Principal and Interest

Walking briskly and putting distance between himself and that alley, Chen Cheng finally slowed down and continued toward the alley where the Jiang Family lived.

Though he had only taken a hurried glance earlier, Chen Cheng had still seen that the black-clad men were not particularly strong. Their saber techniques had merely reached mastery; whether in strength or speed, they were only comparable to ordinary martial artists of the jianghu. They were not Skin-Tempering Realm martial artists, merely ordinary courtyard guards.

Among them, Jiang Yun was actually stronger. She seemed to have reached the entry level of the Skin-Tempering Realm.

With Chen Cheng's current strength, he was confident he could easily knock every last one of them down.

Chen Cheng had not gone to rescue her. His first reaction had been to swiftly leave that troublesome place. It was not because he disliked Jiang Yun and deliberately wanted to watch her die without lifting a finger. He was not that petty.

He had chosen to leave because, after several months of working at the City Guard Office, it had become a conditioned reflex.

As a qualified City Guard Office constable, one had to turn a blind eye to fights and killings between jianghu figures.

Unless jianghu martial artists used their strength to bully ordinary civilians, City Guard Office constables would assess the situation—either seek reinforcements or intervene directly.

As for shouting for Jiang Yun and calling over a few helpers, that would have been even more pointless. Jiang Yun had probably already shouted herself hoarse, yet no one had come even now. The others were surely thinking the same way: they did not want to meddle in other people's business.

In troubled times, the price of meddling was exceedingly high. At the slightest turn, one could lose one's life. Who did not cherish their own life?

Those tales of drawing a blade upon encountering injustice, or heroes saving beauties, existed only in storybooks and romances!

In a true age of chaos, everyone would only protect themselves, their families, and their friends. That was reality!

And Jiang Yun was, to Chen Cheng, a complete stranger. Besides, she was a jianghu figure who cultivated martial arts. Chen Cheng had followed the working principles of a City Guard Office constable and chosen to ignore it. There was nothing wrong with that.

As he walked, a tall man dressed as a martial instructor and carrying a saber hurried over from the direction of the Jiang Family.

"Brother, what happened over there?"

When City Guard Office constables were out and about, who would not address them as Constable? Yet this fellow had directly called him brother. Chen Cheng frowned, but remembering that he still had business to attend to, he did not bother arguing and casually replied, "Seems like someone is fighting. I'm not very sure."

"Not sure?" The man abruptly stopped, fury written across his face. "You're a City Guard Office constable, and you're not going to do anything when people are fighting?"

The man's temples bulged high, and his gaze was fierce and sharp. He was clearly no good person. But as a City Guard Office constable, was Chen Cheng someone to be trifled with?

"What, you want to teach the City Guard Office how to do its job?" Chen Cheng's eyes instantly narrowed.

"Hmph!" The man shot Chen Cheng a vicious glare, turned, and strode toward the fight.

"Just a lowly probationary constable, nothing more than a dog raised by the City Guard Office. If I, Bao, didn't have matters to attend to, I'd make you regret this!"

Though he had not said those words to Chen Cheng's face, they reached Chen Cheng's ears clearly. The man had obviously done it on purpose.

A man fought for a breath of pride; a Buddha fought for a stick of incense. Once jianghu martial artists achieved something in cultivation, they considered themselves superior to others by virtue of their martial strength, and their temperaments became even more unruly and violent.

Some strove to outdo others; some used martial force to defy the law.

Many times, jianghu martial artists would come to blows at the slightest disagreement, often simply because they disliked the sight of each other or were in a foul mood.

Clearly, this man was one of that sort as well.

Chen Cheng stopped and watched the man's receding back, then sighed softly. "I'm still too kind-hearted!"

The Jiang Family residence stood deep within the alley. Its gates were painted vermilion, its walls tall. It appeared to be a large courtyard estate with three sections, enough to house dozens of people. Even in this neighborhood crowded with wealthy households, it could be considered an imposing residence.

Chen Cheng knocked on the courtyard gate. A middle-aged gatekeeper dressed as a servant opened it and peered outside through the crack. Seeing that Chen Cheng was alone, he politely asked, "Constable, may I ask what business brings you to our residence?"

