madnovel Chapter 19 Willfulness
Chapter 19 Willfulness
It was evening, and the air was still warm. The glow of the setting sun shone down on the steps.
The two constables stood in the glow of the sunset, their faces not being clearly discernible.
A group of apprentices gathered around, few whispering among themselves, most scrutinizing Meng Chen and the two constables.
The martial arts school's doors were wide open, and people along the street peered out. Among them were a few people in training uniforms, presumably fellow martial arts enthusiasts who had come to join the fun.
The two constables were both in their forties, and seeing the group of apprentices surrounding them, they couldn't help but feel a little flustered. Although they were officials, their skills were actually quite ordinary, and they had only entered the first realm.
Du Zhong stood up, took two steps forward, his face ashen, devoid of his usual gentleness and kindness. He simply clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Officer Xue, Officer Dong, I apologize for not welcoming you properly."
"I wouldn't dare accept that," Officer Xue returned the greeting with clasped hands, saying, "Teacher Du, we're not here for you, we're here to apprehend the suspect Meng Chen."
"So it was to apprehend a suspect." Du Zhong laughed and said, "I was quite startled. I thought that an expert had seen through my meager skills and was coming to challenge me."
Upon hearing this, the expression on Constable Dong's face changed. He turned his head, trying to look at Gao Yuan in the crowd, but Gao Yuan did not meet his gaze.
It was the same old constable Xue who quickly bowed again, saying, "Teacher Du, if your skills are so meager, then we have even less to say! Last year, when Teacher Du opened his school, even the Zhengxin Martial Arts School sent a congratulatory gift; I saw it with my own eyes!"
Du Zhong waved his hand, seemingly impatient, "I wonder what crime my apprentice has committed?"
Seeing that Du Zhong was displeased, Constable Xue became even more respectful. He knew that Du Zhong had been a bodyguard before, was acquainted with Li Limu of the workshop, and was also a martial artist of the second realm.
The second realm may not seem high, but most martial artists spend their entire lives stuck in the first realm. Reaching the second realm is already quite an achievement, let alone Du Zhong, who has already passed the third level of the second realm and is on par with Gao Dianshi.
This level of skill, while not the highest in the entire Qingshui County, is certainly not low either. Even without running a martial arts school, one could still live a life of luxury. Of course, compared to someone like Yan Long, one is far inferior, but within this county, one has influence in both the legitimate and underworld circles.
Officer Xue was a martial artist who had passed the imperial examinations. He could easily bully ordinary people, but he was also afraid when facing someone who was truly capable. After all, they were all just trying to make a living, and it was better to make friends than enemies.
Turning his head to glance at Gao Yuan in the crowd, Officer Xue suppressed his headache. After all, he made his living under Gao Dianshi, so he smiled amicably and said, "Teacher Du, we suspect that Meng Chen harmed Yan Bao, the third son of the Yan family."
Du Zhong frowned upon hearing this.
Du Ren couldn't help but laugh out loud, saying, "Yan Hu and Yan Bao died on the same night. Yan Hu had his head chopped off, and all his personal guards were beaten to a pulp, but we didn't even see a shadow of the assassin. Officer Xue, I remember you're someone who's passed through two checkpoints, someone who's seen the world. That assassin's skills were probably even greater than my father's! And now you're saying it was this peasant boy who did it?"
Constable Xue hurriedly said, "Clerk Gao said that the person who killed Yan Hu and the person who killed Yan Bao are very likely not the same person. It might be another enemy who killed Yan Bao."
Standing beside Du Ren, Meng Chen heard these words and felt that this Clerk Gao was capable.
But Du Ren disagreed, laughing, "The Yan family certainly has a lot of enemies. The very people who assassinated the Yan brothers, Yan Hu and Yan Bao, managed to strike on the same night!"
Officer Xue gave an awkward smile, "Who can say for sure about such things?"
"Then what evidence do you have that my disciple did this?" Du Ren asked again.
"Five or six days before the incident, Meng Chen and Yan Bao had a dispute," said Constable Xue.
"What caused the argument?" Du Ren asked again.
"Well..." Officer Xue chuckled awkwardly, but seeing the unpleasant look on Du Zhong's face, he continued, "It was Yan Bao who took back the six acres of land that Meng Chen owed him."
"Owes?" Du Zhong couldn't help but laugh. "I understand, they forcibly seized six acres of land."
Du Zhong looked at Meng Chen and asked, "Tell me the story behind this."
There's not much to say about that, so Meng Chen immediately explained the whole story.
After listening, Du Ren laughed and said, "Isn't this just the Yan brothers, Yan Hu and Yan Bao, conspiring to bully the weak, forcibly seizing someone's last six acres of land, and trying to force them to become tenant farmers!"
Officer Xue smiled helplessly and said, "We have the IOU and other documents, so this doesn't count as robbery."
"That doesn't mean we can conclude that Meng Chen is the murderer, does it?" Du Ren shook his head. He looked Meng Chen over, then looked at Constable Xue and said, "The Yan family used to only have fifty or sixty mu of land, but now they have three or four thousand mu, right? In the vicinity of Daze Township, there are at least three hundred to five hundred families who have grudges against the Yan family over land. Does that mean they are all suspects?"
"Haven't we checked them all one by one?" Constable Xue said with a forced smile. "Besides, how can a farmer's son who's lost his land afford to learn martial arts?"
The Du family father and son, along with a group of apprentices, looked at Meng Chen.
Meng Chen looked at Constable Xue and said, "I borrowed twenty taels from my neighbor, and the village head is the witness."
