The Arrogant Master Lin

Shen Yi finished his question and continued to watch him with a calm gaze.

The Thin Ascetic was caught off guard for a moment, almost believing that the other man truly wanted to receive an "answer."

A moment later, a surge of fury welled up from his heart.

His gaze turned sinister and his breathing grew rapid; ever since the day he arrived in Baiyun County, no one had ever dared to provoke him like this.

The Thin Ascetic clenched his five fingers tightly, his nails digging painfully into his palms.

He longed to split the man's skull open with a single full-force strike.

Yet, for some reason, shrouded under the other man's tranquil, ripple-free gaze, he felt an inexplicable sense of panic, and his hand remained frozen in place. Could it be that he had grown too comfortable in the manor and lost his fighting spirit?

No, it was simply unnecessary to bicker with a dead man; that would be unwise.

Having offended the North Cliff Fox Demon, there was no way the man would survive, so why bother doing it himself?

Thinking of this, the Thin Ascetic forced out a cold sneer, though it lacked conviction: "As expected of someone from the yamen, Officer Shen is even more imposing than the County Magistrate. It is this old man who was tactless."

Hearing this, Shen Yi nodded and turned to leave. Suddenly remembering something, he looked back and said with a hint of concern: "You're getting on in years, don't always twist your mouth like that. It's easy to end up with facial paralysis."

"Hmph..."

The Thin Ascetic subconsciously adjusted the corner of his mouth, and then his eyelids began to twitch violently.

Watching the man's slow, unhurried retreating figure, his chest suddenly felt stifled, and a taste of blood rose in his throat.

Butcher Zhang walked past his senior brother, cast a glance of slight pity at him, and then strode out of the Lin Family residence.

"To think there was such a ferocious tiger demon hidden in my home!"

Master Lin, who had arrived late, widened his eyes as he watched Chen Ji load the massive tiger carcass onto a flatbed cart and secure it.

He then glanced at the Thin Ascetic left standing in place, offered a fawning, submissive smile, and chased after Shen Yi in a few quick steps.

"Officer Shen, please stay!"

With his frail body and elaborate, cumbersome clothing, he couldn't possibly run, so he could only call out repeatedly.

Shen Yi stopped, looking puzzled.

"I came to apologize for what happened earlier."

Master Lin bent over, leaning on his knees in shame, and stammered: "You saved my daughter, yet I suspected you of colluding with demons to harm her and cause her memory loss. I only let her back into the house to swindle some silver for the gambling dens..."

Hearing this, Shen Yi's expression stiffened slightly.

"It was my dog eyes failing to recognize a person of worth." Master Lin sighed and lamented his past actions, failing to notice that Shen Yi had quietly turned his head to look elsewhere.

"You are a good man. Bai Wei was blinded by the demon. If not for Officer Shen today, I fear my Lin Family would have been eaten clean by that tiger demon."

"..."

Hearing that name again, Shen Yi fell silent.

Among the many troubles left behind by his predecessor, this was the most fatal one.

Either slay the Fox Demon and silence it.

Or eliminate the real Lin Baiwei and collude with the North Cliff Fox Demon from here on out.

There was almost no third path to take.

The decisive, clean strike from just moments ago had not only severed the tiger demon's head but had also cut off his own retreat.

Shen Yi considered himself an ordinary person, and he, too, was prone to hesitation and anxiety.

Better to be straightforward and act according to his heart; why dither like a child who hasn't been weaned, unable to let go of this or give up that?

"No need for that. I draw a salary from the imperial court, so performing my duties is only right and proper."

Shen Yi composed himself, watched Chen Ji pull the cart over, and gave a slight nod to bid Master Lin farewell.

"Right and proper..." Master Lin nodded in agreement, though his mouth twisted with bitterness. A fine "right and proper" indeed; if that were truly the case, he had offered so much silver to the County Magistrate, so why had he never seen the Thin Ascetic do his job in a "right and proper" manner?

