Is It a Beautiful Dream?

Jiang Qiaoqiao turned around and saw that Jiang Yun had returned. All the grievance and fear she had been holding in burst forth.

She had been forcing herself to stay strong, not daring to cry.

She threw her arms around Jiang Yun and sobbed in terror. No matter what, she was only a sixteen-year-old girl.

Peng San and the others' vicious, menacing appearances had truly frightened her badly.

Jiang Yun saw the vivid red handprint on Jiang Qiaoqiao's face and asked in a low voice, "He hit you?"

"Mhm."

Jiang Yun's eyes turned frighteningly cold. Jiang Qiaoqiao had never seen such a look in his eyes before.

Coming back to herself, she forgot her own grievance and hurriedly warned him, "Brother, don't act rashly. There are too many of them."

In her eyes, her brother was merely a scholar. If he tried to take on those hooligans head-on, he would be the only one to suffer.

"Well, well, you actually dared to come back." The moment Peng San spotted Jiang Yun outside the courtyard gate, a sincere smile appeared on his face.

Naturally, he was delighted. If Jiang Yun had truly run away, who would he demand the remaining money from?

"Tie Jiang Yun up for me!"

At that moment, Qian Bochou, who had been standing nearby and watching the scene, frowned. He stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Peng San, you've gotten bold, haven't you? You dare break into a private residence and turn the place upside down?"

Hearing Qian Bochou's voice, the group of hooligans stopped in their tracks.

They took a closer look in the moonlight, and Peng San and the others immediately froze.

Qian Bochou?

Constable Qian.

A smile appeared on Peng San's face. "Constable Qian, why is it you, sir? I'm collecting a debt here."

As he spoke, he hurriedly pulled an IOU from his clothes and handed it over. "This is the IOU Jiang Yun personally signed and marked with his handprint. It's all there in black and white, signed and sealed. Even if we went before the court, I'd still be in the right."

Qian Bochou took the IOU, gave it a glance, then turned to Jiang Yun. "Do you really owe him money?"

Jiang Yun explained gravely, "It wasn't me who borrowed it, but these hands did indeed sign and press their mark."

Upon hearing this, Qian Bochou fell silent. For private loans among the people, as long as both parties had signed and marked them with their handprints, they carried official legal force.

If someone came to collect such a debt, it was perfectly lawful and justified.

Jiang Yun saw the hesitation on Qian Bochou's face and roughly guessed the reason.

Though Peng San was called a hooligan,

he was different from the idle street punks who wandered around everywhere in Jiang Yun's previous life.

For this man to run a moneylending business in the Prefecture City, he surely had many connections.

There were people backing him in the yamen as well.

Qian Bochou did not want to wade into this muddy water for no reason. But if he did not help, Jiang Yun currently had no Magic Power and truly could not handle these hooligans.

Jiang Yun's eyes shifted. Leaning close to Qian Bochou's ear, he said softly, "Constable Qian, Miss Xu is coming to see me tomorrow. If there is anything you need my help with, I can try to lend you a hand."

"Really?" Qian Bochou's eyes lit up.

Why had he personally escorted Jiang Yun home? Did Jiang Yun think he had nothing better to do?

He had learned that Xu Suwen had an immensely powerful background. Even the Prefect had sent people to deliver several lavish gifts.

Yet Xu Suwen barely acknowledged them.

Only toward Jiang Yun did she behave differently.

And he truly did have an important matter to handle. He had sought help through many connections, only to be put off every time.

He could only set his sights on Xu Suwen, this important figure from the capital.

As for Peng San, his family truly did have quite a few connections.

Every festival and holiday, they would send lavish gifts to the officials at the prefectural yamen.

Once the shares were distributed, even Constable Qian himself received a portion.

But to him, it was not much trouble. A hooligan was still just a hooligan.

"Brother Jiang, I want to help you too, but this is all in black and white." Qian Bochou pointed at the IOU in his hand. "After all, I'm an official. I have to act according to Great Zhou law."

Jiang Yun nodded and asked, "As long as it complies with the law?"

"Of course."

Jiang Yun quickly entered the Kitchen and came out carrying a handful of Coarse Salt.

Then he walked over to Peng San and openly stuffed the handful of Coarse Salt into his pocket.

