The townspeople outside the Courtroom saw how certain the three plaintiffs, Da Wei and his companions, were, and began speculating that Chen Xun really had stolen the Black Tiger...
Old Li and Li Yuan clenched their fists, unbearably nervous.
Ji Bochang glanced at Chen Xun. Seeing that he remained composed, he ordered:
"Guards, turn the Black Tiger's body over!"
"Yes, sir!"
The bailiffs standing on either side of the Courtroom stepped forward at his command, and together they struggled to turn over the heavy carcass.
When everyone saw that the fur on the other side of the Black Tiger's abdomen was also smooth, tidy, and completely undamaged, they froze!
Old Li and Li Yuan let out long breaths of relief, their backs soaked with cold sweat.
Ji Bochang drew a deep breath, then fixed a fierce stare on the already dumbfounded trio. "Didn't you say the fatal wound was on its flank? Where is it?! Well?"
Da Wei and his companions began trembling, their minds momentarily blank.
How could this happen? How could this happen?
Skinny Monkey thought quickly in desperation and stammered out an excuse. "L-Lord Town Lord, our eldest brother has always had a bad memory. We actually poisoned this Black Tiger!"
Bang!
Ji Bochang slammed the Courtroom Gavel down and barked, "You still dare to make excuses! Your testimony has been riddled with holes from the very beginning. Do you really take me for a fool?!"
The three were terrified. They kowtowed repeatedly, their voices shaking. "We wouldn't dare!! Spare our lives, my lord! Spare our lives!!"
Had we known it would come to this, we should have just snatched it and run!
Now they were stuck in the Yamen, fish on a chopping board, left at others' mercy.
It was all Skinny Monkey's fault for coming up with this rotten idea on the fly. They had prepared too little, leaving holes everywhere.
Ji Bochang said coldly, "As I see it, greed got the better of you, and you villains tried to accuse your victim first. Guards, give each of them twenty heavy strokes of the paddle, then throw them in prison for two years!"
An ordinary case would not have warranted such a sentence, but this involved a Black Tiger, and the sum at stake was far too large.
The bailiffs soon stepped forward to carry out the punishment.
As the paddle fell again and again, the trio's agonized screams dwindled until their heads hung down and they barely clung to life. The flesh of their buttocks had already split open.
Clearly, not a single one of those twenty strokes had shown any mercy.
"Good!!!"
Outside the Courtroom, the townspeople came to their senses and cheered.
"Ah, I know those three. Outsiders are outsiders, after all. To think they'd do something so despicable."
"Exactly. I thought Chen Xun was telling the truth from the start. He's a scholar. How could he stoop to theft?"
"Look, there isn't a wound anywhere on the Black Tiger's body, so Chen Xun really was telling the truth. Who but an Immortal could have the means to kill it like that?"
"..."
Once the verdict was settled, the townspeople chimed in one after another, their attitudes turned upside down.
Chen Xun watched it all without expression, as though he were merely a spectator.
How could he fail to see it?
From the beginning, only Old Li, Li Yuan, and a handful of townspeople had been worried about him.
The vast majority had hoped that he really had stolen the Black Tiger.
Put simply, they could not stand seeing someone else prosper.
Human nature, I suppose. Heh.
Afterward, the bailiffs carried the three men off to prison.
At the last moment, the three glanced at Chen Xun, their eyes actually filled with resentment...
Chen Xun was the true victim here, yet Da Wei and his companions had somehow come to hate him.
If you've got the guts, go resent the authorities!
This was a textbook case of bullying the weak and fearing the strong.
Judging by this, the three would probably come looking for trouble with Chen Xun after serving their two years.
But they likely would not get the chance.
Once they had received their just deserts, Chen Xun had not intended to bother with them any further. That last glance, however, changed his mind.
Seeing that the matter was settled, Ji Bochang struck the Courtroom Gavel. "Court dismissed."
The townspeople watching outside the Courtroom hurriedly dispersed.
"You scared us half to death!"
Old Li and Li Yuan jogged over, patting their chests as they spoke.
Chen Xun smiled. "I told you it wasn't a big deal. Could white really be turned into black?"
