If I send you to join the army and marry a woman, will you conquer the Empress?

What?!

These words shocked everyone present!

The alleyway fell into an eerie silence.

"Swish! Swish! Swish!"

All eyes were fixed on the thick stack of silver notes, and disbelief was written on everyone's face.

Gao Yanei's smug grin froze on his face.

How could it be eight hundred taels?

He clearly only instructed his servants to prepare one hundred taels of silver notes to frame someone!

Only those who have wronged you know how wronged you are.

He was 100% certain that there was absolutely no way Qin Feng could have that much money in his dilapidated house!

Where did the extra seven hundred taels come from?

"grown ups!"

Just as everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, Qin Feng cupped his hands in a respectful but not arrogant manner towards Zhao Quan and said:

"Gao Zicong kept saying that my wife stole one hundred taels of silver from him."

"But now, eight hundred taels have been found in the house."

"These numbers don't add up at all, which is enough to prove that he's making baseless accusations and maliciously slandering us!"

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, finding it reasonable.

Yup!

Gao Yanei said he lost one hundred taels, but they found eight hundred taels when they searched him. How do you explain that?

A barely perceptible look of surprise flashed across Zhao Quan's usually stern official face.

He thought it was a sure thing, but he never expected such a turn of events.

"I...I..."

Gao Yanei felt flustered under the gaze of the crowd and stammered for a long time.

But soon, his eyes lit up and he had a sudden inspiration.

Who cares where the money came from!

Anyway, the money was found in this poor bastard's house!

Eight hundred taels of silver—that's a huge sum!

Today, not only will I win the heart of a beautiful woman, but I'll also get free money—it's a double blessing!

Thinking of this, Gao Yanei immediately changed his expression and slapped his thigh.

"Oh dear! I remembered it wrong! Yes! I remembered it wrong!"

Pointing to the stack of silver notes, he shouted defiantly, "My money bag doesn't contain a hundred taels at all, it contains a full eight hundred taels!"

He felt that his reaction was absolutely flawless.

Then, he pointed at Qin Feng again, his arrogance growing ever stronger.

"Godfather, look! This poor, destitute man, his house is bare, where did he get eight hundred taels of silver?"

"If he didn't steal this huge sum of money, where did it come from?!"

"Now they've been caught red-handed, the evidence is irrefutable!"

This sophistry sparked a flurry of discussion among the onlookers.

"That's true, eight hundred taels of silver is no small sum."

"Even if we ordinary families didn't eat or drink, we couldn't save this much money in our entire lives."

"The Marquis of Loyalty's mansion has long since fallen into ruin. I've heard they're so poor they're barely able to afford food. How could they possibly come up with eight hundred taels?"

"Alas, the world is going to the dogs, and people's hearts have lost their way! The descendants of the Marquis have actually stooped to such petty theft..."

"You can know a person's face but not their heart!"

Each comment was like an invisible knife, rising and falling.

"quiet!"

Seeing that public opinion had been swayed, Zhao Quan immediately seized the opportunity and sternly rebuked him.

He deliberately adopted an incorruptible stance, glaring angrily at Qin Feng.

"How dare you, Qin Feng! With witnesses and evidence before you, what excuses do you have left?"

"Guards! Seize this thief, along with his three accomplices, and take them to the Jingzhao Prefecture prison to await further orders!"

"yes!"

The surrounding constables echoed in unison, brandishing their fire and water sticks, and pressed forward again.

"what……"

Bai Wanqing and the Shangguan sisters were so frightened that they instinctively hid behind Qin Feng.

However, facing the approaching constables and Zhao Quan's imposing official face, Qin Feng remained calm and composed, without the slightest panic.

"hehe……"

Qin Feng even let out a soft chuckle.

"Lord Zhao, are you in such a hurry to convict me? Every single penny of this eight hundred taels of silver was obtained legitimately, and I can explain it clearly."

Zhao Quan paused, then coldly snorted, "Fine! I'll give you a chance. I want to hear how you'll try to explain yourself!"

Qin Feng spoke slowly, his words clear and distinct.

"Of these eight hundred taels, three hundred taels came from the tiger skin and bones that I personally hunted and killed outside the city some time ago."

"Many people who were present at the time witnessed this event."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Quan's heart stirred.

The story of selling tigers on the street was indeed widely circulated in the capital, and he had heard about it.

It seems that the three hundred taels are indeed verifiable.

Gao Yanei scoffed disdainfully and questioned, "Even if the three hundred taels are yours, what about the remaining five hundred taels? How do you explain that? Did you dig them out of the ground?"

All eyes were once again focused on Qin Feng.

Gao Yanei crossed his arms, looking on with amusement.

Keep making things up!

Let's see how you manage to cover up this 500 tael hole!

"As for the other five hundred taels..."

Qin Feng paused deliberately, whetting everyone's appetite.

"It was a gift from Yun Qingya, the daughter of the current Left Prime Minister Yun Song."

boom!

Yun Qingya?

When Qin Feng uttered that name, the entire alley seemed to be struck by a thunderbolt!

The neighbors who were just talking noisily fell silent instantly!

The constables who were about to step forward also stopped in their tracks and looked at each other in bewilderment!

The arrogance on Gao Yanei's face vanished completely!

Zhao Quan's imposing official face, which had been impassive even without anger, finally changed!

Although he was the Vice Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, a fourth-rank official, he was seen as a powerful figure by ordinary people.

But in front of Yun Song, the first-rank official of the court and the Left Prime Minister, he wasn't even worthy of carrying his shoes!

The gap between him and the Left Prime Minister is much greater than the gap between Qin Feng and him!

"Stop spouting nonsense and currying favor with the powerful!"

