But after hearing what Luo Xi said today, the City Lord finally realized that the buyer could not have been someone that was that simple. Otherwise, how could one explain why a youth would spend such an astronomical amount of gold to buy so many manors and not stay in them himself but was instead providing them to the completely useless refugees free of charge?
The shopkeeper had not expected that the City Lord would suddenly ask about the incident with Jun Wu Xie and had originally intended to just touch lightly on the subject. But seeing the dark shade on the City Lord’s face, he had no choice but to recount in a slightly trembling voice everything that had happened from the moment that Jun Wu Xie had appeared till she bought the manors and how she had gone on to find builders to construct the lofts, revealing everything he knew without leaving any details out.
“The customer had initially said that he wanted to find people to rebuild the manors and your servant had also thought that that had sounded rather strange. Out of curiosity, your servant had also asked the customer a few times about it but the customer had an extremely cold personality and did not give any form of reply at all. What happened after that is not known to me.”
“From what you are saying, that person had intended to do this right from the start?” The City Lord asked, his brows furrowing up as he fell deep in thought before dismissing the shopkeeper.
“Spending such a large sum of money to buy manors and then taking the effort to rebuild them completely for the refugees as accommodation. This person’s motive are definitely anything but innocent.” The City Lord remarked thoughtfully.
The corners of Luo Xi’s mouth curled up with a trace of a sneer. “I do not know what his motives are, but there is one thing that I can be certain of right now.”
Volume 15
Chapter 1434: “Colluding Evil (3)”
“What is it?” The City Lord asked quickly.
Luo Xi said with a cold snort: “That person doesn’t work for the revered one.”
“How can you be certain?” The City Lord asked a little confused.
Luo Xi swept a glance over the City Lord and his eyes flashed briefly with disdain, but was able to cover it well. “Simple. Just how powerful is the revered one? And the Clear Breeze City is now already under the control of you and me. If the revered one had wanted something done, why would he go through so much trouble to have someone spend such a great amount of money to buy the manors? If the revered one wanted them he could very well have just told you to handle it instead of spending all that gold.”
It finally dawned upon the Lord of the City as he realized that the sum of money Jun Wu Xie had spent on those manors had indeed not been a small sum!
“Moreover, there is one more point. You and I know very well the reason why the revered one asked us to let those refugees into the city. With these kind of conditions provided to the refugees now, wouldn’t that go against the very intentions of the revered one? Don’t tell me that the revered one really wants to rear the refugees till they become strong and healthy before sending them to their deaths with the poison somewhere else?” Luo Xi’s mind had cleared up in just a moment. He had not known how much the amount that Jun Wu Xie had spent to buy those manors before was and when he heard the shopkeeper mention the figure earlier, he had been greatly shocked. That had almost made him certain that the person up in the city north was not someone sent here by the revered one.
“Damn it. If that person is not sent here by the revered one, what is that fella really up to?” The City Lord said, highly exasperated.
Luo Xi shook his head. He was not able to ascertain that point as the other party was only providing accomodation for the refugees now and had not reveal anything else besides that.
“Why not….. let that person carry on with it for now. Afterall, the daily expenditure needed for the refugees is no paltry sum. Since he is willing to help us rear those refugees, isn’t it good that we will be able to save some expenses?” The City Lord’s cunning ploy was all upon his face, his eyes unable to hide the undisguised greed.
Luo Xi snorted in disgust and his expression instantly became stern. “That’s just wishful thinking. What those refugees usually eat everyday are just some bread. What much would that cost you? The revered one asked you to allow three hundred elderly and weak females with young children into the city everyday but you have been secretly asking your men to accept bribes to allow those rich merchants to enter the city for no reason which takes up quite a bit of the quota. Do you really think that the revered one is unaware of all that?”
The City Lord’s heart thumped. Allowing the rich merchants in was a private decision he made in secret behind the back of the revered one, and when the City Lord thought about the kind of power the revered one had, his back immediately became drenched in cold sweat.
“Young Master Luo….. Look….. Look at what you’re saying…..” The City Lord said with a forced laugh.
“Hah! Let me tell you. The revered one knows very clearly the kind of inclinations you have in your mind but he is just choosing to close an eye towards them and allow you to make some monetary gains. But if you dare to mess up the revered one’s plans, the consequences are not what you will be able to bear! The revered one wants those frail and sickly old fellas to remain in the refugee camp and just kept alive. If they are well fed with food and drink, do you think that they will still be easy to control after that? You’d better keep that thought to yourself. It’s just slightly more than a thousand refugees and you even want to stinge on that small bit of money. Have you really tired of living! ?” Luo Xi could not stand seeing the insatiable lust for money of the City Lord and if he had not been carrying the title as the Lord of the Clear Breeze City, Luo Xi wouldn’t have chosen to mix with a person like him.
Having been admonished by Luo Xi, the City Lord’s face instantly turned pale.
