In times of chaos and famine, I traded one pound of rice for two royal flushes.

Li Jian'an was startled, and his eyes lit up instantly.

Yup!

He was so blinded by anger that he completely forgot this point!

Let's keep him calm and get the benefits first! We'll settle the score later; there are plenty of ways to do it!

Thinking of this, Li Jian'an felt much better. He looked at Wang Bantou, who was still kneeling on the ground, and snorted coldly.

"You're utterly useless and only cause trouble! Get out!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Wang Bantou felt as if he had been granted a pardon and scrambled out of the room.

Li Jian'an stood up, paced back and forth in the study several times, and finally made up his mind.

"My lord, you must go there yourself tomorrow. We don't have the money in our treasury, but we can give him an IOU, stamped with my official seal! Tell him that as soon as the imperial funds arrive, he'll be the first to receive them! Make sure you show the right attitude; you must convince him of our sincerity! First, get the tiger skin and bones back for me! Especially the tiger skin—it must be completely undamaged!"

"Yes, sir, you are wise!" Zhang Wenyuan bowed and replied, a knowing smile on his face.

He could almost see the imposing tiger skin spread on Li Jian'an's armchair, and the arrogant Qin Shaolang kneeling below, begging for mercy.

The campfire gradually died down, leaving only the crimson embers flickering in the night wind, like the eyes of a wild beast.

After the revelry, the earthen kiln finally quieted down.

Most of the soldiers were completely drunk, and they fell asleep in a staggering manner, their faces still bearing satisfied smiles and greasy stains.

Qin Shaolang was not drunk.

He stood on the observation platform at the highest point of the earthen kiln, the night wind blowing his clothes, his gaze fixed on the direction of Lantian County, as deep as the night sky.

A soft footstep came from behind.

"You don't seem worried at all." Su Jin's voice rang out in the night, carrying a hint of barely perceptible inquiry.

She changed into a clean, coarse cloth dress; though simple, it couldn't hide her refined air. She walked to Qin Shaolang's side, and following his gaze, she could only see a deep darkness.

"What are you worried about? Are you worried that the magistrate won't pay, or that he'll send troops to suppress us?" Qin Shaolang didn't turn around, his tone indifferent.

"Both," Su Jin said frankly. "You pushed Wang Bantou too far today, and you also cornered County Magistrate Li Jian'an. Sometimes, the face of the government is more important than anything else. I'm afraid he'll disregard the consequences for the sake of his reputation."

"He won't." Qin Shaolang's answer was firm and resolute.

Why?

"Because I gave him a better option." Qin Shaolang turned around and looked at Su Jin.

"It's a choice that can save face and also bring benefits. He sent Wang Bantou here for nothing more than 'profit' and 'fame.' Profit is the tiger's skin and bones; fame is the achievement of ridding the people of harm. I've laid both of these things in front of him, but he has to exchange them for what he deserves."

Su Jin, being exceptionally intelligent, immediately grasped the key point: "The six hundred taels of reward silver?"

"That's right." Qin Shaolang's lips curled into a smile. "Six hundred taels, a win-win situation. Li Jian'an gets the tiger skin and the tiger bones, which he can use to curry favor with his superiors, and he also gains a good reputation for being considerate of the villagers and rewarding merit. As for me, I get the money I deserve and can support my brothers. It's a win-win deal. He's a smart man; he knows how to choose."

Su Jin fell silent.

She realized that she had underestimated the man in front of her.

He doesn't just think three steps ahead; he creates the game, guiding everyone to play according to the rules he sets.

"But what if... what if he's just an idiot? Or what if he's blinded by anger?" Su Jin asked, voicing her concerns.

Qin Shaolang smiled and pointed to the family soldiers sleeping soundly down the mountain.

"Then I'll give him an even bigger surprise. I, Qin Shaolang, never fight a battle unprepared. If he wants to fight, then I will fight. But the price he'll have to pay will be far more than just a tiger skin."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling confidence and domineering aura.

Looking at him, Su Jin had no more doubts. She knew that the situation in Lantian County was probably about to change.

……

The next day, just as dawn was breaking.

The earthen kiln has returned to its former bustling state.

Chu Wu was leading his family soldiers in morning training, their roars shaking the heavens. On the other side, Li Hu, along with several hunters, was processing the remaining tiger meat, preparing to smoke it into jerky.

Everything is in order.

Just then, a guard on lookout duty rushed over.

"Brother Qin! Brother Chu! A carriage has come down the mountain; they look like people from the county government!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Wu immediately stopped training, his brows furrowing.

"You're here so quickly?"

Qin Shaolang walked out of a makeshift shed that was still under construction. He wiped the black ash off his hands, his face still showing the same calm expression.

"Perfect timing. Chu Wu, tell the brothers to behave themselves, so as not to frighten our distinguished guest. Li Hu, go and brew a pot of good tea."

"yes!"

Although everyone had doubts, they immediately followed Qin Shaolang's instructions.

Before long, a blue cloth carriage stopped in the open space outside the earthen kiln. The curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged scholar wearing a blue long robe and sporting a goatee stepped down, supported by two yamen runners.

It was Zhang Wenyuan, the confidant and advisor of the magistrate of Lantian County.

As soon as Zhang Wenyuan got out of the car, he was stunned by the scene before him.

Dozens of strong, muscular men, though dressed in tattered clothes, were full of energy, stood tall and straight, and exuded a subtle military aura. The entire camp, though simple, was well-organized and showed no signs of the filth and disorder typical of refugee camps.

His heart sank slightly.

It seems that while Wang Bantou exaggerated, what he said wasn't entirely false. This Qin Shaolang is indeed no simpleton.

"Hehe, may I ask which one of you is the hero who hunted the tiger, Qin Shaolang, the righteous man?" Zhang Wenyuan asked loudly with a warm smile on his face, cupping his hands in greeting.

Qin Shaolang stepped forward slowly and returned the greeting with neither arrogance nor servility.

"My name is Qin Shaolang. I dare not accept the title of a righteous man. May I ask what brings you here, sir?"

Upon seeing Qin Shaolang's youthful age and composed demeanor, Zhang Wenyuan's opinion of him rose even higher.

He laughed heartily and said warmly, "Sir Qin is too modest! You have rid my Lantian Town of a century-old scourge; you are a benefactor to all the people of my county! The county magistrate was overjoyed upon hearing of this and praised Sir Qin's righteous act without reservation!"

As he spoke, he took a scroll from his sleeve and carefully unrolled it.

"Please look, Mr. Qin, this is a receipt for six hundred taels of silver, personally signed by the county magistrate! It bears the official seal of the county government! However… alas, as you surely know, Mr. Qin, Lantian County is impoverished, and our treasury is empty. We simply cannot raise such a large sum of cash at this time. Therefore, the county magistrate has stated that this receipt is an IOU from the county government! Once the autumn grain tax from the imperial court arrives, it will be paid to Mr. Qin first! There will be no delay!"

Zhang Wenyuan spoke with such sincerity that it seemed the county government had truly done everything in its power.

The constables behind him were already eagerly heading towards the tiger skin drying on the wooden rack, their eyes filled with greed.

"Therefore, we urge Sir Qin to prioritize the greater good and understand the county magistrate's difficulties. Please hand over this tiger skin and bones to us so we can take them back to the county office and report our success to the prefect!"