Chapter 34: What Do You Want?

Chapter 34: What Do You Want?

Before a residence on Water East Street.

Two girls, one with an air of invincibility, her head tilted and arms crossed, the other meekly bowing her head in submission.

The obedient Suo'er looked up at the not-so-tall wall, turned to Xianjin, then glanced at the circle of withered vines climbing the short wall.

"…Aren't we here to pay respects to the God of Wealth?"

Suo'er swallowed hard.

The sign above the door had only two characters, while the Temple of the God of Wealth would have three.

She couldn't read, but she could count!

"Is this the Temple of the God of Wealth?"

Suo'er asked blankly.

Xianjin, hands on her chest, smiled and nodded, "To us, he's the greatest God of Wealth."

As she spoke, she stepped forward and tapped on the door latch.

A small head peeked out from the gatehouse, "Who are you?"

Xianjin laughed, "From the shop, here to wish Lord Six a happy new year."

As she said this, one hand pulled out an object wrapped in red velvet from her bosom, while the other fished out ten coins from her sleeve pocket and slipped them into the gatekeeper's hand, "You know how it is, during the festival, we must be sensible, right?"

The gatekeeper gave Xianjin a once-over, closed the door, and ran back inside. Soon, the sound of a creaking door echoed as it opened, and the gatekeeper led Xianjin inside, with Suo'er following nervously behind.

Just before entering the house, Xianjin paused, turned around, gently squeezed Suo'er's palm, and whispered close to her ear, "If things look bad, retreat immediately."

She hadn't intended to bring this girl along, but Mama Zhang insisted on pushing her onto her. She couldn't explain without revealing too much, nor could she resist the girl's puppy-dog eyes.

So, she brought her along.

Just for the girl's audacity to carve out a path to survival in front of those two beasts at home, she didn't seem like a coward.

Suo'er let out a startled "Ah," before she could react, they entered the main room.

Suo'er held back her amazement for a long time—she had never seen such a bright and opulent hall, everywhere adorned with blue bricks, tables and chairs that looked heavy enough to crush someone, and a large white wind-blocking lantern, what was pasted on it? Shimmering and colorful…

Xianjin's gaze swept over the furnishings in the hall, then landed on the sullen face of Mr. Chen Liu. With unfamiliar formality, she bowed, smiling, "Happy New Year to you, sir!"

Good, good my ass!

If you hadn't come bothering me, I'd be eating well and feeling great!

Mr. Chen Liu's face nearly fell to his chest, "No need for Miss He's concern. On the fifth day of the first month, the old manor will certainly mobilize to pray for a prosperous new year. As the unchallenged head of the Jing County workshop, if you're not causing trouble at the old manor, did you come to my humble abode just to pay your respects?"

Xianjin dragged a scholar's chair for herself and, with Suo'er's help, moved a small stool, greeting familiarly, "Suo'er, sit."

Then she instructed the old servant with a mustache standing behind Mr. Chen Liu, "Please bring a pot of hot tea and two baskets of pastries." She smiled at Mr. Chen Liu, "I only had a almond candy and a plate of melon seeds for lunch, I'm quite hungry."

Mr. Chen Liu was so angry he felt like ascending to heaven and leaving his body.

This little hussy came to his place to order food?!

"Smack—" Mr. Chen Liu slammed his hand on the table, his ears turning red with anger, "Get to the point! If there's nothing… show her out!"

Mr. Chen Liu was thin and bony, with a dark forehead and long middle court, yellowish cheeks, and lips tinted bluish-purple. Xianjin, having been sick for a long time, knew at a glance that this old man likely had heart, liver, and kidney problems. Seeing his cloudy eyes and the pea-sized particles at the corners, his blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol were probably all "high."

High everything and easily angered, was he trying to speed up his trip to the underworld?

Xianjin's smile deepened as she leaned back, hands resting on the back of the scholar's chair, "One doesn't hit a smiling face. I've come to present gifts to Lord Six, it's not proper to turn guests away."

Xianjin stretched her arms and laughed, "I wonder how you've done business all these years with that temper of yours?"

Mr. Chen Liu's throat was smoking with rage.

This cheap hussy not only came here to order food but also to humiliate him!?