“Regarding this matter, I’m leaving it to you to deal with it. If you do not handle it well, you can explain it to the revered one yourself! Don’t forget, it was your henchmen that sold those manors to that youth!” Luo Xi immediately stood up and left upon saying that, not wishing to remain in the City Lord’s manor another moment.
Volume 15
Chapter 1435: “Courting Death (1)”
The colour on the City Lord’s face had turned highly ugly but he still put on a forced smile as he saw Luo Xi out the door. Luo Xi’s lead foot had just stepped out and the City Lord could no longer hold himself back as he shouted.
“What dog’s fart plaything does he think he does he is? Just because he is slightly closer to the revered one and he thinks he calls the shots here! Shouldn’t he take a look and see what he is himself! ? If not for the revered one behind you, this Lord here knows of many ways to squash the life out of you!”
“There is no need for the City Lord to be so angry. Luo Xi is merely just a dog at the revered one’s foot and the City Lord is merely giving face to the revered one that’s all.” A servant at the side quickly rushed forward to say appeasingly.
“Hmph! I can’t be bothered to get angry with a hypocrite like him.” The City Lord said through gritted teeth. “I don’t have to bother with that bastard Luo Xi but what the revered one had instructed us to do must not be delayed. That place up in the city’s north must not be left alone like this or it will be difficult to explain it to the revered one.”
The City Lord’s eyes turned and he waved to the servant at his side. “You mentioned that the cluster of houses up in the city’s north had been built into lofts that are seven stories high?”
“That they did! Your servant had even secretly gone to take a peek and they were rather interesting. The things they placed inside are also not too bad with a rather reasonable layout, just that it’s a little different from houses we’re used to seeing. I had even heard many people in the city asking where those lofts were at, it seems that they had attracted quite a bit of the people’s attention.”
The City Lord rubbed at his chin
and his mind started to whirl. The construction cost of those lofts were not cheap and it would hurt his pockets quite a bit if he got people to build them. But if could manage to snare the white wolf with bare hands by forcibly taking over the lofts, the would be an entirely different thing.
“Since the youth up in the city’s north has disrupted the revered one’s plans, then as the Lord of the Clear Breeze City, I cannot sit back and do nothing about it as solving what worries the revered one is what I should do.” The City Lord said as a evil smile came onto his face. He then gestured to the servant by hooking his finger up at him.
“Bring some men to teach that wild child up in the city’s north a good lesson. Let him know that if he wants to remain in the Clear Breeze City, he had better learn to be good.” The City Lord said in a sinister tone.
“Alright!”
“One more thing. Be careful when you carry the task out. Do not damage those lofts. That place isn’t for those refugees to stay in.” The City Lord said with a laugh.
“My Lord, you can rest assured. Your servant will carry out the task you have given me properly!” Immediately upon saying that, the servant left the City Lord’s manor.
The City Lord stood in the hall in glee for a while before he patted himself on his flabby tummy and went back to his room while whistling a tune.
Inside a loft unit at the city’s north, Jun Wu Xie was having some tea with Jun Wu Yao as they sat at the table when Ye Sha appeared silently to kneel before the two of them.
“Reporting to Young Miss. After Luo Xi left here today, he went to the City Lord’s manor and stayed in there for a while before leaving.” Ye Sha reported, having following Jun Wu Xie’s instructions to pay attention to the movements of Luo Xi and the City Lord. After he discovered that the two had come in contact, he had immediately returned to report it to Jun Wu Xie.
“Oh?” Jun Wu Xie exclaimed with an arch of her eyebrow.
“Young Miss, do you need me to round them up for you?” Ye Sha asked.
Jun Wu Xie shook her head and said: “No need. They will deliver themselves right into my hands.”
Ye Sha was still a little confused but just moments after Jun Wu Xie’s voice fell, Ye Mei came walking in through the door.
“Young Miss, a group of men have appeared downstairs.”
Jun Wu Xie’s eyes lifted and her eyes flashed with realization.
“The rats have started to move.”
Among the blocks of lofts in the city’s north, a bunch of uncouth and rugged looking men had suddenly appeared. They had well built bodies and their faces fierce. They were highly intimidating and looked like they were not to be trifled with. The refugees who had just moved into the lofts recently were all fearful when they saw these brawny men appear.
Volume 15
Chapter 1436: “Courting Death (2)”
The leader of the group of brawny men stared at the neatly constructed lofts and his mouth curled up into a savage smile. He raised his finger and pointed it at an elderly lady leading her grandchild into the lofts and said: “You! That old one! Come here this instant!”
The old lady was already past her fifties and ravages of life had bowed her back in a hunch. She was skinny and small, the hair on the sides of her head streaked white. Suddenly being shouted at by the brawny man, all colour on her face immediately drained out as she clutched at her grandchild in terror as she turned to the group of men who looked like they were up to no good.
The old lady trembled as she looked at the men, her pleading eyes subconsciously looking towards other refugees who were standing not too far away. But all those other refugees were mostly old people well advanced in age like her and some weak and helpless ladies. They were unable to even defend themselves so how would they dare to interfere? They merely turned their eyes, trying to avoid the old lady’s gaze.
