t you come back to the town with me? Once I amass it, you can bring it back at the same time. What do you say?¡±


    Xu Qingfeng lowered his head and hid the hatred in his eyes as he spoke to Chen Zhiyuan in a low voice.


    ¡°Lord Xu, once you enter the town, it will be your world. Do you think that I, Chen Zhiyuan, am a three-year-old child that is easy to fool?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan pursed his lips.


    Trying to trick him into entering the town? He¡¯s not stupid.


    ¡°Brother Chen, what are you saying? How would I dare? It¡¯s just that there¡¯s so much money, and if you don¡¯t go personally, how can you bring it back? If I send someone to send it back, what if the people that were sent to deliver the money runs away with the money? When that time comes, and you ask for 10,000 coins again, where am I supposed to get you another 10,000 coins again?¡±


    Xu Qingfeng pretended to look at Chen Zhiyuan as if he was wronged, like a bullied little wife.


    Chen Zhiyuan had goosebumps, but he had to admit that his words made some sense. If no one went to retrieve the 10,000 coins, neither side would be at ease. Chen Zhiyuan himself would definitely not go. Who knew what other tricks the Xu family had up their sleeves, but if he were to send someone, he would not be able to find them in a short time.


    Just as he was in a dilemma, a familiar voice came from outside the crowd.


    ¡°Brother Zhiyuan, Brother Zhiyuan, we¡¯ve bought the wine. Oh my God, what happened? So many people have surrounded the place!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan grinned when he recognized the voices of Chen Dali and the other two. He had a plan in mind.


    Wasn¡¯t the money courier here already?

 Chapter 7

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Excuse me, let me pass. Brother Zhiyuan, are you alright!¡±


    Wang Xiao¡¯er, Chen Dali, and the other person hurriedly squeezed through the crowd and shouted into the courtyard.


    It wasn¡¯t because they were worried about Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s safety. It was just that the three of them had spent a lot of money today. With so many people surrounding them, it was definitely not a small matter. If anything happened to Chen Zhiyuan, the beef in his mouth would fly away.


    When they finally managed to squeeze in, the scene in the courtyard made the three of them freeze on the spot.


    In the small courtyard, people were lying all over the ground. The tyrannical Lord Xu in the county town was now standing in front of Chen Zhiyuan like a little chick. He was even beaten so badly that his face was black and blue.


    ¡°Oh my God, isn¡¯t that Lord Xu? How did he get beaten up like this? Brother Zhiyuan, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Wang Xiao¡¯er was the first to regain his senses. He quickly walked up to Chen Zhiyuan and whispered into his ear.


    The other two also followed him with different expressions.


    ¡°Brother Wang, Dali, you guys came back just in time. Just now, I had a friendly negotiation with Lord Xu. Lord Xu felt that he was in the wrong and wrote this IOU. We were discussing how to transport these 10,000 coins back from the town. You guys just happened to¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan chuckled as he waved the IOU that Xu Qingfeng had written in front of the three of them.


    ¡°What! Lord Xu owes you 10,000 coins?¡±


    Wang Xiao¡¯er¡¯s voice increased by eight times. He interrupted Chen Zhiyuan, who was speaking, and jumped up in shock.


    Lord Xu was already beaten to such a state, and he said he had a ¡°friendly negotiation¡± with him. Who was he lying to?


    But that wasn¡¯t the main point. The main issue was 10,000 coins!


    To them, this was an astronomical amount. It was enough for them to eat and drink for the rest of their lives!


    ¡°That¡¯s right! This is a written receipt personally written by Lord Xu. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask him.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan casually pointed at Lord Xu beside him.


    Looking at the three people¡¯s astonished gazes towards him, Xu Qingfeng hurriedly put on a smiling face. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. The three of you, this is indeed a written receipt written by me. I owe Brother Chen 10,000 coins. I¡¯m currently discussing with Brother Chen how to transport this money over.¡±


    The three of them finally believed after Lord Xu personally vouched for him.


    ¡°Now, do you believe me? The three of you are my sworn brothers, and I want you to transport these ten thousand coins back from the town for me. After you return, I¡¯ll split three hundred coins with each of you! Moreover, Lord Xu will be treating you well during these few days when he collects the money. How about it? This business is going to be profitable, right?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan pretended to pat the three of them on the shoulders and glanced at Xu Qingfeng.


    Xu Qingfeng quivered, and he patted his chest and said, ¡°Brother Chen is right. Since you are his brothers, you are also my brothers. After you enter the town, I will definitely provide you with good food and drinks. I am someone with a reputation in the county. You have my word. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Listening to the thousand coin dividend and Lord Xu¡¯s promise, Wang Xiao¡¯er, Chen Dali, and Zhang Laosan exchanged glances and nodded with determination.


    ¡°Okay, Brother Zhiyuan, leave this matter to the three of us. Don¡¯t worry. We will definitely transport the ten thousand coins back from town!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Zhiyuan!¡±


    Wang Xiao¡¯er took the IOU and was full of pride. The other two didn¡¯t want to lag behind either, so they all patted their chests and promised.


    Of course, they had also thought that this trip might be risky, but they were really too poor.


    Three hundred coins were enough for their entire family to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.


    In addition, Lord Xu was indeed a reputable person in town. People like them cared about their reputations. Since he had already promised, and there were so many witnesses, he shouldn¡¯t go back on his word, right?


    Therefore, they wanted to take this gamble.


    Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t notice that the moment Lord Xu lowered his head, a hint of a sinister smile flashed in his eyes.


    ¡°In that case, my three brothers and Lord Xu, take your men and go. I only hurt their arms, not their legs. They are still able to walk.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan said with a laugh.


    The servant who was half dead on the ground just now finally got up and ran out of the courtyard.


    Xu Qingfeng also cupped his fists and turned to leave.


    ¡°Young Master, let me help you to your horse.¡±


    The servant who had managed to escape the disaster quickly came up to help Xu Qingfeng to his horse.


    However, he heard Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s lazy voice coming from the courtyard.


    ¡°Lord Xu, if you have a horse to ride on, wouldn¡¯t my brothers have to run to the county town? How about this, this horse is not bad, I¡¯ll keep it. Let¡¯s make it a hundred coins. You just need to gather another 9,900 coins.¡±


    Hearing this, Xu Qingfeng was instantly stunned. After his expression changed, he got down from the horse that he was climbing up halfway, and he had an apologetic smile on his face. ¡°Haha, what Brother Chen said is right. I was muddle-headed for a moment. How could I ride a horse and let Brother Chen¡¯s three brothers walk? I should walk with them.¡±


    At this moment, his heart was bleeding.


    This was a top-grade horse, Lion Cong, that he had spent 2,800 coins to buy from the grassland. Now, it was being taken away by Chen Zhiyuan at the price of 100 coins. However, he did not dare to refute at this time and could only admit defeat.


    When Wang Xiao¡¯er and the other two heard that Chen Zhiyuan was thinking of them in this way, they were greatly moved.


    ¡°Brother Zhiyuan, we¡¯re leaving too!¡±


    ¡°Take care, brothers! Dali, leave the wine for me. When you go to the county town, Lord Xu will treat you with other kinds of wine that are ten times better. I can only use this osmanthus flower wine to satisfy my craving.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan took two steps forward and greeted Chen Dali, who was holding the wine pot.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Chen Dali passed the wine pot without hesitation, his face full of smiles.


    Today, he had received so many benefits from Brother Zhiyuan, so this jug of wine was nothing.


    Xu Qingfeng, Wang Xiao¡¯er, and the rest gradually left, and the surrounding people of Taoyuan Village also dispersed.


    In the courtyard, only Chen Zhiyuan and Zhu¡¯er were left.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, today, I will personally cook. How about this jug of wine to help you calm down?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan held the jug of wine and waved it in front of Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Hubby, I¡¯m a little worried. I don¡¯t know if I should say it¡­¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er looked at Chen Zhiyuan timidly. There was a trace of worry in her eyes.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, we¡¯re husband and wife. We¡¯re not strangers. What is there that can¡¯t be said between married couples?¡±


    ¡°Hubby, then I¡¯ll say it. Wang Xiao¡¯er and the others might be in danger when they go to the county town this time¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought of that too. That¡¯s why I asked Wang Xiao¡¯er and the others to go on my behalf. With me looking after them from the outside, Xu Qingfeng shouldn¡¯t dare to act rashly, right¡­¡±


    ¡°Hubby, it¡¯s currently the year of a great drought and famine. The year of the disaster is chaotic. The lives of the people in the chaotic world are like grass. Anything can happen. Ten thousand coins are enough for Xu Qingfeng to find a hundred fugitives!¡±


    Listening to Zhu¡¯er¡¯s serious words and her extraordinary insight, Chen Zhiyuan carefully looked at his wife for the first time.


    His lovely wife seemed to be smarter than he imagined.

 Chapter 8

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Of course, Chen Zhiyuan had thought about the possibility of Xu Qingfeng reneging on his promise. However, he was also confident in his current martial strength. He was not afraid of any more people like the Xu family¡¯s servants. However, he had never thought about the possibility of Xu Qingfeng hiring assassins to kill people.


    It was all thanks to Zhu¡¯er¡¯s reminder that he had a deeper understanding of the saying, ¡°the lives of people in the chaotic world are as cheap as grass¡±. It seemed like he had to step up his defenses.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, don¡¯t worry. Trust me. Even if Xu Qingfeng dares to hire people to kill someone, I have a way to deal with it. Today, let¡¯s reward ourselves properly.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan started to comfort Zhu¡¯er.


    He did not want the woman in front of him to bear too much of this burden. These kinds of grudges were enough for him to bear alone.


    ¡°Yes, hubby, I believe in your ability¡­¡±


    Although Li Zhu¡¯er was skeptical, her husband clearly understood her warning to him to be on guard against Xu Qingfeng¡¯s desperate actions.


    Since her husband said so, he must have some confidence, and she wouldn¡¯t say anything more.


    The sky gradually turned dark.


    Chen Zhiyuan fried the tender beef into a steak, then chopped the roast meat into fine meat floss. The couple ate a delicious meal with a pot of osmanthus wine before going to bed.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, I¡¯m coming in.¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­ Please be easy on me, hubby¡­¡±


    It was a sleepless night.


    ¡­


    Qingshui County.


    Xu Residence.


    ¡°That ox cart over there, please get lost. This is not the place for you to come¡­¡±


    The two servants guarding the door watched as the ox cart drove towards the door of the residence. They walked down the steps and were about to chase it away. When they saw the person sitting on the cart clearly, their eyes immediately widened. With snot and tears, they rushed forward to welcome him, and they said, ¡°Hey hey! Young Master! Young Master, how did you become like this? Young Master, you¡¯ve suffered. Boohoo!¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap. Help me in first!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng jumped off the ox cart and limped towards the entrance. He called out to the servants, ¡°Is my father in the manor?¡±


    After leaving Taoyuan Village, they walked a full 30 miles before they saw a small market. They rented an ox-cart and walked for half the night before they arrived at the county town. Since he was young, he had always been riding a horse and a sedan. He had never suffered like this before. It was as if he had fallen apart.


    ¡°Young Master, the master is not in the manor. He said that he would be out on an errand.¡±


    The servants quickly carried Xu Qingfeng on both sides and walked into the manor. Pockmark Wang and the other two naturally followed closely behind.


    Within two steps of entering the manor, a person who looked like a butler came forward to welcome them.


    ¡°Young Master, what happened to you? Men, bring these servants away to treat their injuries. And the three of you¡­ are you the Young Master¡¯s guests?¡±


    The butler ordered the servants efficiently, then looked at the three people in confusion.


    ¡°You must be the butler of the Xu Residence. We¡­ We¡¯re here to collect the debt¡­¡±


    The three of them looked at the magnificent residence, and they were feeling fearful in their hearts. They no longer had the heroic spirit they had when they left, and they smiled cautiously.


    ¡°Collect the debt? Young Master, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    The person who looked like a butler looked at Xu Qingfeng in puzzlement.


    Before Pockmark Wang and the other two could take out the IOU, Xu Qingfeng had already shouted, ¡°Butler Kang, you came at the right time. Send someone to escort these three people into the cellar. Treat them well!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng turned around and glared fiercely at Pockmark Wang and the other two. He even emphasized the words ¡°treat them well¡±.


    When Butler Kang saw his young master¡¯s attitude, he silently signaled to the servants behind him. The servants immediately went forward and brought Pockmark Wang and the others to the backyard.


    ¡°Young Master Xu, Lord Xu, you didn¡¯t say that before you came. Young Master Xu, how can you not keep your word¡­ Lord Xu, please spare our lives¡­¡±


    Pockmark Wang and the other two were shocked. They struggled for a while before crying and begging for mercy.


    ¡°Keep my word? Do you think you are worthy of me keeping my word? Bah!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng cursed angrily as if he had just vented his anger. His expression finally eased up.


    ¡°Young Master, what exactly is going on?¡±


    Butler Kang asked again.


    Xu Qingfeng looked to the sides. Butler Kang immediately backed off and helped Xu Qingfeng into the room.


    ¡°Uncle Kang, you¡¯ve watched me grow up. I, Xu Qingfeng, have never suffered such humiliation in my entire life. Uncle Kang, you have to think of a way to help me vent this anger!¡±


    In the room, Xu Qingfeng sat on the bed in anger and told Butler Kang about what happened in Taoyuan Village.


    ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re also muddle-headed. She¡¯s just a peasant woman. When have you not gotten anything that you wanted? You even got yourself covered in injuries.¡±


    After listening quietly, Butler Kang reprimanded Xu Qingfeng. Then, he took out some ointment and started to apply the medicine on Xu Qingfeng.


    ¡°Uncle Kang, I know I¡¯m wrong this time. I must take revenge on Chen Zhiyuan and snatch Li Zhu¡¯er. I want to ravage her in front of Chen Zhiyuan!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng gritted his teeth. His eyes were filled with hatred.


    ¡°Young Master, your mistake was to leave a weakness for others. You even wrote an IOU. Even if this matter is brought to the government office, you¡¯re still in the wrong. If the master finds out¡­¡±


    ¡°Uncle Kang, it¡¯s too late to say anything now. Don¡¯t keep me in suspense. If you have any ideas, quickly tell me. How can I avoid paying these 10,000 coins, keep this a secret from my father, and also avoid bringing this matter to the government office? And also vent my anger on my behalf!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng sighed and looked at Butler Kang again as if he was asking for help. The hatred in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest.


    ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s not like we don¡¯t have a solution. Since we¡¯re going to take revenge, we¡¯ll take it or leave it. I heard that there¡¯s a Black Wind Mountain eighty miles south of the city. There¡¯s a group of strong men on the mountain who call themselves the Black Wind Army. They often go down the mountain to rob people¡­¡±


    A hint of viciousness flashed in Butler Kang¡¯s eyes as he lowered his voice and looked at Xu Qingfeng.


    Xu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes lit up before they dimmed down again, and he looked at Butler Kang and said, ¡°Uncle Kang, if we want to go to Black Wind Mountain, we¡¯ll have to rely on the people close to the mansion. However, the county town is so far away from Black Wind Mountain. If someone were to see us and expose us, colluding with bandits would be a crime punishable by death¡­¡±


    ¡°Young Master, I only said that there¡¯s a group of Black Wind Army on Black Wind Mountain, but I didn¡¯t say that I¡¯m really going to invite the Black Wind Army to do this job¡­ As long as we find a group of thugs on the black market and let them use the name of the Black Wind Army, then we¡¯ll unknowingly kill that Chen fellow¡­ who can blame us?¡±


    Butler Kang once again reminded Xu Qingfeng tactfully.


    Xu Qingfeng was stunned for a moment. Then his eyes suddenly had a strange expression, and he said with great joy, ¡°This is a good idea! This is a good idea! Uncle Kang, I¡¯ll have to trouble you with this matter of finding people. You must do it without anyone knowing. It doesn¡¯t matter if Chen Zhiyuan lives or not. It¡¯s just that Li Zhu¡¯er has to be alive.¡±


    ¡°Young Master, don¡¯t worry. I know what to do.¡±


    A trace of sadness flashed across Butler Kang¡¯s eyes. Then, he steeled his mind again and left.


    This young master of his was good in everything, but it was unknown when he would be able to stop being lecherous. Since he could not change it, he had the responsibility to help him change.


    Since ancient times, beauties were full of trouble!


    Miss Li, if you had to blame someone, you can only blame your bad luck!


    Walking out of the courtyard, Butler Kang immediately called over a servant and whispered a few words.


    Not long after, a man dressed in ordinary people¡¯s clothing walked out of the Xu Residence¡¯s main gate. After looking left and right, he disappeared into the crowd.

 Chapter 9

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    At night, Chen Zhiyuan entered the space and put the harvested potatoes into the storage room. After planting the new crop, he brought back a few and secretly placed them under the bed. When he realized that Zhu¡¯er, who was sleeping soundly, was not disturbed, he carefully went to bed.


    This girl was still too thin and weak. Perhaps it was because she had been malnourished for a long time. After the battle last night, she went to bed very early today.


    But from now on, she didn¡¯t have to worry about food. Tomorrow, she could even have a meal of stewed beef with potatoes. In a few months, she would be able to gain some weight.


    ¡°Ka-cha!¡±


    A soft sound came from outside the room, immediately alerting Chen Zhiyuan.


    Chen Zhiyuan quietly got out of bed, picked up the butcher knife by the bedside, and leaned against the door to listen for a moment. Then, he pushed the door open and left the room.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to hide it anymore. Let¡¯s speak frankly. Did Xu Qingfeng send you here?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan asked in a deep voice.


    No one outside the house answered. More than a dozen figures sneaked up under the moonlight and surrounded Chen Zhiyuan in the courtyard.


    ¡°Humph! A bunch of people acting sneakily. Do you think I won¡¯t know if you don¡¯t tell me?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan held the butcher knife tightly and stepped forward. He slashed at the chest of a robber who had just climbed over the fence on the left side of the courtyard. The man grunted and fell to the ground.


    ¡°Brothers, this is tricky! Everyone, be careful!¡±


    Seeing that Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s attack was fast and ruthless and that his attack had killed a person, some bandits began to remind everyone.


    When the rest of the bandits saw that their brother had fallen, they no longer held back. They drew their weapons and slashed at Chen Zhiyuan one after another.


    Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s breath sank into his sea of qi. The knife in his hand knocked away a long sword with a single slash. The slash turned into a cleave and cut through a bandit¡¯s abdomen.


    In an instant, red and black splattered all over the ground.


    ¡°Ahhhhh! Help! It hurts so much!¡±


    The bandit, who was still conscious and knew that his intestines were leaking out, cried out in pain.


    ¡°Woof, woof, woof! Woof, woof, woof!¡±


    The only two dogs left in Taoyuan Village also began to bark wildly. Every household began to light up its pine branches.


    ¡°We are the good men of Black Wind Mountain. Today, we have some enmity with this fellow. Those who don¡¯t want to die, stay at home and don¡¯t come out! Brothers, let¡¯s attack together and chop him to death!¡±


    The leader of the bandits shouted at the village and waved his knife forward. More than a dozen bandits rushed towards Chen Zhiyuan together.


    Inside the inner room.


    Li Zhu¡¯er, who had awoken in shock, heard the movement outside the house. She pushed open the door and smelled the stench of blood. The smell was so strong that her hands and feet were about to go soft. However, she still endured the discomfort in her stomach, and she shouted, ¡°Someone! There¡¯s a murder! A bandit has entered the village and killed someone!¡±


    Seeing that everyone in the village had been startled awake, Chen Zhiyuan no longer had any scruples. He swung his butcher knife up and down, and wherever he went, broken limbs flew in the air.


    When the other bandits saw that they were no match for him, some of them immediately retreated and began to flee.


    They were originally a group of mobs. Seeing that some of their companions had fled, the rest of the people were unwilling to lag behind and scattered like birds and beasts.


    No matter how much money the boss had given them, they had to be alive to spend it. If they had lost their lives, why would they need money?


    Chen Zhiyuan rushed a few steps forward, his two arms clamped around the necks of the two people who had escaped. He asked loudly, ¡°Speak, who sent you here?¡±


    ¡°Please spare our lives, please spare our lives. We have taken money from the Xu Residence. They made us say that we are the strong men from Black Wind Mountain, and we have come to take the lives of Chen Zhiyuan and his wife.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes. We have taken money from the Xu Residence and acted like bandits from Black Wind Mountain. Please spare our lives. I have an 80-year-old mother and a three-year-old son.¡±


    The two bandits nodded their heads and begged for mercy.


    When Chen Zhiyuan heard the truth, he asked Zhu¡¯er to throw two straw ropes from the house. He tied the two bandits back to back and threw them on the ground, and he shouted, ¡°Villagers, don¡¯t panic. The thieves on Black Wind Mountain have already been beaten up and chased away by me. There are still a few who have been knocked down by me. If you have the guts, follow me to carry the bodies to the county office to collect the reward money! Whoever carries the bodies will get the reward money. I won¡¯t take a single cent!¡±


    After hearing the last sentence, a few men with hoes and shoulder poles came over with torches in their hands.


    Seeing Chen Zhiyuan standing in the courtyard like a god of war, surrounded by broken arms and corpses, they mustered up their courage and entered the courtyard. They called for the other villagers to bring over straw mats, bed boards, and other items to collect the corpses and weapons of these bandits.


    Good heavens! These were all rewards!


    The more disastrous the year was, the stricter the imperial court would be with the bandits. For the bandits that were still alive, the reward would be doubled, while the reward for dead bandits remained the same.


    Having these copper coins was enough to buy a few bags of rice for the family, and two bolts of cloth could make clothes for the wife and children.


    For these benefits, they had to put aside their disgust towards these awful and bloody things first.


    Just as the villagers were fervently moving the corpses and picking up weapons, Chen Zhiyuan suddenly felt someone tugging at the corner of his clothes.


    Chen Zhiyuan turned his head and saw that it was the pale-faced Li Zhu¡¯er.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, you must be scared. Just hide in the house and don¡¯t come out.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan quickly comforted her.


    ¡°Hubby! I¡¯m not afraid of this, but are you really going to send them to the county office?¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er shook her head and looked at Chen Zhiyuan worriedly.


    ¡°Of course! Zhu¡¯er, it¡¯s all thanks to you that I was prepared. These thieves sent by Xu Qingfeng didn¡¯t succeed. It seems that he really intends to go back on his word and silence people. I¡¯m sure Pockmark Wang and the others won¡¯t be able to get away with this either. After all, I was the one who instructed them to go. I have to care about their lives. Besides, I certainly won¡¯t let Xu Qingfeng off!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan clenched his fists tightly.


    Although the three of them had cheated him many times, they didn¡¯t deserve to die. If the three of them died because of this, he would feel a little guilty.


    ¡°Hubby, I know that you are very capable, but the Xu family is rich. The county magistrate of Qingshui County is also a corrupt official who doesn¡¯t care about anything else except money. If Xu Qingfeng bribed the county office first, I¡¯m worried that you would be framed by the Xu family instead¡­¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er said nervously. Because she was worried about Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s safety, she even insulted the county magistrate.


    If the county magistrate of Qingshui County only cared about money and nothing else, that would be great!


    Chen Zhiyuan frowned, and then laughed out loud. He hugged Zhu¡¯er and kissed her fiercely. ¡°Zhu¡¯er, I¡¯ve thought of a way to bring down the Xu family. You¡¯re really my lucky wife! You take a rest first. I¡¯ll be back soon!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan laughed out loud and walked out of the courtyard.


    ¡°Elder Liu! Elder Liu! Please lend me your pen and paper again. I want to write a report! When I come back from the county town, I¡¯ll definitely bring a stack of good rice paper for you!¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a blessing or a curse for our Taoyuan Village to have a descendant of the Chen family like you. It¡¯s only been a few days, and someone has died. What¡¯s the use of rice paper? You can¡¯t eat it. If you can bring back more food, I¡¯ll burn incense for you! I¡¯ll go back and get it for you!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, whether it¡¯s a blessing or a curse, you can¡¯t hide from it. Elder, I might even be able to get an official position when I enter the town this time. I¡¯ll make sure that no one in our Taoyuan Village will starve to death!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll burn incense for you personally!¡±


    The voices of an old man and a young man, accompanied by the day breaking, ushered in a new day for Taoyuan Village.

 Chapter 10

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Since ancient times, during the year of the great calamity, the people were the focus of the imperial court. Once the people ran out of food, they would either flee in groups and become refugees, or they would go up the mountain and work for the bandits.


    If there were too many bandits and people with evil intentions who wanted to incite them, a great calamity would inevitably occur. The bandits who had weapons in their hands and killed people without batting an eyelid would rebel, and a group of people with hoes and wooden sticks would cause trouble. These were two different concepts.


    Therefore, the imperial court would crack down on bandits even more during the year of the disaster. Usually, the small bandits who were only locked up for a few months would be sentenced to death after autumn. First, it was to maintain regional security. Second, it was to kill a chicken for the monkeys to see. It was to warn the people not to go against the imperial court.


    Chen Zhiyuan knew this clearly.


    He believed that as long as the county magistrate was not a fool, the reported achievements of capturing two bandits from the Black Wind Mountain alive and killing six bandits would at least be above average for this year¡¯s county magistrate assessment.


    If he could take this opportunity to make a large sum of money, even a fool would be tempted.


    With this thought in mind, Chen Zhiyuan wrote like a god, and a sheet of complaints was written.


    ¡°This county¡¯s wealthy businessman, Xu Qingfeng, is rich and heartless. He forcefully tried to snatch a woman. He has long had the intention of disobeying and disrespecting the emperor, secretly storing death warriors, and colluding with the bandits of Black Wind Mountain. On the 7th of this month, he invited the bandits to raid Taoyuan Village. Thanks to the county magistrate¡¯s sharp observation, he ordered the villager from Taoyuan Village, Chen Zhiyuan, and the bailiffs of the government office to ambush them in advance. When the bandits entered the village, they led the soldiers and killed one person. The morale of the army was greatly boosted, and the villager and bailiffs followed closely behind. All the bandits were shocked, and they fled in defeat. This battle included capturing two of the bandits¡¯ leaders alive, and killing six lackeys¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan put down his brush and ink, blew dry the paper, and was greatly satisfied.


    With this ironclad evidence, and if he performed properly in the county office hall, the Xu family would be finished.


    ¡°Villagers, bring the bandits that we killed with you. You must rush to the county office by today and receive the reward from the county magistrate, Master Qingtian!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan shouted again, and the villagers of Taoyuan Village lifted the corpses on the straw mats and rushed to the county office with the two bandits in tow.


    In the evening, a group of people finally arrived at the county town. When they saw so many straw mats, the surrounding people immediately gathered around them. The bailiffs guarding the door thought that someone from some other village had starved to death, and they wanted to come to the county office to cause trouble. Hence, they quickly came up to drive the crowd away.


    When they heard Chen Zhiyuan say, ¡°These are the bandits of Black Wind Mountain who were killed by the county magistrate¡¯s men, and they specially came to let the county magistrate examine their bodies.¡± In an instant, one of them shouted and ran to the county office, while the other immediately opened the way to lead Chen Zhiyuan and the others in.


    Qingshui County Office.


    Back hall.


    County Magistrate Liu Qingshan was sitting at the dining table, hugging his newly accepted concubine and flirting with her. The concubine was holding a wine jug in her left hand and a wine glass in her right hand as she was feeding wine to Liu Qingshan¡¯s mouth.


    Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the door.


    ¡°County Magistrate, County Magistrate, something big has happened! That Black Wind Mountain¡­ There are bandits on Black Wind Mountain who have gone down the mountain¡­¡±


    The person did not even greet him and fell with his face down.


    The concubine who was feeding the wine was so scared that she poured a cup of good wine into Liu Qingshan¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Cough cough cough! Adviser Tang! What did you say? The bandits on the Black Wind Mountain have come down from the mountain? They are coming to the county town? Quick! Quick! Quickly gather the bailiffs and the militia to go up the city wall to defend the city!¡±


    Liu Qingshan did not have time to wipe the wine. He suddenly got up and threw the concubine onto the ground. He picked up Adviser Tang¡¯s collar and hurriedly said.


    ¡°Cough cough! County Magistrate, don¡¯t be anxious. I haven¡¯t finished speaking. The bandits on Black Wind Mountain have gone down the mountain, but they were killed by your men¡­¡±


    Adviser Tang got up, cleared his throat, and continued.


    ¡°I sent people to kill the bandits who came down from Black Wind Mountain¡­ Wait¡­ When did I send people¡­ What kind of nonsense is this!¡±


    Hearing that the bandits were not attacking the town, Liu Qingshan felt relieved again. Then, he scratched his head and became confused.


    ¡°Yes, County Magistrate, you didn¡¯t send people to kill the bandits, but the guards reported it like this. The leader is called Chen Zhiyuan, and he is coming to the county office with the corpses of the bandits.¡±


    Adviser Tang finally finished his words, and he was also confused.


    ¡°Heading to the county office?¡±


    Liu Qingshan quivered and quickly ordered his concubine, who was still rubbing her buttocks, ¡°Quick, change my clothes for me. I¡¯m going to the court!¡±


    The angry concubine didn¡¯t dare to say anything. She hurriedly pulled out Liu Qingshan¡¯s official uniform and put it on for him.


    ¡­


    ¡°Mighty!¡±


    ¡°Cough! Who came to the court? What is the matter?¡±


    Qingshui County Magistrate Liu Qingshan opened the court overnight and looked at Chen Zhiyuan and the others who came in and asked.


    At this time, there was already a crowd outside the county office.


    ¡°I am Chen Zhiyuan, a commoner. I am here to report the good news to Master Qingtian. This is my written complaint. Master Qingtian will know at a glance.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan told the villagers to put down the corpses and weapons of the bandits and handed the written complaint to him.


    Liu Qingshan opened the written complaint, and his eyes grew brighter and brighter. He put down the paper and looked at Chen Zhiyuan with admiration, and he hit the gavel. ¡°Men, ask those two bandits who they are and how many bandits there are on Black Wind Mountain!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Four bailiffs stepped forward and held the heads of the two bandits with the fire sticks in their hands. They shouted, ¡°Why don¡¯t you reply to the county magistrate honestly!¡±


    ¡°Master Qingtian, we were wronged. I am not a bandit on the Black Wind Mountain. My name is Li Chuang, and I have great strength. Because I owed three strings of coins in Lord Xu¡¯s gambling house, someone from the Xu Residence came to me yesterday and told me that I and a dozen other bandits shall claim that we are from the Black Wind Mountain, and we will go to Taoyuan Village to kill a man named Chen Zhiyuan and his wife. Not only did they help me to clear my debt, but also gave me ten strings of coins. I am really not a bandit. Master Qingtian, please spare my life!¡±


    One of the two captives shouted that he was wronged, while the other only cared about kowtowing for mercy.


    When Liu Qingshan heard that it was just a disguise sent by the Xu Residence, the joy on his face immediately disappeared, and he glanced at Chen Zhiyuan again.


    Chen Zhiyuan was already prepared. He took two steps forward and pointed at the two people on the ground. ¡°Impudent! How dare you spout nonsense in court! When you reported your name last night, you were still called Li Chuang, nicknamed Soul Chasing Saber. You¡¯re the third brother on Black Wind Mountain. And Zhao Da next to you with the nickname Grass Flier is the sixth brother. You said that as long as you have the people on Black Wind Mountain and with the Xu family¡¯s wealth, it¡¯s enough to pull up an army. One day, you¡¯ll charge into the capital and make your elder brother the emperor, and the Xu family¡¯s elder brother the prince, and bestow all of you as the great generals¡­¡±


    ¡°Bullsh*t! When did I ever call myself Soul Chasing Saber? Master Qingtian, please help us!¡±


    Li Chuang¡¯s face turned green with fear when he heard Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s words. He quickly begged for mercy again.


    Chen Zhiyuan immediately cupped his fists and stepped forward. ¡°Master Qingtian, this person still dares to shout in court and disrespect you. He even dared to say that he was not the leader of the bandits. Luckily, Master Qingtian, you were very observant and had laid an ambush in advance. First, you defeated the enemy¡¯s vanguard, then you raided the Xu Residence and seized the wealth of the Xu family. Otherwise, if they really joined forces, it would be a huge mess¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan had already understood the county magistrate¡¯s mentality. The county magistrate¡¯s first goal was political achievements, and the second goal was money. It was impossible for him, Liu Qingshan, not to want this wave of good fortune!

 Chapter 11

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As expected, with Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s words, Liu Qingshan¡¯s eyes, which had just narrowed, sparkle more and more at this moment. He slammed down the gavel in his hand once again. ¡°How dare Li Chuang, nicknamed Soul Chasing Saber, went up the mountain to be a bandit. You harmed the villagers, roared in court, and were disrespectful. If I didn¡¯t investigate thoroughly, wouldn¡¯t you have succeeded? Give him eighty strokes and hit him hard! I want to see whether he will confess or not!¡±


    A command arrow was thrown from the table of the county magistrate.


    The bailiffs on the left and right immediately understood what the county magistrate meant. The fire sticks in their hands hit the flesh. They hit him with eighty strokes without stopping.


    Only then did a bailiff lower his body to check the breath of the two people. He stood up and reported, ¡°Reporting to the County Magistrate. These two people didn¡¯t resist and died.¡±


    ¡°Those two are just traitors. They deserve to die!¡±


    Liu Qingshan snorted coldly and turned his head to look at Adviser Tang.


