Chapter 145: A Boy Delivering Wealth?

"Your arrival is truly a great honor for my humble abode, Chief Ma."

Although Li Yuanjing held no fondness for outlaws like Chief Ma, he had already cultivated the public persona of the "Timely Rain," and thus he granted the bandit leader an audience.

However.

Chief Ma, who had stood tall across these parts for nearly a decade with a fearsome reputation capable of stopping crying infants at night, was clearly in a very poor state.

Not only did he radiate an aura of exhaustion and frailty, but fresh blood seemed to be seeping through his left sleeve and the breast of his tunic.

Plainly.

He had sustained no minor injuries!

"Thud!"

After hesitating for just a moment, Chief Ma dropped straight to his knees before Li Yuanjing with a heavy thud, cupping his hands together in profound shame as he pleaded:

"Mr. Li, I have long admired your esteemed name. I am deeply ashamed, but having fallen upon hard times, I beg you to show mercy and grant me and my brothers a path to survival..."

Even though Li Yuanjing had anticipated that Chief Ma was coming to ask for help, he was still somewhat surprised by how direct the old veteran was.

Yet.

Despite Chief Ma's utterly sincere appearance, Li Yuanjing couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

Just think about it.

If someone like Chief Ma were truly fleeing for his life, how could he possibly arrive in broad daylight at high noon?

Does that look like anyone running for their lives?

Especially since, despite looking somewhat wretched, there remained a distinct trace of arrogance in the corners of his eyes!

Furthermore, Li Yuanjing had heard Goodman Xue boast more than once about how close his relationship with Chief Ma was...

And most crucially.

Up until this very moment, Li Yuanjing had yet to see the Prince of Qi make a single move!

Yet Li Yuanjing possessed an absolute sixth sense telling him that the Prince of Qi was undeniably involved in the turmoil of Fengcheng!

Moreover, the influence he exerted was likely far from negligible.

Could it be...

Was Chief Ma here to pull off a scam?

"You are too kind, Chief Ma. I wonder... how you expect this student to assist you?"

"Eh?"

Chief Ma froze momentarily, taken aback and looking at Li Yuanjing with utter bewilderment.

Normally, wouldn't people first ask how he had fallen on hard times?

Why did this Li Yuanjing completely ignore convention and ask straight for his demands?

Could it be.

This fellow held not an ounce of curiosity about his situation?

Since Li Yuanjing had already put it that way, Chief Ma had no choice. He hastily cupped his hands again and said:

"Mr. Li is bold and generous. I would like... one thousand taels of silver! If I am fortunate enough to survive and return another day, I shall repay it tenfold!"

"One thousand taels of silver?"

Li Yuanjing furrowed his brow slightly.

Through Chief Ma's micro-expressions, he had basically confirmed that there was definitely something fishy going on!

For him to demand a thousand taels right off the bat was an exorbitant extortion!

However.

After only a moment's hesitation, Li Yuanjing replied:

"Very well!"

"Chief Ma is a hero of Fengcheng. Today, the fact that you remembered to seek out Li Yuanjing shows you hold me in high regard! Please rest here for a moment, Chief Ma, and I will go procure the silver for you immediately!"

With that, Li Yuanjing turned and strode out the door.

Inside the room, Chief Ma stared with his eyes wide open, utterly speechless.

What on earth is wrong with this Li Yuanjing?

Is he a fool?

He hands over whatever amount is asked without even trying to bargain?

Before long.

Li Yuanjing returned to the reception hall, directly handing a small parcel into Chief Ma's hands along with a few dozen taels of broken silver:

"Chief Ma, please forgive this student. Recently, my expenses have been quite heavy, and I was one banknote short of the full amount, so I made up the difference with broken silver. Please count it. Exactly one thousand taels, not a single coin short."

"This..."

Chief Ma hurriedly opened the parcel to check the contents.

Shortly after.

He cast a somewhat complex look at Li Yuanjing:

"Mr. Li is truly magnanimous. I shall forever engrave the great kindness you have shown to me and my brothers in my heart! One day, I will repay it tenfold!"

Having said that, he wasted no more time and hurried away.

...

As soon as Chief Ma vanished into the distance, a slight curve tugged at the corner of Li Yuanjing's mouth.

"Master, Master, what on earth are you thinking? That fellow surnamed Ma is clearly here to swindle silver. How could you actually..."

At that moment, Zhao Zengjin rushed in, looking deeply distressed. He wanted to utter harsh words but didn't dare, and could only beat his chest in anguish.

He had been eavesdropping outside the window the entire time, so he naturally understood every detail of what had transpired.

"Swindling silver?"

Li Yuanjing couldn't help but laugh out loud:

"If he wants to swindle it, let him. Without this little bit of silver, we won't starve."

