At this moment, Jing Zhe shook his head.

“Wrong,” he said, then added, “I didn’t buy the Feng Family Restaurant myself, but for the sake of the imperial court, His Majesty, and the Da’an Newspaper!”

"..."

Prefect Xu didn't know why Jing Zhe suddenly wanted to put such a big accusation on him, but he still nodded, since all he had to do was agree to spend ten thousand taels of silver.

Following what Magistrate Xu had just said, Madam Feng produced the land deed, and then the two waited for Jing Zhe to bring the silver notes.

Under their gazes, Jing Zhe shrugged: "You don't actually think I can produce ten thousand taels of silver right now, do you?"

"..."

Magistrate Xu and Madam Feng stared at each other, thinking to themselves, "How can you do business without silver notes? Good heavens, so you came out here just to freeload? You didn't even bring any silver!"

Jing Zhe wasn't embarrassed at all. He said, "You two don't think that I, a high-ranking official of the imperial court, would carry ten thousand taels of silver notes with me all the time, do you? Let alone carrying them all the time, even if I took out all my savings, it wouldn't be enough. If I really took them out, wouldn't I be a corrupt official?"

"..."

In fact, Jing Zhe carried more than 10,000 taels of silver notes. After all, he owned many businesses with high profits. Moreover, along the way, he had extorted more than that amount of silver from Juxianlou alone by punishing the good and deceiving the evil.

However, he did not want to hand over the silver so easily, especially to Prefect Xu and Madam Feng. To deal with people like them, Jing Zhe only wanted to get something for nothing.

Good heavens! Magistrate Xu exclaimed, "Good heavens!" Luckily, he hadn't said "yes" earlier. Besides, he himself had ten thousand taels of silver notes at home. If he had said it, it would have been like admitting that he was a corrupt official.

Madam Feng rolled her eyes and said sourly, "So, you're saying you have no money at all? If you have no money, why do you want to buy our Feng Family Restaurant? With what? With your mouth? Or something else?"

Although she harbored resentment, Madam Feng still coveted Jing Zhe's handsome appearance and glanced at him a few more times.

“I may not have the money, but the imperial court does! As I just said, this restaurant is not something I bought myself, but rather for the Da'an Newspaper, so naturally the imperial court should pay for it!”

"..."

The two remained silent, sensing something was amiss.

Jing Zhe added, "I will send a message back to Jingzhou by carrier pigeon later to apply for funds from the Ministry of Revenue. I believe the 10,000 taels of silver will be transferred in a few days!"

Upon hearing this answer, Magistrate Xu scoffed, thinking to himself, "By the time your silver notes arrive, do you think I'll still be able to buy it?"

As long as they get out of this room safely today, Jing Zhe won't be able to threaten them anymore. They can sell it to him again then, but it won't be just 10,000 taels of silver notes!

"I see! But given President Jing's status, it's naturally true. Xiao'e and I believe that!"

Magistrate Xu first praised Jing Zhe, then said, "President Jing, since we can't do business today, why don't we stop here for now? We can discuss business again once President Jing's banknotes arrive?"

"Don't rush!"

Jing Zhe glanced at him, thinking to himself, "Do you think I'm stupid?"

What if you try to renege on your debts after we leave this door?

So he said, "As for the money, we can pay later, but we need to write some guarantees in advance. Otherwise, what if Magistrate Xu and Madam Feng don't want to sell it after my money arrives?"

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Xu's face immediately turned red, as if he had been insulted. He said indignantly, "Chief Jing, Xiao'e and I trusted you so much just now, and we didn't ask you to produce the silver notes immediately. Instead, we were going to give you a few days' grace. Why can't you do the same as us?"

"Of course they can't be the same."

Why are they different?

Jing Zhe looked at him and said, "Because I'm trustworthy!"

"..."

Magistrate Xu remained silent for a while before finally managing to stop himself from swearing. He said, panting heavily, "According to Chief Jing, we are not trustworthy?"

"Prefect Xu, some things are better left unsaid, as we all understand each other. Why be so blunt and create unnecessary awkwardness? Hehe."

"..."

At this moment, Magistrate Xu finally understood why his mentor, Grand Tutor Bai, and Master Xia had fainted. It was so infuriating that he wished he could faint too.

However, after recalling the scene earlier today where Master Xia pretended to faint and was almost strangled to death by having his philtrum pinched, he gave up on the idea.

"You're really looking down on people!"

Madam Feng's temper flared even more. "Since you're so insincere, I think we should just stop talking!"

Whether you want to talk or not is not up to you!

Jing Zhe also got angry: "Either write a guarantee, or I won't buy it. Today, I'll let all the people of Jiangling City see you two adulterers!"

"Oh, right, after Master Feng kicks you out of his house, he'll probably be overcome with nostalgia and lose all interest in running the Feng Family Restaurant. Wouldn't it be even easier for me to buy it then? Do you really think you're so high and mighty just because I've said a few words to you? Who do you think you are?"

"..."

When Magistrate Xu and Madam Feng were scolded by Jing Zhe, their faces turned pale and red, looking extremely unpleasant.

Indeed, Jing Zhe's gentle and pleasant conversation with them earlier made them somewhat unaware of their place. Now that they think about it, they were nothing more than meat on Jing Zhe's chopping block, to be eaten however he pleased, or perhaps, he could choose not to eat at all.

"Okay, then let's write a guarantee!"

Once the two understood this, they finally lowered their heads, like defeated chickens, completely losing their fighting spirit.

Subsequently, based on Jing Zhe's dictation, the two wrote a guarantee, which was nothing more than their willingness to sell the Feng Family Restaurant to Jing Zhe for 10,000 taels of silver. Once Jing Zhe's silver notes arrived, Madam Feng would hand over the restaurant's deed, and this guarantee would be notarized by Prefect Xu.

Not only that, after they finished writing, Jing Zhe made the two of them write a guarantee acknowledging their adultery.

Upon hearing this, the two objected again.

"Writing a guarantee is already insulting enough, this... adultery letter... we will never write another one!"

Magistrate Xu waved his hand, extremely angry.

Jing Zhe sneered: "Prefect Xu, are you playing dumb with me? What's the use of writing that guarantee if there's no adultery agreement? What can I do if you just renege on your promise in the end?"

"So, the prerequisite for writing the guarantee is having this adultery agreement. If you don't follow the terms of the guarantee, I will make this adultery agreement public! Of course, if you keep your word and follow the terms of the guarantee, once we've exchanged the money and the house deed, I will tear up this adultery agreement in front of you. What, you don't trust my character, do you?"

"..."

————