Chapter 78: The Tyrannical Merchant Borrows a Knife to Kill (4)

  Shi Jin moved a stool and sat down in the yard, but as soon as his buttocks touched the stool, he suddenly remembered something. He pointed to the crowd of people buying water on the other side, who were all startled and jumped in fright.

  Those people were terrified. They had just seen Jin Daban ask about the murder, and now they feared Shi Jing was idle and would also ask them questions, using this to tease them.

  Just as they were getting anxious, Shi Jin suddenly shouted: "Continue fetching water!"

  The villagers were all stunned upon hearing this and feared they had misheard. No one dared to step forward.

  Shi Jin saw that the crowd was not making any noise, so he waved his hand and called over the brothers from Shaohua Mountain to help them fetch water. As bucket after bucket of sweet well water was fetched up, and handed over to their hands, the crowd finally came back to their senses, re-formed a queue, and one by one took out money to buy water. But who would have thought that these legendary strong men from Shaohua Mountain not only didn't take any money, but also told people to go back and call everyone in the whole city to come over. This made the crowd extremely happy and excited, with cheers and applause erupting everywhere, the atmosphere suddenly became lively, comparable to the joy of Chinese New Year!

  Everyone on that side is happy, but Confucius's side is not good. Not only was his own financial path broken, but he also let Huang Er Lang torture him, and in his heart, he thought, with a sea of anger.

  At this moment, Huang Erlang's vicious face reappeared in front of Kong Ru, revealing his yellow teeth and roaring at him: "Kong Ru, you dare to be arrogant again? What are you being arrogant about now? You wanted the law, didn't you? Come on, I'll give it to you!" As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and took over the chili water from the bailiff, saying viciously: "The law is in my hands now. Tell me, where is the grain?"

  Kong Ru stared at Huang Erlang with a pair of big eyes, as if his fierce and poisonous gaze could pierce through his internal organs.

  Huang Erlang saw Kong Ru not speaking, just staring at him with a pair of eyes that showed no mercy, and his heart was also made to feel hairy by those resentful and poisonous eyes. So Huang Erlang used one hand to force open Kong Ru's mouth, and the other hand poured in the scalding hot pepper water, while cursing non-stop.

  That Kong Ru couldn't take it anymore, just now Huang Erlang kicked him and broke his ribs, making him feel like he was going to die from the pain. Now this scalding hot chili water is being poured down, not only does it make his mouth foam, but also goes down his throat, choking him with a fiery pain, as if what's pouring down isn't chili water, but rather molten lava.

  Kong Ru was tortured to the point of desperation, struggling with all his might. He wished he could die immediately, but his entire body was pinned down by Huang's henchmen. Huang Er Lang continued to laugh as he poured liquor into Kong Ru's mouth.

  After a bowl of pepper water was poured down his throat, Huang Erlang finally stopped temporarily. Huang Erlang looked at Kong Ru's face, which was full of blood, and after the baptism of this bowl of pepper water passing through his intestines, his eyes were filled with bloodshot, although he looked more ferocious, but he no longer had the sharpness of just now.

  Huang Erlang gazed at Kong Ru's heavy breathing, with thick oral secretions still flowing from the corners of his mouth. This was Huang Erlang's own doing, ruining Kong Ru's dignity, and he felt a thrill in his heart. Huang Erlang put down the empty bowl on the ground and said to Kong Ru, "Now that you've got the king's law in your belly, shouldn't we talk about grain and fodder too?"

  Kong Rong's neck stiffened, and he spat out a mouthful of saliva, then stared at Shi Jin with a fierce gaze: "Shi Jin! You despicable scoundrel! You are simply a bandit!"

  Shi Jin listened to his scolding, but didn't get angry. Instead, he smiled faintly and said: "Don't be so rude, Mr. Kong! What you suffered at the hands of Huang was between your two families. I'm just here for the grain and fodder that were 'looked after' by you. I've always been reasonable - once I get what's owed to me, we'll go our separate ways!"

  Kong Ruo sneered and said, "Reason? What a reasonable bandit! Alright, I'll make it clear to you. Those grains were stored for the county magistrate with my help. Now that the government office has been burned down, there's no contract left, which means these grains belong to me! You once promised not to touch the people's money and goods. Let's see how you can turn this reason around!"

  Shi Jin listened, and secretly made a hand gesture to the golden footboard that had retreated to one side. As he slowly stood up, he said: "So that's how it is, in your Confucian heart, the yamen was burned down, and this grain is yours, but what does this mean?"

  "Not bad! This grain is mine, you bandits want it? Then let me go now and I might consider it!"

  "Ah, quick, quick, you let him go first." Shi Jin said, and hurriedly signaled to the Huang family's people to release their grip. After Kong Ru got up from the ground with a wolf-like appearance, Shi Jin continued: "Master Kong, no fight no acquaintance, please don't take it to heart. But... how about we discuss the grain and fodder now?"

  Kong Rong didn't know Shi Jin's plan was to drag out the fight, and thought Shi Jin was really being held back by his own twisted logic. So he put on a bossy attitude again, raised his head, let out a cold snort, and said: "Negotiate? Just now it was according to your rules, now it has to be according to my reasoning!"

