Just Call Me Sasaki

The scholar and the others stared at the stack of banknotes on the table, their mouths agape. When they looked up, Shen Qing seemed to be radiating a blinding light.

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

Everyone felt their throats go dry. "Sir... isn't this too valuable..."

Shen Qing waved his hand dismissively. "Stop dawdling. Buy what I told you to buy, and don't leave any silver behind, or I'll beat you."

Even though Shen Qing said this, none of the scholars dared to reach out.

This was three thousand taels of silver. They couldn't even make a dent in it if they sold their lives.

Shen Qing directly grabbed the banknotes and stuffed them into the scholar's hand.

"Are you ladies? So indecisive. Scholar, you take it. Be smart and don't let them swindle you. Hurry up and go!"

With that, Shen Qing pushed them out of the courtyard.

After they left, Shen Qing lay on a reclining chair nearby, cracking the melon seeds the scholar had bought. Mmm, five-spice flavor.

Sunlight streamed down. Listening to the faint sounds of revelry from outside the courtyard, cracking melon seeds, and feeling the warmth of the sun.

Shen Qing's lips curved slightly. This was the life of an ordinary person: a Centurion official position, a powerful background, and endless money.

After an unknown amount of time, Fang Ming walked into the courtyard and said softly.

"Sir, 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. He says he's a thief."

"A thief?"

Fang Ming scratched the back of his head. "It's strange, but he really said he's a thief. He said he has something very important to discuss with you, sir."

A strange feeling suddenly welled up in Shen Qing's heart. Had the world gone mad?

A thief looking for an Imperial Guard? What's the difference between that and a mouse looking for a cat?

Shen Qing stood up and brushed the melon seed shells off his clothes.

"Then let's meet him. I want to see what this is all about."

The two walked through the courtyard and arrived at the public hall of the Hundred Households Office.

A man in his thirties knelt in the hall, while more than a dozen Imperial Guards stared intently at him.

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

Suddenly, the Imperial Guards shifted their gaze and shouted in unison.

"Greetings, Lord Shen!"

Ding Yi turned his head and saw Shen Qing. At the same time, he was shocked. He had heard in the past few days that the new Centurion in the west city was very young, but seeing him now, Shen Qing was far younger than he had imagined.

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

"You are Ding Yi?"

Ding Yi quickly cupped his fists in greeting. "This humble one is indeed Ding Yi."

"I heard you are a thief."

He lowered his head and remained silent.

"What business do you have with me, this Centurion?"

Ding Yi seemed to recall something, a flicker of fear in his eyes.

"Sir, the situation is like this. My brothers and I scouted a courtyard. Yesterday, several carriages delivered ten boxes into it. We thought it was treasure, so we made our move last night. When we found the boxes, we discovered they were all filled with soybean seeds."

The surrounding Imperial Guards looked confused. Soybean seeds?

Ding Yi quickly explained, "Reporting to you, sir, soybean seeds are nothing unusual. But I believe those two people were not from the Great Wu Dynasty, but were Japanese pirates."

"One of them called the other 'Lord Sasaki'."

As soon as this was said, the hall erupted in discussion. Yongning Commandery was east of Jiashui Commandery, and further east was Donghai Commandery. That was the coastal area, where Japanese pirates frequently raided. Therefore, most of the Imperial Guards here knew nothing about Japanese pirates.

But as soon as Shen Qing heard the name, he was certain. This guy was a Japanese pirate.

Ding Yi took two yellow beans out of his pocket.

"Sir, I also brought back two beans. Sir, would you like to see them?"

Fang Ming took the beans and handed them to Shen Qing. Shen Qing examined them for a moment before popping one into his mouth.

Soon, the red trait "Xiantian Poison Body" activated, indicating one thing: these beans were indeed poisonous.

However, the toxicity was very weak. It was decomposed by the Xiantian Poison Body in an instant. Shen Qing could only vaguely sense that it seemed to be a type of poison that had some suppressive, but not fatal, effect.

Shen Qing gradually understood what these Japanese pirates were trying to do.

