Chapter 31: Twelve Taels and Seven Mace of Silver!

"What are you doing? Are you trying to force your way into someone's home so early in the morning?!"

"Filthy mongrel, get out of the way! Or I'll kill you!"

"They're hitting people, they're hitting people! The Xue family is beating us! Help, help..."

The next morning.

Li Yuanjing had just fallen asleep after staying up most of the night drafting plans, when the fierce quarrel outside jolted him awake.

"Brother..."

Yuniang, terrified, immediately burrowed into Li Yuanjing's arms, her beautiful eyes filled with panic.

Despite Li Yuanjing's many attempts to comfort her the previous night, she still hadn't recovered from the shock of Hou Wu and the others' deaths.

"Don't be afraid, little one. Your brother is here."

Li Yuanjing's brow furrowed tightly as he pressed a kiss to Yuniang's cheek, then quickly rose to dress.

How long had peace lasted? Why was trouble already knocking at his door again?

He dressed swiftly, tucked a hatchet into his waistband, and hurried outside. Only then did Yuniang gather herself, rushing to put on her clothes as well. She couldn't let her brother suffer alone.

As Li Yuanjing stepped into the courtyard, he saw dozens of people gathered outside his gate, split into two distinct factions.

On one side were about a dozen villagers from Quanzi Village, led by Zhao Zengjin; on the other, a group of fierce household servants surrounding Xue An.

Villagers wielded pickaxe handles and hoes, while Xue An's men brandished knives—the tension was palpable, and violence seemed imminent.

Li Yuanjing was startled, rushing forward and shouting,

"What’s going on? What are you doing?!"

"Master, Master, you’re here," Zhao Zengjin exclaimed, visibly relieved. "Master, I came early to await your instructions, but Xue An and his men arrived and tried to break down your door. When I stopped them, they attacked, and the villagers came to help!"

Li Yuanjing quickly grasped the situation and felt a surge of exhilaration. The loyalty shown by Zhao Zengjin and the villagers’ swift support proved that his efforts these past days had not been in vain. The villagers’ trust in him had grown.

Yet Li Yuanjing kept his excitement hidden. Given the tense standoff, things could easily spiral out of control—someone might even die.

He barked,

"Third Master Xue, what is the meaning of this? Storming in with such aggression at dawn—do you not respect the law?"

"Hmph," Xue An sneered, glancing at Li Yuanjing with contempt. "Li, spare me your useless talk! You know perfectly well why I’m here today!"

"Pay up!"

"Today, you must return the funeral loan my master lent you, principal and interest—twelve taels and seven qian in total!"

"If you’re short by even a single copper, I’ll tear down your filthy shack!"

At Xue An’s words, his dozen servants stepped forward, knives gleaming, both fierce and triumphant.

Yet—

Zhao Zengjin and the others refused to back down, brandishing their hoes and pickaxes, shouting insults as they faced off against Xue An’s group.

Violence was imminent.

Even Li Yuanjing, who was accustomed to grand scenes in his previous life, was startled by the villagers' ferocity. But his heart stirred with excitement—these people could be rallied like soldiers.

Still, the situation was too volatile to escalate. Li Yuanjing quickly called for Zhao Zengjin and the others to retreat, then addressed Xue An with a cold smile:

"Steward Xue, the promissory note clearly states repayment is due on the fifth! Today is only the thirtieth—what debt are you here to collect?"

"Moreover," he continued, "I only borrowed four taels from your benevolent master. Even with the 'nine out, thirteen back' calculation, I owe six taels and five qian at most! Where does twelve taels and seven qian come from?"

"Is there no limit to your bullying?"

"Hmph!"

"You, Li, what good are your clever words? In Tieniu Town and the surrounding villages, my master’s word is law! The accounts are settled as he pleases!"

"Now!"

"Either pay up, or wait while I tear down your filthy shack!"

"If you dare incite these unruly peasants to resist—"

"Hmph!"

"Then don’t blame me for being ruthless! I’ll report to my master, and he’ll send soldiers to wipe out you unruly peasants!"

"You horse-faced Xue bastard, try it if you dare! If I die, I'll drag you down with me!"

"Dog bastard! You’re just a dog of the Xue family, don’t think you’re something special! Lay a finger on Scholar Li, and I’ll cut you down right now!"

"Cut down these donkey-faced..."

As Xue An’s threats rang out, Zhao Zengjin and the villagers erupted, some so enraged they swung their hoes at Xue An and his men.

After so many years, the villagers had suffered enough from the Xue family’s usurious loans. Now that Xue An had singled out Li Yuanjing, the rising figure among them, it was like stirring a hornet’s nest.

Shouts and cries for battle filled the air.

In an instant, chaos erupted, and the situation threatened to spiral out of control.

Though Li Yuanjing loathed Xue An and his men, eager to teach them a lesson, he would not act rashly now.

After all, their influence was on entirely different levels.

If things got out of hand, as Xue An said, the authorities would never side with Li Yuanjing and the villagers; they would favor Xue An and his master.

If that old Xue spent a little silver, the authorities might really send troops to suppress Quanzi Village!

"Stop!"

"Everyone, stop!"

"Zhao Zengjin, are you ignoring my orders? Quickly, lead the villagers back!"

In the critical moment, Li Yuanjing didn’t have time to think, shouting urgently at the top of his lungs.

"Master, these dog bastards have gone too far..." Zhao Zengjin was clearly unwilling, but dared not defy Li Yuanjing, and hurriedly led the villagers back.

"Hahaha!"

Xue An and his men burst into wild laughter.

Xue An looked at Li Yuanjing as if he were trash, sneering,

"With you penniless riffraff, you think you can challenge my master, challenge me? Try again in your next life!"

"Hahaha..."

Xue An’s followers laughed even harder.

Zhao Zengjin and his group could only grit their teeth in frustration, unable to respond.

Power speaks louder than words—what else could they do?

Li Yuanjing narrowed his eyes, his mind growing sharper.

He had previously thought Hou Wu’s night raid was orchestrated by Xue An, but now it was clear the old Xue himself was plotting from behind the scenes.

"Yuanjing, are you all right? Did you suffer any losses?"

At that moment,

Dozens more villagers, armed with hoes and clubs, rushed up from the hillside.

The leader, an old man wielding a formal saber, called out with reddened eyes.

Who else but the old village chief?

Seeing him arrive, Zhao Zengjin and the others found their backbone, quickly recounting the events to the old chief.

Li Yuanjing breathed a little easier.

With the old chief present, even if they suffered some losses, the situation wouldn’t spiral into chaos and lead to irreparable consequences.

Inwardly, Li Yuanjing clenched his teeth.

Today, these twelve taels and seven qian would be spent as buying a coffin for that old Xue!

It wouldn’t be long—

Li Yuanjing swore to reclaim it a hundred, a thousand times over!

Just as Li Yuanjing was about to settle the matter with silver, to stabilize the situation,

A commotion erupted at the edge of the crowd.

A familiar, commanding voice barked,

"What’s going on? Why are you all gathered here? Are you trying to revolt?!"