Cheng Duo saw the dilapidated city walls and streets and understood why the people of Yang Village didn't like coming to the county town. Not only was it far away, but the commercial scale was also far inferior to Twenty-Li Slope. Other than the presence of the West Capital County Yamen, there was nothing else to attract people here.
Of course, there were still scattered shops open on the street, although the storefronts looked shabby, they had everything.
Cheng Duo dragged the three "bundles" with one hand, and people passing by were scared and moved aside. Village Head Li and Li Man Cang had never experienced such "attention from the masses" before. They were shrinking their hands and feet, almost forgetting how to walk.
Cheng Duo was about to ask Village Head Li whether they should go to the bank to exchange for silver or go to the county yamen first when he heard a voice from behind, "Who are you people?"
He turned his head and saw two patrolling yamen officials. These officials were dressed in drab uniforms and looked rather unimposing, but the official knives at their waists were real.
Now the two officials were gripping their knife handles, looking as if they were facing a great enemy.
Village Head Li and Li Man Cang didn't know what to do, and they looked at Cheng Duo with panic on their faces. What should they do? Would they end up in the jail later?
Cheng Duo remained calm and pulled the three of them forward. "Officers, you've come at the right time. These are the bandits I caught, and I was just planning to bring them to the county yamen."
In order to save trouble, Cheng Duo had dislocated the shoulders of the three men along the way. Zeng Datou and the others were in pain from being dragged all the way, and now they saw the yamen officials, it was no different from seeing their own family members!
They hurriedly said, "Yes, we're bandits, and we've come to turn ourselves in…"
Hurry up and take them away. They really didn't want to stay in the hands of this executioner any longer!
"What do you mean by turning yourselves in? You were clearly caught by me and forced to come to the county yamen," Cheng Duo said dissatisfied.
"Yes, yes, we were blind and tried to rob this hero, so we were forced to come and turn ourselves in…" Zeng Datou and the monkey-faced bandit changed their expressions and cried. As for the big and foolish one, he still couldn't figure out the situation and nodded foolishly, "That's right, we've come to turn ourselves in."
The two patrol yamen officials: Who really looks like bandits?
The two officials brought Cheng Duo and the others back to the county yamen. Before they even entered, they encountered Chief Catcher Wang Meng. After listening to the account of the two officials, Wang Meng frowned and said, "You're saying they are bandits from Black Tiger Stronghold, do you have any evidence?"
He had heard of the reputation of Black Tiger Stronghold. Such a big den of bandits had been destroyed like this?
"I don't know if this knife counts as evidence." Cheng Duo was well-prepared and took out the flattened iron blade and handle.
Chief Catcher Wang was shocked, "How did the knife end up like this?"
Although the knife was completely disfigured, Wang Meng could tell that the thickness of the blade was no worse than his own official knife.
Cheng Duo didn't explain, he directly pried open the compressed gap and restored the knife a bit. Although he couldn't make it as straight as before, at least it looked like a knife.
Wang Meng couldn't believe it as he took the knife and chopped it on a nearby stone. The blade didn't break, and it was indeed made of black iron and so thick!
Wang Meng looked at Cheng Duo, his face full of astonishment and suspicion. "How did you acquire such strength?"
"It's natural." Cheng Duo intentionally intimidated him and then slapped his hand on the stone. The stone immediately cracked and caved in, forming a spiderweb-like pattern.
Only now did Cheng Duo realize that it wasn't just any stone, it was the stone lion at the entrance of the county yamen… Fortunately, when he slapped his hand, he held back his strength, otherwise, if he shattered the county yamen's stone lion, he didn't know if the county magistrate would consider it damaging public property and arrest him.
The county magistrate probably wouldn't dare. The front of their county yamen's jail was made of wooden boards, and the back was a mud wall. If someone like Cheng Duo was put in, it was possible to tear down the jail!
Now Chief Catcher Wang had such thoughts, so he pretended not to see and became more polite when talking to Cheng Duo.
The county yamen's gatekeeper happened to pass by and saw this scene. He exclaimed in admiration, "Such a powerful person exists in this world!"
With a look of admiration, he approached to inquire about Cheng Duo's background, knowing that he was a hunter from a small mountain village. He asked if he would be willing to come to the county yamen and work as an official. If he agreed, he could recommend him to the county magistrate…
Chief Catcher Wang turned pale as he listened from the side. If Cheng Duo were to become an official, would his position as a chief catcher be secure? Furthermore, even if Cheng Duo didn't vie for his position, having such a remarkable person under his command would diminish his own reputation as a chief catcher!
Fortunately, Cheng Duo had no interest in becoming an official. He glanced at the cunning chief steward and then at the dilapidated county yamen. Suddenly, an idea struck him. Taking advantage of the introduction of Zeng Datou and the others, he redirected the conversation to the matter of Black Tiger Stronghold being destroyed.
"What did you say? Black Tiger Stronghold was annihilated?"
"Yes, that's what they said…"
Although the chief catcher directed the question at Cheng Duo, his eyes were fixed on Zeng Datou and the others. He saw them nod in confirmation, and his eyes instantly lit up.