    Adviser Tang had long understood. He took out two sheets of paper that had just been written and came down to the hall. He grabbed the two dead men¡¯s fingers and signed them.


    The other few scribes in the hall looked at each other and secretly lowered their heads.


    ¡°County Magistrate, I have another matter.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan took the opportunity to step forward. The county magistrate had already settled the matter to such an extent that there was no room for maneuver. It was time for him to make his move.


    ¡°Oh? Is there anything else, Patriot Chen?¡±


    Liu Qingshan was especially friendly to the people at the moment. He asked Chen Zhiyuan with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Reporting to the County Magistrate, Xu Qingfeng, the young master of the Xu family, still owes me five thousand copper coins. Since you are going to search and confiscate the Xu family, can you allow me to retrieve these five thousand copper coins? This is the written receipt that Xu Qingfeng has written. Please take a look at it, County Magistrate.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan immediately took out the IOU. Adviser Tang stood up and received it before transferring it to the county magistrate¡¯s table.


    Liu Qingshan glanced at the IOU. The words ¡°10,000 coins¡± were very clear. A strange look flashed across his eyes as he looked up at Chen Zhiyuan. ¡°5,000?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lord. It¡¯s exactly 5,000. If you hadn¡¯t lent me 5,000 coins in advance to buy weapons and sent someone to inform me, My wife and I would have lost our lives. How would I be able to demand 5,000 coins from Xu Qingfeng?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan stepped forward silently and bowed with a smile.


    ¡°Mm, not bad!¡±


    ¡°This guy has great foresight!¡±


    Liu Qingshan was full of smiles. He turned to look at Adviser Tang and said, ¡°Adviser, since the Xu family owes Patriot Chen five thousand coins, it¡¯s only right to return it to him. He¡¯s just a commoner. It¡¯s not right for him to follow the government to search and seize the family. I see that Patriot Chen is loyal and brave. He¡¯s a promising talent. What other positions are there in the government office that could allow Patriot Chen to take on for a short while?¡±


    ¡°My Lord. The bailiffs in squad three have reported sick and returned home. There is no candidate yet. Patriot Chen is quite capable. He is more than enough to be a temporary constable.¡±


    Adviser Tang stood up and reported.


    ¡°In that case, Chen Zhiyuan, you will be the temporary constable of squad three. You will lead fifteen of the main bailiffs and thirty helpers of my squad. You will be allowed to bring your weapons to raid the Xu Residence and retrieve your five thousand coins. The rest will be brought back to me, and not a single cent less. I want to report this to the imperial court. If you do well, I will personally ask the high-ranking official for your merit and let your position become official!¡±


    Liu Qingshan looked at Chen Zhiyuan and smiled.


    ¡°I, Commoner Chen Zhiyuan, thank you, my Lord! Don¡¯t worry, my Lord. I will not let you down.¡± Chen Zhiyuan responded while cupping his fists.


    ¡°Okay, go! Remember, you are now an official. Next time, remember your title. Don¡¯t call yourself a commoner,¡± Liu Qingshan reminded him.


    ¡°Yes, thank you, my Lord!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan quickly thanked him.


    Liu Qingshan was overjoyed and immediately called the squad three bailiffs. He asked them to bring their helpers and follow Chen Zhiyuan to raid the Xu Residence.


    ¡°We pay our respects to Constable Chen.¡±


    ¡°Greetings, Constable Chen!¡±


    Upon hearing the county magistrate¡¯s order, the bailiffs in squad three who were most likely to be the constable, came over to pay their respects to Chen Zhiyuan. Their tone was not good, but since the county magistrate had given the order, it could not be considered bad.


    Chen Zhiyuan did not mind. After all, he appeared out of nowhere and snatched other people¡¯s positions. It was normal for them to have a few complaints. After receiving the document to search and confiscate the family, he led everyone out of the office.


    After walking for a few miles, he called all the bailiffs together.


    ¡°Brothers, I know that the constable position in squad three should have been yours. In the end, the county magistrate let me take over this position temporarily. I also know that some of you have grudges, but for this matter, you must do your best!¡±


    ¡°We do not dare. Constable Chen, you were appointed by the county magistrate himself, and you have killed so many bandits. Naturally, we are convinced. Don¡¯t worry, we will not dare to slack off!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Constable Chen, we will listen to your orders!¡±


    Seeing that Chen Zhiyuan did not hide anything and directly opened up, the bailiffs also expressed their stance.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I, Chen Zhiyuan, have just arrived, and I¡¯m not familiar with everyone. But there¡¯s one thing good about me. I have never mistreated my brothers!¡±


    ¡°Although the county magistrate said that he wants every single cent to be brought back from the Xu family during this raid, I can¡¯t let everyone go on this trip for nothing. You should follow what you normally do. Also, I will take out 1,000 of the 5,000 coins that the Xu family owes me and share them with all of you. I hope that everyone will not let the cat out of the bag and let the county magistrate think that I am trying to bribe you.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan lowered his voice slightly and swept his gaze over the faces of everyone present.


    For this raid, he would be going after Xu Qingfeng¡¯s life. Since he wasn¡¯t familiar with these people, he had to give them some benefits if he wanted them to sacrifice their lives for him.


    Since he had the system in hand, these one thousand coins weren¡¯t very important to him, but it would be worth it to buy the hearts of the people sooner or later.


    All the bailiffs were shocked when they heard this.


    This new constable not only knew their methods very well, but he also took out his own money to share with them. Moreover, it was such a large sum of money!


    How could they not be convinced?


    ¡°Constable Chen, don¡¯t worry. We will definitely not let the cat out of the bag. From now on, we will follow your orders. Whoever dares to disobey or reveal anything, I will personally scratch him!¡±


    One of the bailiffs bowed and acknowledged. Then, he glared fiercely at everyone.


    ¡°Brother Wang is right. From now on, we will listen to Constable Chen!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Constable Chen, just let us know what you want us to do. We will not hesitate!¡±


    The other bailiffs also expressed their stances one after another. They rubbed their fists and were ready to go all out.


    ¡°Alright! Brothers, with your words, I am relieved. The young master of the Xu family, Xu Qingfeng, colluded with the Black Wind Mountain rebels. The county magistrate said that he only wanted the money. He did not say what he would do to the Xu family¡¯s elders and children. Brothers, remember, I want Xu Qingfeng¡¯s life! Everyone in the Xu Residence with the surname Xu already knew what was going on. Not a single one of them will be spared! As for the rest of the servants, let them go if you can. We will only kill the rebels. Don¡¯t kill too many of them, so that we can accumulate some virtue for our children and grandchildren.¡±


    Seeing that the morale of the army could be used, Chen Zhiyuan could be considered to have given an official order.


    ¡°Constable Chen, don¡¯t worry! We understand now. We will only kill the rebels with the surname Xu! Not a single one will be spared!¡±


    All the bailiffs cupped their fists and answered the order in unison.

 Chapter 12

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Xu Residence.


    Xu Qingfeng was lying on the bed drinking a little wine, fantasizing about his subordinates bringing Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s head and Miss Li over.


    ¡°Creak!¡±


    The door opened. Someone walked in but didn¡¯t report it.


    Xu Qingfeng hurriedly raised his head and saw Butler Kang walking over in a hurry with a serious expression.


    ¡°Uncle Kang, what¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡±


    When Xu Qingfeng saw Butler Kang¡¯s serious expression, an ominous feeling arose in his heart, and he hurriedly asked.


    ¡°Young Master, Kang Nian did not come back. Moreover, I just heard from the servants that a person named Chen Zhiyuan carried a few corpses to the county office in the evening.¡±


    Butler Kang¡¯s face was gloomy, and his eyes were full of worry.


    Kang Nian was his son. Only by sending such a person could he be completely at ease. But now that his son didn¡¯t come back, the person with the same name as the one the young master wanted to kill had swaggered into the city. His son might have already met his doom.


    ¡°What! Uncle Kang, how could you send Xiao Nian? That¡¯s so dangerous. That bastard Chen Zhiyuan is really lucky. Xiao Nian couldn¡¯t even kill him! Hey!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng sat up and sighed angrily. He heavily hammered his own leg.


    ¡°Young Master, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. I¡¯ve already sent people to the county office to investigate. Heaven helps the worthy. Xiao Nian should be fine. I¡¯m only here to report to you. I¡¯ll be leaving first¡­¡±


    Butler Kang said this as if he was comforting himself. He was just about to turn around and leave.


    Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the courtyard.


    Following that were the panicked screams of the servants of the Xu Residence.


    ¡°Under the orders of the county magistrate, we are here to arrest the rebel Xu Qingfeng. Everyone with the surname Xu is wanted. The rest of you are not allowed to leave the residence. After the officials verify your identity, you will be allowed to leave!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    In front of the main entrance of the Xu Residence, Chen Zhiyuan held an official document in his hand and read it out loud.


    The officials on both sides continuously rushed in to receive the orders. The entire Xu Residence was already in a mess.


    Although the Xu Residence had many domestic servants and usually dared to punch and kick the commoners, when they faced the officials, they were like rats meeting a cat. After all, attacking the officials was equivalent to going against the imperial court directly. It was no different from rebelling. At this moment, there were already a bunch of people squatting in front of the main entrance of the courtyard residence.


    ¡°It¡¯s Chen Zhiyuan! He actually brought the officials to the Xu Residence! And I even became a rebel! This damned county magistrate! What about Military Governor Zhao? I usually gave him so much money, but now I can¡¯t even get a message out! I¡¯m going to fight Chen Zhiyuan to death!¡±


    When Xu Qingfeng heard Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s voice in the room, his lungs were about to explode. He immediately jumped off the bed, wanting to fight Chen Zhiyuan to death without even putting on his shoes.


    Butler Kang hurriedly pulled him back and advised him, ¡°Young Master, you can¡¯t go. Chen Zhiyuan came with an official order. If you go and look for him now, won¡¯t you be walking into a trap?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Kang, then what do you think I should do? I don¡¯t know what method Chen Zhiyuan used to actually persuade that pig-headed county magistrate!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng¡¯s feverish head instantly became clear after being pulled. He asked Butler Kang with a crying face and a sobbing tone.


    Chen Zhiyuan had already made it clear what would happen to the rebels if they came to capture Xu Qingfeng. Other than those who succeeded in changing the dynasty, the rest would die.


    It was obvious that the Xu family did not have the ability to change the dynasty.


    ¡°Young Master, as long as you¡¯re still alive, you still have hope. I¡¯ll protect you to the back door.¡±


    Butler Kang composed himself and made a decision immediately.


    He had been the Xu family¡¯s butler all his life and had watched Xu Qingfeng grow up. He had feelings for the Xu family and could not bear to see the only child of the Xu family die here.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take some money and leave!¡±


    ¡°Young Master, what¡¯s the point of bringing money at a time like this? Just put on your shoes and leave.¡±


    Butler Kang grabbed Xu Qingfeng, who was about to rummage through the house and dragged him out of the room and into the backyard.


    Just as they reached the backyard, an old man walked up to them with a walking stick and questioned Xu Qingfeng angrily, ¡°Feng¡¯er, what kind of sin have you committed? How did the Xu family become a rebel!¡±


    ¡°Father! I didn¡¯t rebel! It was Chen who framed me. That pig county magistrate has completely forgotten the benefits we gave him. He¡¯s really not a good person. Father, I¡¯ll go out and hide for a while.¡±


    Xu Qingfeng hurriedly said as he walked straight to the back door.


    ¡°Shut up! How dare you insult the county magistrate, you unfilial son! Come, follow me to explain to the county magistrate! Otherwise, don¡¯t call me father!¡±


    Old Master Xu stopped Xu Qingfeng and pulled him to the front yard.


    ¡°Father! I¡¯m already labeled as a rebel, so how am I going to explain? Chen had blocked the front door, and he wants my life. Who am I going to explain to? Father, let me go and hide first!¡±


    In his panic, Xu Qingfeng suddenly shook off his father¡¯s hand.


    Old Master Xu could not stand straight and fell to the side. Coincidentally, he bumped into the rockery, and immediately, his face was covered in blood.


    ¡°Father!¡±


    ¡°Old Master!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng and Butler Kang were shocked and quickly went forward to check. Unfortunately, Old Master Xu was already old, and his breathing was shallow.


    ¡°Young Master, you run first. Let me take care of the Old Master.¡±


    Butler Kang carried Old Master Xu and said to Xu Qingfeng again.


    Xu Qingfeng gritted his teeth. After looking at his father for a while, he ran toward the back door again.


    Finally, he reached the back door.


    Just as he opened the door, he saw a big man dressed in a bailiff uniform and two bailiffs surrounding him.


    ¡°Yo! Lord Xu, where are you going in such a hurry?¡±


    The burly man held the hilt of his knife and walked forward step by step, grinning as he asked Xu Qingfeng.


    ¡°Chief Wang, Chief Chen was right. This kid really tried to escape through the back door. It¡¯s not a waste of our efforts to stop him.¡±


    The two helpers held the metal locks and sized up Xu Qingfeng with the same mischievous smile.


    When Xu Qingfeng heard the words ¡°Chief Chen¡±, he immediately became furious. He stared at the three of them and asked, ¡°Is Chen Zhiyuan Chief Chen that you mentioned?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The new chief¡¯s surname is Chen, and his name is Zhiyuan. Lord Xu, you guessed it accurately!¡±


    Bailiff Wang was still smiling.


    ¡°Bailiff Wang, how could Chen become the chief the moment he arrived, and he even stole your position?¡±


    Xu Qingfeng calmed down instead. He did not forget to sow discord.


    ¡°Naturally, the county magistrate values him. Also, Chief Chen is generous and treats us as brothers.¡±


    Bailiff Wang answered quickly.


    ¡°How could a person who lives in a thatched cottage be generous? Would he be so loyal to treat you as a brother when he¡¯s a newcomer?¡±


    Xu Qingfeng sneered and stared at Bailiff Wang.


    ¡°I, Chen Zhiyuan, live in a thatched cottage. But Lord Xu, you are generous. You gave me 10,000 coins, and I gave the county magistrate 5,000 coins. So today, I can bring people to raid your house. There are still 5,000 coins left. I will give another 1,000 coins to my brothers. It¡¯s not a big deal, but at least it¡¯s more generous than you buying a life with 10,000 coins.¡±


    ¡°In addition, I, Chen Zhiyuan, don¡¯t dare to say that I¡¯m loyal or anything, but I dare to swear in front of the entire world that if someone treats me as a brother, I will treat him as a brother for the rest of my life. As long as I have something good, I will benefit them as well. If I go against my words, I will be struck by lightning!¡±


    ¡°How is it? Is it enough, Lord Xu? You¡¯re the scum who went back on your words and forced your own father to death. Do you think you¡¯re qualified to judge me?¡±


    A faint voice came from behind.


    Xu Qingfeng felt cold sweat all over his body, and the strength under his feet slowly faded away.


    ¡°Greetings, Chief Chen!¡±


    Bailiff Wang and the two helpers saluted one after another. After hearing Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s words, they were even more excited. They felt that they had followed the right person.


    ¡°Brother Wang, you have worked hard. Leave the rest to me. You can go to the front yard and do your work,¡± Chen Zhiyuan replied with a smile.

 Chapter 13

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Bailiff Wang left with his men, and only Chen Zhiyuan and Xu Qingfeng were left at the back door of the Xu Residence.


    ¡°Chen¡­ Chen Zhiyuan, Brother Chen, since things have come to this point, can you spare my life? I don¡¯t want all this wealth anymore, I only beg you to spare my life¡­ I really don¡¯t want to die¡­¡±


    Xu Qingfeng knelt down on the ground with a plop. Tears and snot flowed out of his eyes and nose as he hugged Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s leg and cried bitterly.


    Even an ant could survive, let alone a human.


    He couldn¡¯t beat him in a fight. Now, he could only see if Chen Zhiyuan could show mercy.


    The disdain in Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes became even stronger when he saw Xu Qingfeng kneel and beg for mercy without any backbone. He closed the back door of the Xu family, and he said, ¡°Lord Xu, you have committed the crime of colluding with a rebel, and it is a major crime of rebellion. Who would dare to spare your life?¡±


    Hearing that there was no hope of begging for mercy, Xu Qingfeng suddenly stood up. The anger in his eyes grew even more intense. He pointed at Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s nose and cursed, ¡°Chen Zhiyuan! You are clearly slandering and framing me for such a crime of rebellion. I am a well-to-do young master of a wealthy family. Why would I commit a rebellion? You have a vicious heart, and you directly threw my Xu family into a place of eternal damnation!¡±


    ¡°Well said! Lord Xu, this is the you that I want to see!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan was so angry that he laughed. He stared coldly at Xu Qingfeng and said, ¡°Speaking of being vicious, how can I, Chen Zhiyuan, compare to you, Lord Xu? We have no enmity from the beginning. Just because you took a fancy to my wife, you wanted to kill me. I originally thought that it would be better for you to settle the matter by paying money. In the end, you sent over a dozen assassins the next day. If it wasn¡¯t for my amazing kung fu, I¡¯m afraid you would be standing on my grave laughing out loud today.¡±


    Every word that Chen Zhiyuan said was like a heavy punch that smashed into Xu Qingfeng¡¯s heart.


    Xu Qingfeng was silent. His face gradually turned from white to red. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t. Finally, it turned into an angry roar, ¡°Chen Zhiyuan, I will fight you to death today, and we will perish together! Give me your life!¡±


    After saying that, he clenched his fists and punched directly at Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s face.


    Chen Zhiyuan took a step back and dodged a punch. He waved his hand to meet it.


    Xu Qingfeng had been practicing martial arts since he was a child, and he was taught by a famous kung fu master. Although he did not persevere when he was learning, he still had some ability even after so many years. In addition to the momentum of risking his life at this moment, in just a few moves, he had fought back and forth with Chen Zhiyuan.


    Chen Zhiyuan blocked every move, but he only knew the butcher¡¯s knife skill that the system had given him. When it came to fists techniques, he really hadn¡¯t learned them properly. With his current physique and quick reflexes, he could quickly learn Xu Qingfeng¡¯s kung fu for his own use.


    Finally, after the two of them exchanged dozens of moves, Chen Zhiyuan felt that he had no more moves to learn from Xu Qingfeng. He immediately used the Leaning on the Iron Mountain move that Xu Qingfeng had just used, and he gave Xu Qingfeng a bear hug and threw him to the ground.


    ¡°This¡­ This is obviously my kung fu. How can you use it better than me!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng fell to the ground and looked at Chen Zhiyuan in disbelief. His eyes were full of fear and surprise.


    Chen Zhiyuan said with a smile, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because you taught me well, Lord Xu. Thinking about it, you are really generous. First, you gave me money and captives so that I have a reason to raid your house. Even when you¡¯re about to die, you didn¡¯t forget to teach me kung fu. Don¡¯t worry, I will use the wealth of the Xu family to be a constable¡­ Sigh, Lord Xu, why is your mouth bleeding?¡±


    ¡°Pfft! Chen Zhiyuan, you!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng finally could not hold it in anymore. He spat out a mouthful of blood. His eyes were red as he glared at Chen Zhiyuan.


    ¡°Lord Xu, don¡¯t be so angry. Anger hurts the liver. I¡¯m not finished yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Chen Zhiyuan! I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±


    Xu Qingfeng struggled to get up and used all his strength to pounce on Chen Zhiyuan.


    However, Chen Zhiyuan no longer had the mood to play cat and mouse. He pulled out the butcher¡¯s knife from his waist and directly cut Xu Qingfeng¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Grrr¡­¡±


    Xu Qingfeng held his neck and fell down with eyes full of unwillingness. There was no trace of life left in him.


    Chen Zhiyuan casually wiped the butcher¡¯s knife on Xu Qingfeng¡¯s satin clothes and returned the knife to its sheath.


    ¡°Constable, the Xu family members, and servants have been accounted for. Do you want to go over and take a look? We also found a few large cellars with countless gold, silver, and jewelry. The brothers are guarding them well and waiting to count. Oh right, we also saved three men from inside. The leader said that his name is Wang Er.¡±


    Right at this moment, a bailiff hurriedly walked over and reported to Chen Zhiyuan.


    Looking at Xu Qingfeng¡¯s unreconciled body on the ground, he couldn¡¯t help but feel apprehensive.


    It seems that their new chief is someone who shouldn¡¯t be provoked¡­


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go over now. Brothers, it¡¯s been hard on you. Follow me this time. I definitely won¡¯t let everyone suffer a loss.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan turned his head and answered.


    It seemed that Xu Qingfeng hadn¡¯t killed his three friends. He had forgotten to ask just now, and now his heart was finally at ease.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank the constable on behalf of everyone here¡­¡±


    The bailiff didn¡¯t try to hide it. He answered with a flattering smile and followed Chen Zhiyuan to the front yard.


    ¡­


    ¡°Chief Chen, we¡¯ve counted them all. There are a total of 35 servants and maidservants in the Xu Residence. There are only two people surnamed Xu. One is Old Master Xu. He died before he could be saved. There¡¯s also Xu Qingfeng. Xu Qingfeng has five or six wives and concubines in total, but none of them have sons. It seems that God wants the Xu family to have no descendants. The silver in the storeroom is still being counted.¡±


    When he saw Chen Zhiyuan coming over, Bailiff Wang happily welcomed him and reported to him while pointing at the crowd on the ground.


    ¡°Well, brothers, you¡¯ve worked hard. I heard that you saved three people. Where are they? These people should be my neighbors. They should be fine, right?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan nodded slightly and asked about Pockmark Wang and the others.


    ¡°They only suffered superficial wounds. Nothing serious. They¡¯re still alive and kicking. Constable Chen, since you want to see them, I¡¯ll go and bring them over now.¡±


    Bailiff Wang left quickly.


    Very soon, Pockmark Wang and the other two were brought over. When they saw Chen Zhiyuan, they were surprised and happy. They ran up to him and cried.


    ¡°Hey, Brother Zhiyuan, you¡¯re finally here to save us. You don¡¯t know, but Xu Qingfeng is really something. On the way, he said he would treat us well, but he changed his mind the moment he walked in. He dragged us into the cellar and gave us a good beating. We almost thought we wouldn¡¯t be able to see you¡­ Boohoo¡­¡±


    Pockmark Wang¡¯s face was full of grievance. He ran over and reached out his hand to grab Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s sleeve.


    A scabbard suddenly reached out at the side and separated his hand from Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s sleeve.


    ¡°Wang Er, this is Constable Chen who joined us recently. You¡¯re filthy. Be careful with your hands!¡±


    The bailiff who reached out to his scabbard reprimanded him sternly.


    Constable Chen?


    Pockmark Wang and the other two were stunned. They looked at the bailiff, who had an angry expression, then at Chen Zhiyuan. Their minds were a little muddled.


    Wasn¡¯t this their Brother Zhiyuan?


    When did he become Constable Chen?

 Chapter 14

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Looking at Pockmark Wang, who hurriedly withdrew his hand and placed it somewhere else, as well as the dumbfounded Chen Dali and Zhang Laosan, Chen Zhiyuan took the initiative to reach out his hand. He grabbed the hands of Pockmark Wang and the others, and he comforted them, ¡°It¡¯s alright. We¡¯re from the same village, and we often call each other brothers. My brothers, you¡¯ve suffered.¡±


    ¡°As expected, it¡¯s still my Brother Zhiyuan. Dali, Laosan, Brother Zhiyuan didn¡¯t forget us.¡±


    When the three of them saw that it was still the same familiar Chen Zhiyuan, they immediately started crying again.


    When the bailiff who had stretched out his saber just now saw Constable Chen taking the initiative to call the three of them brothers, his heart tightened, and he hurriedly apologized, ¡°C-Constable Chen, I didn¡¯t know that these three people are from the same village as you¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking, brother. It¡¯s not a crime to not know, and you¡¯re doing this out of kindness. If it was an assassin and not a brother of mine, I¡¯d have to thank you for saving my life instead.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan turned around with a smile and patted the bailiff on the shoulder to express his gratitude.


    ¡°Constable, with these words from you, it¡¯s enough. If you were to encounter an assassin one day, I, Old Hu, will be the first to rush forward and block the attack for you!¡±


    The bailiff immediately smiled and raised his head, patting his chest with a ¡°bang bang¡± sound as he loudly promised.


    ¡°Sigh! Brother Hu, don¡¯t curse me. I don¡¯t want to encounter an assassin, and I don¡¯t want you to block the attack for me.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan said jokingly. He raised his head and glanced at the dozens of bailiffs around him, laughing loudly. ¡°Able to work together with you brothers in this lifetime, that is the fate that has been cultivated in eight lifetimes. We have to drink big bowls of wine and eat big mouthfuls of meat together. Every day, we can hug our wives and children and warm our beds. We can live peacefully through this life. No one is allowed to mention the words of death.¡±


    ¡°Constable Chen, you¡¯re right!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Constable Chen, you¡¯re right. We work together because of fate. We should drink and eat together. How can we talk about death every day? Brothers, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    All the bailiffs were excited. They raised the weapons in their hands and shouted.


    Wasn¡¯t the purpose of being a bailiff in the government office to lead an easy and comfortable life? Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s words hit the nail on the head.


    Pockmark Wang and the other two completely lost their train of thought.


    Yesterday, their Brother Zhiyuan had been addressing them as brothers. Today, he had become the constable of squad three of the county office. It had only been a day, and in just one day, he had convinced a squad of bailiffs to serve him.


    Was this really their Brother Zhiyuan, who had been drinking and gambling with them? Could it be that their brother is really blessed by an immortal?


    The three of them looked at each other, their expressions involuntarily becoming much more restrained.


    In the future, they can¡¯t call him Brother Zhiyuan anymore. They have to address him as Lord Chen.


    They can¡¯t be ungrateful just because he called them brothers out of politeness.


    Although the constable was just a lowly official in the county office, in this small plot of land in Qingshui County, he was still above tens of thousands of people.


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll have to trouble all of you to carefully identify the servants of the Xu Residence. Bring those who have worked in the Xu Residence for more than ten years back to the government office for questioning, and release them on the spot once their background is cleared. Also, the money and personal belongings of the Xu Residence must be counted as soon as possible. Bring them back to the county office for the county magistrate to deal with so that we can receive the reward!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan gave another order. All the bailiffs were already full of energy, and they nodded in agreement.


    After giving all these instructions, Chen Zhiyuan brought Pockmark Wang and the other two to the main hall of the Xu Residence to rest.


    ¡°Brother Zhiyuan¡­ Oh, no, Lord Chen, you¡¯re busy with official business. The three of us will go back by ourselves now. I guarantee that we won¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡±


    Pockmark Wang stepped forward respectfully and said flatteringly, not daring to breathe loudly at all. The other two hurriedly nodded.


    ¡°Brother Wang, there¡¯s no need to be so reserved. We¡¯re from the same hometown, and not to mention that I¡¯m just a minor official. Even if I become a county magistrate or even a prefectural magistrate one day, we¡¯ll still be from the same hometown. There¡¯s no way to change that!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan stood up and said.


    ¡°Although that¡¯s what you said¡­ But Bro¡­ Lord Chen, I, Wang Er, will speak frankly on behalf of the three of us. In the past, we¡¯ve offended you a lot. Now that you don¡¯t blame us, it¡¯s already a blessing that we¡¯ve cultivated for several lifetimes. Now that you¡¯re working in the government office, and you¡¯re even a new official, we can¡¯t give you any more trouble.¡±


    Pockmark Wang finally mustered up the courage to say these words.


    ¡°Hehe, looks like you guys still have some self-awareness. You know that you¡¯ve cheated me quite a bit in the past.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan took a sip of the top-quality fragrant tea from the Xu Residence and looked at the three of them with a smile.


    ¡°Lord Chen, spare us! The three of us were not sensible in the past. We won¡¯t dare to do it again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Lord Chen, spare us¡­¡±


    The three of them hurriedly knelt down, kowtowing and begging for mercy.


    Chen Zhiyuan deliberately waited for a moment, then he sat down and ordered, ¡°All of you, get up. I didn¡¯t say that I would hold you accountable. I can wipe the slate clean of what happened in the past. What you do from now on is up to you. You can go back on your own. I really can¡¯t get away today, so I won¡¯t send you off.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Chen. Thank you, Lord Chen. We wouldn¡¯t dare to trouble you to send us off. We¡¯ll go back now. We¡¯ll take our leave.¡±


    When the three of them heard that Chen Zhiyuan didn¡¯t blame them, they were so happy that they almost jumped up. They hurriedly stood up and bowed, then walked out of the door.


    Walking out of the room, Pockmark Wang quietly turned his head to take a look. When he saw that Chen Zhiyuan was still lowering his head and thinking about something, he was completely relieved. He quickly walked past the Xu Residence¡¯s courtyard.


    He walked to the front door.


    When the two bailiffs guarding the door saw the three of them coming out, they changed their expressions and smiled. ¡°Brothers, are you going home now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. We don¡¯t dare to cause any trouble for Lord Chen. We¡¯ll go back right away.¡±


    Pockmark Wang smiled back.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Take this lantern. Be careful on the road.¡±


    The bailiff nodded and greeted them. He handed the lantern in his hand to them and instructed them.


    ¡°Lord Bailiff, how can I do this? You still need it¡­¡±


    Pockmark Wang quickly waved his hand and refused.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s from the Xu Residence anyway. I¡¯ll just go in and get another one. Take it.¡±


    The bailiff shoved the lantern in his hand to them, then ordered someone to get another one.


    The three of them held the lantern, their hearts racing.


    They had been hanging around the market for a long time. Usually, when these bailiffs from the government office saw them, they would either blackmail or chase them away like rabbits. When had they ever been so polite as today?


    It was all thanks to Brother Zhiyuan¡­


    Four hours passed.


    Chen Zhiyuan was about to doze off while drinking his tea.


    At this moment, a person quietly walked in, and he whispered into his ear, ¡°Chief Chen, the silver and treasures of the Xu Residence are almost all accounted for. The servants that should be released have also left. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know how to deal with Xu Qingfeng¡¯s wives and concubines. I¡¯ve asked around. Three of them have family backgrounds. Another three are the daughters of the common people who were snatched away. One of them was snatched away by Xu Qingfeng when her parents were beaten to death. Right now, she¡¯s homeless, but she looks quite pretty. If Chief Chen is interested¡­¡±


    When Chen Zhiyuan opened his eyes, standing in front of him was Bailiff Wang with a slightly wretched smile.

 Chapter 15

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s gaze turned serious as he looked at Bailiff Wang. ¡°Old Wang, before you came to ask me, did you ask that woman?¡±


    ¡°Ask that woman? No, I just asked her about her family background.¡±


    Bailiff Wang was stunned. Then, he poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip before continuing, ¡°That woman is lonely and homeless. It¡¯s her fortune to be able to warm your bed.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan slowly opened his mouth after hearing that. ¡°Old Wang, do you know why I want to kill Xu Qingfeng?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t know. The county magistrate didn¡¯t say¡­¡±


    Bailiff Wang replied with some hesitation. His heart inexplicably palpitated for a moment. Chief Chen¡¯s face was so gloomy that it was a little scary.


    ¡°Because Xu Qingfeng wants to snatch my wife!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan stood up and said sternly, ¡°Today, you want to give her to me without her consent. You must see me as the second Xu Qingfeng!¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, Chief Chen, I didn¡¯t mean that. I just saw that the woman was homeless and lonely. I just wanted to find a good place for her. I didn¡¯t know that Chief Chen already has a wife.¡±


    Bailiff Wang took two steps back and hurriedly explained. He could feel that Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s anger was rising.


    ¡°You still have to ask the woman before making a decision!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan stood there with a solemn gaze. Then he let out a deep sigh and continued, ¡°Old Wang, today, I will make an unwritten rule. I don¡¯t care what the other two squads do, but squad three, whether bailiffs or helpers, will not do anything to bully men and women, nor will they do anything to extort good people. As for things like today, whether they are extorting the rebels or the property of the rich and heartless, I can turn a blind eye to it even if you take more.¡±


    He also knew that the status of women in this era was low. Men did not even need consent to buy and sell their wives and daughters. Let alone Bailiff Wang, who had some status. He did not even need the woman¡¯s consent, and he could give him a traitor¡¯s concubine.


    However, this was something that he, who came from later generations, could not accept.


    Bailiff Wang was silent for a long time after hearing this. Then, he stood up respectfully and said, ¡°Chief Chen, I can tell that you are a good person. You also want to be a good official. However, this world is a son of a b*tch that does not give a good person any leeway to survive.


    ¡°When I first entered the government office, I also thought that I could do things impartially. However, it did not work. My superiors suppressed me, my colleagues excluded me, and there were people like this all around. I don¡¯t even know how I changed. For example, Chief Chen, didn¡¯t you give the county magistrate five thousand coins before he bestowed you the title of a constable?¡±


    As Bailiff Wang spoke, he grabbed the soap towel hat on his head and threw it on the table, sighing.


    ¡°Old Wang, calm down. You and I have said a lot. I don¡¯t even know your name.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan picked up the teapot and took the initiative to pour a cup of tea for Bailiff Wang before asking.


