Chapter 851
Failing to Recognize a Great Man
That morning, the weather was sunny and the autumn air was crisp.
Zheng Yi was inspecting the laying of bluestone slabs at the construction site when a foreman ran over to report to him.
"Sir, the foundation of that section of road on the east side is a bit soft and needs to be compacted again. It may take two more days."
"It's alright, quality comes first," Zheng Yi said. "We'd rather spend more time than cut corners."
“Yes, sir.” The foreman replied and turned to make the arrangements.
Zheng Yi squatted down and touched the newly laid bluestone slabs with his hand. The surface of the slabs was smooth and flat, cool to the touch, and shimmered with a faint bluish light in the sunlight.
"The quality of these bluestone slabs is quite good." He nodded in satisfaction.
Just then, Xiao Tianxing rushed over, his face showing a hint of seriousness.
"Sir, something has happened at the City Lord's Mansion."
"What is it?" Zheng Yi stood up, frowning.
"The Li family sent people here, saying they wanted to confront Young Master Guo. The people who came were very aggressive, as if they were there to collect a debt."
"The Li family?" Zheng Yi frowned even more deeply. "Which Li family?"
"It's said to be a powerful family in the northern part of Tianyuan Domain," Xiao Tianxing said. "I don't know the specifics. Young Master Guo sent someone to invite you over, saying they need your help."
"Let's go take a look."
Zheng Yi led Xiao Tianxing and walked quickly toward the city lord's mansion.
He kept thinking about it throughout the journey.
He had some impression of the Li family. It was said that the Li family was a prominent clan in the northern part of the Tianyuan Domain, with power comparable to second- or third-tier families among the nine great clans. Although the Guo family was also a large clan, it was still somewhat inferior to the Li family.
The fact that the Li family sent people to confront Guo Tianyou is definitely not a good thing.
When they arrived at the city lord's mansion, several carriages were already parked at the gate. The carriages were very grand in style, with bright red silk ribbons tied to their bodies, clearly indicating the ostentatious lifestyle of a wealthy family.
Zheng Yi entered the city lord's mansion and arrived outside the council hall.
The door to the council chamber was ajar, and a heated argument could be heard inside.
"Young Master Guo, this contract clearly states in black and white that your Guo family owes the Li family 300,000 taels of silver. Now that it's due and you haven't repaid it, you'll have to pay back that piece of land in the north of the city as payment. It's no use denying it!"
The speaker's voice was sharp and shrill, carrying an arrogant tone.
"This contract is a complete fake!" Guo Tianyou's voice rang out, filled with suppressed anger. "My father never borrowed money from the Li family when he was alive. And the signature on this contract isn't my father's handwriting!"
"Not your father's signature? Then whose signature is it?" The sharp voice sneered. "It's clearly written on the contract that it was signed by Guo Tian'en, the third young master of the Guo family, on behalf of the Guo family. Guo Tian'en is the eldest son of the Guo family; doesn't his signature represent the Guo family?"
"Guo Tianen is a traitor!" Guo Tianyou roared. "He murdered my father and has been expelled from the Guo family! Any contracts he signed cannot represent the Guo family!"
"That's a matter for your Guo family, it has nothing to do with our Li family," the sharp voice said. "When the contract was signed, Guo Tianen was still the third young master of the Guo family, so his signature is valid. Your Guo family has internal problems, and you can't expect our Li family to bear the losses."
Guo Tianyou was so angry he couldn't speak.
Upon hearing this, Zheng Yi had already grasped the general idea.
It turns out that before Guo Tianen was expelled from the Guo family, he borrowed money from the Li family in the Guo family's name and signed a contract. Now the Li family is using the contract to collect the debt, but Guo Tianyou is denying it.
This is a tricky situation.
Legally speaking, Guo Tianen was indeed the third young master of the Guo family when he signed the contract, and had the right to sign it on behalf of the Guo family. However, morally speaking, Guo Tianen was a traitor who killed his father, and the contract he signed was clearly for his own selfish interests and could not represent the will of the Guo family.
Zheng Yi pushed open the door to the council chamber and strode inside.
Inside the council chamber, Guo Tianyou sat in the main seat, his face ashen. Opposite him sat a middle-aged man in a brocade robe, with a mustache, sinister eyes, and a smug smirk.
Behind the middle-aged man stood several attendants, each of them burly and clearly skilled in martial arts.
Upon seeing Zheng Yi enter, Guo Tianyou quickly stood up.
