Promise!

Chapter 136, Clash

Zhuang Jin sent Qian Wende to secretly investigate the situation in the east of the city. No sooner had the man left than the garrison commander of Dongxiafang, the neighboring town, came to visit.

The town garrison commander of Dongxiafang was named Ou Wenzhong. Zhuang Jin went to greet him and saw that he was dressed in a white robe, with a face as handsome as jade, a jade pendant with golden tassels hanging from his waist, a white paper fan in his hand, and cloud-walking shoes on his feet. He had an air of scholarly elegance about him. If someone who did not know him saw him, they would think he was a scholar from some academy.

Zhuang Jin's gaze fell on the other person's shoulder, where three markings were visible, and his eyes narrowed slightly: 'A three-marked guardian, at the ninth level of the martial arts realm!'

"I have long admired the name of Commander Zhuang, and it is only today that I have the honor of meeting him. Last month, the Medicine King Gang attacked the returning fleet. I heard that Commander Zhuang was a master strategist who anticipated the enemy's moves and killed three of the Medicine King Gang's Seven Classics Warriors. It was a great victory amidst a major defeat, which greatly boosted the morale of my Shen family... How magnificent! How splendid!"

Ou Wenzhong was full of praise, his tone and expression showing utmost sincerity.

'This person speaks very well!' Zhuang Jin stared at the other person's face and could not see a trace of falsehood. His words were full of sincerity, especially since the other person was a martial artist of the ninth level. Such sincerity was even more precious.

He was not misled, knowing full well that there is no such thing as kindness without a reason in this world, and that if someone is courteous to you, they must have something in mind.

"I am deeply humbled by such praise," Zhuang Jin said, feigning reluctance. He then invited the man and his two servants inside.

"Zhuang, you are too modest. To be honest, I heard about your achievements last month and was curious about who could accomplish such a thing. After inquiring, I learned that you have a family feud and have risen from humble beginnings to where you are today. It seems unbelievable... I often wonder if I could have reached this point if I were in your position. The answer is no!"

"What impresses me even more is that Zhuang Zhenshou has always been clear about right and wrong, always repaying kindness and avenging wrongs. He has never wronged anyone who has been good to him. Such a righteous and unrestrained character is something I have only ever seen in stories before!"

Ou Wenzhong subtly incorporated his investigation of Zhuang Jin into the story, making it utterly irresistible and sincere. His praise of people was unique and original, truly touching the heart.

'If I were truly eighteen, I probably would have felt an instant connection and considered this person a close friend, right? Unfortunately, I am not!'

Zhuang Jin sighed inwardly, becoming even more wary. He remained polite yet distant, repeatedly saying, "Governor Ou, you flatter me, you flatter me greatly!"

"The humble and cautious attitude of the town garrison commander proves that what I said is true!"

Ou Wenzhong spoke sincerely, his tone impassioned. He took two steps forward and grabbed Zhuang Jin's hand, saying, "In my life, I admire heroes the most. Today, the spring is bright and the sky is clear. On such a fine day, Zhuang Zhenshou and I swear an oath to heaven and earth to become sworn brothers. How delightful!"

Zhuang Jin: ? ? ?
Are you Liu Da'er? Next, are we going to share a table and a pillow tonight... oh no, I mean, sleep side-by-side?

Zhuang Jin subtly withdrew her hand and sighed, "I only felt a sense of kinship with Commander Ou, and I shouldn't have refused. However, since Commander Ou has some knowledge of me, he must know that both my parents are... The fortune teller said that I am half a 'lone star of calamity.' It's fine for me to marry and have children, but my parents and brothers will surely be harmed by me and will not have a good end!"

“I have long ago sworn never to form sworn brotherhoods with anyone in this life… Commander Ou, what are you doing? Are you trying to make me appear unrighteous and unjust, forcing me to break my oath?”

Seeing that even Schrödinger's "not a good end, not a peaceful death" couldn't scare the other party, and seeing that the other party was about to speak again, looking very sincere, he immediately brought out a fabricated oath to shut the other party up.

"Very well, if that's how it is, then so be it. Now that I think about it, it was a bit abrupt to bring this up when we first met. It was only because I met someone like Prefect Zhuang that I felt a strong desire to make his acquaintance, which is why I did it this way."

