Chapter 89

Chapter 89

Pei Mu returned successfully with the merchant caravan this time, making folks in the neighboring villages figure this line of work wasn't all that tough after all. Some got to thinking and couldn't help itching to give it a shot.

Everybody knew running a caravan raked in the cash. If they could also establish this route and earn more money—not aiming to be as loaded as Zhong Er Ye, but simply ensuring their families could have meat at every meal and new clothes every year—that'd already be a damn good life.

But word soon got around—through a few of the caravan guys—about how Pei Mu took on dozens of bandits all by himself, and many with such ideas were scared off. Jeez, this trading gig was no joke when it came to danger. If they ran into that, wouldn't they get torn apart? How could they possibly make it back alive?

But once they heard how badass Pei Mu was—scaring off a whole gang of bandits solo—some sharp cookies came by to ask if they could tag along with his caravan on the next trip to do business. They'd pay up in silver, long as Pei Mu had their backs.

After hearing this, Pei Mu mulled it over a sec and said he'd give them a heads-up when the caravan was hiring next time, and they could hash out the details then.

Pei Mu was strapped for cash right now. His trade route was a fixed one, and he hadn't yet had time to think of more ways to earn. That guy had sparked a few other ideas for him.

But that was a problem for later. For now, Pei Mu finished delivering all the spice orders folks had put in back in Songyun County, got Yang Luo and Fang You to man his stall on Spice Street, and went to see Yao Sheng about finding a way into the jail.

Yao Sheng already knew about how Zhong Yizhu got jumped on the road. He'd also had folks keeping an eye out these past few days. He slammed his boning knife into the cutting board, turned to face Pei Mu, who was radiating pure murderous intent without a hint of holding back, frowned hard, and after a beat finally said: "I'll find a way for you."

"Thanks." Pei Mu placed a ten-tael silver ingot on the small table. "Appreciate you handling this, Brother Yao. Use this for any greasing of palms or costs; if it runs short, I'll bring more."

Yao Sheng accepted the silver and said in a low voice: "Don't do anything rash. These folks are animals, no question, but there's still no word from the prefectural city. The Zhong family might not walk away clean from this. Taking your anger out on them is fine, but don't kill anyone and get yourself tangled up in it."

Pei Mu nodded: "I've got it under control."

Whether Yao Sheng's words were jinxed or spot-on, the very next day after he advised Pei Mu, the folks Songyun County sent to Rongyang Prefecture came back empty-handed, saying the prefectural office had ruled that since the crime was done by someone from the prefectural city, the case would be handled at the prefectural jail, and they didn't need to poke their noses in anymore.

The county magistrate got the word from up top and passed it along to Zhong Yizhu, basically saying the matter was closed as far as Songyun County was concerned.

That statement was riddled with holes. If the prefectural office was really taking over, they'd at least have to haul the prisoners over for a retrial, and they'd have to call in the witnesses and victims too. But they showed zero sign of doing any of that.

The county messenger was vague as hell, so Yao Sheng shelled out more silver to buy drinks for the constable who'd gone to the prefectural city and got the full scoop on what went down there.

While they were there, the prefectural office only hauled in Wang Shun for questioning. Wang Shun denied it all, pinning everything on Wu Zitian, claiming Wu Zitian had gone rogue to suck up to their household and that he had nothing to do with it.

Wang Shun's story was totally different from Wu Zitian's, and Wu Zitian, just a regular farmer, couldn't possibly have come up with the big cash to hire anyone. Yet the prefectural office acted like they bought it.

When they pushed back, the clerk on the case waved them off dismissively: "If that's how it is, we'll look into it more. This case is open and shut. The criminals already confessed, so you can deal with it however you want. The prefectural office goes by evidence, not by whatever some criminal decides to drag others into."

Wang Shun got locked up, and the Songyun County crew headed back with the official reply.

If anyone claimed the Zhong family wasn't pulling strings behind the scenes, even the village idiot wouldn't buy it.

Back at the little courtyard at the foot of the mountain, the good mood from Pei Mu's return had been wiped out by this mess. Sun Yunniang's brow was knit tight, while Zhong Yizhu sat there with his eyes down, not saying a word.

After a beat, Zhong Yizhu looked like he'd made up his mind and raised his eyes to Sun Yunniang.

"Mother, I'm going to the prefectural city to bang the drum and lodge a complaint."

Even though Sun Yunniang was seething over this outcome, she was still caught off guard by what Zhong Yizhu said.

"No way! Zhu Ge'er, calm down..."