    ¡°My name is Wang Shan. I¡¯m from Qingshui County.¡±


    Wang Shan stood up and put on the soap hat again. He then said, ¡°Chief Chen, I¡¯ve only said this to you before. I advise you not to be such a good person. As the saying goes: good people don¡¯t live long, but disasters last for a thousand years.¡±


    ¡°Old Wang, what you said is wrong. Xu Qingfeng is a real disaster. But today, didn¡¯t he die because of me? Food has to be eaten one bite at a time, and the road needs to be walked step by step. It¡¯s hard to predict who will get the last laugh.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan retorted, then walked out of the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go and see how many taels of silver we got.¡±


    Wang Shan looked at Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s back, his heart palpitating slightly.


    Chief Chen¡¯s words were even more unfathomable than that of the county office¡¯s Adviser Tang.


    Could it be that Chief Chen had some special background?


    ¡­


    The two of them came to the front yard and saw that the ground was already piled with several large boxes of gold, silver, jewelry, and countless copper coins.


    ¡°Chief Chen, according to our calculations, these are all the land deeds and estates under the name of the Xu family, worth a total amount of 37,000. A total of 12,000 strings of silver ingots, 800 taels of gold, a total of 8,000 copper coins, 3,600 coins from loans of the Xu family, and a total of 5,239 strings of coins. A total of 65,839.


    ¡°There are also pearls and corals, goods sold by the shops, horses, and livestock in the residence that cannot be appraised. We can only wait for the county clerk to investigate before calculating.¡±


    Someone held a stack of books and handed them to Chen Zhiyuan, then reported to him.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan held the house deed and other things in his hand and cleared his throat. ¡°Where are the women of the Xu Residence?¡±


    Immediately, a bailiff ran to the backyard and brought Xu Qingfeng¡¯s wife and concubines over. The originally quiet courtyard suddenly had sounds of crying.


    ¡°You are the family members of the rebel Xu Qingfeng. You should have been sent to the academy. Fortunately, the Emperor is wise and the county is benevolent. Considering that you are not evil people, you will be sent back to your original homes. Today, the sky is already dark. You can continue to stay in the Xu Residence. Tomorrow, you can contact your family members and go home!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan shouted loudly.


    When the women heard that they would be sent back to their original homes, their faces were immediately filled with joy. One after another, they knelt down. ¡°Thank you, Lord, for your kindness.¡±


    To most of them, this was already the best ending. Even if they had not seen what kind of place the academy was, they had long heard of it.


    After the women were taken to the backyard to be imprisoned, only Chen Zhiyuan and the forty-five bailiffs and helpers were left in the front yard.


    Chen Zhiyuan walked forward and took out fifty pieces of gold from the eight hundred taels of gold. Each gold ingot was worth ten taels of gold. It was very easy to count them. He deserved it, then he asked the crowd, ¡°This is what the county magistrate promised me. Are you all getting what you deserve?¡±


    The crowd remained silent. A few bailiffs nodded slightly, indicating that they had already taken it.


    ¡°Okay. Everyone can step forward. Each bailiff will take 100 taels of silver ingot, and the helpers will take 50 taels. I will be watching. All of you can step forward to take it one by one.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan gave another order.


    Everyone was stunned.


    Even Wang Shan was shocked by Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s generosity. He originally thought that the profit this time was just the measly coins they had. He didn¡¯t expect Chen Zhiyuan to start with 50 taels of silver.


    ¡°The Xu family colluded with the bandits of Black Wind Mountain. Could it be that every single person on Black Wind Mountain is a good person and is working for him for no reason?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan asked the bailiffs.


    Only then did everyone react.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The Xu family must have bribed the bandits. That¡¯s why someone would work for them.¡±


    ¡°Constable Chen¡¯s plan is brilliant. You¡¯re absolutely right!¡±


    Only then did the bailiffs line up one by one, taking their own share.


    None of the bailiffs and helpers said another word.


    Everyone knew that the bailiffs¡¯ helpers were all familiar people. Today, with this lucrative task, the bailiffs could only bring the people closest to them.


    Seeing that everyone had taken the silver, only then did Chen Zhiyuan take out ten gold ingots from his pocket and put them back into the pile of gold, and he said, ¡°This is the reward I promised my brothers. However, everyone knows how inconvenient it is to use gold, so we will exchange it for copper coins. The bailiffs will come forward, and each of you will take seventy strings and distribute it at home.¡±


    Everyone was almost stunned by this pleasant surprise.


    They thought that the silver just now was the silver reward that the constable mentioned, but they didn¡¯t expect that it was the extra money.


    The bailiffs came forward one after another and took the copper coins.


    ¡°Everyone, you have already taken what you should have. I shall warn you first. This time, when we raided the Xu residence, the other two squads of brothers probably know that we have earned quite a lot. However, you have to be extra careful when using those silver ingots. If anyone sees us and leaves behind any evidence¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan had not finished speaking.


    Someone had already taken over the conversation.


    ¡°Chief Chen, don¡¯t worry. We naturally know. Whoever leaks the news about today¡¯s matter, we will send him to hell first!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand!¡±


    Seeing that everyone was very tactful, Chen Zhiyuan immediately ordered his men to take out a few portions of the remaining gold and silver treasures and send them to the county magistrate, the adviser, and the assistant of the county magistrate¡¯s residences. He personally took five high-quality pearls, two house deeds, and 300 taels of gold and rushed to the county magistrate¡¯s office overnight.

 Chapter 16

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Chen Zhiyuan brought the stuff to the county office. The person guarding the door was not two bailiffs but a scholar in his forties.


    This person was none other than Adviser Tang, whom Chen Zhiyuan had met in the hall today.


    ¡°Constable Chen, you¡¯re finally here. If you hadn¡¯t come, the county magistrate would have made me stand here all night.¡±


    When Adviser Tang saw Chen Zhiyuan, he hurried down the steps to welcome him while complaining.


    The heavy burden in his heart was relieved. The newcomer, Constable Chen, seemed to be a man of character.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Adviser Tang. This is the first time I raid a residence so I have to be meticulous. It¡¯s my fault for making you suffer.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan quickly stepped forward and cupped his fists to apologize. He took out two gold ingots from his pocket and put them into Adviser Tang¡¯s sleeve, and he said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Adviser. These are the clean money that I took out from my five thousand coins. I¡¯ll take it as an apology to you.¡±


    The county magistrate did not avoid this adviser at all for such corruption. It was obvious that in the county magistrate¡¯s eyes, this adviser was of great importance. If that was the case, then it was necessary for him to take good care of his relationship now.


    Adviser Tang weighed his sleeves, and a big smile immediately appeared on his face. With this weight, Constable Chen was indeed a decent man.


    ¡°Constable Chen, you are too kind. Quickly go in. The county magistrate is still waiting for you.¡±


    Adviser Tang¡¯s resentment was replaced by joy. He called Chen Zhiyuan to hurry into the residence.


    Chen Zhiyuan and Adviser Tang entered the government office. They saw a candle lit in the main hall. Only County Magistrate Liu Qingshan was sitting in the empty hall and dozing off. It was obvious that he had been waiting for a long time.


    ¡°County Magistrate, Constable Chen is back!¡±


    Adviser Tang gently went forward to wake Liu Qingshan up and whispered.


    Liu Qingshan woke up in a daze. When he saw Chen Zhiyuan bowing, he instantly woke up and stood up excitedly. He suddenly felt that he was too impatient and sat back down again. He tidied up his expression and asked, ¡°Constable Chen, how does it feel to be on duty for the first time?¡±


    ¡°County Magistrate, you¡¯re wise and mighty. The brothers under me dared to risk their lives and finally beheaded the bandit leader Xu Qingfeng. The money that the Xu family owed to me was also taken back. This is the five thousand taels that you borrowed from me back then. I¡¯m here to return it.¡±


    After Chen Zhiyuan finished reporting, he opened his bag. Three hundred taels of gold, five large pearls, and two deeds for the prosperous shop were placed on the table.


    Liu Qingshan¡¯s eyes widened. He looked at the pile of gold on the left, then looked at the few bright pearls on the right. Finally, he picked up two house deeds. Those were the rare deeds of the shop in the east of the city. One of them would cost at least three thousand. He could not help but look up at Chen Zhiyuan. ¡°Constable Chen, this is worth five thousand?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. This is worth five thousand. The Xu family colluded with the Black Wind Mountain bandits. The money was given to the king of the mountain. Naturally, the money that was confiscated from the family was a little less. Speaking of which, it was not little. There were still more than forty thousand. This was not inclusive of the livestock, horses, and goods.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan explained calmly.


    His words had two meanings. First, the money of the Xu family had been used to rebel. If it was a little less, others would not be able to say anything. Second, there was still more than forty thousand in cash. Regardless of whether it was the county magistrate who took it for reporting or to give it to the high-ranking officials, it was enough.


    After Liu Qingshan heard this, he pondered for a moment and then grinned, and he said happily, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Constable Chen, I¡¯ll trouble you again to transport the Xu family¡¯s property back to the government office overnight. I¡¯ll report to the high-ranking officials tomorrow about today¡¯s raiding. I¡¯ll let you stabilize your position, so you can rest assured and continue your work.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lord!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan hurriedly saluted, then he said, ¡°Lord, I¡¯ve completed this mission and want to take a few days off. After all, I left in a hurry when I came and didn¡¯t have the time to explain to my wife. And also the reward money for the villagers of Taoyuan Village for killing the thief. They¡¯re still waiting for me to bring it back for them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sure! I allow it. Currently, the world is experiencing a drought, and the emperor is very concerned about the common people the most. Constable Chen, you should return to your hometown to rest, and at the same time, you also helped the county to appease the villagers of Taoyuan Village. How about this, the villagers who escorted the leader of the bandits yesterday would be rewarded with half a string of coins!¡±


    Liu Qingshan nodded and patted Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s shoulder with a smile.


    ¡°Then, County Magistrate, I will thank you on behalf of the people of Taoyuan Village for your great kindness.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan hurriedly thanked him loudly again, secretly cursing in his heart.


    He was so greedy and received a lot, and he only gave so little to the contribution of the people. If the rebels really invaded the city, perhaps no one would be willing to come even if he spent money to buy his life!


    Then, Chen Zhiyuan rushed back to the Xu Residence again and asked the bailiffs to pack the remaining money into boxes and transport it back to the government office.


    He stayed at the end and threw the lantern in his hand onto a box of account books. He shouted, ¡°Xu Qingfeng, you thief. You didn¡¯t forget to burn the account books even before you died. We were unable to trace the bottom of the Black Wind Mountain. You deserve to die!¡±


    The bailiffs looked at Chen Zhiyuan with joy and gratitude on their faces. They escorted the carriage all the way back to the government office.


    The next day.


    Whether it was the county magistrate or the bailiffs, they all came especially early.


    After all, the county magistrate had ordered to raid the home of the county¡¯s extremely wealthy Lord Xu. After the night had passed, there should have been a result.


    Looking at the mountain of gold and silver treasures in the county office, as well as the countless antiques and copper coins, they were both surprised and scolded the Xu family for harming the county.


    They were feeling happy in their hearts despite the scoldings.


    After they had confiscated so many treasures, the county could, according to the law, keep a portion for their own use and hand over the rest.


    The portion that was kept for their own use was naturally for the officials and a smaller portion for the errand runners. After all, it was free money. Even if it¡¯s little, they would still enjoy it.


    The county magistrate personally supervised the scribe to rewrite the accounts. Only then did he examine the Xu family¡¯s father and son¡¯s bodies and wrote an official document to report to the high-ranking official.


    Immediately after, he ordered the bailiffs to run to the county and inform those who owed money to the Xu family to pay the principal and not the interest. The Xu family¡¯s property and goods were sold at market prices, causing countless people to shout ¡°Master Qingtian¡±.


    Liu Qingshan could not help but be overjoyed. He had been the county magistrate of Qingshui County for so long, and this was the first time that so many people had taken the initiative to kneel down to him.


    Constable Chen, who had just arrived at the county office, brought the corpses of the bandits into the city yesterday and made a name for himself. Today, he raided and confiscated the home of Lord Xu, whom everyone was afraid of.


    For a time, he became the hottest topic in Qingshui County. It was said that Constable Chen often carried a butcher¡¯s knife on his waist. After the rumor went around for a few days, Chen Zhiyuan was inexplicably given the nickname ¡°Door Breaking Knife¡±.


    At that moment, Chen Zhiyuan did not know about that at all. After he dismissed Xu Qingfeng¡¯s wife and concubines and sealed the Xu Residence, he bought a good horse with the county magistrate¡¯s seal of the land contract and the money that the people of Taoyuan Village deserved and happily rushed to Taoyuan Village.


    That was his home.

 Chapter 17

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Back at home, seeing Li Zhu¡¯er looking around outside the courtyard, Chen Zhiyuan immediately got off his horse and ran over.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, I¡¯m back!¡±


    ¡°Hubby! Hubby! I was so worried about you. I was afraid that once you leave, you won¡¯t come back.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er threw herself into Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s arms, covered her face, and started to cry.


    Yesterday, Chen Zhiyuan left, and the villagers returned, but Chen Zhiyuan had not returned. Although the villagers said that the county magistrate wanted to put Chen Zhiyuan in an important position, she had her worries.


    Her husband had become so outstanding. If he was entrusted with an important task by the county magistrate, what would she do if he did not like her anymore and wouldn¡¯t come back?


    Fortunately, her husband had rushed back today. She could finally put down the worry in her heart.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, don¡¯t be silly. You are my wife. How can I leave you alone? Come, let¡¯s go home together!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan lovingly scratched Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s nose and walked home with her in his arms.


    ¡°Bray, bray.¡±


    The horse behind them snorted.


    As if remembering something, Zhu¡¯er stopped in her tracks. She looked at Chen Zhiyuan and said, ¡°Oh right, Hubby. When Pockmark Wang came over this morning, he kept calling me sister-in-law, which made me feel embarrassed. Also, he had taken that good horse that Xu Qingfeng left behind to graze in the mountains. He even said that you became a constable in the government office. He promised that he wouldn¡¯t have any ill intentions. In the future, he¡¯ll be content to lead the horse for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh? There¡¯s such a thing.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s lips curled into a smile when he heard that.


    This guy was indeed a little quick-witted and discerning. It was a pity that he had used it in the wrong places in the past.


    If he was sincere, he wouldn¡¯t mind. As he had said before, the two of them were villagers from the same village. They knew each other very well, and this relationship couldn¡¯t be cut off. Using such a person was more reliable than using an outsider.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what he said. But Hubby, I heard that horses need to be fed with bean powder and good grass, or else they will lose weight. Our family¡­¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er glanced at the other horse behind Chen Zhiyuan and said nothing.


    But the meaning was clear. They couldn¡¯t even keep themselves alive, so how could they keep two more horses?


    ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry, Zhu¡¯er. From now on, our family will never be short of food. In addition, I, Chen Zhiyuan, will make our Taoyuan Village a real paradise. Look at this!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan understood his wife¡¯s worries. He unwrapped the bag on his body. Other than gold ingots and silver ingots, it was also full of broken silver and copper coins.


    ¡°Hubby, t-this is?¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s mouth was wide open in shock.


    ¡°I raided Xu Qingfeng¡¯s home. This is what I deserve. And these broken silver and copper coins are the rewards given by the county magistrate to the villagers as well as this land deed. There is land near our Taoyuan Village that belongs to the Xu family. The county magistrate also gave it to me.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan handed the land deed and the gold ingots to Zhu¡¯er. Looking at Zhu¡¯er¡¯s happy face, his heart surged with excitement.


    ¡°Hubby, since you are still holding the villagers¡¯ reward, you shouldn¡¯t delay. Let¡¯s give it to the villagers as soon as possible.¡±


    After Zhu¡¯er was excited for a while, she put down the gold. However, she only held the land deed and raised her head to tell Chen Zhiyuan.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you, Zhu¡¯er. I¡¯ll get the villagers to come over now.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at Zhu¡¯er¡¯s cute face and smiled. He asked her to keep the big reward that belonged to them in the house. He left some of the rewards, together with the county magistrate¡¯s reward, and knocked on the broken gong hanging at the village entrance.


    It was used to summon the villagers for a major event in the village.


    ¡°Clang! Clang! Clang!¡±


    The broken gong rang throughout the entire Taoyuan Village with a loud noise.


    The villagers pushed the door open. When they saw Chen Zhiyuan, they all walked to the village entrance, their faces beaming with joy!


    They had long heard that Chen Zhiyuan had been given an important position by the county magistrate. Now that Chen Zhiyuan had returned to the village, even if they wanted to watch the show, they had to at least take a look.


    ¡°Dear villagers, the county magistrate¡¯s reward money is here. The ones that carried the mountain bandits into the city with me yesterday, each person will be rewarded two and a half sheaves of coins. There are silver pieces and copper coins, and you can tell me which kind you want. In addition, I, Chen Zhiyuan, will subsidize two sheaves for each household in the village, and those who want to farm can stay and tell me.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan stood on slightly higher ground and showed the silver and copper coins in the package to the villagers.


    The crowd cheered. They almost worshipped Chen Zhiyuan.


    Elder Liu and his grandson stood outside the crowd and looked at Chen Zhiyuan who was giving money to the people. He couldn¡¯t help but cry. ¡°Chen, you haven¡¯t forgotten your roots¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at Elder Liu and his grandson, who were leaning under the tree. He handed the task in his hand to Zhu¡¯er, grabbed a handful of silver coins, walked over alone, and said, ¡°Elder Liu, this is seven strings of silver coins and three strings of copper coins. You must accept it. Thanks to your brush and ink, I managed to bring down the Xu family. Our Taoyuan Village can live peacefully for a few more days.¡±


    ¡°Good! Good! I accept it. I didn¡¯t misjudge you. You are very capable. With this money, my grandson can go to school.¡±


    Elder Liu wiped his tears and touched his grandson¡¯s head. He took the money from Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s hand and held his hand. ¡°Chen, our Taoyuan Village is in dire straits. We¡¯ll have to rely on you in the future.¡±


    ¡°Elder Liu, don¡¯t worry. With me, Chen Zhiyuan, around, I won¡¯t let the villagers suffer anymore.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan nodded silently. He suddenly had a small goal in mind.


    Apart from having strength, he also needed to have power!


    To put it more broadly, it was to benefit the villagers. To put it more simply, it was to protect his wife and everything he had now.


    The villagers dispersed one after another after the money was distributed.


    Chen Zhiyuan took Zhu¡¯er¡¯s hand and was about to go home when he suddenly found three people standing in front of him and a horse.


    It was Pockmark Wang, Chen Dali, and Zhang Laosan. It was unknown when Pockmark Wang had returned from the mountain with the horse.


    ¡°You three brothers have taken the money. Why are you still here instead of going home?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan asked the three of them with a curious smile.


    The three of them remained silent and handed the money back to Chen Zhiyuan in unison.


    This time, not to mention Zhu¡¯er, even Chen Zhiyuan looked at them in shock. If this was in the past, he wouldn¡¯t even dare to think about it.


    The three of them had swindled money from Chen Zhiyuan. Every time, they would run away faster than a rabbit. There was no reason for them to give the money away.


    ¡°Constable Chen, we¡¯ve thought it through. Didn¡¯t you say that those who want to farm can stay? We don¡¯t want the money. We want to farm for you!¡±


    As the leader of the three, Pockmark Wang took a step forward as if he had made a decision. He said firmly.


    Farm for him?


    Chen Zhiyuan pondered for a moment and agreed, and he said, ¡°Alright, I believe you are sincere. Take the money. Ten miles away from the village, there¡¯s a piece of land that used to belong to the Xu Residence. The county magistrate has given it to me. You guys can work on it first, grow the crops properly, then I¡¯ll let you guys follow me.¡±


    If the three of them had really turned over a new leaf, he would still be happy to give them work. However, the prerequisite was that there had to be a necessary test.


    ¡°Alright! Brother Zhiyuan, don¡¯t worry. We three brothers will definitely plant that piece of land well!¡±


    Pockmark Wang was overjoyed. For a moment, he forgot about his status. The term ¡°Brother Zhiyuan¡± slipped out again and he left with the other two happily.


    Li Zhu¡¯er looked at her husband with her mouth open in surprise. Chen Zhiyuan smiled. He held the reins of Lion Cong with his left hand and held Zhu¡¯er with his right hand. ¡°Zhu¡¯er, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll let you see the biggest secret of our family!¡±

 Chapter 18

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Ding! Congratulations to the host for signing in successfully. You have obtained [1 acre of Spirit Field], [500 Wheat Seeds], [500 Rice Seeds], and [50 Tomato Seeds].¡±


    ¡°Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining [Gamma Body Technique]. The host has automatically learned this body technique and mastered all riding techniques. The host¡¯s constitution has been strengthened and can tame any mount.¡±


    ¡°Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining two [Time Acceleration Card].¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan had just opened his space when he heard the good news from the system again. However, this time, he brought Zhu¡¯er along.


    Zhu¡¯er was stunned by what she saw. Her husband could actually find such a magical place. This was truly a paradise.


    ¡°Ding! The current character [Li Zhu¡¯er]¡¯s loyalty is 100, the highest level! The host can trust her unconditionally!¡±


    Another voice came from the space. This surprised and delighted Chen Zhiyuan. So the system space could actually see the loyalty of the characters that came in. This would be of great use in the future.


    ¡°Hubby, how did you find such a place? Can I still come here in the future?¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er looked at Chen Zhiyuan happily, her eyes full of anticipation and surprise.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the guidance of the otherworldly expert. Zhu¡¯er, what nonsense are you talking about? If you want to come, just tell me anytime.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Hubby!¡±


    Zhu¡¯er ran happily to the field, looked at the potato seedlings, and ran to the well again to play with the water happily, completely forgetting her past troubles.


    Chen Zhiyuan walked to the second newly opened field and planted the tomato seeds given by the system. Rice and wheat could be planted slowly, and potatoes could replace them. Now, he really wanted to taste the vegetables and fruits of future generations.


    ¡°[Time Acceleration Card], use.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan muttered to himself, and the time acceleration card that he had just obtained disappeared. The tomato seeds began to sprout, grow, blossom, and bear fruit at an amazing speed.


    In just a short moment, the tomatoes were ripe.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, come, try this!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan picked two tomatoes, walked to the well, and handed them to Zhu¡¯er, who was playing with the water.


    ¡°Hubby, what is this?¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er took the red fruit and played with it in her hand for a moment. Then, she asked curiously.


    ¡°This is a fruit unique to this space. It can also be used as a dish to cook. Do you want to try it?¡±


    As Chen Zhiyuan spoke, he had already washed the tomatoes in the bucket and took a big bite.


    Seeing her husband¡¯s actions, Li Zhu¡¯er imitated Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s actions. She washed the tomatoes in her hands casually and put them into her mouth to bite down.


    Sweet and sour!


    And there was no need to spit out the core!


    Li Zhu¡¯er, who had never eaten such a wonderful fruit before, was stunned again. She couldn¡¯t wait to take another bite and started to eat in small bites, afraid that there would be no more after she finished eating too quickly.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, you don¡¯t have to be so careful. Look over there!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan saw Zhu¡¯er¡¯s actions and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He pointed to the other side of the field.


    Zhu¡¯er followed her husband¡¯s finger and looked over. Her eyes instantly widened. Her eyes were filled with bright red fruits that grew on a small tree that she had never seen before.


    It wasn¡¯t there when she entered just now. What kind of magic did her husband use?


    ¡°In this paradise, some fruits can ripen faster, such as this one in our hands.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan seemed to see his wife¡¯s confusion, so he changed his way of explaining. If he said something like a time acceleration card, Zhu¡¯er would probably think that he was talking nonsense or he was a monster.


    ¡°This¡­ This is too magical¡­¡±


    Zhu¡¯er ran over excitedly, picked two tomatoes with her own hands, and started eating again.


    Chen Zhiyuan got up, picked the remaining ripe tomatoes, and put them into the warehouse.


    Seeing the warehouse full of fruits and a hill of beef, Zhu¡¯er finally understood why her husband said that he would never let her go hungry again.


    After everything was done, Chen Zhiyuan picked a good piece of beef, a few potatoes, and a few tomatoes, and he said to his wife, ¡°Zhu¡¯er, that¡¯s all for today. How about we come in another day and play? Today, I¡¯ll let you try some tomato sirloin and beef stew with potatoes!¡±


    ¡°Okay, Hubby!¡±


    Although Zhu¡¯er still wanted to see this place again, she obediently agreed. She licked her finger, which was filled with juice, and left the space with Chen Zhiyuan.


    But soon, she forgot about her previous thought. The taste of stewed beef with potatoes and tomato sirloin could make people forget all the unhappiness in the world.


    After dinner.


    Looking at his wife who was still reminiscing, Chen Zhiyuan quietly walked to Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s side and gently hugged her. ¡°Zhu¡¯er, do you want to learn how to ride a horse?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s previous equestrian skills were basically at a level where he couldn¡¯t fall off. The [Gamma Body Technique] that he had just received from signing in could be said to be a direct equestrian mastery, and it could tame any mount. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t wait to give it a try.


    Moreover, teaching Zhu¡¯er to ride a horse also had benefits. After all, a drought is happening everywhere. Who knows when would the world fall into chaos? After Zhu¡¯er learned to ride a horse, she could even ride a horse to escape at a critical moment.


    ¡°Hubby! Can I do it too?¡±


    Zhu¡¯er¡¯s eyes were shining. There were too many surprises today.


    ¡°Of course, let¡¯s go now!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan pulled his wife and led Lion Cong and the horse he bought from the market out of the village.


    As expected, with the blessing of the [Gamma Body Technique], Lion Cong, who looked like a horse that was hard to tame, ran steadily on the road.


    After Chen Zhiyuan finished a lap, he got down from the horse and told Zhu¡¯er the key points of riding.


    Zhu¡¯er was a very smart person. It didn¡¯t take long for her to sit steadily on the horse and drive it forward.


    Four hours passed.


    The two of them rode the horse and ran thirty miles away.


    ¡°Hubby, I¡¯m so happy today. It¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s go back. I want to ride again tomorrow.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er smoothed her hair and said happily to Chen Zhiyuan.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan naturally had no objections.


    The two turned their horses around and were about to leave when they heard a cry for help.


    ¡°Help! Hero over there, save us!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan and Zhu¡¯er turned their heads and saw two women carrying bags on their backs. They stumbled towards the two of them. They had obviously heard the sound of horses¡¯ hooves and ran in their direction.


    Behind them were seven or eight bandits with swords in their hands. As they chased after the two women, they were laughing in a lewd manner, and disgusting words were coming out of their mouths.


    ¡°Beauties, keep running. The faster you run, the more excited we will be. When you can¡¯t run anymore, hehehe¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Seeing that you¡¯re walking in the wilderness, why don¡¯t you come up the mountain with us and have some fun, hahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°Those two over there that are riding horses. We are the grandfathers on Black Wind Mountain. Today, we are kind enough to let you guys off. I advise you guys to mind your own business!¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er turned her head to look at her husband, then looked at the two women who were running away with a worried look in her eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will take care of everything!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan patted Zhu¡¯er¡¯s hand and stared at the few people who were gradually approaching.

 Chapter 19

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The two women were carrying bags on their backs. In their panic, they did not run very fast. As for the seven or eight bandits, they only chased after them at a leisurely pace. They seemed to be enjoying this feeling. They were also certain that Chen Zhiyuan would not make a move.


    ¡°It¡¯s you, Constable Chen! Please, save us!¡±


    The two women suddenly let out surprised cries and ran even faster.


    Chen Zhiyuan was slightly stunned when he heard that. He didn¡¯t seem to have seen these two women before. How could they recognize him?


    Just as Chen Zhiyuan was puzzled, the two women had already run to a place only a few steps away from him.


    The bandits following behind also heard the two women¡¯s shouts.


    Constable Chen?


    This fellow was an official!


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet an official from the county office. Hey, Constable, you became an official for the sake of having food on the table, and I went up the Black Wind Mountain for the sake of survival. Just pretend that you didn¡¯t see what happened today. Let¡¯s just stay out of each other¡¯s way, okay?¡±


    The leader of the bandits stopped in his tracks, put the long knife in his hand on his shoulder, and looked at Chen Zhiyuan as he asked.


    ¡°Boss, look, this kid has a woman with him. Tsk tsk, that face and figure look even better than these two chicks. Do you want to try it?¡±


    The other bandit, who was completely focused on women, seemed to not have noticed that the leader was talking to Chen Zhiyuan. Instead, his eyes looked at Li Zhu¡¯er, who was on the horse, and his eyes were even more surprised as he walked up to the leader and said with a lewd smile.


    When Li Zhu¡¯er heard the filthy words from the bandit, her grip on the reins tightened, and she hurriedly leaned closer to Chen Zhiyuan.


    When Chen Zhiyuan, who was still thinking, heard this, his face instantly darkened.


    He had thought about it for a moment because he didn¡¯t know the two women, but now they were insulting Zhu¡¯er. How could he tolerate this?


    ¡°Staying out of each other¡¯s way? How dare you kidnap civilian women in public and make me pretend that I didn¡¯t see it? Who gave you the guts to do that?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan jumped off his horse and walked to the two women. ¡°You two come behind me first. I¡¯ll deal with these bandits.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Constable Chen! Thank you, Constable Chen!¡±


    Seeing Chen Zhiyuan reaching out to help, the two women were overjoyed and ran to Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s side.


    Seeing this, Li Zhu¡¯er also jumped off her horse and comforted the two women.


    ¡°Chen! Don¡¯t think that just because you are a constable from the county office, we don¡¯t dare to do anything to you. We are the grandfathers on Black Wind Mountain, and you are outnumbered right now. If you know what¡¯s good for you, then hand over the two women, and let us have a good time with the woman on the horse, and we will spare your life!¡±


    When the lascivious bandit saw that Chen Zhiyuan still dared to walk towards them alone, he immediately raised the long knife in his hand and threatened Chen Zhiyuan with a hint of panic and vigilance in his eyes.


    Chen Zhiyuan was not afraid at all. His steps became faster and faster, and in the blink of an eye, he rushed to the front of the bandit.


    He raised his hand and slashed down with his knife!


    The blood on the bandit¡¯s neck spurted out more than three feet high. He hurriedly put down his knife with both hands, trying to cover his neck to prevent it from spurting blood again¡­


    Unfortunately, it was futile in the end. His body fell heavily on the field.


    When the remaining bandits saw how valiant Chen Zhiyuan was, they immediately panicked. They held their long knives in their hands but did not dare to go forward. They kept looking at the leader and retreated step by step.


    ¡°Constable Chen! You are a well-known figure in the county, but the Black Wind Mountain is not to be trifled with! If you kill us today, the big boss will naturally send people to avenge us! Think carefully¡­¡±


    The leader of the bandits saw Chen Zhiyuan walking toward him without any change in expression. He was like a god of death, and his heart was filled with panic.


    Just now, when he heard that Chen Zhiyuan was a constable, he was a little hesitant. Even if the constable in the county office was not decent, they still knew some martial arts.


    ¡°Hmph! There¡¯s no need for the leader of the bandits on Black Wind Mountain to avenge you. When I return to the city, I will ask the county magistrate to annihilate all of you!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan snorted coldly and his footsteps became even lighter.


    When he drew his saber, he seemed to have experienced the benefits of the Gamma Body Technique again.


    His body was exceptionally light, and every move seemed to have a soul. As long as he wanted to use it, his body would automatically adapt to the way he used it.


    Hearing this, the bandits became even more panicked!


    ¡°Big Brother, this ruthless man isn¡¯t afraid of the name of Black Wind Mountain. If you can¡¯t afford to provoke him, run!¡±


    One of the bandits threw down his knife, shouted at the leader, and ran back in a hurry.


    The leader of the bandits saw that his underpants had been pulled off by his subordinates, so he didn¡¯t try to be brave anymore. He threw down his knife and ran.


    Chen Zhiyuan rushed forward and killed five or six people with one knife.


    The last person couldn¡¯t run away, so he turned around and knelt on the ground, kowtowing loudly. ¡°Constable Chen, we aren¡¯t bandits of Black Wind Mountain. We were wrong. Please spare my life.¡±


    ¡°Not the bandits of Black Wind Mountain? Then where did you come from? Tell us the truth!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan held his knife towards the kneeling bandit. The bandit hurriedly told him about their origins.


    It turned out that they were just a group of farmers who could not survive. After they were lucky enough to get a few long knives, they started to occupy the mountain as the king. Whenever they went out to rob, they would lie and use the name Black Wind Mountain since they heard that it was famous. They used this name to scare many people and even raped many women.


    Who knew that today, just as they were about to taste the sweetness again, they stumbled and encountered a god of death like Chen Zhiyuan?


    After hearing this, Chen Zhiyuan was furious. He killed the kneeling bandit with one strike, then turned around and walked to the place where the horse stopped.


    The villagers were informed of the corpses of the bandits on the ground to deal with them. By sending them to the county, one would be rewarded with two strings of coins. He believed that there should be many people who would be willing to do this.


    ¡°Constable Chen, we two sisters would like to thank you for saving our lives.¡±


    Seeing Chen Zhiyuan return, the two women hurriedly went forward and bowed.


    ¡°Ladies, please don¡¯t bother. Whose family are you from? How did you recognize me?¡±


    Only then did Chen Zhiyuan ask his doubts. When Li Zhu¡¯er saw that her husband really did not recognize these two women, her heart immediately warmed.


