If I get caught stealing silver from Village Head, Su Changgui's house, that old man will definitely beat me to death.
But what kind of person was Su Wending?
In his previous life, he was a poor child who came out of a big mountain, and someone who could afford a three-hundred-square-meter mansion in a first-tier city was definitely not a good person.
Su Wending still remembered how he got his first pot of gold.
It was online lending.
Using his diploma from a top university, he borrowed millions of funds from illegal financial platforms.
He had already anticipated the consequences: fleeing back to the mountain village, hiding in the mountains, becoming isolated from the world, and evading high-interest loan collectors.
The result was that all these online lending platforms were shut down, benefiting Su Wending.
With these millions of funds, in just a few short years, Su Wending carved out his own wealthy life.
Unfortunately, the past could only be savored in memory.
"One, how much exactly is a jar of silver? I don't know, but this amount of money is definitely not small."
"The question is, how did this money come about?"
Village Head, Su Changgui, on the surface, didn't look like a very wealthy person.
"Two, the money's origin is unknown, so if it's lost, he won't publicize it, and he certainly can't report it to the authorities!"
"Three, according to the mindset of some old landlords, the silver buried underground, besides worrying about it being stolen, is more importantly to prevent any accidents to themselves and leave a path for their descendants."
Therefore, Su Changgui would not frequently dig up the jar to count the silver.
This was to prevent outsiders from seeing him bury gold and silver under the big tree in his courtyard, and to prevent them from having ill intentions.
The suona began to play.
"This Su Changgui can't wait a moment longer."
A glint flashed in Su Wending's eyes.
He seemed to know how Su Changgui's jar of silver had been accumulated.
Su Family Village was nestled by mountains and water, living off the land and the water.
Besides hunters, herb gatherers, and fishermen, the old, weak, women, and children could only farm to support themselves.
There were too few job opportunities.
Whether they could eat their fill for a year depended on the heavens.
However, herb gathering was definitely a lucrative profession.
This profession was very dangerous, and the barrier to entry was very high.
One needed to understand herbal knowledge.
Even more, one needed professional skills such as rock climbing, hunting, and wilderness survival.
It was not a profession that ordinary people could engage in.
Moreover, the casualty rate exceeded fifty percent.
The number of herb gatherers in Su Family Village was getting smaller and smaller.
Many skills were lost before they could be passed down to the next generation, as the practitioners met with accidents.
This resulted in a generational gap among herb gatherers.
There were also cases where an entire family, old and young, met with accidents.
The accumulated family property, when faced with a group of revered elders in the village eyeing it covetously, could not be held onto by the old, weak, women, and children.
They were plundered without the ability to resist.
Su Wending was one of them.
"Ill-gotten gains, taken with Dao."
"Wealth buried in the soil is just a pile of rotten mud; it's better given to me, so I can go to the county city to buy property."
One tael of gold was far from enough.
Money, one could never have too much.
Su Wending had another thought.
That was to vent his anger.
"Now there's a good opportunity."
Village Head, Su Changgui, was currently handling Su San's funeral.
Among the funeral arrangements, the banquet was the most important part.
Listening to the suona sounds, gradually fading into the distance, Su San's body must have been carried out of the village and buried in the southern forest.
And all the villagers, young and old, would gather in the large square at the village entrance, presumably waiting for the meal.
As for Su San's wealth, it had already been tallied.
Village Head, Su Changgui, never did business at a loss.
He would take one-third of the money to buy some meat, cook a few dishes, and satisfy the villagers' hunger.
The remaining money, and Su San's house, would be divided among those old geezers.
Su Wending stuffed a piece of cloth into his embrace.
He walked out of the courtyard and began to stroll around the village.
Every household was empty.
He paid attention to Village Head, Su Changgui's house.
It was one of the few houses with walls built of blue bricks.
However, a two-meter-high wall could be easily jumped over.
Su Wending didn't hesitate at all.
He took a running start and vaulted over.
Su Changgui didn't keep dogs.
The main gate of the courtyard was locked from the outside.
Front yard? Or backyard?
That scoundrel Su Changgui built such a large house.
Moreover, both the front and back yards had trees planted.
A hundred-year-old osmanthus tree in the front yard, and a maple tree in the back yard.
Rockery, flowing water, tea table, rattan chairs, hammock...
He was a person who knew how to enjoy life.
Su Wending didn't observe carefully.
Instead, he just glanced around.
He didn't have much time.
And it was broad daylight.
"Give me a hint..."
Su Wending called out in his mind.
"Beside the osmanthus tree, under the bluestone slab pressed by the rattan chair, is Su Changgui's buried jar, containing silver."
A line of text flashed before his eyes again.
Su Wending was overjoyed; it really gave him a hint.
Su Wending quickly walked to the osmanthus tree in the front yard and moved the rattan chair aside.
Su Changgui had laid a large number of bluestone slabs around the osmanthus tree.
Following the hint, Su Wending lifted a bluestone slab, only to see that beneath it was river sand, unlike the earth in other places.
Su Wending easily dug away the river sand.
He found the jar.
