Chapter 5

The market had long since dispersed, and there were far fewer people on the road. Yang Ji, carrying his backpack, turned a corner and immediately heard a sharp, harsh scolding voice:

"You damn bastard, are you crazy for money? You dare to sell a broken stone for one tael of silver? Trying to swindle money from me? Do you know who I am?—Brothers, beat him up, beat him to death!"

Amidst the cries of pain, there was a intermittent, simple, yet stubborn voice:

"I... I didn't lie... Ah Niu never lies. It's a meteor... This is really a star that fell from the sky... Ah Niu didn't lie..."

Yang Ji's heart stirred. In a few steps, he turned the corner and immediately saw five or six people gathered together, punching and kicking someone.

Many people were watching around, but no one reached out to help.

"Yang Er Niu?!"

Seeing the person in the middle, Yang Ji was startled. He recognized this person, a congenitally intellectually disabled man from a neighboring village with the intelligence of a child.

His family was poor, and he only had an old mother, living in dire straits, very pitiful.

Yang Ji had seen him a few times, always squatting here selling small items, always behaving properly, never causing trouble. He didn't know why he was being beaten by this group this time.

"Stop!"

Without hesitation, Yang Ji roared, rushed over, pushed through the crowd, and stood in front of Yang Er Niu.

"What are you guys trying to do? Let him go!"

Yang Ji shouted sternly.

These scoundrels, bullying even a pitiful intellectually disabled person! Recalling his own experiences in the clan, Yang Ji was furious.

The sudden appearance of a savior startled the group. However, the few young men with a thug's demeanor quickly reacted.

"Damn! Someone actually came to challenge us! I've been in Pingchuan County for so long, and this is the first time! Kid, tell me, how do you want to die?"

A thug leader with a sinister look rubbed his sore fists and approached Yang Ji threateningly. The other thugs also looked menacing, surrounding Yang Ji and Yang Er Niu.

"Boss, I know this kid. He's called Yang Ji, from the Yang family, but he has no status. Damn, he dared to interfere with our business, Yang Ji, are you tired of living?"

A thug with a fierce look shouted.

"Oh no!"

Yang Ji's face changed. He had rushed over without thinking, driven by a surge of courage, never considering that he would face a group of ruthless thugs.

"I didn't expect it to be them... This is bad. I might not only fail to help Yang Er Niu but also get myself into trouble."

Yang Ji's heart sank.

In this world, martial arts were supreme. Even thugs sometimes learned some breathing techniques to strengthen their bodies. With Yang Ji's third-level breathing technique, he could handle one-on-one, but one-on-five or one-on-six... his fate wouldn't be much better than Yang Er Niu's.

"This kid is in trouble!"

"He's too impulsive. We didn't help because we couldn't. This group will do anything."

"Shut up, be careful."

...

The onlookers looked at him with sympathy, some even showing schadenfreude. Some things couldn't be interfered with, and those who tried had to be prepared to pay a price.

Yang Ji had no time to care about these people. Seeing the thugs about to attack, he was anxious but knew he couldn't lose his composure.

"Calm down... calm down! They are many, I can't fight them all. I need to find a way to stabilize them, use words to break them, and intimidate them!"

In a flash, many thoughts raced through Yang Ji's mind, making him even calmer.

"Bang!"

Without hesitation, Yang Ji moved, stepped forward with a heavy thud, and stared fiercely back at the thug leader:

"You bastards, who dares to move! Think carefully, do you think you can touch me?"

"Ha ha ha, trying to scare me?"

The thug leader was stunned, then laughed angrily, his eyes filled with malice:

"Little bastard, don't think I don't know. In the Yang family, you're just like a servant, no one cares about you. You think you can scare me?"

As thugs in Pingchuan County, they had been able to act so recklessly not because no one could stop them, but because they were smart. Before acting, they always investigated thoroughly, knowing who they could and couldn't provoke in the county.

So although this was the first time Yang Ji faced them, his background had already been thoroughly investigated and reported to the thug leader.

Yang Ji had ruined their business and then threatened them, which stirred a bit of viciousness in him.

"Brothers, attack, deal with him!"

The thug leader's eyes flashed with malice, and he pulled out a knife. The other young men also pulled out their knives, the blades glinting coldly, with a faint trace of blood—these knives had seen blood.