Zhao Quan shouted, staring intently at Qin Feng with a scrutinizing gaze: "Speak, what exactly is your relationship with the eldest daughter of the Yun family?"

"Relationship?"

Qin Feng met his gaze, a slight smile playing on his lips, and declared firmly.

"I am Yun Qingya's fiancé!"

……

These words shocked the entire audience.

Who is Yun Qingya?

The apple of Yun Song's eye, the Left Prime Minister of the current dynasty, one of the four beauties of the imperial city, and a peerless talent who is proficient in all the arts of music, chess, calligraphy and painting!

She was a celestial being, a fairy whom countless princes, nobles, and talented young men dreamed of!

And what about Qin Feng?

A family that had fallen on hard times and was penniless!

The two people are worlds apart in terms of status!

"Hahaha! This is hilarious!"

Gao Yanei seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world, and he fell backwards.

"You? You dare call yourself Miss Yun's fiancé? Go take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror!"

"Everyone in the entire capital knows how discerning Miss Yun is; the line of suitors could stretch from the east to the west of the city!"

"You're like a toad trying to eat swan meat—it's utterly delusional!"

Every word Gao Yanei uttered was filled with extreme humiliation and disdain.

The neighbors around them also came to their senses, and the chatter resumed, but this time, everyone thought Qin Feng was just bragging.

"That's an outrageous claim! The fiancé of the Left Prime Minister's daughter? How dare he say that?"

"I think he was pushed to the limit and spoke recklessly, trying to use a big name as a shield."

"This is terrible! Instead of currying favor with the powerful, we've offended the Left Prime Minister's office—a capital offense!"

"..."

Despite everyone's doubts and ridicule, Qin Feng remained calm and turned his gaze to Zhao Quan.

"Lord Zhao, whether this matter is true or false can be ascertained simply by asking."

"You only need to send a yamen runner to the Left Prime Minister's residence to inform them and ask Miss Yun to confront him face-to-face, and the truth will come out, won't it?"

Qin Feng appeared far too calm.

That composure made Zhao Quan's heart skip a beat.

Of course he didn't believe it.

But what if?

Although the Marquis of Zhonglie's mansion has declined, it was once a prominent family, and it is not entirely impossible for it to be engaged to the Yun family.

As a fourth-rank junior magistrate, if he were to offend the future son-in-law of the Left Chancellor...

The consequences would be unbearable!

In officialdom, the most taboo thing is to make a mistake!

Having thought this through, Zhao Quan had already made up his mind.

It's better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't!

"good!"

Zhao Quan nodded, then turned to a quick-witted constable beside him and gave the order in a deep voice:

"Go to the Left Prime Minister's residence immediately and tell them that the Jingzhao Prefecture is investigating a case concerning Qin Feng and the silver. They need to verify with Miss Yun Qingya and ask her to come over!"

"Yes, sir!"

The constable dared not delay and ran out of the alley.

"Godfather, how could you believe his nonsense!"

Gao Yanei grew anxious: "He's clearly stalling for time!"

Zhao Quan waved his hand, giving him a look that said, "Take it easy."

It can’t hurt to ask.

If Qin Feng is a fake, then he is deceiving an official of the imperial court, which is an even more serious crime. We can then deal with him in a just and proper manner!

if it is real……

Zhao Quan dared not think any further; a layer of cold sweat had already seeped out from his back.

……

Time passed, second by second.

The atmosphere in the alley became incredibly oppressive and strange.

Everyone craned their necks and looked towards the alley entrance.

Seeing that Zhao Quan had made up his mind, Gao Yanei didn't say anything more. He simply crossed his arms, walked up to Qin Feng, and gave a sarcastic sneer.

"Kid, you're putting on quite a good act."

"Let me tell you, Miss Yun is a person of noble birth; she would never come to such a filthy, run-down place!"

"Just you wait! When the constables return, your death is imminent!"

Gao Yanei was arrogant and overbearing, as if he had already won.

"Oh, what if Yun Qingya comes?"

Qin Feng glanced at him and suddenly spoke.

Gao Yanei was stunned for a moment, then burst into wild laughter: "Hahaha, if Miss Yun is willing to stand up for someone like you, I, Gao Zicong, will kneel down today, kowtow three times to you, and call you grandpa three times!"

"From now on, I'll avoid you whenever I see you!"

Qin Feng shook his head and chuckled, "Heh, I don't have a good-for-nothing grandson like you."

"How dare you insult me! You filthy soldier, you good-for-nothing, you coward!"

Gao Yanei kept spewing profanities.

"Who are you calling a little beast?"

Qin Feng spoke calmly.

"That little bastard is insulting you!"

Gao Yanei blurted it out subconsciously.

"Hahaha, you're right, the person who insulted me is indeed a little beast! You are a little beast!"

Qin Feng burst into laughter.

The three women behind him covered their mouths and chuckled.

The passersby and onlookers around them burst into laughter.

"You...you dare to play tricks on me?!"

Gao Yanei's face turned red with anger, he was so furious he was about to explode.

Just then!

"Look! At the alley entrance!"

Someone in the crowd exclaimed in surprise.

Everyone turned to look.

At the entrance of the alley, a beautifully crafted sedan chair, carried steadily by four porters, slowly approached.

Pale blue tassels hung from the four corners of the sedan chair.

On the sedan chair walls, elegant orchids were embroidered with gold and silver threads.

And right in front of the sedan chair was none other than the very same yamen runner who had just run off to deliver the message!

"It's...it's the sedan chair from the Left Prime Minister's residence!"

"Good heavens! The emblem on the sedan chair is the Yun family's orchid emblem!"

"Miss Yun has really arrived!"