Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest-Chapter 972: Treasured Heavily

Discovering that Wang Chen’s identity plaque was genuine, Shangguan Pengfei suddenly felt as if he was in a sticky situation.

The Blood Cloak Guard, the Imperial Guard, and the Feathered Forest Guard, collectively known as the Imperial Three Guards, are the close personal guards of the Emperor of Great Liang, and Wang Chen, as a member of the Blood Cloak Guard and Thousand Household rank, was in no way inferior to him, a mere Captain.

Not to mention that Wang Chen also held the rank of Captain!

Even if a capital official was one tier higher, Shangguan Pengfei had no right to issue orders to Wang Chen, let alone to use his status to intimidate him.

Moreover, how could a Blood Cloak Guard of Thousand Household rank who was so young not have some skills and backing?

The problem was that Shangguan Pengfei and Elder Mu had collaborated more than once in cheating outsiders, and with such a significant conflict erupting between them this time, how were they to conclude the matter?

The thought of killing to silence someone flashed through Shangguan Pengfei’s mind.

But it was immediately suppressed.

Not to mention whether he could kill Wang Chen or not, the sudden disappearance of a Blood Cloak Guard of Thousand Household rank was no small matter. Besides, with so many eyes around, if word got out, Shangguan Pengfei simply could not bear the consequences.

It might even implicate his own family!

His thoughts raced, and Shangguan Pengfei put on a amiable smile, "So it’s Thousand Household Wang, this is truly like a flood washing away the Dragon King Temple, family members unable to recognize their own, a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding!"

In truth, although the Blood Cloak Guard and the Imperial Guard were close to the Emperor, they were completely unrelated to one another and their relationship had never been truly friendly.

If the two were really to become ’one family,’ the Emperor himself wouldn’t sit easy on his throne!

Wang Chen chuckled, "Well said."

Shangguan Pengfei turned to look at Elder Mu, his face suddenly darkening, "Shopkeeper Mu, you actually slandered Lord Wang, what should your crime be?"

Elder Mu was terrified, "This old man knows his fault, I dare not do it again, I implore both lords to forgive me!"

"Knowing your fault is good."

Shangguan Pengfei frowned and said, "Now, clean up this mess immediately, what a disgrace!"

Elder Mu hastily summoned servants to take the man in gray who was lying on the ground to the back courtyard for treatment.

He then ordered the floor to be cleaned.

Although he wished he could flay Wang Chen a thousand times over, with Shangguan Pengfei, his last resort for support, choosing to compromise, what could Elder Mu do but swallow his teeth and blood?

Wang Chen watched from the sidelines, without intervention.

Shangguan Pengfei and Elder Mu’s overzealous performance in front of him was nothing more than an attempt to diminish the significance of the incident, to make a big deal small, hoping to gloss over the issue.

Once the hall was cleared up, Shangguan Pengfei said, "Lord Wang, today’s incident was truly a misunderstanding, I will have Shopkeeper Mu offer you a statement of apology and compensation, please, out of respect for me, give him a way out."

Wang Chen smiled, "It’s fine."

Shangguan Pengfei’s smile became a few degrees more sincere, "That’s great, Lord Wang, I’d like to invite you to the Fragrant Sky Pavilion for a drink, I’ll take care of this matter and will definitely give you a satisfactory answer!"

"No rush for drinks,"

Wang Chen waved his hand, "I still have an unsettled account with Shopkeeper Mu, let’s clear that up first."

Shangguan Pengfei was stunned, "What account?"

Elder Mu was equally confused.

Wang Chen explained with a smile, "Here’s the thing, I just spent one million silver on three roots of Five-hundred-year-old ginseng from Shopkeeper Mu, and this very item is still on the table, isn’t that right, Shopkeeper Mu?"

One million silver! freeweɓnovel.cøm

Shangguan Pengfei’s eyes changed instantly, revealing an uncontrollable greed.

