Chapter 28

The Qian family estate was expansive and featured elaborate landscaping, clearly the result of careful design. Most exquisite was the floating cloud jade carving in the garden; it stood over three feet tall, carved from a single piece of jade. It appeared emerald green at first glance, but when caught by the sunlight, it shimmered with hints of brilliant yellow.

Steward Qian noticed Lin Qing staring at the carving and said smugly, "That jade sculpture cost my master a great deal of effort to acquire. Never seen one like it, have you?"

"I certainly haven't," Lin Qing replied, withdrawing her gaze.

Steward Qian looked at them as if they were a group of bumpkins.

Master Qian and his wife were already seated in the main hall, and in the seat below them sat a woman wearing a matron's hairstyle. Upon seeing Zhou Fusheng, her eyes lit up, and she lunged toward him. "You’ve come to marry me!"

Zhou Fusheng dodged her. "Miss Qian, I have come to make things clear to the Qian family: I will not marry you, nor will I marry into your family as a son-in-law."

Miss Qian stared at him fixedly. "If you don't marry me, I will kill you, and I will kill your entire family!"

Zhou Fusheng was unfazed. "The laws of the Great Yuan state that those who kill without cause shall be executed."

Miss Qian let out a laugh as if she had heard a joke and tilted her head arrogantly. "My aunt is the wife of the Sinan County Magistrate. She dotes on me most of all, and I make the rules here. If I kill you, it’s only because you deserved to die."

Lin Qing was truly stunned. "To think a perfectly good young woman could be this foolish. It’s almost frightening."

"Who are you to insult me? I’ll kill you!" Miss Qian grabbed a chair and hurled it at Lin Qing.

Lin Qing didn't change her expression; she simply kicked the chair away in mid-air, then struck several pressure points on Miss Qian’s body, instantly freezing her in place.

Master and Mistress Qian had been watching with amusement, but seeing their daughter suffer, the Mistress slammed the table and pointed at Lin Qing. "You peasant girl, how dare you use sorcery on my daughter!"

Master Qian barked, "Men! Tie them both up and throw them into my daughter’s room. That will save us the trouble of a wedding ceremony."

Miss Qian was delighted, though she could not speak; the glare she shot at Lin Qing and Zhou Fusheng was filled with malice. Lin Qing took one look and knew that Miss Qian’s hands were likely stained with blood.

A dozen of the Qian family’s guards rushed in with clubs, filling most of the room. But before they could strike, a gust of wind seemed to sweep through the room. By the time the others regained their senses, the guards were already sprawled on the floor, unconscious.

Lin Qing stretched her limbs, somewhat dissatisfied with her own speed. Her internal injuries had not yet healed, making it troublesome to deal with ordinary people.

Master and Mistress Qian were accustomed to throwing their weight around and never expected Lin Qing, who looked so slight, to be so formidable. They were terrified. Master Qian’s hand trembled as he pointed at her. "My brother-in-law is the Magistrate of Sinan County! You—you’d better not touch us, or you’ll lose your head!"

Lin Qing winked at Zhou Fusheng. "Did you hear that? He says he’s going to have my head."

Zhou Fusheng was amused. "He won't be able to."

Lin Qing nodded. "True. How do you like this Qian estate? Should I seize it and give it to you to play with?"

Zhou Fusheng asked, "How would I play with it?"

Lin Qing thought for a moment. "Isn't there a river nearby? We could take their gold and jewelry and skip them across the water just to hear the splash."

Master and Mistress Qian were stunned. To throw away their wealth just for the sound of a splash? How could she! But they dared not speak; Lin Qing’s earlier display had truly cowed them, and even Miss Qian was subdued, her eyes red with rage.

Mistress Qian whispered to her husband, "Don't worry, she wouldn't dare. This is our home, our money. Even bandits wouldn't do something so reckless."

Master Qian nodded quickly. "Right, right. I was just so angry I lost my head. They're just commoners who know a little sorcery; they wouldn't actually dare to rob the Qian family."

