Selling Off the Family Property

Early the next morning, Cheng Heng rose from bed and dressed, feeling refreshed.

Seeing Li Qingwan's gentle face still lost in sleep, he did not wake her.

Li Qingwan had clearly never experienced such tender treatment before last night, and she was still immersed in dreamland.

Cheng Heng gently tucked the blanket around her, then got up and went next door to the room where he usually studied.

The little room was not large and was simply furnished. It was where Cheng Heng usually studied.

Looking at the shelves full of books and the Four Treasures of the Study on the table, Cheng Heng could not help shaking his head.

All these things had been bought with money his father and Li Qingwan had scrimped and saved. The previous owner of this body had not contributed a thing. Now that he could not even support the household, what damn use were these things?

Today, he would sell everything and make a clean break with the past!

Without another moment's hesitation, Cheng Heng packed up the still-valuable brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones in the room, wrapped them in coarse cloth, and strode out through the courtyard gate.

Gaoyang County was divided into the Inner City and the Outer City. Where Cheng Heng lived lay on the outskirts of the Outer City, a place that could be called a lawless no-man's-land.

All kinds of gangs, hooligans, and ruffians entrenched themselves there. The petty officials of the government colluded with them, always turning a blind eye.

As a result, the impoverished people living in the Outer City suffered endlessly at their hands, daring to be angry but not daring to speak.

In the tiny Outer City of Gaoyang County alone, there were more than a dozen gangs of all kinds. They frequently clashed with one another, and murder and bloodshed had long become commonplace.

The Inner City, meanwhile, was the place every Outer City resident yearned for. Yet the price of even an ordinary small courtyard there was enough to make these Outer City people scrimp and save without food or drink for more than thirty years, not even counting the exorbitant taxes and levies of daily life.

Even if ordinary families managed to save a little money, those gangs would plunder it all. To them, the Inner City could only ever be a distant dream!

With the bundle on his back, Cheng Heng hurried along the muddy roads of the Outer City. His destination was a pawnshop there.

Though the Inner City was prosperous, given his current circumstances, he would not even be allowed through the city gates. He could only sell these things at a pawnshop in the Outer City.

He had originally bought these brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones from the Inner City for more than twenty taels of silver. Pawning them should be enough to support him for a while.

Besides solving his immediate survival problem, Cheng Heng wanted to use the remaining silver to find a martial arts school and study under a master.

With the cheat known as [Heaven Rewards Diligence], learning martial arts was the quickest path for him to turn his life around in this world!

Before long, Cheng Heng arrived before a pawnshop with the bundle on his back. Two stone Pixiu beasts stood outside the entrance, while a large banner beside them bore the embroidered character "Pawn."

After examining the place for a moment, Cheng Heng stepped inside.

What met his eyes was a high counter. Behind it sat a middle-aged man in a round cap, with dark skin, eyes gleaming with a trace of thief-like cunning, and every inch of him radiating the air of a dishonest merchant.

Seeing Cheng Heng enter, the round-capped man looked over his shabby clothes and made his estimate, secretly thinking that there should be plenty of profit in this deal.

"Pawn it alive or pawn it dead, as you please—we can put out the fire at your brow!"

Hearing the shopkeeper's call, Cheng Heng set the bundle on the counter. Without betraying anything on his face, he said,

"A set of brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Have a look, Shopkeeper. How much is it worth?"

The middle-aged man opened the bundle, took out the items, and carefully inspected them for a while. Then, with a genial expression, he said to Cheng Heng,

"These things are worth a little to scholars, but here in the Outer City..."

After pondering for a moment, he continued, "If you sell them outright, I can only offer five taels of silver!"

At those words, Cheng Heng inwardly remarked, A pawnshop really is a business that rakes in wealth.

But there was no suitable way to sell the goods in the Outer City right now. Besides, any pawnshop that could operate in the Outer City had to have some force backing it. Otherwise, it would open today and be smashed shut tomorrow.

Cheng Heng did not speak at once. After pondering briefly, he said,

"Shopkeeper, this brush is a Hu brush. When I bought it, the brush alone was worth nearly ten taels of silver. Are all these things together worth only five taels now?"

The middle-aged man smiled lightly, unconcerned. "I told you, this is the Outer City. Just filling one's belly takes every ounce of effort. How many people would study the quality of a writing brush? If you think the price is too low, you can ask around elsewhere and see who will offer a higher price."

There was only one pawnshop in the entire Outer City. This man had clearly decided that Cheng Heng urgently needed money and intended to fleece him hard.

Cheng Heng's heart sank. In this situation, he could only swallow this silent loss.

He desperately needed these five taels of silver now. With this money, he would have the capital to rise in the Outer City!

Cheng Heng nodded coldly. He took the five taels of silver the pawnshop owner handed him, carefully tucked them into his robe, and walked out of the pawnshop.

After Cheng Heng left, the middle-aged man handed the entire set of the Four Treasures of the Study to a nearby attendant and instructed him,

"Give these items to the head shopkeeper and have him place them in the Inner City. Especially that brush—it must be kept safe."

The attendant hurriedly accepted them with care and headed toward the shop's rear courtyard.

After leaving the shop, Cheng Heng went to the nearby market. By the time he had bought some rice and flour, it was already noon, and he hurried toward home.

The sun blazed overhead, and there was not a pedestrian in sight.

"Kill them! Don't let any of those Black Tiger Gang bastards get away!"

Suddenly, bursts of shouting erupted behind Cheng Heng.

Then more than a dozen burly men carrying machetes and brimming with killing intent chased after several clearly wounded Black Tiger Gang members fleeing ahead of them.

Seeing this, Cheng Heng hurriedly hid in a corner. Only after the gang members had gone far away did he emerge, still shaken.

He then broke into a run toward home, not daring to waste another moment outside.

The Outer City was simply too chaotic. He had only just crossed over here and did not even have the strength to truss a chicken. He had to be cautious—cautious beyond caution.

He had to preserve this useful body; there would be great things to do in the future!

Charging into the small courtyard, Cheng Heng panted heavily as he shut the gate. He then handed the rice and flour to Li Qingwan.

Li Qingwan was already fully dressed and was tidying up the clutter in the courtyard. Seeing him like this, she hurried forward and asked,

"Brother Heng, what happened?"

Cheng Heng steadied his breathing before replying,

"Nothing. I just ran back too quickly. Here are the rice and flour—go make lunch."

Li Qingwan accepted the rice and flour in disbelief, her face full of shock.

"Brother Heng, where did these things come from? You..."

Cheng Heng froze, then smiled softly.

"Don't worry. I didn't sell you. I sold those study materials and exchanged them for money. Rest assured, as long as I have a mouthful to eat, I will never let you go hungry!"