Officials Are Slippery and Vile, Lending a Hand

"Stop blabbering!"

Huzi let out a fierce roar, the flesh on his face twitching, immediately cutting off the words Gao Cheng was about to say.

"The County Governor has long been aware of the Mingzun Cult's scoundrels loitering in the streets with malicious intent. He specifically arranged for us to track them down, and we finally apprehended them all this morning."

"You claim innocence? They were caught right below the Dharma platform. How can you possibly quibble?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Cheng's heart sank.

He blamed his wife for not listening to his advice, having told her long ago not to get involved with those Mingzun Cult members. He never expected that after she had agreed so readily when Li Cunxiao was around, she would end up in prison.

But on the other hand, he was also deeply worried about his wife's safety. Although his wife had a few minor flaws, she had followed him through thick and thin for so many years, given him Huzi, managed the household, and never wronged the Gao family in any way.

How could he possibly stand by and do nothing?

Although Gao Cheng was honest, he wasn't stupid. Among the two yamen runners, the one with the tattoo on his neck was clearly the leader. The other had been talking for a while, only mentioning that his wife had been arrested but not specifying the crime, just trying to scare him.

He immediately caught a clue and took out five qian of broken silver from his pocket, stuffing it into the other's hand.

"Please, Officer, be convenient and tell me, is the offense my wife committed serious?"

Of course, it wasn't serious.

Zhao Xiaoyi weighed the broken silver in his hand, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

When they went to arrest people that morning, it was true that the Gao family's wife was sitting below the Dharma platform, but not to listen to the lecture, but to snatch eggs.

When she was apprehended, she still clutched her basket tightly, which had amused Zhao Xiaoyi.

This arrest, in reality, apart from a few incense masters who were indeed Mingzun Cult scoundrels, the other twenty to thirty people were just common folk trying to get a bargain. They couldn't even recite the slogan "Mingzun's Advent" properly. What crime could they have committed?

But since they had been arrested, could they just let them go for nothing?

Impossible!

"Fifty taels."

"What?"

Gao Cheng thought he hadn't heard correctly. Zhao Xiaoyi held up five fingers and slowly said, "Your wife's matter can be big or small. If you gather fifty taels, I'll help you smooth things over upstairs, and she can be released."

"Fifty taels? Why don't you just rob me!"

Gao Cheng's anger flared instantly. His monthly salary was only three taels, and that was after Shopkeeper Sun had given him a raise a few days ago. Since getting married, the family's savings only amounted to twenty-odd taels.

Where was he going to find the remaining thirty taels!

"Think carefully before you speak," Zhao Xiaoyi's gaze turned dangerous.

He was standing near the main entrance of the house. At this moment, his ears twitched as if he heard something. The next moment, his right arm, encased in a black, narrow-sleeved, round-collared robe, suddenly became engorged with blood as if it were an iron hammer. The next instant, it slammed heavily onto the door, sending splinters of wood flying!

"Dad!"

A child's cry suddenly came from inside the house. Gao Cheng immediately rushed into the house without a second thought, scooping up the frightened Huzi into his arms.

"Gao, don't be uncooperative. I'm doing this for your own good."

"A day as husband and wife, a hundred days of grace. Even if you don't want your wife, don't you want a mother for your son?"

"I'll give you three days. Fifty taels of silver, not a penny less, to bring your wife home."

"Can't produce it? Then I'll have to investigate thoroughly what your connection is with those Ming Cult demons. Let's go!"

Gao Cheng's face turned from red to pale. Through the human-head-sized hole in the door, he glared furiously at their arrogant retreating backs, but moments later, he helplessly lowered his head.

This was because Huzi, sobbing, asked him by his ear, "Dad, can Mom still come back?"

"Yes, she definitely can!"

Gao Cheng forced himself to suppress his anger and pain, forcing a grim smile for his son.

"Huzi, you stay at home and be good. Dad will go find a way right now!"

"Gao Cheng, what are you doing?"