He opened the jar, took out the cloth from his embrace, and spread it open.
He took out the silver from the jar and wrapped it up.
Then, he buried the jar back in its original place, undisturbed.
He erased the traces.
He rearranged the bluestone slabs and the rattan chair.
Then he stuffed the cloth-wrapped silver into his clothes.
It was bulging, like a ten-month pregnancy.
Su Wending also looked helpless.
Over a hundred taels of silver.
"Click~~"
Su Wending spun around, his heart stopping at that moment.
The sound of a lock opening came.
Su Wending covered his front, turned and ran towards the backyard without any hesitation, vaulting over the wall with a boost.
The village road was deserted, and Su Wending let out a sigh of relief, calmly walking towards his home.
After hiding the silver and gold, Su Wending, as if nothing had happened, ran to the village entrance and blended into the crowd.
But soon he left the village entrance, grumbling.
He was ostracized by the villagers.
"It seems my actions at Uncle Su San's house were looked down upon."
Su Wending smiled, not caring at all.
The next day.
Su Wending had been keeping an eye on Village Head, Su Changgui.
Seeing his radiant face, it was clear he hadn't discovered that his buried jar had been emptied.
"Someone died! Someone died!"
Someone died in Su Family Village again.
The same way of dying.
Su Wending stood outside the deceased's door, his expression turning serious.
Was there really a Prodigy?
Su Family Village could not be stayed in any longer.
Su San's death still left the people of Su Family Village with a glimmer of hope.
But the death of this villager made the more than two hundred people in Su Family Village panic-stricken.
Su Changgui walked out of the door with a solemn expression.
He looked up at the other people in Su Family Village.
"Village Head, what do we do now?"
"That's right, Uncle Gui, what do we do?"
Su Changgui understood that yesterday, Su San's death, dealing with these poor people, he could still use the Move of plundering their inheritance to stabilize the villagers' hearts.
But today, the situation had become even more serious.
Moreover, Su Changgui himself was scared.
"Everyone, please rest assured, I have already reported to the authorities, and the Suspended Mirror Division will send people to slay demons and eliminate evil."
Su Changgui took a deep breath, speaking in a steady tone.
Suspended Mirror Division?
Information about the Suspended Mirror Division surfaced in Su Wending's mind.
It seemed familiar.
When he was studying at the county city academy, a classmate's family member worked in the Suspended Mirror Division.
This was a special organization of the Great Qian Dynasty.
A powerful agency specifically dealing with cold cases.
"The Suspended Mirror Division is coming?"
"That's good."
"As long as the Suspended Mirror Division takes action, this Prodigy will surely have nowhere to hide."
The people of Su Family Village immediately felt at ease.
Su Wending stared at Su Changgui, his anxiety unconcealed.
This made Su Wending's heart sink.
Something wasn't right.
Say nothing, retreat.
Big cities were still safer.
Su Family Village was still too remote.
If something really happened.
Who could save them?
The villagers began to disperse.
Su Changgui stood outside the door, his expression solemn.
"Uncle Gui, Uncle Gui."
Su Wending came before Su Changgui, hesitating to speak.
Su Changgui looked up, seeing it was the young man Su Wending, and said impatiently, "Wending, is there something?"
Su Wending seemed to have made up his mind: "Uncle Gui, I want to sell my courtyard house."
Su Changgui was startled.
"Do you know what you're saying?"
Su Changgui's face hardened.
Su Wending's face was resolute: "Uncle Gui, I'm at the end of my rope now. If I go to the town or county city, I can read and write, and I can find a job to support myself. Staying in the village is a dead end."
"What happened yesterday, actually, I couldn't help it. After all, I, I haven't... eaten for three days, I was starving and confused."
Su Changgui's face relaxed then.
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
The Suspended Mirror Division's people were coming.
There had been two consecutive days of murders in the village.
If he could acquire Su Wending's house at a low price, tear it down and rebuild it, it could be left to his descendants.
He had many descendants.
This business was a sure win.
"Wending, ah, it was my oversight back then. Your parents' funeral arrangements should have been simpler, and some money could have been left for you, so you wouldn't be starving now."
Su Changgui said, full of self-reproach.
Su Wending's eyes were red, tears almost welling up.
"Uncle Gui, you didn't do anything wrong in this matter. You handled my parents' funeral with great honor. I'm grateful and can't thank you enough. I can only blame myself for being incompetent and not learning my parents' skills."
After Su Wending finished speaking, he gently wiped away his tears.
A trace of pity arose in Su Changgui's heart.
Not much, and it was quickly extinguished by him.
"Since you've made up your mind, Uncle Gui won't try to dissuade you. It's just a pity that this house is the home your parents left you, and also your root in Su Family Village." Su Changgui sighed.
Su Wending was silent, a look of hesitation appearing on his face.
This kid hesitated?
No.
Su Changgui said, "How about this, I'll take your courtyard house, Wending. You name a price, as long as it's not unreasonable, I'll buy it from you. If you make money in the city someday and want to return to Su Family Village, you can buy it back at a ten percent higher price."
"Really?"
