The Mountain Tiger

The gate of the Liu residence was wide open.

The two stone lions in front of the gate were cleaned very well. Guards stood outside the threshold, servants stood inside, and further in were rows of benches that had been temporarily moved in.

It doesn't look like a house.

It's like a makeshift courtroom.

Master Liu sat in the main hall.

He was dressed neatly, his hair was combed perfectly, and there was a cup of tea beside him. The tea was still hot, and a little steam was rising from the rim of the cup.

The county magistrate died.

Manager Xu is dead.

The county government's account books were also taken away by that person.

When the news reached back, the backyard of the Liu residence was in chaos. Some guards drew their swords and were about to rush out, while the accountant was running around with account books, repeating the same sentence over and over.

"It's over, it's over."

Master Liu didn't scold them; he simply had the gate opened.

Then send someone to invite the village leaders of the twenty-six villages in the city, the local gentry, the gambling house owner, a few old customers of the brokerage firm, and the remaining clerks and runners in the county government.

Call those who can come, and let those who can't come know that the Liu residence is open today.

It's not about avoiding disaster, it's about reasoning.

More and more people gathered below the hall.

The village leaders sat on the left with their heads bowed and hands on their knees, no one daring to move. Several local gentry sat on the right, their faces grim.

They had dealings with the Liu family on a regular basis, had eaten their meals, and had received their gifts. Now, they wanted to clear their names, but they couldn't.

The gambling den owner touched the ring on his hand, his eyelids twitching incessantly.

The broker lowered his head and drank his tea, holding the teacup up for a long time without taking a single sip.

Several county clerks huddled in a corner, still wearing their official robes, their hats askew, but no one dared to help them up.

Looking at these people, Master Liu said, "I will remember that you all came."

No one responded, but he wasn't in a hurry. He looked out the door, his gaze sweeping across the street and landing in the distance.

That place is Shanlu Road in the west of the city. There is an old house on the mountain, and a person lives in the old house, a person who owes the Liu family a favor.

Thinking of this person, Master Liu felt at ease. He picked up his teacup and blew on it.

Footsteps could be heard on the street, very faint, indicating that there were many people.

The common people arrived first. They dared not get too close and followed from a distance. When they saw the gate of the Liu residence open and the hall full of people, they slowed down.

Some people huddled in the corner, some stood under the eaves of the shop, and some peered into the alleyway.

Then came a man in gray, carrying a tent tucked under his arm, walking slowly.

A thin woman followed on his left, her steps uneven.

A one-armed man dressed as a peddler followed on the right, the blood on his face already dried, holding the tattered letter in his hand.

Shen Gui stopped halfway there, and A Yue stopped as well.

She turned her head to look at him.

Shen Gui asked, "Are you very scared?"

A-Yue nodded.

Shen Gui: "If you're afraid, you won't be able to get out of it; you'll just stay trapped."

A-Yue's eyes went blank for a moment, as if she hadn't understood.

Shen Gui didn't explain, but continued, "Even if I kill the person who frightens you, you'll still be trapped, trapped in the protective shell you've woven yourself."

A-Yue subconsciously looked towards the gate of the Liu residence, saw the people inside, and saw Third Master Liu sitting high in the hall. She moved her heels back half an inch.

Shen Gui raised his hand and removed a stray blade of grass from A Yue's shoulder.

"So you have to tell yourself, don't be afraid."

After saying that, Shen Gui continued walking forward.

A-Yue stood still, looked down at her shoulders, nodded vigorously, and dragged her not-so-clenched leg to catch up.

When the guards at the entrance of the Liu residence saw them, their hands were on the hilts of their swords, but no one drew their blades.

The news of what happened in the county government office had already spread: a county magistrate, a clerk, and a steward from the Liu family all died without even a struggle.

The man in gray was definitely not at the Body Tempering Realm, or even the Observation Realm.

Thus, the words "Wangyue Realm" floated into everyone's minds, and who would dare to make the first move?