"Since you brought them to surrender, hand them over to me," the chief catcher promptly said.
"Sure."
Cheng Duo handed over one end of his belt to the chief catcher, and Zeng Datou and the others obediently followed him. They seemed eager to leave, almost on the verge of tears.
As the chief Catcher was leaving, he remembered their earlier conversation. He couldn't afford to offend Cheng Duo either, so he tactfully said, "The prisoners have been handed over. I don't know about…"
Cheng Duo had been waiting for this. He immediately mentioned that he had purchased several mu of land and needed to exchange his old land deed at the county yamen.
Chief Catcher Wang's eyes flickered. "That's easy. Leave it to me."
He personally escorted Cheng Duo into the county yamen. During the process of copying the new land deed, he didn't ask him any questions and urged him to hurry.
Normally, copying a land deed required paying a fee with a brush pen, but with Chief Catcher Wang standing by, none of the excuses Cheng Duo had prepared were necessary.
Not only that, after the land deed was copied, it needed to be presented to the county magistrate for verification and sealing.
Chief Catcher Wang only asked Cheng Duo for two taels of silver and quickly completed the matter for him. He personally escorted them out of the county yamen, his level of enthusiasm astonishing Village Head Li and Li Man Cang.
Li Man Cang only realized after they left the county yamen's gate and were greeted by the cold wind that he had forgotten his land deed. He turned to Cheng Duo and stuttered, "Y-you haven't given me the silver…"
Village Head Li added, "Your name hasn't even been registered."
Despite bringing a pile of documents to prove his identity as the village head, the clerk hadn't even asked about them. Something that used to be troublesome had been completed in less than half an hour…
Cheng Duo smiled inwardly. He had heard that the county yamen was notorious for extorting money, so he had used those three bandits to display his strength. Well, as someone aspiring to be an upstanding citizen, it wouldn't be appropriate to openly show off his power.
As a result, Chief Catcher Wang, fearing that Cheng Duo would take his position, hastily helped him complete the matter. The two taels of silver as a bribe weren't too much, making it an unexpected delight.
Satisfied, Cheng Duo tucked the land deed into his pocket. "It's alright, let's wait until the end of the year to register the name." Then he turned to Li Man Cang and said, "Shall we go to the bank now to exchange for silver?"
Li Man Cang seemed quite uneasy, but Cheng Duo didn't want to owe anyone money for selling the land, lest Wu Guihua start grumbling in the village again. Although Cheng Duo wasn't afraid, he found it bothersome…
So, while it was still daylight, the three of them hurriedly made their way to the bank.
As for what happened to Li Man Cang after he obtained the silver and spent a sleepless night in fear… that was no longer Cheng Duo's concern.
As long as Village Head Li could vouch for him, it meant that he had indeed given the silver.
The three of them returned to Yang Village by noon the next day. Li Man Cang hurriedly rushed home with the silver, where he was met with his wife and son eagerly looking towards him.
"So, did you get the silver?" his wife asked with anticipation.
"I got it. It's all here," Li Man Cang patted the bundle.
Wu Guihua's face lit up with joy. She quickly asked her eldest son, Chang Sheng, to close the door and instructed her other son, Feng, to pour water for his father.
She herself entered the house and took out a small scale with a weight from inside. She carefully weighed the silver from the bundle.
"How is it? Is it enough?" Feng-ge anxiously asked.
Wu Guihua pursed her lips. "Our scale is naturally light, but surprisingly, the weight of the silver is just right."
Li Man Cang had already witnessed Cheng Duo's terrifying abilities during this trip. Now, hearing his wife complain about the silver being too little, he quickly explained, "We weighed this silver at the bank. Whether it's more or less, it has nothing to do with Cheng Duo. Don't go spreading rumors outside."
"What's the matter? If he gave less, can't I say it?" Wu Guihua said inexplicably.
Li Man Cang held her back. "I'll explain it to you tonight…"
After hearing about Cheng Duo, Wu Guihua didn't dare to provoke him anymore. Even the bandits were afraid of him, and the catchers and stewards of the county yamen were speaking well of him. If they offended him, how would they be able to handle the consequences?
Since Young Master Yan said that the dowry was all about the price of goods, they didn't need to buy too many things. So Wu Guihua only bought some daily necessities for Feng-ge, and the rest of the silver was kept hidden away.
By the time Wu Guihua finished her preparations, three days had passed since the sale of the land. When they heard that the Li family was ready to send the dowry, Young Master Yan and his group breathed a sigh of relief.
You see, they had rented another courtyard in advance and spent over ten taels of silver on gifts. If the marriage with the Li family didn't happen, they would have suffered a big loss.
Young Master Yan and his companions had been traveling around, and their vision was sharp. Not only did they choose girls or gers who were favored in their families, but they also carefully calculated the family background of the other party.
Of course, they wouldn't dare to deceive truly wealthy families. The grand gestures and gifts they presented could only intimidate the ignorant villagers and couldn't deceive the eyes of wealthy people.
Moreover, no wealthy family would have a separate courtyard. By asking around, they would easily be exposed.
