Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 7 Five hundred strings of cash, don’t you understand?

The streets of Yanggu County were really crowded with people. They first looked at the big tiger and guessed its weight between 500 and 900 kilograms. Then they listened to the story about Su Dutou hunting a tiger alone on a moonlit night.

I also heard that Su Dutou was generous enough to give away money.

Then there was a lively and joyful atmosphere, shouting and cheering...

Su Wu sat on his horse, greeting people left and right from time to time, his face stiff with smiles.

My face was stiff when I suddenly saw four big words on a shop on the street: Ximen Herbal Medicine.

At the herbal medicine shop, a few men were standing at the door, watching the fun.

The ones on the left and right are all crooked, but the one in the middle is quite attractive, with a handsome face, tall stature, and luxurious clothes.

No need to guess, it’s the famous Ximen Daguanren from Yanggu County.

Su Wu looked at him a few more times and remembered that this great official was very powerful and capable in Yanggu County.

Now, after several operations, Su Wu has subconsciously regarded Yanggu County as his own territory.

Officials like the county magistrate are permanent in the yamen, but they come and go. Officials like Su Wu are real local figures.

Su Wu would not allow a capable person like Ximen Daguanren to exist in Yanggu County, his sphere of influence.

There is someone behind the capable person, so we have to deal with him.

Yanggu County is a good port on the Grand Canal and a prosperous place with a large population and a large floating population. In troubled times, if there is no real power in hand, there is really no capital for survival.

Continue to march through the streets, and hold on even if you have to stay awake all night.

Let every citizen of Yanggu formally know the face of Su Wu, as well as the glory and power of Su Wu at this moment.

Suddenly, Su Wu on his horse lowered his head and shouted, "Erlang, look! It's your brother!"

Wu Song was very excited, but he couldn't see out in the crowd. He jumped up to look, but still couldn't find it, and he became very anxious.

Su Wu on the horse shouted directly: "Wu Da, Wu Da!"

Wu Da, who was selling pancakes on the street, heard someone calling him. He looked up and saw Su Dutou, who was famous in Yanggu, calling him on horseback. He was stunned for a moment.

Hearing Su Dutou shouting again, he quickly bowed and responded loudly: "Hey, Dutou ordered, do you want to eat steamed cakes?"

"Don't move there, your brother is back." Su Wu shouted, lowered his head and said to Wu Song, "Go in that direction, next to that store, just squeeze out and reunite with your brother first, then go back first..."

Wu Song was so excited that he looked in the direction and squeezed out of the crowd. He turned around and said, "Brother, I will go to the government office to look for you when I have time!"

"Well, okay, I'll wait for you!" Su Wu nodded, feeling very happy. If he really had Wu Song under his command, he would not be afraid of anyone he met.

Wu Song squeezed out, and it goes without saying that the brothers were reunited. Su Wu looked back from time to time, but he could no longer see him.

Probably when the two of them returned and met their sister-in-law, her sister-in-law liked the sturdy and handsome Wu Song more and more, and her eyes lit up.

The Wu family’s affairs are really troublesome.

I couldn't help but turn my head to look at the herbal medicine store in the distance. What should I do about this?
Yanggu County is not small, and it was difficult to walk fast through the streets. It took a long time to finish the tour.

After returning to the yamen, Su Wu sent the hunters back first and only invited them to meet again in two days.

Then he sent back the dozen or so yamen runners who had accompanied him last night. They were all exhausted after a sleepless night and following the parade. But Dong Jian did not leave. He just followed Su Wu. When Su Wu returned, he would go back with him.

Looking at the big tiger in the government yard, Su Wu had an idea, so he said, "Go find Ximen Qing who is engaged in the herbal medicine business, and tell him that I have business to take care of him."

Dong Jian went out and left.

Not long after, Ximen Qing arrived at the yamen with a few followers. Not only was he dressed in gorgeous clothes, but he also had a flower in his hair and was waving a folding fan in his hand. Although he had not read many books, he looked very elegant.

