Chapter 83: This Scoundrel
Ten thousand taels of silver wasn’t much for gentry families like theirs. Their daughters’ dowries were twenty thousand taels.
Zheng Pengpeng was still ill, and the Zheng family’s thousand tenant farmers were detained, causing the entire family to be in an uproar.
Zheng Yun just wanted to resolve the matter quickly. He thought that since the Li King wouldn’t leave Yandi for years, he would find an opportunity to deal with him after the Zheng family prospered.
He immediately had ten thousand taels of silver brought over, half in cash and half in silver notes, and said to Li Heng:
“We’ll pay the silver, but you must release the people immediately!”
Li Heng promised, “He personally agreed to this official. If you give the silver, I’ll release the people. Why don’t you, Head of the Zheng Family, come with me? We’ll exchange silver for people.”
Thus, the two led a team to the border city. Huo Zi’an, who had heard the news, was the first to run to Jinsui:
“Should we count the people? Change clothes?”
Jinsui asked in confusion, “Why? Do you need good clothes to work in the summer? The soldiers of the Tuntian Camp work with their arms bare.”
Huo Zi’an was stunned, “But the Zheng family will be here to pick them up soon. Does the Prince want them to go back naked?”
Jinsui said with a half-smile, “That’s not for Huo Imperial Guards to worry about. You just need to make sure they do their work, whether it’s clearing the river channel or reclaiming land.”
“Right, today, have them act separately and have the Black Feather Camp supervise them strictly. Anyone who dares to escape will be hung at the city gate as a warning.”
Huo Zi’an only then belatedly realized that the Li King had no intention of releasing the people at all!
But he said nothing and turned to carry out the order.
In his heart, he cursed repeatedly, “A faithless wretch!”
No wonder he was so greedy and perverted, capable of throwing people into an ant nest. So he was a dead eunuch!
He didn’t go far and hid, preparing to see how the Li King would deal with the Zheng family. Then he saw the Li King personally lead people out of the city to welcome Prefect Li and Zheng Yun.
He smiled brightly and cordially, “Lord Li, you are indeed a man of your word. You’ve brought the silver so quickly.”
Li Heng felt something was off, as if they were colluding to take the Zheng family’s silver. He quickly smiled and said,
“It was the Head of the Zheng Family who wanted to make peace with the Prince. All past grievances are misunderstandings. In Yandi, harmony is paramount.”
Zheng Yun had a stern face, looking even more annoying than Zheng Pengpeng.
He cupped his hands and bowed to Jinsui, “Greetings, Li King! The silver you asked for has been delivered in full. Please release the Zheng family members.”
Jinsui stroked his chin, and with Han Xing, Hei Hu, and Cheng Yu, stepped forward to inspect the silver chests, chuckling,
“Oh my, how thoughtful. Half cash, half silver notes. Lord Li, you handled this beautifully. This King is very satisfied!”
Seeing that he was being ignored, Zheng Yun once again asked loudly, “Your Highness, where are our Zheng family members?”
Jinsui signaled for the Black Feather Camp soldiers to carry the silver chests and said in surprise,
“Didn’t the Zheng family members send them to the foot of the city wall? You didn’t collect them?”
Zheng Yun was stunned, then anxiously said, “I’m talking about the thousand people you detained, not those injured soldiers!”
Jinsui widened his eyes, “What are you saying? For a mere ten thousand taels of silver, you want to redeem a thousand captives?”
“This silver is the redemption for those injured soldiers. The rest is only enough for the thousand captives’ food and daily expenses.”
“Do you think you can get away with just giving some silver after attacking our border city? What do you think this border city of this King is?”
“Leave the silver and get out quickly! Stop talking nonsense with this King.”
Zheng Yun had clearly never experienced anything like this and was momentarily stunned with anger, pointing at Jinsui with a trembling hand, and said sternly,
“Li King! How can you be so unreasonable! You wanted silver, and our Zheng family gave it to you. How can you take the silver and not release the people?”