"Officer Shen, when Bai Wei returns, may I invite you over for tea? She once studied under a master and knows a bit of martial arts. You two are of similar age; you should have plenty to talk about."

Hearing this, Chen Ji subconsciously frowned.

Who in Baiyun County didn't know that the Lin Family's only daughter was as beautiful as a fairy? Countless fine men drooled over her. Compared to her, his own younger sister was just a modest beauty, and in terms of family background and worldly experience, she fell far short.

Wait... why was he comparing his sister to the Lin family miss?

Chen Ji tapped his forehead. Besides, with Officer Shen's current martial prowess, he might not even fancy a woman who had been consorting with demons.

"What do you think?" Master Lin asked cautiously.

Shen Yi lowered his eyes to the blade at his waist and said slowly: "Very well."

Receiving an affirmative answer, Master Lin was overjoyed. Although the man's expression was a bit strange, they were both young people; with more contact, who knew what might happen!

Chen Ji rolled his eyes. Sure enough, even if everything else had changed, Officer Shen's restless heart remained the same.

Just then, the Fat Steward, having changed into clean clothes, laboriously carried a large silk bag and huffed and puffed as he placed it on the cart.

Chen Ji knew what was inside just by the sound.

Judging by the way the cart swayed, there was at least eight hundred taels—nearly thirty years' worth of a bailiff's salary.

"Please, do not refuse. If you don't accept it, I truly won't be able to get past this hurdle in my heart. Besides, even the imperial court tacitly approves of this demon-slaying silver."

Master Lin bowed repeatedly.

"I know you enjoy your leisure, and copper coins aren't convenient enough, while banknotes lack prestige, so I prepared it all in ready silver." The Fat Steward chuckled, waiting for praise.

Shen Yi walked to the cart, lifted the silk wrapping, and looked at the gleaming silver inside. A trace of imperceptible envy flickered in his calm eyes.

Rich bastards! They really ought to find a lamppost to hang these people from.

Two pancakes with extra eggs only cost ten coppers; this silver was enough to wrap the vendor's entire family in pancakes.

"There is indeed such a custom." Chen Ji sighed as well. A casual sum of silver like this was more than he could save for his sister's dowry in a lifetime.

Shen Yi rummaged through it casually, picked out two ten-tael silver ingots, and tossed one to Chen Ji: "This will do."

He couldn't help the Lin Family raise their daughter for free; he still had to cover his meal expenses.

He pushed the rest off the cart.

Without giving anyone else a chance to speak, and leaving Master Lin standing there in a daze, Shen Yi stepped out of the Lin residence.

Chen Ji gripped the silver ingot in surprise, then pulled the cart and hurried to follow.

"Officer Shen."

Once they reached the street, Chen Ji finally wanted to ask about what had just happened.

He truly hadn't expected the man to fall out with the Thin Ascetic so easily.

"Use your brain before you do things in the future. Your life wasn't just picked up off the ground."

Shen Yi stretched and walked toward a tavern by the street, staring at the wooden plaques on the wall: "A pot of Huadiao wine, a roasted goose leg—the left one—and steam a fish..."

Watching his back as he ordered, Chen Ji rubbed his lower abdomen.

Officer Shen said that as if his own life had been picked up off the ground... even if it had, why stick his neck out for people who had nothing to do with him?

He was even paying for the meal.

Until Shen Yi left carrying an earthenware pot and a lotus leaf parcel, Chen Ji opened his mouth slightly and asked in confusion: "Aren't we eating here?"

"Who is 'we'?"

Shen Yi looked back, his expression strange: "If you want to eat, buy it yourself."

Did he not understand what it meant to keep public and private matters separate?

He only made two taels and four maces of silver a month, and he was supposed to treat him to a meal? He might as well treat him to a fart.

"..."

Chen Ji took out the ten-tael silver ingot, looked at the silver, then looked at the other man, his heart filled with complex emotions:

"What a weirdo."

(End of chapter)