Chen Jiuyang's attire was somewhat peculiar at this moment.
His waterfall-like black hair resembled that of a woman, and his features were handsome, but his tall stature made it immediately obvious he was a man.
It was already November 16th, and autumn was gradually transitioning into winter. Many people had started wearing sweaters. Chen Jiuyang, with his robust vitality and formidable physique, was still dressed in a short-sleeved shirt, just as he would be in summer.
Numerous passersby cast glances at Chen Jiuyang's figure, but they quickly shifted their gaze. In this era, Hanfu was popular, and many people wore wigs and adopted ancient styles, so it wasn't particularly unusual.
However, Chen Xiaobo called out to Chen Jiuyang from behind him accurately, not long after Chen Jiuyang had entered Ziyang County.
Chen Jiuyang's eyes narrowed slightly.
The Chen family patriarch, Marquis Fenghan, Elder Han, Qiu Yihan, Lin Yuexian, Lin Buwen, and others all wished for him to avoid trouble as much as possible so that he could focus on his martial arts cultivation.
But, Monk Puhui had instructed him to seek enlightenment in the mortal world. Chen Jiuyang had a vague sense of this, though he didn't fully understand it. How could one live in society and avoid worldly affairs?
Chen Jiuyang looked at Chen Xiaobo and asked, "Borrowing money?"
He glanced at the fierce-looking men behind Chen Xiaobo. "How much do you want to borrow?"
"I..." Chen Xiaobo's expression was flustered, and he stammered, "Cousin, how much can you lend me?"
Chen Xiaobo's father, Chen Xuicheng, had returned to the Shu Mountain Chen family with Chen Jiuyang and was reinstated into the family registry. Afterward, Chen Jiuyang learned that Chen Xuicheng had joined the Misty Rain Sect, a force cultivated by the Shu Mountain Chen family in Fengcheng, working as a construction manager in a secular company with an annual salary of hundreds of thousands. Chen Xiaobo was also arranged to work there.
"How much I lend depends on the situation. I might lend nothing at all, or I might lend you money to resolve your troubles," Chen Jiuyang said calmly, with a slight smile.
The fierce-looking men exchanged glances and shoved Chen Xiaobo. "Kid, your cousin looks neither male nor female. Does he really have money? If you dare to fool us, I'll break your arm, believe it or not!"
"This is my cousin. He comes from a prestigious family. Gentlemen, my cousin really does have money!" Chen Xiaobo looked extremely scared. He walked up to Chen Jiuyang, his face flushed, and said, "Cousin, I lost three hundred thousand playing mahjong. Can you lend it to me? Help me out. I'll definitely return it to you when I save up money."
Chen Xiaobo knew that the Shu Mountain Chen family was very wealthy and that Chen Jiuyang now held an extraordinary position in society. Chen Jiuyang's women were more than one, and each of their families was incredibly rich.
"Heh heh..." Chen Jiuyang smiled. "Xiaobo, last time you, your dad, and our grandparents came to our house to escape disaster, you also asked our family to lend you money."
"You lost three hundred thousand playing mahjong; that's quite a sum."
Chen Xiaobo became somewhat impatient. "Cousin, I already said I'll save money to repay you. Any car you drive is worth millions, and the clothes you wear, even those of a servant, cost tens of thousands per set. Three hundred thousand to you is not even a drop in the bucket."
"As your younger cousin, I've never asked anything of you all these years! I'm only asking this one time."
Chen Jiuyang: "Alright, I'll help you this time."
"Let's go. Take me to see your boss. You owe thirty thousand from playing mahjong; even if the money has to be repaid, shouldn't we clarify things first?"
"Lead the way."
The fierce-looking thugs looked at each other and warned Chen Jiuyang, "Kid, we'll trust you this once. If you can't come up with the money later, we'll make you pay."
With that, the thugs led Chen Jiuyang and Chen Xiaobo to a high-end teahouse called Hao Yun Teahouse.
Its decor was luxurious, located on a street almost in the center of the county town. It looked like the reception area of a listed company.
Although Qingzhu Village was right next to Ziyang County, he was not familiar with Ziyang County.
Upon entering Hao Yun Teahouse, a middle-aged man with a distinguished demeanor was seated at a wooden table in the first-floor lobby, reading an ancient book.
"Boss, this kid brought his cousin to repay the money," the thug reported to the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man heard this, put down his ancient book, revealed a smile, and made a gesture. "Please sit."
Chen Jiuyang slowly sat down. "Bring out my cousin's IOU. Money for goods."
"Straightforward."
Chen Jiuyang took the IOU, took out a lighter from his pocket, and burned it. Then, he transferred three hundred thousand to the teahouse owner.
"This brother is truly straightforward. Have some tea," the teahouse owner said with a smile.
"No need for tea," Chen Jiuyang said calmly, his expression placid. "You are not qualified to have tea with me."
"Hmm?" The teahouse owner's smile gradually faded.
Chen Jiuyang continued, "My cousin owes you thirty thousand, and I have repaid it. This matter is settled. Next, we should talk about you gathering people for gambling in Ziyang County and defrauding my cousin."
"According to the law, anything over five thousand is gambling and can be reported to the police for detention, let alone hundreds of thousands. I'm curious, who gave you the audacity?"
The teahouse owner's expression shifted several times, and his tone carried a warning. "Young man, you look unfamiliar. Are you new here? Don't let a misunderstanding happen between us."
His implication was that since he dared to do such things, he had people backing him, so don't escalate the conflict.
"A misunderstanding?" Chen Jiuyang couldn't help but sneer. "You, a person who takes bribes and breaks the law, dare to mention this to me."
"I'll give you a chance. Tell me who is backing you."
The teahouse owner carefully observed Chen Jiuyang. He noticed that the young man before him had an extraordinary aura, and his every move exuded an indescribable coldness. Although his clothes had no brand labels, the fabric was of high quality and tailored to fit perfectly, suggesting custom-made attire.
Had any important figures recently arrived in Ziyang County?
The teahouse owner smiled and said, "My surname is Hong, the Hong of Mountain and Water. May I know your background, young man?"
"Surname Hong?" Chen Jiuyang's expression suddenly turned grim, and his voice became chilling. "What is your relation to Magistrate Hong?"
"It seems you know him," the teahouse owner said with a smile. "Young man, no matter what your background, since you know who is behind me, don't be too presumptuous. Otherwise, if a conflict arises, your elders at home might find themselves in a difficult position."
"Difficult position?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Jiuyang immediately raised one hand and, from a distance, slapped him across the face.
"Slap—"
The teahouse owner was immediately slapped hard. Blood flowed from his mouth, and his teeth flew out. He fell to the ground, looked up at Chen Jiuyang with venomous eyes, and heard Chen Jiuyang calmly say:
"I'd like to see how difficult you can make it for me."
"And I'd like to see what kind of person this Magistrate Hong is, and if he dares to stand up for you."
The teahouse owner's eyes were filled with malice. "Very well, then you just wait!"
"Good," Chen Jiuyang said, sitting calmly on the chair and nodding slowly. "I'll wait right here, and I'm not going anywhere."