Chapter 334 The Emperor's Personal Army
In the following days, Zhao Heng indeed became much more attentive.
He would occasionally send people over with some trendy snacks and fruits, or some not-so-expensive but rather exquisite jewelry and fabrics.
Narcissus accepted everything without returning it, but also offered no special response, maintaining a lukewarm attitude.
However, she would occasionally show a slightly more receptive attitude when Zhao Heng came in person, but she always made excuses at crucial moments.
This aloof attitude only made Zhao Heng's heart itch even more.
He even began to plan that once he got his hands on this beauty, he would not only have her, but also use her connection with Tingyun and those scholars and painters to give his business a touch of elegance.
Zhao Heng was calculating in his mind, while Shui Xian was secretly stepping up her preparations.
Through Shen Xiucai, she contacted two respected local scholars who had long harbored resentment towards the Zhao family's behavior.
She did not directly present the case files she had compiled, but instead, under the pretext of having heard of instances of oppression of the good and kind in the marketplace and wishing to seek advice from wise men, she subtly inquired about some legal issues.
Then, Narcissus found Tuoba, who had not yet left.
The Tuoba caravan had completed most of its purchases and was leisurely lingering in Suzhou Prefecture, enjoying the scenery of Jiangnan.
After hearing Narcissus's plan, she slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "Brilliant! Sister, your method is much more satisfying than just tying them up and beating them up on the grasslands! What do you need me to do? Just tell me!"
Seeing that she readily agreed, Narcissus smiled helplessly, but still gave her a reminder.
"This matter may be somewhat risky, as Zhao Heng wields considerable influence in this area..."
"What's there to be afraid of!"
Tuoba didn't care at all, "We, the people of the grasslands, hate these kinds of cowardly parasites who bully the weak and fear the strong the most!"
"Don't worry, sister. My men are itching to get to work. They'll get things done perfectly!"
The two discussed the details in detail.
Three to five days later, Zhao Heng felt that the time was almost right.
In addition, he learned that Fairy Maiden seemed to be upset because of a delay in paying a sum of money.
He felt this was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
He dressed up carefully and prepared a generous gift.
It was a fifty-tael silver note and a gold and kingfisher feather hairpin, packaged in an exquisite brocade box.
Zhao Heng thought to himself, "For a young widow who has never seen anything good before, I can easily win her over by simply showing off my wealth!"
That day happened to be the market day on Tang Street, which was held every two weeks, and it was even more lively than usual.
Zhao Heng deliberately chose the busiest time of the afternoon, and led the servant carrying the gift box, swaggering towards Tingyun.
Along the way, he deliberately talked and laughed loudly with people to attract attention.
Inside the Tingyun Shop, Shuixian was talking quietly with two old scholars, with Shen Xiucai also nearby.
Tuoba sat by the window, seemingly leisurely sipping his tea, but his gaze kept glancing towards the door.
Zhao Heng's arrival immediately attracted the attention of many people on the street.
Many people knew about his entanglement with the fairy maiden, and seeing this scene, they couldn't help but whisper and point at each other.
Zhao Heng didn't care at all; on the contrary, he was quite pleased with himself.
He walked to the shop entrance, cleared his throat, and raised his voice to make sure everyone around could hear him: "Is the Fairy Lady here? I, Zhao, have come to pay my respects!"
Shuixian came out from inside. "What brings you here, Young Master Zhao?"
Zhao Heng gave a signal, and the servant immediately brought forward the brocade box, opened it, and revealed the silver notes and gold hairpin inside.
A series of low gasps immediately rose from the surrounding area.
That's fifty taels of silver! And that glittering gold hairpin!
“My lady, I heard a few days ago that you were troubled by a little money, and I couldn’t bear it.”
"Take this mere fifty taels for now. This hairpin is just a small token of my appreciation."
He stared intently at Narcissus, his words carrying a hidden meaning, "As for my previous proposal, what has your opinion, Fairy Lady? My sincerity is as clear as day. As long as you agree, you will live a life of luxury, and no one will dare to mistreat you and your daughter in the slightest!"
The onlookers had various expressions: some despised Zhao Heng for taking advantage of someone in distress, some envied the fifty taels of silver, and some secretly sympathized with the fairy who had been entangled with Zhao Heng.
Narcissus gazed quietly at the brocade box, then looked up at Zhao Heng, a meaningful smile suddenly appearing on her face.
"Young Master Zhao's sincerity is indeed profound."
She spoke slowly, her voice not loud.
"However, there is something I don't understand, and I would like to ask Young Master Zhao in front of all the distinguished neighbors."
Zhao Heng was taken aback: "What is it?"
Shui Xian did not answer, but turned around and took out two booklets from under the counter. They were the case files she had organized and the case notes she had kept.
She placed the booklet on the counter, her gaze sweeping over the surrounding neighbors before finally settling on Zhao Heng's face. Her voice, unusually gentle, held a hint of something else.
"Young Master Zhao, your Jinyun Manor's 'Convenience Loan' has been lending money at exorbitant interest rates. With a monthly interest rate of 2%, deducting handling fees upfront, and promising interest to be repaid along with the principal, it has lent out more than 1,200 loans in five counties of Suzhou Prefecture in just three years. The actual annual interest rate far exceeds the legal limit, forcing countless families to break apart! Can Young Master Zhao's sincerity possibly repay this mountain of blood debts?!"
With each sentence she spoke, she turned to a page of a booklet, which was filled with the names of the victims, the amounts they borrowed, and the process of how they were exploited.
