Chapter 18

First Volume, Chapter 18: Truly Black-hearted

Seeing Jing Qianying close her eyes and say nothing, she adopted an attitude of "do as you please."

Qin Feng was furious inside—if he weren't outmatched, he'd definitely pin her to the ground and give her a proper beating.

But then he thought again: better for the water to flow to the fertile fields than to outsiders; even if all ten thousand li of silver went to Jing Qianying, it was better than letting Cheng Fa, that bastard, benefit.

I might not profit, but you, kid, will bleed heavily!

Qin Feng immediately gathered his people; though only Shu Feng, Qin Xiaofu, and Xiao Xiangxiang accompanied him, they projected an aura of a vast army and marched loudly toward the city mansion.

Jingdu was not large, and the distances between noble families were not far.

In just half an incense stick's time, the three arrived at Cheng Fu.

Old Master Cheng was merely a Director of the Ministry of Revenue; in official rank, he was two levels below Qin Feng's father, so his mansion's scale naturally paled in comparison.

Qin Feng didn't bother with courtesy—he charged up the steps and smashed the Door with wild blows, shouting: "Cheng! Get your ass out here, Master!"

The Cheng Fu Protectors, thinking someone was causing trouble, rushed out seven or eight of them, relying on their Director's status, and without a word raised their sticks to strike.

Shu Feng, standing beside him, was not skilled with weapons, but her bare-handed combat was formidable.

Seeing these mere Protectors dare lay hands on Qin Feng, she kicked out instantly, flipping the one in front of her; before her left foot even landed, her right foot shot out, striking another protector square in the face.

In just a few breaths, five Protectors lay knocked down; the remaining two froze in place, shouting from the side.

Qin Feng's eyes gleamed with admiration—no wonder Fourth Sister's Tieshen Yuhuan; such elegant skill! He clapped enthusiastically: "Beautiful!"

Shu Feng, flustered by Qin Feng's praise, lowered her head and returned behind him.

The commotion outside drew the Manager out; he recognized Qin Feng at once, spun around, and slapped the two Protectors hard across the face, furious: "Blind fools! Don't you recognize the Young Master of the Ministry of War? You're asking for death! Get out, now!"

The Protectors, supporting each other, slunk away shamefully.

The Manager beamed with forced smiles: "Young Master Qin, it's all my fault for poor discipline—those blind fools offended you."

Qin Feng smiled faintly, patted the Manager's shoulder, and said with magnanimous ease: "Don't waste my time—hand over the money!"

"Money?" The Manager blinked, feigning surprise. "What money?"

"Old man, are you pretending ignorance with me?" Qin Feng saw right through his act, revealing a cruel grin. "Don't think your age saves you—I've beaten half a dozen old men in their seventies and eighties."

The Manager's face flushed red then pale—he thought: this Qin Feng truly pushed bullying the weak and intimidating the strong to its extreme.

He hides behind guards when facing strong young men, but comes swaggering forward against frail elders—just as rumored, utterly shameless!

Though furious inside, Qin Feng was the Minister's son; the Manager dared not be rude, so he forced himself to say: "This old man doesn't understand—please clarify, Young Master."

"Ten Thousand Li Silver—Cheng Fa owes me. Got it? Go get him out here. Master has arrived, and as a student, he doesn't even come to greet me personally—no manners at all!"

At this, the Manager nearly laughed in anger—manners? Young Master Qin, are you even qualified to mention the word "manners"?

But he did know about the Ten Thousand Li Silver, and Cheng Fa had personally instructed him: if Qin Feng came to cause trouble, ignore him.

Cheng Fu was still a Court Heavy Minister; they didn't believe Qin Feng would dare go too far.

That's why he pretended ignorance and let Qin Feng rant.

But judging by the current scene, this guy seemed harder to fool… The Manager paused, then smiled broadly: "Young Master Qin, please wait a moment—I'll go inform the Young Master."

Qin Feng waved his hand impatiently: "Hurry up! I'm pressed for time, you know? Delay one incense stick, and the interest rises by One Thousand Liang—think carefully."

The Manager cursed inwardly: even underground moneylenders aren't this black-hearted!

The Manager turned and re-entered the mansion, closing the door.

"Heh, trying to outwit little Master? Too naive…"

Qin Feng sneered, plopped down on the doorstone, and hummed a little tune.

Yet the group waited at the door for a full two incense sticks, and no one from Cheng Fu emerged again.

In other words—he'd been stood up?!

Qin Feng ground his teeth in rage—he finally understood: Cheng Fa, that bastard, was trying to dodge payment!

Thinking of this, Qin Feng leapt up and rushed to the Door, smashing it again and again—but no one responded.

"Playing hide-and-seek with me? You really think I can't handle you?"

Qin Feng sneered, turned, and called Qin Xiaofu over, instructing him to find some beggars—preferably old ones who lived on the streets, ate one meal and didn't know where the next would come from; new beggars were not to be accepted.

Qin Xiaofu didn't understand what Qin Feng planned, but knowing his master well, he sensed his Young Master was cooking up some scheme—and he grinned excitedly: "Young Master, how many beggars?"

"As many as possible! Tell them This Young Master is feeling generous—I'll provide food and lodging!"

Qin Xiaofu dashed off and returned shortly with a group of twenty old beggars.

Qin Feng then sent Xiao Xiangxiang to a nearby fabric shop to buy a bolt of White Cloth Headband, and with bright red ink, wrote four bold characters: "DEBT MUST BE PAID."

"Come on, hang it on Cheng Fu's Door."

Qin Feng gave the order; Qin Xiaofu immediately hung the banner across Cheng Fu's Door, covering the Plaque—and instantly drew a crowd of onlookers.

The Chiguo crowd, clueless, began whispering among themselves.

"What's going on? Doesn't this guy know this is the Ministry of Revenue Director Cheng's mansion? How dare he act like this?"

"Hah, you've never seen the world, comrade? So what if he's the Ministry of Revenue Director? Look at that man—he's the son of the Minister of War!"

"You don't recognize Qin Feng? He's the infamous troublemaker of Jingdu—climbs roofs, dives into rivers, nothing's too wild for him."

"But I heard… yesterday's Poetry Contest, he made quite a name for himself."

"Still, how did Cheng Fu end up crossing this Ancestor?"

Seeing the crowd grow larger, Xiao Xiangxiang grew nervous and whispered: "Young Master, Cheng Fu is a Court Heavy Minister—isn't this…?"

Before Xiao Xiangxiang finished, Qin Feng waved his hand dismissively: "What's to fear? Debt must be paid, murder demands blood—natural law!"

Qin Feng called the old beggars forward, grinning wickedly: "When I shout, you shout after me—louder you shout, more silver I give."

"The loudest one gets 'Model Worker'—ten taels of silver."

At this, the old beggars' eyes lit up.

Qin Feng turned his back to Cheng Fu's Door and slowly raised both hands, waving like a conductor: "Come on, shout with me."

"Cheng Fa, Cheng Fa, you shameless wretch, you whored around on the Hua Fang without paying a cent; the Qin Family's young master, generous and open-handed, footed the bill for your whoring—what a saintly act of benevolence and righteousness…"