The Zhong family had obviously already sent people to grease the wheels. Wouldn't Zhong Yizhu be walking right into a trap? Besides, even though Zhong Yizhu was the victim here, if this blew up, it'd inevitably mess with his reputation. A young man going to the officials to file a complaint—if they locked him up on some made-up charge, how much would he have to suffer...

And then they might flip it and accuse him of being unfilial and unjust for taking his own uncle and aunt to court. They had no pull or connections—how the hell would they handle that?

Sun Yunniang was pissed and heartbroken all at once. A woman with such a gentle nature, she was so furious her eyes went red, wishing she could really turn into a vengeful ghost and drag that whole family down to the eighteenth layer of hell.

Zhong Yizhu pursed his lips: "They've pushed me this far. If I don't fight back, they'll think I'm scared. And even though they've smoothed this over, they've still left a loose thread. They won't leave me alone going forward either. Mother, I've got no way back."

"But," Sun Yunniang hedged, "they've already bribed the prefectural office..."

"How could they have that kind of pull?" Zhong Yizhu had already worked through the logic in that short time and said coolly: "A small case like this wouldn't even make it to the prefect's desk. At best, they've greased some low-level official or clerk. Long as we get this in front of the prefect himself, I don't buy that they've got the reach to touch him."

Sun Yunniang wanted to talk him out of it—she was genuinely terrified something would happen to Zhong Yizhu—but she knew Zhu Ge'er had a strong will and that everything he said was right.

Was there really no other option? Sun Yunniang thought of Pei Mu, who'd dropped off the news and then rushed out again, and her brow stayed knotted tight.

Over on the other side.

Down in the Songyun County jail, screams bounced off the dim underground hallway, sounding flat-out creepy.

Wu Zitian's eyes nearly popped out as the jailer swung the blade, agony ripping up from his foot, almost making him pass out. He sobbed and begged for mercy, kicking himself for volunteering to spy on Zhong Yizhu's whereabouts, and for letting greed get the better of him, wanting to take advantage, step by step landing himself in this mess.

Pei Mu didn't even look at the guy slumped on the torture rack, drenched and whimpering. Stone-faced, he grabbed a wooden box and walked out of the cell.

He got his spice business squared away, then hit the dock to book a cabin on a boat leaving for Rongyang Prefecture City the next day, before heading back to the village under cover of darkness.

Sun Yunniang had hoped Pei Mu would talk Zhong Yizhu out of it, but instead she found out he was heading to the prefectural city the next day.

Zhong Yizhu pursed his lips and looked at Pei Mu, but there wasn't much surprise in his eyes.

These past few days, Pei Mu had been out and about—not on business. Zhong Yizhu hadn't asked, but he could figure it had to do with his own mess.

Pei Mu met Zhong Yizhu's gaze without a word. Zhong Yizhu figured he'd soothe him like his mother did and tell him not to risk it, but instead Pei Mu said: "Alright, then let's go together and get this justice."

Pei Mu's original plan was, of course, to keep Zhong Yizhu safe in the village—him going alone would be enough.

The Zhong family daring to stomp all over Zhong Yizhu like this had hit his reverse scale hard. This grudge he had to settle, and these people he had to take out. Otherwise, who knew what kind of rotten crap they'd pull next.

He'd originally planned to scare the third branch of the Zhong family—the guilty ones—to find a crack to exploit. But the Zhong family's attitude toward Wang Shun tipped him off to a turning point.

The Zhong family could easily shove Wang Shun out front to take the fall and wash their hands of it completely—after all, he was just a servant, and the Zhong family had never treated folks like people.

But from what the Songyun County constable said, they'd gone out of their way to protect Wang Shun. That could only mean one thing: Wang Shun was real useful to them, or he had something on them.

Either way, Wang Shun was a damn good breakthrough point. Handled right, he could turn into a boning knife pointed at the Zhong family.

But these were all just guesses. He had no proof, and he had no footing in the prefectural city.

Privately, he didn't want Zhong Yizhu to go—that was one thing. But on this, he respected whatever Zhong Yizhu decided.

Zhong Yizhu was the one who'd been hurt. He had the right to choose how to face it and how to deal with it. Either way, no matter what danger Zhong Yizhu ran into, he'd always be there to shield him.

That night, lying in bed, neither one could sleep.

Zhong Yizhu curled up in Pei Mu's arms, his voice soft in the still night: "Pei Mu, do you think we can win this one?"

Pei Mu held him tight, his voice dead certain: "We will, no doubt."

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Author's note: One more chapter to go.