Jiang Ming'er, Shame and Honor

The boy in red was carved from jade and porcelain, yet his eyes darted around incessantly, a lecherous air clinging to his gaze that made one feel nauseated at a single glance.

"Dai Xin, we had a deal: this is the last time I'm stepping into the ring."

Dai Xin nodded hurriedly. "Yes, yes, of course, Young Master, rest assured."

The boy revealed a greasy, wicked grin. "Once this match is over, besides the agreed-upon payment, I want these two maidservants to keep me company for a few days."

The two maidservants shuddered upon hearing this.

"Fine, it shall all be as you wish!"

Dai Xin agreed instantly, his face plastered with a fawning smile.

Securing this shipment of grain was important, but if he could keep this little ancestor happy, there would be even more benefits to reap in the future.

The boy in red grinned in satisfaction, reached out with both hands to give the maidservants' firm buttocks a heavy, painful pinch, let out a cackle, and hopped off his chair to swagger into the center of the arena.

Lu Chen stripped off his heavy cotton robe and walked to the center to stand his ground.

"Just him?"

The boy in red looked Lu Chen up and down, his mouth twisting into a sneer that was both base and oily. "This Young Master is in a mediocre mood today and can't be bothered with a grand display. How about this: just lie down obediently and bark like a dog a few times, and I'll count it as your loss. That way, you'll be spared from being beaten until you're spitting teeth and crying for your parents, which would be quite the embarrassment."

Lu Chen remained silent, his expression calm.

He did not underestimate his opponent in the slightest due to his youth; instead, he grew even more vigilant.

To have won consecutively against several martial artists, this child was certainly no simpleton.

The boy in red sneered, his figure darting forward like an arrow released from a bow, reaching Lu Chen in the blink of an eye.

He feinted with his right palm while his left fist shot out from beneath his ribs, aiming straight for Lu Chen's abdomen. The punch was silent, yet terrifyingly fast. Lu Chen neither retreated nor dodged, pressing his left palm downward to intercept the incoming strike.

The two traded blows, exchanging over a dozen moves in the blink of an eye. The boy's techniques were bizarre and treacherous, aimed solely at vital points.

Lu Chen parried every strike, fighting with steady, measured movements. As he gradually discerned the boy's patterns, he felt a chill in his heart:

Though this child was young, he was already approaching the threshold of External Force; his natural talent was truly exceptional.

On the sidelines, Jin Ming saw Lu Chen gradually gaining the upper hand and began to cheer excitedly, waving his fists.

"Brother Lu, well done!"

The other families in the courtyard, having long despised the cruel and overbearing conduct of this red-clad brat, also began to cheer for Lu Chen.

The boy in red flushed crimson under the jeers of the crowd. Seeing that he was losing, his eyes darted around, and he suddenly shouted, "I surrender!"

Hearing this, Lu Chen eased his momentum.

In that very instant, a flicker of viciousness crossed the boy's eyes. He hooked his fingers like talons and lunged straight for Lu Chen's eyes! It was a feigned surrender to launch a sneak attack.

"Watch out!"

"How despicable!"

However, Lu Chen had spent his life in the underworld; what kind of dirty tricks hadn't he seen?

Having noticed the boy's eyes darting earlier, he had already anticipated a ruse.

Seeing the fingers strike, he neither dodged nor retreated. His right leg lashed out like a viper emerging from its hole, delivering a vicious kick directly to the boy's crotch.

"Awoo—!"

The boy let out a miserable shriek, curling up on the ground like a shrimp. His face turned purple in an instant, his body trembling violently, and he could no longer make a sound.

Lu Chen stood tall, his stance relaxed; the outcome was decided.

He looked at the boy curled up and wailing on the ground, muttering to himself: I really seem to be at odds with children today.

Just then, a shout filled with shock and rage rang out:

"Ming'er!"

A middle-aged man with a fair complexion and a scholarly appearance strode into the courtyard, stooping to scoop up the boy in red. He demanded urgently, "Who hurt you like this!"

"Master... it was him!" Jiang Ming'er, the boy, said with a deathly pale face, pointing a finger fiercely at Lu Chen. "You must avenge your disciple!"

The middle-aged man rose, his sleeves fluttering, his eyes locking onto Lu Chen with a cold, piercing light.