In the restaurant, Master Zhang saw his apprentice returning and, without a word, was about to kneel before him. Startled, he quickly helped him up.

Heaven knew that although he had hit and scolded his apprentice before, he hadn't always taken his anger out on him. Didn't other masters teach their apprentices like this? He considered himself relatively gentle among them.

But ever since Li Cunxiao became an escort and started backing Gao Cheng, whenever Master Zhang wanted to scold someone, he would recall that leopard-like face and swallow his words.

Martial artists had strong fists; they were not to be trifled with.

At this moment, the kitchen staff hadn't all left yet. With so many people watching, if someone were to report to Li Cunxiao that he had bullied Gao Cheng, wouldn't that be a gross injustice?

"Master..."

Gao Cheng, with red eyes, recounted the entire incident. Many of the onlookers showed sympathy, while others gloated.

"It's terrible. Sister-in-law Gao has been thrown into prison by those cruel officials. She'll probably be stripped bare."

"These petty officials are useless, only good at bullying us common folk. They're like beasts that devour people without spitting out the bones!"

"Heh, if you ask me, Gao Cheng brought this upon himself. Didn't you hear what people say? Fortune cannot be enjoyed to the fullest. If you push things too far, they will inevitably end prematurely."

"Look at him, he got a raise recently, and he even has a friend who became an escort. He was so happy, and now bad luck has struck."

"Screw your mother! How does Brother Gao usually treat you? Say one more useless word, and I'll cut off your balls!"

"."

Master Zhang's neck shrunk when he heard the whole story. He really didn't want to get involved in anything related to the yamen, but since he was his master, he couldn't just ignore it completely, or people would laugh at him.

"Apprentice, how much more money do you still need?"

"I still need thirty taels."

Master Zhang pondered for a moment, "Apprentice, I have a big family to support, so I can't come up with that much all at once."

As he spoke, he patted himself down and managed to scrape together five taels of silver.

The nearby apprentices heard this and huddled together, fumbling around. Adding their contributions to Master Zhang's, they pooled a little over ten taels.

Gao Cheng saw that he was still short twenty taels and felt anxious, thinking that if Li Cunxiao were still here, the money would probably have been gathered by now.

But the other party had told him before leaving that this trip would take two days, and he wouldn't be back until tomorrow at the earliest.

But was a prison cell a place for people to stay? The longer his wife stayed inside, the more danger she was in. Those jailers and runners wouldn't treat women well, and if they resorted to torture, how could the mother of his child endure it?

Fortunately, when Shopkeeper Sun learned about the situation, he was unusually generous and helped Gao Cheng make up the remaining twenty taels of silver, saying only that it would be deducted from his future wages.

Gao Cheng was naturally very moved, but as he was about to leave, Shopkeeper Sun stopped him after thinking it over and gave him some advice:

"Gao Cheng, I know you're in a hurry to save your wife, but if you trust me, listen to me. Wait until Li Sanlang gets back, and then have him go with you."

"Why?"

Shopkeeper Sun snorted when he heard this.

"Of course, it's because those people are greedy! With Li Sanlang there, it's fifty taels of silver. But if he's not there, those rotten-hearted people might just raise the price on the spot, understand?"

Watching Gao Cheng's hurried departure, Shopkeeper Sun's nephew couldn't help but ask:

"Second Uncle, aren't you quite familiar with the escort leaders at the Flying Tiger Escort Agency? Why do you still have to wait for Li Sanlang to come back?"

Shopkeeper Sun's eyebrows shot up at this, and he slapped his nephew on the head again.

"Stupid! Favors, the more you use them, the thinner they get. Gao Cheng is just an apprentice, and I'm lending him money because he'll be earning money for me in the future."

"The favors from the escorts have even more valuable uses, why waste them here for nothing?"

Gao Cheng, of course, didn't know what Shopkeeper Sun was thinking. He returned home and faked a meal for Huzi.

