Chapter 402 I Will Cut Off His Life
The waiter who had arrived early was standing on tiptoe to stick a wooden sign that read "Open Today" on the door. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his shop owner Zhao Decai talking to the yamen runner in blue cloth and black robe standing on the street corner.
No one knew what the bailiff said, but Zhao Decai's face looked like it was splashed with ink, turning from red to blue and finally to deathly gray. When he turned around, his shoulders drooped and his steps were as heavy as if they were filled with lead.
"Boss, boss!" The waiter threw down the wooden sign and ran over, not even bothering to brush off the dust his sleeves had rubbed against the door frame. "Are you open today?"
Zhao Decai turned around abruptly, his brows knitted into knots, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets, and spit splashed all over the waiter's face: "Open it! Why won't you open it? If you don't open the door, you're going to starve!"
His teeth clattered as he spoke, and the veins in his neck twitched like earthworms.
Before he could finish his words, the copper key chain on his waist was ripped off with a clang and dropped to the ground with the sweat in his palms.
The waiter curled his lips and clenched his back teeth tightly as he squatted down to pick up the key.
He stared at the shiny brass key, his anger rising.
Northwest wind?
I only get three hundred wen a month, and I have to sweep the streets at yin, deal with those picky customers at noon, and help you move half a cart of flour at xu. You treat me like Nezha. And you, on the other hand, are calculating with all the crackling sounds, bringing boxes of gold and silver home, and you still have the nerve to ask me what I want to drink?
He stood up, clutching the key, his knuckles turning white.
Is it okay for me to eat dirt?
There is plenty of loess under the wall in the backyard, enough for me to eat for most of half a year.
If it weren't for the drought, half of the shops in the county would have closed down, and finding a job would have been harder than climbing to the sky. He would have packed up and left long ago.
The waiter cursed Zhao Decai's ancestors in his heart while muttering to himself as he removed the door panels. He deliberately let each panel hit the door hinge when he put it down, making a dull "dong" sound.
Zhao Decai didn't look back and walked straight to the end of the street.
A quarter of an hour later, Zhao Decai appeared at the gate of the house in the south of the city with the plaque "Zhang Mansion".
With a creak, the vermilion lacquered door opened a crack, and County Magistrate Zhang came out wearing a moon-white silk shirt, twisting a string of red sandalwood Buddhist beads in his hand.
The gloom on Zhao Decai's face instantly dissipated, and his wrinkled face, like a dried chrysanthemum, ran forward in two steps, his voice flattering. "My Lord, my Lord, please stay!"
County Magistrate Zhang stopped, raised his eyelids, and after seeing who it was, he said slowly, "Oh, it's Shopkeeper Zhao."
As he spoke, the Buddhist beads turned faster between his fingers, as if he was a little impatient.
These businessmen are too uneducated and undisciplined. How can they block people's doorsteps so early in the morning?
Zhao Decai quickly bowed, his back bent like a shrimp. "Sir, I found an ancient painting yesterday. As you know, my eyes are like a block of wood. How can I appreciate such an elegant object? But I'm afraid I'll be fooled, so I'd like you to come and take a look at it."
County Magistrate Zhang loved nothing more than contemplating ancient paintings. Ask him to solve a case, and he'd be reluctant to do so; but if you told him there were paintings to look at, he'd run away faster than anyone else.
Sure enough, County Magistrate Zhang's eyes suddenly lit up, and it seemed as if two stars fell in his pupils, and the hand that was twisting the Buddhist beads stopped.
But he quickly frowned, his Adam's apple moving, swallowing the words that were on the tip of his tongue and waving his hand. "Let's do it another day. I have important matters to attend to today."
Zhao Decai stood there in a daze, the smile on his face froze.
He blinked and took another half step forward. "Looking at a painting won't take long. How about I prepare some light wine tonight and wait for your honor, sir?"
Damn it, these officials are like wolves that can never be fed. They accept so much tribute from him on a normal day, but now they are making excuses when he needs help.
County Magistrate Zhang still shook his head, the sleeves of his silk shirt swaying in the wind. "No, there are more and more disaster victims in the county lately, and there are still a lot of accounts to be settled at the granary. I really can't get away."
He turned to leave, but just as he lifted his foot, he stopped.
There were two more silver bills in his left hand, which was hidden in his sleeve.
Without looking, just rubbing his width with his hand he could tell that it was a two-hundred-liang silver note.
Zhao Decai was usually very considerate and would always send some new and fashionable things to his house during festivals. Last year he even sent him a pair of jade ruyi.
He came here early this morning to pay his respects and ask for ancient paintings. He must have something to ask of him.
The new County Magistrate Li came from Beijing. He cannot tolerate any sand under his nose. In the past year, not only can he not accept anything, he even has to pay for a cup of tea.
The subordinates were itching to do something, but no one dared to reach out, fearing that the young county magistrate would lose his job if he said a word.
"How about this," County Magistrate Zhang looked around and lowered his voice, "Send the painting to my house, and I'll show it to you when I have time."
Zhao Decai finally breathed a sigh of relief, not caring about the sweat-soaked feeling on his back. He nodded quickly, "Okay, okay, I'll get someone to send it over right away."
Receiving the money and the painting means that he is willing to help.
He rolled his eyes, leaned forward, and lowered his voice even more. "I heard that the county magistrate bought a lot of grain from a merchant. I wonder where that merchant came from?"
County Magistrate Zhang said, "Oh," as if suddenly realizing something. He twirled his Buddhist beads and said, "I don't know the details. This morning, a businessman suddenly showed up and chatted with the county magistrate in the reception room for a quarter of an hour before concluding the deal. I haven't had time to inquire about it yet."
