Chapter 68 Shi Jin's Playful Tease of Di Tou She (Part 1)

  Shi Jin and Jin Jianban walked down Yuanbao Avenue together, and before they reached Kongji Dyehouse, Shi Jin saw from a distance the crowd lined up in two rows. On this quiet street, stretching out from Kongji Dyehouse, it was particularly eye-catching.

  Shi Jin looked at the long queue again, stopped once more, and turned to Jin Jiao: "Jin Jiao, give me the lantern. You follow behind, when we enter Kong's dye shop, there will definitely be lights inside. Keep a distance of ten steps from me, as long as you can see my gestures, don't attract attention."

  Jin heard it and knew that the master of the house was going to take action. He hastily nodded his head and said, "Don't worry, Master! I'll be extra careful!"

  Shi Jin nodded and said, "Alright, when the time comes and the scene is chaotic, you'll know what to do. By the way, is the fire starter on your body still usable?"

  "It's very useful. I got it when I came down from the mountain stronghold," said Jin Cuilian, taking out a flint and steel from his bosom and handing it to Shi Jing for him to examine.

  Shi Jin gazed at it and indeed, it was a nearly new fire striker. He was satisfied and nodded repeatedly: "Good, good, put it away, it will come in handy later!" After saying this, Shi Jin took the back of Jin Jiao Ban's shoulder with one hand, and with the other hand, he took the lantern from Jin Jiao Ban. The two then walked forward, one after the other, along the long line of people buying water.

  This dyeing workshop is located at the east end of Yuanbao Street, with three storefronts facing the street, featuring intricate carvings and ornate eaves. At first glance, it's clear that this is a wealthy establishment. To the side of these three storefronts is an alleyway, which leads to a large gate on the left-hand side after a short distance. This gate is particularly auspicious for businesspeople, commonly known as a "feng shui gate", and is situated at the end of a road running east-west, earning it the nickname "Purple Energy Arrives from the East", signifying an abundance of wealth flowing in.

  When the Kong family built their house, they invited a Feng Shui master named Zhen Bansian to take a look. This Feng Shui gate was set up by Zhen Bansian's calculations, and with the "Purple Air Coming from the East", the wind was there, and then he calculated the position of the well to be twenty steps inside this Feng Shui gate, so the water was also there. The two words "Feng Shui" were all occupied by the Kong family, which made Kong Ru very happy. It is said that when the well was opened in those years, the living water was very prosperous, and Zhen Bansian left a sentence saying "In the future, wealth will come from water!" which made Kong Ru so happy that he rewarded him again and again.

  Now, Zhen Banshan is nowhere to be found, but this sentence of his also came true, and indeed "wealth comes with the water". But it's not known whether he was confused by a ghost at that time and didn't calculate well, or if he deliberately neglected it and didn't consider all aspects, unexpectedly, the money did come, but Shi Jin also arrived!

  Shi Jin walked with a lantern, all the way along the team to the front, all the way with a curious look at the people in the team. Shi Jin just looked at their attire and entourage, knowing that most of the people queuing up to buy water were figures from Huayin County, not only with heads and faces but also with money!

  Shi Jin adjusted his clothes and stepped into the wind-water gate. In front of him was a large courtyard with an area of over ten mu, where rows of bamboo racks were set up, covered with various colored fabrics that stretched on endlessly. Among these partially hidden fabrics, there were two wells spaced far apart. One well had no pulley for drawing water and no moss around the mouth, clearly not a well for fetching water. The other well was quite different, and at this moment, it was particularly eye-catching.

  Several dozen rough-looking men, all in their fifties and sixties, were squatting around the well, holding wooden spears and long guns. On the edge of the well, seven or eight burly men stood, their bodies muscular and imposing. The leader, a man with a face full of scars, held a wooden spear in one hand and gestured with the other. Those in front of him all wore obsequious smiles, slightly hunching their backs, looking like they were trying to curry favor. Two steps away from the well, a table and chair had been set up, where an accountant sat, taking silver coins and rapidly writing in a ledger with a brush pen, his face flushed with satisfaction, clearly having eaten his fill.

  Shi Jin walked straight to the well with a lantern, as if those people queuing up to buy water didn't exist, and neither did those noisy water sellers.

  Shi Jin suddenly burst in, first making those who had been waiting for a long time and queuing up feel indignant. Then the big men guarding the wellhead also sensed something was wrong. The leader of the group glared at Shi Jin with a pair of leopard-like eyes, and a thunderous voice seemed to explode from his mouth: "Halt! Who are you?"

  "Who is it? Your grandfather Shi Jin!" Shi Jin responded fluently in his heart, but didn't utter a single word. He treated the question as if it were just the wind in his ear and didn't even glance at him. He simply steadied the lantern in his hand and stepped forward towards the well with large strides.

  That fierce Han took a look at the comer and saw that he was so impolite, and with a swift wave of his hand to his left and right, two men immediately rushed out from behind him, carrying wooden swords and rushing straight to Shi Jing's face. One of the dwarfs opened his mouth to scold Shi Jing, and the other fat man didn't say a word, drew his sword out of its sheath, with a fierce look on his face. But when they saw that Shi Jing still looked disdainful, it was clear that he didn't take them seriously, and in front of so many people, their faces couldn't be saved. In the Huayin boundary, no one had ever been so arrogant, beating him up like a little rascal. The two men were furious and took action without mercy, each showing off their skills, rushing to attack Shi Jing.

  Shi Jin didn't even glance at them with his right eye, but in the corner of his eye, he took in all their movements. Shi Jin was thinking about how to provoke them and find fault with them. But unexpectedly, they were used to being arrogant in Huayin County, and before Shi Jin had a chance to make a move, they couldn't help themselves and swallowed the bait. It's clear that these Huang family people thought they were superior, and considered Huayin County their own territory, where they could do as they pleased, and were extremely arrogant!

  Shi Jin's mind was on this, and he couldn't help but sneer. Coincidentally, the fatty also swung his knife at Shi Jin with a horizontal chop at this moment. Shi Jin's feet didn't stop moving, his eyes locked onto the trajectory of the blade, and his body leaned back to easily avoid it.

  In the midst of Fatso's knife flashing with vigor, Shi Jin's right hand suddenly struck out, and in a flash of lightning, he grasped the wrist holding the knife that was approaching him. Borrowing Fatso's strength, he used his toes as an axis to spin sideways, immediately turning his body behind Fatso's back.

  It's a long story, but Shi Jin's swift movement was actually just an instant. Not to mention the fat guy whose wrist was controlled didn't react in time, even that short guy who kicked Shi Jin with one foot didn't react in time. The surrounding crowd only saw the lamp shadow flicker, and it seemed like the fat guy voluntarily blocked Shi Jin's way, taking a solid kick for him.