Chapter 5: Repaying Debts

In fact, after the incident occurred, Xu Chang did not remain idle. He was busy all day today, first attending to matters at the yamen, where he offered proper consolation to the clerks and officials. Subsequently, he went out to the streets and apprehended a merchant who was selling medicinal materials, falsely accusing him of having poisoned substances mixed in his goods

Xu Qian sincerely said: "Brother Deng, you just called me Xu Guanjin and referred to yourself as a petty person, which is too distant. What are we? We are brothers! In brotherhood, there is this life but no next; how can you be so distant? What you just said has chilled my heart. I have always respected and honored you, considering you my Brother Deng..."

Xu Qian's expression softened as he said, "Since you are willing to compensate, I won't stop you. Even among close brothers, we must keep clear accounts, right?"

Xu Qian was terrified and rushed over to pat Xu Chang's chest, shouting, "Father, what has happened to you? You cannot die! I am still counting on you to support me for a lifetime, to find me a wife, to buy me a house..."

After a lifetime of hard work, nothing remains

However, Xu Qian clearly did not like to be straightforward. He patted Deng Jian on the shoulder and said, "With your words, I feel reassured"

Deng Jian has become vigorous; every item has its match. The little thief with the surname Xu has met his demise at his hands, yet Xu's father is capable of subduing this little thief. It would be wise for him to curry favor, as it may prove useful in the future

Oh, the injustice! What sins did I commit in my previous life to deserve this? This unfilial child, this unfilial child.

Xu Qian then said, "By the way, do you have any writing materials with you?"

At the entrance, Xu Qian suddenly appeared, looking at the astonished Xu Chang with his signature smile

Deng Jian immediately said nervously: "Xu Xiaoguan, are you feeling alright? If not, we can take a break on the road, and I can give you a back rub."

Father, I have returned from www.hetushu.com. Why is the gate to the courtyard left open today? What if a thief comes in? There are so many bad people nowadays, and our Xu family is a good family; we cannot afford to be robbed... Are you drinking again? I have told you many times not to drink. A pound of liquor costs over ten wen; with that money, you should be thinking about finding me a wife. The cost of marrying a wife is getting higher and higher.

Xu Qian then said: "By the way, where is my money pouch? I entrusted it to you for safekeeping earlier; I wonder if it is still there"

However, when Xu Chang returned, his son had disappeared. Upon inquiring with the neighbors, it was said that the royal eunuch had summoned him. The worst fear that Xu Chang had was indeed realized

Deng Jian grasped Xu Qian's arm, tears welling in his eyes: "Brother Xu..."

As Deng Jianyi left, Xu Changcai asked with concern: "Why did you return unscathed after meeting Wang Gonggong? Also, this person with the surname Deng clearly does not seem like a good person; what is his background? Didn't your father tell you before? Do not bring home just anyone who seems dubious; associating with bad friends can lead to a lifetime of misfortune"

He was being patted on the back... Xu Qian looked at him with a hint of unease, fearing that Deng Jian might inadvertently pat him to death.

The officials and subordinates in the yamen received some benefits, so everyone turned a blind eye, as it was all just a charade. If the county magistrate wanted to deceive, could not the eunuch Wang, who was in charge of the town, also deceive?

Xu Qian shook his head, too fake

"You may come in." Xu Chang calmed down

Deng Jian was taken aback and quickly tried to soothe the situation, saying: "Of course, I have no doubt about Brother Xu's intentions. Please, hold on, let's talk this over. Alright, I admit it, it was my fault. I was blinded by greed and I apologize to my brother. The truth is, in a moment of weakness, I took Brother Xu's money from m.hetushu.com and went to the gambling house, and ended up losing everything. I acknowledge the ten taels of silver that I owe. I have been so wicked, I have lost all sense of morality. How could I use my brother's money to gamble? Brother Xu, you are magnanimous, please do not hold this against me. By the way, what is the relationship between Lord Wang and Brother Xu... Why?"

Deng Jian hurriedly explained that he had kindly entrusted the money pouch to the person with the surname Xu, but this Xu had directly added ten taels of silver to the pouch. Ten taels! Where would he find the money to compensate for that?

The reason for targeting the merchants is that they are outsiders and lack any local connections. Moreover, the merchants are involved in the resale of medicinal materials, which allows for the fabrication of a narrative that the root of the problem does not lie with the prescription itself, but rather with the individuals who purchased the prescription and simultaneously procured the medicine, indicating that the real issue resides with the medicinal materials.

Deng Jianpai suddenly seemed to remember and quickly took out Xu Qian's money pouch, smiling as he said: "Earlier, I was worried you might lose it, so as your brother, I temporarily kept it for you. Now, it is returned in full."

Xu Qian sighed and said, "I clearly remember that I had a total of fifteen or sixteen taels of silver in my purse, so why do I only have four or five taels of silver and several dozen copper coins left now"

Suddenly, Xu Chang became motionless; his contingency plans were only halfway through, and then his jaw nearly dropped, leaving him completely petrified

"No need." At this point, it was Xu Qian's turn to speak briefly. He paused for a moment, cleared his throat, and said: "Furthermore..."

If the son is gone, is the home still a home

The corners of his mouth revealed a hint of bitterness; having been wise throughout his life, how could he have given birth to such a son? If this son had learned even half of his shrewdness, how could he have caused such a great disaster and * schemed *?

Xu Chang also noticed Deng Jian, who was gloating nearby. His brows furrowed again as he asked, "Who is he?"

