He Chunsheng said thank you before leaving. He took a few steps before turning back and saying, “Manager Zhang, just let him work. You don’t have to be too kind to him. He said before that as long as he can stay in the gambling house, a meal of porridge and pickles will make him happy.”

“Alright. No problem,” Manager Zhang said.

He was trying to befriend He Chunsheng, and after understanding what He Chunsheng meant, he certainly wouldn’t do anything to make He Chunsheng angry. Then to Father He, he would definitely do a good job of teaching him.

He Chunsheng turned around and told Father He that he had sold him to the gambling house for about twenty years to let him work off the debt he owed the gambling house.

Father He was startled and wailed that He Chunsheng was unfilial, but He Chunsheng ignored him and went to the gambling house thugs, took out all his savings, and invited them to dinner.

“My father is a man who has nothing else in his eyes but gambling. Please keep an eye on him. If he wants to gamble, just beat him up. If he borrows money from someone, tell that person that lending money to him is against me. Anyway, I won’t pay it back.”

After saying this, He Chunsheng toasted with the thugs again and told them everything he had experienced. In the end, he added, “Please help, everyone! When I come back from the capital, I’ll buy everyone a drink.”

He Chunsheng was busy outside for a long time before he returned home. As soon as he got home, he saw his mother looking at him with an uneasy face. 

“Chunsheng, does Jiang Zhen really not want you guys anymore? What can be done about that?”

“Mother, you know it’s no good. Just leave that man alone next time! I gave him to the gambling house to let him pay back his own debts. If you are still thinking of him, don’t live with me and Xiasheng. Go live with him!” He Chunsheng said. “Mother, think about it.”

Mother He froze.

“Qiusheng, come here. Brother has something to say to you,” He Chunsheng said to He Qiusheng.

He Qiusheng was a clever person, so He Chunsheng told him the specific situation, and said, “Qiusheng, Mother is confused. You decide upon your own marriage, but you also have to weigh yourself a little. Xiasheng and I are going to the capital tomorrow. You check for the time being who is suitable.”

“Big Brother . . .” He Qiusheng wanted to tell him that he didn’t want to marry, but he couldn’t say it. He should have a plan for himself.

His big brother had gotten his dad out of the way, so he could have some better options.

The next day it was the time to leave for the capital.

Since the He brothers had already settled Father He’s matters, Jiang Zhen naturally took them with him.

The Zheng family prepared several ships in total for this trip to the capital, and it was reasonable that Jiang Zhen’s men could not stay on the main ship. But Zheng Yi insisted that Jiang Zhen and all his men board the main ship. Jiang Zhen and his men were all locals of Hecheng County, and they were no outlaws after all.

“By the way, prepare a separate cabin for Jiang Zhen!” After boarding the ship, Zheng Yi gave another command and then glanced and smiled at Zhao Jinge beside Jiang Zhen.

“Thank you, Master Zheng,” Jiang Zhen thanked him.

The boat Zheng Yi prepared this time was much larger than the one he chartered before to Jiang Zhen. But it was still a bit crowded in the end because of the number of people Zheng Yi brought with him.

Jiang Zhen had just put away the things he brought with him when someone came to him, saying that Master Zheng wanted to see him.

“Jinge, wait for me here. I’ll be right back,” Jiang Zhen said to Zhao Jinge and then followed the man.

With Jiang Zhen gone, Zhao Jinge was left alone to put things up in the cabin.

The cabin was still not very large, and probably because it had been unoccupied for a long time, it gave off an unpleasant smell.

Zhao Jinge was a ger after all. There was no way to keep clean while working in the fields at home, but he still liked to keep himself and his house tidy. So he went out with a bucket of water, intending to get water to clean the cabin.

This ship was not taking the sea route, and there was no shortage of water, but when Zhao Jinge came to the bow of the boat to fetch water, he was stopped by someone.

“The ship just sailed and it is in a mess. Where does this water come from? You can figure by yourself how to get it.”

There was clearly water there, but they just didn’t want to give Zhao Jinge any.

Zhao Jinge frowned but did not argue. He found a rope and tied it to a wooden bucket, drew a bucket of water, and carried it to the cabin to scrub up the bed in the cabin. He even used a knife to peel off some dirt and moldy wood.

After going back and forth like this for a couple of times, Zhao Jinge finally cleaned the room where he and Jiang Zhen were going to stay, leaving the door of the room open for better ventilation while taking out the mat to air.

He was busy, when suddenly someone came in from outside. “Hello!”

“What can I do for you?”

When Zhao Jinge looked up, he saw a topless man frowning at him.

“Nothing. I’ll take this cabin. You go live next door,” the man said to Zhao Jinge.

“I’ve already cleaned up this room.” Instead of looking at the other man’s body, Zhao Jinge looked at his face.

It took him an hour to clean this room, and naturally, he didn’t want to exchange it with anyone.

“You should be ashamed of yourself, brat!”

The man glanced at Zhao Jinge and snorted coldly, then suddenly reached out and kicked over the wooden bucket that Zhao Jinge had placed next to him.

“You . . .” Zhao Jinge frowned. The ship had several levels, but the wood couldn’t seal off the water. Therefore, except for the specially separated places for people to take a bath and wash, the other places couldn’t have a bucket of water being poured like this.

However, the cabin they lived in was on the penultimate floor, and there was some water-blocking clutter underneath, so it didn’t matter much.

“What is the matter with you? Just fetch water and clean it for a half a day like a sissy. What are you doing spilling the water? Do you know what is down there?”

The man was the first to complain and also began reprimanding Zhao Jinge. And, within a short time, there were a number of people gathered there, all looking at Zhao Jinge with terrible expressions.

Zhao Jinge had been following Jiang Zhen these days and seen a lot of things, how could he not understand that these people were looking for trouble on purpose?

“What do you guys want?” Zhao Jinge asked.

“It’s our turn to ask you what you wanted to do when you soaked everything down there!” the leader said.

These people were indeed here to pick a fight. They were all members of the Zheng family, and they had always protected Zheng Yi. However, this time Zheng Yi unexpectedly assigned many of them to other ships but let Jiang Zhen and his men board the main ship.

These people were upset, so how could they not pick a fight? In Jiang Zhen’s absence, they went after Zhao Jinge, who seemed to be Jiang Zhen’s right-hand man.

“Boy, you’re going to lose money!”

“Give up this room!”

“Apologize to us, and it will be over.”

 

. . .

 

When these people looked at Zhao Jinge, they didn’t hide their malice at all, and some of them even came forward and pulled the mat that Zhao Jinge had just laid on the ground and stepped on it twice.

If it had happened in the past, Zhao Jinge would have probably softened his stance and given up the room. But when he thought of Jiang Zhen, he didn’t want to put up with it at all. If Jiang Zhen came back, he would be disappointed to know that he gave up this room.

Zhao Jinge looked at these people and took a deep breath. He felt that he should learn from Jiang Zhen . . . Aiming at the nose of the one who had come in first, Zhao Jinge punched him in the face.

Those people came over and actually wanted Zhao Jinge to fight with them, but Zhao Jinge did not say a word and suddenly struck, which was a bit unexpected. Zhao Jinge moved too fast, and the man was not able to dodge.

“Boy, you have guts!” 

The man covered his nose, which was hit by Zhao Jinge, laughing coldly and moved his hand towards Zhao Jinge as well.

 

Edited by : Faro

Proofreader: Taalia

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