Chapter 93

Liang Dazhuang, unable to argue with her, looked at Hu Xiaotian helplessly and said, "Young Master, they really took the package!"

Just as Hu Xiaotian was about to speak, Murong Feiyi, who was standing beside him, had already lost her patience. Her eyebrows furrowed as she said, "Operating a brothel, corrupting morals, intentional extortion, and bullying the weak—these are all serious crimes. If you hand over the items now, it might be easier on you. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?"

"Otherwise I'll take you to the authorities immediately!"

Xiang Qin chuckled, her expression full of disdain. She shook the abacus in her hand and said, "Go ahead, take me to the authorities. Under the jurisdiction of Xiezhou, I'd like to see who dares to cause us trouble at Huancailou!"

Hu Xiaotian didn't want the situation to escalate. His plan was to first get the official seal and documents back and then think of a way to deal with the situation. However, Murong Feiyi, who had a zero-tolerance attitude, couldn't hold back any longer and finally burst out. Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "Let's talk this out calmly. There's no need to lose our tempers."

Murong Feiyi coldly replied, "Talking calmly with such a lowly person would only tarnish our dignity!"

Xiang Qin, hearing this, immediately flew into a rage. Her smile vanished instantly, and her small eyes glared fiercely. "Bitch! Who are you calling names?" As she spoke, she took a step forward and raised her right fist to strike Murong Feiyi in the chest.

The punch was terrifying, and although it wasn't aimed at Hu Xiaotian, the powerful wind from the punch made it hard for him to open his eyes. One shouldn't judge a person by their appearance; Xiang Qin, who looked plump and vulgar, was clearly a skilled martial artist.

Murong Feiyi's eyes narrowed, and she also threw a punch. With a loud "Peng!" the two fists collided, and both of their bodies shook. On the surface, it seemed they were evenly matched, but in reality, Xiang Qin had the advantage of momentum and weight. Despite this, she couldn't knock Murong Feiyi back, which showed that Murong Feiyi's martial arts were superior.

Murong Feiyi drew her sword with her left hand, and with a "Clang!" aimed it at Xiang Qin's throat. She realized that the thugs at Huancailou all followed Xiang Qin's orders, so to control the situation, she needed to subdue Xiang Qin first.

Despite Xiang Qin's bulky figure, her movements were extremely agile. She leaned back, and her left hand flicked the abacus upward, striking the sword. The abacus, though small, was made of fine steel and was quite heavy. It deflected the sword, causing it to veer to one side.

Murong Feiyi adjusted her force, and the sword moved lightly, drawing an arc in the air before piercing toward Xiang Qin's right rib.

At this moment, a soft and gentle voice came from inside Huancailou: "How can we greet our esteemed guests with violence? Xiang Qin, behave yourself!"

Xiang Qin quickly took two steps back, stopping her attack. She shook the abacus and hid it behind her back, her face instantly turning into a smile. "Just a joke!"

Murong Feiyi sheathed her sword. She didn't believe Xiang Qin was joking; the attacks were clearly full-force. Huancailou was not just a simple brothel, and Xiang Qin was not an ordinary madam. If they really fought, she couldn't guarantee victory within a hundred moves.

Hu Xiaotian, however, was looking up at the third floor of Huancailou. There, a red-clad girl stood, her face covered by a light veil. Her eyebrows were like the hills of spring, and her eyes were enchanting. Even from a distance, he could feel the softness of her gaze, like a silent spring stream flowing into his heart.

Hu Xiaotian smiled politely, though he didn't know who this girl was, her influence over Xiang Qin suggested she held a significant position at Huancailou.

The red-clad girl didn't stay long. Her gaze swept over Hu Xiaotian's face, and then she turned and left.

Soon, a young maid came out and whispered something in Xiang Qin's ear. Xiang Qin nodded and said to Hu Xiaotian, "Young Master Gao, my lady says we can return the items, but the silver you owe us cannot be reduced."

Murong Feiyi angrily said, "Are you trying to extort us?"

Xiang Qin replied, "Whether it's extortion or outright robbery, do you think it will benefit you if this matter becomes public?" She turned her gaze to Hu Xiaotian and said meaningfully, "What do you think, Sir Hu?"