Mr. Chen Liu took a deep breath, raised his hand, ready to deliver a harsh rebuke, when he saw the girl pull out something tightly wrapped in red cloth, looking like a gift, and toss it in front of him.

"I know I've offended you deeply, which is why I've brought a gift today to apologize." Xianjin's smile faded slightly, gesturing for the mustached old servant to open it, "See if you like it."

The old servant glanced at Mr. Chen Liu, who narrowed his eyes and nodded.

It was a thick stack of books.

After flipping through a few pages, the mustached old servant couldn't help but turn pale, "My lord… my lord, it's the ledger! The ledger left by Manager Zhu!"

A turbid gas rose in Mr. Chen Liu's chest, tinged with a metallic taste. He pushed himself up, snatched the book from the old servant's hands, and skimmed through it. The more he read, the heavier the gas in his chest became, and the more pronounced the metallic taste grew!

Month after month… indeed… every entry matched.

Except for the account of selling the eight-zhang xuan paper to Anyang Prefecture…

He sold it for three hundred taels, Old Zhu only knew about one hundred taels, he swallowed another two hundred taels…

This ledger was real…

Mr. Chen Liu's trembling hand lifted, and he looked up to see Xianjin calmly waiting, smiling at him. Malice surged within him, and he rasped, "…Lock the gate… summon five strong servants… quickly!"

Suo'er's expression changed.

That old man's eyes were exactly the same as her older brothers' when they were about to beat her!

Su'er instinctively stood in front of Xianjin, her fists clenched tightly in her sleeves. Though small, her eyes were like those of a hungry wolf, fixed intently on Mr. Chen Liu!

Xianjin rose unhurriedly, first pulling Su'er back, then chuckling softly with a mocking tone, "Are you losing your mind?"

"Don't tell me you want to kill me in Jing County?"

Mr. Chen Liu twitched his lips, his words vague, "No need to kill you! We'll tie up you two girls, I'll have my way first, followed by my servants. Your tongues will be cut out, your limbs severed. We'll leave you two wretched women naked on the streets at night. If you don't die, others will force you to!"

Su'er shivered, closing and reopening her eyes. Her puppy eyes had turned into those of a fierce dog, filled with a murderous intent.

Xianjin laughed twice, walking calmly to the window, her gaze slanted and sharp, "Use your brain! Do you think we'd dare come alone to your manor without backup?"

Su'er: Huh?

Backup?

The only thing they did before coming was spend two copper coins to buy her a string of candied haws.

When did they arrange for backup?

Xianjin suddenly pushed the window open, raising her head and shouting loudly, "Zhou Ergou and his brother, along with the four brothers from the Zheng family, are all hiding outside! If we haven't left within half an hour, Zhou Ergou and his brother will smash your gate with large wooden logs. The Zheng brothers will report back to their old home, and also to the authorities—do you think Master Three will ignore me?"

Su'er suppressed the urge to look outside.

There better be someone out there!

Mr. Chen Liu's gaze shifted to the window, where snow began to fall beyond the low wall. He struggled to tear his eyes away, his hands gripping the ledger tightly.

Right!

The ledger!

If he destroyed it...

Xianjin's voice rang out at the perfect moment, "I got this ledger on the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month. I've had enough time to copy it—this one in your hand seems to be the copy? As I said, if I'm not out within half an hour, they will take the original to report to whoever needs to know, and to the authorities!"

Mr. Chen Liu felt cornered like a mountain goat, his thoughts racing—

If she wanted to bring him down, she could simply hand over the ledger to the Qu family.

Why go through this trouble?

What did she want?

Wrong!

What did she want?

"Do you want money?"

Mr. Chen Liu shook his head, "No, no, you don't want money. If you wanted money, you would have taken the silver I and Old Zhu offered you..."

"After the first month, I'll retire and leave the village!"

In a flash, Mr. Chen Liu felt he had found the key to dealing with this wicked woman, "I'm old, I won't stand in your way or hinder you in the shop anymore!"

Mr. Chen Liu spoke faster, "Rest assured! You'll be the sole person in charge of the workshops in Jing County! You can do whatever you want! No one will obstruct you!"

Xianjin shrugged indifferently, "It would have been so anyway. If you didn't agree, it would just mean more planning and scheming for me, nothing too difficult."

Mr. Chen Liu slumped onto the chair, "Then what do you want! Tell me, what do you really want!"