Su Wending looked at Su Changgui with a face full of pleasant surprise.
"Uncle Gui, you're truly a good person."
This old man's acting skills were good.
However, I was even better.
"One tael of silver, plus a donkey."
Su Wending thought for a moment and directly named his price.
Su Changgui, however, shook his head: "One tael of silver is a very reasonable price, but that animal, the donkey, won't do."
"Then, cheaper, but I need a donkey for the journey."
Su Wending gritted his teeth.
Su Changgui nodded: "I don't have much cash on hand, I can only give you three hundred cash coins. And, Wending, you know, once you have a donkey in the city, you can completely sell it."
"Deal, shall I draft the document then?"
Su Changgui, however, waved his hand.
"It's too troublesome, a direct transaction will do."
This old man was planning to deny the deal later.
He was worried that with a written contract, Su Wending might come back later with the agreement to redeem the house.
Su Family Village had many people and little land.
The land value alone was worth more than a donkey.
Three hundred cash coins couldn't even build a latrine.
"Uncle Gui, I trust you."
Su Wending gritted his teeth and agreed.
Anyway, he had no sense of belonging to this village.
He didn't even have a sense of belonging to this world.
Now he just wanted to leave Su Family Village as soon as possible.
Two people had already died consecutively.
If he encountered danger tonight, this house would most likely fall into the old man's hands anyway.
It was better to sell it for a donkey, have transportation, and if he left now, he could still reach the county city before dark.
"So it's settled."
"Okay, Uncle Gui, I'll go back and pack my things now and clear out the house."
"Hmm, I'll go fetch a donkey for you."
Su Wending returned home.
He packed his clothes and bedding.
And a few books into a wooden box.
The silver and gold were hidden in his clothes.
Rice, cured meat, a pot, etc.
"There's still too much stuff."
"Gee-up~~"
Su Changgui came over, leading a donkey.
A wooden cart was trailing behind the donkey.
"Uncle Gui, this wooden cart?"
"You're going on a journey, so this wooden cart is for you."
Su Wending said generously.
The neighboring villagers, seeing Su Wending's setup, began to inquire.
"Uncles and aunties, I've sold this courtyard house to Uncle Gui in exchange for this donkey cart and three hundred copper coins."
Su Wending cupped his fists.
"He sold it for a donkey cart and three hundred cash coins?"
A villager's eyes lit up, wanting to say more.
Su Changgui's eyes darkened as he stared at the person.
They didn't dare to speak up again.
Su Wending moved all his luggage onto the cart.
This included the pot, clay pot, and so on.
He filled a bag with water and placed it on the cart.
Su Changgui frowned, looking at the pot, clay pot, etc.
Su Wending lifted the lid of the clay pot, revealing steaming hot rice with some cured meat on top.
"Uncle Gui, don't worry about me, I've already prepared food for the journey."
Su Changgui's face finally relaxed.
Take it all.
That's good too.
He even took the pot and clay pot.
It seemed this kid was determined to leave Su Family Village, taking all his luggage to the county city.
"Uncle Gui, farewell for now, please take care of yourself."
Su Wending cupped his fists and bowed.
Su Changgui nodded: "Be careful on the road, don't stop, don't stop for anyone who calls you."
Su Changgui thought of something.
"Wait."
Su Changgui entered the kitchen.
"Put these on the wooden cart, for self-defense."
A kitchen knife and a wooden stick.
Su Wending was startled: "Uncle Gui, I'm leaving."
"Go, you've studied, you might make a fortune in the county city. Don't forget that Su Family Village is your root then."
Su Changgui still kept a card up his sleeve.
This young man was still young.
If he really got rich in the city.
Perhaps in the future, he could still rely on this bit of goodwill to make the young man do him a small favor.
Su Wending didn't hesitate.
He sat on the wooden cart, holding a thin stick, gently patting the donkey.
"Gee-up~~"
This donkey was obedient.
Su Wending could tell.
This donkey had just been fed.
It could run all the way to the county city in one go.
This old man didn't intend to keep him in Su Family Village.
Not far from Su Family Village.
He saw a team of strong men in dark-colored tight-fitting clothes, riding fast horses on the dirt road.
Su Wending quickly moved the donkey cart to the side.
The team of people galloping past were spirited and dazzling.
Their powerful Aura made Su Wending not even dare to breathe loudly.
He knew these were people from the Suspended Mirror Division.
They were all experts.
Crushing him would be easier than crushing an ant.
"Gee-up."
Su Wending fiercely slapped the donkey's rump.
The donkey began to speed up.
Departing for the county city.
"Boom~~"
Thunder rumbled in the clear sky.
Su Wending looked back at Su Family Village, which was now only a silhouette.
He saw a towering blood-red light, enveloping Su Family Village in broad daylight.
"Prodigy, don't even think of doing evil~~!!"
A furious roar echoed, shaking the wilderness.
Wild beasts and birds in the mountains were startled and fled in disarray.
Su Wending was greatly alarmed.
He dared not linger.
He urged the donkey, hurrying to leave.
Su Family Village truly had a Prodigy!!!!