Chapter 5 - Pressing to Pay Debts
Tang Chu walked forward and guided Gu Hai along the way. There was no further obstacle along the way. After the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Tang Chu and Gu Hai appeared in the outskirts of Tang Chu’s hometown —— Autumn Leaf Town!
Autumn Leaf Town was actually quite small. This size didn’t refer to the land area, but rather the population. A small town could only add up to around ten thousand or so together. Moreover, owing to the Black Fiend Mountain Range nearby, the mountainous terrain was not really good for farming, therefore, most of the people here depended on hunting and picking herbs for sustenance!
As it was late in the afternoon, along with the fact that the mountains were dangerous, there weren’t anyone who would go to the mountain to hunt or pick herbs at this time. Therefore, most of the residents of this small town had returned. As it was still a bit early to go to sleep, the small town was actually somewhat lively at this period of time.
Along the way, as Tang Chu walked through the small town, the people all looked at Tang Chu and greeted him enthusiastically, enquiring about the day’s harvest. Tang Chu also responded enthusiastically.
As for Gu Hai following behind Tang Chu, they also greeted him warmly without asking for Gu Hai’s origins. In this small town, there would often be visitors coming and going, and there was nothing strange about it.
Tang Chu led Gu Hai through several bends in the small town until they walked to a more remote area where there were a few shabby houses. Tang Chu skillfully opened the door to a house and waited for Gu Hai to enter before closing the door. After which he went further into the house, while at the same time shouting loudly: “Mother, I am back.”
Gu Hai followed behind Tang Chu into the room and saw a middle-aged woman wearing plain clothes lying in bed with eyes slightly open as if she had just woken up.
The middle-aged woman had a pale face, a thin body, and sunken eyes. At a glance, one would know that she had contracted a serious illness, and moreover, had been suffering from malnutrition for a long time.
“Madam, I’m indebted to Tang Chu’s invitation. This Gu would be disturbing you in your residence for the night. If there is any inconvenience, please do not blame.” Gu Hai spoke softly to the middle-aged woman lying down on the bed.
“Mother, this is Uncle Gu, I met him in the mountains. Uncle Gu didn’t have any place to go, so I just brought him home!” Tang Chu said softly to his mother while pointing to Gu Hai, “Uncle Gu is really fierce. With a few words, he was able to deceive the people of Black Wind Camp into leaving!”
“Cough cough, this humble self’s health is not suitable and cannot get up to greet Mister Gu, so also request Mister Gu not to blame!” The middle-aged woman half-leaned on the bed with the a.s.sistance of Tang Chu and apologetically said to Gu Hai, “Moreover, Mister Gu’s words are too serious, there is nothing inconvenient about it. Mister Gu has saved my Chu’er, this humble self is unable to return the favor. Why only stay one night? Mister Gu, you are welcome to live here as long as you wish, I only request Mister Gu to not despise this shabby little place of ours!”
“Thank you very much, Madam, this Gu thanks you for your hospitality.” Gu Hai cupped his hands in a greeting to express his grat.i.tude.
“Chu’er, go to the western room and tidy it up for Mister Gu, then take him over there to stay.” The middle-aged woman instructed, “Mister Gu, please help yourself, forgive this humble self for being unable to entertain Mister.”
“Madam is being polite. Then Gu will not disturb Madam. Madam, please rest early.” Gu Hai, after speaking, followed Tang Chu outside of the room. Tang Chu, after coming out, closed the door so that his mother could rest even better.
“Bang…...Open the door, Tang Chu, I know you’re at home, hurry up and open the door for this father!” Gu Hai and Tang Chu had barely moved away from the room when the sound of knocking coupled with a man’s loud shouts came from the main entrance.
Tang Chu’s complexion changed when he heard the voice, as if he had recalled some bad things. He remained standing blankly in his original place!
Gu Hai looking at the bitter expression on Tang Chu’s face, asked curiously: “Who is he?”
Tang Chu muttered, “It is Yao Er from the town. When mother was seriously ill, I had borrowed money from him for mother’s treatment at ten times the interest. He has already come here several times, but how could I have so much money to settle the debt?”
“Ten times? He is too greedy!” Gu Hai said with a cold smile. Imposing a usurious ten times interest and going to hara.s.s a pair of helpless mother and child, that Yao Er would do anything it seems!
“I had no other way, Mother was seriously ill, I had no choice but borrow the money but others wouldn’t have that much money. Let alone ten times, even if it was a hundred times interest I would still borrow, but how can I pay back that much money right now?” Tang Chu revealed a bitter expression on his face. He could only depend on picking herbs every day to make a living, there was no way that he would be able to get so much money!