So that was the case, but there was nothing surprising about it. Zhao Decai had long been planning to sell his stockpiled grain to the county government. Although he was mediating between them, the county magistrate still felt that the price he asked for was too high and had not given in.
Now that he has been snatched away by a businessman who came out of nowhere, it would be strange if he could be happy.
That's why I came to the house anxiously to inquire about the news.
Zhao Decai's face sank again, and his nails dug deep into his palms.
He suppressed his anger and smiled again. "Does the county magistrate know where he lives? As you know, we are both in the grain business, and we would like to discuss our future business with him."
County Magistrate Zhang wasn't a good person. He didn't even know the grain seller, so he naturally wouldn't help hide anything. Besides, Zhao Decai was quite capable, so it wouldn't be a big deal to help him out. He'd still need his tribute in the future. "I don't know that, but I can ask for you."
"Thank you, Mr. County Magistrate!" Zhao Decai bowed even lower.
Watching County Magistrate Zhang leave, he waved towards the wall.
A boy in shorts hurried over, his head lowered almost to his chest. "Master."
"Go to South Street and find some capable fighters who dare to strike. Tonight, let that ignorant brat know who is the king of Annan City!"
The servant had been with him for five years and was very familiar with this kind of thing. He nodded and bowed in response, then turned and ran towards South Street.
There are always some unemployed vagrants squatting at the foot of the wall of South Street all year round. The leader, a man with a scar on his face, has dealt with Zhao Decai several times. As long as he is paid enough, he will do anything.
The sun was quite strong in the afternoon, making the stone slabs on the street hot. County Magistrate Zhang sent someone to deliver the news.
Li Sijiu lives in the courtyard of No. 83 East Street.
He was about to bring people to the door when he saw a man carrying something in his hand and walked into the shop diagonally opposite.
The man was wearing a long blue cloth gown made of excellent material, and the jade pendant on his waist was also carved from good jade.
This person is not simple. This was Zhao Decai’s first reaction.
But no matter who this person is, once he arrives in Annan County, he must let him know who is the boss here.
No one is allowed to challenge the authority of Zhao Jia Grain Store!
"Shopkeeper Zhao, is this the guy you want to teach a lesson to?" Scarface came over at some point, chewing a grass stem in his mouth, his eyes flickering over Li Si.
Zhao Decai raised his lips and said, "It's not a lesson, it's a direct beating to death!"
His teeth chattered as he spoke.
"So, let's do it now?"
"Move! Why not?" Zhao Decai threw the tea bowl onto the table, sending shards flying high. "If anyone dares to steal my business, I'll show him the rules of Annan City!"
Scarface grinned, revealing yellow teeth.
The money given by Manager Zhao was enough, but it was just a matter of beating someone up, which they often did.
As long as you hit quickly and run fast, the yamen runners will never be able to catch you.
Even if you are unlucky and get caught, the worst that can happen is that you will be locked up for a few days.
But this time, Shopkeeper Zhao's demands were a bit high. "Shopkeeper Zhao, teaching a lesson and beating someone to death are not the same price."
Zhao Decai glanced at him. "Don't worry, I don't need your little tricks. If you kill them, I'll give you fifty taels each!"
Fifty taels? That's quite a lot.
For people like them, they may never earn enough in their entire life!
Those hooligans hid in the backyard of Manager Zhao's grain shop for the entire afternoon. It was not until the sun was setting that Li Si slowly came out of the shop opposite.
"Follow me." Scarface shouted, and several people followed like shadows.
Li Si walked along the street at a leisurely pace, playing with a newly bought walnut in his hand, as if he didn't notice that there was someone behind him at all.
He turned into a narrow alley. The walls on both sides of the alley were peeling off, rotten vegetable leaves were piled in the corners, and a sour smell was floating in the air.
Li Si stopped at the end of the alley.
There is a high wall in front, and this is a dead end.
"This kid, God is going to make him unlucky!" Scarface was happy and waved his hand, "Surround him, beat him up and run away!"
"Listen carefully," he added, his voice low, "Shopkeeper Zhao said that anyone who strikes hard will be rewarded fifty taels!"
The eyes of several thugs lit up instantly and their breathing became heavier.
"Don't worry, big brother. We will take care of this!" A tall and thin man rubbed his hands, with a fierce gleam in his eyes.
The wooden sticks in the hands of a dozen thugs gleamed coldly in the twilight. They suddenly roared and pounced on them like hungry wolves.
But they didn't know that they were discovered from the moment they followed Li Si.
Li Si deliberately led them to this remote alley just to save trouble.
The sound of footsteps and waving sticks behind him were getting closer and closer, and Li Si slowly stopped.
He turned around slowly, without a trace of panic on his face. Instead, a cold arc appeared at the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were like ice chips in the cold winter.
Click, click.
He moved his neck, and the joints made a crisp sound.
Three wooden sticks came towards his head with the sound of wind. Li Si did not dodge or evade, but stretched out his hands and grabbed the sticks steadily.
The three thugs felt their wrists go numb, and the wooden sticks in their hands seemed to have taken root and they couldn't pull them back.
Hey!
Li Si let out a low roar and twisted his wrist violently, snapping the three sticks into two. He casually threw away two of them and kept one in his hand, which made a whirring sound when he swung it.
But in the blink of an eye, screams were heard in the alley.
The thugs were lying on the ground, hugging their arms or covering their legs, rolling on the ground in pain, whimpering, and no longer had the arrogance they had just had.
"Brave man, brave man, spare my life!" Scarface was lying on the ground with cold sweat on his forehead.
Li Si held a wooden stick and looked down at them condescendingly, with no warmth in his eyes.
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