Chapter 53: I’m Really Afraid He’ll Beat Me To Death
Hello everyone, my name is Li Zhengdao, everyone calls me Li Dian Shi or Sir Li, I have been deeply rooted in Yong’an City for decades, advancing step by step, treading on thin ice, climbing to the position of Prefect, becoming Yong’an’s local emperor.
No one dares to go against this official’s intentions, and even fewer dare to act tough in front of me.
But now I have run into trouble.
That is the constable in front of me, who is a subordinate of my subordinate, Lin Fan; he is holding an iron rod weighing sixty jin and gleaming with silver light, ruthlessly smashing my courtyard to smithereens. I fear that if we disagree, he will beat me to death.
At this moment.
Lin Fan walked to the stone table with a harmless smile on his face, picked up the teacup and drained it in one gulp, spat out the tea leaves to the side, then plopped down on a seat, smiling at Li Dian Shi.
This gaze made Li Dian Shi’s spine chill.
“Sir, do you know that I have read the law from beginning to end, countless times? I dare not say I can recite it backwards and forwards, but I have achieved knowing and understanding the law. Do you know why?”
Li Dian Shi did not answer immediately, but quickly rolled his eyes, racking his brains yet unable to think of what to say.
Lin Fan smiled and said: “Because this subordinate must control himself. No matter what happens, we must reason it out, speak of the law, and cannot just beat someone to death with the weapon in hand if we can’t talk it out. Otherwise, what is that called? That’s called lawlessness, arrogant and reckless.”
“Yes, yes, yes.” Li Dian Shi nodded repeatedly, his face full of relief. “Well said, very well said. As maintainers of order in this city, we must certainly uphold the law. As for the Hu Family matter, I think you handled it well. As constables, we must be fair and just, upright and incorruptible. I have heard about that Young Master Hu’s matter; it was simply lawless. We should handle it however it should be handled—no one seeking favor will make a difference.”
Li Dian Shi was indeed an old hand who had rolled around in officialdom for decades.
These words were spoken with great righteousness.
Full of integrity, almost overflowing.
He was truly afraid now that Lin Fan would flip the table.
At their first meeting, he thought this kid was very arrogant. When he smashed the pillar with one strike, he was deterred, but still not too afraid.
But now, he was truly afraid.
He had just really seen the threat in Lin Fan’s eyes, as if saying, don’t force me to turn hostile— if I do, I’ll absolutely beat you to death.
What is the consequence for others killing an imperial official?
It would certainly be wanted and captured.
But this kid in front of him, with this strength, if he killed me, who could capture him, who could arrest him? He could leave the city and claim territory as king, still living freely.
And if he died, he would truly die in vain.
“Good, well said, Prefect. Worthy of being the parental official in the minds of the common people. This subordinate must learn well from Sir.” Lin Fan stood up, preparing to leave, when he suddenly remembered something and turned back with a smile: “Prefect, now that I have the status of official constable, shouldn’t it be time to…”
Li Dian Shi’s expression froze, and he said in surprise: “Official? What official constable—deputy squad, deputy squad!!!”
Hearing this, Lin Fan pointed at Li Dian Shi and smiled without speaking.
Good one, Hakili.
Truly grasping the essence.
After Lin Fan left, Li Dian Shi let out a deep breath and wiped the dense cold sweat that had seeped out on his forehead at some point.
That sense of oppression… was truly too terrifying.
“How exactly is he built?”
“Born with divine power?”
As for the gold bars sent by the Hu Family, he… no, what gold bars? This Li Dian Shi has been clean and upright his whole life, with hands as clean as his sleeves, incorruptible and honest. When has he ever taken gold bars from the Hu Family?
Night fell.
Restaurant, laughter and chatter, sounds of drinking games and toasts unending, extremely lively.
The wharf brothers were very busy at the Hu Family, and Lin Fan, as their good big brother in their minds, naturally had to spend money to reward them.
The restaurant shopkeeper led the waiter in bustling about, carrying wine.
If it were another gang, the shopkeeper would have fled as far as possible, but this time it was Master Lin personally hosting, so it was different. He feared the waiter might not be quick enough or serve well, so he personally attended.