Every word is written in blood and tears, and is shocking to behold.
Zhao Heng never expected that Shui Xian would suddenly say such a thing in public. His expression changed drastically, and he shouted angrily, "You're talking nonsense! You're making false accusations! These... these are all forgeries!"
"Forgery?"
Narcissus sneered, pointing to several women in the crowd whom she had secretly invited, women who had suffered from the "convenience loan" system.
"They all recognize you, Young Master Zhao, as your manager! Shouldn't we confront them on the spot about how you took advantage of their illiteracy to tamper with the loan agreements, and how you used the compounding interest to drive them to desperation?!"
The women were already in tears, and seeing Shui Xian leading the way, their pent-up resentment erupted as they cried out and accused her.
The surrounding crowd immediately erupted in uproar, with murmurs and shouts of condemnation filling the air.
Zhao Heng was both shocked and furious. He never expected that this woman had secretly collected so much evidence and dared to make trouble in public!
Enraged, he pointed at Narcissus and yelled, "You vile woman! How dare you frame me! You widow, you couldn't resist the temptation, and when your seduction failed, you turned around and bit me! Guards!"
Just as his two servants were about to step forward, several tall, burly men dressed in grassland attire suddenly emerged from the side. Leading them was a woman with a heroic and spirited appearance, none other than Tuoba.
Tuoba crossed his arms, blocking Shuixian's path, and glanced sideways at Zhao Heng.
"Hey, is this the Zhao the philanthropist who lends money at exorbitant interest rates and drives people to their deaths? He does look quite respectable."
She looked Zhao Heng up and down, his face flushed, then suddenly grinned and uttered a shocking statement:
"Hey Mr. Zhao, instead of wasting your time forcing a widow into marriage, why don't you find a good doctor to fix that problem in your pants?"
"I heard you've taken seven or eight concubines, but they can't even produce an egg. Did you spend all your money on loan sharking? You've done something immoral and are now getting your comeuppance?"
"Pfft, haha!"
Someone in the crowd burst out laughing.
That's too harsh, too blunt, and too... explosive!
Zhao Heng's most sensitive scar was exposed in public, and his face instantly turned from red to green, then from green to purple. He pointed at Tuoba, trembling all over, unable to utter a single word.
He indeed had difficulty conceiving; he had many wives and concubines but none of them bore him a child. He secretly sought out countless famous doctors and secret prescriptions, which was his greatest hidden pain.
To be publicly humiliated by this foreign woman who appeared out of nowhere in the street is an utter disgrace!
"You...you..."
He was so ashamed and indignant that he was about to faint.
Tuoba, however, was not satisfied. He shouted to the surrounding crowd, "Fellow neighbors, be the judge! This kind of heartless, rotten bastard who cuts off his own lineage and then harms others to the point of ruin, does he even deserve to talk about sincerity here?"
"Pah! His money is probably stained with human blood and tears, it's filthy!"
The crowd erupted in uproar.
Pointing, laughing, cursing... it was a complete mess.
Zhao Heng's vision blurred, and he could no longer stay. Supported by his attendants, he squeezing through the crowd like a stray dog and fled in a panic.
He even forgot to take the brocade box containing the silver notes and gold hairpin, leaving it lying forlornly on the bluestone slab in front of Tingyun Gate.
Shui Xian gestured to the Tuoba clansmen to dispose of the brocade box, and then she gave a graceful curtsy to the still-present neighbors.
"Thank you all for witnessing this today. I hereby swear that I will fight to the bitter end against these villains who exploit the people and bully women and children! I will also seek justice for all the victims of this 'convenience loan' scheme!"
The two old scholars also stepped forward at the opportune moment and spoke eloquently to the crowd, denouncing such acts of plunder and extortion as violating the way of sages and the laws and regulations of the country.
Scholars like Shen Xiucai were also filled with righteous indignation.
On the steps, looking in the direction Zhao Heng fled in a disheveled state, a cold glint flashed in Shui Xian's eyes.
This is just the beginning.
——
That night, at the Zhao residence.
Zhao Heng downed half a pot of strong liquor, but still couldn't suppress the shame, indignation, and rage in his heart.
He smashed everything he could in the room, roaring that he would find out the origin of that foreign woman and tear that vile woman, Xianniang, to pieces!
However, before the people he sent out to scout had returned, a group of uninvited guests arrived first.
Without any prior notice, they appeared silently in his study.
There were four people in total, all dressed in black, with their faces covered by black cloths, revealing only pairs of emotionless eyes.
Zhao Heng's drunkenness instantly sobered him up: "You...who are you? How did you get in? Guards!"
"Young Master Zhao."
The leader of the men in black spoke calmly, yet with a chilling edge that seemed to seep into one's bones: "No need to call out. The guards in your manor are all fast asleep right now."
"What...do you want? You want money? I'll give you some!"
Zhao Heng broke out in a cold sweat, assuming the other party was after money.
The man in black slowly stepped forward and gently placed a token on the desk in front of Zhao Heng.
Zhao Heng looked over instinctively.
The token was cast from black iron, and the back was covered with intricate dragon patterns.
"Clang!"
Zhao Heng's legs went weak, and he slid off the chair and collapsed to the ground.
Although he was just a businessman, he recognized that this was... this was the legendary imperial guard, who was directly under the emperor and had the power to execute first and report later!
"Zhao Heng, do you know the name of the person you stopped and insulted in the marketplace today?"
Zhao Heng's mind went blank, filled only with boundless fear.
Fairy Maiden...that widow...how could she...?
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