Chapter 91: Chapter 77: A Brilliant Plan
"Mmmph..." Mu Chuan mumbled indistinctly through a mouthful of a large chicken leg, patting his chest with pride. "Brother Cheng, so many people in Ruyi District admire you. It’s high ti you made a na for yourself!"
Chen Cheng shot him a look and scolded him again, "A man dreads fa as a pig dreads fattening. Are you trying to get
killed sooner, kid? Don’t forget, the one who acted that night, there was also Ding Mo from the Wind and Rain Tower. Aren’t you afraid Ding Mo will show up again?
You with your big mouth, running around and spreading the word. I’m afraid that when Ding Mo reappears, he won’t just co for —he’ll co to settle the score with you, too."
"Ah..." Mu Chuan was genuinely frightened. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the braised chicken leg in his mouth suddenly lost all its flavor. With a pained expression, he asked, "Brother Cheng, what should we do?"
’It’s not the thief who steals that you fear, but the thief who keeps you in their thoughts.’ And this was Ding Mo, a Perfect Martial Artist of the Skin Grinding Realm with Sword Technique Perfection. ’If Ding Mo really set his sights on him, a hundred lives wouldn’t be enough for Mu Chuan.’
Forget Mu Chuan; even his grandfather, Mu Zhenhai, wouldn’t be able to stop him.
What Chen Cheng said wasn’t baseless fear-mongering to scare Mu Chuan; he had these concerns himself.
As a mber of an assassin organization like the Wind and Rain Tower from the Black Market, Ding Mo might just be doing a job for money, but it wasn’t out of the question that he’d kill soone over a montary clash of egos.
The self-important air Ding Mo had when he appeared clearly showed he was soone who cared deeply about his reputation. If such a person’s fa was damaged, it was highly likely they would fly into a rage out of humiliation and choose to kill soone to vent their anger.
Of course, what such a person sought was nothing more than fa, which actually made him easy to deal with. Chen Cheng already had a plan. He beckoned with his finger. "Lean in, and I’ll tell you how to save your skin."
Mu Chuan quickly leaned his head closer, and Chen Cheng whispered a few instructions in his ear—this and that, here and there.
After listening, Mu Chuan’s face lit up with joy. Full of admiration, he cupped his hands repeatedly. "Brilliant! Brother Cheng, that plan is absolutely brilliant!"
"Spare
the flattery," Chen Cheng chided with a laugh. "Just rember, be more low-key from now on. Don’t go seeking the spotlight!" With that, he got up and left.
Mu Chuan continued to leisurely drink and eat, listening to the old storyteller with the very yellow teeth spin his tale.
Before long, the old storyteller finished his tale about Chen Cheng, the number one constable of the Ruyi Square Sub-Departnt, slaying the South City Thirteen Thieves beneath the moon. He was t with thunderous applause, and the patrons all took out copper coins to tip him.
"Thank you for your generous rewards, masters!"
The old storyteller bowed repeatedly in thanks, skillfully gathering the tipped copper coins. After one round, he had actually earned several dozen coppers.
The old storyteller’s na was Guo Degao. He was originally a poor Scholar with no children. He made a living by writing letters for people or telling stories in taverns and teahouses to attract custors for the owners.
Recently, by rushing between venues all over Ruyi District to tell the tale of the South City Thirteen Thieves, he had earned a good deal of silver coins and was living comfortably, with a steady supply of wine every day.
After gathering his tips, Guo Degao was about to leave for the next tavern when he heard a familiar voice call out, "Guo Degao!"
"Master Mu!" Seeing it was the constable he knew, Mu Chuan, calling him, Guo Degao imdiately trotted over eagerly.
Mu Chuan took out a handful of copper coins and tossed them onto the table.
"Thank you, Master Mu, you’re too generous!"
Guo Degao chuckled and cupped his hands, then deftly swept his long sleeve across the table, discreetly gathering the copper coins into his sleeve pocket.
He roughly estimated the weight—over fifty copper coins. He had made a fortune from this one storytelling session, and his heart swelled with even more joy.
He was just about to offer so words of fortune and blessing when he saw Mu Chuan point to the stool beside him and say with a smile, "Sit down and have a drink with ."
"This... wouldn’t be proper, would it?" Guo Degao’s words were polite, but his body was honest as he promptly sat down on the stool next to Mu Chuan.
He didn’t stay idle, either. He eagerly filled the bowl in front of Mu Chuan with wine, then took another bowl and filled it for himself.
"Master Mu, please!"
Guo Degao raised his wine bowl in a toast, then drained it in several large gulps. GULP GULP. He smacked his lips repeatedly. "Good wine! After talking for so long, this old man was getting awfully thirsty!"
Mu Chuan also took a small sip, then pointed to the at on the table. "Don’t just drink, eat!"
"Alrighty!" Guo Degao refilled his wine, then dug into the at with gusto.
After a few cups, his gaunt face flushed red, and he was starting to feel the effects of the wine.
Only then did Mu Chuan speak. "Old Guo, this story of yours about the South City Thirteen Thieves... it’s listenable, but it’s missing a certain sothing..."
...
「The next day.」
Chen Cheng and Mu Chuan, dressed in plain clothes, were eating and drinking in a tavern when they once again heard Guo Degao performing his story. It was still the wildly popular tale of the tough-as-nails constable, Ah Cheng, slaying the South City Thirteen Thieves under the moon.
However, Guo Degao had polished the new version of his script, and his delivery was now even more animated and dramatic, with spittle flying from his lips.
"Esteed mbers of the audience, have you heard? On that moonlit night, the young hero Chen Yingxiong encountered not only the South City Thirteen Thieves, but also the Wind and Rain Tower’s Ding-rank assassin, Ding Mo..."
"Every Ding-rank assassin from the Wind and Rain Tower is a mighty expert of the Martial Dao! Take, for instance, this very Ding the Swordsman! He is a Perfect Martial Artist of the Skin Grinding Realm whose Swordsmanship has long reached Perfection, a state of true Mastery! Against an ordinary martial artist who has reached Great Success in Saber Technique, he could easily slay more than ten of them all by himself!"
"This Ding the Swordsman had taken a paynt to kill our Chen Yingxiong! Ladies and gentlen, this is a supre Swordsman who has achieved Sword Technique Perfection and reached the Skin Grinding Realm Perfection! The South City Thirteen Thieves aren’t even worthy of carrying his shoes! And yet, a man of his stature stooped so low as to personally attack Chen Yingxiong, who had rely reached Great Success in Saber Technique! Truly shaless, I say..."
"Fortunately, Chen Yingxiong also had an ally... none other than the youngest Chief Constable of the South City District, Yan Jian! He stepped forward and rebuked Ding Mo, calling him a coward! How could Ding the Swordsman tolerate such a vile insult? And so, he began a fierce battle with Chief Yan..."
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