Killing Him Would Be Too Cruel-Just Beat Him Half to Death

There was only one pharmacy in the entire Joyful District, right beside the Happy Forest.

Everyone else thought the Joyful District was a slum with no money to be made, and they didn't want to open a pharmacy there.

The Happy Forest, on the other hand, was prosperous, but how many people on one street would get sick? Opening a pharmacy there would only lose money.

But the Shopkeeper of Wang's Pharmacy had a much longer view than the others.

Poor people couldn't afford to see a doctor. They toughed out minor illnesses and only came to the pharmacy to find a physician when they couldn't hold on any longer.

By then, he could name an exorbitant price and fleece them mercilessly.

Even a battered old ship had three pounds of nails. No matter how poor the people of the Joyful District were, there was still a little oil to squeeze out of them.

So business at Wang's Pharmacy wasn't bad at all. In fact, it earned more than the pharmacies in some prosperous districts.

Shopkeeper Wang of Wang's Pharmacy was in his sixties and covered in fat. He didn't look like a doctor so much as a butcher who slaughtered pigs.

At that moment, Shopkeeper Wang was admiring a jade-green bangle.

The jade was clear and bright as water, and delicate openwork patterns were carved into it. It looked extraordinary.

"Such a shame there's only one bangle. If I had a pair, the price would multiply several times over.

"I wonder what family that little girl from last time belonged to. If I'd used a few tricks, maybe I could've gotten my hands on the other bangle too."

Shopkeeper Wang shook his head regretfully, put the bangle back in its box, and planned to visit a pawnshop when he had time to exchange it for silver.

"Get a move on! No slacking! I'll dock your entire month's wages!"

Shopkeeper Wang barked at the shop assistants. Just as he was about to get up, a handsome young man walked in, holding a little girl by the hand.

When Shopkeeper Wang saw the girl, his eyes lit up. Wasn't this the little girl who'd stolen medicine from his pharmacy a few days ago?

"Haha! You little girl, you actually dare come back! You ruined so much of my medicinal herbs last time. One bangle isn't enough to pay for it! Hand over the other one too!"

Xin'er was startled by Shopkeeper Wang. She clutched the hem of Su Xin's clothes and said, aggrieved, "But I already returned the medicine."

"Hmph! Can medicine still be used after your filthy hands have touched it?" Shopkeeper Wang snorted, his face full of contempt.

Su Xin patted Xin'er on the head and looked at Shopkeeper Wang impassively. "What medicine costs two jade bangles?"

Only then did Shopkeeper Wang notice Su Xin. He sneered. "You're this little girl's family, right? Take a good look. What she took last time was genuine Liaodong Korean Ginseng, all brought over from Eastern Jin.

"It's tens of thousands of miles from Eastern Jin to Great Zhou. Each root of Korean ginseng is worth over a hundred taels! She ruined seven or eight of them in one go. Can you afford to pay for that?"

Shopkeeper Wang even brought out a box of Korean ginseng wrapped in red cloth and set it in front of them, looking as if he already had them in his pocket.

"You're lying! You're lying! What I took last time wasn't this stuff!" Su Xin'er clenched her little fists and shouted, aggrieved.

"Hmph! I say it was, so it was!" Shopkeeper Wang looked at Su Xin and sneered. "Kid, hand over the other jade bangle, right now. Otherwise, I'll report you to the authorities, and you can look forward to eating prison grub!"

Shopkeeper Wang had plenty of experience dealing with common folk like Su Xin.

All he had to do was threaten them with the authorities, and they'd obediently give in.

The yamen gates faced south, but if you had a case and no money, you shouldn't go in.

Since ancient times, the authorities had never been there for the poor.

But to Shopkeeper Wang's surprise, he couldn't see a trace of panic in Su Xin's eyes. The young man remained perfectly calm.

After a long silence, Su Xin finally spoke. "I've never had prison grub, but I believe you won't be able to eat soon."

"You dare threaten me?" Shopkeeper Wang sneered. "You know the Flying Eagle Gang? I pay them dozens of taels in protection money every month. Believe me, if I open my mouth right now, men from the Flying Eagle Gang will break both your legs and toss you out!"

"Old Huang, come in," Su Xin called softly.

At his words, Huang Bingcheng immediately came in with eight gang members.

"Well, well! Master Huang, what brings you here?" As soon as Shopkeeper Wang saw Huang Bingcheng, he hurried over on his short, chubby legs.

