Water Margin: Did we kill Zheng Tu today?

Chapter 94 Terrified of Poverty

Jiang Zhushan was ordered to pay compensation in court and was also beaten with a cane, which left his legs crooked, and he limped home.

You should know that thirty taels of silver is no small sum. It's enough to buy a decent house in Qinghe County, or five or six ordinary maids.

Jiang Zhushan was just a doctor who practiced medicine in a small clinic. Where would he get so much cash?

Asking him to produce so much right now is truly a death sentence!

With a mournful face, Jiang Zhushan rummaged through his belongings, emptying all his savings. He also pawned his clinic and sold off his stock of medicinal herbs at a low price. By piecing together the money, he barely managed to scrape together the thirty taels of silver.

After repaying the money, he was penniless and had nothing left.

The once respectable doctor, dressed in silk and satin and known as the "Imperial Physician," has fallen to such a state in an instant, losing even his means of livelihood.

It's true, it's a fall straight from the clouds into the mud!

Lu Hua and Zhang Sheng received thirty taels of silver and went directly to Ximen Qing's residence to report back.

Ximen Qing kept the two under the covered shed and ordered that wine and dishes be served to entertain them.

The two recounted in detail how they planned the fight, how they filed a lawsuit, and how they forced Jiang Zhushan to pawn his shop.

Upon hearing this, Ximen Qing was quite satisfied, clapping his hands and laughing, "You two have truly vented my anger! That short, quack doctor deserved his fate for harming people!"

Lu Hua hurriedly took out thirty taels of silver and presented it with both hands: "Sir, this is the silver that Jiang Zhushan paid as compensation. Please accept it."

Ximen Qing waved his hand and pushed the silver away, refusing to accept it: "You two take it and buy a pot of good wine; that will be my reward. I'm afraid I'll need your help again later."

As the two were about to leave, Zhen Ge expressed his deepest gratitude and happily took the silver with him.

Working for Master Ximen brings benefits without any responsibility. This money is like a windfall. Where in the world can you find such a good deal?

Ximen Qing sat alone under the covered shed, sipping fragrant tea and watching their retreating figures, feeling extremely pleased.

This time, he not only avenged his brother, but also eliminated a troublesome rival in the herbal medicine business.

Jiang Zhushan's clinic also sells medicinal herbs, and it often steals business from the Ximen family.

Now that Jiang Zhushan has fallen, the medicinal herb trade in Qinghe County, though not yet completely dominated by Ximen Qing, will soon be almost the same!

That was truly a brilliant plan to kill two birds with one stone!

………………

Meanwhile, Zheng Tu was originally going to seek revenge on Jiang Zhushan.

When they arrived at the intersection of West Street that day, they found that Jiang Zhushan's clinic was closed and the area in front of it was in a mess, with medicinal herb scraps and other dried items scattered everywhere.

He inquired around and learned that Jiang Zhushan had been beaten up by two hooligans, sued them, lost the case, and had to pawn his shop to compensate them.

Zheng Tu was puzzled: "This fellow was perfectly fine sitting in his clinic and seeing patients just a few days ago, how did he suddenly end up like this? Is it truly divine retribution, that justice will prevail?"

Seeing that Jiang Zhushan was in such a miserable state, Zheng Tu's anger dissipated, and he lost interest in causing him trouble. He simply shook his head and left on his own.

He went to Wu Song's house and met with him. The two of them explained in detail what they had discovered.

Upon learning that the poison had been placed in the water tank and the potential danger had been eliminated, Zheng Tu breathed a sigh of relief.

The two then deliberated further, analyzing the source of the poison, the method of the crime, and the motive, and finally concluded that it should have been the work of the deceased Huang Silang.

This person is ruthless and has used poisoned arrows before; administering this slow-acting poison is consistent with his actions.

Wu Song gritted his teeth in hatred: "That Huang Silang has such a vicious heart! If Wu Er had known earlier, he would have torn him to pieces!"

But now that the real culprit is dead, he has no choice but to suppress his hatred and focus on taking care of his brother.

For the next few days, Wu Song stayed by Wu Da's bedside without leaving him for a moment.

With the source of the poison cut off, and the newly prescribed medicine proving to be effective, Wu Da took three doses, and his high fever gradually subsided, and his cough lessened.

By the fifth day, he was able to sit up halfway, drink some rice porridge, and occasionally say a few words without any problem.

Seeing that Wu Da was recovering from his illness, Pan Jinlian's hope was rekindled, and her foxy face shone even brighter.

Occasionally, when Zheng Tu came to visit, her eyes seemed glued to the man, her gaze conveying a thousand unspoken words.

Zheng Tu has also been busy these days.

When he had free time, he devoted all the points he had accumulated since his rebirth to martial arts. His current skill panel is:

【Zheng Tu——】

[Martial Arts: Hand and Foot Techniques, Advanced Level (10/108)]

Correspondingly, he grew even taller and more robust, his muscles bulging as if inflated, and his strength increased even more.

Perhaps due to the lingering effects of the crimson pill, other parts of his body also benefited, and his energy was astonishingly abundant.

However, excessive blood and energy are not without their drawbacks. Recently, Zheng Tu has often felt that he has difficulty suppressing his desires and that his heart is restless.

But he always restrained himself, and whenever this happened, he would rinse his body with cold water to suppress his emotions.

As the days went by, everything seemed to be back on track.

As Wu Da's health improved day by day, Pan Jinlian stayed at home obediently, and Ximen Qing treated her very warmly.

Zheng Tu gradually relaxed, thinking that this time, he would have nothing to worry about!

Before we knew it, it was the beginning of the month.

That day, Zheng Tu was meditating and regulating his breathing in the back room of Wang Po's teahouse when he suddenly heard a knock at the door.

Upon opening the door, they found it was a servant from Ximen Qing's household, accompanied by two young men, carrying a heavy wooden box.

The shop assistant cupped his hands and smiled, "Greetings, Second Uncle Zheng! My eldest uncle instructed me to send over the monthly profit from the herbal medicine shop. Please take a look."

After saying that, he opened the wooden box, and saw that it was all white inside!

The silver ingots were neatly stacked, so shiny they made one's eyes dizzy.

Zheng Tu counted them carefully; they totaled a full seventy-five taels of silver!

His eyes were glued to the screen.

With only a 30% stake, that's 75 taels a month! How much income must Ximen Qing have from all those shops each month?

The accountant continued, "My eldest uncle said this is the first month's dividend from his 30% stake in the shop. From this month onward, with one less shop to compete with, business should be even better, if not better. Please accept this, second uncle."

Zheng Tu composed himself, forced a calm demeanor, accepted the silver, and then took out more silver to reward the accountant and the servant.

After the others left, he closed the door and looked at the chest full of silver, his heart burning with excitement.

He's really terrified of being poor these days!

When Zheng Tu went out, he had changed his clothes and appearance.

Dressed in a fine silk robe, coupled with Zheng Tu's increasingly robust and fierce physique, he was wealthy, but unlike ordinary rich people, he exuded an air of power and ruthlessness.

When the neighbors saw him, many didn't recognize him and whispered among themselves, trying to find out who this wealthy man was. Some even had daughters of marriageable age who secretly asked around to inquire about his age and family background, hoping to marry their daughters to him.

But while some are happy, others are sad. Zheng Tu is in high spirits when good things happen, but there are others who suffer misfortune and lose their morale, which he finds hard to bear.