"Speak, who sent you here?" Xu Jinhuan casually led the person to the stone mill in the backyard and asked with a smile.
The middle-aged man grimaced and rubbed his arms and legs. After hearing Xu Jinhuan's question, he simply tilted his head away, indicating that he refused to cooperate.
Xu Jinhuan chuckled lightly, "Do you think that just because I brought you into the backyard in front of everyone, I won't dare to lay a hand on you?"
The middle-aged man was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, seemingly not expecting Xu Jinhuan to analyze his thoughts so thoroughly.
However, what could she do even if she found out? In order to avoid trouble with the authorities, she had no choice but to release herself, fearing that she might cause harm.
Thinking of this, the middle-aged man straightened his back again, not feeling at all that the person in front of him would dare to do anything to him.
Seeing his attitude, Xu Jinhuan simply smiled contemptuously.
"Don't you think I'm too naive? Killing you is the easiest thing for me. I can let you leave my shop alive, but you'll die on your way home due to some accident."
Xu Jinhuan took out a dagger from her sleeve and, while speaking, smiled and slid the blade across the middle-aged man's face. Even though the blade was touching his skin, she didn't hurt him at all.
Seeing the middle-aged man's cold sweat, Xu Jinhuan continued to smile and said, "Perhaps you'll say that your family won't let this go and will definitely continue to cause trouble for the shop."
But don't forget, I still have money. Is one hundred taels enough to shut them up? If not, I'll give you five hundred. And your family probably doesn't care much about you anyway, right?
"A living gambling addict father, or a dead father who can leave behind a huge fortune—which do you think they would choose?"
After hearing these words, the middle-aged man felt cold sweat pouring down his face. He hadn't even said a few words, yet this woman had seen right through him...
How did you know I gamble?
After asking this question, a hint of doubt flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes. Could it be that she had planted a spy among the people who asked him for a favor? Otherwise, how could she know so much?
Xu Jinhuan scoffed upon hearing this, "Let's put aside everything else and look at your clothes first. These coarse cloth clothes look relatively new, but they don't fit you well."
The waiter also said that when you came before, your clothes were patched, and you even had to borrow coarse cloth clothes, which shows that you were short of money.
Looking at your appearance, with dark circles under your eyes, dull eyes, and sallow complexion, you clearly have a history of staying up late.
With your financial resources, you can't afford to go to brothels for drinks and entertainment, so there's only one place left.
That's a gambling den.
Xu Jinhuan then turned her gaze to the middle-aged man's hands.
"There is another point that further proves my previous guess: just look at your own hands. Under what circumstances would a person lose both of their little fingers?"
Only in places like gambling dens, when punishing gamblers who can't pay their debts, would someone cut off their little finger.
The middle-aged man was stunned by what Xu Jinhuan said. Was this person a constable? How could he deduce everything from such a small amount of information?
Xu Jinhuan continued with a smile, "So, do you choose death, or..."
Before Xu Jinhuan could finish speaking, the middle-aged man spoke first, shouting loudly, "Choose the job! I choose the job!"
Xu Jinhuan nodded slightly, "Very good, you're already answering questions. Then just obediently tell me everything you know."
The middle-aged man opened his mouth, intending to say something that was half true and half false in order to save his life.
But when he saw Xu Jinhuan's cold eyes, he instinctively shivered and blurted out the whole truth.
"I am Chi Damin, and I live in the slums of Xicheng. Last night, an old beggar named Li, whom I know well, came to me and said that he had a good business deal that could make a lot of money and wanted to talk to me about it."
I immediately perked up when I heard that and went with Old Li to the beggar's den. Old Li said that a shop owner couldn't stand a grain shop and wanted to send someone to teach it a lesson.
Chi Damin paused here, and seeing that Xu Jinhuan wasn't angry, he licked his dry lips and continued.
"I didn't originally intend to take this job because I'm all alone, and I was worried that instead of disrupting the shop's business, I'd end up getting dealt with by the shop's employees."
I asked Lao Li why he didn't want to do this job, and Lao Li said that the shop owner was a good person and he didn't want to take on this job.
But that man was pressing too hard, even threatening to tear down his beggar's den if no one answered. That's why Old Li had no choice but to ask me to deal with him.
Chi Damin added with emotion, "Old Li is a very honest man. As long as the other party pays enough money and lets me gamble to my heart's content, I don't care if they're good or bad people!"
Xu Jinhuan asked with a cold smile, "So, how much money did the person behind this give you?"
When Chi Damin heard Xu Jinhuan's question, he realized that he had just spoken his mind. He secretly cursed and muttered to himself.
No way, no way, this guy not only kidnapped me, but also wants to take my hard-earned money?
Even though he was unwilling, he replied for his own safety.
"Well, not much, just ten taels of silver."
Xu Jinhuan nodded with a smile, "Oh, so it's only ten taels of silver? You've said so much, but you still haven't told me who's behind this."
As Xu Jinhuan spoke, he picked up the dagger again, but this time the dagger lightly grazed Chi Damin's neck, and a cut instantly appeared on his neck.
"ah!"
Chi Damin screamed, feeling the pain in his neck. He instinctively dodged backward and squatted on the ground, trembling.
"Don't kill me, don't kill me! I'm going to talk, but I'll speak slowly. I haven't gotten to the point yet!"
Xu Jinhuan deftly twirled the dagger in her hand and said with a smile, "Then hurry up and tell me, or you'll have another scar on your neck."
Chi Damin sat on the ground, trembling, and said, "It's Manager Long of Jinlong Grain Shop. The one who asked Lao Li to do something is his confidant, Liu Ergou."
Xu Jinhuan squatted on the ground, smiling as she looked at Chi Damin, and said gently, "Since that's the case, I'll also contribute ten taels of silver, and you can go to Jinlong Grain Shop and cause a scene."
Upon hearing this, Chi Damin immediately shook his head, "No way! I heard that Manager Long has recognized a senior eunuch in the palace as his godfather and has done many evil deeds with that godfather's help. He really dares to kill people!"
Xu Jinhuan smiled and picked up the dagger. "You mean I won't kill anyone?"
After saying that, the dagger stabbed into Chi Damin's hand.
"ah!"
Chi Damin stared in agony at the dagger that had pierced his palm and cried out in pain.
Xu Jinhuan pulled out his dagger with disdain and continued to laugh, "If you do this job for me, you can at least get another ten taels of silver. But if you don't, you'll go to hell without a single penny."
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