Attracting Attention

Zhang Biao's cold gaze swept over the street thugs kneeling on the ground, kowtowing like pounding garlic. A mocking curve tugged at his lips.

"Humph, even if he fell to his death himself, weren't you drinking with him at the time? My cousin drank himself into that state, and none of you tried to stop him?

"You watched him walk out to his death with your eyes wide open? Do you few really have nothing to do with his death?"

At these words, the thugs went pale, trembling all over like chaff in a sieve.

"Master Zhang! We've been wronged!"

"We tried to stop him... but couldn't!"

"You know Third Brother's temper. He insisted on drinking—how would we dare stop him...?"

The surrounding villagers fell silent as cicadas in winter. No one dared interrupt at a time like this.

In the end, an old man in the village, his beard and hair both white and held in considerable esteem, came forward leaning on a cane. Trembling, he tried to smooth things over.

"Zhang Biao, about Hou San... sigh, it truly was an accident. Everyone is deeply saddened. Those few may be scoundrels,

but at the end of the day, they only drank with him. Their crime does not warrant death... don't you think...?"

Zhang Biao snorted coldly. Apparently too lazy to keep tangling with those cowards, he took the offered way out.

"Fine. For Seventh Uncle-Grandfather's sake, I'll spare you the death penalty. But my cousin cannot die for nothing. You lot,

scrape together two taels of silver to handle his funeral arrangements, and this matter will be settled!"

"Two taels of silver?!" The thugs nearly fainted. They usually lived by stealing chickens and pilfering dogs—where would they have such savings?

They wailed and cried out, "Master Zhang, we really don't have it! Even if you sold us, we couldn't scrape together two taels!"

"You don't have it?" Zhang Biao's eyes sharpened. "Then come with me to the County yamen! Let Official Lord judge this fairly and see what crime you deserve for standing by while someone died without lifting a hand!"

The moment they heard they were going to see an official, the thugs completely wilted.

People like them, once they took a trip through the government prison, would lose a layer of skin even if they did not die.

In the end, they pulled out every last thing from their pockets with mournful faces, pooled what they had, and one even removed the copper ring from his hand on the spot.

After great difficulty, they managed to gather roughly one tael's worth of broken silver and coins, then held it out before Zhang Biao.

"Master Zhang... th-this is all we have. There really isn't a single drop left..."

Zhang Biao cast a disgusted glance at the pile of scraps, grabbed it up, and weighed it in his hand. He nodded reluctantly.

"Humph. At least you know what's good for you! Get lost! If I ever see you bullying men and women again, I'll break your legs!"

As though granted a pardon, the thugs scrambled away head over heels, not daring to look back.

After settling the matter, Zhang Biao's expression eased somewhat. Sharp-witted villagers immediately crowded over to flatter him.

"Master Zhang is righteous!"

"Master Zhang handles matters with true fairness!"

Others seized the chance to ask, "Master Zhang, about the workers you mentioned just now..."

Only then did Zhang Biao remember the real business. He cleared his throat and swept his gaze across the young, able-bodied men among the crowd.

"Mhm. I work at Master Wang's residence in the city. This time, I returned at Master's instruction

to recruit three capable fellows with quick hands and some strength to go back with me. You'll mainly help move goods and guard the storerooms. Food and lodging included, and every month..."

He paused, then held up five fingers. "Five hundred copper coins!"

"Five hundred copper coins?!"

The crowd instantly erupted! Cries of shock and sharp breaths rose in a chorus! In the village, this was practically a sky-high price! Many families could not save five hundred coins even in an entire year!

"Good heavens! That much!"

"Master Zhang! Do you think I'll do? I'm strong!"

"Pick me! Pick me!"

Zhang Biao was very pleased with their reaction. He pressed down with his hand, signaling them to quiet down.

"This good water shouldn't flow into outsiders' fields, which is why I came to recruit in our village first. But..."

His tone shifted, and his eyes became discerning.

"This job isn't something just anyone can do. You need real strength, a quick mind, and you can't be some cowardly soft egg."

Just then, his gaze swept over Fang Yuan at the edge of the crowd.

Fang Yuan was well-proportioned, stood steadily, and had calm eyes. Amid the villagers who were either excited or shrinking back, he stood out sharply.

Zhang Biao pushed through the people surrounding him and walked straight over to Fang Yuan.

He was slightly shorter than Fang Yuan, but his bearing was extremely imposing, carrying the superiority and scrutiny of a city man—especially one trained in martial arts.

"This brother looks very unfamiliar. What should I call you?" Zhang Biao looked Fang Yuan up and down, his gaze lingering especially on Fang Yuan's palms and stance.

A villager immediately rushed to answer, "Master Zhang, this is Fang Yuan from our village—Scholar Fang! He used to be a learned man!"

"A scholar?" Zhang Biao raised his brow, seemingly somewhat surprised, but then he smiled.

"So you're a learned man. My respects. But judging by your build, brother, you don't look like someone who only holds a writing brush.

"Are you interested in coming to the city with me and making your way there? I think you have a solid foundation. If you're willing, I can recommend you for a position as a guard at the residence!"

"A guard?" Before Fang Yuan could answer, the surrounding villagers cried out in surprise again.

"I heard guards earn three taels of silver a month!"

"Tsk, tsk, that's a fine posting!"

Yet others muttered quietly, their voices tinged with sourness and disbelief.

"A guard? You need real martial skill for that! With Scholar Fang's body, the wind could have blown him away before. He can be a guard? Maybe Master Zhang is joking..."

Zhang Biao ignored those discussions and simply watched Fang Yuan.

He truly felt that this young man's gaze was composed, and his lower stance steadier than that of ordinary villagers. He was promising material and had clearly trained before.

Perhaps he really could become a decent guard, which would count as one more achievement for Zhang Biao.

Besides, there was competition among the guards as well. A monthly wage of two taels of silver was enough to make many people green with envy!

With the world growing increasingly unsettled lately, having a few more brothers from the same village among the guards would also give him a foothold!

Hearing the offer of two taels of silver and a guard position, Fang Yuan did not show the delight or eagerness Zhang Biao had expected.

He swiftly calculated in his heart. Two taels of silver was indeed no small sum, but when converted,

it was only equivalent to what he had earned from selling half a wild boar.

And for that bit of money, he would have to leave home, go to the city to guard someone's residence, submit to another's control, and lose his freedom of movement.

Instead, it would delay his plans for martial training and obtaining resources from the mountains, and he would be unable to protect his family.

No matter how he looked at it, the loss outweighed the gain.

What was more, Zhang Biao was Hou San's cousin. Though Hou San's death appeared to have been concealed for now,

if he remained under the other man's nose, there was no guarantee something would not go wrong.

As his thoughts raced, Fang Yuan revealed a faintly apologetic smile befitting his former status as a scholar.

He cupped his hands toward Zhang Biao and spoke politely.

"Thank you, Master Zhang, for thinking so highly of me. But I still have my wife's younger sister at home to care for, and the various affairs of the fields cannot do without me. It truly would be inconvenient for me to travel far.

"I appreciate Master Zhang's kindness."

He had actually refused?

The surrounding villagers were all stunned, their faces filled with disbelief.

Such a fine job paying two taels of silver a month, and he had brushed it aside so lightly?

Had Scholar Fang studied himself stupid?

Zhang Biao was also slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting to be refused.