Ximen Qing smiled as soon as he saw him, and bowed his hands to greet him: "Greetings to Captain Su. Your performance in killing the tiger is truly admirable."

Su Wu sat on the chair without getting up. He just looked at Ximen Qing and pointed at the tiger and asked, "Tiger bones are good medicine, tiger penis is also good medicine, how much is it?"

Su Wu also needed to make some money. His previous residence was too simple and he didn't even have anyone to serve him. It's not that he couldn't live a hard life, but there was no need.

Since the situation is like this now, if we want to change houses, we don't have to be extravagant. We need a good house. We need someone to make fire and cook, right? We don't need to be busy changing and washing clothes, right?

We still need to improve our lives and make money, so why don’t we call Ximen Qing over?
Ximen Qing laughed and said, "So this is how the business works. No problem. This tiger is big, so I'm afraid there will be a lot of tiger bones. Medicine for injuries and sprains requires tiger bones, not to mention tiger penis. There's no need to worry about the price. Just name a price, boss."

Ximen Qing was able to rise in Yanggu County by virtue of his ability to curry favor with others. It was not that he was afraid of Su Wu, but he thought this was a rare opportunity, so he had to make friends with him if possible.

"What is the general price?" Su Wu asked again.

Ximen Qing looked at it seriously and said, "This whole tiger, with all its bones removed, normally costs twenty strings of cash, but this tiger is big, so it should be worth thirty strings of cash. But given its bravery and the tiger whip, it should be worth fifty strings of cash. What do you think?"

Be able to behave, do things and speak.

Su Wu wanted to put on a show of respect, but then he changed his mind and decided not to bother pretending. It was unnecessary for him to deal with a man like Ximen Qing, so he said directly, "Well, then go get me five hundred strings of cash, and shave off the tiger bones, but don't damage the fur. I have great use for the fur."

what is this?
Asking for it directly is actually a provocation and a source of trouble.

Ximen Qing's face darkened, and he just asked, "I don't know how I offended the captain in the past. If I really did, please forgive me. I will take out a hundred strings of cash and give it to the captain in person."

"Five hundred strings of cash? Didn't you hear it clearly?" Su Wu said in an unfriendly tone, intending to use force.

Ximen Qing was a well-known playboy in Yanggu County. He was a violent man on the streets, bullied people by taking advantage of his power, lent money and collected debts, sold people's wives and daughters, cheated people, and committed all kinds of evil.

This goes without saying, everyone in Yanggu County knows it.

There are those who stalk widows, steal wives, and go to brothels, not to mention the gossips in the neighborhood, everyone knows about it.

Why was Ximen Qing so fierce? Because he had a group of people around him, nine of whom had names and surnames, and a large number of servants and ruffians.

Why did Ximen Qing do all kinds of evil and no one cared?
Because County Magistrate Meng Yi is an official, and there is only one such official in such a large county. Most of the time he never leaves the house, and no one comes to complain to him, so why bother to meddle in him?

Even if someone came to sue him, Mr. Ximen was rich and Meng Yi was not an honest person.

In this way, no one will sue again.

Therefore, at this time Su Wu had to confront Ximen Qing directly. Making trouble for Ximen Qing would gain him fame, as well as benefits and advantages.

How could Ximen Qing be someone who could be bullied?
Ximen Qing frowned and asked, "Captain, do you want to borrow five hundred strings of cash for expenses?"

Su Wu stood up and said, "I'll sell you the tiger bones and tiger whip for a flat price of five hundred strings of cash. If you don't want to buy it, then what? Humph... I didn't know much about it before, but I heard that Mr. Ximen has great power in Yanggu County, so I want to see for myself..."

As the saying goes, there is no room for two tigers in one mountain. In the prosperous Yanggu County, both publicly and privately, there is no room for two people.

(End of this chapter)