After his son cried himself to sleep, he lay tossing and turning on the bed with a small bag of silver in his hand, with only one thought in his mind:

"Sanlang, hurry back!"

"He's finally back! Hey, Qian Laosan, wanna go get some drinks and visit the pleasure houses?"

"You know my wife at home…"

"Cut the crap, are you going or not?"

"Let me get the silver!"

Stepping out from the boisterous group of escorts, Li Cunxiao tucked the ten taels of silver he had just received as his share into his purse. He saw He Bi not far away.

"Did Brother He wait for me here specifically?"

There were no more goods on the way back to the city, so everyone returned much faster. Not long after weishifen, they entered Chuqiu County. Logically speaking, at this time, He Bi should have already finished his training and gone home.

"No, I… yes," He Bi's face was a little awkward, and if you looked closely, there were dark circles under his eyes.

He would never tell Li Cunxiao that he was stimulated by the fact that the other party had broken through two barriers of Blood Essence. Last night, when he ate Demon Meat, he couldn't control himself and ate too much, feeling restless and having to ask a maid to help him train all night.

When he woke up, he found that it was already past noon. Remembering that Li Cunxiao was returning to the escort agency today, he hurried over.

"Brother He is truly trustworthy," Li Cunxiao thought of the support the other party had always given him and considered it for a moment.

"After morning training in the future, Brother He might as well stay a little longer. Although I am not very learned, I have some insights into manipulating Blood Essence that I can share."

He Bi was overjoyed to hear this, not expecting Li Cunxiao to be so generous and considerate.

Which apprentice at the escort agency didn't cherish their own knowledge, desperately wanting to get ahead to gain the favor of the escort leader? Even in that small courtyard in the inner city, it was the same, yet this person was willing to share such valuable experience?

It wasn't that the He family couldn't afford sparring partners, but even if they were all at the Controlling Qi realm, different martial arts always had differences. Compared to others, Li Cunxiao's experience, having recently achieved Minor Accomplishment in Tiger Form Fist, was naturally more suitable.

"Won't this delay Brother Li too much?"

"How could it delay me?" Li Cunxiao smiled sincerely.

You are my angel investor. If I don't give you some phased feedback, how can I get you to keep showering me with gold coins?

Although he broke through with the help of the Vajra Scepter, he didn't miss any of the insights and experiences he should have had. Rather than hiding them, it was better to use them to build goodwill.

Anyway, as soon as he got his hands on the Internal Cultivation Method, he would immediately break through the Minor Circulation of Blood Qi.

Who could cultivate faster than him?

He was far ahead!

"Brother Li, Young Master He," Qin Yu knew that the escort convoy was returning today and had been paying attention all day. Seeing both of them from afar, he mustered up the courage to approach them.

"Qin Yu?"

Li Cunxiao looked at the other person doubtfully, only to see Qin Yu open his mouth, mumbling for a long time before finally managing to say:

"I was wondering when you two would be free. We've met, so why don't we have a drink together and, and maybe exchange some martial arts experience?"

As Qin Yu spoke, his head involuntarily lowered, his face burning. He already regretted it, secretly cursing himself:

You know it's just a meeting, and that's experience that could help break through Controlling Qi. How can you shamelessly ask?

"I don't have any objections. More people exchanging ideas is always good, but it mainly depends on Brother Li's wishes,"

He Bi said, showing no displeasure on his face.

Although he was investing in Li Cunxiao, he didn't think of the latter as a subordinate of the He family, whose every output he, He Bi, would exclusively enjoy.

Besides, he himself was young and arrogant, confident that his financial resources, material possessions, and comprehension were all superior to Qin Yu's. If they were all listening to Li Cunxiao's experiences and insights, why would he be inferior?

He Bi might not be a monster like Li Cunxiao, but he had his own pride!

"Since Brother He agrees, then let's pick a time."

Li Cunxiao had no objections. Selling a favor twice wouldn't hurt him at all.

Upon hearing this, Qin Yu was overjoyed and was about to press his advantage when someone called out from a distance:

"Li Cunxiao, Master Li! There's someone named Gao Cheng looking for you outside."

