Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Chapter 164: Chapter 42: Spreading False News

The middle-aged man glanced at the three villagers: ”Take advantage of the fact that this Third Master hasn’t reported to the government office yet. Give some money to resolve this matter. Otherwise, if you’re taken to the government office, you’ll be locked up for at least fifteen days, and your family will have to pay to bail you out. Once you’re in, the Third Master’s uncle won’t hesitate to use torture on you.”

”Give money?”

”Yes, how much money do you have on you? Let me see if I can put in a good word for you with the Third Master and let this matter pass.”

The three villagers exchanged a glance, reached into their coats, and after a while, pulled out a few pieces of broken silver and some copper coins. Altogether, that’s all they had on them.

The middle-aged man saw the meager amount of money they pulled out and said with a hint of disdain: ”Is this all you have? I’m afraid it’s not enough.”

”Brother, this is all we have. Please, help us plead our case.”

”Alright then, I’ll speak on your behalf, but I can’t guarantee whether the Third Master will agree.”

The middle-aged man took the broken silver and copper coins and looked at the young man lying on the ground: ”Third Master, these fellows are distant relatives of my father-in-law. Please don’t hold it against them. This money is compensation for your medical expenses.”

”This little money is fit for a beggar. Shopkeeper Yang, it’s only because of you that I won’t fuss over this today. This amount isn’t even enough for a drink.”

The young man swore and stood up from the ground, accepted the money, glared at the three villagers, and then swaggered away.

”Alright, you should leave early, too. Be careful when you walk around. The Prefecture City is different from the County Town; you never know when a bigwig might be standing behind you on the road.”

The three villagers expressed their gratitude as the middle-aged man walked away with a smile.

”Second Brother, now that we have no money, how can we return?”

The three villagers looked bitter, having been terrified into handing over all their money, truly penniless.

Without money, they couldn’t return to Linhu Village, and begging along the way was out of the question.

”Let’s go back and find Chen. Since the county competition is over, it won’t be a bother to Lin Chen.”

”But Lin Chen got injured...”

”Chen may be injured, but there’s the martial arts hall. Besides, once we’ve checked on Chen’s injuries, we can explain things when we get back.”

The three villagers returned to the Military Affairs Department, and one of them summoned the courage to speak to the soldiers at the gate: ”Lord Official, the three of us are villagers from Linhu Village in Poyang County. Lin Chen from our village is a martial arts hall student from Poyang County. Could you please pass on the message, and if Lin Chen is unavailable, could a student from Jingshui Martial Arts Hall meet us?”

The three had prepared themselves for a scolding from the soldiers, but to their surprise, after making their request, the soldiers, far from rebuking them, smiled and asked them to wait at the gate. Their manner was not exactly friendly, but it was not cold either.

”Second Brother, if we’d known the attitude of the officials at the Military Affairs Department was so good, we wouldn’t have waited here for so long. We should have asked for a message to be passed sooner.”

”Alright, less talk. If we get to see Lin Chen, remember, don’t speak carelessly. Lin Chen got injured, and no doubt he’s not in a good mood.”

The three didn’t dare wait by the gate; they instinctively stood in the corner by the wall.

”Uncle Haibo, Uncle Fengyang... what brings you here?”

Upon hearing their names called, the three turned their heads instantly. When they saw who was coming, their eyes were filled with disbelief.

”Chen, you... you you...”

”What about me?”

Lin Chen was quite puzzled. Just now, the people at the Military Affairs Department informed him that there were people from Linhu Village wanting to see him at the gate, and his first guess was that it might be someone from his family. He didn’t expect it to be Uncle Haibo and the others.

”Wasn’t it said that you lost and were seriously injured?”

”Shut up!”

Wang Haibo interrupted his companion’s words. Such tactlessness, saying the wrong thing when Lin Chen had lost the competition and was likely in a bad mood.

The fact that Chen could come out to see them meant his injuries were not particularly severe, which was wonderful news.

”Chen, a momentary win or loss is not important. The village head said...”

”Uncle Haibo, stop talking for a moment.”

Lin Chen frowned, interrupting Wang Haibo: ”Uncle Fengyang, what exactly happened?”

”Chen, the village head sent us to the Prefecture City to inquire about the county competition. Once we have results, we must report back to the village immediately. Earlier, we asked a few martial artists, one of whom said you lost and were injured, and told us to bring the news back to the village to prepare everyone mentally, then...”

After hearing the full story, Lin Chen’s expression turned cold. Uncle Haibo and the others had been swindled in the Prefecture City. The middle-aged man and young man were clearly working together, one playing the good cop, the other the bad, scaring Uncle Haibo into giving them money.

More troubling than the swindled money was finding out who had been spreading false information.

If Uncle Haibo took the fake news back to the village, there wouldn’t be much else, but Lin Chen’s parents, especially his mother, would be heartbroken and in tears.

”Uncle Haibo, did you recognize the martial artist who spoke to you?”

”No, but based on his accent, he should be from Yongfeng County. My wife’s family has an uncle from Yongfeng County, and that’s how he sounds.”

Yongfeng County?

Lin Chen squinted slightly; he had no grievances with the martial artists from Yongfeng County.

”What are the people from Yongfeng County up to?” Fu Ang, who had come out with Lin Chen, was also taken aback: ”Senior Brother Lin, you got first place and helped us Poyang County win the county competition, yet these rumors are being spread like this. This must be reported to the Hall Master to get an explanation from Yongfeng County.”

Listening to Fu Ang, Wang Haibo and the three villagers were stunned, unable to believe their ears.

”C-C-C-C-C-C, Chen won the county competition and took first place?”

”That’s right, and Senior Brother Lin even turned the tide. Let me tell you...”

Fu Ang was about to boast about Lin Chen’s achievements when Lin Chen interrupted him, turning his attention to Wang Haibo: ”Uncle Haibo, was the person who told you this information entering or leaving the city?”

”Leaving, heading in that direction.”

”Senior Brother Lin, you’re not going after them, are you?” Fu Ang was a bit worried upon hearing Lin Chen’s inquiry. The Military Affairs Department prohibits students from fighting privately, and what’s more, the other party isn’t alone...

Uh, on second thought, that last point doesn’t need consideration.

”No chasing.”

Fu Ang breathed a sigh of relief. It’s best to let the Hall Master handle this matter.

”He’s bound to return to this gate eventually.”

Fu Ang: ...

PS: Here’s 5,000 words, asking for subscriptions, asking for monthly tickets. 10,000 words have been updated today, and the average subscription is now 4,800, just 200 short, please!