    When the two women heard this question, they looked at each other and said, ¡°Constable Chen, do you remember Xu Qingfeng¡¯s concubines who were released from the Xu Residence yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Eh? You two are¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan patted his head and looked at the two of them in surprise. That night, Xu Qingfeng¡¯s concubines had been brought before him. However, it was too dark at night, and his mind was not on this, so he did not pay attention to the looks of those women.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We are Xu Qingfeng¡¯s concubines. My name is Lu Shuxue, and I was stranded in Lin County. Xu Qingfeng, who was doing business, took a fancy to me, so I exchanged myself for some money to let my parents settle down.


    ¡°This sister is called Qiu Shui, and she was snatched by Xu Qingfeng. Her parents died, and she had no home to return to. So, I thought of letting her go to Lin County with me. We had already disguised ourselves, but we did not expect to still be targeted by the mountain bandits. Constable Chen, if you hadn¡¯t appeared¡­¡±


    A woman took the initiative to introduce herself and her sister¡¯s background. The two women recalled their experiences just now and couldn¡¯t stop their tears from flowing down.


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at their clothes. They were dressed in coarse cloth and wore headscarves that were used by farm women when they went to the fields. As expected, they had disguised themselves.


    Unfortunately, the weather was hot. The thin clothes on the two of them still couldn¡¯t hide their alluring figures. That was how they were recognized by the bandits.


    Just as he was sizing up the two of them, he realized that the sister that the woman was talking about was secretly peeping at him through the gaps between her fingers while she was pretending to cry.


    Seeing that he had discovered her, she hurriedly closed her fingers and wept along with her sister.


    Chen Zhiyuan immediately did not know whether to laugh or cry. This little girl was a little eccentric. After experiencing this scene, she still had the mood to peep at him!


    Just as Chen Zhiyuan was thinking about how to settle the two sisters, a fast horse suddenly galloped over from afar.


    ¡°Constable Chen, so you¡¯re here. The county magistrate asked me to inform you to return to the government office as soon as possible. The county magistrate has a plan to suppress the bandits and wants to discuss it with everyone.¡±


    The bailiff on the horse galloped over quickly. After informing Chen Zhiyuan, he quickly left. Obviously, he still had to report back to the government office.


    The county magistrate wanted to exterminate the bandits?


    Chen Zhiyuan thought to himself. It just so happened that he had this thought. The county magistrate actually wanted to exterminate the bandits as well. It looked like he had to go back and take a look, but he had only rested for one fucking day¡­


    ¡°Hubby, since the county magistrate has something to discuss, then you should quickly return to the county. These two sisters will temporarily stay at my house today. We¡¯ll see how we can send them back to their hometown tomorrow.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er walked up and said to Chen Zhiyuan softly.


    ¡°Good! Thank you for the trouble, Zhu¡¯er. We¡¯ll go home with the two girls first, and I¡¯ll rush to the county office!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan made a decision.

 Chapter 20 - Benefits of Being Conferred a Title of Nobility

    Chapter 20 Benefits of Being Conferred a Title of Nobility


    After settling Lu Shuxue and Qiu Shui at home, Chen Zhiyuan immediately got on his horse and rushed to the county town.


    By the time he walked into the government office, the front of the hall was already filled with people.


    In the crowd, Chen Zhiyuan actually saw a general in armor. This was the first time he had seen a general of this dynasty since he transmigrated.


    ¡°County Magistrate, I came late. Please forgive me!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan hurriedly went forward and bowed.


    ¡°No need for formalities. Constable Chen, since you have returned, then everyone is here. I have something important to announce!¡±


    Liu Qingshan waved his hand, and he picked up a document at his side. ¡°The county governor has sent the birthday gifts to the capital for the empress dowager¡¯s birthday. The route that passes through our Qingshui County was intercepted by the bandits entrenched on Black Wind Mountain. The county governor was furious and ordered our county to clear the bandits entrenched on Black Wind Mountain within three months. Hence, he specially ordered the commander of the garrison troops stationed in our county, Xiahou, to assist in suppressing the bandits. Everyone, what good strategies do you have? Quickly tell us.¡±


    As he spoke, he pointed at the armored general and introduced him to everyone.


    ¡°I am Xiahou Yong, commander of the garrison troops of this county. Greetings, my colleagues.¡±


    The general named Xiahou Yong cupped his fists at everyone.


    All the officials in the government office returned the salute and retreated to their original positions. No one made a sound.


    A moment later.


    Looking at the hall where no one replied, Liu Qingshan was furious. He slammed the official document on the table and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, everyone? I don¡¯t usually see everyone being so quiet. Why did everyone become mute today?¡±


    All the officials lowered their heads one after another. The county magistrate¡¯s assistant and the other two constables hung their heads even lower.


    Usually, everyone bullied the common people. Naturally, there was nothing they could say to drive away the local ruffians and hooligans in the city.


    However, going up the mountain to engage in a real fight with those bandits was a life-and-death matter. At this moment, it was naturally bad to stand out.


    Chen Zhiyuan was about to say something when he saw that Xiahou Yong had already stepped out and had something to say. He then retreated back into the ranks. He also wanted to see what Commander Xiahou had to say.


    ¡°County Magistrate Liu, since the county governor has asked me to cooperate with Qingshui County to suppress the bandits, I will naturally follow County Magistrate Liu¡¯s orders. However, the garrison has been in disrepair for a long time. All the soldiers are old, weak, sick, and disabled. Their weapons are also incomplete. I wonder how much money and provisions you can mobilize to train the soldiers and forge weapons to suppress the bandits?¡±


    Xiahou Yong stepped out and asked.


    In the hall, Liu Qingshan thought for a moment, and he answered awkwardly, ¡°Commander Xiahou, the county has not allocated any money or rations to this county. The county has been suffering from drought for many years now, and the silver in the treasury has been used to provide relief to disaster victims. We really don¡¯t have the money to buy rations and recruit soldiers¡­¡±


    ¡°What? County Magistrate Liu, you want to exterminate the bandits, but you don¡¯t have any money or rations. I, Xiahou Yong, would not be able to help with this task. County Magistrate Liu, please request the county to send someone else to be the commander!¡±


    When Xiahou Yong heard this, he almost laughed out of anger.


    With no money, no food, and no weapons, he still wanted the soldiers to fight for him. There was no such thing in this world.


    ¡°Commander Xiahou! I gathered everyone to the county office to offer advice! What do you mean by this? Remember, the county governor sent you to assist the county in suppressing the bandits. Not to disturb the morale of the army, and point your finger at me to scold me!¡±


    Liu Qingshan was choked by Xiahou Yong¡¯s words that he immediately felt embarrassed and stood up to look coldly at Xiahou Yong.


    Xiahou Yong knew that he was in the wrong in a moment of anger and silently retreated to his original position.


    Only then did Liu Qingshan once again size up the subordinates in the hall. He glanced around and found that only Chen Zhiyuan was raising his neck. He immediately felt as if he had grasped onto a life-saving straw, and with a face full of hope, he asked, ¡°Constable Chen, what do you think of this bandit extermination?¡±


    ¡°Reporting to the County Magistrate, I think that the bandits of Black Wind Mountain are very bold and arrogant, so we must exterminate them! County Magistrate, think about it. Today, they dared to intercept the empress dowager¡¯s birthday gift sending. If we don¡¯t teach them a lesson, they would think that the imperial court is afraid of them and would dare to attack the county town tomorrow!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan stepped out and said with a furious expression.


    ¡°Good! What we need now is such loyalty and bravery like Constable Chen¡­¡±


    Liu Qingshan was overjoyed and stood up to praise him.


    He heard an inappropriate voice from the side.


    ¡°Without money and food, how can we suppress the bandits? A certain someone who wants to suck up wouldn¡¯t know that when the time comes, he will blow his own trumpet. At that time, if he can¡¯t solve the problem, it will be a capital crime.¡±


    Xiahou Yong raised his head and said meaningfully.


    Liu Qingshan was even angrier when he heard that. It was not easy for someone to pay attention to him, yet he was splashed with cold water like this. He could not help but say coldly, ¡°Since Commander Xiahou can¡¯t suppress the bandits, I¡¯ll use my warriors. You can return to the garrison to reorganize the soldiers and wait for my command!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave!¡±


    Xiahou Yong did not stand on ceremony. He cupped his hands and took his leave. Before he left, he gave Chen Zhiyuan a fierce glare.


    Liu Qingshan saw that Xiahou Yong had finally left. Just as he was about to speak, he saw that the people in the hall still had their heads lowered and did not reply. He immediately waved his hand as if he was shooing away flies. ¡°All of you leave as well. Constable Chen will stay behind alone!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take our leave!¡±


    The other officials also seemed to have finally gotten rid of their burdens. They bowed and left. Some of them even looked at Chen Zhiyuan mockingly.


    They thought, ¡°You¡¯re new here, and you want to make a difference, but you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing. Once you burn your fingers, you¡¯re going to regret it.¡±


    In the lobby, only Chen Zhiyuan and the county magistrate were left.


    Liu Qingshan no longer put on the airs of a county magistrate and walked down the hall to hold Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s hand, and his eyes were filled with joy as he said, ¡°Constable Chen, you heard what I said just now. The county has no money or food, so I¡¯ll tell you the truth. The county governor has already confiscated the Xu Residence¡¯s money. The empress dowager¡¯s birthday cannot be delayed. What method do you have to exterminate the bandits without money or food?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, you must be joking. Naturally, soldiers and horses are needed to suppress bandits. If there are soldiers and horses, they will naturally have to eat food, and the salaries of the officers and soldiers have to be given too.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan replied respectfully.


    ¡°There¡¯s no money in the county, nor did the county governor give any¡­¡± Liu Qingshan suddenly looked at Chen Zhiyuan reproachfully and suddenly thought of something. He stared at Chen Zhiyuan and said, ¡°It can¡¯t be that you want to use the money that you gave me¡­ Cough, the share of the money that you returned to me for recruitment, right? I¡¯ll say first. This time I will not lend it to you.¡±


    ¡°County Magistrate, I¡¯ve thought of some ideas, and I¡¯m not going to borrow money from you. I want to ask if we really exterminate the bandits and get back the birthday gifts, won¡¯t the county governor have anything to say?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan asked softly.


    He wanted the horses to run, but he didn¡¯t want them to eat grass. He believed that the county governor wouldn¡¯t be so tacky. Moreover, the county governor probably had relations with the royal family since he was giving gifts to the empress dowager.


    If the county governor was really tasteless, even if he was stingy, he still had to reap some benefits from the county governor.


    ¡°Let me think¡­¡±


    Liu Qingshan tried hard to recall. He returned to the table and looked at the official document. He said, ¡°The county governor did say that he could ask the emperor to grant a viscount title for those who contributed to the suppression of the bandits!¡±


    ¡°Viscount? What benefits does this title have?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan hurriedly asked again.


    ¡°Constable Chen, this title is the second lowest rank of the imperial court. It¡¯s said that only 500 households will receive it, and it¡¯s not a real title. However, there are still some people who don¡¯t care about this little bit of benefit. If you can do this well, I can let you recruit your own servants in your hometown. The land around Taoyuan Village will be under your name. What do you think?¡±


    Liu Qingshan looked at the clueless Chen Zhiyuan and explained the benefits again.


    ¡°County Magistrate, don¡¯t worry. With your words, I will definitely do my best!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan was overjoyed.


    This was exactly what he wanted.


    With a territory, he could truly develop his power!

 Chapter 21 - The Bet With Xiahou Yong

    Chapter 21 The Bet With Xiahou Yong


    Coming out of the hall of the county office, Chen Zhiyuan felt comfortable all over. If he did this job well, he would be one step closer to his goal.


    ¡°Are you Chen Zhiyuan? I heard that you personally killed the bandits of Black Wind Mountain and used this opportunity to raid the Xu family who committed crimes in the county. When the people in the city talked about you, they were full of praise. I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a lowly person who flatters and fawns.¡±


    Just as he walked out of the county office, Chen Zhiyuan heard such an ear-piercing remark.


    Chen Zhiyuan turned his head to look. It was indeed Commander Xiahou. It was clear that he did not leave after coming out of the office and was specifically waiting for him.


    ¡°Commander Xiahou, in terms of official positions, I am your junior. However, I am still working for the imperial court. How can you insult my innocence like this?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan retorted expressionlessly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? The county has no money or food, so they can¡¯t recruit soldiers or forge weapons or armor. You, a small constable, naturally can¡¯t afford such a huge sum of money. The most you can do is to use your good reputation these days to encourage the ignorant people to go up the mountain to suppress the bandits and become your bargaining chip to flatter the county magistrate!¡±


    Xiahou Yong turned around and looked at Chen Zhiyuan as if he had seen through everything. His eyes were filled with disdain.


    ¡°Commander Xiahou, if you continue to insult my innocence, don¡¯t blame me for offending my superiors!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan stared at Xiahou Yong with a cold face.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m afraid of you? I, Xiahou Yong, have grown up and have beaten up countless people. If you beat me in a fist fight, I can take back my words!¡±


    Xiahou Yong had a provocative look on his face. He rubbed his wrist twice and continued to look at Chen Zhiyuan.


    He had absolute confidence in his own martial strength. By saying these words, he was deliberately trying to let this young constable attack. It would be best if he beat him up until he could not get out of bed for a few days to prevent him from encouraging the commoners to go up the mountain and send themselves to their deaths.


    ¡°Commander Xiahou, in front of a government office, a constable fighting with a general will inevitably make the commoners laugh. Why don¡¯t we move to a quiet place?¡±


    ¡°That would be great!¡±


    The two of them stopped talking and agreed to leave the city together.


    When they came to the wilderness, the two of them picked a flat ground and stood on it.


    Chen Zhiyuan cupped his fists and said, ¡°Commander Xiahou, please excuse me.¡± ¡°I, Xiahou Yong, have been practicing martial arts since I was young. Attacking a constable feels like bullying. You should attack first.¡±


    Xiahou Yong raised his hand and invited him. The disdain on his face also disappeared.


    Chen Zhiyuan was a constable, but he actually wanted to attack a general like him. This really made him admire him a little.


    Moreover, when he saw Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s walking and standing posture, his lower body was extremely stable. He could tell that he was a martial artist with one look. This also made him more or less stop looking down on him.


    ¡°Commander Xiahou, be careful!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan reminded him and flew out with his fist.


    His body had been strengthened by both the physique strengthening elixir and the Gamma Body Technique. He had also combined the fist techniques from the body technique and the fist techniques that he had secretly learned from Xu Qingfeng.


    In this small Qingshui County, it would not be so easy for him to find a decent opponent. Today, he would be more than happy to have a chance to fight with Commander Xiahou.


    If he won, he would be able to destroy Commander Xiahou¡¯s prestige.


    If he lost, he would treat it as a learning experience. A constable could not defeat a proper general, and he was even a commander. It would not be shameful if this matter spread out. ¡°Good timing!¡±


    Xiahou Yong turned his hand into a palm and faced Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s fist.


    Just as he received the fist, his expression immediately became serious, and the little bit of pride he had left just now disappeared completely.


    As the saying goes, ¡°When an expert makes a move, they will know what it is¡±.


    Although Chen Zhiyuan was only a constable, his fists technique could not reach this level without more than ten years of training.


    The two of them exchanged a few quick punches, and it was a draw.


    This was the first time Chen Zhiyuan felt the pressure. He used all the fist techniques in his body techniques and the fist techniques that he had mixed together, but they were both blocked by Xiahou Yong.


    After nearly a hundred moves, both of them were attacking and defending, but neither of them could do anything to the other.


    Not long after.


    The two of them were sweating profusely, and they were breathing heavily.


    After a few more moves.


    ¡°I¡¯m not fighting anymore! If we keep fighting like this until the sky turns dark, there won¡¯t be any results. Constable Chen, if you have such ability, why are you willing to be a constable in this small county office? Wouldn¡¯t it be great to join the army and protect the country?¡±


    Xiahou Yong took the initiative to withdraw his fist and sat down on the ground, panting like an ox. He looked at Chen Zhiyuan in confusion and asked.


    ¡°Commander Xiahou, People¡¯s circumstances are not the same. I have a lovely wife who¡¯s alone at home. Most of the people in the village are old, weak, sick, and disabled. Today, the world is full of bandits. If I leave, who will take care of them? Why don¡¯t I become a constable and do a few good things for the people? I can also take care of my fellow countrymen.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan also lay on the ground. He could not help but sigh that there was indeed someone better than him.


    He had used a cheat and obtained a draw for a fight with the people of this era. Moreover, he was not even thirty years old and was already a commander. If nothing unexpected happened, there would definitely be a place for Xiahou Yong in this era in the future.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. I was too extreme. Let me apologize to you.¡±


    Xiahou nodded, stood up solemnly, and bowed to Chen Zhiyuan. Then he asked, ¡°However, there¡¯s something I still want to ask you. The bandits on Black Wind Mountain are extremely fierce, and there must be a lot of them. Constable Chen, no matter how good your kung fu is, you can¡¯t take down Black Wind Mountain alone. You must recruit soldiers. Even if you only recruit 500 people, each of them will have to eat and drink, and a salary has to be given. That¡¯s a huge sum of money. How can you raise it?¡±


    ¡°Commander Xiahou, why don¡¯t we make a bet? If I can recruit enough local army without coercing them, and they are willing to voluntarily go up the mountain to help me exterminate the bandits, then you and I can become sworn brothers. We will share each other¡¯s fortune and difficulties. What do you say?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan sat up and looked at Xiahou Yong with a smile.


    He had decided that he had to tie Xiahou Yong up by his side. He wanted to develop his power. If something really happened in the future, he might have to mobilize his army to do something big.


    He must not let Xiahou Yong lead his army to clean up his mess. That would be a big problem.


    If he could get him to acknowledge him now and build a closer relationship with him, he might be able to use him in the future.


    ¡°Good! If you can really do it, I will acknowledge you as my brother. What¡¯s the harm?¡±


    Xiahou Yong did not doubt it. He stood up and extended his left hand.


    Chen Zhiyuan laughed and stood up. He shook firmly with his right hand and said, ¡°In five days, I will definitely let you see the results.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait. Let¡¯s part ways here. Although the garrison is in chaos, I am still the commander. I can¡¯t just ignore it. See you in five days.¡±


    Xiahou Yong laughed out loud as well.


    The two of them parted ways.


    Chen Zhiyuan hurried home again. He left early today. There were still two women at home. He did not know if Zhu¡¯er had sent them home. He would be getting busy now. His own secrets, naturally, the fewer outsiders knew, the better.

 Chapter 22 - The Embarrassed Lu Shuxue

    Chapter 22 The Embarrassed Lu Shuxue


    It was already the second day when Chen Zhiyuan returned home.


    As soon as he entered the courtyard, he discovered that the inside and outside of the house had already been cleaned thoroughly. Usually, when he and Li Zhu¡¯er lived together, they only needed to ensure basic cleanliness. But now, it was obvious that someone had specially cleaned it.


    ¡°Hubby, you¡¯re back.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er heard the noise outside the house and immediately went out to greet him.


    To his surprise, Lu Shuxue and Qiu Shui actually followed behind Zhu¡¯er and did not leave.


    Seeing the surprise in her husband¡¯s eyes, Li Zhu¡¯er then explained, ¡°Hubby, I¡¯ve discussed with these sisters. First, I¡¯ll send someone to inform her parents who live in Lin County. When the parents receive the news, I¡¯ll send someone to bring these two sisters back. If they don¡¯t send someone over, I¡¯ll trouble you to find someone reliable to send them back. As for the next few days, I¡¯ll let the two sisters stay in our house temporarily so that they can accompany me.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at the two sisters and saw that both of them had lowered their heads shyly and did not speak. He knew that both of them had agreed, so he naturally could not refuse and agreed, he said, ¡°That¡¯s fine too. Miss Lu, Miss Qiu. You can stay here at ease for now. You can return home after the bandits¡¯ extermination is over. As long as you don¡¯t mind the shabby thatched cottage.¡±


    Speaking of which, it was his fault. In the past, he didn¡¯t have any money. Now that he had money, he had forgotten to find a maid for Zhu¡¯er. As a result, when he went to the county, Zhu¡¯er didn¡¯t even have anyone to speak to. Now that she had finally met two women of similar ages, moreover, they were both well-educated and well-mannered women. Naturally, they had a lot to say.


    ¡°Constable Chen, what are you talking about? I was a refugee before. I have also slept outdoors in a dilapidated temple and haystack. Why would I dislike a safe place to shelter from the wind and rain?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, and me. My family is originally poor. Oh right, Constable Chen, my surname isn¡¯t Qiu, but Wu. My mother gave birth to me by the water during autumn, and she named me Qiu Shui. Sister Lu called me that because we were close. Of course, if you think Miss Qiu sounds nice, I don¡¯t mind being called that¡­¡±


    As soon as Lu Shuxue opened her mouth, the little girl called Qiu Shui nodded repeatedly to show that she didn¡¯t mind.


    She even reminded Chen Zhiyuan that he had called her by the wrong name. In the end, she winked at him and told him that it was okay to call her that.


    Chen Zhiyuan suddenly felt a little overwhelmed. In the words of the later generations, this little girl was a simple-minded and easy-going person. This kind of person would always be able to quickly blend into the circle they were in.


    ¡°Qiu Shui, don¡¯t push your luck. Constable Chen is our savior.¡±


    Lu Shuxue saw that Chen Zhiyuan was helpless and quickly interrupted Wu Qiushui, who was about to continue. She apologized to Chen Zhiyuan, ¡°Constable Chen, please don¡¯t blame Qiu Shui. She is still young and has a childish temperament.¡±


    ¡°Sister Lu, how am I young? Look, I am about the same age as you.¡±


    When Wu Qiushui heard this, she was not convinced. She deliberately stuck out her chest and shook her head.


    Lu Shuxue¡¯s face and ears were already red. She was so embarrassed that even Zhu¡¯er was snickering at the side.


    Chen Zhiyuan felt that if he stayed any longer, Lu Shuxue might find a hole to hide in. He quickly changed the topic. ¡°You guys talk first. I¡¯ll go get some food.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Constable Chen, do you still have the tomatoes that Sister Li gave us last night? Can you get a few more¡­ Oh, Sister Lu, don¡¯t push me. They¡¯re really delicious.¡±


    Wu Qiushui called out again.


    Lu Shuxue simply walked into the house without turning her head back, as if she had never known this girl.


    Chen Zhiyuan sighed helplessly. He walked to a place where there was no one and entered the system space.


    After he came in and harvested the ripe potatoes, he planted the wheat and rice in the spirit field.


    In this era, there was already wheat, but it was not as high-yielding as the later generations. Rice had not yet appeared. The rice that people ate was called grain, and later generations called it millet.


    He believed that once rice reached the level of mass production, it would definitely be able to change the eating habits of this era.


    Before he left, he did not forget Wu Qiushui¡¯s request and specially brought out a few more tomatoes.


    During dinner.


    Looking at Chen Zhiyuan who was personally cooking, Lu Shuxue covered her mouth with a hand. Her eyes were filled with disbelief. ¡°A nobleman stays clear of the kitchen.¡± This was written in the books of sages. Why was Constable Chen so different from the rest?


    On the other hand, Wu Qiushui was staring at Chen Zhiyuan, who was cooking. It was unknown whether she was looking at the person or the food in the pot.


    ¡°Sister Lu, don¡¯t be surprised. I¡¯ve tried to persuade my husband before, but he said that we don¡¯t have such a rule in our house. Moreover, the food that my husband makes is really delicious. It¡¯s even better than what I make. Moreover, only my husband can cook today¡¯s dishes.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er explained proudly to the two girls, her eyes filled with sweetness.


    The other two girls were also envious.


    Finally, dinner was served. Chen Zhiyuan still made beef brisket with tomatoes and beef stew with potatoes. The main dish was two baked potatoes and a bowl of millet congee for each person.


    How could he get tired of such things after one or two meals? He would have to eat for at least a week before he would want to change his taste.


    ¡°This¡­ There¡¯s actually such a delicious thing in the world. This is the first time I¡¯ve tasted


    it!¡±


    Lu Shuxue took a bite and was amazed.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! After eating the tomato that Sister Li gave me last night, I thought it was a fruit. I didn¡¯t expect it to be so delicious when used in cooking. Sister Lu, why don¡¯t we stay here so that we can eat this kind of delicious food every day!¡±


    Wu Qiushui finished a big bowl of food and raised her head to lick her lips. She said happily to Lu Shuxue.


    ¡°Qiu Shui! What nonsense are you talking about? Once we receive the letter from home, we¡¯ll go back.¡±


    Lu Shuxue¡¯s pretty face turned red. She looked at Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s face and glared at Wu Qiushui.


    Constable Chen was a married man, and Sister Li was so good to them. What did she mean by both of them staying here? She wanted to retain her reputation even if she didn¡¯t want hers.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Alright then.¡±


    Wu Qiushui noticed Lu Shuxue¡¯s gaze and seemed to feel that she had said something wrong, and she shrunk her head. But after a moment, she pulled herself together, and she said weakly, ¡°Since I won¡¯t be able to eat in the future, I have to eat my fill today. Constable Chen, can you give me another bowl¡­¡±


    Lu Shuxue was completely speechless. She even moved her bowl and chopsticks to the side as if she didn¡¯t know her.


    Her heart was filled with shame. She deeply doubted whether it was a mistake to bring this silly girl along.


    ¡°Sister Wu, I¡¯ll serve it to you now. Sister Lu, if you don¡¯t mind, it¡¯s okay to stay for a few more days. With my husband around, this little bit of food and drink is still affordable, right, Hubby?¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er picked up Wu Qiushui¡¯s clean bowl and walked to the kitchen. She said to Chen Zhiyuan with a smile.


    ¡°Yes. Zhu¡¯er is right. Ladies, the county magistrate has issued a death order to exterminate the bandits of Black Wind Mountain. It won¡¯t be long before the news will reach the ears of the bandits. It might become even more chaotic in the next few days. It¡¯s fine for the two of you to live here at ease.¡±


    Since Zhu¡¯er had already said that, Chen Zhiyuan naturally couldn¡¯t refuse. He might as well find an excuse to eradicate the bandits so that the two of them wouldn¡¯t have any psychological burden. However, it was said that once one was fed and warmed, one would become lustful¡­


    Although his thatched house had an inner room and an outer room, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal to have two more people in it. However, the soundproofing effect wasn¡¯t that good. It was a long night, so how could he endure it¡­

 Chapter 23 - Why Dont We Get Married Together

    Chapter 23 Why Don¡¯t We Get Married Together


    Lu Shuxue¡¯s heart calmed down a little when she heard this. However, when she saw the worried Chen Zhiyuan, she paused for a moment before asking, ¡°Constable Chen, did you take on the task of suppressing the bandits?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Miss Lu, how did you find out?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan was greatly surprised when he heard this. Ever since he returned, he had never mentioned that he was going to suppress the bandits. He didn¡¯t want Zhu¡¯er and the others to be worried. But Miss Lu was actually so smart to have guessed it.


    ¡°Constable Chen, you were frowning after you finished talking about exterminating the bandits. There must be some thorny problem that made you feel so troubled, so it must be the bandits of Black Wind Mountain. Since they dared to go down the mountain to rob in broad daylight, there must be a lot of them.¡±


    Lu Shuxue explained with some fear in her heart. After all, the incident of encountering the bandits on the road yesterday made her fearful when she thought about it now. If she hadn¡¯t met Constable Chen, she wouldn¡¯t have dared to imagine the result of being robbed by the bandits.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s face turned red. He wasn¡¯t thinking about suppressing the bandits just now¡­ It turned out that Miss Lu had misunderstood. But now, he couldn¡¯t admit it even if he was beaten to death.


    ¡°Constable Chen, when it comes to suppressing the bandits, Qiu Shui might really be able to help you. This girl is smart and nimble. Although I taught her to read and write in the Xu family¡¯s rear residence, when it comes to arithmetic, even I am inferior. If Constable Chen is worried about outsiders, you can ask Qiu Shui to help.¡±


    Lu Shuxue became serious. She pointed at Wu Qiushui and said to Chen Zhiyuan.


    ¡°In the Xu family¡¯s rear residence, apart from a few times when Xu Qingfeng snatched me, it¡¯s rare for him to visit again. I learned to read from Sister Lu, and I also learned arithmetic. Sister Lu said that I¡¯m a genius in mental arithmetic, but I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Hearing Lu Shuxue praising her so much, the carefree Wu Qiushui actually became shy. She rubbed the corner of her clothes. She looked at Lu Shuxue, then looked at Chen Zhiyuan, and said in a low voice.


    This girl actually had this kind of ability?


    Chen Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t help but take another look at Wu Qiushui. She looked carefree, but she was actually a genius in arithmetic. His heart moved slightly, he said, ¡°Miss Wu. Since Miss Lu said that you¡¯re particularly good at arithmetic, I have two questions here. Can you help me calculate?¡±


    ¡°Constable Chen, speak!¡±


    Hearing that Chen Zhiyuan wanted to test her, Wu Qiushui raised her head proudly. She was absolutely confident in this aspect.


    ¡°Today, there¡¯s a cage of chickens and rabbits. There are 88 heads and 244 feet. How many chickens and rabbits are there?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan spoke slowly. This question came from The Mathematical Classic of Sun Zi. It was a classic question of arithmetic in later generations. However, after he changed the numbers to hundreds, the difficulty was undoubtedly much higher than before.


    Wu Qiushui moved her fingers and chanted for a while. Then, she reported the answer, ¡°54 chickens, 34 rabbits. Constable Chen, is it right or not?¡±


    At the side, Lu Shuxue¡¯s gaze kept rotating between the two of them. Her expression was solemn. This kind of arithmetic question sounded more troublesome than usual. Constable Chen really wanted to test Qiu Shui. She didn¡¯t know if Qiu Shui¡¯s answer was right or not.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! That¡¯s exactly right!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan smiled. This girl really had some talent. This kind of question might not sound difficult in the future, but in this era, there weren¡¯t many people who studied this. Could it be that he had even gotten a young, talented mathematician?


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    Lu Shuxue heaved a sigh of relief, and Wu Qiushui jumped up in excitement. ¡°Sister Lu, I¡¯ve answered it!¡±


    ¡°Miss Wu, I have one more question. If you can answer it before I put down all ten fingers, you can eat as much as you want for today.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan continued with a smile.


    ¡°Ah? Also, Qiu Shui¡­¡±


    Lu Shuxue immediately looked at Wu Qiushui. From Constable Chen¡¯s posture, it was obvious that the question would be more difficult than the previous one.


    ¡°Eat as much as I want? Constable Chen, quickly say it!¡±


    When Wu Qiushui heard that she can eat as much as she want for today, her eyes lit up. She looked like a foodie.


    ¡°This question is difficult as well as simple. From number one to hundred, add all the numbers together and just tell me the final answer. I¡¯ll start the countdown now.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan put both hands on the table. He put down one finger in about five seconds.


    Wu Qiushui immediately frowned and started to calculate with her fingers. Lu Shuxue¡¯s expression became nervous again.


    When Li Zhu¡¯er came out from the kitchen with a bowl and saw the expressions of the people in the living room, she looked at her husband with slight resentment. She leaned against the kitchen door and did not go over, afraid that she would disturb Wu Qiushui, who was calculating.


    When Chen Zhiyuan put down seven fingers, he began counting down. ¡°Miss Wu, there¡¯s not much time left. Three ¨C¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, don¡¯t rush, I¡¯m figuring out, I¡¯m figuring out¡­¡±


    Wu Qiushui¡¯s brows were tightly knitted, and her fingers moved even faster.


    ¡°Two!¡±


    ¡°Five thousand¡­ Five thousand and fifty!¡±


    Wu Qiushui almost roared out. Her eyes were fixed on Chen Zhiyuan, and her eyes were full of nervousness and excitement.


    The other two girls also looked at Chen Zhiyuan as if they were experiencing the same thing.


    ¡°Hum¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan deliberately dragged out his voice and finally laughed, ¡°That¡¯s right! Miss Wu is indeed a genius!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    The two girls jumped up and hugged each other excitedly.


    ¡°Sister Wu, since you answered correctly, come over quickly and continue eating.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er also walked over from the kitchen with a smile. She brought a bowl full of beef stew with potatoes and placed it in front of Wu Qiushui. She looked at Chen Zhiyuan and said,


    ¡°This is a good thing, Hubby. Since you¡¯ve accepted the task of suppressing the bandits, you can¡¯t be careless. If there¡¯s a mistake in the military horses, money, and grain accounts, and that county magistrate comes looking for trouble with you afterward, you¡¯ll have no place to say anything. I¡¯ll decide and let these two sisters stay. It doesn¡¯t matter how long they want to stay.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan smiled without saying anything and nodded in agreement.


    Since Wu Qiushui had passed the test and Zhu¡¯er had said so, he naturally didn¡¯t have an excuse to refuse.


    If he kept this girl who was talented in mathematics and taught her Arabic numerology in the future, perhaps he could really train a mathematician.


    Hmm¡­


    Just thinking about it was exciting!


    Late at night.


    It was late at night, and Chen Zhiyuan was tossing and turning on the bed. Finally, he couldn¡¯t help but turn over and place his palms on Li Zhu¡¯er.


    ¡°H-Hubby¡­ What are you doing¡­ Miss Lu and Miss Wu are still sleeping outside¡­ Put them away¡­¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er shuddered. She sensed her husband¡¯s hot breath and immediately knew what her husband was trying to do. But when she remembered that someone else was sleeping outside, she was so embarrassed that she whispered in a panic.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, you¡¯re the one who let them stay. I didn¡¯t say anything. Now that I can¡¯t hold it in anymore, you have to take responsibility, right¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan didn¡¯t put down his hand. He was even more agitated.


