“Gentlemen, let’s talk this over nicely.” Mo Zi brought out the thick-skinned spirit of the boat gang, and after several instances proving it, running boats was the fastest method to train a person’s will. “In broad daylight and public view, I’m doing this for your own good too. Repaying debts is only natural and right. However, that young lady there—before it’s confirmed she needs to settle the debt, she’s a pure and innocent young lady. You—”
Mo Zi’s height was average among women, but in front of these solidly muscled men, she was still just a small bird. However, with Coin-plaster standing on the steps above, when she pointed her hand, she still pointed straight at him.
“You being so handsy damages the young lady’s reputation. If it goes to court, you suing her brother is one charge, but her suing you for indecent behavior is another charge. If you encounter a magistrate who cherishes and pities women, one charge cancels the other, and you’d lose both the silver and the person. How would you explain that to your Ninth Master?” The first part made some sense, but the latter part was pure bluffing. However, it didn’t matter—as long as it worked for now.
Seeing Mo Zi’s skinny frame dressed like an errand runner, Coin-plaster looked down on her by three points in his heart. But looking again at Zan Jin beside her, who stood a head taller than the gang members he’d brought, with dignified features and a jade-green sword at his waist—perhaps even a chivalrous hero—he became three points more cautious. Coming and going, his psychology balanced out. He straightened his back, told people to move aside, intending to publicly humiliate her.
“This old man sees you’re not even fully grown, yet your mouth can really run. Playing hero, you should at least find out who your grandfathers are, so you don’t cry injustice when disaster strikes.” His triangular eyes glared fiercely and viciously.
Mo Zi followed as Zan Jin cleared the way, walking up step by step. “Then let me ask—who are you old gentlemen?”
Among the crowd, the clever ones heard the mockery and burst into laughter.
Coin-plaster flew into an embarrassed rage and cursed, “You turtle bastard, looking for death!”
“What did I do? Weren’t you the one who said you’re a grandfather?” Ancient people didn’t live long, plus with early marriage and childbearing, given Coin-plaster’s thirty-something appearance, being a grandfather was normal. Besides, each one competing to be an elder—it wasn’t like she forced them.
More people laughed, and someone even said loudly that she was right. Ancient warmheartedness arose from such relatively simple-minded ancient times.
“Since you lend money and collect debts, just do things according to the loan documents you signed. You keep asking if I know who you are. Are you bandits perhaps? Planning to steal money and people empty-handed, insisting people know which gang you’re from to scare them into immobility, only able to watch you do evil? Then I really must ask—what does your Leopard Gang do? Are you a rabble that oppresses common people, molests decent women, and treats the law as nothing? Before doing things, you must announce your name first. If you dare answer with a single ‘yes,’ I’ll dare write a complaint and report your entire Leopard Gang to the authorities. This is the capital, at the foot of the Son of Heaven—I don’t believe the law can’t reach you!” Mo Zi’s lips curved, and even someone like Coin-plaster could see the contempt in her eyes.
From ancient times to the present, people who bully the good and fear the evil have been everywhere.
Under Mo Zi’s contemptuous gaze, Coin-plaster suddenly shrank back, thinking, could these be people with some background? Better be careful and not offend them casually.
Thinking this in his heart, his mouth became much cleaner. “Our Leopard Gang naturally doesn’t bully ordinary common people. The eldest young master of the Lin Mansion borrowed one thousand five hundred taels of silver from our two masters, and there’s a handwritten loan document with a fingerprint seal. It’s been overdue for many days. We came to the door to collect the debt, but who knew the person actually ran away? The loan document clearly states that if the debt cannot be repaid, a person will be taken as payment. We’re law-abiding good people—the law can’t let the lender suffer losses for nothing, right?”
“Clearly able to speak human words, yet earlier you insisted on barking like a dog.” Mo Zi saw Coin-plaster change his tune and smiled with a giggle. “If everyone speaks nicely, things naturally become easier to resolve. Collecting debts like you did makes everyone’s hearts lean toward the debtor’s side, pointlessly ruining your gang’s righteous name—what benefit is there in that? Bring it out and let us all have a look.”
“Bring what?” Coin-plaster couldn’t keep up with Mo Zi’s jumping thought process. Suddenly transforming from a vicious villain into an obedient little dog, he was dumbfounded.
“The loan document.” Mo Zi said as if it were obvious. “Everyone just now did see you take it out and wave it around, but who saw what was written on it?”
The crowd, already mobilized by Mo Zi’s enthusiasm for justice, all said they hadn’t.
“We don’t even know if it’s real or fake—we must see it clearly first. I have no relation to this young lady, but I’m willing to serve as a witness for everyone. If anyone else below can read, please come up two people to help review it.” Mo Zi didn’t give Coin-plaster any handle for future questioning and asked for witnesses A and B from the crowd.
Two literate people really did volunteer and walk forward.
Seeing the crowd’s enthusiasm, Coin-plaster knew it wasn’t good to provoke public anger. Moreover, having solid evidence in hand, he wasn’t afraid to show it again. He took out the loan document but held both ends with his hands. “You all understand loan documents are important. If someone with ulterior motives tears it, who can I cry to? Gentlemen, look all you want, but don’t reach out your hands. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being impolite.”
Actually, Mo Zi knew this loan document must be genuine, but she just wanted to see if there were any loopholes to exploit. Ancient times placed great emphasis on written documents. However, people like Qiu Sanniang who read many books and were extremely shrewd, listing everything in a contract from major to minor points clearly so that her non-professional knowledge couldn’t find loopholes—such people were rare.