"Hiss!"

The onlookers gasped, and the previously curious pedestrians scattered in fear, not daring to stay.

These people were lawless and clearly had murderous intent!

Yang Ji's heart chilled. Although he had heard of the thugs' reputation, facing them directly made him realize their ferocity.

Without a strong backing, these people would really kill in broad daylight!

However, Yang Ji knew he couldn't panic or retreat; he had to stay calm.

These people were known for their ferocity, bullying the weak and fearing the strong. If he retreated, showing fear, they would eat him alive.

Without hesitation!

As the thugs pulled out their knives, Yang Ji suddenly stepped forward and, without a word, slapped the thug leader hard across the face.

He used all his strength, and the thug leader staggered back, his right cheek turning purple and forming a clear handprint.

Scary!

The sudden slap stunned not only the thug leader but also the other thugs.

When Yang Ji roared earlier, they thought he was just bluffing, but they didn't expect him to actually attack. The unexpected move left the five or six thugs momentarily paralyzed.

"You're asking for death!"

The thug leader exploded in rage.

Losing face in front of his subordinates was a huge humiliation. He raised his knife to attack Yang Ji.

"If you want to die, try moving."

Yang Ji said coldly, his calmness growing as the situation became more dangerous.

The knife that was about to stab stopped mid-air. The thug leader looked at Yang Ji, uncertain and hesitant.

He wanted to kill Yang Ji to establish his authority, but Yang Ji's presence and reputation made him hesitant to take the risk.

"Does this kid really have some backing?"

Zhou Lingbang was uncertain. Although he didn't believe Yang Ji, the slap was real. Someone who dared to do this either had to be crazy or have some unknown backing.

"Slap!"

With no hesitation, Yang Ji slapped the thug leader again, hard and loud.

He knew he had to strike while the iron was hot. In front of these bullies, the stronger and more assertive he appeared, the more he could intimidate them.

"Hmph! This is a lesson for you. The ups and downs, the intrigues in a major clan are not something outsiders can understand. Even if I'm a servant, I'm a servant of a major clan, and killing me is like stepping on an ant. —Believe it or not, if you touch a single hair on my head, next year will be your anniversary."

Yang Ji said sternly, completely confident.

His words were a mix of truth and bluff, preying on the thugs' ignorance of the clan's internal politics.

Sure enough, the thugs, who initially looked fierce and wanted to teach Yang Ji a lesson, hesitated and backed off.

The relationships in a major clan were complex, full of intrigue and power struggles, unlike the simple, straightforward world of thugs where the strongest was the boss.

If the information they had was wrong and Yang Ji had some powerful backing in the Yang clan, they would be courting disaster.

And Yang Ji was right. Even if he was unpopular, he was still a member of the Yang clan.

If they were to die because of a trivial matter, it would be a tragic end.

"Damn!"

The thug leader, seeing his subordinates backing down, was furious, his teeth grinding.

He had never suffered such a loss. The opponent was just a young kid, but his anger couldn't be vented.

It was infuriating!

"A bunch of scum! Get lost!"

Yang Ji saw the effect and shouted, giving them a way out.

"Hmph! Little bastard, don't get too cocky. One day, you'll pay the price."

The thugs took the opportunity to leave, their threats empty, but they had no choice.

...

"Phew, at least I managed to intimidate them."

Yang Ji sighed, feeling cold sweat all over his body.

Only he knew how dangerous the situation had been. If he hadn't been calm and brave, he would have been lying on the ground by now.

"This can't happen again. Strength is the key. I can't do this next time."

Yang Ji warned himself.

Turning around, Yang Ji walked towards Yang Er Niu.

"It's okay, don't be afraid. They're gone and won't hurt you again."

Yang Ji squatted down and patted Yang Er Niu's shoulder.

If not for knowing the truth, it would be hard to believe that this large, bear-like young man was actually very fragile.

He was kneeling on the ground, hands over his head, like a frightened ostrich. Yang Ji heard him mumbling, initially thinking he was scared, but upon squatting down, he realized it was something else.

"No, no lying... I didn't lie. This is really a meteor I found. I found it in the mountains. I didn't lie... Ah Niu never lies!"