    ¡°Hubby¡­ No, I can¡¯t become a laughing stock in front of the two sisters¡­ Don¡¯t you still have the job of exterminating bandits¡­¡±


    ¡°Those two girls have been through it before. What laughing stock? Exterminating bandits is something that happens during the day. The emperor doesn¡¯t lack hungry soldiers. He has to let me rest at night. Zhu¡¯er, if you¡¯re too shy, let¡¯s just be quiet.¡±


    ¡°Aiya, Hubby, don¡¯t¡­ Hubby, be gentle¡­¡±


    The commotion from the inner room eventually reached the ears of the two ladies who were still sleeping outside.


    Lu Shuxue and Wu Qiushui were originally sleeping on opposite ends of the room, but the commotion in the inner room was getting louder and louder. The two of them could not help but blush.


    Wu Qiushui crawled to Lu Shuxue¡¯s side and hugged her. She whispered, ¡°Sister Lu, are you asleep?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Lu Shuxue wanted to push Wu Qiushui away, but she was afraid of disturbing the people inside, so she had to respond with a voice that could only be heard by a mosquito.


    ¡°Sister Lu, I think Constable Chen and Sister Li are good people. Why don¡¯t we stay here¡­¡±


    Wu Qiushui blinked her eyes, flipped Lu Shuxue over, and said to her.


    ¡°Bah! You shameless girl! Sister Li only agreed to let us stay here, not to let you steal her husband. We need to have a sense of honor!¡±


    Lu Shuxue spat and looked out of the window. ¡°Besides, I haven¡¯t contacted my parents for a long time. I don¡¯t know how the two of them are doing now. How can I indulge in the days ahead¡­¡±


    ¡°Sister Lu, don¡¯t worry. Uncle and Auntie will be fine.¡±


    Wu Qiushui fell silent when she heard that. It had been a long time since she heard the news of her parent¡¯s death after she was snatched into the Xu Residence. She had already cried until her eyes were dry. Fortunately, Sister Lu treated her very well in the residence, and that was why she made up her mind to follow Sister Lu back home.


    ¡°I hope so¡­¡±


    Lu Shuxue sighed for a long time, and then she looked at Wu Qiushui seriously. ¡°Qiu Shui, I thought about it carefully just now. Your idea might be right. It¡¯s a good choice for you to stay. Both Constable Chen and Sister Li are good people. You won¡¯t be bullied if you stay. Sister Li should be able to accept you.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    Wu Qiushui was about to rejoice when she suddenly realized something was wrong, and she quickly asked,


    ¡°Wait¡­ Sister Lu, if you want me to stay, what about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no doubt going back to my parents, and maybe I¡¯ll remarry¡­ I don¡¯t know what the new husband will be like, and I can¡¯t take you to suffer with me.¡±


    Lu Shuxue caressed Wu Qiushui¡¯s hair and laughed at herself.


    ¡°No, no! I want to be with Sister Lu. It would be great if we could marry Constable Chen together¡­¡±


    Wu Qiushui hugged Lu Shuxue tightly and closed her eyes.


    ¡°Silly girl, how can there be so many good things in this world¡­¡±


    Lu Shuxue looked at the silly girl in front of her and couldn¡¯t help but smile. She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed before she fell into a deep sleep.


    They woke up on the second day.


    Chen Zhiyuan felt refreshed. He looked at Zhu¡¯er, who was still sleeping soundly beside him. He gently covered her with a blanket and carefully got out of bed.


    He came to the door.


    The two women were already cleaning the courtyard.


    ¡°Miss Lu, Miss Wu, good morning!¡±


    ¡°Constable Chen, good morning. We cooked some porridge. Would you like to try it with Sister Li?¡±


    Lu Shuxue quickly returned the greeting.


    ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯m actually a little hungry. I¡¯ll go and try it first. Zhu¡¯er is still sleeping soundly. She can drink it when she wakes up. You don¡¯t have to wait for her. She¡¯s not someone who cares about this.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan turned around and walked back to the kitchen. He heard a surprised voice behind him.


    ¡°Wow! How could Sister Li be more tired than Constable Chen!¡±


    The courtyard was dead silent.


    Chen Zhiyuan rubbed his nose and rushed to the kitchen without looking back.


    It was too awkward!


    Even after breakfast, he didn¡¯t see the two sisters. He didn¡¯t know where they had gone to hide. He knew that it was Lu Shuxue who did it, so he didn¡¯t care. He walked straight to a quiet place outside the village and opened the system space.


    ¡°Ding! Congratulations to the host for signing in successfully!¡±


    ¡°Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining (One Ferghana Horse), and [One Hundred Excellent Warhorses].¡±

 Chapter 24 - This Country Is Doomed

    Chapter 24 This Country Is Doomed


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at the 101 warhorses that had appeared on the grassland space. The smile on his face could not be stopped. It was as if someone had given him a pillow just as he was dozing off. With these excellent warhorses, his plan to develop his power could be further improved. Now that he had a Ferghana Horse and a Lion Cong, he might be able to give one to Xiahou Yong and lure him over.


    Now it was time for him to recruit soldiers and buy horses.


    Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s first thought was, of course, his bailiff brothers. After all, they were also his proper subordinates.


    But before that, he still wanted to meet someone, Wang Shan!


    He was a constable who had descended from the sky, and Wang Shan was a county citizen and a tyrant in the county. In terms of understanding these bailiffs, no one was more suitable than him.


    He did it right away!


    Chen Zhiyuan immediately rode on his horse and rushed towards Wang Shan¡¯s residence in the city.


    Today was not the day of duty for squad three, so the bailiffs could rest at home. They would only need to gather at the government office when there was an urgent matter.


    ¡°Chief Chen is here. Quick, this way, please. Woman, quickly take out my precious tea and brew a pot.¡±


    When Wang Shan opened the door and saw that it was Chen Zhiyuan, he immediately greeted him with a smile and told his wife to brew a cup of good tea to serve him.


    ¡°Old Wang, there¡¯s no need to go through so much trouble. I came here today because I have something to ask of you.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan waved his hand and said.


    ¡°Hehe, Chief Chen, even if you want to exterminate the bandits, it won¡¯t take much time to brew a pot of tea. Let¡¯s drink some tea, and I¡¯ll explain it to you.¡±


    Wang Shan grinned and invited Chen Zhiyuan into the house as if he already knew his intention for this trip.


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at Wang Shan and sighed in his heart that this local tyrant was indeed not to be trifled with. He felt relieved and sized up the small courtyard of Wang Shan¡¯s house. Although it was not big, it was still considered elegant, with all kinds of furniture and furnishings.


    ¡°Chief Chen, give me five hundred string of coins, and I can give you the exact same set in the city.¡±


    When Wang Shan saw the look in Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes, he immediately patted his chest confidently to assure him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that for the time being. I¡¯m not in the mood to think about this right now. Just tell me.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan quickly refused. He wanted to develop his power.


    Even if he wanted to change houses, he had to build them outside and develop himself.


    If he bought a house in the city, his old nest would be destroyed as soon as he had any ideas. He would not do such a business.


    The two of them came to the mat together and sat down cross-legged.


    Wang Shan then slowly said, ¡°Chief, you took on the task of suppressing the bandits, but the available people you have on hand are a few of our brothers in squad three. With only these people, you still don¡¯t know which ones are willing to risk their lives and which ones are just saying it. That¡¯s why you came to ask me today, right?¡± ¡°Old Wang, I really didn¡¯t misjudge you. Continue.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan stared at Wang Shan for a while, then nodded, indicating for him to continue.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the bailiffs from squad three. The two dogs and the others are still acceptable. However, we can dream if we want to annihilate Black Wind Mountain with only these people. If we want to destroy Black Wind Mountain, we definitely won¡¯t be able to do it without 500 people. Right now, it¡¯s a severe drought. Lives are cheap, but money and food are expensive. As long as we¡¯re willing to fork out money and food, 500 lives won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    Wang Shan said a few words, then looked at Chen Zhiyuan and said seriously, ¡°Chief, do you have enough?¡±


    ¡°200 catties of food per person. Can you find 500 people who dare to use weapons and risk their lives?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at Wang Shan¡¯s expression and tentatively stretched out two fingers.


    ¡°200 catties?¡±


    ¡°If 200 catties is not enough, I can add more, but I have to take it slow¡­¡±


    ¡°No, cough cough! Chief, is what you said true? 200 catties of food per person is available right away, not including the rations used in the process of exterminating the bandits!¡±


    Wang Shan stood up with a whoosh and stared at Chen Zhiyuan in disbelief.


    In this era, a few catties of rations were enough to trigger a bloody case. It was just that most of the incidents in the city had been suppressed, so most people didn¡¯t know about


    it.


    The moment Chief Chen opened his mouth, it was 200 catties. How could it not shock him?


    ¡°Of course. My brothers are working so hard, so I can¡¯t possibly make them bring their own food. It¡¯s just that many people may not have seen this food before¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan said with some hesitation. He had calculated this figure before.


    The current stock was about 20,000 catties of potatoes, 200 catties for each person, and 500 people need 10,000 catties. During the process of exterminating the bandits, each person will have two catties of food every day. In wartime, three catties of food per day, plus all sorts of losses, 20,000 catties would be enough for at least a week, and the spirit fields were still producing an endless stream. This number was enough for him to maintain.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a problem. There are some places outside the city where the bark and grass roots have been eaten. 200 catties of edible food that is not poisonous will be enough.¡±


    Wang Shan waved his hand, not caring at all. After a while, he looked at Chen Zhiyuan suspiciously. ¡°Chief, you aren¡¯t someone sent from the higher-ups to secretly pay a visit, are you?¡±


    There were tens of thousands of catties of grain stored in the house. Other than wealthy merchants like the Xu family, there were not many households in Qingshui County that could do it. Chief Chen was not well-known, so it was hard not to suspect him.


    ¡°F*ck off, if I were to pay a private visit in disguise, I would first punish you for corruption and dereliction of duty!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan glanced at Wang Shan. Why didn¡¯t he notice that this fellow was so suspicious earlier? He said unhappily, ¡°Continue. What else do you need?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Chief, with those words of yours, that¡¯s enough. Now, there¡¯s only one problem.¡±


    Wang Shan pretended to be mysterious but with a hint of seriousness.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan was puzzled.


    ¡°Armor and weapons! Chief Chen, you¡¯ve gathered people. You can¡¯t let them go to war empty-handed, right?¡±


    Wang Shan sighed and shook his body.


    ¡°I was ordered by the county magistrate to suppress the bandits. I can recruit people even if the county treasury doesn¡¯t give me money and food, but I can¡¯t possibly let them fight without any weapons and armor, right?¡±


    This time, it was Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s turn to be shocked. Every county had an armory, and he had specially learned about it.


    In order to prevent unexpected situations, when there were not enough bailiffs, it was inevitable that they would summon the militia and the local garrison to assist them. The armory in the county was used to deal with unexpected situations for them to use.


    Although it was not much, and there was no iron armor, the leather armor, long hair, waist knife, and other equipment should be more than enough for 500 people.


    ¡°Hehe! The county magistrate wants to give them, but these things are in the hands of Military Governor Zhao, who¡¯s in charge of forging weapons and armor for the armory. From his position, the county magistrate couldn¡¯t control him. Now that the county magistrate had the support of the county governor, he could control him. However, he had already sold everything. The county magistrate might have taken all the benefits, so where would he go to get these 500 people¡¯s armor and weapons.¡±


    Wang Shan said with a cold smile.


    When Chen Zhiyuan heard this, he only had one thought in his mind. The imperial court might really be hopeless.


    From top to bottom, it was either flattery or bribery. They even dared to sell the military¡¯s heavy weapons. What else would they not dare to sell?


    Before long, the world would be in chaos.


    He had to take this opportunity to develop and at least have the ability to protect himself.


    ¡°However, Chief, it¡¯s not impossible to make Military Governor Zhao spit it out. Military Governor Zhao has a habit. He likes to gamble! As long as he gambles to his heart¡¯s content, he could even use his wife and children as bets! If you can beat him, even if you can¡¯t get all the weapons and armor, you can still extort a sum of money and make him give the order to forge weapons and armor. Then you¡¯ll have everything.¡±


    Wang Shan whispered into Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s ear and said mysteriously.

 Chapter 25 - Poker Playstyle

    Chapter 25 Poker Playstyle


    After leaving Wang Shan¡¯s house, Chen Zhiyuan reorganized his train of thought.


    With Wang Shan¡¯s assistance and the fact that he could post recruitment notices inside and outside the county town, it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to gather 500 people. In addition, some veterans had seen bloodshed, and they could still manage to make it onto the battlefield.


    The current main problem was ordnance. Military Governor Zhao didn¡¯t even care about the county magistrate. A small constable like him would definitely not be able to persuade him. It seemed that he could only use Wang Shan¡¯s plan to win him over from the casino; only then could he obediently cooperate and forge weapons for him.


    But the problem was that with the current gambling techniques, he and the people around him, who were noobs, shouldn¡¯t be able to win against veterans like Military Governor Zhao. If he wanted to win, he could only rely on his knowledge from later generations to redesign a gambling method.


    Thinking of this, Chen Zhiyuan could not help but think of the little girl at home who was proficient in mental arithmetic. She might be the key to breaking this situation.


    In the county town.


    In a shop that custom-made carpentry work.


    ¡°Master, is your shopkeeper here?¡± Chen Zhiyuan went forward and asked an old master who was instructing others to plane wood everywhere.


    There was no other way. With the technology of the current era, it might be impossible to make cardboard that was smooth and resilient as the later generations. He could only use wood instead.


    ¡°Aiyo, the customer is here. As long as you can tell us what carpentry work you want, we will be able to do it. Our shop has the best carpentry work in the county town.¡±


    When the old master saw that the customer had arrived, he immediately put down the work on hand, wiped his hands on his clothes, and called Chen Zhiyuan over.


    ¡°Shopkeeper, I want 27 wooden cards like this¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan told his idea to the woodworking shop owner.


    After fifteen minutes, the shopkeeper finally understood Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s idea, and he said, ¡°Sir, the wooden cards you said must be neither big nor small, and it has to be thin enough. They can¡¯t break after playing two games. To make such a wooden card, I¡¯m afraid that other than gold wire and ironwood, no other wood can meet your requirements. But the price of this gold wire and ironwood¡­¡±


    ¡°The price is not a problem. As long as you can make it, we¡¯ll do it according to your


    price!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan didn¡¯t haggle over the price. He has to make it as soon as possible.


    ¡°Okay, as long as you say so, Sir. You can come and pick it up at this time tomorrow.¡±


    Seeing that Chen Zhiyuan was so forthright, the shopkeeper of the carpentry shop gave a price with a smile on his face. The deposit was half the amount, and he would pay the other half and materials fees once it was finished.


    After this was done, Chen Zhiyuan walked around the city. After buying some commonly used items that his family needed urgently, he left the city gate.


    At the town gate, he saw that a few of Wang Shan¡¯s subordinates had already erected a recruitment notice.


    ¡°The county magistrate has given an order. The bandits in Black Wind Mountain are rampant. Today, he has specially ordered Constable Chen Zhiyuan from the county office to organize a local army to eradicate the bandits. Anyone over the age of 16 with clean family background and those who are physically able can enroll. Those who enroll can gather at Taoyuan Village, which is in the west of the town. Those who are selected will receive 200 catties of rations, and those who are not selected will be given a meal.¡±


    The notice board also included the route and distance to Taoyuan Village.


    The people who were looking at the notice board and asking the bailiffs had crowded the place. Most of them were poor people who were dressed in rags.


    Chen Zhiyuan felt sad and helpless when he saw this. The famine had been going on for years. It was only 200 catties of potatoes, yet he was able to make a living person willing to work for him. This scene made his desire to become powerful even stronger.


    Back at home, Zhu¡¯er, Lu Shuxue, and Wu Qiushui were chatting in the courtyard. When they saw Chen Zhiyuan again, they were no longer as embarrassed as they were in the morning


    re


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, and the two ladies. I have a way to pass the time. Do you want to try it?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan walked over and said to the three ladies with a smile.


    ¡°A way to pass the time? Hubby, tell us quickly. Why didn¡¯t you tell us earlier?¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Now that Chen Zhiyuan had stopped her from going to work in the field, there was no need for her to fetch water. The only thing she could do was weave two pieces of cloth in her free time. However, with Lu Shuxue and Wu Qiushui here, it was not appropriate for her to leave them alone to weave.


    Girl talk would always end. What she lacked now was something to relieve her boredom.


    The other two ladies were also very curious. They looked at Chen Zhiyuan one after another.


    ¡°I made a deck of cards. The rules are roughly like this¡­¡±


    As Chen Zhiyuan spoke, he used a wooden stick to draw the cards from the future generations. From one to thirteen, they were divided into two colors, red and black. With the addition of a special card, this was a playing style for only two people. Because there were a total of twenty-seven cards, one person would be short of one card. The person who was short of cards would be the first to play. They could only play the cards in ascending order. The game could start with a single card, a pair of cards, and consecutive pairs of cards. The special card could replace any card.


    Because they knew all the cards in advance, as long as the other person calculated fast enough, they would be able to know all the cards in the opponent¡¯s hand. Then, they would make the appropriate choice and be the first to put out all their cards and win the game.


    By the time Chen Zhiyuan finished introducing the rules, the eyes of the three women were already shining.


    ¡°Constable Chen, when can we play with the wooden cards you mentioned?¡±


    Wu Qiushui could not wait, and she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it back tomorrow. Miss Wu, you must remember these rules. I¡¯ll have great use for it then.


    ¡°Speaking of which, Zhu¡¯er, there should be many people coming here tomorrow to register to join the local army. I¡¯ll get the bailiffs from the county office to help, but you also have to organize the women and children in the village to prepare food in advance. Just use the potatoes we¡¯ve eaten, and boil them with some beef bone broth. I¡¯ve also bought salt today.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at the three of them seriously and said.


    ¡°I will remember it quickly!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Hubby. I¡¯ll go and discuss with Elder Liu and ask him to help.¡±


    Wu Qiushui and Zhu¡¯er immediately got up and started to do their own things.


    Only Lu Shuxue was still in her original position. Seeing that Chen Zhiyuan was about to leave, she quickly got up and said sadly, ¡°Constable Chen, what about me? Sister Li and Qiu Shui both have tasks to do. How can I just watch and do nothing?¡±


    ¡°Miss Lu, you came from afar as a guest. How could I have the nerve to trouble a guest¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan had no choice but to turn around and explain.


    ¡°But Qiu Shui is also a guest. She can help, and I can learn.¡±


    Lu Shuxue puffed up her mouth, tears appearing faintly in her eyes.


    ¡°Then how about this, Miss Lu. I¡¯ll bring the cards back tomorrow. You must accompany Miss Wu to familiarize yourself. Also, tell her that when the time comes, she will have to compete with a gambling veteran. She cannot be careless and show her cowardice. I¡¯m sure she will listen to what you say.¡±


    After Chen Zhiyuan said this, he said in a particularly serious tone, ¡°Miss Lu, all the weapons and armors needed by the local army are on this gambling table. I¡¯ll leave everything to you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Constable Chen, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely train Qiu Shui very quickly!¡±


    Lu Shuxue return to her usual appearance, and she smiled.


    Only then did Chen Zhiyuan walk to the cellar in the backyard. He entered the system space and moved the stored food into the cellar.

 Chapter 26 - I Want the Whole World to Plant This

    Chapter 26 I Want the Whole World to Plant This


    The next day.


    At noon.


    Outside Taoyuan Village, people began to appear one after another. They were all adult males.


    Chen Zhiyuan led Wang Shan and the other bailiffs to stand under the big tree at the entrance of the village. They let the people who came line up in an orderly manner and continued to distribute clean water.


    Setting the recruitment location at Taoyuan Village was originally the first test. The county town was 40 miles away from here. Basically, it could screen out a large number of refugees who wanted to come here for free meals. Those who could walk here at least had a certain amount of physical strength.


    Looking at the beef bones in the big pot at the intersection and the round potatoes, the smell of meat had already drifted out for several miles. It wasn¡¯t just the people who came for the test who kept looking around.


    Even Wang Shan and a few other bailiffs glanced inside from time to time and swallowed their saliva.


    ¡°Chief, aren¡¯t you going too far? There¡¯s still meat on the beef bones. We usually don¡¯t get to eat such good food. Also, we haven¡¯t even seen this potato before. It smells really good. Can we let our brothers satisfy their cravings later first?¡±


    Wang Shan took a few steps forward and came to Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s side. He said with a cheeky smile.


    ¡°Yeah, Chief Chen, it smells so good. Let us try it first.¡±


    ¡°Chief Chen, if you don¡¯t say anything, we¡¯ll take it that you agree.¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­¡±


    A few bailiffs who came with Wang Shan also started to jeer. However, they were just saying it. No one took a step forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If you guys choose the people well for me, I¡¯ll definitely let you eat first later. This potato is a novelty. If you guys don¡¯t eat it, I¡¯m afraid the others won¡¯t dare to eat it.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan turned around and smiled at the bailiffs.


    ¡°Chief, it¡¯s good that you said that. You guys heard it. I told you that it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to follow Chief Chen. There will definitely be benefits when you come. Now that you know what I said was correct, right?¡±


    Wang Shan raised his voice even louder, and he shouted loudly, ¡°Remember to be more energetic. Those who can¡¯t lift the 20-pound stone lock, we don¡¯t want them. Those who faint at the sight of blood, we can¡¯t keep them. This mission can only be successful. There can¡¯t be any mistakes!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan listened to Wang Shan¡¯s voice behind him. His impression of him was getting better and better. After he gave a rough description, he came up with a more detailed standard, especially the point where one would faint at the sight of blood. Even he hadn¡¯t thought about it at the moment.


    When the time came, it would be a good choice for him to settle down and let Wang Shan be his assistant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Chief Chen and Brother Wang. We all understand.¡±


    A few bailiffs walked down and began to test the men in line one by one. Able to lift the 20-pound stone lock and not fainting at the sight of blood was a hard standard.


    Very soon, those who passed were pulled to one side, while those who failed were pulled to the other side.


    After the meal, the unqualified ones still had one more chance to try.


    Seeing that the sun was already above their heads, Chen Zhiyuan gave the order and began to distribute bowls and chopsticks to everyone to start eating.


    The bailiffs took the lead and rushed to the big pot, asking the women of Taoyuan Village who were fetching the food to give them more. It would be best if there was a bone in


    ¡°Chief Chen, this is too delicious. I¡¯ve lived for thirty years, but this is the first time I¡¯ve eaten something like this¡­ Damn it, Qian San¡¯er, that¡¯s the ox bone in my bowl. Don¡¯t snatch it!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s really delicious. Brother Wang, why don¡¯t you come down and have a taste?¡±


    The bailiffs took big mouthfuls of the food in their bowls and opened their mouths to entice Wang Shan, who was standing next to Chen Zhiyuan.


    Wa


    ¡°You guys eat first. I¡¯ll be right back!¡±


    Wang Shan smiled at the people below and then said to Chen Zhiyuan, ¡°Chief, when you said that you would give 200 catties of food, do you mean these?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have these most. Why? Can¡¯t I?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan shifted his gaze away from the bailiff who was fighting for the food and looked at the crowd.


    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s good enough that there¡¯s something to eat these days. I just want to say, isn¡¯t this a little too good for them?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just how you feel right now. I feel that I¡¯ve let these people down, exchanging 200 catties of potatoes for one life. After everyone has tasted it and knows that this thing can be eaten, I will let everyone grow this in Taoyuan Village. In the future, I will let the whole world plant this thing. The yield of this thing is much higher than our current grain, so there won¡¯t be so many people who will starve to death.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan said with a sigh.


    ¡°Chief Chen, what you said just now was a bit dangerous. It would be a big crime if someone with motives heard it.¡±


    Wang Shan also looked at the crowd, indicating something.


    However, his heart was in turmoil. There was no one else in the world who could make people do something except the emperor. Chief Chen was a bit too ambitious.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the only one who heard these words just now? Are you a person with a motive?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan turned his head and looked at Wang Shan.


    ¡°Haha, I, Wang Shan, don¡¯t dare to say that I¡¯m open and aboveboard, but I¡¯m definitely not a despicable person. Chief Chen, you¡¯re doing good for the people of the world. If there¡¯s anything that I can help with, why would I mind risking my life once?¡±


    Wang Shan¡¯s eyes flashed with a bright light, indicating his thoughts.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that enough? i¡¯ll leave this place to you. It¡¯s about time for me to prepare to make a bet with Military Governor Zhao. If I win the bet, Old Wang, we¡¯ll have a good start.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan walked towards his own thatched cottage and said to Wang Shan without turning his head back.


    ¡°Chief, don¡¯t worry. I will definitely pick 500 good soldiers for you to fight!¡±


    Wang Shan cupped his fists and bowed solemnly.


    In the small courtyard, Lu Shuxue and Wu Qiushui were still playing with the wooden card in their hands. When they saw Chen Zhiyuan come in, the two of them hurriedly stood up and bowed.


    ¡°Ladies, there¡¯s no need to be so polite. I just came in to see if this thing can attract the interest of gamblers.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan quickly waved his hand to let the two of them sit down, and he asked.


    ¡°This wooden card is a new thing, and the rules are fair and interesting. As long as the stakes are enough, there will definitely be people willing to play.¡±


    After Lu Shuxue finished speaking, she said to Chen Zhiyuan, ¡°Constable Chen, I¡¯ve also completed the task you gave me. Now, Qiu Shui only needs to get half of it to figure out what card the other party is holding. If you bring her out, I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t lose.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Lu. With your words, I¡¯m relieved.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan bowed solemnly to Lu Shuxue and then looked at Wu Qiushui. ¡°Miss Wu, thank you for your trouble. I¡¯ll protect you from behind. You don¡¯t have to be afraid no matter who you bet with.¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­ I¡¯ll work hard. I won¡¯t let you down, Constable Chen!¡±


    Wu Qiushui was startled by Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s serious look. Then, she took a deep breath and answered seriously as well.


    ¡°Miss Wu, let¡¯s change our clothes and leave now. We¡¯ll go into the town to check out the situation first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then, the two of them walked into the house.


    Soon, a young master came out of the house, followed by a servant.


    Lu Shuxue, who was standing outside the house, saw the two of them and immediately burst into laughter.


    ¡°Sister Lu, can you stop laughing? It¡¯s my first time pretending to be a man, and I even have a beard¡­¡±


    Wu Qiushui¡¯s face was full of grievances, and she was complaining so much that Lu Shuxue almost couldn¡¯t straighten her back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, but, haha¡­¡±


    SOL


    Lu Shuxue couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore.


    However, Chen Zhiyuan was very satisfied. This was the effect he wanted.


    A young lady thought that she had learned a gambling technique that was unparalleled in the world. She pretended to be a man and led her follower everywhere to find people to challenge. It was obvious to other people that she was a woman in disguise. There were many challengers, yet she had never lost!


    This was how reputation would start building!


    Military Governor Zhao, that older gambler who loved gambling, would have no choice but to come and take a look.

 Chapter 27 - On the Gambling Table, There Is No Gender Distinction

    Chapter 27 On the Gambling Table, There Is No Gender Distinction


    Qingshui County.


    East Alley.


    This alley was also known as the gambling street. The people inside were either gamblers or people who made money from these gamblers.


    A person with a bird cage in his left hand and a snuff bottle in his right hand slowly walked into the alley that was filled with casinos.


    When the crowd saw him, they all greeted him.


    ¡°Lord Zhao, you¡¯re here again today.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Lord Zhao, you¡¯re bird strolling huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Good morning to all of you. What do you think of this canary of mine?¡±


    Lord Zhao didn¡¯t put on airs. He kept smiling and nodding as he greeted the crowd.


    ¡°The one in Lord Zhao¡¯s hand is definitely of the highest quality!¡±


    The people around him started to flatter him.


    Lord Zhao¡¯s name was Zhao Dengming. He was the chief of the county¡¯s armory. He had the title of the military governor and was extremely fond of gambling. However, his gambling etiquette was extremely good. He never relied on his power to bully others at the gambling table. Even if he lost, he would never go back on his word.


    Therefore, the people on this street were extremely familiar with him. Naturally, their senses were also particularly good.


    Zhao Dengming walked into a familiar gambling house. The shopkeeper immediately greeted him with a smile. ¡°Lord Zhao, what would you like to play today? Or pai gow?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t play today. Playing this every day makes me sick of it. Do you have anything new?¡±


    Zhao Dengming teased the bird in his hand and asked the shopkeeper.


    ¡°Aiyo, you don¡¯t say. In the past, there haven¡¯t been any. Today, there really are people who want to challenge the gambling house.¡±


    The shopkeeper took a few steps forward and quietly pulled Zhao Dengming to a corner. He said in a low voice, ¡°Lord Zhao, do you see the people surrounded there?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a young master and a follower.¡±


    Zhao Dengming looked in the direction the shopkeeper pointed and nodded.


    ¡°Bah! A young master my foot, it¡¯s a girl! She disguised herself and thought that no one would recognize her.¡±


    The shopkeeper disdainfully said, then he introduced to Zhao Dengming, ¡°That girl has 27 cards in her hand. She said that it¡¯s a gambling technique that she created herself. It¡¯s unparalleled in the world. She made a bet with someone and bet five strings of coins. If anyone defeats her, she¡¯ll pay back double.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It sounds interesting. Are there any rules since it¡¯s a new game?¡± Zhao Dengming¡¯s eyes lit up, and he continued to ask.


    ¡°She said that after the cards are shuffled, each person will take one card until there¡¯s no card. The one with the least cards will play first. If there¡¯s a single card, then two pairs of the same cards¡­ In short, the one who puts out all of their cards first will win. Yesterday, they came, and they won 27 matches in a row. They haven¡¯t lost a single match. I¡¯m afraid that they¡¯ve won more than a hundred strings of coins, which is more than what I earned in a day. But, I don¡¯t have a way to chase out those who follow the rules¡­¡±


    After a brief introduction, the shopkeeper looked over and said with envy and jealousy.


    ¡°27 consecutive wins! Shopkeeper, is there¡­ any problem with her cards?¡±


    A smile appeared on Zhao Dengming¡¯s lips, and his eyes were shining.


    ¡°No, as long as you are willing to bet, you can check the cards first before you bet. I also went to take a look. It¡¯s made by North Street Carpenter in the city. Besides, if there¡¯s a problem, we would have kicked them out long ago, right?¡±


    The shopkeeper shook his head and said.


    ¡°Haha, looks like we have some fun to play today. Shopkeeper, keep an eye on my bird.¡±


    Zhao Dengming placed the bird cage on the counter and strode towards the table in the corner.


    ¡°How unlucky. I lost again!¡±


    A person walked down the card table dejectedly.


    ¡°28 consecutive wins! Is there anyone who dares to come up and compete with my young master? If you win against my young master, the stakes will be tripled!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan shouted as he watched the person at the door slowly walk over. He shouted even louder.


    From the moment Zhao Dengming entered the door, his attention had never left him. Since he was finally here, he naturally shouted even harder.


    ¡°Friend, how do you play this card?¡±


    Zhao Dengming sat on the card table.


    ¡°Sir, my young master¡¯s throat is a little uncomfortable. Let me introduce the rules to


    you.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan bowed his head and asked carefully, his smile becoming more and more obsequious.


    ¡°Ahem! That¡¯s fine too!¡±


    Zhao Dengming glanced at Chen Zhiyuan and then at Wu Qiushui. He lowered his head for a moment. He was also amused by Wu Qiushui disguising herself as a man. However, he was here to gamble today. There was no reason in the world that women could not gamble.


    Sitting at the gambling table, there was no distinction between men and women, only gamblers.


    ¡°Sir, for our gameplay, you have to distribute all the cards one by one after the cards are shuffled. The one who has the least card will play first, and the next person¡¯s turn has to put out a card that¡¯s bigger than the previous. There is also a special card on this deck. It can replace any card. You can take a look¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan spread out the cards one by one and took out the special card for Zhao Dengming to look at. Then, he continued to explain the remaining rules to him, and only then did he retreat behind Wu Qiushui.


    ¡°Okay, I understand. Deal the cards. I¡¯ll go first! I bet ten string of coins!¡±


    Zhao Dengming nodded and took out a small silver ingot as he spoke.


    Chen Zhiyuan went forward and shuffled the cards in front of the two of them before handing them out.


    ¡°Three!¡±


    Zhao Dengming took out two cards.


    ¡°Five!¡±


    Wu Qiushui also took out two cards.


    ¡°Special card plus two. This should be the biggest card, straight!¡±


    ¡°Go!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed interesting. I was careless in the first round. Haha, again. This time, I¡¯ll bet twenty strings of coins!¡±


    Zhao Dengming smiled and took out two ingots of silver to let Chen Zhiyuan deal cards.


    ¡°Another round!¡±


    ¡°Another round!¡±


    Two hours later.


    le


    ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve already lost nineteen rounds. If you can¡¯t bet anymore, you might as well go home and get the money.¡± Chen Zhiyuan looked at Zhao Dengming, who was sweating profusely on his forehead. His hands were touching his chest and abdomen for a long time, but he still hadn¡¯t taken out any silver. He tried to persuade him with a flattering smile.


    However, to Zhao Dengming, his flattering smile at this moment seemed like he was mocking him.


