Chapter 85: Taking the Initiative

"I... I..." Li Ping quickly did the math; never mind borrowing twenty gold coins, even two hundred wouldn't be enough! Overwhelmed, she rolled her eyes and fainted.

"Hmph, who says a scholar can't reason with a shrew? I just laid out the facts and convinced her," Chen Yun clapped his hands, turning to see his master and mistress staring at him in astonishment.

"Master, mistress, why are you looking at me like that?" Chen Yun asked, puzzled.

"Little Chen, was everything you said just now true? Is it really that expensive to marry a wife in the county town?" Hu Daniu asked cautiously.

"Absolutely, I didn't exaggerate at all."

"..."

Ye Hua and his wife exchanged a glance. Hu Daniu asked, "Wife, I remember our Xiao Niu said he wanted to live in the county when he grew up?"

"It wasn't the county, Xiao Niu said he wanted to settle in the Imperial Capital," Li Xiaohua replied, her face pale.

The Imperial Capital?

Heavens!

A chill ran down Hu Daniu’s spine. The housing prices in a small eighth-tier county were enough to make his legs tremble; how much would a home in the Imperial Capital cost?

"No way, next time Xiao Niu comes home, I've got to talk to him. Does he want us dead or what?" Hu Daniu muttered weakly, "We can't even afford a house in the county, and he wants to live in the Imperial Capital? Why not just move into the palace?"

"Don't talk nonsense! Be careful if someone overhears," Li Xiaohua was frightened; how could he say such things? Was he courting disaster?

...

Hu Daniu and Chen Yun carried Li Ping and left her by the roadside outside the gate. For people like her, there was no need for pity.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Neighbor Granny Liu happened to pass by, seeing Hu Daniu and a stranger carrying a woman out onto the road, and curiously came over. "Isn't that Li Ping? What's wrong with her?"

"Hmph, that shameless woman came to borrow money from us, demanding twenty gold coins, and fainted when my apprentice talked her down," Hu Daniu said angrily.

"What? Li Ping has the nerve to ask you for money?" Granny Liu was stunned. "Did she forget how her husband treated you back then?"

"No, she’s just desperate because of her son's marriage dowry," Chen Yun explained.

"Oh, I know about that," Granny Liu said. "I heard her son finally found a partner, from the county town no less, and they've already set the wedding date. The bride's family, for some reason, insists on a dowry of twenty gold coins, or it's off. Li Ping asked me for money too, but I didn't lend her any."

"That’s right, never lend her money. Whoever does will regret it," Hu Daniu fumed. "If my apprentice hadn't stopped me, I would've buried her with a shovel!"

"Alright, calm down. As you said, she's not worth it," Granny Liu remarked. "Rumor has it your family has gotten rich lately. Is it true?"

"We haven’t gotten rich; all the money is from my apprentice," Hu Daniu replied casually.

"Your apprentice?"

"Hello, I’m Hu Daniu’s apprentice. My name is Chen Yun, and I’m currently a chef at Yeyue Hotel in Lanyun City," Chen Yun responded ambiguously.

"Oh, I know that hotel! Yeyue Hotel is a five-star place; the salaries are sky-high. No wonder the Hu family is doing well, with you helping out. If only my Pipi had a tenth of your talent," Granny Liu said enviously.

"You flatter me," Chen Yun smiled.

"Your Pipi isn’t bad either; I heard he’s been doing transport work?" Hu Daniu changed the subject.

"Yes, he bought a tractor to haul sand. He makes over eighty copper coins a day."

"That’s decent, more than two thousand a month, better than his father."

While they chatted, Li Ping slowly came to, lying on the ground. Seeing Hu Daniu and his apprentice, she instinctively wanted to rush over but managed to restrain herself.

"Oh, awake are you?" Granny Liu said mockingly. "On such a hot day, why aren’t you resting at home? What are you doing at the Hu family’s doorstep, trying to scam them?"

Li Ping dusted herself off, said nothing, and walked away. She’d given up; the apprentice’s words had sobered her completely.

Yes, even if she borrowed twenty gold coins, what would it change? The dowry was only the beginning—what about all the money needed afterwards? Even two hundred gold coins wouldn’t be enough.

"Hey! Isn’t this woman usually fierce? Why did she leave without saying a word today?" Granny Liu wondered.

"She has nothing left to say," Chen Yun smiled and recounted his earlier conversation with Li Ping. Granny Liu clicked her tongue. "Serves her right. Someone who dares ask for twenty gold coins just for the dowry will eat them out of house and home."

West Village, Daniu Village, Li Zhi's home.

Seeing his wife return, Li Zhi’s eyes lit up, but when he saw her spiritless expression, he made a decision in his heart.

"Didn't get the money, did you?"

"No more borrowing. What’s the point? Our son’s destined to be a bachelor. Forget this bride," Li Ping said, sitting on a stool. "Even if we got the money, the dowry’s twenty gold coins—what then?"

"Who cares about later? First get the bride, make sure she bears our son’s child, and then she won’t dare leave," Li Zhi said, taking a deep drag on his dry tobacco and speaking viciously. "So they won’t lend us money? Damn it, I could kill their kid back then, I could kill their whole family now!"

Li Ping was terrified. "What are you planning? Don’t do anything crazy!"

"Hmph! It’s none of your business now. Since they won’t lend, I’ll just take it by force. Tomorrow I’ll go to town..." Li Zhi revealed his plan. "I’ll make sure he loses everything—his life and his money! Anyone who crosses me deserves to die!"

Seeing Li Zhi’s twisted expression, Li Ping was scared out of her wits. She deeply regretted marrying such a heartless brute; she feared that if she ever said the wrong thing, Li Zhi might stab her to death.

That night, Chen Yun stayed at his master’s house, hoping to catch the hooligan gang if they came by, but they never showed.

Early next morning, Chen Yun decided not to wait any longer. He would go to town and investigate, taking the initiative.

"Chen Yun, you must be careful. If things get out of hand, call the garrison," Hu Daniu urged.

"Master, the garrison can’t be mobilized lightly. I know what I’m doing. If I can’t handle it, I’ll call them in. Don’t worry, I’m off now."

"Remember, be careful!"

"Got it!"

At the village entrance, Chen Yun summoned his electric scooter and rode leisurely toward town.

The morning sun was gentle, warming his body. Chen Yun enjoyed the sensation and slowed his pace.

Just then, a bus headed for town passed him. Chen Yun glanced at it, paying no mind, but Li Zhi inside the bus saw him.

"This road is the only way out of Daniu Village. This guy must be Hu Daniu’s apprentice, the chef at the five-star hotel—Chen Yun," Li Zhi thought to himself. "He’s headed to town. Perfect!" With that, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.