The crowd parted to let Shen Gui step through the threshold.

All eyes in the hall first fell on his face, and then quickly on the book under his arm.

That wasn't just an account book; it was evidence that the Liu family and the county government were bound together.

With the debts in place, many people will be unable to make ends meet.

Some people couldn't sit still any longer.

The village leaders looked grim. The gambling den owner stopped holding the ring and stared intently at the ledger. Someone from the brokerage firm coughed softly.

Shen Gui stood in the hall.

A-Yue stood half a step behind him.

After Xu Yanqing stepped through the high threshold, he clenched his fists and tried to stand up straighter, afraid that if he bent over, he would never be able to straighten up again.

Master Liu put down his teacup, stood up, and bowed:

"How should I address you, sir?"

His words were gentle; he didn't call anyone a demon or a villain, but addressed him as "sir."

Shen Gui did not respond.

Master Liu was not embarrassed at all, as if he had expected it. His gaze swept over A-Yue and then fell back on Shen Gui.

"The magistrate is dead, and Steward Xu is dead too. I know that. Zhou Laizi deserves to die, and if the magistrate was truly corrupt and lawless, he should also be tried. My steward was too hasty in his work and died at the hands of the master. It was his short life. I will not speak out for them today."

He spoke calmly.

This was completely different from the tense atmosphere that the people had expected, and many people were caught off guard.

Then, Master Liu suddenly put the lid on the teapot, and the smile on his face disappeared.

"But death is death, and rules are rules. The Zhou family has a marriage contract, the county government has an old judgment, and the Liu family has a guarantee."

Third Master Liu raised his hand.

An accountant stepped forward carrying a wooden tray with three old papers on it. The edges of the papers were yellowed and some parts were stained with oil.

The accountant stood in the hall, unfolded the first document, and read aloud:

"Zhou Dagui of Guhuai Village, Changluo County, betrothed Chen Ayue to a wife for seventeen taels of silver, three dou of rice, and two bolts of cloth. The contract is now complete."

Zhou Laizi's real name was originally Zhou Dagui, but no one has called him that for many years.

The accountant then unfolded the second document.

"Chen Ayue, who ran away from her husband's home and did not fulfill her wifely duties, was escorted back to the Zhou family by the village head of Guhuai Village and the Zhou clan elders as guarantors. The county government approved the arrest."

The third one.

"The Liu family has pledged their guarantee, and the Zhou family has paid the village protection fee. If any woman in the village has fled, no neighboring village may harbor her; if they see her, they must be returned to her."

After reading it aloud, the accountant returned to his post.

Master Liu looked at Shen Gui: "The Liu family doesn't just talk the talk; everything we do is in accordance with the laws of Yan Kingdom and with reason and human nature. Do you agree, sir?"

Shen Gui didn't look at the three sheets of paper; instead, he took the ledger from under his arm and held it in his hand.

Master Liu's eyelids twitched slightly, but he still smiled: "What you have in your hand is an account book. I, Liu, do not deny that there have been dirty deeds in Changluo County over the years. The Liu family has been involved, and the county government has been involved as well. Not everyone here is necessarily innocent."

These words caused even more people in the audience to become restless. Some tried to stand up, but were pressed down by those around them.

"Why does Changluo County have to have these dirty affairs?"

Uncle Liu spoke slowly, his gaze sweeping over the village elders as he spoke.

"There are twenty-six villages. Some are far from the county seat, requiring two days to travel to and from there. There are bandits in the mountains, and runaways on the roads. In years of famine, people steal grain; in years of plenty, people steal land. Can the county government manage all of this?"

No one answered.

Master Liu then looked at the local gentry.

"The imperial court needs to collect taxes, the county needs to levy grain taxes, there's chaos and turmoil outside, the war in the north is getting more intense every year, and with the influx of refugees, who will stop them?"

The local gentry remained silent.

Third Master Liu pointed to himself.

"My Liu family will stop you."