    ¡°No, this is the title deed of my house! One more round. If I lose, this will belong to you!¡±


    Zhao Dengming took out a title deed from his pocket, slammed it on the table, and shouted at Chen Zhiyuan, ¡°Deal! Backup!¡± This was the first time Wu Qiushui had seen such a gambler who gambled on his family property. She looked at Chen Zhiyuan in a panic.


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at Wu Qiushui and comforted her, ¡°Sir, your bet is too big. My young master is afraid that he can¡¯t afford it. Why don¡¯t we forget about it today? Tomorrow¡­¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    A loud sound came from the table.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you deal the cards! If I lose, these will belong to you. If you lose, I¡¯ll take everything you have won!¡±


    Zhao Dengming slammed his fist on the gambling table and glared at Chen Zhiyuan.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you dawdling for? I, Zhao Dengming, always keep my words on the gambling table. Why don¡¯t you go and find out what kind of reputation I have on this street? Deal the cards!¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan pretended to be helpless and dealt the cards, but the corners of his eyes were filled with joy. He had pretended for so long, and this was the moment he had been waiting for!


    Military Governor Zhao!


    Just admit defeat today!

 Chapter 28 - Military Governor Zhao Is Numb to Losing

    Chapter 28 Military Governor Zhao Is Numb to Losing


    Seeing that Zhao Dengming and Wu Qiushui¡¯s stakes were getting higher and higher, the shopkeeper of the gambling house immediately called over two young servants and whispered a few words.


    Not long after, there were rumors of this gambling game on the street.


    ¡°Did you hear? Military Governor Zhao gambled on his family property at the street corner¡¯s gambling house!¡±


    ¡°Really? He actually gambled so much. Who is the opponent?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him before. I heard that he¡¯s a new young master. The gambling method is also a new way of playing.¡±


    ¡°Aiyo, we have to take a look then. Brothers, shall we go together?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together, let¡¯s go¡­¡±


    It was rare for Military Governor Zhao, who was well-known in the gambling street, to gamble on his family property.


    When many gamblers in the East Alley heard the news, they all rushed to the gambling house at the end of the street.


    When the shopkeeper saw so many people come in, he was so happy that he could not close his mouth. He ordered the staff in the gambling house to give everyone a cup of tea free of charge, winning the praise of all the gamblers.


    Before long, the card table where Zhao Dengming and Wu Qiushui were sitting was surrounded by a sea of people.


    Although the crowd didn¡¯t know what kind of game this was, they could tell from their wagers and expressions that the game was definitely at a critical juncture.


    ¡°10! I only have one card left!¡±


    Zhao Dengming finished his pair and hugged the card in his hand.


    ¡°Special card and 13 pipes.¡±


    Wu Qiushui took out her number two card and a special card. ¡°I can¡¯t afford it.¡±


    Zhao Dengming looked at the two in his hand and finally had a happy expression on his face.


    His luck seemed to be particularly good in this round. All the cards were on the large side, and the girl couldn¡¯t afford to take many cards out.


    Now he only had one of the biggest cards in the game, and the girl on the opposite side had seven cards. As long as there was a single card, he definitely couldn¡¯t escape.


    ¡°Five.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Three.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Seven, I only have one card left.¡±


    After Wu Qjushui played the last pair, she held a hand and looked at Zhao Dengming.


    ¡°This¡­ how could this be!¡±


    Zhao Dengming widened his eyes. His eyes were red as he stared at the game in disbelief, then he looked at Wu Qiushui.


    This girl¡¯s last cards were all smaller than his, and in the end, it was he who couldn¡¯t win.


    ¡°It was you who wasted too many big cards. In the end, regardless of whether you played two or ten, you won. But because you fought too smoothly, you didn¡¯t count what cards I had left. So¡­ that was it¡­¡±


    Wu Qiushui finally opened her mouth and looked back at Zhao Dengming timidly.


    ¡°This is impossible¡­ This is impossible¡­¡±


    Zhao Dengming sat weakly on his seat, looking at the wooden cards on the table and muttering to himself in disbelief.


    ¡°Sir, since you¡¯ve lost this round, this deed¡­ belongs to us¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan reached out his hand and slowly reached out to the deed Zhao Dengming had slapped on the table. ¡°Wait!¡±


    Zhao Dengming held his head with one hand and pressed his other hand on the deed, and the two hands came to a standstill on the deed.


    ¡°Sir, are you really going to go back on your word in front of so many people? These people came here because of your reputation.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan didn¡¯t let go and pointed at the crowd around him.


    Only then did Zhao Dengming raise his head. When he realized that the people¡¯s expressions around him had changed from shock to disdain, he finally let go of the hand on the deed and left in a daze. He even forgot to take the bird.


    ¡°Sir, please move out of the house as soon as possible. My young master will be there to receive it in a few days!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan raised his voice and shouted at the back of Zhao Dengming as he left. He then looked at the crowd and said, ¡°Does anyone here still want to bet? If you win against my young master, the bet will be tripled.¡±


    When the crowd heard that, they shook their heads and left.


    What a joke.


    Even Military Governor Zhao couldn¡¯t win, yet he still wanted to trick them into gambling.


    Seeing that most of the people had left and no one else dared to come forward, Chen Zhiyuan pretended to shout, ¡°My young master said that it¡¯s over for today. Those who still want to gamble, come back in a few days.¡±


    Then he put away the wooden cards with Wu Qiushui and left the gambling house.


    ¡°Constable Chen, how did I do?¡±


    Walking to a place where no one was around, Wu Qiushui tore off her small mustache and looked at Chen Zhiyuan with a smile.


    ¡°Of course, you did excellently.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan answered with a smile.


    ¡°Then you have to keep your word. I¡¯ll eat until I¡¯m full like yesterday!¡±


    ¡°Of course. I, Chen Zhiyuan, have to honor my words. Miss Wu, I¡¯ll send someone to send you back first. I still have to remind Military Governor Zhao. When I go back tomorrow, I¡¯ll cook for you.¡± ¡°Great!¡±


    Wu Qiushui cried out in joy. Her face suddenly darkened again. She said in a low voice, ¡°Constable Zhao, I still want to ask you for something.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask. Miss Wu, just say it. I¡¯ll do my best to help you complete it.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan, who had already achieved his goal, did not hesitate. Wu Qiushui had helped him a lot this time. There were not many people who could learn and master this card within a day.


    ¡°That¡¯s good! Constable Zhao, can you marry Sister Lu?¡±


    Wu Qiushui stopped and looked at Chen Zhiyuan seriously.


    ¡°Uh¡­ this¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan choked on the girl¡¯s shocking words. It took him a long time to turn around and reply to Wu Qiushui, ¡°Miss Wu, marriage is a big deal. Both parties have to be willing to marry each other. How can I marry her just like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Sister Lu is willing!¡±


    Wu Qiushui argued loudly before looking around in a panic. She suppressed her voice and continued, ¡°Sister Lu told me in private that she had never seen such a good man like you. She even said¡­ even said that she wanted me to stay¡­


    ¡°Sister Lu wants to go back to Lin County to serve her parents. She might even have to remarry under her parents¡¯ orders. I don¡¯t know what kind of person she will marry. I don¡¯t want Sister Lu to have a bad life, and I don¡¯t want to be separated from Sister Lu¡­ So, Constable Chen, will you marry Sister Lu? I¡¯ll stay behind and be your concubine¡­¡±


    Looking at Wu Qiushui, whose pretty face was slightly red, a little flustered but more serious, Chen Zhiyuan didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment.


    These two girls were obviously good girls. One was well-educated and courteous, while the other was eccentric. It wasn¡¯t difficult to keep them. He should be able to support them, but he had not discussed this matter with Li Zhu¡¯er, his wife.


    In his heart, from the moment he woke up, Zhu¡¯er had brought out the only bowl of porridge in the house and handed it to him. Zhu¡¯er was the most important person to him. He knew that Zhu¡¯er would not refuse to take in a concubine, but he felt that it was necessary to inform her first.


    ¡°Miss Wu, I can¡¯t answer this question for the time being. How about I go back and ask Zhu¡¯er before I answer you?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan directly voiced his thoughts.


    ¡°Good! Constable Chen, you are indeed a good man who is one in a million!¡±


    Wu Qiushui instantly became happy. She praised Chen Zhiyuan, ran a few steps forward, and turned around with a smile. ¡°Sister Li is a good person, and she will definitely agree!¡±


    As she spoke, the two returned to the inn that they had already booked and changed back into their original clothes.


    Chen Zhiyuan called Pockmark Wang, who was waiting for him to send Wu Qiushui home while he went to Military Governor Zhao¡¯s residence alone.

 Chapter 29 - The Man in Black in the Military Governors Residence

    Chapter 29 The Man in Black in the Military Governor¡¯s Residence


    Zhao Residence.


    It was already evening when Zhao Dengming returned home. He sat on the stone bench in the courtyard and did not speak for a long time.


    There were all kinds of bird cages hanging in the courtyard. Beautiful thrushes and elfins were jumping up and down happily. However, at this moment, he was not in the mood to appreciate them.


    He had impulsively gambled away his family property. Now, he did not know how to explain it to this large family.


    ¡°Master, Constable Chen from the county office is here. He said that he has something important to discuss with you.¡±


    The butler of the manor rushed over to report.


    ¡°Constable? Why is the constable looking for me? I¡¯m not meeting him!¡±


    Zhao Dengming said with some anger. He looked at the butler who was about to leave and said again, ¡°Wait¡­ is that Constable Chen the ¡®Door Breaking Knife¡¯ Chen Zhiyuan?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master!¡±


    The butler immediately turned around and replied.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll meet him. Let him in.¡±


    Zhao Dengming changed his tone and sat in the pavilion in the courtyard.


    The butler rushed out, and in a short while, the two of them walked in.


    ¡°Constable Chen Zhiyuan of the county office greets Military Governor Zhao.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan took the initiative to bow.


    ¡°Save the formalities. Constable Chen, you¡¯re a rare guest. May I know why you are here today?¡±


    Zhao Dengming picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and asked.


    ¡°Military Governor Zhao. The county magistrate has ordered me to exterminate the bandits of Black Wind Mountain. I have been ordered to claim 500 sets of leather armor, swords, and spears.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan explained his purpose for coming


    Although he had already known from Wang Shan that the armor in the armory had been sold by this military governor, he still had to say some polite words.


    ¡°Constable Chen, you should know that my armory was originally designed for garrisons. Only during wartime can it be deployed by the county magistrate. That requires the county magistrate to issue an order. I can only assign armor and weapons after I see the registered local soldiers. However, I heard that you did not ask for a single coin and a grain from the county magistrate. You must not have recruited local soldiers. Now, you came to me to ask for armor and weapons. Could it be that you want to store them for other uses?¡±


    Zhao Dengming heard Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s intentions and spoke in a sinister tone.


    ¡°You must be joking. I asked for money and food from the county magistrate. However, the county magistrate said that the money and food in the treasury had long been used for disaster relief and needed time to prepare. He asked me to recruit soldiers first and distribute them later. However, without weapons and armor, I cannot train soldiers. If I cannot train soldiers, I cannot exterminate bandits. When that time comes, the county magistrate will blame me¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s expression did not change. He looked at Zhao Dengming and said slowly.


    ¡°Impudent! Are you threatening me?¡±


    Zhao Dengming was furious when he heard that.


    As the military governor, he was under the orders of the military. Usually, he could also choose to obey the orders of the county magistrate. In other words, even the county magistrate of Qingshui County would not dare to speak to him like that. Now, a mere constable dared to use the name of the county magistrate to pressure him. How could he tolerate this?


    ¡°Military Governor Zhao, I also know that you lost a lot of money in the East Alley today. However, if it wasn¡¯t for the urgent matter of exterminating the bandits, I wouldn¡¯t have come here today to trouble you. If you¡¯re willing to accommodate, I am willing to investigate if there are any problems with the two new gamblers.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked up at Zhao Dengming and said calmly.


    ¡°Constable Chen, what do you mean¡­¡±


    Zhao Dengming immediately calmed down when he heard that.


    Constable Chen even knew about the two people who gambled with him. It was obvious that he was extremely familiar with the gambling matter today. It sounded like he wanted to help him get back the deed to the house.


    He was a little hesitant as he couldn¡¯t figure out what Chen Zhiyuan was planning.


    1


    V


    ¡°Military Governor Zhao, I¡¯ll be straightforward. You gambled a lot in the casino today, and I saw those two gamblers seemed to be trying to lure you to gamble with them. If you help me to get these 500 sets of armor and weapons, I will help you find out the truth and recover the money. How about that?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at Zhao Dengming and said confidently.


    The deed to the Zhao Residence was in his hands. Naturally, he knew that the value of this deed was much higher than the value of 500 sets of weapons and armor.


    However, to him, these 500 sets of weapons and armor were related to whether he could eliminate the bandits and obtain the title of nobility to develop his own power. This title of nobility was much more important than this house.


    At this moment, he and Zhao Dengming were taking what they needed. He believed that Zhao Dengming would not refuse this condition.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Zhao Dengming finally confirmed it. Chen Zhiyuan already knew about the incident at the gambling den


    Although he had sold quite a lot of the weapons and armor in the armory, he could order the craftsmen to forge them. At most, he would have to pay with his own money. He had to get his property back.


    ¡°I, Chen Zhiyuan, have always been a man of my word. Military Governor Zhao, you will help me prepare 500 sets of weapons and armor in four days. I will help you to get back the property that you lost in the bet.¡± ¡°Deal!¡±


    The two of them high-fived and agreed, and the atmosphere in the courtyard gradually eased up.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore, Military Governor Zhao. Goodbye.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan stood up and said goodbye. ¡°Constable Chen, take care. Butler, send Constable Chen off for me.¡±


    After Zhao Dengming instructed the butler, he sat in the courtyard comfortably drinking tea and playing with the birds.


    At this moment, a voice came from behind Zhao Dengming.


    ¡°Ha! It seems that Lord Zhao is living too comfortably in town. You can¡¯t even see through such a simple trick. Unlike us brothers who live a hard life on the mountain.¡±


    A man in black sat on the stone bench beside Zhao Dengming, picked up the fruit on the table, and put it into his mouth.


    ¡°Who!¡±


    Zhao Dengming¡¯s body stiffened, and when he saw who it was, he frowned and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that I¡¯m only cooperating with you, but I¡¯m not joining you? If you continue to enter my house so casually, I¡¯ll have to report it to the authorities!¡±


    ¡°Report it to the authorities? Hahaha! Lord Zhao, if you want to report it to the authorities, go ahead. When the county office catches me, I¡¯ll say that it was Military Governor Zhao who sold the weapons and armor to my Black Wind Mountain. What do you think about that?¡±


    That person did not mind, and he crossed his legs and laughed loudly. He peeled open another banana and stuffed it into his mouth. He looked at Zhao Dengming with ridicule.


    Zhao Dengming immediately wilted like an eggplant hit by frost. He took the initiative to pass a bunch of grapes to that person and asked, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this first. What do you mean by saying that I fell for a simple trick?¡±


    ¡°Lord Zhao, just as you came back from the casino, Constable Chen came to your door and said that he could help you recover your lost property. Is there such a coincidence in this world?¡±


    The man in black picked up a grape and threw it into his mouth with a smile.


    ¡°In the government office, there are a bunch of bailiffs under a constable, and each bailiff has a few helpers wandering around the market. No one would be able to recognize them if they were not wearing official uniforms. As the constable, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if Chen Zhiyuan heard this information from his subordinates, right.¡±


    Zhao Dengming looked at the man in black and said.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t strange. What¡¯s strange is how Constable Chen dared to guarantee that he would definitely be able to find them for you. I dare to conclude that the two gamblers who won your property were either the people of Constable Chen or these two people are already in his hands.¡±


    The man in black¡¯s gaze was deep as he looked outside the door.

 Chapter 30 - Feel Free to Mention Anything You Want

    Chapter 30 Feel Free to Mention Anything You Want


    Those two gamblers were either Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s men, or they were already in his hands!


    The more Zhao Dengming thought about it, the more likely it seemed.


    ¡°Smash!¡±


    The high-quality blue and white porcelain teacups were smashed to the ground.


    ¡°Good! This kid actually dared to blackmail me and almost brought me to the ditch. I¡¯ll go find him now!¡±


    Zhao Dengming said angrily and was about to leave.


    ¡°Lord Zhao, if you want to shed all pretense of cordiality now, you can explain to the county governor that there are no weapons in your armory.¡±


    The man in black said calmly behind him and immediately pulled the furious Zhao Dengming back.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Zhao Dengming turned around and asked.


    ¡°Lord Zhao, the matter of you and the county magistrate selling armaments has obviously been discovered by Constable Chen. He didn¡¯t want to shed all pretense of cordiality, so he set up this trap or used the evidence against you to make this deal. As for why he didn¡¯t want to shed all pretense of cordiality, it might be because he didn¡¯t want the county magistrate to be replaced. Come to think of it, you still benefited from the county magistrate.¡±


    As the man in black spoke, he looked at Zhao Dengming mockingly.


    Zhao Dengming¡¯s face turned red, unable to refute.


    Chen Zhiyuan was currently under the county magistrate¡¯s orders to suppress the bandits, and the county magistrate was under the county governor¡¯s orders.


    In other words, now the county magistrate had the authority to order him to give Chen Zhiyuan armaments, and it was precisely because he knew that the armaments in the armory had long been resold that he did not say anything and allowed Chen Zhiyuan to prepare them on his own.


    If Chen Zhiyuan knew that there were no armaments in the armory, he could have directly reported the county magistrate to the county governor. However, because he knew that the county magistrate was also involved, he set up this trap and asked him to make enough weapons and armor to give to him.


    The county magistrate might be unlucky if this matter was made public if he went to blame Chen Zhiyuan and force him into a corner now. However, the crime of him as the military governor supervising the armory was definitely the greatest.


    ¡°Then what do you think we should do? Should we really forge weapons and armor for him? He¡¯s going to annihilate you.¡± Zhao Dengming could not help but look at the man in black again and asked.


    ¡°Just forge it for him. If he wants to annihilate the bandits, let him annihilate them. At the same time, he can also help us.¡±


    The man in black stood up after saying that, and he said to Zhao Dengming, ¡°When he sends out troops to annihilate the bandits, you might as well go to the county magistrate and apply to supervise the troops. The county magistrate might consider it. Bring a pigeon with you. If there¡¯s anything urgent, we will contact you through the carrier pigeon.¡±


    ¡°What, bring a carrier pigeon? That will be too obvious. If I¡¯m not careful, I¡¯ll be discovered¡­¡±


    Zhao Dengming immediately felt that he was in a tight spot.


    ¡°Lord Zhao, money is easy to get, but shit tastes terrible. You¡¯ve boarded the ship of my Black Wind Mountain. It¡¯s too late to jump ship now! I advise you to take care of yourself!¡±


    The man in black glared fiercely at Zhao Dengming and disappeared into the backyard.


    On the other side, Chen Zhiyuan was rushing to the county office.


    He didn¡¯t know that after he left, a capable person from the Zhao Residence had guessed part of his actions. He only thought that since he had lied for the county magistrate in the Zhao Residence, he should at least get some benefits from the county magistrate.


    ¡°Constable Chen, why are you here? How are the preparations for the recruitment of local soldiers coming along?¡±


    In the county office study, Liu Qingshan saw Chen Zhiyuan coming over and immediately got up to ask him. He didn¡¯t have any airs of a county magistrate at all.


    ¡°Reporting to the County Magistrate, the recruitment of the local soldiers is currently going very smoothly. However, when I went to the armory to apply for weapons and armor, Military Governor Zhao refused to admit that I was recruiting local soldiers on the ground that you didn¡¯t give me any funds. County Magistrate, you have to stand up for me. I can collect money and food, but where am I going to collect weapons and armor!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan pretended to be extremely wronged and became angrier the more he spoke in the county magistrate¡¯s study.


    ¡°Constable Chen, you have been wronged. It¡¯s my fault for not thinking properly. Weapons and armors are only available in the armory. Anyone who privately builds them is guilty of treason. As for Military Governor Zhao, I¡¯ll talk to him personally another day.¡±


    Liu Qingshan smiled along and pulled Chen Zhiyuan to a chair beside him to sit down. He personally brought a cup of tea and handed it to Chen Zhiyuan.


    His expression was a little pained.


    Zhao Dengming did share a portion of the weapons resale with him, but it was less than 30%.


    But this time, if he went to talk to him, perhaps the two of them would have to split the money to forge weapons and armor.


    ¡°County Magistrate, there¡¯s no need for that now. I¡¯ve already taken care of Military Governor Zhao¡¯s side. At least he agreed to forge weapons for me.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan drank a mouthful of water and said.


    ¡°Oh! Constable Chen, you have already convinced Military Governor Zhao to make weapons! That¡¯s the best. We can¡¯t delay the extermination of the bandits for even a day. The sooner the better! The sooner we exterminate this huge threat, the easier it will be for me to ask for credit from the county governor for you.¡±


    When Liu Qingshan heard that, he immediately beamed with joy.


    He didn¡¯t need to pay this money. No matter how he looked at it, it was a good thing.


    ¡°County Magistrate, this time, I didn¡¯t spend a single cent of the county¡¯s money on the recruitment and suppression of the bandits. After we take down Black Wind Mountain, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for me to take an extra share of the profits from the mountain stronghold, right?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan opened his mouth to ask Liu Qingshan.


    ¡°No problem! Of course, there¡¯s no issue! As long as we hand over the county governor¡¯s share, you can take an extra share of the rest that we have to share!¡±


    Liu Qingshan immediately patted his chest and promised.


    After all, he did not spend a single cent, but the credit for exterminating Black Wind Mountain was his. It would not be a big deal if he took a little less money.


    After the distribution of the spoils from the Xu Residence last time, he had now completely treated Chen Zhiyuan as one of his own people, so there was no need to hide these words.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, County Magistrate, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for you to treat the Black Wind Mountain that you¡¯ve conquered as my county¡¯s fief.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan spoke again.


    ¡°As long as you can conquer Black Wind Mountain, you can choose any mountain in Qingshui County. Whichever you want your fief to be is fine! If you have any other requests, please state them.¡±


    Liu Qingshan waved his hand once again.


    After all, Qingshui County did not have any mines. The mountain peaks were almost the same. For an undeserved title, a fief was just an ordinary mountain peak. There was nothing wrong with that.


    ¡°Not for the time being. It¡¯s enough to have the County Magistrate¡¯s words. I will definitely take down Black Wind Mountain for


    you!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan stood up. With the county magistrate¡¯s words, he was ready to take his leave.


    If he wanted to develop his power, he had to have a territory first.


    Taoyuan Village was too obvious, and the land wasn¡¯t fertile, so it was extremely suitable to be used as an excuse.


    It was obvious that living on the mountain was possible since the bandits on Black Wind Mountain were able to stay on the mountain for so long in this year of drought. After it was conquered, he could move the refugees in with a few repairs, quietly growing and waiting for the right time.


    ¡°Good! Zhiyuan, with your words, I¡¯m half relieved. If there¡¯s nothing else, you should hurry back and recruit enough local soldiers to train, so you can send out troops to suppress the bandits as soon as possible!¡±


    Liu Qingshan patted Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s shoulder affectionately and beamed with joy.


    ¡°County Magistrate, then I¡¯ll have to trouble you to put in a few good words for me in front of the county governor. I¡¯ll definitely do my best.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan was also beaming with joy.


    Only a fool would be willing to replace such a boss who was deaf to the outside world and only focused on getting money.

 Chapter 31 - Zhuer Doesnt Feel Wronged

    Chapter 31 Zhu¡¯er Doesn¡¯t Feel Wronged


    Two days had passed.


    When Chen Zhiyuan returned to Taoyuan Village, the land outside the village that was originally barren due to the drought was bustling with activity at this moment. The people who had passed the selection had already started to set up camp. The big pot at the entrance of the village was still steaming. Because of Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s instructions, there were some pieces of meat and grease in the pot every day. In this year of famine, this was already considered top-notch food.


    ¡°Chief, you¡¯re back. How are things with Military Governor Zhao?¡±


    Wang Shan immediately came forward, took the horse in Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s hand, and asked with a smile.


    ¡°Consider it done. In two days, you can collect the weapons and armor.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan said with a smile. Looking at the busy crowd in the distance, he couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°Old Wang, how many people have passed the selection so far?¡±


    ¡°As expected of you, Chief. When you take action, you¡¯ll definitely succeed. More than 260 people have already been selected. When some people saw how life here was, they immediately went home and pulled their brothers over. Word has spread. People are rushing here every day. Today, nearly 200 people have come.¡±


    Wang Shan reported cheerfully. At this rate, in less than two days, there would be 500 people who could pick up weapons. With a little training, they could go into battle.


    ¡°Yes, keep an eye out. It doesn¡¯t matter if the audit is stricter since there would be more people. As long as they are in their prime.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan reminded him again. After taking two steps, he suddenly turned around and said, ¡°By the way, you can ask your brothers to calculate the additional registration for those who know how to ride horses. I want to meet them personally.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­ Chief, could it be that you were able to get warhorses?¡±


    Wang Shan was extremely shocked. He quickly caught up with Chen Zhiyuan and asked him in surprise.


    ¡°I can get around a hundred of them. They¡¯re all warhorses. Calculate how many people can ride them. I didn¡¯t sleep much last night in town. Come to my house and tell me when you¡¯re done. I¡¯m going to rest for a while.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan said as he walked away.


    Wang Shan, who hadn¡¯t regained his senses for a long time, was left behind.


    What did it mean to have around a hundred warhorses? Before today, he believed that even if he turned Qingshui County upside down, he would not be able to gather a hundred warhorses.


    After all, warhorses were not ordinary horses that were used to pulling carts and goods. They were prime horses that had to carry a few hundred pounds and gallop on the battlefield. Qingshui County was not close to the grassland, and it was not a big county. How could he gather so many warhorses?


    But now that Chen Zhiyuan said it, he could not help but believe it.


    If they could really form a hundred cavalrymen, the difficulty of suppressing the bandits would undoubtedly drop by a few levels. Although warhorses could not go up the mountain, they were invincible on the flat ground at the foot of the mountain. With a hundred cavalrymen, it would not be a problem to wipe out a few hundred mountain bandits on the plain.


    Even if the bandits did not go down the mountain, the cavalrymen could be used to cut off the connection between the bandits and the foot of the mountain where they can pass information to the various armies.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­ The chief doesn¡¯t have a treasury in his house, does he?¡±


    Wang Shan scratched his head after a long while and looked in the direction of Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s house. After sighing, he turned around and began to instruct the bailiffs to pay attention to those who knew how to ride horses.


    On the other side, Chen Zhiyuan did not enter the house directly. Instead, he went to the cellar and entered the system space to sign in. At the same time, he calculated the consumption for the past two days.


    ¡°Ding! Congratulations to the host for signing in successfully. Reward (20 Apple Trees], [20 Peach Trees) and (10 Grape Trees].¡±


    ¡°Ding! Reward (Three Time Acceleration Cards], [One Time Deceleration Card).¡±


    Upon hearing the system¡¯s electromagnetic voice, the system space immediately opened up an orchard. Apple tree saplings, peach trees, and grape saplings were already planted on it.


    One hundred warhorses that had been leisurely grazing on the grass noticed the commotion and raised their heads.


    The lead Ferghana Horse also raised its head and looked at the orchard warily. After realizing that there were no other abnormal movements, it snorted. The other warhorses lowered their heads and continued grazing.


    ¡°Use the time acceleration card.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan read out softly. The fruit trees in the orchard and the two spirit fields immediately grew rapidly.


    It didn¡¯t take long.


    The ripe potatoes, wheat, and rice were all ready to be harvested, and the ripe fruits in the orchard were hanging on the branches.


    Chen Zhiyuan immediately selected the farm tools. After harvesting this batch of crops, he planted them again.


    Potatoes would be the staple food in the future, so one spirit field would specifically be used for planting those, while wheat and rice would be carefully cultivated for breeding. In the future, these things had to be brought out for planting when the spirit fields opened up or when the land and paddy fields were cultivated outside. He couldn¡¯t be careless at this time.


    Only the fruits of these fruit trees could be stored, then wait for them to blossom and bear fruit.


    After doing all this, he took a quick bath in the spirit spring


    Chen Zhiyuan picked up a few fresh fruits and returned home.


    Inside the house, Wu Qiushui was happily telling Li Zhu¡¯er and Lu Shuxue about what she had seen and heard in town in the past two days. When she saw Chen Zhiyuan enter the house, she stopped gesturing and stood up to greet him.


    ¡°Hubby, you¡¯re back.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er came forward to greet him.


    ¡°Mhm, you guys continue to chat. Don¡¯t mind me. These apples and peaches were picked just now. You guys eat first. I¡¯m going to the inner room to rest for a while.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan smiled and nodded. He put down the fresh fruit in his hand and signaled the three women to ignore him. He walked straight into the back room.


    Behind him, Li Zhu¡¯er followed him in and said, ¡°Hubby, I have something to tell you. What do you think of Miss Lu and Miss Wu?¡±


    ¡°That girl Wu Qiushui has told you what I said?¡±


    Hearing this, Chen Zhiyuan immediately turned around and held Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s hand as he said softly.


    When Zhu¡¯er took the initiative to bring up this matter to him, it was evident that she knew something. With one look, it was obvious that the girl, Wu Qiushui, had let something slip.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess so. Sister Wu is quite a simple person. She just says what she has to say. I think she¡¯s quite easy to get along with. Miss Lu is also from a scholarly family. She¡¯s educated and well-balanced.


    ¡°Of course, I have no objection if you want to take them in. Even if Sister Wu doesn¡¯t mention it, I have the intention to do so. Not to mention that these two can help you, when you consider my feelings before taking in concubines, I¡¯m already very satisfied.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er said slowly, her eyes filled with contentment and happiness.


    ¡°Zhu¡¯er, I¡¯m sorry. You must feel wronged.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan held Zhu¡¯er tightly in his arms.


    ¡°Hubby, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t feel wronged. You rest first. I¡¯ll go out and tell Sister Lu and Sister Wu. Hubby, let go. Don¡¯t let me become the laughing stock of the two sisters outside.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er said with a smile. She gently broke away from Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s embrace and ran


    out.


    Chen Zhiyuan did not stop her and fell asleep peacefully.


    With this virtuous wife around, it seemed that he did not need to worry about the rest of the matters. The only problem he felt now was that his house seemed to be a little too small.


    If he really accepted Miss Lu and Miss Wu into his family, he would not even be able to give each of them a room.


    Establishing his own territory seemed to be urgent!

 Chapter 32 - The Shocked Xiahou Yong

    Chapter 32 The Shocked Xiahou Yong


    On the fifth day, early in the morning.


    Chen Zhiyuan stood at the entrance of the village. In front of him were 500 dark-skinned men who were half-naked. After eating meat every day for the past few days, everyone looked much better.


    Under the training of more than a dozen bailiffs, they were able to form a simple line and learned to keep quiet when their officers were lecturing them.


    Now, they could only wait for Wang Shan to bring back the weapons and armor from town before they could begin their training.


    An hour and a half passed.


    The sun slowly rose over the mountains, and it gradually became warm. Then, it hung high in the air and began to roast the earth.


    Chen Zhiyuan had also been standing until now.


    What he wanted to build was a strong army of elite soldiers! It was the foundation on which he relied to start his own business!


    Therefore, he felt that it was necessary for him to lead by example, to train and guide them. If they could not even endure this little hardship, then he could only give up and look for someone else.


    Fortunately, none of these honest farmers had any complaints. Except for two who had fainted from the sun and were carried out to relieve the heat, the rest persevered until Wang Shan returned.


    Xiahou Yong also came back with him.


    ¡°Chief, I¡¯m back! I¡¯ve also got the weapons and armor.¡±


    Wang Shan came to the village entrance with a few large carts of equipment. After shouting, he immediately ran forward. He glanced at Xiahou Yong beside the large cart, and he whispered to Chen Zhiyuan, ¡°Commander Xiahou insisted on coming back with me. He even said that he had an agreement with you. I couldn¡¯t stop him, so I had to bring him back with me.¡±


    ¡°Old Wang, you¡¯ve worked hard. Go and rest. Commander Xiahou and I did have an agreement.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan smiled and patted Wang Shan¡¯s shoulder, instructing him to go and rest. ¡°Chief, it¡¯s great that you know him. I¡¯m going to rest. I¡¯m so tired.¡±


    Wang Shan led the bailiffs who were pushing the cart down to rest.


    Chen Zhiyuan walked to the side of the cart and looked at the shocked Xiahou Yong. He smiled and said, ¡°Commander Xiahou, how is it? The local soldiers I recruited are not that bad, right?¡±


    Xiahou Yong¡¯s gaze finally shifted away from a few wooden houses and a group of strong men outside the village.


    ¡°Constable Chen, you actually recruited so many people? Where did you get so much food!¡±


    Xiahou Yong stared at Chen Zhiyuan in surprise as if he wanted to see through this person.


    As a general of an army, he could naturally discover that these upright and strong men were budding soldiers for the army.


    However, the prerequisite for them to stand here and be obedient was that they had to eat their fill.


    If they couldn¡¯t eat their fill, even if the emperor came, they wouldn¡¯t be obedient.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother about that. According to the bet, did I win?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan laughed.