Young Master Lin’s loan document was written thus: On a certain year, month, and day, a certain Lin borrowed eight hundred taels of silver from a certain Xu, with such-and-such interest, calculated daily, with a maximum loan period of one year. After one year, if a certain Lin has no ability to repay the debt, it will be settled by his younger sister Lin Zhen Niang with her body. After Lin Zhen Niang becomes a slave, her life and death will be entirely at a certain Xu’s discretion. A certain Lin and his family members may not redeem or claim her after the deadline.
On top were three parties’ signatures, seals, and fingerprints.
One of the middle-aged scholars who came forward to review it loudly read out the loan document’s contents. The crowd immediately erupted in sighs. Though usury was detestable, this really was a real brother selling his real sister. Poor Zhen Niang was destined to enter a brothel and be degraded by others.
Seeing this reaction, Coin-plaster naturally became righteously confident. “See? This isn’t us acting arbitrarily—we’re doing everything according to the original written document. Everyone, stop meddling in others’ business and hurry up and disperse to do your own things!”
Mo Zi felt the loan document’s content was a bit strange. Without time to think carefully, seeing Coin-plaster about to drive away the crowd that bolstered her momentum, she immediately said, “Wait a moment.”
Everyone was originally reluctant to disperse. Suddenly hearing that young gentleman say “wait a moment,” they reacted as if hearing a command, swishing back to their original positions and standing firm.
Anyone who had heard Mo Zi’s “wait a moment” never felt good about it afterward. Previously there was Xiao Erlang, and now this Coin-plaster. Because in their view, there absolutely existed no justification for waiting, yet her tone gave them a very ominous feeling.
Coin-plaster was a hoodlum who easily exploded when angered. Feeling righteous himself, even if there really was some background, he wasn’t afraid. Immediately stomping his short legs, crude words came again. “Wait a bird’s moment! The Lin family owes this old man’s debt. You’re too full and have nothing better to do than meddle pointlessly!”
When Mo Zi cross-dressed as a man, she mostly dealt with men. Hearing crude cursing from rough men not only didn’t hurt her, but sometimes she could even exchange a few crude words with those she got along well with, matching the atmosphere and covering her “effeminate voice.”
“You’re making such a big commotion at my employer’s place, showing off your power, attracting so many onlookers—this isn’t pointless meddling on my part.” As Mo Zi spoke, she saw Cen Er. He hurried around from the Lin Mansion’s spirit wall with ten or so people behind him, including the three Fish, Shrimp, and Snake brothers. Those three were also skilled fighters. Adding Zan Jin, the martial force was now equal.
Hearing these words, Coin-plaster looked up at the Lin Mansion’s main gate. “Oh? So young brother’s master bought this place. Do you know this land’s feng shui is good…”
Mo Zi didn’t waste words with him. She raised her palm. “No need to trouble yourself with that. Let’s make this short—you can’t take Miss Lin away yet.”
“What are you? Just because you say can’t take her, we can’t? This old man is being polite to you, and you’re opposing this old man? Let me tell you, the Lin surname has now run away, and Lin Zhen Niang is our Ninth Master’s person. Today we must take this person away. If you’ve got guts, go demand the person from our Ninth Master.” Coin-plaster looked at the sun—he’d been delayed by this matter long enough. If he didn’t return soon, he’d definitely get scolded. “Brothers, get up here and escort the little lady away!”
Mo Zi, neither angry nor agitated, said amiably, “Zan Jin, please escort Miss Lin and her companion inside the main gate.”
Coin-plaster gave a “hey,” rolled up his sleeves, and reached out to push Mo Zi. However, he didn’t even touch a piece of Mo Zi’s clothing. Before his eyes, a flash—the face changed.
“Hehe, brother, talk if you want to talk, don’t get physical.” Stinky Fish pulled Mo Zi behind him.
“Brother Mo, I came in time, right?” Having said that to the other side, Stinky Fish turned his head and grinned at Mo Zi.
“You always arrive just at the right moment.” Seeing the boat gang brothers, Mo Zi’s mood greatly improved. She nodded at Fat Shrimp and Water Snake who had already reached her side.
What kind of relationship was that? No one using anyone, no one’s status a level higher than another’s—sharing hardships at Jingyu Rapids, advancing and retreating together, in and out three times, a life-and-death friendship. And such life-and-death friendship became even easier to express after experiencing the incident with the general and prime minister.
Coin-plaster saw that the other side’s people had much stronger presence than those he’d brought. He hesitated whether to engage.
Mo Zi stepped forward a bit and raised her voice to a volume everyone could hear, saying, “I say you can’t take this person away—naturally there’s a reason. So many neighbors are listening, and I won’t speak nonsense. That loan document has one sentence: if Young Master Lin has no ability to repay the debt, it will be settled by his younger sister Lin Zhen Niang with her body. That is to say, the prerequisite for Miss Lin settling the debt is that Young Master Lin has no ability to repay the debt. Is that correct?”
Coin-plaster snorted several times in succession. “Now that you know, why don’t you hurry up and hand over the person?”
“That’s what’s strange. Seven days ago we paid Young Master Lin one thousand eight hundred taels in banknotes to purchase the Lin Mansion. He clearly has the ability to repay the debt.” Mo Zi had caught the loophole and called Cen Er out. “Cen Er, can you testify that Young Master Lin indeed received our silver?”
“That’s right. There’s also the broker Little Ma who can bear witness.” Though Cen Er didn’t understand Mo Zi’s intention, his supplementary point was good.
Not only did Cen Er not understand—among those present, no one could yet comprehend Mo Zi’s objective.