"Sir, you've arrived." A glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes.
The middle-aged man also turned his head, looked Zheng Yi up and down, and a hint of doubt appeared in his eyes.
"Who is this?"
"This is Mr. Dark Night, a close friend of mine and a distinguished guest of the Guo family," Guo Tianyou introduced.
"Dark Night?" The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes slightly. "The Dark Night who killed the Lu family's prodigy with a single punch and intimidated the allied forces of the three great families?"
"That is indeed me," Zheng Yi said calmly.
The middle-aged man's expression became somewhat serious, but he quickly regained his arrogant demeanor.
"So it's the renowned Mr. Dark Night." He stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "My name is Li Degui, the head steward of the Li family. I've long admired Mr. Dark Night's reputation, and meeting you today, I can confirm your extraordinary bearing."
“Steward Li, you’re too kind.” Zheng Yi sat down next to Guo Tianyou. “I overheard your argument outside the door. Steward Li said the Guo family owes the Li family 300,000 taels of silver and wants to use land in the north of the city to settle the debt, is that right?”
“That’s right.” Li Degui took out a contract from his pocket and placed it on the table. “Mr. Dark Night, please take a look. This is the contract we signed back then. It’s in black and white, with signatures and fingerprints, all clearly stated.”
Zheng Yi picked up the contract and read it carefully.
The contract stated that the Guo family borrowed 300,000 taels of silver from the Li family for a one-year term with an annual interest rate of 20%. If the loan was not repaid by the due date, a piece of land in the north of the city would be used to settle the debt. At the end of the contract, the Guo family's seal was affixed, along with Guo Tianen's signature and fingerprint.
"When was this contract signed?" Zheng Yi asked.
“Three months ago,” Li Degui said. “At that time, Master Guo was still alive, and Guo Tianen, as the third young master of the Guo family, signed this contract on behalf of the Guo family.”
“Three months ago,” Zheng Yi pondered for a moment, “why didn’t Mr. Guo sign it personally back then?”
"This... I don't know," Li Degui said. "Anyway, the contract was signed by Guo Tianen and stamped with the Guo family's seal. As for why Master Guo didn't sign it himself, that's an internal matter for the Guo family and has nothing to do with our Li family." "Manager Li, I have a question for you," Zheng Yi said, looking at Li Degui. "Do you know that Guo Tianen murdered his own father?"
Li Degui's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.
“I’ve heard some things,” he said, “but that has nothing to do with our contract. Guo Tianen hadn’t committed any crimes when the contract was signed, so his signature is valid.”
"Effective?" Zheng Yi sneered. "Manager Li, think about it carefully. Guo Tianen signed this contract three months ago. And Master Guo only passed away half a month ago. That means Guo Tianen was already plotting to kill his own father when he signed this contract."
"This contract was very likely part of his plan. He intended to borrow money in the Guo family's name, then murder his father and seize the position of family head. The money would then be his. He just didn't expect the plan to be exposed, and he himself would be expelled from the Guo family."
Li Degui's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.
“Mr. Dark Night, you are making wild guesses,” he said. “What evidence do you have to prove that this contract is related to Guo Tianen’s rebellion plan?”
“Evidence?” Zheng Yi stood up and walked to Li Degui. “Manager Li, let me ask you this. The Guo family is a powerful clan in the eastern part of Tianyuan Domain, with considerable wealth. Why would they borrow 300,000 taels of silver from the Li family? The Guo family isn’t starving; why would they need to borrow so much money?”
Li Degui was left speechless by the question.
“Furthermore,” Zheng Yi continued, “this contract stipulates that if the debt is not repaid by the due date, the land in the north of the city will be used to settle it. The north of the city is the Guo family's largest territory, with enormous potential. To exchange the land in the north of the city for 300,000 taels of silver—doesn't Steward Li think this is an incredibly good deal?”
"I think this contract was a trap from the very beginning," Zheng Yi said, staring into Li Degui's eyes. "Guo Tianen and the Li family joined forces to try and seize the Guo family's assets in this way. Manager Li, am I right?"
A layer of cold sweat appeared on Li Degui's forehead.
"Mr. Dark Night, you...you're making false accusations!" he said, forcing a smile. "Our Li family runs a legitimate business. How could we possibly join forces with a patricide like Guo Tianen?"
"Whether it's slander or not, Manager Li knows the answer in his heart," Zheng Yi said coldly. "I'll give you one more chance. Put this contract away and go back to tell the head of your Li family that the Guo family doesn't acknowledge this debt. If the Li family still wants this money, let them send someone to talk to me."
