Chapter Seven, Marquis Huichang

The water catcher smiled faintly, neither affirming nor denying.

He suddenly flung open the door and saw the water captain and the constable, Old Four, standing in the courtyard, covered in dust and continuously spitting out sand. These two were not strangers to Sun Dan; after all, Zouping City was quite small. The water captain and Old Four were also prominent figures, moving about the city daily, and everyone in the town knew them.

The prolonged experience in the mechanisms of time has unconsciously imbued Sun Dan with a certain aura. This oath may seem quite ordinary, but when placed in an ancient context, it still caused the fourth elder to be taken aback, prompting him to take a step back.

As the fourth brother was about to commit violence again, the dark iron ruler was raised once more. Sun Dan shouted with all his might: "I am a direct descendant of the Sun family of the Huichang Marquis, and I am exempt from all labor and taxes. Fourth brother, if you strike me today, are you not afraid of retaliation from the Sun family? When has the esteemed Huichang Marquis's residence ever been subjected to humiliation by a lowly official like you?"

After a brief contemplation, Sun Dan had already made up his mind: the fire was already at his eyebrows, and now he could no longer afford to hesitate. He had to struggle, no matter what, as success or failure hinged on this one decisive moment

Upon thinking of this, Sun Dan felt a surge of anger rise within him: "Damn it, even if I get caught, with my intelligence as a modern person, I will surely find a way to resolve it. Rather than letting this little girl, Zhi Niang, worry about me at this moment, it is better to walk out boldly and upright. Avoiding problems is not the style of Sun."

Sun Danxin's mind raced like a lightning flash, as if a powered motor was spinning wildly in her head: how on earth could she escape this hard labor? In the Ming Dynasty, only two types of people were exempt from taxes and labor: scholars and wealthy aristocrats. Studying, with the credentials of my future self, and passing the civil service examination, would at least qualify me as a juren in the Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately, without going through the imperial examination, I could not be considered a scholar. Even if I were to study now and take the examinations, it would already be too late; as for the aristocracy, the Sun family is impoverished, and for three generations back, we have been illiterate urban poor, having no connection whatsoever to the wealthy aristocracy... This might be a way...

Sun Dan shouted, "When has the family affairs of the Changhou residence ever needed to be disclosed to outsiders?"

The iron ruler in Lao Si's hand stopped just two inches away from Sun Dan's forehead. He turned his head to glance at the water captain and said, "Captain, this guy is clearly full of nonsense. If he really is from the family of Marquis Weichang, why have I never heard anyone mention it before"

Behind him, the fourth brother murmured softly: "Shuitou, I think this kid is just making a fuss. With death looming, he is recklessly claiming relatives, but he is no longer trustworthy." hetushu .com .com

"Hurry, hurry!" Zhi Niang reached out to push Sun Dan, but her hand, raised halfway, fell weakly down. Taking advantage of the fact that the water captains had not yet entered, perhaps escaping through the back door could help her avoid disaster. But what about the future? Escaping has never been something the poor should do. What can a penniless beggar accomplish by running away? It is feared that within a day, they would be too hungry to move.

A large hand reached out and firmly grasped the wrist of the fourth brother: "Fourth brother, don't be impulsive. If you hurt him, it will be difficult to explain to the master later. It's better to avoid trouble; let's take him back to the office quickly. Sigh, he's just a child, is it worth it?"

Thinking of this, Sun Dan gently patted the back of Zhi Niang's hand and said with a smile, "Don't be afraid, I will go meet them."

He let out a furious roar: "You damn thief, how dare you act so boldly in front of me? I will smash you to pieces." After saying this, he drew an iron ruler from his waist and was about to strike Sun Dan on the head.

You! Even the water catcher understands this principle, and in helplessness, he can only loosen the hand that has caught the fourth one.

The previously smiling water catcher suddenly turned serious and said in a low voice: "Fourth, it is better to believe it exists than to believe it does not. If he were not from the Sun family of the Marquis of Weichang, it would be easier to deal with this fraud. But if he truly is, are you not afraid of them coming to trouble you after you have bullied a member of the Sun family?"