Of those present, only Zhou Fusheng knew that Lin Qing was perfectly capable of doing exactly that. After all, how many high-ranking officials and low-level clerks had she already brought to ruin?

Lin Qing ignored them and said to Zhou Fusheng, "Just hearing the splash isn't enough. Doesn't the Qian family own a lot of land? When the time comes, we’ll bring out the deeds and set up a stall at the gate. We’ll have everyone praise you; whoever praises you best gets half an acre of land, and whoever can make you laugh gets a whole acre."

Zhou Fusheng’s lips curved into a smile, his peach-blossom eyes fixed on her. "What would you call this?"

Lin Qing pondered. "How about: 'Squandering a fortune just to make a beauty smile'?"

Zhou Fusheng was taken aback. "I am a beauty?"

"Don't worry, you’re good-looking. Not ugly at all," Lin Qing said, patting his shoulder. She caught a glimpse of Steward Qian trying to sneak away, so she pulled Zhou Fusheng to a seat and pushed the snacks on the table toward him. "I’m traveling alone and I lost my luggage, otherwise I would have brought you something better to eat."

Zhou Fusheng asked hesitantly, "What happened?"

Lin Qing sighed. "Perhaps because of my good looks, I was targeted by an evil ghost. What can I do? He seems determined to drag me back to be his 'trophy husband'."

Zhou Fusheng had just taken a bite of a snack; at her words, a crumb went down his throat, and he began to cough violently.

Lin Qing patted his back and took his hand to check his pulse. She wasn't an expert in medicine, but practitioners of martial arts understood the meridians well. Zhou Fusheng’s meridians were, if not shattered, close to it. No wonder he hadn't used any martial arts from the beginning; he really had become an ordinary person.

So, was meeting him truly a coincidence?

In the blink of an eye, Lin Qing suppressed all her doubts and looked at him with concern. "You must take good care of your health from now on."

Zhou Fusheng smiled. "I know my own body. As long as I live a quiet life as an ordinary person, I can live for several decades. Once we resolve the matter here, I will leave with you."

Very well. Since Zhou Fusheng was fine, Lin Qing decided to treat him better. After all, he had saved her life.

About an hour later, the sound of footsteps approached from outside—quite a few, by the sound of it. A moment later, bailiffs and constables rushed in, swords drawn, glaring at Lin Qing and Zhou Fusheng. The Magistrate and Steward Qian appeared behind them.

The Sinan County Magistrate, surnamed Gu, was over sixty and as thin as a bamboo pole. His face was wrinkled like a blooming chrysanthemum. He pointed at Lin Qing and bellowed, "Audacious scoundrel! To commit violence in broad daylight! Surrender at once!"

Seeing Magistrate Gu, Master Qian acted as if he had found his savior. "Brother-in-law, save us!"

Mistress Qian was almost in tears. "They are heartless! They want to steal our family fortune! Brother-in-law, please save us!"

"Bold ruffian, to be so—ow!" Before Magistrate Gu could finish, a token flew through the air and struck him squarely in the face with such force that he spat out two broken teeth.

Magistrate Gu was furious. These villains had not only harmed his brother-in-law but dared to strike him, the magistrate of the county! But when he saw the words "Tianlu Bureau" engraved on the token, his anger turned to sheer terror. His face drained of all color.

Mistress and Master Qian, thinking the Magistrate was merely angry at the sneak attack, continued to stoke the fire.

Master Qian: "Brother-in-law, throw them in the dungeon and kill them!"

Mistress Qian: "That's right! See what kind of place Sinan County is? To dare bully the Qian family is to insult you, brother-in-law! You must have their heads!"

Miss Qian, who had somehow regained her mobility, screamed excitedly, "Kill them! Kill them!"

"Shut up!" Magistrate Gu was nearly in tears. He rushed over, slapped Master Qian across the face, and pointed at the three of them, trembling. "Tie these three ignorant fools up!"