"You—" Li Degui trembled with rage, "Mr. Dark Night, don't think you can be so arrogant just because you have some skills! The Li family is not to be trifled with!"
“I have never been arrogant,” Zheng Yi said calmly, “but if the Li family wants to use such underhanded methods to seize the Guo family’s assets, then don’t blame me for being impolite.”
"Good, good, good!" Li Degui said "good" three times in a row, his expression turning ferocious. "Mr. Dark Night, since you don't give the Li family any face, don't blame us for being impolite!"
He turned and called out towards the door, "Someone come here!"
A dozen thugs dressed in black rushed in from outside, wielding swords and knives, and surrounded the council hall.
Guo Tianyou's expression changed drastically.
"Li Degui, what do you want to do? This is the City Lord's Mansion. Do you dare to use force here?"
“Young Master Guo, I do not wish to resort to violence, but your Guo family is unreasonable, so I have no choice but to resolve this issue in another way,” Li Degui sneered.
He turned to Zheng Yi, his voice sinister, and said, "Mr. Dark Night, I admit you're very powerful; you killed the Lu family's prodigy with a single punch. But do you know that our Li family is also a renowned clan in the northern part of Tianyuan Domain, with countless experts under our command? No matter how powerful you are, can you defeat all of us from the Li family?"
"I advise you to be pragmatic and not interfere in the Guo family's affairs. The Guo family must acknowledge this contract. Otherwise, they will bear the consequences."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Yi's lips curled up slightly, revealing a disdainful smile.
"Manager Li, are you threatening me?"
"I am merely stating the facts," Li Degui said. "While Mr. Dark Night is formidable, he is not invincible. The retreat of the allied forces of the three great families was not because they were unable to defeat him, but because they did not want to fight him to the death."
"Our Li family has no grudge against you, sir, and we have no desire to be your enemy. But if you insist on interfering in this matter, then don't blame us for being impolite."
"You're welcome?" Zheng Yi stood rooted to the spot, unmoved. "Manager Li, you make it sound like your Li family can do anything to me."
"If you don't believe me, sir, you can try." Li Degui waved to the thugs behind him. "You, go!"
A dozen or so thugs in black responded in unison and charged at Zheng Yi, brandishing their swords.
Zheng Yi snorted coldly, his body motionless, but he simply raised his right hand and struck out with his palm.
A sharp force surged from his palm, sweeping away like a whirlwind.
Before the dozen or so thugs in black could even reach Zheng Yi, they were blasted away by the force of the impact. Their bodies tumbled through the air like kites with broken strings before crashing heavily to the ground, spitting blood and unable to get up for a moment.
Li Degui's face immediately turned deathly pale.
He stared wide-eyed at the scene in disbelief.
With just one palm strike, a seemingly casual palm strike, he knocked down all of the dozen or so thugs he brought!
“How is this possible?” he murmured.
Zheng Yi withdrew his right hand and looked at Li Degui indifferently.
"Manager Li, do you have anything else to say?"
Li Degui trembled all over, his legs went weak, and he almost knelt on the ground.
"Mr. Dark Night, I was blind to your greatness," he stammered.
“You truly have no respect for someone of high status.” Zheng Yi walked up to Li Degui, looking down at him condescendingly. “Go back and tell the head of your Li family that this contract was signed by Guo Tianen and does not represent the will of the Guo family. The Guo family will not acknowledge this debt, and the land in the north of the city will not be given to your Li family.”
"If your Li family still wants to cause trouble, then have your patriarch come to me personally. I want to see just how capable your Li family really is."
"Yes, yes, yes," Li Degui nodded repeatedly. "I'll go back and report to the master right away."
He bent down to pick up the contract from the ground, then scrambled and crawled towards the door, not even bothering with the injured thugs.
Watching Li Degui's disheveled departure, Guo Tianyou breathed a long sigh of relief.
"Sir, thank you so much for your help." He bowed deeply to Zheng Yi. "If it weren't for you here, I really wouldn't know what to do today."
“Young Master Guo, there’s no need for such formalities,” Zheng Yi said. “This contract from the Li family is clearly a trap set by Guo Tianen and his associates. How could I possibly let them succeed?”
“But…” Guo Tianyou’s brows remained furrowed, “the Li family is not to be trifled with. Although you scared off their manager today, they certainly won’t let it go. I’m worried they’ll send more people to cause trouble.” (End of Chapter)