When the Li family didn't show any signs of loosening their grip, they thought it might not work out. They were even considering lowering the price and negotiating again, but they didn't expect the Li family to sell the land.
The Li family was overjoyed, and the group led by Young Master Yan was ecstatic. They deliberately chose an auspicious day and first sent the dowry. They agreed to come for the formal betrothal in a few days and discuss the wedding date.
Before leaving, Young Master Yan gave Feng-ge a heavy silver hairpin and a silver bracelet to please him. Although the craftsmanship of these two items wasn't great, their size was enough to surprise Feng-ge.
"Is this for me?"
"Yes, they're all yours. Keep them," Young Master Yan coaxed him. "Be good at home. I'll come to pick you up in a few days."
Feng-ge's face turned red. "Okay."
Young Master Yan and his group arrived early in the morning, even before dawn. When the villagers saw them carrying things out of the Li family's house, they thought they had come for the formal betrothal, but they didn't know why they left.
Those who were curious went to the Li family to ask. Li Man Cang and Li Chang Sheng had accompanied Young Master Yan and the others, while Wu Guihua, who had a quick temper, couldn't help but boast when a few women flattered her.
One woman surnamed Qian couldn't stand Wu Guihua's smug look and sneered, "How could you send the dowry before the formal betrothal? Are you sure you're not being deceived?"
"Who's being deceived? You're the one being deceived! Our Feng-ge has exchanged engagement cards with Young Master Yan!" Wu Guihua was already anxious, and Qian's provocation made her explode. She stood up and said, "Both the head of the family and Chang Sheng have gone. If it were a scam, would Young Master Yan let people know where they live?"
Aunt Qian had a shallow understanding and didn't know that separate courtyards could be rented. After thinking for a moment, she found another flaw and pointed it out, "Who knows? Moreover, your Feng-ge isn't particularly good-looking, and he's just a ger. Young Master Yan is handsome and wealthy. Why would he be interested in him?"
Wu Guihua sneered, "Our Feng-ge isn't good enough? Take a look at your Yu-ge. With those high cheekbones and a face that looks like a fox, not even widowers in the village are interested in him, let alone a young master from a wealthy family!"
"Wu Guihua, I knew it was you spreading these rumors! How dare you!" Aunt Qian, as if confirming something, rushed forward and started tearing at Wu Guihua.
The elder sister-in-law and the aunt present exchanged glances, realizing they were in for some entertainment. They didn't intervene, but instead casually advised, "Stop fighting."
"Why are you two saying so much? What's the point of fighting?" Wu Guihua refused to back down. "Qian, do you really think I'm easy to bully? Coming to my house on such a good day and saying such depressing words. Not only can your Yu-ge not find a husband, I doubt he can even get married!"
Aunt Qian screamed, "Wu Guihua, I'm not backing down! It's because of your interference that our Yu-ge's previous marriage arrangement fell through. And yet, you have the audacity to speak!"
As mentioned before, Wu Guihua had a strong build, while Aunt Qian, despite being older, was small and thin, making her no match for Wu Guihua.
Just as the commotion escalated, Feng-ge, who had just received the silver hairpin, entered from outside. Seeing his mother fighting with someone on such an auspicious day, he hurriedly stepped forward to intervene. "Mother, stop fighting. Young Master Yan and his group haven't left yet. What if someone sees this?"
Feng-ge's words had a great effect. Wu Guihua immediately stopped. If she didn't fight, Aunt Qian wouldn't gain anything, and by now, she had calmed down as well.
Aunt Qian tidied up her clothes in a sorry state and covered the patch of hair torn from her scalp. With red eyes, she glared at Wu Guihua and said in a resentful tone, "I'll make it clear today, Wu Guihua. It's your son, Feng-ge, who can't even attract a widower!"
Wu Guihua wanted to rush forward and tear at her again, but her own son held her back. She caught sight of the silver bracelet on Feng-ge's hand and the silver hairpin in his hair. Immediately, her anger dissipated, and she pretended, "Oh, where did these silver bracelet and hairpin come from? They weren't there before we left."
Feng-ge knew his mother wanted to provoke Aunt Qian, so he awkwardly touched his head. "Mother, please don't ask about it~"
Though he said not to ask, his bashful expression gave it away to everyone. The hairpin and bracelet were undoubtedly gifts from Young Master Yan.
Aunt Wang was always skilled at flattery and sycophancy. Seeing the situation, she complimented, "Young Master Yan is truly generous! Feng-ge, you've fallen into a pit of good fortune. Don't forget your parents, brothers, and us, your village aunts, in the future."
"Aunt Wang I won't forget," Feng-ge replied.
Aunt Wang then went to persuade Aunt Qian, "Don't cause any more trouble. You might need to rely on Feng-ge in the future when it comes to Yu-ge's marriage!"
"I won't beg him!" Aunt Qian shrugged off Aunt Wang and walked toward the door, but before leaving, she turned back to glare at Wu Guihua. "Wu Guihua, I hope you have a stroke of bad luck soon!"
Even Aunt Qian didn't expect her words to be so prophetic!