Just then, Ji Ba walked up to Chen Xun and smiled. "Chen Xun, having you come to the Yamen was simply a matter of following procedure. Don't take it to heart."
Chen Xun shook his head. "It's all right."
Ji Ba nodded. "All right, since everything's settled, take your Black Tiger and go. I really envy you. A Black Tiger like this is worth a fortune."
Chen Xun smiled, then called Old Li and Li Yuan over to help him drag the Black Tiger away.
"Chen Xun, was it?"
Just then, Ji Bochang actually came over with a broad smile.
"Lord Town Lord!"
Ji Ba hurriedly bowed. Startled, Old Li and Li Yuan bowed as well.
Chen Xun cupped his hands. "Town Lord."
Seeing that Chen Xun was neither servile nor overbearing, Ji Bochang gave him a long, assessing look. Then, remembering something, he glanced at Ji Ba, Old Li, and the others. "I wish to speak with Chen Xun alone."
Ji Ba immediately understood. He signaled to the bailiffs, Old Li, and Li Yuan, then led the bailiffs out.
Old Li and Li Yuan did not know what the Town Lord wanted with Chen Xun, but they figured it should be nothing serious. After giving Chen Xun a look reminding him to mind his words before the Town Lord, Old Li left with Li Yuan.
"Heh, now that there are no outsiders here, sit."
Ji Bochang gestured toward a chair beside them.
Chen Xun had no reservations and sat down.
Ji Bochang nodded slightly and paced a few steps before saying, "Chen Xun, I'll get straight to the point. Would you sell this Black Tiger to me?"
Chen Xun was not surprised. He had already noticed the way Ji Bochang looked at the Black Tiger, so he smiled. "You're quite reasonable, Town Lord."
"Oh?" Ji Bochang looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"
Chen Xun said, "All of Little River Town is under your jurisdiction. If you wanted it, you could use any number of means to seize the Black Tiger, and a mere commoner like me would have no say, would I? Yet you're offering to pay for it. If that isn't reasonable, what is?"
Ji Bochang paused. Looking at the perfectly composed Chen Xun, he suddenly burst into laughter. "Chen Xun, oh, Chen Xun. I have to say, you've got some nerve. In all of Little River Town, you're probably the only one who dares speak to me like that."
Then his laughter stopped, and he said thoughtfully, "Name your price. I may love money, but I only make a little within the bounds of my duties. I would never harm the people for it."
Chen Xun saw the candid Ji Bochang in a new light. "Earlier, the Spring Breeze Restaurant offered one hundred and twenty gold coins for the Black Tiger."
Ji Bochang understood at once. He turned and left the Courtroom, heading into the inner courtyard.
"Wait here a moment."
A short while later, Ji Bochang returned from the inner courtyard with a money pouch in hand. He walked up to Chen Xun and offered it to him. "Here are one hundred and twenty gold coins."
Chen Xun took the pouch and hefted it.
Sure enough, being an official is good. Officials have money.
One hundred and twenty gold coins was a considerable sum anywhere in the mortal world, yet the Town Lord of Little River Town had produced it with ease.
And among officials, the Town Lord of Little River Town was merely of the Subordinate Ninth Rank.
A glimpse of a leopard through a bamboo tube was enough to reveal its spots.
Chen Xun suddenly opened the pouch, took out twenty glittering gold coins, and handed them back.
Ji Bochang was taken aback. "What do you mean by this?"
Chen Xun said, "The Spring Breeze Restaurant is the Spring Breeze Restaurant. How could it compare with you, Town Lord? Naturally, the prices can't be the same either."
Ji Bochang smiled, finding Chen Xun much more agreeable.
Not bad. Young people with such good sense are rare.
He promptly took the twenty gold coins back.
After all, twenty gold coins was no small sum.
Chen Xun then said, "Town Lord, I'll probably leave Little River Town before long. When that happens, I hope you'll look after Old Li's household."
Ji Bochang paused. Chen Xun was leaving?
Still, having just accepted Chen Xun's twenty gold coins, Ji Bochang was naturally willing to return an easy favor. He smiled. "Certainly."
Chen Xun smiled and cupped his hands.
And that had been his goal.
Before you continue