Ou Wenzhong's words were extremely pleasing to the ear. After a pause, he continued, "I, on behalf of all the garrison commanders in the east of the city, welcome the transfer of Commander Zhuang to recuperate here. Commander Zhuang is an outstanding man, and the east of the city is a blessed land. This is truly a perfect match of outstanding man and blessed land!"

"By the way, the garrison commanders of the eastern part of the city are not just empty words in their welcome to Commander Zhuang. We have prepared three gifts, and we hope that Commander Zhuang will accept them."

As he spoke, he clapped his hands, and a servant carrying a tray stepped forward, lifted the red cloth, revealing a mid-grade Xuan-level beast hide armor underneath!

The Xuan-grade mid-level exotic beast hide armor is made from the hide of exotic beasts that have reached the minor stage of meat refining. The minor stage of meat refining corresponds to the nine meridians of a martial artist. It can be said that this item has a good protective effect against the force below the tenth meridian, and can be called a life-saving item. One piece is worth eight thousand battle merits, which shows the great investment.

"This is a mid-grade Xuan-level exotic beast hide armor. If Commander Zhuang had had this armor back then, he certainly wouldn't have been injured... This is the first gift. The second one?"

As Ou Wenzhong spoke, he beckoned another servant carrying a tray to come forward and open it. This time, inside was a century-old blood jade ginseng.

Blood Jade Ginseng has the effect of replenishing qi and blood, and it belongs to the yin element in the Five Elements theory, making it the best choice for women. This particular Blood Jade Ginseng is over a hundred years old, making it even rarer and worth two to three thousand taels of silver. However, it is still priceless and unavailable.

"I've heard that my sister-in-law suffers from a blood disorder, so this is perfect for her. And there's a third item..."

As Ou Wenzhong spoke, he took out a stack of deeds from his pocket: "Zhuang Town has worked hard and made great contributions. He has come to the east of the city and should be treated with dignity. This is a deed for a five-courtyard house, ten shops, and a thousand acres of fertile land. Consider it a gift for our first meeting."

These houses, fields, and properties are worth at least ten thousand taels of silver, yet they are only referred to as a "meeting gift," which shows how wealthy and powerful they are.

Clearly, this person came prepared, and the three gifts were highly targeted.

Firstly, Zhuang Jin is known as a "martial arts fanatic" because of his extremely high aptitude and cautious nature, so he was given a beast-hide armor.

Secondly, Chen Yun suffers from a blood disease, so she was given a century-old blood jade ginseng as a special gift;

Thirdly, people in this world also have an obsession with acquiring land and property, so they give houses, land, and property as gifts.

'Fate's gifts always come with a hidden price; I dare not accept something I don't understand its purpose!'

Zhuang Jin thought to himself, his gaze sweeping over the three gifts one by one: 'The mid-grade Xuan-level exotic beast hide armor and the various properties are fine, but that century-old Blood Jade Ginseng…'

The mid-grade Xuan-level exotic beast leather armor will be unnecessary since there will be no fighting in the east of the city for the next six months, and after that, at least ten years will have passed.

Houses, land, and property are all external possessions, and I don't value them much.

The only thing that mattered was the century-old Blood Jade Ginseng. Because of Chen Yun's blood disease, Zhuang Jin wanted to nourish her body, and he had been trying to buy this ginseng recently. However, the ones he found were all too old and not very effective. He never expected that Ou Wenzhong would bring it out.

'If we miss this century-old Blood Jade Ginseng, who knows when we'll encounter it again? We must do everything we can to get it.'

However, he also understood a principle: one should not show one's desires too strongly, otherwise one will expose weaknesses and lose the initiative in negotiations. At this moment, a thought struck him and he said, "One cannot accept something for nothing. Please, Commander Ou, take these things back!"

Looking at Zhuang Jin's clear expression, showing no sign of infatuation, Ou Wenzhong sighed inwardly at how difficult he was to deal with, while also feeling admiration and praise: 'Ordinary people, after such praise and sincere befriending from me, would have long considered me a close friend. But this Zhuang Jin is just as the intelligence indicated—exceptionally cautious and incredibly slippery!'

"Then I tried to lure him with benefits—three targeted advantages worth twenty or thirty thousand taels of silver. Anyone else would likely have been stunned and bewildered… Once he accepted, the first step would be taken, and I'd have ways to drag him down with me… But Zhuang Jin remained clear-headed and wouldn't fall for the trap!"