Huh? Big Brother Gao?

Li Cunxiao's heart tightened. Based on his understanding of Gao Cheng, the man wouldn't come looking for him unless it was urgent.

Could Sister-in-law or Huzi be in trouble?

After excusing himself to He Bi and Qin Yu, Li Cunxiao's expression remained calm as he quickly left the escort agency. He found Gao Cheng in the corner of the wall diagonally opposite the main entrance.

However, as he got closer, he couldn't help but be startled.

The usually honest and cheerful man's eyes were bloodshot, the area around them bruised, and his lips were pale, as if he hadn't slept all night and hadn't had a drop of water.

Seeing a familiar face, Gao Cheng could no longer suppress the accumulated fear and worry in his heart. His voice trembled with tears:

"Brother, you have to save your sister-in-law!"

Gao Cheng was a man who knew what was important. He quickly composed himself and, while heading towards the county yamen, explained the whole story to Li Cunxiao.

Li Cunxiao was initially surprised to hear that Sister-in-law had been arrested, but after Gao Cheng finished speaking, he had a general idea of the situation.

It was clear that Sister-in-law was completely caught in the crossfire. The runners were purely extorting money, using this baseless charge to extort silver. This was indeed the usual practice of these corrupt officials.

But conversely, these people were after money and had no personal grudges against Gao Cheng. Therefore, as long as they received the silver, there was an eighty percent chance she could be rescued.

The only concern now was that these people, driven by greed, might try to raise the price. However, the Flying Tiger Escort Agency was, after all, a reputable force in Chuqiu. The Escort Leader, Zhang Lishi, was rumored to be a master on par with the county magistrate Murong Bai.

With this backing, they would at least have to show some respect.

But Murong Bai is truly sharp. The Mingzun Cult members were only causing trouble for a few days before they were all rounded up.

This County Governor's control over Chuqiu City is truly extraordinary.

The two soon arrived at the yamen and stated their purpose. Upon seeing the winged tiger emblem on Li Cunxiao's red forehead band, no one obstructed them, and they were led all the way to the prison.

"Coming to redeem someone? Little Yi Brother! Little Yi Brother!"

Li Cunxiao saw the jailer speaking so openly about the extortion, as if they were bandits holding someone for ransom, without even bothering to pretend. He secretly shook his head.

A moment later, a burly man with a thick neck and a visible tattoo walked over.

Zhao Xiaoyi was somewhat surprised to see them. Firstly, he was surprised that they had managed to gather the money faster than he expected. Secondly, he was surprised that they had managed to bring someone from the Flying Tiger Escort Agency to help.

But that was all.

He was just an escort, not an Escort Leader. Judging by his physique, he was not as strong as himself. His appearance, in his early twenties, suggested it took him four or five years to manipulate Blood Essence, whereas he himself had already touched the edge of the Minor Circulation of Blood Qi.

But he wasn't here to fight; as long as there was money, it was fine.

"Where's the money?"

Gao Cheng was somewhat reluctant. The fifty taels not only depleted his savings but also left him in debt. But…

He steeled himself and handed over a packet of silver shards.

Zhao Xiaoyi weighed it and nodded to the person next to him, signaling to release the prisoner. He then pushed aside the jailer and sat on the table, counting the silver piece by piece. The whole scene made him look like the warden here.

"Boss!"

"Child's mother!"

Before long, Sister-in-law Gao was brought over. To Li Cunxiao's relief, she had no bruises or injuries, only looking somewhat disheveled.

Fortunately, Sister-in-law has a sturdy build and isn't particularly beautiful, otherwise, she might have faced further harassment.

The couple embraced and wept, exchanging a few words. Sister-in-law Gao's emotions stabilized, and she looked at Li Cunxiao with gratitude.

Seeing that the matter was settled and the three were about to leave, Zhao Xiaoyi suddenly spoke.

"Hold it right there."