"What kind of neighbor is so kind? Daring to lend you twenty taels?" Du Ren couldn't help but ask curiously.
Meng Chen could only tell him about Old Chen's borrowing of money, but he didn't mention that if he couldn't pay it back, he would have to go back to farming and raising grass carp.
After Meng Chen finished speaking briefly, Du Zhong looked at Constable Xue and said, "Since Constable Xue has come to inquire, he must have already asked around in Niujia Village. Is the loan matter true?"
"That is indeed the case." Officer Xue chuckled, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "However, since we're out on a case, we still need to check Meng Chen's belongings."
Du Zhong stood with his hands behind his back, his face growing increasingly gloomy, but he finally nodded to Du Ren.
"Please!" Du Ren stepped forward and arrived at Meng Chen's bedroom, followed by the two constables, Xue and Dong.
Soon, Constable Xue came out with a bundle, opened it in front of everyone, and found a pair of straw sandals, an old hemp garment, six taels of silver, and a dozen copper coins.
"I remember your esteemed institution charges ten taels for tuition, but Meng Chen only has twenty taels. How come you still have six taels on you?" Constable Xue asked.
"He was recommended by Li Xiangsheng, and with Li Xiangsheng as his guarantor, I've allowed him to temporarily pay 70% of the silver. What? Do you want to look through my family's account books?" Du Ren said coldly.
Upon hearing Li Xiang-sheng's name, Constable Xue's expression changed again, and he forced a smile, saying, "I wouldn't dare. Meng Chen is probably innocent."
At this point, Officer Xue glanced back at Gao Yuan, then changed the subject, saying, "But we still have to take him back for questioning. If he's truly innocent, we won't wrong an innocent person, and he'll be released in three to five days."
If you get arrested and interrogated for three to five days, even if you don't die, you'll be skinned alive.
Meng Chen remained silent. He knew that the two constables, Xue and Dong, had not found anything at all; they were merely using Yan Bao's death as an excuse to cause him trouble.
This was a huge problem for him, like the sky had fallen, but it was just a little whims of the son of the scribe.
After killing Yan Bao, Meng Chen believed he had escaped the cage of the fields, but one cage after another appeared in this world, and he was still not on his feet, his fists not strong enough.
As darkness fell, the evening glow faded, almost obscured by the night.
Meng Chen remained silent, and Du Zhong and Du Ren were expressionless and also did not utter a word.
Sure enough, just as Constable Xue took a step forward, Gao Yuan stepped out from the crowd.
"Officer Xue, since you are arresting criminals, do you have arrest warrants?" Gao Yuan asked curiously.
"I came in a hurry, I'll make it up tomorrow." Constable Xue said seriously, "Young master, it's best if you don't get involved in this kind of thing."
"What do you mean I should stay out of this?" Gao Yuan frowned, his hands behind his back, and said, "Meng Chen is my fellow disciple. He's in trouble, so it's my duty to help. Since you don't have the proper documentation, you can't take him away."
"This..." Constable Xue looked troubled.
"If Clerk Li can vouch for his coming to the martial arts school, then I can vouch for his innocence." Gao Yuan knew that taking Meng Chen away would severely offend the Du family and Li Xiang Sheng. He took out a few silver ingots from his pocket and stuffed them into Constable Xue's hand, saying, "Constable Xue, Constable Dong, please go back and investigate thoroughly. I believe Junior Brother Meng is innocent. If he has indeed committed a crime, then you might as well arrest me as well; I will have no objections!"
"Young master, you are so generous!" Officer Xue accepted the money and also took Meng Chen's six taels of silver.
Gao Yuan said a few more polite words, and sure enough, Officer Xue stopped pursuing the matter.
"Perhaps it's a misunderstanding. Let's go back and investigate further." Officer Xue then looked at Meng Chen and said sternly, "If it weren't for Young Master Gao vouching for you, you would have been thrown into jail long ago!" After saying that, he bowed to Du Zhong and said, "I'm sorry to have bothered you, Teacher Du. Farewell."
"Du Ren, go see them off." Du Zhong said indifferently, as if he didn't care.
"Please go ahead," Du Ren said somewhat lazily.
The martial arts school's doors were wide open, attracting a large crowd of onlookers, including neighbors and fellow martial arts practitioners.
"Du Ren, I heard that your killing of Yan Hu has been exposed?" someone asked with a smile.
"I think he seduced Yan Hu's widow..." someone joked, but was immediately covered up.
"Get out! Get out!" Du Ren said irritably. He looked at the footprints on the door but didn't wipe them away. He just closed the door.
The courtyard was very quiet, and none of the apprentices spoke.
"Send it away! Send it away!" Du Ren said impatiently, waving his arms forward as if shooing away chicks.
Back in the lobby, Du Ren took a sip of herbal tea and poured another cup for Du Zhong.
"Junior brother, with me protecting you from now on, they will never bother you again." Gao Yuan smiled and nodded at Meng Chen, then looked at Du Zhong and his son.
But he saw that Master Du, who was always gentle and kind to him, was expressionless and extremely indifferent.
Meanwhile, the usually unpretentious senior brother stroked his chin, his eyes equally cold.
"Master Du, I heard that Master Yan's eldest grandson has arrived. He also studies martial arts. We should go see him sometime..." Gao Yuan hadn't finished speaking when Du Zhong raised his hand to interrupt him.
"I dare not call myself a teacher," Du Zhong said, pressing his teacup with utter indifference. "I must thank Young Master Gao for his intervention today; otherwise, I, a mere commoner, would never have dared to fight against an official."