Heaven rewards diligence; he fought his way through chaos to become a saint.

Outside the silk shop, constables from the county government office were busy dispersing the crowd.

Qin Lie stood inside the store, looking expressionlessly at the chaotic scene before him.

Originally, the group was watching the martial arts competition, but the county constables informed them that someone had committed murder in the street and discovered some unusual things, forcing them to leave midway.

Commandant Chen Chuan, carrying a basket of hidden arrows, entered and whispered to Qin Lie:

"Qian Jin, the Dwarf Tiger! He has some reputation, considered a top-tier expert in internal energy cultivation, not the kind of useless person who relies on 'Bone Spirit Mushroom' to achieve his current status. Judging from the corpse, his body has strange bluish-purple scars, indicating the use of a secret medicine from the Demonic Sect..."

"Damn it! It's Ye Ci again, isn't it!"

Qin Lie cursed under his breath; it was all about cleaning up the mess.

However, he was secretly surprised. Qian Jin was a veteran of internal strength cultivation, and with the help of the Demonic Sect's secret medicine, such strength... was actually slaughtered in the street like a chicken.

This forced him to re-evaluate this young man named Ye Ci.

Compared to those who are fighting today, Ye Ci is much more powerful, at least in terms of killing... much more powerful.

Commandant Chen Chuan stroked his beard, his tone filled with admiration: "Truly a young talent. Judging from the marks of the fight, Ye Ci was completely dominating him, and couldn't even escape."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Commander, Ye Ci is quite competent as the Shen family's retainer. Qian Jin, that scoundrel, might be involved in the kidnapping case in the county and is after the two young ladies of the Shen family."

Following the direction Chen Chuan pointed, Qin Lie's gaze fell on the corner of the shop.

There were two women and a man standing there, talking.

The man, dressed in a moon-white robe, had a gentle face. He was slightly turned to the side, standing in front of the two young ladies, his voice low but full of reassurance.

"Once the adults have finished investigating the case, I will send guards to escort you back to the Shen residence. During this time, please do not go out casually. If you need anything, just send someone to inform me, and I will do my best to protect you."

"Thank you, Young Master Feng."

Thank you for your trouble.

The two daughters of the Shen family were speaking.

The eldest daughter, Shen Xin, possessed a noble air and still retained her charm; she was a beauty in the making. Commander Qin knew her, as well as her husband.

The other one, with a graceful figure and fair complexion, was stunning.

"That girl is Shen Yixi, the eldest granddaughter of the Shen family. She is a talented woman who manages many of the Shen family's businesses. She is the granddaughter that Mr. Shen values ​​most."

The captain beside her reminded her, his voice filled with amazement: "Who says women are inferior to men? Miss Shen is just as good."

"Um."

Qin Lie nodded slightly. He had heard of her before. She was skilled in arithmetic and business, and the elders of various families spoke highly of her.

At this moment, the young scholar walked over, rolled up his sleeves, and bowed.

"Greetings, Lord Qin."

"His name is Feng Ji. He's a scholar who has made connections with the Taiping Chamber of Commerce and wants to sell some martial arts tonics in the county. He recently paid his respects at the Commandant's Office," the Commandant's Assistant whispered.

Commandant Qin didn't care about these matters, and without even glancing at Feng Ji, he waved his hand:

"Find out Qian Jin's whereabouts as soon as possible! That damn Ye Ci is always causing me trouble! But he's also been resourceful and successful..."

"By the way, tonight's banquet has been moved to tomorrow noon. We'll invite all the wealthy families in the city; no one is allowed to be left out."

"Also, arrange for the soldiers to build a fighting arena in the training ground."

"Furthermore, send someone to inform Ye Ci privately that he must arrive tomorrow. I will reward him handsomely."

He said the last few words through gritted teeth.

Having said that, he put his hands behind his back and stepped out of the silk shop.

Qin Lie was both angry and pleased. He was angry because he was convinced that Ye Ci was a "worthless bastard".