He pondered to himself, deciding to use his last resort: "Zhuang Zhenshou, do you know that you are about to face a great calamity!"

"Oh, I wonder where this trouble comes from?" Zhuang Jin asked, inwardly scoffing: 'They flattered him with fame, lured him with profit, and now all they do is resort to alarmist threats?'

Sure enough, Ou Wenzhong stared into Zhuang Jin's eyes and threatened, "The eastern part of the city is full of hidden talents and powerful figures, with all sorts of intertwined relationships, like a huge net. Zhuang Jin is new here and has a shallow foundation. If he stays out of it and tries to keep to himself, he will naturally be targeted. In that case... wouldn't he be in danger?!"

This is intimidation, and a blatant threat!
"Why is Garrison Commander Ou trying to scare me? The prefectural city belongs to the Shen family, and the eastern part of the city belongs to the Shen family. No matter how big this net is, can it really block out the sun and prevent me from seeing the sun and moon?"

Zhuang Jin stared intently, meeting Ou Wenzhong's gaze.

'This is troublesome!' Owen Zhong sighed inwardly, a serious look appearing on his face.

Zhuang Jin has made a great contribution this time, and the General Affairs Department has used this as an excuse to open the door and put him in. If he really doesn't listen to reason and is determined to be a tool, it will cause great damage!

—Don't be fooled by the fact that Zhuang Jin is just a ward guard and seems to be only able to cause trouble within Qingyuan Ward. Things aren't that simple. If something happens in Qingyuan Ward, it will create an opening, and the General Affairs Department and the Law Enforcement Department can take advantage of the situation to intervene and trigger a chain reaction... Just like in chess, if a piece is used in the right place, it can kill a large number of pieces and revitalize the entire chessboard.

To put it simply, Zhuang Jin can't help them much, but she has a huge capacity to do bad things. It's because of this value in uniting the people that she was able to spend so much money to buy them off before.

Their gazes met in the air, as if sparks were flying.

After a moment, Ou Wenzhong averted his gaze, sighed, and said, "Alas, I truly admire Commander Zhuang. I cannot bear to see or speak of such things. How about this, I can negotiate with those people... As long as Commander Zhuang doesn't get involved, we can ensure that neither side suffers. What do you say?"

His purpose in coming here was to win over and corrupt Zhuang Jin, to gain leverage over her, and to turn her into one of their own... But if this failed, his bottom line was: Zhuang Jin should not get involved, and he should turn a blind eye.

Seeing this, Zhuang Jin thought to himself that the "open window theory" was indeed effective: "If I had brought this up before, this person would most likely have been dissatisfied and would have pushed further, continuing to pressure me; now, by adopting a stance of being willing to take the knife and fight to the death, the other party has become afraid and has compromised by bringing this up, allowing me to take the initiative..."

“This…” He pretended to be troubled.

Seeing that there was a way out, and that Zhuang Jin wasn't so determined after all, Ou Wenzhong immediately said, "As the saying goes, a cornered dog will jump over the wall, and a cornered rabbit will bite, let alone someone who has been driven to a dead end. Commander Zhuang, leave a way out for others, so you can meet again in the future!"

“That makes sense,” Zhuang Jin said, glancing at the century-old Blood Jade Ginseng.

Upon realizing what was happening, Ou Wenzhong chuckled and said, "Is Commander Zhuang waiting for me here? As long as Commander Zhuang doesn't get involved, I'll keep all three gifts and give them to Commander Zhuang."

"Is Garrison Commander Ou trying to trick me again?"

Zhuang Jin shook his head. "Is this something you can just take for free? If you take something, you'll be obligated to do it. Once you start, you'll be dragged down step by step."

In the end, he only took the century-old Blood Jade Ginseng and paid it the market price in silver.

Seeing Zhuang Jin's resolute attitude, Ou Wenzhong could only give up, consoling himself: 'At least it's not the worst-case scenario; Zhuang Jin is stubbornly taking the knife.'

That would indeed be a huge problem for them. Because of Zhuang Jin's meritorious service, it was impossible to drive him away for the time being. Letting Zhuang Jin get into trouble would be the worst possible solution. If Zhuang Jin, a public hero and role model, were to get into trouble without any explanation, things would get really out of hand, and the entire eastern part of the city would be turned upside down.