“Bang…….hurry up and open the door for this father, otherwise this father will kick down your door!” Yao Er shouted from outside.
Gu Hai sneered when he heard that, and said indifferently: “Go, go open the door for him. I also want to see who the h.e.l.l he is..”
“f.u.c.k, only after this father got angry you opened the door!” After Tang Chu opened the door, a wretched looking young man was preparing to enter the door while swearing out loudly.
“Stop! Who allowed you to enter?” Gu Hai snorted coldly, “Who gave you the authority to trespa.s.s into private residence? If you don’t have any basis, then I judge you guilty!”
“You……..humph, who the f*ck are you? What qualifications do you have to take care of this little grandpa?” Yao Er was a sheep in wolf’s clothing, and the leg that he was placing forward was put back down. In the end, he didn’t step through the threshold.
“This little grandpa won’t enter this gate.” Yao Er turned towards Tang Chu and said, “But Tang Chu, you borrowed 12 silver from me at the beginning of the year. By now even the interest should be 112 silver, quickly return my money!”
“I……...I don’t have money!” Tang Chu bowed his head while saying in a low voice, “Can you allow me a few days. I will save enough money to pay you back!”
“Humph Humph, no money, then I will just take this house as a mortgage. Even this broken down house should also be worth some money!” Yao Er said sneering.
Just as Yao Er was laughing about how he could get even more money from this family, a strange thing suddenly flew into his bosom. Without waiting for him to react, a sneering voice sounded into his ear, “Humph, you take a look if this thing can also repay the debt?”
“Hehe, easy easy, as long as it is worth something.” Yao Er laughed gently, and sized up the seemingly very ordinary bronze token in his hand. On one side of the token, the two words —— Black Wind were engraved, and it was these two words that scared Yao Er’s entire body into trembling.
“Mas……..Master, this lowly one didn’t know Master was Black Wind Camp’s person. Master, please forgive this lowly one’s life!” Yao Er directly knelt down onto the ground, and lifting the token with his both hands, he continuously begged for mercy, “Master, behind me is Manager Qian’s Gold Source Bank. He and your Black Wind Camp go a long way back. So, I request Master to please see Manager Qian and have him pardon this lowly one.”
The name of Black Wind Camp was no less ominous in Autumn Leaf Town. They were all a group of criminals who murdered at the blink of an eye, and even the authorities didn’t dare offend them, let alone these average people!
Yao Er could be counted as one of the well-informed people in this town. He had already seen all kinds of black wind camp’s tokens, and seeing that the one in his hand was exactly the same, he naturally knew that this was a real token and not a fake one, hence why he was so afraid!
“Humph, that usurious loan was also let out by Manager Qian?” Gu Hai snorted coldly.
“Right, right, right. That’s right, Master. That loan had been lent by Manager Qian. This lowly one is just an errand runner.” Yao Er responded promptly, afraid of provoking Gu Hai’s displeasure.
“Go and tell Manager Qian, let him wait ten days for us. He can come collect the money ten days later!” Gu Hai said in a displeased manner.
“Yes Yes Yes, I will surely bring these words to him.” Yao Er said flatteringly.
“Still haven’t f.u.c.ked off!” Gu Hai shouted angrily.
“I’m leaving, I’m leaving!” Yao Er ran at a lightning speed trying frantically to escape, and almost instantaneously disappeared from Gu Hai’s vision!
……
“Uncle Gu, you have saved me once again.” Tang Chu said gratefully, but his mood became depressed once again, “But how would I be able to raise 112 silver in ten days?”
“Haha, Uncle Gu has a way. Don’t need ten days, it won’t be a problem to raise 112 silver even within three days!” Gu Hai said laughing.
Even though he wanted that Manager Qian to come collect the money, but he didn’t want to raise a big issue. After all, that Manager Qian’s ident.i.ty didn’t seem average. Moreover, he had a means to get money easily.
“How is it possible? Uncle Gu, do you truly have a way?!” Tang Chu’s face was covered in disbelief, as he asked in bewilderment, “Uncle Gu, tell me quickly what way it is?”
“Hehe, it’s top secret, and I cannot reveal it to you for now. You will know about it tomorrow.” Gu Hai laughed, “The important thing right now is to go to bed first!”
Tang Chu, after hearing those words, looked up at the sky to see that it had already darkened, so he said apologetically: “Oh, right, it’s already dark. Uncle Gu, follow me this way, I will take you to your bed!”
The night progressed, Gu Hai’s first night in the other-world pa.s.sed just like this……….