He really wants to ask you how you came up with the idea of ​​throwing a dog at me.

What's encouraging is that this kid is progressing very quickly, which gives us a glimmer of hope.

He hoped the other person would notice his favor.

The favor of a captain is this kid's chance.

but!

This kid is never honest.

If you don't come, then...wouldn't that be humiliating me again...?

Thinking and thinking.

For no apparent reason, a slight smile appeared on Qin Lie's lips.

An interesting image suddenly popped into his mind.

How dare he not come?

I'm not just going to make you come, I'm going to make you lose face by coming.

Tonight, I'll give you some scars and reward you in public. Won't you lose face?

There's no banquet tonight, but I'll treat you to a good beating from your fists...

Surprised or not?

Not surprised?

Isn't it scary?

I won't say anything, I'll just give you a few slaps across the face.

Are you going to throw lime at me? Or throw dogs at me?

Thinking about this, he stopped being angry and even felt a little happier.

interesting.

It would be quite an amusing sight to see him attend the banquet tomorrow with a bruised and swollen face.

Soon, the captain, soldiers, and constables left, and the shop assistant tidied up the shop with a dejected look on his face.

"There's blood everywhere..."

Xiao Er felt he was going to have to work for a long time, and muttered to himself.

After a moment, footsteps were heard outside the door.

Shen Zonghan stepped into the shop, glanced at the mess, and frowned slightly.

When Wang Ya, a master of internal energy from the Shen family, entered the shop and saw the blood all over the floor, he shook his head slightly.

"Miss, remember to call me wherever you go in the future."

Shen Yixi responded calmly, looked up at Feng Ji, and spoke in a composed and polite tone:

"Young Master Feng, there's no need to worry. It was just a close call. My master has arrived, so there's no need for you to see him off."

Upon hearing this, Feng Ji paused slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across his face.

He didn't see a trace of girlishness on Shen Yixi's face; instead, she seemed more distant and aloof towards him.

He was about to speak when he saw Shen Zonghan walking over.

"Master Shen," Feng Ji bowed.

"My Shen family has plenty of guards, so there's no need for you to worry about them."

As he spoke, Shen Zonghan glanced at him and said, "Businessmen from out of town are guests. You must know the status of the Shen family in Songjiang County. Some things... are about matching social status."

Having said that, he turned and left.

Shen Yixi bowed slightly and said, "Young Master Feng, please don't take offense at my father. He speaks like this to everyone."

"How dare I! How dare I!"

Feng Ji quickly bowed, forcing a humble smile on his face: "Miss Shen, you flatter me. I was being presumptuous."

******

As soon as the Shen family left, Feng Ji's smile vanished instantly, his blood rushed to his head, and his cheeks flushed red.

There's a kind of humiliation in offering your warm welcome only to be met with indifference.

He walked onto the street, and the lively sounds of street vendors seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier. He could only hear the heavy sound of his own footsteps and the surging anger in his heart.

The footsteps quickened, making a hurried sound.

Before long, he stopped in front of a pharmacy, raised his foot and kicked the wooden door in front of him. With a loud bang, the wooden door was kicked and slammed against the wall, making a piercing sound.

The shop was dimly lit, and behind the counter stood a man dressed in a gray cloth robe, dusting with a duster. What was remarkable was that he had six fingers on both hands.

Seeing Feng Ji's outburst, he didn't even lift his eyelids: "What anger have you suffered that you're taking it out on the door of my pharmacy?"

"Qian Jin is dead."

Feng Ji looked at the man in front of him and said coldly.

The man in the gray shirt slowly raised his eyes: "How did you die?"

"Ye Ci killed him."

"Feng Ji, what kind of bewitching potion did that woman give you? First, the Seven Fiends of Liushan were caught, and now even Dwarf Tiger Qian Jin is caught. They were all carrying secret drugs; their deaths are a waste of money..."