  "Right, right, right! Old Kong is really a man of our generation, and his thoughts are exactly the same as mine. According to your reasoning, look at that!" Saying this, Shi Jin pointed behind him.

  Kong Ruo looked away, and the soldiers stationed on the roof had withdrawn at some point, but inside the house was clearly on fire. At this rate, in less than half a time, the large Kong dye workshop would be engulfed in flames and eventually reduced to ashes.

  Kong Ru's heart was racing with anxiety, this Kong Dye Workshop was his most proud business, it was the backbone of his dominance in the business world. If it were to be burned down by a fire today, then the Kong family would find it difficult to recover.

  Kong Ruzi stared at the flames jumping and burning in the rooms on all sides, he hastily rushed to Shi Jin and shouted: "Quickly save the fire! Quickly save the fire!" As Kong Ruzi himself was about to run towards the well, but before he could take a few steps, he was pressed down by Huang's family members, firmly pinning him to the ground.

  Shi Jin walked over at this time, saying: "What's the hurry? Isn't this in line with your reasoning? One fire and everything here, including the grain, will all belong to me!"

  "Shi Jin! You're going too far!"

  Shi Jin saw him walk to Kong Ru's face and said: "Kong Ru, do you know that all the people in the city are struggling with hunger and thirst now? How can you still have the mood to collect wealth here, how can your heart be so vicious! Do you think I don't know anything?! Those grains were produced by the hard work of the people, but those corrupt officials collected them unconditionally and made some deals with you, this treacherous merchant!" Shi Jin got angrier as he spoke: "I gave you many chances to hand over the grain, but you are so shameless, taking the grain for yourself! You are the most treacherous of all merchants, you deserve to be killed!"

  Kong Ru was completely stunned by this conversation, and the flames in the house behind him had already burned through the beam, and in an instant, there was a loud crash, and the entire house collapsed, just like Kong Ru's last pillar of support at that moment also collapsing.

  Kong Ru only then truly knew fear and stuttered: "Shi brother, let's talk this over, hurry up and get someone to put out the fire!"

  "I'm not your Big Brother Shi, I'm the bandit in your mouth! There was still room for negotiation just now, but there's no more room for negotiation now!" Shi Jin said, turning his back and looking at the house of the other dyeing workshop, which also collapsed with a loud noise.

  Kong Ruo watched as the raging flames engulfed his dye workshop, room by room, and the powerful industry that had supported him was also collapsing. The Kong family's prosperity of many years was burned to ashes in the fierce fire, all because of Shi Jin's greedy thoughts.

  Kong Ruzi gazed at Shi Jin's back, using all his strength to kowtow repeatedly and begged bitterly: "Master Shi, Master Shi! I'll hand over the grain and fodder, just leave me half of it, please, spare my dye shop and everything can be negotiated!"

  Shi Jin heard him say this and estimated that the trick of attacking his heart had been played out, so he gave Huang Erlang a signal with his eyes.

  Huang Erlang suddenly understood and grabbed his hair, shouting: "Where is the grain and fodder?"

  "In that well!"

  Shi Jin called over Jin Jiaoban and whispered, "The fire is under control, let's put it out now." Jin Jiaoban was pleased with Shi Jin's approval and smiled slightly. He quickly turned around and directed the brothers from Shao Huashan to start pouring water to extinguish the flames. Fortunately, the fire had been somewhat contained by the earthen tiles on the roof, and many of the villagers, grateful for their help, came forward to assist. In just a short while, the fire was completely extinguished, leaving only wisps of smoke.

  During this time, Huang Erlang followed Shi Jin's instructions and went down to another dry well. When he saw the neatly stacked large quantities of grain and hay, Huang Erlang suddenly realized that it was no wonder that only grain-carrying carts were seen entering, but not a single grain or blade of grass was visible; they had all been hidden underground. This well did not turn out to be the dry well that Kong Ruping had mentioned, which had been dug open by Zhen Banshan's miscalculation, but rather an underground warehouse with excellent ventilation that had been deliberately built here. By the time he grabbed a handful of rice and was pulled back up with ropes, the fire had almost been extinguished.

  Huang Er-lang saw Shi Jin and others holding lanterns around the well, as soon as he crawled out of the well mouth, he happily handed the rice in his hand to Shi Jin, excitedly saying: "Shi Dage, there is rice! There is rice! This ghost thing below is really a big warehouse!"

  "Alright! Xiao Jin, go call the brothers over, let's transport the rice!"

  Jin Zhiyuan bowed and clasped his fists, then quickly ran off to arrange the carriages. Shi Jin settled the matter of the water and provisions, feeling very relieved in his heart. Guessing that it was almost time, he had the idea of returning home, so he nodded to Huang Erlang and Kong Ruzi, changed his tone, and said politely: "Shi Jin has disturbed you all tonight, let's part ways for now, farewell!" With that, he turned around and left.

  At this time, someone behind him shouted in unison: "Master Shi, stop!"