Lu Chen met his gaze calmly. "It was me. This was a match in the arena; the outcome is clear. What wrong have I committed?"

"A match in the arena?"

The middle-aged man's face darkened, and he spoke with an air of righteous indignation. "Since it is a martial arts contest, one should compete using orthodox techniques. Where did you learn such base and underhanded tricks? Who is your master? Has your teacher never taught you the rules of the martial world or the honor of a martial artist!"

Lu Chen replied speechlessly, "Your disciple feigned surrender and then tried to gouge my eyes out, yet you're lecturing me on honor?"

"Absurd!" the middle-aged man retorted sharply. "My disciple would never commit such a filthy act! You are clearly spouting nonsense."

Lu Chen stopped arguing and said indifferently, "Everyone present here can bear witness for me."

"I'll bear witness!"

The proprietor of the Taifeng Firm in Blackwater County, a man with a dark complexion, was the first to step forward, unable to hold back any longer.

He had been bottling up his anger for a long time, and now his voice boomed like a bell:

"Your precious disciple clearly shouted that he surrendered, and the moment Brother Lu stopped, he immediately played dirty and tried to gouge his eyes out! Everyone here saw it clearly! Your disciple committed such a low-life act, and instead of disciplining him, you, as his master, are blaming someone else? Where in this world is there such logic!"

"Exactly!"

A martial arts instructor hired by the Yongchang Firm of Yongping County also chimed in:

"This brat strikes with such dark and venomous intent, targeting the lower body, and when he can't win, he resorts to fake surrenders and sneak attacks! This brother Lu is merely giving him a taste of his own medicine; what is wrong with that? If we're talking about a lack of rules or shame, it was your disciple who broke them first!"

"Right! We all saw it!"

"It was your disciple who played dirty first!"

"If the upper beam is crooked, the lower ones will be askew!"

Facing the accusations of the crowd, the middle-aged man's face turned from green to pale.

He looked down at the disciple in his arms and asked in a hoarse voice, "Is what they say true?"

Jiang Ming'er no longer dared to be stubborn and burst into loud sobs, "Master... this disciple, this disciple knows he was wrong..."

"Sigh!"

The middle-aged man closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. When he opened them again, the sharpness had faded, leaving only exhaustion and shame.

He gently set his disciple down, straightened his robes, and then, to everyone's surprise, bowed solemnly to Lu Chen with a deep, respectful salute: "Young brother, it is Jiang who failed to teach his disciple properly and was lax in his discipline, leading this rebellious student to act so disgracefully... Jiang offers you his apologies here."

Seeing the man's sincere attitude, Lu Chen returned the salute: "You are too kind. Since it was a misunderstanding, it is good that it is settled."

The middle-aged man said no more; he picked up the sobbing Jiang Ming'er and turned to leave. In the twilight, his retreating figure appeared somewhat desolate.

"Master, it hurts," Jiang Ming'er's tearful voice drifted back faintly.

"You brought it upon yourself. We will settle this when we get back," the middle-aged man said sternly.

As the master and disciple departed, the managers of the various grain shops exchanged bitter smiles and stepped forward to congratulate Jin Ming. With the rules now set, there was nothing more to be said.

Jin Ming was currently overjoyed, his delight spilling over his features.

He cupped his hands and smiled at the manager of the Jiaoguo Grain Firm: "Shall we proceed to weigh and settle the transaction? The price is as previously agreed; my Daxing Rice Shop will not short you a single cent."

With the deal finalized, the courtyard immediately became a hive of activity.

The workers began counting the grain sacks, the accountant clicked away on his abacus, and Jin Ming moved among them, directing operations with ease. His previous anxiety and restlessness had vanished, and he now carried himself with the air of a young master capable of handling matters on his own.

Seeing that there was nothing left for him to do, Lu Chen returned to the inn to rest.

The following day, near noon, the caravan loaded with grain set off on the return journey.

They followed the same route back and stayed the night at the same mountain warehouse.

The night passed without incident.

They set off early the next morning, and after traveling for about an hour, a group of bandits suddenly burst out from the woods by the roadside, blocking their path.

In the ensuing chaos, nearly half of the grain was seized.