    ¡°You won.¡±


    Xiahou Yong nodded happily. Then, he looked at the farmers and said to Chen Zhiyuan, ¡°I guess that you want to become my sworn brother because you want me to help you train them into an army?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, Brother Xiahou, you know me well. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t acknowledge you as my brother for nothing, right?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan laughed and pulled Xiahou Yong. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Since you acknowledge me as your brother, I¡¯ll show you how I recruited these people.¡±


    With that, he pulled Xiahou Yong¡¯s arm and came to the big tree at the entrance of the village.


    Besides the two boiling pots under the tree, the people of Taoyuan Village also surrounded the area.


    Not only were they not afraid when they saw Chen Zhiyuan personally bringing an outsider general over, they even took the initiative to greet him like they were Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s supposed good friends.


    They came to the stove.


    When the woman who was lighting the fire saw Chen Zhiyuan bringing people over, she immediately stood up to wipe her hands and asked, ¡°Zhiyuan, who is this general?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Zhang, this is the newcomer Commander Xiahou from the county, my sworn brother.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan introduced him enthusiastically.


    ¡°What kind of official is the commander¡­¡±


    Aunt Zhang was puzzled.


    She had rarely left the village in her entire life. In terms of understanding the officials, other than the emperor in the drama, there was also the county magistrate in the county office. Other than that, it was the bailiff who used to come to the village to collect taxes. Recently, she also got to know about a constable, which was Chen Zhiyuan.


    ¡°Granny Zhang, don¡¯t ask anymore. Since it¡¯s Brother Zhiyuan, then he¡¯s our guest in the village. Commander Xiahou, come and try our potato meat soup. Zhiyuan asked us to make it. It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    Another woman who was lighting the fire saw that Aunt Zhang was still asking questions. She immediately pulled her over and picked up an enamel bowl beside the simple stove. She scooped up a bowl of potato soup from the pot, picked up a pair of chopsticks, and handed it to Xiahou Yong.


    ¡°T-Thank you, Granny.¡±


    Xiahou Yong hurriedly took it. He took a bite and praised loudly, ¡°It¡¯s really delicious.¡±


    When the woman who was serving the food heard this, she immediately beamed with joy. She turned to the surrounding villagers of Taoyuan Village and scolded them with a smile, ¡°Look, even the lord from the town says that my soup is delicious. I want to see which donkey says that my cooking is not delicious anymore.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Granny Zhou, that¡¯s because the lord is being polite for Zhiyuan¡¯s sake. You can¡¯t be taking it seriously, right?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡±


    The surrounding crowd suddenly burst into laughter.


    Xiahou Yong looked at the people of Taoyuan Village with their blissful smiles on their faces, and the soup in his mouth became even more delicious.


    But deep down, he was truly astonished.


    Ever since the great drought, he had not seen such a village for a long time.


    Everywhere he went, the people either hid when they saw the officers and soldiers, or there were only a few living people left in the village who were barely surviving. This was the only village that he had seen that was full of vitality.


    Moreover, seeing the people never deviate from the word ¡°Zhiyuan¡±, he knew that it was all because of Constable Chen that the situation had such an effect.


    ¡°Aunt Zhang, Aunt Zhou, the local soldiers will be here for dinner soon. Take it easy, don¡¯t miss the time. We¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan reminded them with a smile.


    ¡°Zhiyuan, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m very agile. I won¡¯t miss anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, don¡¯t worry!¡±


    The two women immediately started to prepare the bowls and chopsticks.


    Xiahou Yong and Chen Zhiyuan walked out of the crowd and said, ¡°Brother Chen, the meat in the soup is beef. Did a cow die in your village?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Look at our village. Does it look like there are cows? Just eat it without worry. I will tell you about the origin of this beef in the future.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan kept him guessing.


    ¡°Alright. Anyway, I have to help you train the local soldiers. I will find out eventually.¡±


    Xiahou Yong stopped asking. He was stunned for a while before he raised his head and looked at Chen Zhiyuan again. ¡°Brother Chen, your local soldiers eat this every day?¡±


    ¡°Of course. We have to train now and fight in the future. How can we have strength without meat?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan said matter-of-factly.


    Xiahou Yong was stunned for a long time. He looked at the big pot at the entrance of the village in disbelief and muttered to himself, ¡°Compared to you, the food in the barracks has food that is fit for pigs. No, it¡¯s even inferior to pig food¡­¡±

 Chapter 33 - Preparations Before the Suppression

    Chapter 33 Preparations Before the Suppression


    Xiahou Yong kept his word. In the afternoon, he helped Chen Zhiyuan to train the local soldiers.


    From armor binding to wielding a weapon, Xiahou Yong had personally demonstrated and guided them. It could not be said that he was not serious.


    On the second day, he brought his personal soldiers over. Each personal soldier was responsible for training 50 people. Only then did Xiahou Yong finally have the chance to take a break from his busy schedule.


    ¡°Brother Chen. To be honest, the main force to suppress the bandits should depend on these local soldiers that you recruited. Although these people have never been on the battlefield, their victory lies in their pure hearts. They will become a first-class strong army as long as they are well trained and have seen blood on the battlefield.¡±


    Under the tree, Xiahou Yong looked at the local soldiers who were training. Finally, he could not help but complain to Chen Zhiyuan, ¡°The garrison guards are really useless. The last commander took his pay for nothing and did not report any soldiers¡¯ deaths or retirement to such an outrageous extent. I don¡¯t understand why such a person could still be promoted¡­¡±


    ¡°Brother Xiahou, let it go. Some things are beyond our abilities. Say, the drought in the county is so severe, and the county governor still has the mood to send birthday gifts to the empress dowager. Only after being robbed did he send us to suppress the bandits. Who can the common people reason with?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan took over Xiahou Yong¡¯s words and said while looking into the distance.


    He wanted to plant a seed of dissatisfaction toward the imperial court in Xiahou Yong¡¯s heart.


    At that time, he wanted to stir up trouble so that he could gain the sympathy and approval of this sworn brother.


    ¡°Sigh! It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t say it. Oh right, Brother Chen, the time needed to train is not short, and I don¡¯t know how long it will take to suppress the bandits. If you don¡¯t get money and food from the county magistrate, can you still hold on until the suppression ends?¡±


    Xiahou Yong did not want to talk about this matter anymore, so he changed the topic and asked.


    ¡°Haha, Brother Xiahou, don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll know once you come with me.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan got up and left. Xiahou Yong followed behind Chen Zhiyuan with doubt.


    They came to the cellar.


    Chen Zhiyuan opened the door of the barn. Xiahou Yong stuck his head in and was immediately stunned. Looking around, he saw that it was full of small hills made of potatoes, and there was a corner with stacked bags.


    ¡°The food here is enough for us to eat for three months. There are grains like wheat and rice in the bag over there. When the war comes, the soldiers will be provided with additional food. Now that the production is insufficient, we can only eat these.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at the bag and explained it to Xiahou Yong.


    ¡°So many grains? What is rice? Is it different from the millet that I know?¡±


    Xiahou Yong was shocked, but he turned into a curious baby and asked.


    He had already eaten potatoes, which he had never seen before, and now he heard the word ¡°rice¡± from Chen Zhiyuan.


    ¡°It is indeed different. You will know when you eat it. I only have so much for the time being.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan closed the cellar, but he still did not explain the origin of rice to Xiahou Yong.


    After all, it was a time of drought, and there were no examples of rice fields being developed in this era. The explanation for the origin of rice was a problem.


    Although he and Xiahou Yong were sworn brothers, they were not close enough for him to reveal his biggest secret to him.


    ¡°That¡¯s good too. Brother Chen, I¡¯m relieved to see that you have enough food and provisions. I¡¯ll go and see how the local soldiers¡¯ training is going.¡±


    Xiahou Yong did not pursue the matter. After all, everyone had their secrets. Some things would make both of them even more awkward if they were to ask too much. As an


    adult, he understood this point.


    A month later, Chen Zhiyuan received the news from County Magistrate Liu Qingshan. The county governor could not wait any longer and ordered them to immediately send


    out troops to suppress the bandits. He immediately called Xiahou Yong and Wang Shan to discuss this matter.


    ¡°Although training for a month is a little short, it¡¯s not a problem to send out troops now. If we go and suppress the bandits, it doesn¡¯t mean that we have to attack the mountain. We have to gather intelligence and


    get information about the bandits of Black Wind Mountain. We can train our troops at


    the foot of the mountain and also intimidate


    the bandits.¡±


    Xiahou Yong pondered for a moment and voiced his opinion.


    ¡°Since Commander Xiahou said that there¡¯s no problem, then there¡¯s no problem for us brothers. It¡¯s just that¡­¡±


    Wang Shan held the letter in his hand. He looked at Chen Zhiyuan with a slightly


    indignant expression. ¡°Chief, why did the county magistrate send that Zhao fellow over to supervise the army? He wanted us to suppress the bandits, and now he wants to tie us with a noose. Since ancient times, many battles had been ruined because of those darned inspectors.¡±


    Upon hearing Wang Shan¡¯s words, Xiahou Yong also took the letter. His face instantly turned sour.


    Everyone knew that it was because the higher-ups didn¡¯t trust the generals who led


    the troops that they set up this thing. No one would want to have an extra bridle around their mouth when they were going to lead the


    troops to battle.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If Military Governor Zhao wants to supervise the troops, let him do it.


    Anyway, no one here listens to him. If he can¡¯t command a single soldier, what can he do to ruin things?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan smiled.


    Although he was unhappy, the county


    magistrate¡¯s order had been given, and the county governor had agreed to it. A higher official could crush a person to death. He


    couldn¡¯t just run over to the county governor


    and ask for an explanation.


    ¡°Alright, Chief, since you¡¯ve already said so, let¡¯s endure it. If he dares to ruin things, we


    won¡¯t allow it.¡± Wang Shan¡¯s eyes flashed with a fierce light, and a murderous look appeared on his face.


    ¡°Mm, Wang Shan, the brothers that you picked who knows how to ride horses can be settled. Since Commander Xiahou said that we can still train the soldiers at the foot of the mountain, we¡¯ll use the battle as training. Let our brothers ride their horses at the foot of the mountain to intercept anyone who has contact with the mountain.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan raised his head to look at Wang Shan again.


    Over the past month, he had gone through great difficulty to build the stirrups and


    saddles for the warhorses in the system space.


    He had also equipped them with reins which was why the plan to train the cavalry had been delayed until now.


    ¡°Chief, there are only about 50 people who have ridden mules and horses. They are all


    farmers. Normally, they wouldn¡¯t be able to ride those things¡­¡¯


    ||


    Wang Shan had a bitter expression on his face.


    Chen Zhiyuan had mentioned it once and didn¡¯t mention it again. He didn¡¯t forget about it, but he hadn¡¯t been able to find enough people, so he didn¡¯t report it. ¡°50 people¡­ That¡¯s more or less enough. Anyway, the cavalry can¡¯t go up the mountain to suppress the bandits. They are only scouts. When the time comes, let them try one by


    one. Just go down the mountain and kill the people that the bandits from Black Wind Mountain contact. If you want to ride, I¡¯ll give


    you a horse.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan was not surprised.


    He did not think that he could find a hundred cavalry soldiers from 500 farmers. As long as


    they could get on the horse, they would be able to train slowly.


    ¡°Then thank you, Chief. Hehe, I¡¯ve wanted to learn to ride a horse for a long time. We don¡¯t


    usually get to use it, and we don¡¯t have the time, so we delayed it. Now is a good


    opportunity.¡±


    Wang Shan rubbed his head and laughed, but he was very touched in his heart. The chief did not treat his own people


    unfairly. He had made the right decision to follow him.


    Only Xiahou Yong was confused. How could they afford a warhorse in such a remote


    place?


    After waiting for the two to calm down, he felt that he could finally ask.


    ¡°Brother Chen, you¡­ are you trying to build a cavalry? That¡¯s a gold-swallowing beast. A warhorse is more than a hundred strings of coins, and it needs to be nourished and fed with food and grass. I advise you not to have such thoughts now¡­¡±


    Xiahou Yong stared at the two of them and


    said hesitantly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother Xiahou. I¡¯m not trying to build a cavalry. I want to start training the


    cavalry. The horses are ready, and we¡¯re just


    short of people. Oh right, I have a good Lion Cong here. If you need it, how about I give it


    to you?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at the dumbfounded Xiahou Yong and smiled.


    This sworn brother knew so much about warhorses. It seemed that he was also a horse lover.


    As the saying goes, ¡°there is no such thing as a free lunch¡±. Once he took this horse, he won¡¯t be his enemy even if he didn¡¯t work for


    him in the future.

 Chapter 34 - Expedition

    Chapter 34 Expedition


    The sun had just risen.


    The 500 local soldiers who had been stationed in Taoyuan Village and trained by Xiahou Yong for a month lined up neatly, waiting for orders.


    Chen Zhiyuan also brought out more than 50 warhorses from his space, letting the experienced local soldiers ride forward.


    Although Xiahou Yong felt that he should not be rewarded without merits and did not accept the Lion Cong that Chen Zhiyuan had given him, it was still acceptable for him to ride for a while.


    Chen Zhiyuan was not in a hurry. After all, he would not go against the imperial court any time soon. He still had a lot of time to win the trust of this sworn brother. Right now, he was busy saying goodbye to Li Zhu¡¯er and the other two girls.


    ¡°Hubby, be careful. We will wait for you at home.¡±


    Li Zhu¡¯er looked at Chen Zhiyuan reluctantly. Her expression was full of worry. Lu Shuxue and Wu Qiushui were the same.


    After receiving Li Zhu¡¯er¡¯s approval, they could be considered to have entered the Chen family. It was just that Chen Zhiyuan had been busy with the suppression of the bandits and had not had the time to repair the house and prepare a banquet. That was why they had not officially married yet.


    Wu Qiushui and Li Zhu¡¯er had thought of following Chen Zhiyuan. However, after Lu Shuxue persuaded them that it was a big taboo for the commander-in-chief of the army to bring along his family during an expedition, and it would also distract Chen Zhiyuan, the two of them gave up the idea.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ve seen my kung fu, not to mention that I have so many people protecting me. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    After Chen Zhiyuan hugged Li Zhu¡¯er tightly, he opened his arms and looked at Lu Shuxue and Wu Qiushui. ¡°When I come back, I¡¯ll marry you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you to say that! You haven¡¯t said it for so many days¡­¡±


    Wu Qiushui mumbled and took the initiative to go up and lean into Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Hubby, I¡¯m waiting for you to come back¡­¡±


    Lu Shuxue, on the other hand, was blushing. She lowered her head and spoke in a mosquito-like voice, not daring to come forward.


    ¡°Aiya, Sister Lu, our husband is about to go on an expedition. Why are you still dawdling? Do you want me to help you?¡±


    Wu Qiushui stepped forward and pulled Lu Shuxue into Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s arms.


    Chen Zhiyuan then hugged the two of them and said goodbye.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯ll be back in ten days or a month. Do what you need to do at home, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan gave them a few instructions before stepping out of the room.


    Outside the door, Wang Shan and Xiahou Yong were already waiting in the courtyard. Almost all the people of Taoyuan Village had come to the village entrance to send off Chen Zhiyuan and the others.


    ¡°Move out!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan gave the order, and the army finally started to move out.


    The infantry was in the middle, and the cavalry split up on both sides. It was time for them to train their horses.


    ¡°Brother Chen, these 50-plus horses are all good warhorses. How did you get them? And the one you¡¯re riding is a rare Ferghana Horse. It¡¯s even rarer to spot it on the grasslands.¡±


    Xiahou Yong finally couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in surprise.


    When he really saw Chen Zhiyuan bring out the warhorses from the mountain, he was beyond shocked.


    ¡°Brother Xiahou, when I went into the mountain to fetch water, I accidentally entered a valley. At that time, it was shrouded in thick fog. I didn¡¯t know how I ended up inside, but I met an expert inside. He told me the method to identify potatoes and gave me some seeds and warhorses. He told me not to tell outsiders where that place was, so he sent me out. I can only say so much. Please don¡¯t make things difficult for me, Brother Xiahou.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan came up with a plausible excuse, hoping to fool Xiahou Yong.


    ¡°A valley shrouded in thick fog? There¡¯s even food and warhorses inside. Could it be the residence of an immortal? I didn¡¯t expect Brother Chen to have the help of an immortal. Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m not a tactless person. From now on, I will never ask again. If I reveal the whereabouts of an immortal, I will be punished by the heavens. Brother Chen, you must be careful.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xiahou Yong took a few glances at the mountain before he paid his respects to Chen Zhiyuan with extra caution and said seriously.


    Upon seeing Xiahou Yong¡¯s solemn appearance, Chen Zhiyuan was momentarily stunned. In the later generations, it sounded like a completely nonsensical reason, but people like Xiahou Yong completely believed it.


    As expected, the times were different. People had different views on whether ghosts and gods really existed. In this era, some things couldn¡¯t be explained normally. If they mentioned ghosts and gods, it would make


    sense.


    ¡°Brother Xiahou, don¡¯t worry. I naturally don¡¯t dare to offend the immortals and reveal their whereabouts.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan also replied with a solemn expression.


    Today, he had learned another trick.


    Black Wind Mountain was in the south of the town, about 80 miles away from Qingshui County town, and Taoyuan Village was to the north of the county town. To suppress the bandits, they had to pass by a highway not far from the county town.


    On the highway outside the county town, Chen Zhiyuan finally met the inspector of this suppression, Zhao Dengming, whom he had met twice before.


    ¡°Humph! Why are you guys so slow? The county magistrate and I have been waiting on the city wall for four hours.¡±


    Zhao Dengming saw Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s team coming over and immediately led his three close followers to join them while riding the horses. He snorted and complained.


    When Chen Zhiyuan heard this, he looked up at the top of the city wall. As expected, there were many people moving on the city wall near them. Some of them vaguely waved at them.


    It seemed that County Magistrate Liu had really put in the effort this time, but it wasn¡¯t much. He didn¡¯t even bother to go down the city wall to send them off.


    ¡°Inspector, the weather is hot right now. The local soldiers are recruits and not elite border soldiers. We covered 50 miles in two hours with the horses running at full speed. Don¡¯t complain too much while riding.¡±


    Wang Shan, who was behind Chen Zhiyuan, said coldly, and he asked in return. ¡°Inspector, I would like to ask. Since you are the inspector of this bandit suppression, you are also going to the battlefield. Why are your personal guards not bringing swords but birdcages? The birds inside¡­ are pigeons, right? Who are you sending information to?¡±


    After Wang Shan¡¯s reminder, only then did Chen Zhiyuan realize that the bird cage hanging on the warhorse of the personal guard of Military Governor Zhao was really a pigeon and not a usual ornamental bird.


    Thinking of this, Chen Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t help but take a deep look at Zhao Dengming, but he didn¡¯t stop Wang Shan from asking.


    ¡°Since I¡¯m the inspector, then I have the responsibility of passing the battle report to the county magistrate at any time. How is it your place to argue about me bringing a pigeon? Who are you? Men, arrest him!¡±


    Zhao Dengming turned around and questioned Wang Shan angrily.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    His personal guards immediately turned their horses around and wanted to capture Wang Shan.


    ¡°Who dares to make a move!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan pulled up his warhorse and shouted. The followers of Zhao Dengming immediately stopped their horses and stood rooted to the ground.


    Chen Zhiyuan then approached Zhao Dengming and said, ¡°Military Governor Zhao, we are trusted by the county governor and the county magistrate. When we send out troops to suppress the bandits, we should set an example. This way, the soldiers can have a piece of mind.


    ¡°What will the troops think when they see you blaming the soldiers and having your personal guard bringing a birdcage? Wang Shan is my assistant and is also the person who leads the soldiers to suppress the bandits. Military Governor Zhao, will you be bringing your personal guards to battle if you are going to punish him?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Zhao Dengming was speechless. After a long while, he said hesitantly, ¡°I will naturally follow the army to hold the fort¡­¡±


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, you can supervise the army and report the battle to the county magistrate. Apart from that, I hope that you don¡¯t blame the generals too much. If we delay the bandit suppression, neither of us can bear the responsibility. What do you think?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan said slowly as usual.


    When Zhao Dengming heard that, he raised his head and saw that the soldiers around him were either glaring at or ignoring him and his personal guards. His arrogance immediately died down, and he said in a low voice, ¡°This¡­ should be the case.¡±

 Chapter 35 - Chief, You Were Born to Be a Constable

    Chapter 35 Chief, You Were Born to Be a Constable


    After a day of marching, the army finally arrived at the foot of Black Wind Mountain and set up camp. The sky was already completely dark.


    After hurriedly arranging for the night patrols, most of the soldiers had already fallen asleep.


    In the commander-in-chief¡¯s tent, the candles were still lit.


    ¡°Brother Chen, Bailiff Wang, I was at the front of the group today. I only heard you two arguing with Military Governor Zhao. What happened?¡±


    Xiahou Yong asked the two of them.


    ¡°Commander Xiahou, mentioning Zhao Dengming makes me angry. He even brought a birdcage with him to the battlefield. There was even a pigeon in the cage. He said that he wanted to report the situation to the county magistrate at any time, but I feel that he might be sending a message to someone else.¡±


    Wang Shan was hot-tempered. He immediately stood up when the matter was brought up and told Xiahou Yong about the incident that happened today.


    After Xiahou Yong heard it, Chen Zhiyuan asked him, ¡°Brother Xiahou, you are from the army, so you should have some understanding when it comes to inspecting the army. Does he need to report the battle to the rear at any time?¡±


    ¡°When there are objections during the task of inspecting the army, it will indeed be reported to the higher-ups. If the inspector has the permission of the higher-ups, they can even directly change the commander-in-chief¡¯s order. However, that would need to be reported in an official document. Using pigeons is indeed a little illogical¡­¡±


    Xiahou Yong thought for a long time before he finally voiced his thoughts.


    On the main seat, Chen Zhiyuan also raised his head to look at Wang Shan. ¡°Old Wang, since we don¡¯t know what this bastard Zhao Dengming is up to, let¡¯s keep a close eye on him. You will do this personally as I won¡¯t be at ease with others. Choose two smart and reliable people to keep an eye on Zhao Dengming and see which direction the pigeons fly to.¡±


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry, Chief. I guarantee that I¡¯ll scout out any mosquitoes that fly past him, male or female. With me keeping an eye on this old fellow, he definitely won¡¯t be able to ruin anything.¡¯


    Wang Shan smiled and strode out of the tent.


    Keeping an eye on people was the old profession of a bailiff.


    Inside the tent, Chen Zhiyuan said to Xiahou Yong again, ¡°Brother Xiahou, it¡¯s our turn next. Let¡¯s divide the work and cooperate. You¡¯ll be in charge of training the troops. It¡¯s best if you can train 50 qualified cavalry for me. Leave the rest to me. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Alright, Brother Chen, since you¡¯re already prepared, I will continue to be in charge of training the soldiers. I am originally assisting you in suppressing the bandits. Naturally, I am happy to be free.¡±


    Xiahou Yong did not have any objections.


    Originally, Chen Zhiyuan was the commander-in-chief of the army. He was afraid that if he said too much, it would be considered usurping the host.


    In addition, he also wanted to see this sworn brother, who had the help of an immortal, and his ability in fighting. If there were any mistakes, it would not be too late for him to remind him.


    After settling down, the local soldiers continued their training.


    Chen Zhiyuan brought two trusted bailiffs with him every day and walked around the foot of Black Wind Mountain in disguise.


    ¡°Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining (100 corn varieties]!¡±


    ¡°Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining (Two Time Acceleration Cards]!¡±


    Today¡¯s sign-in reward made Chen Zhiyuan even happier. After potatoes, he also received corn, another drought-resistant, and high-yielding grain seed.


    It was not an exaggeration to say that with these two things, in the future years of famine, the people would not be able to go hungry.


    He quickly used the accelerator card and harvested another batch of grain and fruits.


    Chen Zhiyuan then set off with his men.


    The place he was going to today was the road at the foot of Black Wind Mountain. It was a road that he had already been to once.


    After walking five miles along the road, it was three miles more than the last time he came. The two bailiffs behind him could not hold it in any longer. One urged the other to go forward.


    ¡°Chief, we¡¯re already quite far from the camp. If the mountain bandits really come down, we won¡¯t be able to call for reinforcements in time.¡±


    A bailiff approached Chen Zhiyuan and whispered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic. On this road today, not only will we not encounter the mountain bandits, we might even encounter a few caravans.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan turned his head and said to the bailiff behind him with great interest.


    ¡°Chief, that can¡¯t be. There are bandits on this mountain¡­¡±


    The other bailiff took a few steps forward and looked up at the mountain.


    ¡°Hey. You guys. Just because you¡¯re worried about encountering bandits, you lose your sense of smell as bailiffs. Don¡¯t worry and listen to me. If we really encounter bandits, just run. I¡¯ll cover your back.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan was full of confidence and walked forward again.


    When the two bailiffs heard this, they scratched their heads and didn¡¯t have the mood to persuade him anymore.


    The chief had already said so. If they wanted to continue working, even if they had to bite the bullet, they had to go. What puzzled them was that they had already come this way once, and this time was no different.


    But now, they could only continue to follow Chen Zhiyuan forward.


    After another mile or so, three mule carts appeared in front of the three of them. It was filled with full loads of goods, and they were moving forward with difficulty.


    ¡°Chief, you¡¯re really a God. We really encountered a merchant.¡±


    The two bailiffs came forward in shock and complimented him.


    ¡°As long as you look carefully at the road, you¡¯ll know that we won¡¯t encounter any danger today. You guys just stay here and watch. I¡¯ll go up and scout for information.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan turned around and said this before walking straight toward the caravan.


    The two bailiffs looked at each other and lowered their heads to observe the road.


    ¡°Did you find anything?¡±


    After a long while, one of the bailiffs raised his head and asked.


    ¡°These few ruts? Although the marks are very light, if you look carefully, you can still see a little bit. The width is also different, but what does this mean¡­¡±


    Another bailiff pointed at the light patterns on the ground that were different in width and became puzzled.


    ¡°Just now, the chief specifically said that we won¡¯t encounter any danger this time, which means that we might encounter danger the previous time¡­ Old Sun, think carefully. Did we see any ruts last time when we took this


    road?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice it. It should be that there aren¡¯t any. Otherwise, the chief wouldn¡¯t have said so.¡±


    ¡°Aiya, as expected, we are the ones who are always on the edge of our wits. We even lost our brains. Think about it, why weren¡¯t there any ruts last time? This time, there are more. Who is the most well-informed in this world? It¡¯s the merchants!¡±


    The bailiff who first raised his head slapped his thigh and finally remembered.


    ¡°You mean¡­ these merchants knew that there wouldn¡¯t be any bandits coming down the mountain these few days, so they made use of this time to pass?¡±


    The other bailiff finally remembered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s follow the chief and ask that group of merchants!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    The two of them discussed and were overjoyed to go forward.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask. I¡¯ve already asked. That¡¯s it. The bandits on the mountain will come down the mountain once every ten days. This time, when they heard that we were here, the frequency of them coming down the mountain decreased. The merchants also knew that we were here to suppress the bandits, so they started to pass again. Let¡¯s go. That¡¯s it for today. Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan, who had already returned, heard the last few words of the two men, and a smile finally appeared on his face.


    ¡°Yes, yes, Chief. Your observation is really meticulous. And now, we finally know what¡¯s the difference between us and you. You¡¯re practically born to be a constable.¡±


    The two bailiffs quickly followed up with compliments.


    Chen Zhiyuan didn¡¯t reply. After asking the passing merchants just now, he already had some idea in his heart.


    But when it came to being a constable, it really wasn¡¯t suitable for him. The role of a constable was too small. Since he wanted to do it, he would do it big!

 Chapter 36 - Military Governor Zhao Is Lighting the Fire

    Chapter 36 Military Governor Zhao Is Lighting the Fire


    For nearly ten days in a row, Chen Zhiyuan wandered around every day and didn¡¯t mention anything about suppressing the bandits.


    In the military camp, finally, there were some sounds.


    ¡°When do you think we can go up the mountain to suppress the bandits? Although Chief Chen treats us very well and the food is good, we can¡¯t possibly stay on like this. I want to go back quickly to see my wife, children, and mother¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a wife and children, and my mother passed away too. I¡¯m full, and my family isn¡¯t hungry. But here, I¡¯m always worried and uneasy. I¡¯m worried that one day, the bandits will attack the camp, and I¡¯ll be killed while I¡¯m still sleeping. It would be so unfair if I die without knowing why.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve trained for so many days and suffered so much. Isn¡¯t it just to suppress the bandits? I want to let them know that I didn¡¯t suffer for nothing. But it feels anxious to have this strength but unable to use it¡­¡±


    The local soldiers gathered together and began to discuss.


    When Zhao Dengming, who was strolling around the military camp heard this, he was secretly delighted.


    The soldiers were eager to fight. If nothing went wrong, someone would ask Chen Zhiyuan to fight. They would fight in one go, and then they would be exhausted. He didn¡¯t believe that Chen Zhiyuan didn¡¯t know this. If this continued, the morale of the army would be broken.


    When Chen Zhiyuan was forced to send out troops, it would be the time to deliver the news that he had agreed to with that person.


    It was time for him to add more firewood to make the fire burn even brighter.


    Thinking up to this point, Zhao Dengming did it straight away.


    ¡°Constable Chen, what¡¯s the meaning of this? The county governor and the county magistrate told you to suppress the bandits, not to go sightseeing. You wander around every day and leave the soldiers in the camp. I want to see how you will answer the county magistrate!¡±


    Zhao Dengming shouted as he walked towards the main tent of the central army.


    The soldiers in the camp all looked over. Seeing that he had barged into the main tent, they knew that the commander-in-chief and the inspector would definitely fight, so they quickly hid their heads and returned to their positions.


    Inside the main tent, Zhao Dengming glared at Chen Zhiyuan with rage. His mouth was full of orders from the county magistrate and the county governor. And Chen Zhiyuan was just touring around instead of attacking. He was wasting the trust of the county magistrate.


    Even Xiahou Yong and Wang Shan were caught off guard by Zhao Dengming¡¯s sudden action. The two of them rushed to the main tent of the central army.


    ¡°Military Governor Zhao, are you done?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked coldly at Zhao Dengming. Killing intent gradually rose in his heart. This fellow was indeed here to cause trouble for him and drag him down. Of course, he had heard some of the discussions of the soldiers in the barracks. It was obvious that this fellow was here to build a fire for him.


    ¡°Of course not. If you don¡¯t send out troops to suppress the bandits but wander around aimlessly every day, I will go to the county magistrate and report you. I will remove your command and personally bring people up the mountain.¡±


    Zhao Dengming was smug. He looked down on Wang Shan and Xiahou Yong, who had rushed in. He almost pointed at Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s nose and cursed.


    ¡°Alright, Military Governor Zhao. Since you want to remove my command and personally lead the troops, then let me ask you, do you know how many bandits are on the mountain?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan held back his desire to kill and asked.


    ¡°This¡­ how would I know? But I just need to know that we have more people than them¡­¡±


    Zhao Dengming paused and argued.


    ¡°Then let me tell you, excluding the women and children, there are about 120 bandits on the mountain. If the women and children are included, there won¡¯t be more than 180 people. Moreover, they¡¯re likely a group of ordinary bandits who don¡¯t know anything. They¡¯re not elites at all. I don¡¯t know where the news that Black Wind Mountain is difficult to deal with came from. That¡¯s why it¡¯s delayed for so long.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan stared at Zhao Dengming and said slowly.


    ¡°You¡­ how did you know there were so many people? What if¡­ what if you¡¯re wrong?¡±


    Zhao Dengming looked at the confident Chen Zhiyuan and continued to be stubborn.


    ¡°It turns out that the robbers on the mountain go down the mountain once every ten days. It¡¯s not the robbery like what the rumors said. Instead, they used money to buy food. Every time it¡¯s around twenty stones, it¡¯s 2,400 catties of food. According to the two catties of food per day for adult men, it¡¯s 120 people in ten days.


    ¡°Moreover, we have been stationed here for so many days. Have you seen them send scouts down the mountain to scout for news about our army? They didn¡¯t even use common methods such as attacking the camp and disturbing the enemy. How can they be considered well-trained?


    ¡°Third, the bandits on the mountain are most likely the ones who have just gone up the mountain. They have been entrenched for several years. They couldn¡¯t possibly go down the mountain to buy food every time. If that¡¯s the case, why would the officers and soldiers need to go through so much trouble to suppress the bandits? Just stop the caravans from passing through this road, and the bandits on the mountain would come down by themselves.¡±


    After Chen Zhiyuan finished speaking, he looked at Zhao Dengming with disdain. ¡°Military Governor Zhao, do you still think that I am touring the mountains and rivers every day?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ I¡­¡±


    Zhao Dengming was speechless and did not speak anymore. However, he remembered the meaning of what the man in black had said to him that day.


    Having Chen Zhiyuan come here to suppress the bandits because he obviously knew that a group of uninvited guests had come to the mountain. Moreover, when he heard that the officers were coming to suppress the bandits, he did not take the initiative to start a war with this group of bandits. It was obvious that he was waiting for the officers to fight with this group of bandits, and after both sides suffered heavy losses, they could sit back and reap the benefits.


