Volume One, Chapter 32: The Swindler Gets His Comeuppance, and the Rare Stones Are Snatched Up!

Chen Zhonghe clutched the heavy silver in his hands, his fingers trembling uncontrollably.

The icy touch! The weight pressing down on his palms! Everything screamed at him that this was no dream.

It truly was thirty-six taels! Gleaming, genuine silver!

He never would have imagined, not even in his wildest dreams! The “useless rocks” his son had sent him to sell had not only actually sold, but fetched a sum so vast, he’d never dared even to contemplate it.

A surge of indescribable excitement and bittersweet emotion rushed straight to his crown. Tears instantly blurred his vision.

Pingchuan… My son… Father did not put his faith in you in vain!

He wiped his face hurriedly with his patched sleeve, fumbling to stow the silver safely away. Yet, just as he tucked it into his chest, before the warmth of his body could even touch it, a commotion erupted outside the crowd—louder and more frenzied than before.

“Quick! Catch him!”
“Don’t let him get away!”

Several burly men in assorted servant garb charged over like wolves on the hunt, their faces fierce and menacing. Without a word, a few thick hands clamped down on Chen Zhonghe’s arms.

One man, seemingly the leader, pointed anxiously at the startled Chen Zhonghe and shouted to the others, “That’s him! Lai Fu from the Qian household said the old man selling the stones is this one!”

This sudden, earth-shattering turn of events sent Chen Zhonghe, still swimming in the joy of his windfall, straight into an icy abyss of dread.

The scrawny merchant who’d suffered so much earlier now sprang up, energized as if injected with new life. He leapt out of the crowd, pointing at Chen Zhonghe and fanning the flames with spittle flying everywhere:

“Yes, yes, that’s right! I told you! He’s a swindler!”

His voice was shrill and piercing, brimming with malicious glee:

Where in the world do worthless stones sell for a tael of silver each? It’s pure fantasy! The most ludicrous joke under heaven!

“Everyone, drag him to the yamen at once! Interrogate him thoroughly! He must be a charlatan from the underworld!”

Chen Zhonghe was now completely panicked. His hands and feet went cold, lips trembling, unable to utter a complete sentence—he could only shake his head desperately, trying to protest:

“I… I didn’t cheat anyone… Truly, I didn’t…”

But these men weren’t here to arrest anyone—they were here for the goods!

“Arrest who?”
“I’m here to get those stones!” bellowed a stewardly fellow, his eyes wide as brass plates.

“My young master is about to tear the roof off the house if he doesn’t get those stones!” another sweating servant pushed forward anxiously.

“Yes, yes, old man, do you have any more of those stones? I’ll buy them all!”

“Nonsense! Don’t sell them all to him, I want some too!”

“And me! And me as well!”

This sudden, lightning-swift reversal left the gawking crowd stunned speechless once more.

What on earth was happening? Was this the legendary “fools with more money than sense”?

The shifty, scrawny merchant was dumbfounded too, but still unwilling to give up. He pointed at Chen Zhonghe and shrilled, “Gentlemen! Don’t let this old scoundrel trick you!”

Like a dog guarding a scrap of food, he blocked the path of the frantic servants and pleaded desperately, “These worthless stones cost a whole tael each! It’s robbery! Just listen—if this isn’t a scam, what is?”

A middle-aged steward frowned at this and waved him away impatiently as if swatting a fly. “Get lost, get lost!”

“Our master already ordered—any stone painted with those immortal monkeys, we want as many as we can get! If it takes a mountain of gold and silver, we’ll get them for the young master!”

“And who are you, you filthy thing, to stand here yammering?”

Another servant, dressed in short sleeves, didn’t bother with words. He simply shoved the merchant aside and shouted, “A tael is expensive? Our Master Liu said if the young master cries any longer, we’ll all go deaf! For such precious stones, even five taels each is worth it!”

“W-what?”
“Five… five taels?!”

The scrawny merchant staggered back, trembling all over as if struck by a bolt of lightning. He felt as though he’d just missed out on a fortune—no, countless fortunes!

Just moments ago! If he’d only grit his teeth and bought all of Chen Zhonghe’s stones, he could have turned the world upside down in a single deal!

His vision went black; he nearly fainted on the spot.

The onlookers had now moved beyond mere uproar—it was like a volcano erupting.

“Good heavens! Five taels each? Are these stones eggs of the Dragon King, marked with divine seals?”

“They’ve all gone mad! Stark raving mad!”

“I haven’t lived in vain! Truly, I haven’t! To see stones sell for such a price with my own eyes!”

Someone pointed at the limp, scrawny merchant and shouted, “No wonder this fellow was being so sneaky, trying to buy all the stones for just two taels! Turns out he knew all along these were priceless treasures, hoping to make a killing by buying cheap and selling high!”

“With just two taels, he wanted to buy up all those divine treasures? His abacus beads are sharper than a monkey’s behind!”

“Bah! With your ratty looks, you think you can play with the big boys? Take a good look at yourself before you try!”

Jeers, curses, and contemptuous glances rained down on the scrawny merchant like a hailstorm.

Not daring to utter another word, he covered his face with his sleeves and, amid a thunderous chorus of laughter and insults, fled the crowd in utter disgrace, like a beaten stray.

With that pest driven off, the stewards and servants turned on Chen Zhonghe like wolves on prey.

“Brother! Where are the stones? Hurry up! If you delay any longer, our little master really will tear the roof off!”

“Yes! Our household is desperate for them too!”

Faced with this pack of ravenous men, Chen Zhonghe’s face flushed crimson. He didn’t know where to put his hands, his lips quivering as he stammered, “The… the stones… they’re all… all gone…”

“All gone?!”

The stewards nearly shouted in unison, their voices so sharp they could pierce eardrums, disappointment falling over them like a dark cloud.

“How can they be gone? Did the Qian household buy them all?”

“Be honest, old man—are you holding some back? Bring them out, name your price! We’ll make sure you’re satisfied!”

“When are you coming back to sell again? Give us a word and we’ll set up tents here three days in advance to wait for you!”

“Or give us your address, and we’ll come to your house ourselves—promise we won’t trouble you long!”

One, more anxious than the rest, was already pulling silver from his pocket. “Brother! Here’s ten taels as a deposit—will that do? Please, next time, save a few stones for our household! Even just one would do!”