The Emperor of the Three Realms
chapter 65
Its capital, the Qingyang Line.
The morning sunlight shone on the courtyard, as a young man wearing rough hemp with sweat pouring down his face trained a series of sword techniques.
The courtyard is very spacious, because the main door is lacquered red, the walls are strong and high, with an overall spacious layout, all show the great wealth and prosperity that once adorned this courtyard.
Merely, most of the red varnish had been peeled off the main door due to the erosion of time, looking rather messy. The strong, high walls also showed some tattered gaps, and seemed unable to withstand the wind and rain from outside.
The spacious internal layout also seemed empty and quiet, with no trace of furniture worth finding.
No matter how famous and rich this house used to be, the owner who lives here now must have descended into the world. It has been verified by every detail.
Merely, the youths in the courtyard did not seem to be willing to accept this harsh reality. He trained in a very desperate way, with the emotions of his family once again becoming prosperous and inspiring him. He had practiced this series of sword techniques every time he heard the rooster crow, every day, for no less than eight years.
He has no other choice. He seemed to want to regain the lost splendor, and discover the prowess of this house through the sword in his hand once again.
The red lacquered door slammed open.
A group of evil maids like a bunch of tigers and wolves barged in, gathering around a young man of about twenty years old.
“Guo Jin, you keep your composure. Are you still interested in training? Today is the last deadline. Did you give up this house and the grounds around it or not?”
The young man's smile was sinister and cruel, and his tone was full of confidence that the practicing youth was at the mercy of the maker.
The young Guo Jin stopped and placed his sword on his shoulder, saying coldly. “You, by the surname Zhuo, this house and its grounds have been passed down from my ancestors, and its ancestors, and are the honor and glory of my Guo family. We can discuss other things, but you have to throw away the idea for me to sell my ancestral home forever!”
“No want?” The youth surnamed Zhuo smiled menacingly. “Then let's calculate our account clearly. You came to my financing house last year to borrow ten thousand silver. It's been a full year now. Combining trees and flowers, you need to return fifteen thousand silver. Either you pay it right away, or I'll make a statement to the local authorities immediately to confiscate your home.
Don't blame me for not telling you that the local authorities will swallow you whole, without leaving in the slightest. I, Zhou Tan, am willing to pay you eighty thousand silver now. If we go to the local authorities, if there's still ten thousand or eight thousand silver left for you, it's because you're lucky enough that a lucky sign of green smoke rising from Guo's ancestral grave you appear.”
'This 'Zhou Tan' is the young boss of the largest exchange and money transfer company in the capital, and he has both legitimate and fraudulent methods. He liked this house and had no doubt in his mind that he could handle the friendless and helpless young man whose family fate was declining, either through local authorities or through other methods.
Youth Guo Jin just shook his head, “Zhou Tan, kill me if you want, but I will never betray my ancestors or give up this house.”
“Braying your ancestors?” Zhou Tan laughed with a meaningful laugh. “You think too much. You are a teenager who knows nothing. How can you still call your ancestors by your famous father, the army of the defectors? If it was me, I would have left the capital a long time ago and found a remote, secluded location to hide.”
Deserters!
It was as if the word was like lightning, causing Guo Jin's entire youth's body to twitch slightly. His originally somewhat stifled eyes flashed a killing intent like a wild beast going insane.
“Zhou Tan, try saying again what you said!”
The hand grasping the sword hilt shook lightly as Guo Jin's eyes reddened, as if ready to jump forward and fight to the death at any moment.
His father was a taboo topic that could not be touched in Guo Jin's heart!
"Huh. Regardless of this matter or not, this reputation was already in the capital. Even if you forbid me to say it, can you stop all the swaying mouths in the capital?” Zhou Tan obviously did not pay much attention to Guo Jin's ferocity.
However, he was here to plan and seize the house, and did not want to fight until one of them died.
“Omong bullshit, this is all bullshit! I've already said that my father is not an army defector, he's not a deserter! I'll fight anyone who says he's a defector. Zhou Tan, try saying that one more time!”
The blood vessels on his neck bulged out as the young man roared, his black face flushed red, looking extremely angry.
Zhou Tan's face darkened, “Guo Jin, I have no interest in your father's affairs. I'm here today to give you a final ultimatum. Transfer the house to me or I will contact the local authorities to confiscate your house! You only have two choices! Don't think you can fool me by putting on a death-defying face. The little riches and glory that your ancestors possessed are long gone. And even though it still exists, then why?
I, Zhou Tan, give the face of your Guo family by liking your home. If it was another house, and you begged me to accept your house, I probably wouldn't be willing!
Kids, prepare. If that Guo kid is insensitive like a log, then throw him and the old kid out with a random punch from your stick. Don't hold back, feed them to dogs if they die!”
It was obvious that Zhou Tan was already impatient.
The evil servants all rubbed their hands and wiped their palms after hearing their master's orders. They started to approach with malicious intent.
Guo Jin swung his sword violently and rampaged, “Whatever dares to appear, die first!”
Zhou Tan said coldly, “Nak Guo, it looks like you refused to give up until all hope is lost. Hunt him down, my responsibility if you beat him to death.”
Daddy's!
At this moment, an ear-piercing applause suddenly sounded from outside the large door.
Followed by someone laughing while clicking the tongue, “Dare to enter someone's house and kill him in broad daylight. Are we still in the Eastern Kingdom territory?”
This scene was beyond Zhou Tan's expectations. He did not expect that anyone would dare to interfere in the affairs of the Zhou family on the Qingyang Line. Does anyone feel they have lived too long?
