Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

Sixty years have passed in a chaotic mess, and sixty-one years have come, but things haven't improved much.

The situation is slightly better in Jiaodaokou Street because Zhang Dabiao donated remittance coupons. Military dependents, martyrs' families, and impoverished households can receive some remittance coupons and buy some affordable food at the remittance store.

But the Jia family was different, because they weren't considered a poor household.

During the Spring Festival, Sha Zhu's meager New Year's goods were all consumed in two days, and then he shamelessly asked Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai for money and food.

Jia Dongxu's complexion worsened day by day.

The New Year's gathering was never organized. The three elders (two of whom have since been dismissed) tried to organize it, but no one paid any attention.

They can't even afford a meal, yet they still have a New Year's gathering? What's the point of a New Year's gathering?

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Zhang Dabiao went out to pay New Year's visits—he said he was going to visit some of his uncles and aunts, as well as some of Zhang Banxian's old friends.

Everyone assumed that it was Zhang Banxian's friends who supplied Zhang Dabiao with the goods, so they didn't think anything was unusual.

But Zhang Dabiao actually went to Hong Kong; he needed to make an appearance there. Otherwise, if the big boss disappeared during the Lunar New Year, the employees would be very worried. Besides, he needed to give them red envelopes for good luck. Also, Xue Wang's New Year outfits needed to be changed to fit the occasion!

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Zhang Dabiao carried some gifts and went to Qinjiatun. He had to pay his respects to his master for the New Year, no matter what. No matter how his master schemed against him, he had put his heart into teaching him martial arts, and the gold and silver he gave him were real, and a lot of them. Zhang Dabiao had to admit that.

Giving them grain to their village is one thing, but the apprentice showing respect to his master and paying New Year's respects to him is another.

Then, when they went to the countryside, something bad happened.

------------

On the way from Changping County to Cuicun, and then from Cuicun to Qinjiatun, Zhang Dabiao was attacked.

Even two pillars of strength can't stop someone from hitting you from behind!

It hit him directly on the head, knocking Zhang Dabiao unconscious. Then he and the goods were dragged away.

When he woke up, he found himself tied up and locked in a mud-brick house.

"hiss--"

My head hurts a lot, but my hands are tied behind my back, so I can't feel the wound.

Damn, a time traveler getting ambushed is incredibly embarrassing.

Have things been going too smoothly lately, and you've gotten a little carried away?

In his dazed state, Zhang Dabiao heard noises outside.

"Old Huang, is this really going to work? This is practically kidnapping!"

"I don't care! My son has been executed, what right do I have to care about anything else?!"

"I've heard that this kid is a purchasing agent in the city. He handles 2000 jin of grain for Qinjiatun every month."

"How could a purchasing agent procure so much grain? He must be a speculator! Qinjiatun is involved in speculation with him again!"

"Get that old bastard Qin Dingsong to give us 2000—no, at least 5000 jin of grain!"

"Otherwise, we'll hand him over to the county police station!"

Zhang Dabiao was stunned. "Damn it, you kidnapped me without even knowing whether I was a swindler or not."

This group of people is really damn brave.

Zhang Dabiao looked around the room. This seemed to be... a woodshed?

The surrounding area was piled with firewood and a jumble of bricks, as well as a few pottery jars and the like.

I don't know where the bag of New Year's gifts I was carrying for my master has gone.

After confirming that no one was around, Zhang Dabiao quickly slipped into his "little nest." By the shoe cabinet near the door, he always kept a Swiss Army knife. It was a domestically made multi-functional knife that came with the wine bottles when he bought them in his later years. It was mainly used for opening bottles and tightening screws.

He quickly grabbed it and then darted back to where he was.

Just then, someone came in from outside, and the broken wooden door was pushed open roughly.

Several people arrived, none of whom Zhang Dabiao recognized. The burly, bearded man at the head of the group arrogantly stared at Zhang Dabiao and asked the men behind him, "Are you sure this is the kid? He's half a boy, transporting grain for the whole village? More than two thousand catties a month?"

A skinny, shifty-eyed man behind them, sleeves tucked in, said in a shrill voice, "Yes, that's him."

"I saw him when he came to the countryside to deliver grain with that girl Qin Jingru before, and later he also went to deliver grain with Qin Mancang."

"He's been running around for the past six months, he's always there! I've seen him in the county several times."

"Ever since we robbed that bastard Qin Mancang last time, he hasn't shown up. He's probably hiding, and all the grain has been carried back by the people of Qinjiatun."

"I heard from the god-sister of my childhood friend's wife's second brother's neighbor's cousin that this guy's name is Zhang Dabiao, and he's a purchasing agent in the city. Qin Mancang works for him."

Then everyone fell silent.

The burly, bearded man scratched his head, trying to recall, and said, "Wait, who told you that?"

"I heard it from the god-sister of my childhood friend's wife's second brother's neighbor's cousin. What's wrong?"

"...Don't you think this relationship is complicated and far-fetched?"

"..."

"That's what Widow Liu from the village entrance said."

"Oh, you mean Widow Liu? You should have said so earlier! If you had, I would have believed you! That Widow Liu is very cunning; I believe whatever she says!"

Zhang Dabiao's lips twitched—[What kind of people have kidnapped me?]

[Isn't this art style a bit too rough?]

The bearded man shouted at Zhang Dabiao, "So you're the only one named Zhang Dabiao?"

Zhang Dabiao also activated his passive skill: "Your grandpa is here!"

Everyone—"..."

Why do they all seem so unintelligent?

The bearded man became interested: "Wow, you've got a tough tongue, huh?"

"It's alright, as long as you know what's good for you, we won't make things difficult for you."

"Be a good boy and wait here for the people from Qinjiatun to bring you grain to ransom you. Once the grain arrives, we'll release you."

"If the food doesn't arrive, we won't be so polite to you."

Zhang Dabiao remained silent, not because he was scared, but because he wanted to see if the people of Qinjiatun would offer grain to ransom people under these circumstances.

But then the skinny guy behind him offered another suggestion: "Uncle Huang, actually, we can just ask him for grain, right?"

"what?"

"The fact that he could give so much grain to Qinjiatun means that he had grain on hand."

"Why don't you just ask him for it directly?"

The bearded man called Uncle Huang stood there stunned for a long time, then looked up at the sky, then down at Zhang Dabiao sitting on the ground with his hands tied behind his back, and scratched his chin...

"You have a point, Zhang Dabiao. Where did you get that grain?"

"Give them all to me, and I'll spare your life!"

Zhang Dabiao uttered two words—

"Idiot."

"Uncle Huang, he insulted you!"

"Oh ho?! You've got guts, kid. Looks like you won't know your place until I teach you a lesson..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Dabiao stood up and rammed into him with a heavy shoulder strike.

I'm not going to listen to your babbling. Are you all out of your minds?

Although he had never formally learned the Iron Mountain Lean technique and didn't know how to exert force, Zhang Dabiao was incredibly strong and easily knocked those men off their feet.

But Zhang Dabiao's arms were tightly bound behind his back, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground. His forehead was scratched by a broken stone, and blood was flowing out.

"Ouch, my arm! Uncle Huang, my arm is broken!"

"Holy crap! Beat him up!"

Zhang Dabiao smiled wryly – he had made a mistake.