Bastard ... . ... Xu Qian's expression darkened; this guy actually claimed to be like a dead ghost

Xu Qian stood with his hands behind his back, coughing vigorously

Emerging from the eunuch's palace, the sky was as dark as ink, and only faint lights illuminated the streets

A solitary lamp, an old pot of wine

Deng Jian suddenly fell silent, looking at Xu Qian with a sense of awe and respect. This young man was indeed showing off now, as he actually knew the secrets of Grand Eunuch Wang. It seemed he was not someone to be offended.

A day's effort not only went to waste, but also cost him a considerable amount of wealth; however, the most important thing is that his son is still gone

Xu Chang remained dumbfounded, still motionless.

In fact, Deng Jian had not gone far; Uncle Xu's evaluation of him faintly reached his ears. His whole body felt cold, his eyes blurred with tears, and he raised his head at a forty-five-degree angle to gaze at the starry sky. A tear, the size of a bean, slid down his cheek, dampening his collar. Then he took a deep breath and murmured to himself: "Indeed, there is not a single good person among those with the surname Xu"

Xu Chang welcomed his son in a very unique manner. He boldly drew the ruler from his waist and without hesitation struck Xu Qian once, immediately cursing, "You unfilial son, unfilial son!"

Cough cough ... ...

Deng Jian was in tears, while the little chick nodded as it pecked at the grains.

Deng Jian was in tears and hurriedly bowed to Xu Chang, saying: "I have met Uncle Xu"

Deng Jian asked, "Brother Xu, why do you seem so downcast?"

Xu Qian said: "Of course, it is best to write an IOU, with black words on white paper. It is not that I do not trust my own brother, but rather that everything needs to have some rules in place. If there are none? That's fine, just take me home first. Once we arrive at my house, you can write it then. Please don't be unhappy; a man should be strong and uplift himself"

"Ink and brush, what do we need ink and brush for?" Deng Jian became alert again

Deng Jian desperately held back the tears that were about to spill, forcing a smile: "I am very upbeat, I am very happy to have the fortune of being brothers with Brother Xu while burning yellow paper, the ancestral grave of the Deng family is emitting green smoke, haha ... haha ..."

Deng Jian cursed inwardly, wondering how a mere third-rate enforcer under the esteemed Eunuch Wang could be entrusted with guarding him. Did he really possess any value worthy of assassination? His face twitched, but in the end, he resolved to swallow his anger. The enforcers of Eunuch Wang were not only skilled in martial arts but also adept at navigating the winds of fortune.

Heaven and earth, Brother Xu, do you suspect that I have taken your silver? I, Deng Jian, am a person of integrity and righteousness, and I never engage in unscrupulous acts. When you gave me the money pouch, it clearly contained only this much silver. Brother Xu, you must be discerning and not wrongfully accuse me. My reputation is as important as my chastity.

What else is there? Deng Jian wore a broad smile on his face. Although he was unaware of what had transpired between Xu Qian and Grand Eunuch Wang, he clearly recognized the current situation. Xu Qian was now his direct superior; if Xu Qian instructed him to go east, he had to go east. As an outstanding sycophant, he had to adjust his mindset and adapt to this complex and ever-changing society

After downing a bowl of wine, Xu Chang mumbled softly, his gaze becoming somewhat unfocused

Xu Chang suddenly awoke, not only his mind but also the alcohol. His face twitched, lamenting the injustice, how could he have given birth to such an unfilial son

Xu Qian said solemnly: "Do not ask more than what should not be asked"

Deng Jian was moved, although he did not know if it was genuine, at least he pretended very well: "And the books, no, no, I should call you Brother Xu. Although I am a few years older than you, in my heart, you are like my deceased elder brother"

Xu Qian, in a panic, rushed out through the broken door. After a while, he cautiously peeked into the room and, seeing that Xu Chang's anger had subsided, he carefully entered and said: "Father..."

Xu Qian's expression changed abruptly as he said, "What you mean by that sounds as if I lack brotherly loyalty and am deliberately framing you? Is this really how you think of me? No, I must return immediately to report to Lord Wang..." He shook his leg and turned to leave.

It was initially thought that the matter would soon come to an end, with a scapegoat in place, and that there were people on the side of Lord Wang who could vent their frustrations, resulting in a win-win situation for everyone. The only unfortunate one was that merchant, but Xu Chang did not care; after all, who told him to be unlucky and come to Qiantang to sell medicine

Um... um... Xu Chang is a very snobbish person, but he still cannot discern Deng Jian's identity. Xu Qian's words are also quite unreliable, so he maintains a very amiable demeanor and says: "No need for formalities, no need for formalities, please do not be so polite"

Xu Qiandao: "His name is Deng Jian, he is my... my sworn brother." He then lowered his voice and said, "Actually, he is just a handyman."

Xu Chang felt a deep sense of lamentation, having downed yet another cup of bitter wine. The unfilial son has likely been beaten to death by the royal guard, but one can only hope that a complete corpse remains. Tomorrow, it would be necessary to arrange for a good coffin.

He was about to ingratiate himself, but Xu Qian gestured to him and said: "Brother Deng, please step outside for a moment. Tonight, help us keep watch over the house. Your elder brother Xu is too upright, which has offended many bad people. I fear that someone might come to assassinate him at night. You must not be lazy; keep a close watch and be diligent."

Xu Qian took the money bag, flipped through it, and immediately his expression turned unpleasant