“Thank you all brothers for your hard work. No more nonsense—this bowl, I toast to everyone.” Lin Fan raised the wine bowl and drained it in one gulp.
The brothers cheered loudly.
“Brother Lin is awesome.”
“Brother Lin has great tolerance for alcohol.”
The crowd howled. Ever since following Brother Lin, their backs didn’t ache, their legs didn’t hurt; they walked with heads held high, full of confidence.
Lin Fan showed the empty bottom of the bowl to everyone, indicating not a drop left, wiped his mouth, his face slightly flushed, somewhat drunk.
Looking at these brothers who came at his call, he felt very pleased. As he always said, he would absolutely not let the brothers who worked for him suffer losses.
Good fortune must naturally be shared.
Suddenly.
【Poison Resistance+1】
【Poison Resistance: LV0（1/100）】
What the hell?
Lin Fan, who was drinking merrily, was startled by this notification sound.
Drinking alcohol actually triggered Poison Resistance.
He glanced at the empty wine jar in front of him and instantly understood. Drinking too much alcohol harms the body; alcohol poisoning is perfectly normal.
As for why it appeared now.
It should be related to his alcohol consumption. Previously, he drank infrequently, and even when he did, it was in moderation, not too much.
Tonight, he was just keeping the brothers company. With his current physical condition, he alone drank a whole jar, and so far, only slightly flushed with a bit of drunkenness.
“Hahaha…” Lin Fan couldn’t help laughing loudly. Everyone turned to look at Brother Lin, not knowing why he was laughing so happily. Though they didn’t understand, they laughed along too. In an instant, laughter echoed through the restaurant; the waiter and shopkeeper standing around also chuckled foolishly.
“Shopkeeper.”
“Yes, Master Lin, what do you need?”
“Bring a few more jars of wine.”
“Right away.”
With the wine delivered, Lin Fan opened a jar. “Brothers, I’ll toast you another jar. Rest assured from now on—as long as I’m here, I absolutely won’t let you suffer.”
With that, he lifted the wine jar with one hand and gulped it down.
The baijiu of this era wasn’t high-proof, just around ten or twenty degrees, with a fragrant taste, smooth and easy to drink.
This scene left everyone dumbfounded, their eyes nearly popping out. They hadn’t expected Brother Lin to drink so much; it was beyond their imagination.
If they drank a jar, they’d probably collapse on the spot, unsure if they’d live to see tomorrow.
Gulp gulp…
【Poison Resistance+1】
【Poison Resistance+1】
As the jar emptied, resistance increased a lot. Now Lin Fan’s state was alcohol poisoning, but it was resolved by this Poison Resistance.
“Great, Brother Lin is dominant.”
“Brother Lin is a real man.”
The subordinates exclaimed in shock, each one excited with flushed faces.
……
The next day, early morning.
Lin Fan rubbed his slightly swollen temples and stood in front of a herbal medicine shop. Excessive drinking did boost resistance, but alcohol harms the brain when overdone—his head hurt.
【Poison Resistance: LV0（58/100）】
Progressing quickly.
Entering the shop, the physician was buried at the counter, carefully weighing herbs with a scale. Only when someone approached and knocked on the counter did he look up. About to ask what the customer wanted, he saw it was a constable, and upon closer look, Master Lin, so he hurried out from behind the counter.
“Master Lin, what can I do for you?”
“Shopkeeper, which is the cheapest herbal medicine here that has toxicity?” Lin Fan had it figured out—herbs were great: dried, easy to carry, and since every medicine is three parts poison, he could treat them as snacks from now on, eating them casually, and Poison Resistance would surely skyrocket.
The shopkeeper pondered for a moment, cautiously looked up and asked: “We have some, but I don’t know what level of toxicity Master Lin needs. Mildly toxic ones like Pinellia, moderately toxic like Tiannanxing, highly toxic like Strychnine Tree Seed, etc.”
Lin Fan stroked his chin and thought, deciding it was safer to start from the lowest level, progressing gradually.
“Then Pinellia it is.”
“Alright.”
The shopkeeper grabbed a big handful from the medicine cabinet. Pinellia looked round, not too big, very convenient to carry.
“I’ll take them all.”
Lin Fan waved his hand grandly, full of heroic spirit.
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