After a brief exchange and probing, the two realized that neither was an easy opponent. Their subsequent conversation, compared to their previous pretense, was much more sincere: "The elders of the three street garrisons under Garrison Commander Zhuang, including Huang Jun, have all spoken to me, asking me to ask Garrison Commander Zhuang to look after them... I think the younger ones need more training. What does Garrison Commander Zhuang think?"

This means that Ban Ming, Song Jinghui, and Huang Jun, the three town and street guards, all have elders with the rank of bodyguards behind them.

Another aspect was the test of Zhuang Jin. No matter how good Zhuang Jin's promises were, actions speak louder than words, and this was proof of that.

Zhuang Jin naturally understood, but that was her original plan. It wouldn't be worth it to distract herself from martial arts practice for a little benefit or profit. Since they had just reached an understanding, she didn't mind doing him a favor: "Sure, sure. I like peace and quiet and hate trouble. As long as they don't cause any trouble or bother me, I'll be happy to see it go."

Such sincerity eased the atmosphere considerably, and Owen Zhong chatted for a bit longer before taking his leave.

……

Three days later, the results of the investigation that Zhuang Jin had asked Qian Wende to conduct came in.

"That's fucking outrageous! Brother Zhuang, can you imagine that in such a prosperous and wealthy place as the east of the city, the amount of silver paid by each street to the authorities is almost the same as that of the newly occupied streets in the north of the city?"

Qian Wende recounted the shady dealings involved: "Because there were rules, a portion of the collected money could be kept for street maintenance and development. So, the trees along the roadside were planted and dug up repeatedly... The bluestone slabs on the road were paved and dismantled repeatedly. This went on year after year, and I don't know how much funding was wasted like that..."

"These aren't the worst of it. The worst are the town and street wardens. They're supposed to be in charge of maintaining order and security in their areas, but these people are personally getting involved, using both legal and illegal means to extort and plunder... Now, in the entire eastern part of the city, any shop in a decent location has some kind of connection with them..."

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly upon hearing this, feeling both surprised and unsurprised.

What was unexpected was that the situation in the east of the city was even more serious than he had imagined, deteriorating to such an extent; what was not unexpected was that if such enormous interests were not involved, the old-established interest group in the east of the city, represented by Ou Wenzhong, would not have come to try to corrupt him by using both soft and hard tactics and spending so much effort.

"The Shen family is a powerful clan in the prefectural city, so why has the eastern part of the city spiraled out of control like this? Does the Shen family seem indifferent to this situation and have no countermeasures?"

"From what I've heard, this didn't happen overnight; it took time, generation after generation, over many years, to become like this... These people intermarried and colluded, each with their own connections, eventually forming a vast and intricate web..."

As Qian Wende spoke, he subconsciously lowered his voice: "I heard that there are quite a few of their people in various departments of headquarters..."

"The Shen family isn't indifferent; they've introduced quite a few policies to address this. For example, there's a rule that the children and relatives of the town magistrates cannot serve as town magistrates under their jurisdiction. But that's easy to handle: your descendants can come to my jurisdiction, and my descendants can go to your jurisdiction... There are also rules that town magistrates, street magistrates, and their families cannot engage in business, and there are also restrictions on the number of houses, land, and properties they can own. But these can be registered under someone else's name; it's just a matter of changing the name... In short, there are always ways around the rules."

As he spoke, a look of hesitation crossed his face. After thinking for a moment, he finally said, "Brother Zhuang, this matter involves too many things and goes too far. It's really difficult to handle. We'd better not get involved..."

Zhuang Jin naturally understood: 'I underestimated him before. If we really agree to make the knife for the Eighth Young Master, it'll be fine as long as we don't cause any trouble. But if we do... I'm afraid being kicked out of the east of the city would be the least of our worries. If things get really bad, we might even die a mysterious death.'

"We only have a basic understanding of the situation. We came to the east of the city to recuperate and rebuild our lives, so there's no need for us to get dragged into this mess for no reason."

He reassured Qian Wende, and through the other man's words, he conveyed his stance to his other confidants. With the other man looking relieved, he waved him away.

……

(End of this chapter)