Candidate Gu, You Really Are Heartless

"I will take back everything the Gu Family lost!"

Gu Zhengchen sat solemnly, his gaze resolute, radiating immense confidence and an unshakable will.

Zhao Ya'er watched, her red lips parting in surprise.

At that moment, Gu Zhengchen's once-loathsome image suddenly crumbled, and all her ugly impressions of him collapsed completely.

Her former fiancé seemed to blaze with dazzling rays of light. His restraint, his composure in the face of the Wang Family's pressure, his fearlessness in danger, his resolve in sacrificing money to escape punishment, and his astonishing boldness in reclaiming everything all shook her to the core.

So he wasn't so worthless after all...

An inexplicable ache washed through Zhao Ya'er's tender heart.

Zhang Shiping swallowed, his expression particularly grim. He glanced sideways at Zhao Yaowen, secretly shuddering at what might have happened.

Gu Zhengchen was nothing like the weak, useless, cowardly fool the rumors described. He possessed an astonishing mind, exceptional methods, an unyielding will, and the courage to pursue a matter to the bitter end!

This man was not to be trifled with. One look at Wang Youcheng's sorry state and Wang Fugui's livid face made that clear!

If the Zhang Family truly formed a marriage alliance with the Zhao Family, and he obeyed his parents and married Zhao Ya'er, he would have to consider whether that would offend Gu Zhengchen. After all, Zhao Ya'er had once had a written marriage contract with him.

If Gu Zhengchen regarded Zhao Ya'er as his exclusive possession, would he treat the Zhang Family as an enemy once Zhang Shiping laid a hand on her, given the abilities and methods he had displayed today?

True, Gu Zhengchen had little power now, but the Liang Family stood behind him, and he himself was outstanding. Who could say what heights he would reach in ten years?

Was it worth offending a provincial graduate with such enormous potential over a woman?

County Magistrate Li Yi looked at Gu Zhengchen and Wang Fugui, his brows slightly furrowed.

His adviser, Yan Bin, remained silent.

Seeing Gu Zhengchen force Wang Fugui to stay, Liang Fengyang's heart tightened. Boy, what exactly are you doing? Once the debt is settled, it's over. Why grow another branch out of this tangled affair?

Wang Fugui clenched his fists, then relaxed them. With his hands behind his back, he looked at Gu Zhengchen and sneered. "Heh, Candidate Gu, a man ought to know how much he weighs."

Gu Zhengchen raised his head slightly, his expression unsmiling. "Back then, you took away the Gu Family's old ox and forced us to sell ten mu of farmland to cover the debt. Now I want them back."

Wang Fugui laughed, then threw his head back and roared with laughter. His laughter rang on before his sharp gaze suddenly stabbed toward Gu Zhengchen. "What right do you have to take them back?"

Gu Zhengchen rose and took two steps forward, stopping barely a foot from Wang Fugui. "Master Wang, have you never heard this saying? Better to bully a white-bearded elder than a young man who is poor!"

Wang Fugui stared coldly at Gu Zhengchen, refusing to yield an inch. "So what if I bully you?"

A faint smile tugged at Gu Zhengchen's lips. "You aren't qualified."

Wang Fugui snorted disdainfully. "Whether I'm qualified is beside the point. I'd like to see how you intend to take your family's ox and ten mu of farmland back from me, Candidate Gu!"

Gu Zhengchen turned his gaze toward the crowd at the entrance.

Wang Fugui's heart sank. He slowly turned around and saw the crowd stumbling this way and that, shouting and cursing as an enormously fat man emerged, drenched in sweat, one plump hand rubbing his bulging belly.

"Landlord Sun!"

Wang Fugui recognized the newcomer.

Panting heavily, Sun Bing took a sweat towel from a servant and wiped his perspiration-covered face. He called to Gu Zhengchen, "Candidate Gu, you really are heartless."