Hu Xiaotian, hearing this, understood. They must have seen his official seal and documents and knew his identity. If the matter became public, regardless of other issues, as a government official, he would be held responsible for his subordinates' behavior in such a place. He laughed and said, "Sister Qin, I don't have that much silver on me."

Xiang Qin said, "My lady trusts that you won't default on your debt. Write an IOU, and you can pay it back when you have the means."

Hu Xiaotian thought this condition was reasonable and nodded. "Alright, let's do it."

Xiang Qin had her guards disperse the onlookers and led Hu Xiaotian and his group to the main hall of Huancailou. Pen, ink, paper, and the stolen package were already prepared.

Hu Xiaotian first confirmed that the official seal and documents were in the package, and he felt relieved. Although the travel money and food were lost, the most important items were still there. To his surprise, the surgical instruments given to him by Li Yifeng of Yiyuan Hall were also still in the package.

Hu Xiaotian picked up the brush and paused for a moment. Xiang Qin urged him, "Write that you owe Huancailou's Xiyang 1,000 taels of silver, to be repaid with interest within three years."

Hearing "Xiyang," Hu Xiaotian's heart stirred, and he immediately thought of the red-clad girl he had just seen. Xiyang must be her name. He nodded and began to write. Hu Xiaotian's penmanship was quite good, but his calligraphy with a brush was not as refined. Seeing his brushwork, Murong Feiyi was somewhat disappointed, thinking he was not as versatile as she had imagined. His calligraphy was mediocre, even a bit clumsy.

Hu Xiaotian, using a brush, was like a duck being forced to climb a tree, as he had run out of charcoal sticks. When he finished writing and was about to sign, Xiang Qin had already brought out the official seal, clearly intending to stamp it on the IOU. Since his identity was already exposed, there was no point in pretending. Hu Xiaotian signed his name without hesitation. It was just an IOU, not a contract of servitude. He wouldn't die from signing it. 1,000 taels in three years was not a difficult task, and the interest rate was only 3% per year.

Xiang Qin picked up the seal, dipped it in ink, and stamped it on the IOU.

Seeing this, Hu Xiaotian felt a mix of amusement and frustration. He never imagined his official seal would be used for the first time to write an IOU, and in a brothel, no less. The creditor had not even shown her face.

Xiang Qin took the IOU, examined it carefully, and said with satisfaction, "You're quite sensible."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "Sister Qin, as soon as I have the means, I'll send the money to you." 1,000 taels was not a big deal for him, but he didn't have it on him at the moment.

Xiang Qin, now quite generous, shook her head and said, "No rush, no rush. We don't need it urgently. Whenever you want it, just come to Qingyun County and collect it." She then added, "You're not being honest. Why are you not calling me Gao Ming anymore?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed awkwardly, unsure of their true intentions. However, he knew that escalating the situation would not be in his best interest. He needed to get the official seal and documents back first and deal with the rest later.

After retrieving his belongings, Hu Xiaotian didn't want to stay any longer. He immediately bid farewell, and Xiang Qin did not try to retain him.

---

This book will officially go on sale on the 11th, marking the beginning of the journey in "Medical Empire." The public release period has only two days left. Updates will speed up during these two days, with a minimum of three updates and possibly four. On the first day of the sale, there will be a burst of updates, with a minimum of four. I hope to see a surge in monthly votes. I understand that the slow updates during the public release period have dampened your enthusiasm, but I, like you, prefer a fast and exciting pace. However, the rules require me to control the number of updates during the public release period. With nearly 300,000 words already released, I believe I have been quite generous. The first volume is now complete. Readers familiar with my work know that I am patient and meticulous in laying the groundwork. I rarely let external factors influence me and always develop the plot according to my own plan. This is why my works are often slow to heat up. Regardless of whether they heat up slowly or quickly, the ultimate goal is to make them engaging. The pace will become much faster as the updates increase. By the time you reach the third volume, you will understand the intricacy of my initial plot. I am now reserving the monthly votes for October. With double the votes at the beginning of the month, I hope to lead the charge! Let's work together to climb the monthly vote rankings!