"I'm here to see Jiang Rongxuan," Chen Cheng said directly.

Among the prominent households of the South District, their courtyard guards were generally no more than martial artists whose saber techniques had reached mastery, at most entry-level Skin-Tempering Realm martial artists. Such strength was simply not worth mentioning before Chen Cheng. Moreover, he had just witnessed the strength of the Jiang Family's guards and thought even less of them.

Debts had to be repaid; it was a principle as natural as heaven and earth. Chen Cheng was in the right here. If Jiang Rongxuan dared refuse to see him or shamelessly refuse to repay the debt, Chen Cheng would not mind fighting his way in and teaching the Jiang Family a lesson.

"May I ask what business Constable has with our master?" The middle-aged gatekeeper's eyes shifted as he continued questioning him.

It seemed the Jiang Family had some modest assets. Even their gatekeeper had put on a bit of airs. He clearly had no intention of inviting Chen Cheng inside, as though the Jiang Family master was not someone just anyone could see.

"My name is Chen Cheng. Tell Jiang Rongxuan that he owes my Chen Family five taels of silver. There is a promissory note from back then as proof. It is time to repay it now." Too lazy to waste words with him, Chen Cheng waved the promissory note in his hand and plainly stated his purpose.

Upon hearing that Chen Cheng had come to collect a debt, the gatekeeper was startled. He hurriedly said, "Please wait a moment, Constable. I will report this to the master at once."

Seeing the gatekeeper about to close the door and go back inside, Chen Cheng added, "Wait. This debt has been owed for more than ten years. Principal and interest... make it fifteen taels of silver. Once I have the money, I'll leave."

For someone as shameless as Jiang Rongxuan, Chen Cheng naturally had to collect some interest. Otherwise, would he not have made this trip for nothing?

Five taels of silver had been lent out for more than ten years, and he was only charging fifteen taels including principal and interest. That was already letting him off easy.

Jiang Rongxuan was in the back garden, teasing a Japanese white-eye kept in an exquisite red sandalwood cage hanging from the branch of an osmanthus tree.

The white-eye's feathers were a vivid emerald green, like jade, while its belly was pure white as snow. It hopped about within the cage, occasionally letting out crisp, pleasant chirps.

"This bird truly is a treasure. The money was well spent!" Jiang Rongxuan repeatedly praised it. The Japanese white-eye was the favorite bird of the wealthy masters of Linji City, and he had spent a full twenty taels of silver to buy it.

Recently, his mood had been improving by the day. His daughter's swordsmanship had reached mastery, and she had also entered the Skin-Tempering Realm, becoming a martial artist in the true sense.

Not only that, the Jiang Family had recruited a new courtyard guard who had reached major accomplishment in the Skin-Tempering Realm, greatly increasing their strength.

The businesses of their various restaurants were all flourishing. It could be said that one joy after another had arrived at their door.

Just then, the gatekeeper hurried over.

The Japanese white-eye in the cage seemed to have been frightened. It beat its wings repeatedly, and its chirping stopped.

Jiang Rongxuan's face darkened as he angrily rebuked him, "Why are you so flustered? You've startled my bird!"

Knowing that Jiang Rongxuan was always moody and unpredictable, the gatekeeper hurriedly lowered his head.

"A City Guard Office constable has come to the gate. He says he has come to collect a debt from you, Master."

"Collect a debt? What debt? Since when did my Jiang Family become a place where some lowly constable could come collect debts?"

Jiang Rongxuan assumed that a City Guard Office constable had come to extort money. He impatiently waved his hand. "Isn't Steward Bao outside? Have Steward Bao send the man away."

The gatekeeper said, "Master Bao heard fighting in the distance and went to take a look.

"The constable at the gate is named Chen Cheng. He says you owe him five taels of silver and that he came specifically to collect the debt. He brought a promissory note with him."

"Chen Cheng, and he brought a promissory note?" Jiang Rongxuan thought for a while before remembering. This was the son of Old Chen, the family with whom the Jiang Family had arranged a childhood betrothal.

"I seem to have borrowed silver from Old Chen back then, and I seem to have written a promissory note as well.

"But when did that boy become a City Guard Office constable?

"He only mentioned collecting the debt. He didn't bring up anything else?"