Jinsui burst into laughter:
“No, you’re only just realizing this King is unreasonable? I haven’t been unreasonable for just a day or two. You need to learn from this lesson!”
Li Heng quickly stepped forward to mediate, “Your Highness, there’s no such thing in the world…”
Jinsui directly interrupted him, hopping with anger and scolding:
“Bah! You old geezer, when your Zheng family attacked the border city, you didn’t say a damn word.”
“After the incident, you come here to play peacemaker. Do you think wearing a hat makes you Zhuge Liang?”
“Are you an official of the Great Xia Imperial Court, or a running dog of the Yandi gentry?”
This time, Li Heng, like Zheng Yun, was so angry he wanted to spit blood. They both pointed at her and started to curse:
“You rogue! Relying on your status as an Imperial Prince to be arrogant and overbearing in Yandi!”
“Do you think you can do whatever you want just because your body is disabled? You must release the people today!”
Jinsui drew the sword at her waist, preparing to attack Zheng Yun and Li Heng:
“This King’s body may be disabled, but that doesn’t mean you can insult me!”
Han Xing, a good actor, stepped forward and hugged her arm, “Your Highness, calm down!”
He then said to Li Heng, “Prefect, our Prince cannot be provoked. If you speak like that, she will go mad.”
Li Heng quickly retreated behind his bodyguards. Jinsui was still shouting:
“Hei Hu! Arrest them all, don’t let any of them go!”
“If they dare to laugh at this King for being a eunuch, then this King will castrate them all!”
Hei Hu let out a roar and immediately rushed out with a group of Black Feather Camp soldiers.
Huo Zi’an, hiding in the distance, glanced down at a certain part of his body.
Fortunately, he hadn’t tried to escape during this time, otherwise, if he had been caught, his most important part would surely be gone.
Now Li Heng and Zheng Yun were truly scared. They shouldn’t have come to the border city for the transaction; they should have let the Li King go to Yanzhou for the transaction!
Li Heng quickly shouted to his bodyguards, “Quick, retreat! Back to the city!”
Zheng Yun shouted unwillingly, “When will you release them? Those are my Zheng family members, you can’t keep them forever!”
The Li King seemed to have returned to normal, sheathing her sword and said:
“They dared to attack the border city, so they must be prepared to atone. Once the border city is rebuilt, this King will release them.”
Zheng Yun, who could only utter the most arrogant words, said, “You keep your word!”
The group came with great fanfare and left dejectedly. Jinsui gained ten thousand taels of silver and the legal right to use a thousand young and strong individuals.
Haha, and she believed that anyone who dared to plot against the border city in the future would think twice.
Damn it, either kill me once and for all! Or wait for this King’s revenge!
Establishing a persona is important. A crazy, rogue Imperial Prince, now also a eunuch with no heirs, is like a chosen desperado with maxed-out buffs in this era!
Come to the border city and cause trouble if you dare! I’ll detain as many as come, and they’ll all reclaim land for me. If they dare to make a fuss, I’ll castrate them.
Jinsui patted the silver chests generously and said to Cheng Yu:
“Count the silver, every single one. Including the female family members, equip everyone in our border city with weapons!”
Last time the Zheng family attacked, the soldiers of the Tuntian Camp were reduced to using dung scoops to fight the enemy. It was truly stimulating.
But as their leader, she only felt heartbroken and guilty. The soldiers she led couldn’t even be equipped with a proper weapon!
Thanks to the Zheng family, for sending people and silver. Well, she would release those people before winter.
In winter, the ground would freeze, making land reclamation impossible. Keeping them would only consume grain and winter clothes.
The entire border city was singing and dancing. Li Heng and Zheng Yun, on their way back, almost got into a fight.
Zheng Yun accused Li Heng of colluding with the Li King and deliberately swindling him out of his silver.
Li Heng was furious. For your Zheng family’s affairs, I offended an Imperial Prince and suffered a great humiliation. Instead of being grateful, you’re accusing me!
Until Zheng Yun shouted, “I will file an imperial petition! I will definitely sue this scoundrel!”
Jinsui, the master of causing trouble, is online asking for votes.