“Are you damned deaf! ? I asked you to get your sorry self over here! Can’t you hear me! ? Do I have to go over there and invite you to come instead! ?” The brawny man shouted impatiently with an angry frown upon his face. He signalled to the men beside him with his eyes and two of them immediately walked towards the old lady, to forcibly drag her there.
“What….. What are you going to do…..” The old lady was no match for the strong men. She fought to protect her grandchild but they were both dragged over by those two men.
The leader of the men stared disdainfully at the highly nervous old lady and said in an unfriendly tone: “Where were you going just now?”
The old lady clutched her grandchild protectively in her arms and said warily: “H….. Home…..”
“Home?” The man’s eyebrow raised up alarmingly and he pinched his nose in a thuggish manner while gazing at the old lady from the side of his eyes to say: “You are saying that your home is within these lofts?”
The old lady swallowed loudly in a gulp and nodded her head hesitantly.
She was just about to open her mouth and had not even uttered a sound when she was kicked in the hips by the man, that caused her to fall heavily to the ground!
“Listen up you old long life one! Who told you this place is your home? Why don’t you take a piss and look at yourself in it? Does a beggar like you even have the right to live in such a nice house?” The man said harshly.
Having been dealt such a hard blow, the old woman almost passed out upon the ground and had no strength to get up. Her already frail body felt like it was going to fall apart as she lay in a shivering heap upon the ground. The young child was on his knees upon the ground, looking at her grandmother as tears brimmed up within her large innocent eyes.
The scene that was unfolding before their eyes startled the hearts of the other refugees gathered around, fear and unease spreading in their chests. They did not dare to go forward to help the old lady up and could only watch those ruffians carry on with their thuggish ways.
“Grandma….. Grandma…..” The child cried out chokingly, but the old lady could only groan softly.
The brawny men swept his gaze over the terrified refugees around him and his heart filled with glee. He kicked the child away with a foot and stomped his feet brutally upon the old lady’s thigh. That hard stomp brought about the sound of a crisp crack and a pitiful wail escaped from the old lady’s mouth. That wail was highly grating to the ear, like a bolt of lightning that struck upon the hearts of the gathered spectators!
“You old hag! Let me tell you! This isn’t a place that pieces of trash like you can live in! If you want to continue to live here, it can be arranged! Ten taels of silver per head everyday!” The man shouted as he swung his gaze over the terrified refugees around him.
[Ten taels of silver!]
The refugees were all stunned speechless. They could not even dig out one copper from their bodies, needless to say ten whole taels of silver.
Volume 15
Chapter 1437: “Courting Death (3)”
All the refugees were completely flabbergasted. They wouldn’t be able to even shake a copper out from their bodies what’s more ten whole taels of silver! And they even had to pay it once a day! Even if they sold themselves off, they still wouldn’t have so much money!
Having just managed to come to this highly tranquil and clean place, the refugees had thought they could finally live in peace. How could they have thought that they would encounter such a thing!
“But….. didn’t they already tell us….. there are no charges…..” A child that was still rather young spoke the doubt that was on everyone’s mind. That child had just spoken those words when a lady quickly reached her hand out to clamp it over the child’s mouth from behind.
But those naive and innocent words had reached the ears of the thug and his eyes immediately swung upon that child. The child’s mother broke out in cold sweat, immediately falling to her knees in kowtow, to plead for mercy from the thug.
“Great Lord, the child is ignorant so please do not take offence with him.”
“Even if the child is ignorant
, don’t tell me that you as his mother is just as clueless?” The thug asked as he glared at the woman who had gone deathly pale. “Both of you should have stayed here for at least two to three days already haven’t you? Then shouldn’t you be already be paying up for the money owed? Seeing that you are alone with such a young child, I’ll wouldn’t charge you so much. Just two days for two people and I’ll just make it forty taels for the two of you.”
“For….. Forty taels…..” The woman was completely flustered. Her husband had been killed when the Poison Men had attacked and she had escaped with their young child the entire way here. They had depleted all their savings on this journey and forty taels to her was just too astronomical a number. She cried out desperately in plea: “Great Lord, I really have no money….. really…..”
The thug gazed sinisterly at the woman pretty face hidden under her terror. The woman was petite in size and though already a mother, she still remained rather attractive. The thug took a step forward and touched the woman on her face. “No money? That’s still alright. If you really have no money, it’s fine to pay with your body as well!”
The woman’s eyes went wide in utter disbelief. But before she could even scream out, the thug had pulled her right up and forcibly locked her with his embrace as he groped her all over. Pitiful cries tore out from the woman’s mouth as she struggled vehemently. But how could her puny strength be a match for the thug’s strong muscular arms?
Pea sized teardrops flowed from the woman’s eyes. She continued to beg for the thug to stop, and pleaded for the refugees around to save her.
Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss Volume 15 Page 10