"What do you need, Boss?" Huang Bingcheng didn't even look at Shopkeeper Wang. Instead, he bowed his head respectfully to Su Xin.

"B-Boss!?" Shopkeeper Wang was stunned.

This young man was with the Flying Eagle Gang? And a veteran like Huang Bingcheng actually called him Boss!

Huang Bingcheng looked coldly at Shopkeeper Wang. "Let me make this clear. My Boss, Su Xin, is the sworn son of Third Master Hu, one of the gang's senior leaders, and a newly promoted junior leader in charge of the Happy Forest.

"Fatty Wang, you've got some nerve, trying to extort my Boss. Tell me, are you tired of living?"

Shopkeeper Wang broke out in a cold sweat. His short legs trembled, barely able to support his massive body.

Small-time merchants with a bit of money weren't afraid of the authorities.

If the authorities came after them, they could pay their way out of trouble, grease a few palms, and that would be that.

The ones they really couldn't afford to offend were gangs like the Flying Eagle Gang.

Doing business required keeping the peace and making money. But when faced with a gang that thrived on fighting and bloodshed, there were a thousand ways they could ruin you.

Even if they didn't take your life, they could still make sure you couldn't stay in business there.

"Boss Su, I was blind to who you were. Please forgive me just this once!"

With a mournful face, Shopkeeper Wang immediately returned the bangle to Su Xin. He even had the good sense to add a stack of silver notes. Su Xin glanced at them; they were worth no less than three hundred taels.

"Forgive you? Heh." Su Xin let out a quiet, inscrutable laugh, then carried Xin'er out of the shop.

That laugh sent a chill through Shopkeeper Wang, who had no idea what Su Xin meant.

Huang Bingcheng followed them out, a trace of ruthlessness in his eyes. He asked quietly, "Boss, should we take Fatty Wang out?"

Though Huang Bingcheng was sycophantic around Su Xin, he'd been with the Flying Eagle Gang for over a decade. He wasn't much of a fighter, but he had killed before.

Su Xin shook his head and said softly, "The old man doesn't have many years left. Killing him would be too cruel. Just beat him half to death."

For some reason, at Su Xin's calm words, Huang Bingcheng felt a chill rise from the depths of his heart.

He nodded and went back into the shop.

Shopkeeper Wang's screams immediately rang out from inside. "Don't come any closer! What are you doing!? You'll pay for this! The authorities won't let you get away with it! Ah! Ah!"

Su Xin patted Su Xin'er on the head and covered her ears so she wouldn't hear Shopkeeper Wang's screams.

Looking at Shopkeeper Wang, who was sprawled on the floor and too weak even to groan, Huang Bingcheng rubbed his chin. "That's enough. Keep going and you'll kill him."

Only then did the eight gang members stop.

Huang Bingcheng looked coldly at the pharmacy assistants huddled in the corner. "Bandage this fat bastard up. Don't let him die. If the authorities show up later, you know what to say."

The assistants nodded repeatedly. They wouldn't have dared to provoke the Flying Eagle Gang even if they'd been given the courage of two men.

"Xin'er, let's go home."

Su Xin picked up Xin'er and slipped the bangle into her hand, but a trace of doubt stirred in his heart.

The bangle's design and materials were far too fine. It didn't seem like something the Su Family could own.

But Su Xin's memories of his childhood in this body had long since grown hazy. He remembered even less than Xin'er did.

He asked Xin'er a couple of questions, but she couldn't explain either, so Su Xin simply stopped asking.

After settling Xin'er at home and arranging for someone to look after her, Su Xin had someone fetch Huang Bingcheng. "Old Huang, gather the owners of every shop in the Happy Forest at the Drunken Moon Pavilion. We're holding a meeting."

He still had a main quest to earn ten thousand taels of silver. He would have to find that money in the Happy Forest.

But Su Xin wasn't Liu Sandao. He certainly wasn't going to squeeze the merchants and shopkeepers dry. That would be like killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.

Huang Bingcheng gave him a knowing look.

A new leader was bound to make a show of authority. When Liu Sandao had taken over, they'd paid him plenty.

Now Su Xin was the boss. If they didn't bleed a little, how could they expect to keep doing business in the Happy Forest?

Su Xin knew what Huang Bingcheng was thinking from the look on his face, but he didn't bother correcting him. Huang Bingcheng would understand once the time came.