"Hmph, let me teach you a lesson. Liu, the clerk of the post station, was so ignorant as you that he refused to let Eunuch Qian in. Eunuch Qian, like the Emperor Liu who whipped the postmaster in the Three Kingdoms, hung that Liu on a crooked tree and gave him a severe lesson. Hmph, if you are sensible, you should kowtow to me and admit your fault, bring the county annals with you, and go to the post station with me to pay homage to Eunuch Qian. I can even forgive you and plead for you in front of Eunuch Qian. Otherwise, what Liu does today will be your tomorrow!"
Xiao Congzi was held by Liu Dadao. He raised his head high and threatened Zhu Pingan at the top of his lungs, his face distorted.
“Fuck!!”
Zhu Ping'an was furious. Without saying a word, he immediately called for 30 skilled yamen runners including Liu Dadao, Liu Daqiang, and Liu Dachui, and brought fire sticks, ropes, handcuffs and other weapons, and rushed towards the post station with murderous intent.
Xiao Congzi and the other three who were thrown out of the county government office watched Zhu Ping'an and more than 30 yamen runners rushing towards the post house with murderous intent. They suddenly felt that something was wrong. Zhu Ping'an's posture did not look like he was going to pay a visit to Eunuch Qian. He was clearly coming with bad intentions. They wanted to go to the post house in advance to inform Eunuch Qian and others so that they could be prepared. However, they had just been beaten with 30 boards, with their skin and flesh torn. When Liu Dadao and others threw them out of the county government office, they deliberately threw them to the ground with their wounds facing down. It was difficult for them to stand now, let alone walk. They could only watch Zhu Ping'an and his men rushing towards the post house with murderous intent.
On the way, Zhu Ping'an ordered a yamen runner to invite a doctor who was good at treating external injuries to the post station, and reminded the yamen runner to ask the doctor to bring some healing medicines such as wound medicine so that it would be convenient to treat Liu Dianli's injuries.
When Zhu Ping'an and his party rushed to the posthouse, Eunuch Qian was sitting on a human chair made by a kneeling eunuch, looking disdainfully at Old Man Liu who was pinned to the ground by several people, with the attitude of a big boss.
Old man Liu was in a very miserable state, with disheveled hair and marks of kicking and punching on his body. He was held down by several people, but he was still struggling and glaring at Eunuch Qian and the people beside him, including County Magistrate Zhang and Dianshi Li.
"Let me ask you again, are you going to sell this pearl or not?" Eunuch Qian pinched his fingers together, took the tea handed to him by a young eunuch, and asked to Old Man Liu in a sissy voice while scraping the teacup.
Eunuch Qian's tone was very unfriendly, and his eyes were cold, like a poisonous snake staring at its prey.
"No! I won't sell it even if I die! This pearl was handed down from my ancestors. It is a family heirloom passed down from generation to generation. It is the root of my Liu family. It represents the favor and protection that my seven generations of ancestors have bestowed on me. Although I, Liu Qi, am not a good person, I cannot let the heirloom of my Liu family end in my hands."
Old Man Liu raised his head and replied firmly.
"Old Liu, Eunuch Qian is the emperor's messenger who bought the Jinbao Pearl in the name of the emperor. He bought your pearl for the emperor. It is because of the smoke coming out of your Liu family's ancestral graves and because your seven generations of ancestors prayed to the gods in the underworld that you have encountered such a good thing that brings honor to your family. Don't be so ungrateful."
County Magistrate Zhang took a step forward, stood in front of Old Man Liu, and spoke to him condescendingly.
"No sale! Our ancestors said: According to the Pearl Age, the Liu family has lasted for thousands of years." Old man Liu shook his head firmly.
When Eunuch Qian heard this, his face turned extremely sour. He glanced at County Magistrate Zhang with displeasure and snorted coldly.
"Zhang, the county magistrate! Please try to 'persuade' him again." Eunuch Qian said meaningfully, pinching his fingers together.
"Yes, don't worry, sir."
County Magistrate Zhang replied with a bow, turning his head and giving a wink to Li Dianshi.
"Damn it, you old man don't know what's good for you!"
Li Dianshi could no longer hold back, and upon receiving hints from Eunuch Qian and County Magistrate Zhang, he immediately stepped forward and kicked Old Man Liu to the ground. He then led a few people to beat and kick Old Man Liu, using "physical" persuasion.
After some physical persuasion, Li Dianshi pulled Old Man Liu up and asked fiercely, "Old man, let me ask you again, are you going to sell it or not?!"
"I won't sell it. I won't sell it. I won't sell it even if I die!" Although Old Man Liu is old, he is very tough. Even after being beaten and kicked, he still refused to sell it.
Li Dianshi wanted to show off in front of Eunuch Qian and his brother-in-law, but he didn't expect Old Man Liu to be so stubborn. He was furious and said to Old Man Liu fiercely, "Damn it, then you die!"
"I don't believe that your mouth is harder than your bones!" Li Dianshi said angrily. He wanted to be ruthless to Old Man Liu and use all the skills he had used in the prison to torture him into confessing.
"Why bother?"
Yao Zhubu closed his folding fan and said with a smile.
"Master Yao, what's your trick?" Li Dianshi and Zhang Xiancheng asked curiously. Eunuch Qian also looked at Master Yao curiously.
Noticing the gaze of Eunuch Qian, Yao Zhubu's smile widened. This was his purpose. He immediately said to Li Dianshi and others with confidence, "It's not difficult. Go get some pens, ink, paper and inkstone."
As an inn for officials to rest and transit, the post house naturally needed pens, ink, paper and inkstone. Soon a set of pens, ink, paper and inkstone was delivered.
Yao Zhubu took the brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote on the top of the rice paper: Pearl Sales Contract.
"Pearl sales contract?!" County Magistrate Zhang read it out, and then he suddenly realized.
Yao Zhubu nodded and continued to write: The indenture holder, Liu Qi, lives in Jingnan County. He has a pearl that is round and weighs about three coins. Because his family needs silver, he is willing to sell this pearl to Qian Xu for...
When writing the price, Yao Zhubu looked up at Eunuch Qian and asked, "Eunuch Qian, what do you think is a suitable price for this pearl?"
"In business, it is important to get the goods at the right price. Although this pearl is of a decent size, it is hundreds of years old and its essence has been lost. It has also been touched here and there by them, so it has been contaminated with worldly and unclean scents... However, since he is old, I will let him take advantage of it and take care of him. I will pay a high price of one or two taels of silver for his pearl." Eunuch Qian pinched his fingers together, as if he was taking care of Old Man Liu.
"Eunuch Qian is really generous and magnanimous, and he cares for the people." Upon hearing this, Chief Clerk Yao complimented Eunuch Qian again and again.
“No, no, I am just a kind-hearted person. There is nothing you can do about it.” Eunuch Qian waved his hand modestly.
The two sang in unison.
"What?! One or two taels of silver?! Why don't you just go and rob!" Upon hearing this, Old Man Liu spat out a mouthful of blood.
No, they are just robbing!
A merchant once offered one hundred and fifty taels of silver for this ancestral pearl of mine, but I was reluctant to sell it!
You offer only one or two taels?! You even call it a high price?! And you say you are taking care of me?!
What a damn robber!
Old man Liu was heartbroken and struggled, shaking his head vigorously, "No, I won't sell it, no matter how much money you offer!"
However, there was no chance for Old Man Liu to refuse. After Yao Zhubu finished writing the two contracts, Li Dianshi grabbed Old Man Liu's hand, smeared some blood on Old Man Liu's face, and forcefully pressed his handprints on the two contracts.