Master Qian was confused. "Brother-in-law, why are you tying us up?"

Magistrate Gu was ready to faint. "Who is your brother-in-law? I’m divorcing your sister the moment I get home!"

The Qian family might have been foolish, but the bailiffs were sharp. They immediately realized that the two sitting there were no ordinary people. They quickly sheathed their swords, tied up the three members of the Qian family, and even thoughtfully gagged them.

Only then did Magistrate Gu hold the token with trembling hands and bow to Lin Qing. "May I ask... which official you are?"

Lin Qing took back the token and tucked it away. "Lin Qing, Deputy Commissioner of the Tianlu Bureau."

Magistrate Gu stumbled and nearly collapsed. The Tianlu Bureau was a den of tigers one dared not provoke, and Lin Qing was a prominent favorite in the eyes of the Emperor. The Qian family’s usual bullying was one thing, but this time they had caused a disaster.

Magistrate Gu was breathless, his voice even more cautious. "I failed to welcome you properly, Deputy Commissioner. I beg your forgiveness."

"No harm done. There is no need for such formalities, Magistrate Gu," Lin Qing said with a smile. Then, her expression turned stern. "However, the Qian family is truly despicable. Not only did they steal my money, but they also attempted to kidnap me. You must handle this with strict impartiality."

Magistrate Gu bowed his head low. "As you command, my lady... as you command."

"If you fail to handle this properly, I don't mind bringing the Tianlu Guards to take a look," Lin Qing said with a smile. "After all, I am a kind-hearted person who cannot stand to see officials and gentry preying on the common folk. I'm sure you understand."

Magistrate Gu wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I understand... I understand..."

Lin Qing continued, "Also, I suspect the Qian family’s wealth was not honestly acquired. Magistrate Gu, what do you think..."

Fifteen minutes later, a stall was set up at the Qian family gate, with land deeds on one side and gold and jewelry on the other. Having learned of Lin Qing’s identity, the three Qians knelt to the side, shivering. Magistrate Gu and the bailiffs helped maintain order.

A long line formed before the stall, consisting of local peasants, some known to each other, some not. Lin Qing pulled Zhou Fusheng to sit before the stall.

Zhou Fusheng was a bit embarrassed. "Is this really okay? Will it cause you any trouble?"

"It’s fine, don't worry." Lin Qing waved her hand. The first person in line was an old woman in rags, thin as a rail. She hesitated for a long time before managing to squeeze out to Zhou Fusheng, "You look truly beautiful, like a celestial being."

The bailiff assisting them immediately registered the praise and handed the land deed to the old woman, transferring the property on the spot.

The second person was a young boy. "I know you! Your medical skills are excellent, you save people without taking a penny. You are a good person!"

Third, fourth... As time passed, the praises turned into blessings.

"May your fortune be as vast as the sea and your life as long as the mountains."

"May you always remain young and beautiful, and may wealth flow to you."

"May all your wishes come true and your life be filled with happiness."

...

There were all sorts of words—some crude, some eloquent. Regardless, Zhou Fusheng listened to each one patiently, the smile on his face impossible to suppress.

Late at night, the crowd dispersed, and Zhou Fusheng walked slowly back toward Little Fish Village with Lin Qing.

Gazing at the star-filled sky, Zhou Fusheng said sincerely, "Lin Qing, thank you."

Lin Qing waved her hand. "You're welcome."

"The name 'Fusheng' was given to me by my mother. She hoped I would be born into good fortune and live in peace all my life." Zhou Fusheng did not know why he began talking about the past. "Unfortunately, she died in childbirth, and within two years, she was gone. Less than three months later, my father brought home a new wife. She brought a boy with her, only two months younger than me—my half-brother. From then on, I lived in hell until they sold me to the Dark Division for ten taels of silver."

"Though I am called 'Fusheng' (Born into Fortune), I have never truly experienced any. To me, this name is more like a cruel irony."

"So, I am truly happy today. Thank you."