One Pound Meat, One More Attribute Point

Chapter 14: Chou Cai

"Crash!"

Noisy footsteps resounded as a large group of people carrying torches rushed from afar, completely surrounding the Xu Family’s estate.

The man leading them was over seven feet tall with a somber face and two mustaches at the corners of his mouth, giving off a particularly unfriendly aura.

He looked at the blood-drenched scene in front of him, resembling hell itself, and involuntarily twitched his eyebrows. Glancing around, his gaze first lingered on Su Heng’s towering figure, and then fell on Song Baoyi standing nearby. "Song Baoyi, tell this County Magistrate what exactly has happened here."

The County Magistrate was an official in charge of judicial affairs and handling cases. In grass-root units like Changqing County, his power was second only to the prefect.

The County Magistrate of Changqing County was named Chou Cai, and, true to his name, he sought office merely to amass wealth.

When handling cases, he didn’t bother with the causes, and immediately arrested both the complainant and the accused, indiscriminately whipping them fifty times each.

After that, he would further proceed depending on the amount of fine paid for atonement.

Such practices naturally led to numerous wrongful convictions, but because Chou Cai was exceedingly greedy, even wealthy families felt the pinch after being extorted. Over time, Changqing County maintained decent public order, with fewer incidents of bullying and oppression.

Song Baoyi approached Chou Cai, and although he didn’t like the man, he still bowed respectfully due to their social difference and reported everything that had happened in detail.

"Dead and decaying bodies stood up and attacked you?" After hearing this, Chou Cai couldn’t help laughing out loud, scoffing as he said, "Do you think this County Magistrate is a fool to believe such ghost stories? I think it’s clear that someone had a conflict with the Xu Family, coveted their property, and committed murder in public, leading to the scene before us!"

"Master Chou, it really is as Baoyi said."

Su Gui, struggling to stand up with the help of two Protectors, blacked out upon hearing this. He quickly approached Chou Cai, grabbed his arm, and subtly slipped an expensive Jade Pendant into Chou Cai’s hand.

Chou Cai reached out to feel it.

The touch was smooth, the carvings exquisite; he knew it was a high-quality item.

Yet just this priceless Jade Pendant was not enough to resolve the current crisis. He surmised that the affair was likely unrelated to the Su Family, but it didn’t matter. Since a member of the Su Family was present at the crime scene, it was only natural to extort a sum of money.

"The County Magistrate must also enforce justice impartially, naturally, I cannot take your word for it alone," Chou Cai coughed twice and coldly said. "Whether it is true or not, first take the people back to the yamen and then decide."

Su Gui’s face paled.

The yamen was a place easy to enter but difficult to leave.

It wasn’t the money he was worried about but his son, and with Su Heng’s explosive temper, if a conflict arose inside, things could become even more troublesome and embarrassing.

Chou Cai, however, did not care and waved his hand, signaling his attendants to arrest the suspects.

Rip!

Su Heng tore a piece of cloth from the body and slowly wiped the blood off his own body and arms. Hearing the commotion, he turned around and cast a cold glance. The attendants, ready to obey the order, suddenly found themselves rooted to the spot, hesitating to move recklessly.

Chou Cai’s brow furrowed slightly, irritation showing on his face.

He looked up, locking eyes with Su Heng.

The unyielding murderous aura came at him like a scarlet bolt of lightning, hitting him squarely. Chou Cai suddenly felt his breath catch, trembling with fear.

In his youth, during his travels, he had encountered a fierce tiger, over ten feet long, and even at a distance of a hundred meters, flanked by several strong guards, a mere glance from the tiger had terrified Chou Cai enough to lose sleep for days, visibly wearing him down.

And the murderous aura of the man before him, Su Heng.

It was a hundredfold, a thousandfold more ferocious than that of the tiger he had encountered more than twenty years ago.

— He was going to die!

A strong premonition arose in Chou Cai’s heart.

It could be within the next few minutes, perhaps at the next breath, the next blink of an eye. Rules may govern people, but they cannot control demons, let alone those creatures even more fierce and terrifying than demons.

"Master Chou, Master Chou, please think thrice," Su Gui pleaded with a mourning face, stuffing several heavy gold ingots into Chou Cai’s hands.

There is great terror between life and death!

Chou Cai shuddered, breaking free from the frightful aura.

He grabbed Su Gui’s hand and stuffed back the gold ingots, including the jade pendant from before. Su Gui thought the price he paid was not enough, but then, in the red glow of the torch, he saw Chou Cai’s always sinister face actually brimming with a smile. Then, Chou Cai spread his arms wide and gave Su Gui a solid hug.

"Hahaha, Brother Su, what are you doing?" Chou Cai chuckled, holding Su Gui’s hand, "I was confused just now. Clearly, your son is exceptional in martial arts, helping the government to suppress demons, settling chaos, and should be rewarded. It’s just that it’s getting late today, and the hour is no longer early; I will surely visit another day."

Chou Cai bowed to Su Gui and left, surrounded by a group of men who stayed behind to clean up the blood at the scene, while the rest hurried off with their torches.

Su Gui stood there dumbfounded, while Su Heng silently appeared behind him.

"Let’s go home too," said Su Heng, watching Chou Cai’s departing figure, his voice unusually calm.

"Oh," Su Gui nodded subconsciously.

He then saw Su Heng already walking ahead of him.

He waved his sleeves to shake off the dust that had settled on him and then ran to catch up with Su Heng, rushing towards the Su Family’s residence.

...

Back at home.

Su Heng had the servants heat water for a bath and then changed into fresh clothes.

He looked at the bright moon hanging in the night sky, with willows swaying, their slender branches outlining the extent of the evening breeze, feeling a coolness throughout his body.

He reflected on the events that had happened in the evening.

If Chou Cai had been stubborn, and had chosen to continue the capture, what would he have done?

Without a doubt, Chou Cai would have died.

And then?

The officers he had brought would have died too.

If the conflict had escalated, many more in Changqing County would have died.

Many people, everyone... would have to die. He knew it was wrong, but the sensation of slaughter was truly intoxicating.

"Before emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure are expressed, it’s called balance, and when expressed properly within the bounds, it’s called harmony.... To achieve balance and harmony is where Heaven and Earth are established, where all things are nurtured..."

Outside the window, under the bright moonlight, Su Shang’s clear voice reading aloud could be heard.

Su Heng was momentarily distracted.

He returned to reality from the dark desires.

He tightened his clothes and then pushed open the wooden door, walking out into the frost-filled courtyard.