Chapter 26: A Life Is Lost

Chapter 26: A Life Has Been Lost

"Night market?" Fu Yun and Xu Lei asked, puzzled.

Villagers hardly ever went to the county, and if they did, they always hurried back before dark. No wonder they didn’t know about the night market.

Lin Su nodded. He’d asked around—the Dasheng Dynasty had no curfew. Yucheng County, with its bustling commercial pier, was thronged with people. During the day, everyone was busy with their own affairs, but at night was the time for relaxation.

"Yeah, a night market. In the village, everyone turns in when it’s dark, but in the county town, the streets are lit with candles and lanterns. From rich young masters and ladies to regular workers and servants, everyone comes out to enjoy themselves. Stalls and street performers everywhere—it’s even busier than daytime."

Lin Su had planned to rent a shop after he dealt with whoever was behind the officers. Most shops in the county had a layout with the storefront in front and living quarters in the back. After busy nights at the market, he could rest in the shop without risking the dangerous trip back home.

But since the person behind the scenes still hadn’t appeared, he couldn’t keep waiting. As the year-end approached, people had more money and were eager to spend, so it might be a good time to find a shop to rent.

"The wealthy households have money!" Fu Yun’s eyes sparkled.

"Yes, our spiced dishes go well with wine and should sell well at the night market," Lin Su said.

Hearing this, Xu Lei nodded in understanding. "I’ll set up a stall at the night market tomorrow evening."

Lin Su was already accustomed to the Xu family’s efficiency. He said, "Tomorrow, Fu Yun and I will find you a place to stay in the county town. It’s too dangerous to travel by boat at night—it’s better to stay there."

"And we’ll also look for a shop. If we find a suitable one, we can rent it."

As for the spiced dishes, the Yang brothers could handle the preparation. Lin Su had taught them today the timing and heat for each ingredient, and the two brothers were sharp and learned quickly. He only needed to adjust the concentration of the brine.

Finding a place to stay in the county town was easy. Lin Su rented half a courtyard in West Street from a household, costing only 560 wen per month.

But finding a shop was more difficult, especially around the pier area. Lin Su had to give up and asked a broker to keep an eye out for any empty shops and notify him.

After they finished their business, it was nearly noon. Lin Su took Fu Yun to Wangjiang Tower.

Wangjiang Tower was one of the county’s high-end restaurants. It wasn’t right by the pier but had the best river view in town. From the third floor, you could see distant mountains covered in snow and the gentle ripples of the river.

The food at the restaurant was diverse and delicious.

Lin Su ordered a plate of crispy walnuts and a pot of flower tea as appetizers, a cold dish of crystal aspic, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, followed by steamed lamb, roasted venison, honey roast duck, and chicken with turtle meat.

Since it was rare to visit a restaurant, Lin Su spared no expense and ordered the finest dishes. The waiter reminded him, "Sir, our portions are big. You’ve ordered enough for four or five people—maybe too much."

"It’s fine, just bring it." Lin Su smiled slightly. He was only worried his little piggy wouldn’t have enough to eat.

"Very well, sir. Please follow me." Since Lin Su was spending generously, the waiter showed them to a private room on the second floor, served tea, and left.

The room had a window facing the river, with the water as smooth as a mirror, distant mountains reflecting snow, and a picturesque view. Lin Su sipped tea and enjoyed the scenery. Fu Yun sat beside him at the same square table, gulping down several mouthfuls of hot tea. He wasn’t interested in the view; instead, he leaned on Lin Su’s shoulder, staring at the door, waiting for the food to arrive.

The tip of his nose twitched, and Fu Yun suddenly sat up straight, looking eagerly at the door. Soon, the waiter entered with a tray, announcing each dish as he set them down.

"Eat up." Lin Su patted Fu Yun’s head helplessly. The little piggy was practically drooling.

Was he really that greedy? Even more so than Lin Su, who had lived through the apocalypse.

Once the food entered his mouth, Lin Su had to admit that the restaurant’s cooking was truly delicious. The table fell silent, filled only with the sound of chewing.

Lin Su waited for Fu Yun to finish the last bite. When the bill came, it was nearly five taels of silver, but he felt it was worth it—the money was well spent.

He also packed a portion of honey roast duck for Xu Lei and the others to try.

But right now, Xu Lei and the others probably couldn’t care less about that feast.

Lin Su walked around with the duck for quite a while before spotting them on North Street.

At that moment, a crowd had gathered around the stall again. A dirty child was lying on the ground in front of the food cart, and an old man was wailing bitterly. Four officers blocked Xu Lei and the others. Two were familiar—the same ones who’d been giving them trouble these past few days.

Lin Su instantly knew the man behind it all had acted.

This time, it was no small dispute. His expression soured, and he strode forward.

"Your Honor, you’ve gotta do this old man justice! My grandson got sick after eating their noodle casserole today! They are the murderers! Their noodle casserole’s gotta be poisoned—it’s not safe!"

The old man clutched a bowl with a dry leaf on it, bent over the child, wailing so hard he could barely catch his breath.

The crowd, feeling sorry for him, started pointing at the stall and murmuring.

Two familiar, tall, thin officers frowned. One shouted, "We’ve got a witness and the proof. Come with us to the county office."

The other officer grabbed all the pots and ingredients off the cart, piling them with a clatter. Soup and stuff spilled everywhere, trashing the spotless cart.

Meanwhile, two other officers held back an angry Xu Lei and Xu Xiaohu, while Xu Ying paced anxiously, unsure of what to do.

The two skinny officers seized the cart and, noticing Xu Lei fighting back, yelled, "How dare you resist the law!"

They circled behind Xu Lei, malice in their eyes, and reached for his arm as if to snap it.

Lin Su’s expression shifted. If they snapped it, Xu Lei’s arm would likely break. He flicked his fingers, sending several drops of water shooting out.

The two tall, thin officers had taken only two steps when a sudden force hit the backs of their knees, causing them to fall hard onto the stone floor with a "bang!" A faint crack even appeared in the stone from the impact. They were dazed by the pain for a moment.

When they came to, they flew into a rage. "Who? Who kicked me?"

Just then, Lin Su arrived. The two tall, thin officers had been targeting them for days, so they naturally knew Lin Su was the real owner of the stall. They had been worried about not finding him, but now they could settle old and new scores together.

"Not only do you resist the law, but you also assault officers!" They pointed at Lin Su, their faces twisted in pain. "Arrest them all!"

The unfamiliar burly officer beside them frowned, pressing his hand on the sword at his waist, and said bluntly, "You two fell on your own. Don’t blame others."

Li Cheng ignored his two unreasonably angry colleagues and, after identifying who was really in charge, said to Lin Su, "Someone has accused you of poisoning and murder. Please come with us to the county office."

Lin Su pressed Xu Lei’s shoulder and looked at Li Cheng. "Of course. Our stall operates with a clear conscience and has never harmed anyone. I believe the Lord Magistrate will clear our names."

Li Cheng nodded and gestured for them to follow him back to the county office to report.

Passing by the grief-stricken old man, Lin Su paused, his gaze falling on the child the old man was dragging.