"But..."

Zhao Zengjin wanted to say more, but Li Yuanjing interrupted him with a piercing, controlled gaze:

"Old Zhao, I understand what you mean, but in life, our vision must be long-term! Have you ever heard the story of buying horse bones for a thousand gold? Besides, no one has ever been able to pocket Li Yuanjing's silver and get away with it!"

"This..."

Zhao Zengjin was momentarily dazed, completely unable to keep up with Li Yuanjing's train of thought.

...

"Hahaha, Chief, everyone always says how shrewd and cunning this Li Yuanjing is. In my eyes, he's just a giant fool, a veritable boy bringing wealth! Hahaha, we took a little jog and got our hands on a thousand taels of silver just like that."

"Yeah, yeah, Chief, this silver came way too easily. Why don't we head over to the kiln town in Pengmeng near Yishui and have a good time, hehe..."

As soon as Chief Ma's entourage left the vicinity of Quanzi Village, his close retainers were ecstatic, howling with glee.

"Shut your traps, all of you!"

However.

Despite obtaining a thousand taels of silver so effortlessly, Chief Ma felt not an ounce of joy; instead, his expression was grave indeed!

Seeing the chief's demeanor, the retainers immediately fell silent, terrified of drawing his ire.

Noticing that they had behaved themselves, Chief Ma let out a long breath and narrowed his aging eyes.

Before meeting Li Yuanjing today, he had always assumed that Li Yuanjing was merely a sycophantic petty man incapable of achieving anything significant.

Yet...

Upon truly meeting him today...

Chief Ma abruptly realized that things were apparently not quite as he thought.

Although, for various reasons, his exchange with Li Yuanjing had been brief, Li Yuanjing's concise speech—and above all, his genuine sincerity—had left an immensely deep impression on Chief Ma!

As a veteran river-runner who made his living by licking blood off the blade's edge, Chief Ma could not possibly have survived until now purely on luck!

He understood the principle of the "clever hare having three burrows" all too well.

In this world, a person must always leave himself a way out!

Take today, for instance.

His motives for seeking out Li Yuanjing were indeed impure, but Li Yuanjing's conduct was so flawless that even an old blade like him could find no fault in it.

And could he, Chief Ma, really remain unscathed for the rest of his life, as his underlings flattered him into believing?

At the thought, Chief Ma suddenly shook his head with a bitter smile!

In the chaotic turmoil of Fengcheng, he might have seemed to successfully preserve himself by avoiding involvement in the mess.

Yet!

Only he himself knew what role he had played in this ordeal!

Feng Wu, the third chieftain of the Boshanshan Gang, known as "The Beam-Holder"; Zhao Baitiao, the seventh chieftain known as "The Dragon Crossing the River"; and even Zhang Kewang, the second chieftain known as "The Single Wall"!

Was there a single one of them he hadn't pulled strings for and dragged into the mess through every means possible?

The only reason he was safe for now was because he had maintained a careful balance among all factions, and the supreme leader of the Boshanshan Gang was currently away, meaning their people hadn't reacted yet!

Once those mad dogs of the Boshanshan Gang caught wind of it...

Chief Ma didn't even dare to imagine the consequences.

After a moment.

Chief Ma clenched his teeth, as if having made up his mind, and barked:

"Old Ba, go to Tiuniu Town immediately and tell that fellow surnamed Xue that my health is failing and I won't be meddling in his affairs anymore!"

"Uh, understood!"

Although Old Ba didn't understand what the chief meant, how dared he disobey? He hastily acknowledged the order, whipped his horse, and galloped wildly toward Tiuniu Town.

"Giddyup, giddyup!"

Chief Ma whipped his own mount and rode at full speed straight toward his lair in Lengshan.

Upon returning to Lengshan, Chief Ma promptly dismissed his attendants, opened his large treasure chest, and ordered his most beloved younger son, Ma Tian, to be summoned.

"Father."

Ma Tian was only seventeen or eighteen years old, already possessing a handsome appearance and a sharp, spirited demeanor. He hurried over and bowed respectfully to Chief Ma.

The moment Chief Ma looked at his treasured son, his gaze softened considerably.

After a moment of contemplation.

Resisting the sharp pang of reluctance in his heart, he retrieved three thousand taels in banknotes and five hundred taels of gleaming gold from his large chest, and handed them to Ma Tian with a wince of pain:

"Tian'er, take your trusted men right now, bypass the front via the back mountain trail, rush to Quanzi Village, and deliver these items to that Li Yuanjing!"

"Also, tell him: Beware of Tiuniu Town!"

"Remember, you must handle this personally. Absolutely no one else must find out, understand?!"