The voice from under his arms was stubborn and persistent, like a stubborn child.

"Um, I know, you didn't lie."

Yang Ji comforted him.

Perhaps Yang Ji's gentle voice helped, and Yang Er Niu's trembling stopped, gradually calming down.

"I... I remember you, you're a good person, thank... thank you."

Yang Er Niu slowly raised his head, a face of a man in his twenties with the innocent eyes of a three-year-old.

Yang Ji just smiled faintly.

"It's very late, I need to go. Also, you should go home early. Your mother might be waiting for you."

Yang Ji turned to leave. But before he had taken a few steps, Yang Er Niu pounced from behind, grabbing his right leg.

"Help me, help me... buy something from me! One tael of silver... one tael of silver! Ah Niu needs one tael of silver! Mother needs one tael of silver! Ah Niu needs to save Mother..."

Yang Er Niu suddenly became agitated, his innocent eyes showing anxiety and despair.

"Mother? What's wrong with your mother? One tael of silver! Why do you need so much silver?"

Yang Ji was surprised.

"Mother... Ah Niu's mother is sick, the doctor said it needs silver... Ah Niu needs to treat Mother, Ah Niu needs one tael of silver!..."

Yang Er Niu clung to Yang Ji's leg, like holding onto a last lifeline, refusing to let go.

"Your mother is sick... You're doing all this for your mother."

Yang Ji understood from his broken narrative.

"Help me, please, help me... save my mother, okay?"

Yang Er Niu shook Yang Ji's leg, tears streaming down his face, sad and hopeful.

Yang Ji was conflicted. He had barely earned 85 copper coins, and if he gave them all to Yang Er Niu, what about Liang Bo...

But looking into those eyes, Yang Ji found it hard to refuse.

Those eyes reminded him so much of himself. Thinking of his deceased mother, Yang Ji felt a deep sadness.

"I don't have much money, only 85 copper coins. Take it. Although it's not one tael of silver, it should be enough for your mother's treatment. Doctors often take advantage of orphans and widows, so they might exaggerate. Go to the south of the city and find Doctor Zhou. He is highly ethical and known for his medical skills. He charges less. He will definitely be able to treat your mother."

Yang Ji bit his lip, took out his money bag, hesitated, and then gave it to Yang Er Niu.

Unexpectedly, although Yang Er Niu accepted the money, he still didn't let go.

"Mother said not to take things for free... Ah Niu has many things, look, look! Choose something, take it, take it all!"

Yang Er Niu looked up, stubborn.

Yang Ji saw the scattered items around Yang Er Niu: combs, pottery jars, bronze mirrors, statues, cosmetics, shoes, and embroidered fabrics, all kicked around during the beating.

"These are probably all his possessions."

Yang Ji felt pity but didn't want to take his things.

"No need, I don't need these things. Take them back."

Yang Ji said.

"No! Ah Niu can't take things for free..."

Yang Er Niu insisted, refusing to let go.

Yang Ji, knowing Yang Er Niu's stubbornness, realized he would never stop if he refused.

"Alright. Take these things back. I don't need so many, just one will do."

Yang Ji glanced around and casually picked the most unremarkable item, a flat pebble with strange bark-like patterns, looking like a common stone from a riverbank.

Yang Ji vaguely remembered that Yang Er Niu had been beaten for selling this item. On his stall, this was the least valuable.

"Consider it a purchase."

Yang Ji smiled wryly.

He and Yang Er Niu were in similar situations, and he couldn't bear to take his things.

"Ha ha, you're a good person... Only you believe me... This meteorite is for you..."

Yang Er Niu laughed, relieved.

Strangely, after seeing Yang Ji take the stone, Yang Er Niu let go, as if a major issue had been resolved. He picked up his things and left happily.

"Star..."

Yang Ji stood up, watching Yang Er Niu's departing back, feeling a bit lost. Then, a wave of guilt washed over him.

"This time, I'm really penniless."

Yang Ji felt bitter but not regretful. He smiled wryly and put the stone in his pocket.

"Ah!"

Yang Ji suddenly gasped, feeling a slight prick. The sensation was fleeting, so he didn't pay much attention, gathered his things, and hurried away, unaware that a drop of blood had seeped into the stone...

...