So You're the Fucking One Called Sasaki?

Scholar and the others stared at the stack of banknotes on the table, their jaws nearly hitting the floor. When they looked up, Shen Qing seemed to be radiating boundless light.

At that moment, they had only one thought: they would die for Shen Qing.

Everyone felt parched. "My lord... isn't this too valuable...?"

Shen Qing waved a hand dismissively. "Quit dawdling. If I tell you to buy them, then buy them. Don't leave me a single tael, or I'll beat you up."

Even though Shen Qing said that, not one of Scholar and the others reached out.

This was three thousand taels of silver. Even selling their lives would not be enough to cover the fraction of it.

Shen Qing grabbed the banknotes and stuffed them straight into Scholar's hands.

"Are you women? Why are you all so slow and fussy? Scholar, hold on to it. You're clever, so don't let them fleece you. Get going already!"

As he spoke, Shen Qing shoved them out of the courtyard.

After they left, Shen Qing lay back in a drunkard's chair nearby and began cracking the sunflower seeds Scholar and the others had bought. Mm, five-spice flavor.

Sunlight spilled down. Listening to the faint sounds of laughter and play outside the courtyard, cracking sunflower seeds, and feeling the warmth brought by the sun—

The corners of Shen Qing's mouth curled upward. This was the ordinary life: the post of Hundred Households Officer, an enormous backer, and more silver than he could ever spend.

After some time, Fang Ming entered the courtyard and spoke quietly.

"My lord, someone is looking for you outside the Hundred Households Office."

Shen Qing opened his eyes. "Someone's looking for me?"

"Yes. He calls himself Ding Yi, and he says he's a thief."

"A thief?"

Fang Ming scratched the back of his head. "It is strange, but he really said he's a thief. He says he has something extremely important to tell you, my lord."

A strange feeling immediately rose in Shen Qing's heart. Had this world gone mad?

A thief looking for the Imperial Guards? How was that any different from a mouse seeking out a cat?

Shen Qing got up and brushed the sunflower seed shells from his clothes.

"Then let's go see him. Let me see what this is about."

The two crossed the courtyard and arrived at the main hall of the Hundred Households Office.

A man in his thirties knelt in the middle of the hall, while more than a dozen Imperial Guards watched him like hawks.

Ding Yi knelt on the ground, cold sweat pouring from his forehead.

Suddenly, the Imperial Guards all shifted their gazes and shouted.

"Greetings, Lord Shen!"

Ding Yi turned his head and saw Shen Qing. At the same time, shock filled his heart. Over the past few days, he had heard that the new Hundred Households Officer of the western district was very young, but upon seeing him, he realized Shen Qing was far younger than he had imagined.

Shen Qing sat in the official's chair in the main hall.

"You are Ding Yi?"

Ding Yi hurriedly cupped his fists in salute. "This lowly one is Ding Yi."

"I hear you're a thief."

He lowered his head and said nothing.

"What business do you have with this Hundred Households Officer?"

Ding Yi seemed to recall something, and a trace of lingering fear appeared in his eyes.

"My lord, this is what happened. A few brothers and I were scouting a courtyard. Yesterday, several carriages delivered ten chests inside. We thought they were treasures, so we made our move last night. But after finding the chests, we discovered they were all soybean seeds."

The Imperial Guards around them were somewhat puzzled. Soybean seeds?

Ding Yi quickly explained, "Reporting to you, my lord, soybean seeds themselves are nothing unusual. But this lowly one believes those two men were not from the Great Wu Dynasty. They were Japanese pirates."

"One of them called the other Lord Sasaki."

The moment those words were spoken, the main hall erupted into discussion. East of Yongning Commandery lay Jiashui Commandery, and farther east was East Sea Commandery. That was the coastal region, the place Japanese pirates harassed year after year. Therefore, most Imperial Guards here knew little about the Japanese pirates.

But the instant Shen Qing heard that name, he was certain. This bastard was a Japanese pirate.

Ding Yi pulled two yellow beans from his pocket.

"My lord, I also brought back two beans. My lord, would you like to take a look?"

Fang Ming took the beans and handed them to Shen Qing. Shen Qing examined them for a few moments, then tossed one directly into his mouth.

Very quickly, the red trait, Innate Poison Body, activated. That proved one thing: these beans were indeed poisonous.

However, the poison was very weak. In an instant, it was broken down by the Innate Poison Body. Shen Qing could only vaguely sense that it seemed to be some sort of suppressive, but nonlethal, poison.

Shen Qing gradually understood what this group of Japanese pirates intended to do.