In three days, it would be the Autumn Harvest Festival. During the festival, some merchants would sell seeds at low prices in response to the prayers for blessings. This was also why people from surrounding towns and villages came to participate in the Autumn Harvest Festival – to buy seeds at low prices.

These Japanese pirates were likely planning to take this opportunity to sell poisonous seeds.

Shen Qing threw the remaining bean to Fang Ming.

If you can't find the book title, you can try searching for the author, maybe they just changed their name!

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

Fang Ming held the seeds and strode out of the courtroom.

Shen Qing got up and walked to Ding Yi.

"You just said you and your brothers were casing the joint, so that means you have more brothers?"

Cold sweat broke out on Ding Yi's forehead, and his mouth felt dry.

"Sir, we're just petty thieves, pickpockets. Given my merit in reporting this, please punish me alone and don't make trouble for..."

Shen Qing interrupted Ding Yi directly and helped him up.

"What are you talking about? When did you become a thief? Aren't you an informant I planted?"

"If those people are really Japanese pirates, your brothers will be credited for it."

"Now, lead the way, take me to that manor!"

With that, Shen Qing strode out of the Hundred Households Office courtroom. The Imperial Guards on both sides, without the slightest hesitation, tightened their grip on their blades and followed closely behind Shen Qing.

Ding Yi froze in place for a moment, a look of immense joy appearing on his face. His brain, after a brief shutdown, quickly rebooted.

Didn't Shen Qing's words just mean that their past wrongdoings would be forgiven, and he would even be credited for this?

If he got this credit, things would be very different. The three brothers might not have to be thieves anymore.

Ding Yi quickly quickened his pace to catch up with Shen Qing.

Ahead, Shen Qing's eyes held a hidden rage. No matter where it was, these Japanese pirates had to cause trouble?

And causing trouble in his jurisdiction?

Damn it.

Sneaking into the King of Hell's palace in the middle of the night.

They came looking for death!!

Today, the Huang Manor was exceptionally lively. The sacrificial official Huang Fu had invited some friends to his manor as guests.

It was a private, small gathering, attended mostly by Huang Fu's friends and family.

Huang Fu was whispering with someone in a corner.

This person was a short man, using the alias Huang Min, and spoke in a stiff language.

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

Huang Fu bowed respectfully. "Reporting to you, sir, everything is proceeding smoothly. We will be able to sell these seeds to the surrounding counties and towns of Luoshui City during the autumn harvest sacrifice in three days."

A manic smile flashed in Huang Min's eyes. He patted Huang Fu's shoulder forcefully. "Good, good! Well done. The empire will not forget your merits, and you will certainly be rewarded handsomely."

"With this success, in ten or a hundred years, it will surely shake the foundation of Yongning Commandery, shake the foundation of the Great 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 attracting the attention of any official personnel, and his superior, a sixth-rank expert in the Xiantian Realm, 'Huang Min,' had even come to Luoshui City.

He had only one thought in his mind.

This was a sure thing.

Just then, a commotion erupted from inside the house. Many people stood up and bowed to an elder entering the room.

Huang Fu tidied his clothes and strode towards the elder, respectfully supporting his arm.

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

The newcomer was Huang Fu's father-in-law, Zhang Zhu, who was also a sixth-rank official in Luoshui City, the Prefectural Judge.

Zhang Zhu stroked his beard, looking at Huang Fu with satisfaction. "Well, well, isn't this our sacrificial official Huang?"

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

As the Prefectural Judge of Luoshui City, Zhang Zhu naturally had no shortage of sycophants.

"Sacrificial Official Huang, Lord Zhang is certainly blessed with great fortune, but your appointment as sacrificial official is also due to your own abilities!"

The surrounding voices chimed in agreement, and the room was filled with laughter.

Just then, the courtyard gate was kicked open with a loud bang.

Many people frowned and turned to curse, but as soon as they opened their mouths, before any sound came out, they silently lowered their heads.

Shen Qing strode into the Huang Manor, with Ding Yi following closely beside him.

Ding Yi's gaze frantically swept across the courtyard, then he suddenly pointed at Huang Fu.

"Sir! Sir! It's him!"

Shen Qing's eyes were filled with contempt.

"Are you the damn Sasaki?"