Wang Fugui's eyes brightened. It seemed Landlord Sun had come to make trouble for Gu Zhengchen.

Liang Fengyang looked at Gu Zhengchen. Didn't this fellow borrow money from Landlord Sun? How had he provoked such resentment? Had he swindled him rather than borrowed it?

That shouldn't be possible. Landlord Sun came from a merchant background, shrewd and miserly. What trick could fool him? Still, who could say? Gu Zhengchen kept his ruthlessness hidden, bided his time before striking, and had plenty of methods. It was hard to tell...

Wang Fugui stepped forward and greeted him first. "Master Sun."

"Oh, Master Wang, you're here too."

Sun Bing glanced at Wang Fugui and tossed the towel to his servant. Without further pleasantries, he turned his gaze to Gu Zhengchen and walked toward him. "Five li. I walked here every step of the way. Does your promise still stand?"

"What?"

Liang Fengyang and Wang Fugui looked utterly stunned.

Zhang Shiping, Zhao Yaowen, and Zhao Ya'er were dumbfounded. Even County Magistrate Li Yi could not help looking surprised.

What was going on?

Gu Zhengchen seemed to have used some condition to "coerce" Landlord Sun into walking five li to get here!

Everyone of standing in Teng County knew that Landlord Sun preferred sitting still to moving about. Excessively obese, he seldom left home, and whenever he did, the hard work fell to the four donkeys pulling his carriage.

What methods had Gu Zhengchen used to make Landlord Sun, who had always loathed walking, trudge five li "against his will"?

There was a hint of awe in Liang Fengyang's gaze as he looked at Gu Zhengchen. He seemed unfathomable, his methods astonishing. Apparently, even without the Liang Family's intervention, he would never have fallen into the Wang Family's hands!

Wang Fugui's expression grew uglier still. From Sun Bing's words, both spoken and implied, it was clear that Gu Zhengchen had not offended him. Rather, he needed something from Gu Zhengchen!

How was that possible?

Landlord Sun owned numerous properties. Aside from over a thousand mu of farmland, he had no fewer than twelve shops of various kinds, making him one of Teng County's foremost wealthy men. Gu Zhengchen was a penniless scholar with nothing to his name. What could Landlord Sun possibly need from him?

Gu Zhengchen looked at Landlord Sun, nodded slightly, and smiled. "Of course it stands."

Sun Bing grinned, the flesh on his face shaking. He turned to Wang Fugui. "Master Wang, return the Gu Family's ox and land deed. Whatever the price, the Sun Family will pay it in full."

"You two..."

Wang Fugui's lips trembled.

One thing after another had defied his expectations. Gu Zhengchen, whom he had thought he could easily crush beneath his foot, had actually forced that foot aside, making him suffer a loss and stagger off balance!

Looking at the speechless Wang Fugui, Gu Zhengchen reminded him, "The ox and the deed to those ten mu of land. I want them back today!"

Seeing that Gu Zhengchen did not want to wait too long, Sun Bing pulled Wang Fugui two steps aside and warned him in a low voice, "Candidate Gu's affairs are the Sun Family's affairs. Master Wang, please send someone to fetch the land deed and bring the ox back while they're at it."

Wang Fugui's hands trembled slightly.

Candidate Gu's affairs are the Sun Family's affairs! When had Landlord Sun become so close to Gu Zhengchen?

Now he had to back down, whether he wanted to or not.

The Wang Family could refuse to show Gu Zhengchen respect, but they could not refuse Landlord Sun!

"Accountant, go back and fetch them."

Wang Fugui lowered his head with the greatest reluctance.

"Zhengchen, what is going on?"

Gu Shi was still shaken.

Today, before one wave had subsided, another had risen, bringing danger after danger. Yet somehow, each peril had been turned aside, leaving them safe and sound.

Gu Zhengchen looked at his mother and smiled faintly. "Mother, I've checked the fields. The wheat is almost ripe. This year, let me sharpen the sickle."