Despite being a Captain of the Imperial Guard, his annual salary was only a few hundred silver. Without the support of his family, he couldn’t even cover his daily expenses, let alone practice martial arts.

With a large family fortune and many descendants, the Shangguan family couldn’t possibly pour all their resources into him alone.

In fact, there were many more outstanding direct descendants in his family than Shangguan Pengfei.

For the sake of cultivating resources and also for pleasure, Shangguan Pengfei had long been in cahoots with Elder Mu, conducting many fraudulent deals.

Today, he was invited to fleece a big fat sheep!

Shangguan Pengfei had not expected Wang Chen to be so fat that he easily brought out a million taels of silver.

He felt envious, hateful, and couldn’t help but be greedy, as a flare of anger ignited and his eyes reddened.

The Blood Cloak Guards, who often plundered houses, really knew how to rake in money!

Elder Mu, however, failed to notice the look in Shangguan Pengfei’s eyes, as he was bewildered by Wang Chen’s questioning and subconsciously nodded, "Right."

"But the five-hundred-year-old ginseng you sold me, they were all fake!"

Wang Chen said gravely, "According to the Great Ancestor’s laws, for merchants selling fakes, for one deception, they pay tenfold!"

The Great Ancestor’s laws were enacted personally by the Emperor who founded Great Liang, with as many as seventy-two articles, of which nine were specifically for merchants, known as the Nine Merchants’ Laws.

It was said that this was because the Great Ancestor had been swindled terribly by unscrupulous merchants in his youth, and although he didn’t severely oppress merchants after establishing Great Liang, he was relentless in punishing deceitful and unrighteous ones.

This one deception, paying tenfold means for one fake, a penalty of ten!

Wang Chen stared at Elder Mu, "You owe me ten million taels of silver!"

Ten million taels of silver!

Elder Mu immediately felt like he’d been struck by thunder, completely stupefied.

He finally understood the trap Wang Chen had laid!

Elder Mu hurriedly looked to Shangguan Pengfei and said anxiously, "Lord Shangguan, this isn’t true, he’s spouting nonsense!"

Even if he were torn to pieces, he couldn’t pay ten million taels of silver.

In desperation, he could only place his hopes on Shangguan Pengfei.

Shangguan Pengfei inwardly cursed, but still stiffened his scalp and said, "Lord Wang, it seems there might be a misunderstanding here. How about this, Shopkeeper Mu returns the silver to you, plus a compensation of a hundred thousand taels, how’s that?"

"Good, I am willing to compensate!"

At this moment, Elder Mu was completely out of his wits and nodded like pounding garlic.

"A hundred thousand?"

Wang Chen laughed softly, "Are you giving alms to a beggar?"

Shangguan Pengfei met his gaze, and a chill suddenly rose from the bottom of his heart, as though he had been submerged in an icy cavern.

Wang Chen’s eyes held an indescribable scorn and mockery, looking at him as if he were a performing clown.

By all means, Shangguan Pengfei should have been furious, but he just couldn’t muster the energy.

His momentum was completely suppressed, utterly crushed!

Wang Chen then spoke to Elder Mu, "If you can’t pay up the ten million taels of silver today, then pay with your life."

Wang Chen’s tone was very calm, but to Elder Mu’s ears, it was like the roar of thunder.

He involuntarily knelt on the ground, begging pitifully, "My lord, I truly don’t have so much silver!"

"You choose money over life, then choose death."

Wang Chen’s expression was impassive as he lifted his right palm and heavily struck down towards Elder Mu’s forehead.

The shadow of death instantly loomed over the deceitful merchant, who was nearly frightened enough to wet his pants, and he howled, "Spare my life, oh Lord, I still possess a valuable treasure, which I am willing to offer as compensation!"

A valuable treasure?

Wang Chen’s descending palm halted a mere inch from Elder Mu’s forehead.

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The second update is delivered.