"Shuitou, why bother being polite with him? This brat is just pretending to be something he's not, daring to intimidate me. Today, I will make him see the power of our authority." Old Fourth's face turned green with anger, "Shuitou, don't waste your breath on him. This kid has no intention of coming with us willingly. If he won't go peacefully, then let's just tie him up directly."

The one taking action was the water captain who had been observing coldly from the sidelines. He turned to Sun Dan and smiled slightly, saying in a friendly manner: "Sun Dan, this matter cannot be avoided; it must be resolved in the end. We are all neighbors, and I do not wish to be too harsh." Sun Dan's earlier performance had impressed the water captain, and he couldn't help but develop a fondness for this young man. He silently praised him for maintaining composure during the situation; he was indeed a person of character. However, he was puzzled as to why Sun Dan had attempted to commit suicide by running into a wall the previous day; that was quite a strange matter.

The water-capturing head's expression changed dramatically: "Fourth brother, do not act recklessly!"

In an instant, Lao Si suddenly came to his senses, his face flushed with embarrassment. He had not expected to be startled into taking a step back by such a young brat, especially in front of his direct superior, Captain Shui. This was a significant loss of face.

Neither Shui Butou nor Lao Si expected that Sun Dan's frail body could produce such a strong voice

He is, after all, a person who has seen the world, fundamentally different from the previous lewd and timid Sun Dan. Having sat in the office for so many years, he has encountered all kinds of characters. Although he is merely a small civil servant, anyone who comes to the County Chronicle Office to handle affairs treats him with great respect. The saying goes, "The county official is not as good as the current manager; the King of Hell is easier to deal with than the little ghosts." Generally, people know that it is unwise to offend the minor clerks in the bureaucracy. Although he is just a small civil servant, anyone who comes to the County Chronicle Office to handle affairs treats him with great respect. The saying goes, "The county official is not as good as the current manager; the King of Hell is easier to deal with than the little ghosts." Generally, people know that it is unwise to offend the minor clerks in the bureaucracy. If you truly anger them, they can create obstacles for you; even if you manage to deal with the higher-ups, you will still face many troubles when it comes to getting things done.

"Stop right there. If you take another step forward, I will not hold back." Sun Dan's face turned serious as he shouted.

Lao Si's expression changed dramatically as he took a deep breath: "What Shui Tou said is true; if it really is, this matter will surely be a headache for someone." He murmured, "Hao Huichang... we cannot provoke him, we cannot provoke him. May the Bodhisattva bless that this kid is just talking nonsense. Shui Tou, do you think what this kid said is true?"

Seeing the panic in Zhi Niang's eyes, Sun Dan felt a deep sadness in his heart. After all, he was the only man in this family; if a man cannot protect his family, what kind of man is he? If he were to escape today, he would truly become a fugitive. Without an identity, surviving in this unfamiliar world would be utterly impossible. Moreover, having finally gained a new lease on life, how could he possibly become a homeless beggar with no future?

The officials have come knocking at the door; to say that my heart is not anxious would be a lie. However, Sun Dan, in later years, was at least a civil servant, having encountered all kinds of leaders. That so-called water-captain outside would, in later times, merely be akin to a police station chief. I have had my share of dealings with such individuals in the past, accumulating a certain level of experience.

As soon as Sun Dan actively walked out the door, Lao Si suddenly perked up. With arms outstretched, he was about to rush over to embrace him, sneering, "You little rascal, your head injury hasn't healed yet, so why are you being so obedient today? Good, we can just tie you up and take you to see the county magistrate."

At this moment, Zhi Niang was filled with terror; after all, she was merely a helpless young girl

Waterhead, catch someone!

The water catcher pressed his lips together and looked up and down at Sun Dan. After a long while, he finally gritted his teeth and said: "Sun Dan, I cannot handle this matter. I have never heard that your family is related to the Wuchang Prefecture. How about this: you come with me back to the yamen, and after I report to the county magistrate, everything will be decided by him. Do you think this is appropriate?"

"Alright, let's do it this way. I will go with you," Sun Dan waved his tattered sleeve and walked straight towards the yamen.

Zhi Niang's hand was slapped by Sun Dan, causing her to flinch. She suddenly recalled their earlier embrace, and an unusual feeling arose in her heart, making her face flush slightly. She stood there in a daze, watching Sun Dan stride out the door.