"What are you doing?" Peng San stared coldly at Jiang Yun. Had this fellow gone mad?

What was a handful of Coarse Salt worth? A few copper coins at most.

After finishing all this, Jiang Yun clapped his hands and called out loudly, "Constable Qian, I report Peng San and his group for smuggling Contraband Salt."

"According to Great Zhou law, how should smuggling Contraband Salt be punished?"

Everyone present was stunned.

Peng San nearly burst out laughing. "Kid, your attempt at framing someone is far too crude. Do you think the yamen belongs to your family? You think that's enough to arrest me?"

Smack!

A sharp crack rang out.

Jiang Yun slapped him across the face. In the winter cold, the slap made Peng San's cheek burn with pain.

A handprint even redder than the one on Jiang Qiaoqiao's face appeared on Peng San's cheek.

If he did not return the slap Jiang Qiaoqiao had suffered, he feared he would toss and turn all night.

"You!" Peng San's eyes seemed ready to spew fire. He raised his hand, preparing to strike, but a blade was placed against his throat.

Holding the knife, Qian Bochou frowned and said, "Peng San, you were caught selling Contraband Salt, and now you want to commit violence?"

Selling Contraband Salt was a capital crime.

A gust of cold wind swept past, cooling the enraged Peng San down and instantly bringing him back to his senses.

"Constable Qian, you must be joking with me."

Qian Bochou snorted. "Are we that familiar? Why would I joke with you?"

Peng San said urgently, "Last twelfth month, I gave you a rather valuable famous painting."

Qian Bochou said, "Everyone knows I'm a rough man. I have no interest in paintings."

Peng San said, "At the beginning of this year, I also sent someone to deliver one hundred taels of silver to your residence and asked you to look after me."

Qian Bochou said, "Perfect. Now you have another charge: attempting to bribe a corrupt government official."

"But you took the money!"

"I took it, but I never did anything for you. That proves I'm still a man with principles."

"Fine officials like me are not common in Great Zhou's officialdom!"

Peng San said anxiously, "I also gave the Prefect—"

At that point, he stopped, not daring to continue.

Qian Bochou chuckled. "Go on. Keep talking. What did you give the Prefect?"

Peng San swallowed. He dared not speak carelessly of such things. If he said it aloud, he might end up stabbed a dozen times in the back and declared a suicide.

Before long, Qian Bochou found a rope and tied up Peng San along with the other three hooligans.

"Come back to the yamen with me and explain your smuggling of Contraband Salt properly."

Before leaving, Qian Bochou handed the IOU to Jiang Yun.

Then he said with a smile, "Brother Jiang, I'll come by early tomorrow morning and wait with you for Miss Xu."

After Qian Bochou took the men away, Jiang Yun finally looked at Jiang Qiaoqiao and touched the handprint on her face. "Does it hurt?"

"It doesn't." Jiang Qiaoqiao obediently shook her head.

The siblings entered the house, where it was somewhat warmer.

Jiang Yun heated a basin of water, brought over a strip of cloth, dipped it in the hot water, and applied it to Jiang Qiaoqiao's handprint.

Afterward, in the slightly chilly little house, the siblings soaked their feet, as though they had returned to their childhood.

"Brother, why did you come back?"

Jiang Yun smiled and explained, "Miss Huang has high standards. She didn't think much of me, so she sent me back."

Jiang Qiaoqiao pursed her lips. "She has eyes but cannot see Mount Tai. This is good too. Brother, you can continue pursuing an Official Career."

"An Official Career?" Jiang Yun froze. He knew his own abilities all too well. Even becoming a Xiucai Scholar would be a struggle.

Jiang Yun picked up a cloth and dried his feet. "In this life, one does not necessarily have to pursue an Official Career."

"No." Jiang Qiaoqiao shook her head. "That was Father and Mother's final wish before they passed away."

"Besides, once you obtain an Official Career, you can become an official and eat the emperor's grain."

"Then Brother's children, and their children after them, can all become officials. They won't have to suffer like we do."

Jiang Yun could not help flicking her forehead. "Why do you sound like someone from Shandong?"

"What is someone from Shandong?"

"Something I dreamed of."

"Was it a beautiful dream?"

"Mhm. It was a very, very long beautiful dream. But I'm afraid I'll never be able to dream that dream again."