    Therefore, the information he had here was especially important. Whatever the officers did, he needed to report to the mountain in time.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Military Governor Zhao? You can¡¯t say anything, right? Since you have nothing to say, then please go back to your tent and calm down. Now, we have to discuss the major matter of suppressing the bandits.¡±


    Wang Shan would not let go of this opportunity to beat Zhao Dengming up. He walked to Zhao Dengming¡¯s side and gave him a sidelong glance.


    Although Xiahou Yong did not say anything, the expression in his eyes said it all.


    Brother Chen was indeed quite capable. These past few days, he had been touring around and had roughly grasped the situation on the mountain. This way, it would be easier to set up a plan to suppress the bandits.


    ¡°Hmph! You¡¯re right this time. I¡­ I¡¯m going back!¡±


    Zhao Dengming couldn¡¯t lose out to them. He still had to put on the airs of an inspector. With a wave of his sleeves, he walked out.


    ¡°Brother Xiahou, Old Wang, take a seat. Next, we can discuss the plan to exterminate the bandits.¡±


    After Chen Zhiyuan let the two of them sit down, he looked at the two of them even more cautiously. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you¡¯re not satisfied with, please voice them. I think there¡¯s something wrong with this situation.¡±


    ¡°Something is indeed wrong. It doesn¡¯t make sense that the mountain bandits used money to buy food. Besides, there are more than a hundred mountain bandits who can¡¯t be considered experienced. How can they make Qingshui County and the neighboring county officials fear them?¡±


    Xiahou Yong also found something wrong and voiced his doubts.


    ¡°Chief, did you notice that old fellow, Zhao Dengming, just now? His expression wasn¡¯t right either. After hearing the news, he was actually calmer than us. Does he know something?¡±


    Wang Shan¡¯s attention was completely focused on Zhao Dengming.


    ¡°Did he release his pigeons?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan asked.


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    Wang Shan replied.


    ¡°In that case, Old Wang, keep an eye on him. Brother Xiahou, let¡¯s discuss a plan to see if Zhao Dengming¡¯s heart is black or red.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at the two of them, his eyes shining

 Chapter 37 - The Fake Shopkeeper Meets the Real Li Gui

    Chapter 37 The Fake Shopkeeper Meets the Real Li Gui


    In the main tent of the central army, the lights were still bright.


    ¡°Brother Xiahou, because of our arrival, the time for the bandits to go down the mountain to buy grain has been delayed a lot. The grains they have must be running out. At this time, I will pretend to be the shopkeeper of the grain merchant and sell the potatoes as grain to them. I will use the teaching method as an excuse to go up the mountain to find out the truth and take the opportunity to send a signal. Then, you will lead your troops to attack the mountain. What do you think of this plan?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan told him his plan.


    Since the bandits on the mountain were a bunch of ignorant fools, it would be advantageous for him, and he could also verify his suspicions.


    ¡°The plan is feasible, but as the commander-in-chief of the army, it is taboo for you to personally take risks. If you need bait, I will do it. You will be in charge of holding the fort and leading the troops up the mountain.¡±


    Xiahou Yong agreed to the plan, but he did not agree to Chen Zhiyuan being the bait himself.


    ¡°Brother Xiahou, we¡¯re brothers, and you trained the local soldiers. It doesn¡¯t matter who leads the troops. It¡¯s just that the bandits have never seen this potato before. They might even bring us up to personally make it for them. Do you know how to make this potato taste good?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan smiled. He casually picked up a baked potato on the table as supper and looked at Xiahou Yong.


    Xiahou Yong was slightly stunned and embarrassed.


    When it came to marching and fighting, he was good at it, but when it came to cooking, he had never entered the kitchen ever since he grew up. He had always eaten ready-made food.


    If he were to cook this potato, other than boiling the potato in water, he would have to put the potato into the ashes and roast it.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s decided. I¡¯ll be the bait, and you¡¯ll be in charge of leading the troops. You know my kung fu. Even if there¡¯s an accident, it won¡¯t be a problem for me to protect myself.¡±


    After Chen Zhiyuan insisted again, Xiahou Yong finally agreed, and the plan was set.


    The next day, Xiahou Yong ordered the villagers to get ready and prepare to go up the mountain at any time.


    The local soldiers rubbed their fists and were eager to give it a try. Finally, they didn¡¯t need to idle in the military camp every day. The morale was unprecedentedly high.


    Meanwhile, Chen Zhiyuan led a few bailiffs and filled two carts full of potatoes. They walked on the dirt road for the third time. This time, they walked particularly slowly.


    ¡°Slow down, slow down. These are fresh food prepared for the county magistrate. No one else has eaten it yet. If it¡¯s crushed, can you bear the responsibility? Slow down, all of you. The officers are already here. The mountain bandits definitely won¡¯t dare to go down the mountain. Don¡¯t be anxious!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan took off the sweat towel on his neck and walked in front of the two bailiffs who were escorting the back carriage. He raised the sweat towel and shouted.


    ¡°Shopkeeper, we have been cautious. This thing will not spoil even if it is kept in the cellar for a month. Is there a need to be so careful¡­¡±


    The two bailiffs, who were acting as the assistants, also followed the script and retorted.


    On this quiet valley road, the sound was enough to travel for half a mile.


    On the slope between the mountains and forests, a big man was holding a podao, and a few lackeys were lying beside him, looking at Chen Zhiyuan and the others who were driving the carriage.


    ¡°Brother Li, this merchant is delivering food to that dog county magistrate of Qingshui County. Let¡¯s do it. The water on the mountain has been dirtied for a few days. We can buy these two carts of food and let that dog county magistrate go hungry.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Brother Li? Did you hear what that fellow said? The things on this cart can last for a month. Let¡¯s buy it.¡±


    ¡°We can buy it, but there¡¯s something wrong with this merchant. Other people don¡¯t dare to speak when they walk this way. Why do they dare to make such a ruckus? Brother Li, what do you think?¡±


    The gazes of the few lackeys finally converged on the big man holding the podao.


    ¡°Hehe, they¡¯re just a few foreign merchants. They don¡¯t know how powerful Black Wind Mountain is, so they naturally have nothing to fear. Didn¡¯t you guys hear it? They said that no one else had eaten this before and that it was a gift for that dog county magistrate. Just based on these words, let¡¯s do it! Let¡¯s taste what it is first, and then let that dog county magistrate go hungry!¡±


    The big man holding the podao laughed, looked at the few lackeys, and decided.


    ¡°Alright, Brother Li, it¡¯s them!¡±


    The men agreed in unison and followed the big man down the mountain.


    They were running out of food a few days ago when the officers had just arrived. However, they did not know how strong the officers were and did not dare to go down the mountain, so they could only save their food.


    However, after being nervous for a few days, they still did not see the officers attack the mountain. There was indeed no food left in the mountain stronghold, so they could only brace themselves and go down the mountain to buy food.


    ¡°Merchants, stop right there. What¡¯s on this carriage? If it¡¯s food, leave it for your grandpas. You can name the price!¡±


    The big man carried the podao on his shoulder and led his lackeys towards Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s carriage. His hand was already reaching for the carriage that was filled with bags.


    ¡°Who are you? This is food that we are giving to the county magistrate. How dare you snatch it?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan pretended to be calm and questioned the person loudly.


    The two bailiffs acting as employees had already squatted down with their hands on their heads. Seeing that Chen Zhiyuan was still standing and debating with these people, they hurriedly squatted down and ran in front of Chen Zhiyuan. They pulled on his sleeve, and said in a low voice, ¡°Shopkeeper, lower your voice and squat down quickly. Can¡¯t you see that this is a strong person on the mountain? Quickly cover your head and squat down!¡±


    The big man and his lackeys couldn¡¯t help but laugh when they saw Chen Zhiyuan and his lackeys¡¯ actions.


    ¡°Hey! What kind of shopkeeper are you? You don¡¯t even have the knowledge of your lackeys. We are indeed strong men from Black Wind Mountain. However, you guys are lucky. Our master said that now that we have money, they want us to pay with it since the common people aren¡¯t having it easy. If we want to take something, we have to pay. Tell me, how much is this cart of yours worth?¡±


    The big man touched the things on the cart, weighed them, and asked Chen Zhiyuan.


    ¡°You guys are the strong men on Black Wind Mountain? Aiyo, it was mentioned that when the officers are here, you people wouldn¡¯t be coming down from the mountain¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan directly pretended to be stunned, and his face began to show fear as he said nervously.


    Hearing this, the group of lackeys laughed even more wantonly.


    This person¡¯s inconsistent appearance looked really funny.


    ¡°Haha, a group of cowardly officers and soldiers. They don¡¯t even dare to go up the mountain after hearing about our reputation. This golden hairpin should be enough for these two carriages of things, right? Brothers, take the things away.¡±


    The big man laughed twice and took out an exquisite golden hairpin from his body and threw it to Chen Zhiyuan. After instructing the lackeys to start moving the things, he then reminded them. ¡°But I have to warn you, don¡¯t take this hairpin directly to the pawnshop. Melt it into gold and pawn it. Otherwise, if you lose your life, don¡¯t blame me for not warning you!¡±


    ¡°Brother Li! Quick, look at this thing. It looks like a fruit, but I¡¯ve never eaten it before. I don¡¯t know how to eat it¡­¡±


    A lackey dropped a few potatoes when he was carrying the bag. After looking at it a few times, he still couldn¡¯t figure out what it was, so he hurriedly called the big man.


    The big man walked up to take a look, frowned, and then said to Chen Zhiyuan, ¡°Shopkeeper, I heard you say that this is fresh food for the county magistrate, so how do you eat this thing?¡±


    ¡°Sir, I see that you are not unreasonable people. This thing is called a potato, and we collected it from the villagers in the mountain. We are preparing to give it to the county magistrate. Since you want to take it and have paid for it, then this deal is done. I¡¯ll tell you the truth. This thing does taste good after it¡¯s cooked. But if it¡¯s not kept properly, this thing will become poisonous.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at the big man and said honestly.


    ¡°What? This thing is poisonous?¡±


    ¡°Brother Li, what should we do? Do you still want it!¡±


    The moment the lackeys heard that this thing was poisonous, they immediately put down the bags in their hands and looked at the big man nervously.


    ¡°Sirs, don¡¯t panic. I asked the villager about the cooking method of this thing. Why don¡¯t you let me follow you up the mountain and hand this method over to you, then you can let me go down the mountain? My men will take the gold hairpin back to my wife and tell her that we¡¯re safe. What do you think?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked into the big man¡¯s eyes and said calmly.


    The big man looked deeply into Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes, cupped his fists, and grinned. ¡°Shopkeeper, you¡¯re a straightforward person. I underestimated you just now. I¡¯m Li Gui. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Shopkeeper. Let¡¯s do it!¡±

 Chapter 38 - The Army Had Already Entered the Stronghold

    Chapter 38 The Army Had Already Entered the Stronghold


    With the permission of Li Gui, Chen Zhiyuan immediately turned around and signaled the bailiffs with his eyes, telling them not to worry about his safety and to go back on their own.


    It would even be easier for him to go up the mountain alone. If something went wrong, it would be convenient for him to slip away. It would be a burden to bring them along.


    Only then did the bailiffs disguised as assistants take the gold hairpin, lead the carriage, and turn around to leave.


    Chen Zhiyuan was empty-handed, while Li Gui¡¯s lackeys each carried a bag of potatoes and climbed up the mountain. They arrived at the entrance of a valley.


    Li Gui walked forward and took the sweat towel that Chen Zhiyuan put on his shoulder.


    While Chen Zhiyuan was in a daze, he heard Li Gui say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shopkeeper. Outsiders have to cover their eyes when they go up the mountain. This is a rule of the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s the rule of the mountain, then I¡¯ll follow the rules.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan didn¡¯t feel any killing intent from Li Gui, so he closed his eyes without worry. After strengthening his physique twice, this simple blindfold operation wouldn¡¯t have any effect on his direction identification.


    Seeing that Chen Zhiyuan was so cooperative, Li Gui was even more impressed. He covered Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes and led everyone to continue walking into the mountain.


    Two hours later.


    Chen Zhiyuan heard more voices in his ears and even the words of women and children. The doubts in his heart deepened.


    Just as he had expected, there were women and children in the mountains. This group of bandits should not be the group of bandits that made Qingshui County on alert. But why were they also on Black Wind Mountain?


    Unfortunately, his eyes were still covered, so he could not see clearly what his surroundings looked like.


    Li Gui¡¯s voice rang in his ears again.


    ¡°Master, I¡¯ve bought the food back. Today¡¯s batch of food is different from previous ones. This shopkeeper said that he was supposed to offer it to that dog county magistrate of Qingshui County. But after we paid him, he was willing to go up the mountain with me and tell us the cooking method.


    ¡°Oh? Different food from the usual. Let me see¡­ It¡¯s indeed different. Li Gui, help this shopkeeper remove his blindfold.¡±


    Another rough voice came.


    As the sweat towel was removed, Chen Zhiyuan saw a nearly completed mountain stronghold in front of him. In this open space, there were people everywhere, and many women and children were running over. They looked at the round things in the bag with curiosity.


    ¡°Shopkeeper, you must be shocked. Don¡¯t be afraid. We are not criminals who burn, kill, and plunder. We are just a group of people who have no choice but to go up the mountain to become bandits.¡±


    A man with a full beard and a kind expression on his face patted Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s shoulder and said with a smile. ¡°I am the master of this mountain stronghold. What is your name, Shopkeeper?¡± ¡°I am Chen Zhi. Greetings, Master.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan suddenly had an idea. He removed a word from his name and came up with a fake name.


    ¡°So it is Shopkeeper Chen. We have never seen such food before. Please tell us how to cook it. The women and children are starving.¡±


    The bearded leader cupped his fists and pleaded.


    ¡°Master, if you want to fill your stomach, you just need to wash these potatoes and cook them in the pot. Or, you don¡¯t need to wash them. You can just cook them in the firewood and eat them.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan told him the truth.


    ¡°The preparation method is simple. Come on, quickly give the instructions. Start the fire first and roast a batch of potatoes to fill your stomach first. Then, wash them and cook some so that everyone can have their fill.¡±


    The bearded leader thought for a moment, then directly gave the instructions according to Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s method.


    It wasn¡¯t that he had a big heart, but it was the two methods that Chen Zhiyuan had mentioned. Almost everything that could be eaten wouldn¡¯t have any big problems if it was prepared the same way.


    ¡°Shopkeeper Chen, you said that this is the method to fill our stomach, so what other cooking methods are there? Also, what do you mean by it being poisonous if it¡¯s not properly kept? Hurry up and tell the master.¡±


    Li Gui, who was standing at the side, saw that everyone had gone to prepare their food, so he spoke to Chen Zhiyuan again.


    When the bearded leader heard the word ¡°poisonous¡±, his gaze focused as he stared at Chen Zhiyuan.


    Chen Zhiyuan continued, ¡°Leader Li and Master, don¡¯t be anxious. I¡¯ll tell you slowly. Not only can this potato be used as a staple food, but it can also be used as a vegetable. It can be cut into slices or stir-fried. If you add a few slices of meat into it, it will be even more delicious.¡±


    ¡°So it can still be used as a vegetable? That¡¯s great. These days, we are having wild vegetables every day that our taste buds are becoming numb.¡±


    When Li Gui heard that, he was delighted, and his gaze toward Chen Zhiyuan became a little more friendly.


    The bearded leader did not speak, but his expression also eased up quite a bit.


    ¡°When I say that it¡¯s poisonous, Master, you have to listen carefully. When the potato is stored for too long, not kept in the cellar, and it¡¯s casually piled up, it will turn green and start to sprout. If it sprouts in small amounts, you can just directly cut off the sprouts. If it turns green in large areas, don¡¯t eat it. You can keep the sprouts, cut them into pieces, and bury them in the ground. When the climate is appropriate, they will grow into seedlings and then bear new potatoes.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan once again said that the question of whether potatoes could be eaten after they sprouted had already been scientifically explained in the later generations. He then told the people of this era that there was no problem at all.


    ¡°I see. Shopkeeper Chen, you¡¯re too kind. There¡¯s a ready-made cellar in the stronghold. I¡¯ll arrange for the rest to be stored in the cellar. Shopkeeper, come with


    me.¡±


    A smile appeared on the bearded leader¡¯s face after he heard that. Chen Zhiyuan could be said to have made it very clear.


    Especially that last sentence. He had even told them how to grow potatoes. This meant that if the potatoes sprouted, there was no need to waste them. They could even take the initiative to grow some potatoes themselves so that they could use them if it¡¯s needed from time to time.


    Shopkeeper Chen didn¡¯t need to tell them all this, but he took the initiative to tell them. How could he not be touched?


    ¡°Then thank you very much, Master. I see that there are officers stationed at the foot of the mountain about seven to eight miles away. They might be going up the mountain in a few days. Have you thought about how to deal with them?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan followed the bearded man and asked again as if he was worried.


    ¡°Shopkeeper, don¡¯t worry. Our stronghold is very hidden. If there is no one to lead the way, the officers and soldiers will definitely not be able to find our position! Just think of it as coming here to play for two days. We will send you down the mountain the day after tomorrow.¡±


    Li Gui patted Chen Zhiyuan on the shoulder and said with a big smile.


    ¡°Li Gui is right. This stronghold is very hidden. When I led my brothers to rob the dog county governor¡¯s birthday gifts and went up the mountain, I only walked in by accident. I didn¡¯t expect to have a stronghold that was already built that allowed us to settle down. It¡¯s really a blessing from the heavens. In addition, even if the officers and soldiers really found us, now that we have food, we can retreat into the dense forest to deal with them.¡±


    The bearded leader also followed Li Gui¡¯s words and spoke. He was also quite confident about the location of this mountain stronghold.


    ¡°Master, are you saying that when you came here, the mountain stronghold had already been built?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan confirmed it again.


    ¡°Exactly. Shopkeeper Chen, why are you asking this?¡± The bearded man turned his head to look at Chen Zhiyuan, doubt gradually appearing in his eyes.


    ¡°Then I understand. Master, Leader Li, there¡¯s something wrong with what you said. This position isn¡¯t as hidden as you think. The army already knows about the location of the stronghold.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan raised his head to look at the two of them, a faint smile hanging on the corner of his mouth.


    All his doubts were verified at this moment.


    There were indeed two different waves of Black Wind Mountain bandits!

 Chapter 39 - Xiahou Yongs Sister

    Chapter 39 Xiahou Yong¡¯s Sister


    How could the army know about the location of the stronghold?


    ¡°Hehe, how is that possible! If the officers knew the location of the stronghold, they would have attacked long ago. Shopkeeper Chen, what nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    Li Gui shook his head and looked at Chen Zhiyuan. His eyes were filled with the expression of whether Shopkeeper Chen was crazy or not.


    ¡°The officers and soldiers have indeed found out the location of the stronghold, but they only just found out. Now, they have entered the stronghold¡­¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at Li Gui, who was still in a daze. He dashed towards the bearded leader who was already suspicious. Without waiting for him to raise his hand, he took out a butcher knife from the portable space and placed it on the bearded leader¡¯s neck. He said, ¡°Look, at this moment, he even caught the bandit leader!¡±


    ¡°S-Shopkeeper Chen, you are actually a spy for the officers and soldiers!¡±


    Li Gui had been very cooperative along the way. Even Shopkeeper Chen, who had been chatting and laughing with them just now, had turned into an enemy in the blink of an eye. He opened his mouth wide in shock and even forgot to draw his podao.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m under a military order!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan restrained the bearded leader, took out the cloud-piercing arrow that he had prepared earlier, and raised his hand.


    ¡°Whoosh!¡±


    A red cloud-piercing arrow shot into the sky.


    The people in the mountain stronghold who had been happily roasting potatoes stopped talking at this moment and looked at the red light in the sky that had exploded into countless stars.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Go and take a look!¡±


    Some people were still asking in a daze, and some smart ones had already rushed towards the direction where the cloud-piercing arrow flew up.


    ¡°Amazing! Amazing! I didn¡¯t expect Qingshui County to have such a powerful army. Li Gui, this time we¡¯re doomed.¡±


    The bearded leader looked at Li Gui with a gloomy expression and revealed a self-mocking smile.


    ¡°Master! Shopkeeper Chen?¡±


    ¡°Brother Li, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Quick, save the master! This Shopkeeper Chen is not a good person.¡±


    Many of the men rushed over and saw the scene in front of them. All of them were at a loss.


    However, there were still people who reacted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come over! Step back!¡±


    The bearded leader shouted loudly to those who wanted to come over and save him, then he said to Chen Zhiyuan, ¡°Lord, I can hand over the remaining treasures of the birthday gift, and I can also follow you down the mountain to confess our crimes and be executed. However, can you spare the lives of my brothers in the stronghold, the old and the young, women and children?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can guarantee this. Innocent people will not be implicated as long as you hand over the treasures of the birthday gifts.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan agreed.


    He was not a person who liked to kill. After seeing the elderly, women, and children in the mountain stronghold, he no longer had the intention to kill.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. I think ¡®Chen Zhi¡¯ is also a pseudonym that you casually came up with. May I know your name, Lord?¡±


    The bearded leader was exceptionally calm at this moment and took the initiative to ask.


    ¡°Chen Zhiyuan, a constable in the government office of Qingshui County.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan answered all the questions.


    ¡°So you are Chen Zhiyuan. Lord Chen is indeed a skilled and bold person. As the commander of this raid, you actually went up the mountain to act as bait. Hehe, I didn¡¯t lose unjustly.¡±


    ¡°You actually know me?¡±


    ¡°Heh, the Qingshui County office has been trying to suppress the bandits of Black Wind Mountain for more than a month now, right? There¡¯s even a notice posted at the county city gate. How could I not know?¡±


    As the two of them were chatting happily, a lackey ran in hurriedly.


    ¡°Master, Master, this is bad. The officers and soldiers have started to climb the mountain¡­¡±


    But after seeing this scene, the rest of the words were swallowed back into his stomach.


    Everyone became silent.


    The stalemate lasted for an hour.


    Finally, Xiahou Yong¡¯s voice came from outside.


    ¡°We are the officers and soldiers of Qingshui County. Everyone put down your weapons, and stay where you are. Do not resist, or we will kill you without mercy.¡±


    The local soldiers rushed into the stronghold, and then there was the sound of weapons falling to the ground.


    Not long after.


    Xiahou Yong, who was dressed in full armor, walked in with the officers and soldiers.


    Seeing Chen Zhiyuan¡¯s knife resting on a man¡¯s neck, the surrounding people did not dare to go forward. They immediately understood everything.


    ¡°Men, tie up the bandit leader!¡±


    Xiahou Yong had the local soldiers come forward to tie up the bearded leader. Then, he walked quickly to Chen Zhiyuan. ¡°Brother Chen, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just raised the knife for two hours. Brother Xiahou, if you don¡¯t come, something might happen to my arm.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan shook his stiff hand and joked.


    ¡°Have you found the birthday gifts?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The bandit leader said that he was willing to hand over the unused ones, so we can consider them found.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Our mission has been successfully completed.¡±


    The two of them walked out of the courtyard together.


    At this moment, someone stumbled in front of the two of them.


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    A local soldier rushed forward to pull that person away.


    That person cried out, ¡°Brother Xiahou, is that you? I¡¯m Xiao Douzi!¡±


    When Xiahou Yong heard the cry, he looked at that person. Then, he quickly ran over, squatted down, and looked at that person¡¯s face carefully. He was extremely surprised. ¡°Xiao Douzi! It really is you. Why are you here? Where are uncle and aunt?¡±


    ¡°Brother Xiahou¡­ My parents¡­ My parents are dead. Because of the empress dowager¡¯s birthday gift, the county said that the county governor had ordered that all the rich people had to pay. My father argued with the constable who came to collect the money, but he was beaten to death. My mother also died of anger, so the county confiscated the family property. I became an orphan and didn¡¯t know where to go. It was the master who took me in that I was able to live until now¡­ Boohoo¡­¡±


    The girl looked like she was only 11 or 12 years old, but she was a skinny little girl who looked like a tomboy. She rushed into Xiahou Yong¡¯s arms and burst into tears.


    The entire courtyard was completely silent. Whether it was the local soldiers or the bandits, all of them had sad expressions on their faces.


    The way of the world is a son of a b*tch!


    Xiahou Yong squatted on the ground for a long time and did not get up.


    Chen Zhiyuan slowly walked over and whispered to him, ¡°Brother Xiahou, I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±


    ¡°Brother Chen, I¡¯m fine. Xiao Douzi is the daughter of an old friend of mine in the neighboring county. When I joined the army, I was tired and hungry on the way. I happened to pass by Xiao Douzi¡¯s family¡¯s manor. Her parents brought me into the manor and treated me warmly. They even let me stay for a few days. In the end, they even prepared rations and clean water for me. I said that I would return to repay them in the future, but I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡±


    Xiahou Yong stood up and picked up Xiao Douzi. ¡°Brother Chen, Xiao Douzi is my sister from now on. I want to take her with me.¡±


    ¡°Of course. There are many innocent people in this village. Brother Xiahou, why don¡¯t we ask the leader first?¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan suggested.


    From the actions of the people in the mountain stronghold and Xiao Douzi¡¯s story, he could conclude that the bearded leader was obviously a good person. There might be too many secrets behind the robbery.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask the master. Let me tell you, we are all prison guards from the neighboring Fengqi County¡­¡±


    Li Gui, who had already squatted down, stood up at this moment.

 Chapter 40 - Military Governor Zhao, the Betrayer

    Chapter 40 Military Governor Zhao, the Betrayer


    Fengqi County.


    It was under the same jurisdiction as Qingshui County. As the county governor had a close relationship with the empress dowager, he thought about gathering a batch of rare items from Fengqi County for the empress dowager and presenting them as a birthday gift.


    When the county magistrate in Fengqi County received this order, it became a blatant reason to amass wealth.


    Fengqi County¡¯s county magistrate took this opportunity to amass wealth in Fengqi County. Because of this matter, countless people were sent to the county jail, and many of them were innocent people.


    The bearded leader and Li Gui were the prison guards in jail. Even they couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, so they simply opened the cell with a few trusted brothers and released the innocent people who were caught. They were thoroughly wanted by the county government.


    And so, they embarked on the road of escape. While they were hiding from place to place, they happened to encounter the birthday gifts sent by the county governor to the capital city. They took advantage of the guards¡¯ carelessness to steal the birthday gifts and escaped again.


    During their escape, they met people who could not live anymore, as well as orphans and widows who had no one to take care of them. Because the team grew larger and larger, it became harder and harder to hide.


    In the end, they were caught up by the government bailiffs. After losing a few of their brothers, they unknowingly escaped to Qingshui County and dived into the Black Wind Mountain, and they barely survived.


    Then, Qingshui County¡¯s county office received the county governor¡¯s order to suppress the bandits.


    When Chen Zhiyuan and Xiahou Yong heard this, they were so shocked that they could not speak.


    Walking out of the door, they asked a few women with children. After verifying that what Li Gui said was true, the two of them were completely silent.


    ¡°Brother Xiahou, what do you think we should do with these people? They are all good people from the neighboring county. They were forced to become bandits.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan observed Xiahou Yong¡¯s expression and sighed.


    Xiahou Yong didn¡¯t say anything, and Xiao Douzi shook his arm. ¡°Brother Xiahou, Uncle Big Beard, and Uncle Li Gui are good people. Don¡¯t hand them over to the bad county magistrate. I beg you¡­¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Brother Chen, what do you think we should do with these people? If we hand them over to the authorities, we won¡¯t be able to live with our conscience. But if we don¡¯t catch anyone in the raid, we won¡¯t be able to get past the county governor and the county magistrate. Is there any way to get the best of both worlds?¡±


    Xiahou Yong let out a long sigh and raised his head to look at Chen Zhiyuan again.


    ¡°No, Brother Xiahou, this group of people are commoners, but there was originally a group of true bandits in Black Wind Mountain. As long as we capture them, we can report after we complete the mission.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan continued with some calmness, ¡°Xiao Douzi and the others accidentally entered this place, and the mountain stronghold here was already built, and there was no one here. This means that the previous group of bandits must have received some news and retreated in advance. Our next task is to find them!¡±


    ¡°Yes, this brother is right. When we came here, this stronghold was already there, but there was no one. Uncle Big Beard thought that it was a residence that God gave us.¡±


    Xiao Douzi also opened her mouth to verify the authenticity of this information.


    ¡°Oh? If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s easy to handle. But now, how are we going to find these bandits? In this vast mountain, it¡¯s like looking for a needle in a haystack!¡±


    Xiahou Yong¡¯s face lit up for a moment then he became troubled again.


    Since those bandits had received the news in advance, they must have fled to other places long ago.


    ¡°Brother Xiahou, don¡¯t be discouraged. As long as we hold our temper and slowly search, we¡¯ll eventually find some traces left behind.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan comforted him instead.


    There was still more than a month before the three months given by the county governor was over. They had plenty of time. Anyway, they had recovered the birthday gifts, so the rest could be considered minor matters.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all we can do now. Brother Chen, please inform the big beard leader to let these people continue to live here. After we¡¯ve dealt with the real bandits, we¡¯ll see if we can move them to the foot of the mountain. I¡¯ll talk to Xiao Douzi.¡±


    Xiahou Yong nodded and raised his head to speak to Chen Zhiyuan. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan agreed and left Xiahou Yong to comfort the frightened Xiao Douzi. He immediately found the big beard man who had just been tied up and personally untied him. He told them his decision.


    ¡°What! Do you really want to let me go? I robbed the county governor¡¯s birthday gifts that were going to be sent to the capital. How are you going to explain to the county magistrate of Qingshui County if you don¡¯t catch the bandit leader!¡±


    The big beard leader looked at Chen Zhiyuan in shock and asked in disbelief.


    ¡°This is what I¡¯m telling you now. You stumbled into this place by accident. It turns out that there was a group of real mountain bandits. They were the ones who stirred up trouble in Qingshui County. This time, the county magistrate thought that they robbed the birthday gifts, and the old and new grudges were taken into account together. That¡¯s why he was determined to make me eliminate them. You guys have to be even more careful living here. Be careful that they don¡¯t come back. Of course, we will also look for their traces and strive to completely eliminate them!¡±


    Only then did Chen Zhiyuan tell the truth about the big beard man¡¯s mountain stronghold.


    ¡°I see. I thought the heavens were rewarding us with this stronghold, but it turns out that these thieves haven¡¯t gone far. Thank you for your reminder, Constable Chen. I¡¯ll be extra careful.¡±


    The big beard leader felt a lingering fear and immediately knelt down on one knee. He cupped his hands at Chen Zhiyuan and said, ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough. Constable Chen, you are like our birth parents. Please accept Zuo Xiucheng¡¯s bow.¡±


    ¡°Master Zuo, what are you doing? Please get up! The ways of the world are difficult, and the people are innocent. Master, you¡¯re also pleading on behalf of the people. I can¡¯t accept your bow.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan quickly helped the big beard leader up from the ground.


    ¡°Constable Chen, you care about the people so I am relieved by your words. Please feel free to ask if you need me in the future!¡±


    The big beard man stood up and patted his chest to assure Chen Zhiyuan. Then, he said with embarrassment, ¡°My name, ¡®Zuo Xiucheng¡¯, was given by my mother. It¡¯s a little too delicate. I can¡¯t even say it myself. Constable Chen, just call me Big Beard from now on.¡±


    ¡°Haha, Master Zuo, you don¡¯t have to be so polite. Xiucheng is a man¡¯s name. I even saw a general called ¡®Li Xiucheng¡¯ in a book. He became a famous general!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan laughed.


    He was not spouting nonsense. At the end of the Qing dynasty, the famous Taiping Army general and Loyal King Li Xiucheng had beaten the Qing army until they were completely at a loss.


    ¡°There¡¯s actually such a thing!¡±


    When Zuo Xiucheng heard that, he was shocked.


    Outside the door, Xiahou Yong and the excited Wang Shan walked in.


    ¡°Hahaha, Chief, I¡¯ve finally found something on that old fellow! When you guys just went up the mountain and haven¡¯t even sent back the news yet, that old guy already wanted to release the pigeons. I guessed that there must be a problem, so I rushed up and pressed him down. I¡¯ve already sent people to tie up Zhao Dengming and his subordinates. Quick, look at what¡¯s written on it!¡±


    Wang Shan laughed loudly and handed a thin piece of paper to Chen Zhiyuan. Xiahou Yong also came over.


    Chen Zhiyuan opened the paper, and the small words on it appeared one by one.


    ¡°Chen Zhiyuan is no longer in the camp. Xiahou Yong has also led his troops up the mountain. The camp is empty, and there are many provisions. Come and intercept the camp tonight! Tch! Tch!¡±


    After reading the small words on the paper, everyone present had shocked expressions.


    ¡°Good! This old fellow is indeed black-hearted. Chief, Commander Xiahou. From the tone of his words, it¡¯s clear that he is colluding with the mountain bandits. I will go down the mountain and chop him up!¡±


    Wang Shan was so angry that he laughed instead. He turned his head and was about to go down the mountain.


    ¡°Old Wang, come back.¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan hurriedly called Wang Shan and asked, ¡°Is the pigeon still there?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have nothing against the pigeon!¡±


    Wang Shan turned his head and was stunned. ¡°Good! Leader Zuo, I will have to trouble you. Please put on a good show with General Xiahou later. The problem of the Black Wind Mountain bandits will be solved tonight!¡±


    Chen Zhiyuan looked at Xiahou Yong and Zuo Xiucheng and told them his plan.