Supporting the Household

In front of the general store.

Old Master Hong Zheng leaned on his cane and said with a fawning smile, "Master Biao, this is this round's protection fee. Please have a look."

Though he was clearly older, he addressed Qian Biao as "Master" and even spoke with a hint of humility.

Qian Biao found it perfectly natural. This was the attitude these lowly commoners ought to have.

Not like Hong Ming, who called him so politely yet showed not the slightest respect in his actions or bearing.

He was immensely pleased with Hong Zheng's attitude. It gave him the thrill of winning back some face from Hong Ming.

"Not bad, Old Hong. You paid more readily than the others."

Qian Biao commented in a lofty tone. Even as he spoke, his hands did not slow, swiftly taking the protection fee.

"It is all thanks to Master Biao's usual excellent guidance." Hong Zheng forced a smile and painfully offered up the flattery.

"But..." Qian Biao suddenly changed his tune. He weighed the silver Hong Zheng had handed over and shook his head. "This isn't enough."

Hong Zheng was momentarily stunned. "Not enough? How could it not be enough?"

"The protection fee has gone up. Starting today, it's fifteen coppers per person every ten days!"

Qian Biao bared his teeth in a smile, his face smiling while the words that came from his mouth were cold to the bone.

"So, you'll need to make up the difference."

He then kindly began doing the sums for Hong Zheng and the others. "There are six people in your family, right? Then make up another thirty coppers!"

"Master Biao, why has the protection fee suddenly gone up for no reason? You never mentioned it before!" The old master was anxious yet weak-voiced.

Qian Biao patiently explained, "You don't know this, but recently the Little River Gang has repeatedly come to bully the people of Mudstone Alley. To protect everyone, the brothers patrol day and night, rain or shine, sparing no hardship... Charging a little more is also so the brothers can have fewer worries and continue wholeheartedly safeguarding everyone's safety. Wouldn't you agree?"

His tone was earnest as he spoke of the hardships, as though he truly had a heart of pure sincerity, cared for the people's suffering, and considered everyone's interests.

The old master was left unable to squeeze out a single word for a long while. Only after some time did he react and mutter, "Yes, yes, Master Biao is right."

"It's wonderful that you understand, Old Hong. Then pay up!" Qian Biao changed his face and pressed him.

"This..." The old master looked helplessly at Auntie and Little Aunt, his face full of embarrassment and despair.

He simply could not come up with the money. It had already taken great effort to scrape together this protection fee, and it had originally been exactly enough. Yet Qian Biao had raised the fee at the last minute.

When Auntie and Little Aunt met the old master's gaze, their expressions turned unpleasant, but they knew this money had to be paid.

The two exchanged a glance, then each went back inside to get money. A moment later, Little Aunt hurried back in a fluster.

She glanced at Qian Biao, leaned close to the old master's ear, and whispered, "Father, there isn't enough. Second Sister-in-law and I only have twenty coppers left between us!"

"What?" The old master's aged face went pale upon hearing this.

Qian Biao sensed that something was wrong. With a smile that did not reach his eyes, he said, "What is it, Old Hong? Don't tell me you're going to make things difficult for me?"

"Master Biao, something happened in our family recently. Could we give you twenty of the thirty coppers first? Please be accommodating with the rest—we'll give it to you in a couple of days, all right?" the old master asked cautiously.

Qian Biao immediately put on a grief-stricken expression. "Old Hong, you're deliberately making this hard for me!"

"Master Biao..." The old master tried to explain.

Qian Biao raised a hand and quickly resumed his benevolent expression. "How about this? Don't say I'm unwilling to be accommodating. I have a way for you to borrow some money for an emergency. The interest is two coppers per mace of silver per day, settled every ten days. You can repay it whenever you have the money. How does that sound?"

Seeing the old master's face filled with concern, he said earnestly, "I'm doing this for your own good, after all. Your A Ming is..."

"Brother Biao!" Before he could finish, a sudden voice forcibly cut him off.

Hong Ming pushed through the crowd and strode over. Looking at Qian Biao, he said, "Brother Biao, I'll pay this money."

"A Ming, you..." The old master lifted his cloudy eyes in confusion, but Hong Ming's look stopped the words at his lips and forced them back down.

Qian Biao, however, eyed Hong Ming suspiciously. This brat still had money on him?

As though something occurred to him, he narrowed his eyes and lightly nodded. "If A Ming is paying, that works too."

Hong Ming then took out money. He had intended to draw ten coppers from his purse, but paused the instant his fingers touched them.

After a brief thought, he instead took them from his saddlebag and handed them to Qian Biao.

After receiving the money, Qian Biao said nothing. He counted it one coin at a time, inspecting every piece with meticulous care.

As though he was not looking at ten coppers, but two mace of silver!

After a moment, Qian Biao put the money away with a trace of regret. None of it contained the unique marks he had made.

He had always prepared for a rainy day and had long ago placed distinctive marks on the coins in his money pouch. If they were lost, he could easily trace them back to their source.

If he had still harbored some suspicion toward Hong Ming before, it was now completely dispelled.

It seemed he would need to investigate which household had suddenly begun spending lavishly.

As he pondered this, he announced the result to his two lackeys, "The money is correct. Write it down!"

Having said that, he no longer paid any attention to Hong Ming and the others, instead continuing on to plague other people.

When the old master and the two women saw Qian Biao leave, they felt as though a great burden had been lifted. He had nearly scared them into breaking out in a cold sweat just now.

"A Ming, we really have you to thank this time." The old master looked at Hong Ming, the smile returning to his face.

"You're too polite, Grandpa. I'm part of this family too. It's only right that I contribute money," Hong Ming said with a smile.

As he spoke, he took one mace of silver from his clothes and handed it to Hong Zheng. "Grandpa, keep this money."

"This... A Ming, where did you get this money?" Rather than accepting it, the old master asked.

Hong Ming explained, "Grandpa, did you forget? Wasn't I delivering goods before? I earned this money from hauling cargo!"

"A Ming, take the money back. You need it for martial arts training!" Hearing this, Grandpa became even less willing to accept it.

Hong Ming shook his head. "Grandpa, I still have more on me."

Even so, the old master refused to take it. In the end, only after Hong Ming coaxed and persuaded him at length did he finally accept it.

As dinnertime approached, Auntie and Little Aunt returned to the kitchen to get busy, while Hong Ming helped Grandpa move things around in the general store.

As he moved the goods, his thoughts drifted. The hurdle of the medicine costs and protection fee has passed. The remaining money is best spent on martial arts training. But if I use it to repay that debt... it's nowhere near enough!

Ten taels of silver was no different from an enormous fortune to him now. Gathering it all in a short time would be anything but easy.

Fortunately, the employer collected the debt monthly, which gave him some breathing room.

What a pity the hauling job is gone. Otherwise, I could train while earning money to repay the debt!

Having lost the goods, the employer naturally would not hire him again. He was now, through and through, a "freelancer."

As he pondered, the old master called out to stop Hong Ming. "A Ming, Su Qiang is here to see you."

Hong Ming raised his eyes and looked over. A burly man was walking in from the store entrance—it was Su Qiang, his childhood friend.

"A Ming!" Su Qiang waved at Hong Ming in greeting.

Hong Ming informed the old master and went outside. Before he could speak, Su Qiang pulled him aside and asked gravely, "A Ming, I heard your employer fired you?"