Three days later would be the Autumn Harvest Festival. During the festival, some merchants would sell seeds at low prices in response to the prayers for blessings. That was also why commoners from the surrounding villages and counties came to attend the Autumn Harvest Festival: to buy cheap seeds.

These Japanese pirates were likely planning to use that opportunity to sell poisoned seeds.

Shen Qing tossed the remaining bean to Fang Ming.

"Take the seeds to the Shennong Institute and have someone identify them."

Fang Ming took the seeds and hurried out of the main hall.

Shen Qing rose and walked over to Ding Yi.

"You just said that several brothers of yours were scouting the place. That means you have a few brothers, doesn't it?"

Cold sweat seeped from Ding Yi's forehead, and his mouth went dry.

"My lord, we're only petty thieves, doing a little stealing here and there. In light of this lowly one's merit in reporting this, if punishment is needed, punish this lowly one. Please do not make things difficult for..."

Shen Qing directly cut Ding Yi off and helped him to his feet.

"What are you talking about? When were you ever a thief? Aren't you this official's planted informant?"

"If those people truly are Japanese pirates, then the merit book will have an entry for you brothers."

"Now lead the way. Take me to that residence!"

With that, Shen Qing strode out of the main hall of the Hundred Households Office. The Imperial Guards on both sides did not hesitate in the slightest. They gripped their blades and followed tightly behind Shen Qing.

Ding Yi froze where he stood for a moment, then an enormous look of joy appeared on his face. After a brief crash, his mind quickly restarted.

Weren't Shen Qing's words just now saying that he would let their past mistakes be bygones and even record a merit for them?

With this merit, things would be completely different. The three brothers might no longer need to be thieves.

Ding Yi quickly lengthened his stride and caught up to Shen Qing.

Ahead of them, faint anger burned in Shen Qing's eyes. No matter where they were, these Japanese pirates always had to stir up trouble?

And they dared make trouble in his territory?

Today, Huang Manor was especially lively. Huang Fu, the Sacrificial Officer, had invited several friends to visit his residence.

It was a small private gathering, and those attending were mostly Huang Fu's relatives and close friends.

Huang Fu was whispering with someone in a corner.

The man was short and stocky. His alias was Huang Min, and he spoke in a stiff, halting manner.

"Huang Fu, how is your situation... progressing?"

Huang Fu respectfully bowed. "Reporting to you, my lord, everything is proceeding smoothly. At the Autumn Harvest Festival three days from now, we will certainly be able to sell these seeds to the surrounding villages and counties near Luoshui City."

A crazed smile appeared in Huang Min's eyes as he forcefully patted Huang Fu on the shoulder. "Good, good, good! Well done. The Empire will not forget your achievements. You will certainly receive generous rewards."

"Once this succeeds, over the next ten or a hundred years, we will surely shake the foundations of Yongning Commandery and shake the foundations of the Wu Dynasty."

"This fertile land will belong to us sooner or later!"

Huang Fu's eyes were filled with excitement. This plan had proceeded smoothly without drawing the notice of any officials, and his superior, Huang Min, a sixth-rank Xiantian Realm expert, had also come to Luoshui City.

He had only one thought in his heart.

This was in the bag.

Just then, a burst of commotion arose inside the house. Quite a few people stood and greeted the old man entering through the door.

Huang Fu straightened his clothes and strode toward the old man, respectfully supporting his arm.

"Father-in-law, you've arrived."

The newcomer was Huang Fu's father-in-law, Zhang Zhu, Luoshui City's Principal Sixth Rank Prefectural Judge.

Zhang Zhu stroked his beard, his gaze toward Huang Fu brimming with satisfaction. "Oh, isn't this our Sacrificial Officer Huang?"

Huang Fu smiled bashfully. "It is all thanks to Father-in-law's blessings."

Zhang Zhu was Luoshui City's Prefectural Judge, so naturally there was no shortage of people eager to flatter him.

"Sacrificial Officer Huang, Lord Zhang is of course blessed by heaven, but becoming Sacrificial Officer also proves your own abilities!"

The surrounding crowd echoed their agreement, and the room immediately filled with laughter.

Just then, the courtyard gate was kicked open with a single blow.

Quite a few people looked displeased and turned to curse, but before they could even make a sound, they silently lowered their heads.

Shen Qing strode into Huang Manor, with Ding Yi following closely at his side.

Ding Yi's gaze swept wildly across the courtyard, then his finger suddenly pointed at Huang Fu.

"My lord! My lord! It's him!"

Shen Qing's eyes were filled with contempt.

"So you're the fucking one called Sasaki?"