"Who are you? This is a debt dispute between my Zhou financing house and the debtor. What business do you have?” It was obvious that Zhou Tan was used to running wild in the capital.
“At first it wasn't my business, but now I make it my business.” A young man with a confident smile, unhurriedly, and clear eyes walked in casually with his four subordinates.
Whooshing sound!
A group of evil Zhou servants immediately formed a circle and surrounded Jiang Chen and his Sheng escort.
Jiang Chen ignored the sparkle of their blades and sword shadows. Instead, he remained calm and composed while handling urgent matters, and glanced towards Zhou Tan. “How much does he owe you?”
Zhou Tan laughed coldly. “What is important to you? It's not a matter of money right now, but he used this house as collateral and defaulted on his loan. I'm here to take this house. Sir, no matter your background, I advise you not to interfere in this business. Some businesses, you can't interfere. Some people, you cannot bear the consequences of provoking them!”
"Oh?" Jiang Chen smiled. “Seeing from your tone, it looks like you are quite a character.”
"Huh. My Zhou financing house was among the elites throughout the kingdom. Whoareyou? Who's daddy? Is he an official or in business?”
Jiang Chen completely ignored Zhou Tan's existence and instead turned to ask Guo Jin, “Your family name is Guo?”
Guo Jin was also surprised to see someone blatantly meddling. Seeing this fellow seem to have the intention to protect him, he nodded honestly.
“Your grandfather is Guo Shun, Guo's teacher?”
"Yes." Yeah." Guo Jin's chest puffed up upon hearing his grandfather's name and a hint of pride flowed in his eyes. There were still highly capable people who were among Guo's ancestors, and they had once enjoyed wealth and honor.
“Alright, how much money should you pay on Zhou financing house?” Jiang Chen asked again.
“I originally borrowed ten thousand silver to cure my mother's illness. The flowers are combined, and now, when combined with the trees and flowers, the amount becomes fifteen thousand silver.” Guo Jin was also a little desperate when talking about a debt that was as big as a mountain.
“Fifteen thousand silver.” Jiang Chen nodded and said to Sheng One by his side, “Sheng One, count fifteen thousand silver for them.”
As the four brothers from the Sheng battalion followed Jiang Chen, they had witnessed all sorts of prodigies and incredible feats from Jiang Chen. Their relationship with Jiang Chen had now been built into a deeper relationship of superiors and subordinates.
It is no longer just a genuine relationship in completing a mission.
The banknotes for fifteen thousand silver were counted, and Sheng One directly handed them to Zhou Tan. “Count! My young host is paying back the money for him. Don't come here again later to make a fuss!”
Sheng One was from the army and naturally had a threatening presence.
His move forward caused Zhou Tan's heart to stiffen. He looked at Jiang Chen, more and more thoughts came to his mind that this young man seemed to have quite a good background.
However, Zhou Tan had never been afraid of anyone since he was a child.
He did not receive the note, but rather smiled strangely. “It looks like I just said clearly that he defaulted on the loan. I want the house now, and not silver.”
"Answer? Do you have any proof?” Jiang Chen did not explode in anger.
A subordinate issued a debt certificate with a wave of Zhou Tan's hand. Of course, this certificate was full of various traps and had Guo Jin's signature as well as personal mark.
Jiang Chen turned his hand smoothly and directly tore this certificate. “Now, do you have more?”
Zhou Tan was completely shocked by this action. He had not expected that this young man who possessed this unusual nature to suddenly be deliberately dishonest and destroy the evidence!
He was always, Zhou Tan, who did the act of eating dogs. I never thought someone would do the same to her today!
“You... you are nearing death!” Zhou Tan's anger flared up completely at that moment.
Jiang Chen walked into the courtyard without turning his head, saying without commitment, "Sheng One, take the note and his people and throw them together!"
The four brothers from the Sheng battalion were all advanced true qi and strong people who had long climbed the battlefield. They naturally caught these evil servants easily.
Some people went up and down and they threw their master and servant outside the big door.
While throwing fifteen thousand silver banknotes at them, the young “Duke in my house is a reasonable person. Take the silverware, if you still want to make a fuss, think again.”
The young Guo's heart was filled with all sorts of emotions as he watched the Sheng battalion brothers beat up the Zhou servants into a chaotic mess, as if they were wolves or tigers.
On the one hand, he is very grateful that this community group provides timely assistance, such as offering fuel in snowy weather. Their attitude was unusual and caused the evil-looking Zhou group to be unable to act wildly in front of these people.
On the other hand, he felt anxious and afraid because he did not know what motive this group of people of unknown origin had.
The moment he saw Jiang Chen's figure enter, an unusual strand of emotion appeared in his heart. “They are both youths, but this is a noble gesture. This was the method of a truly powerful person! I, Guo Jin, must become like him and become head and shoulders above the rest, causing these local despotic rulers to take a long way when they see me!”
Jiang Chen felt the surroundings were familiar even though this was his first time visiting. As he walked into the inner courtyard of Guo's house, he saw that the tablet honoring the succession of Guo's ancestors in the past was located in front of the hall.
Upon seeing this situation, Jiang Chen walked over and lit an incense stick, godly paying his respects. When he put the incense into the incense burner, he happened to notice there was dust on the burner. Jiang Chen waved his sleeve and went to the stove.
Such a simple ceremonial action – just a few very ordinary movements – is enough to cause Guo Jin's heart to burn with boiling heat, when an outpouring of emotions suffocates his throat, and the, gave her the feeling of wanting to shed tears.
