Chapter 17: I Took Your Money by My Own Skill

“Ten thousand taels?”

If it weren’t for Xu Shuangyi being present, Liang Shucheng would have lost his temper on the spot.

Xu Mu truly had the audacity to ask for such a sum. Had he ever seen what ten thousand taels looked like?

“I’m asking, Young Master Xu, are you joking with me?” Liang Shucheng forced down his anger, plastering a smile on his face.

“I’m not in the mood to joke. Give me ten thousand taels, and I’ll help you recover the lost funds. Otherwise, figure it out yourself,” Xu Mu said coolly.

Even if he sold Liang Shucheng, it wouldn’t be worth ten thousand taels.

But if the money couldn’t be recovered, not only would his future be ruined, but his entire family’s lives would be at risk.

“Will one thousand taels do?” Liang Shucheng forced a smile and asked.

Xu Mu was about to say that Liang Shucheng had no right to negotiate with him.

But then he changed his mind.

“Nine thousand taels.”

“That… nine thousand is still too high. How about one thousand one hundred taels?”

“Eight thousand taels.”

“No, that’s too much. One thousand two hundred taels is all I have. That’s everything I own.”

Xu Mu now understood Liang Shucheng’s situation: he had withheld three thousand taels, which he surely hadn’t spent yet.

He needed to squeeze every coin out of him.

“You seem to have some sincerity. How about this: I’ll give you a fair price—three thousand taels. You give me the money, and I’ll help you recover the lost funds,” Xu Mu said.

“Two thousand taels, that’s really the most I can offer!” Liang Shucheng saw a chance and quickly bargained.

After all, Xu Mu’s initial demand was outrageously high.

“Four thousand taels.”

“Huh? Why is it going up now?”

“Five thousand taels.”

“Alright, alright, three thousand it is!” Liang Shucheng quickly agreed. He had no way out and figured this loss might save him from disaster—a free service for those noble families.

As long as they helped him retrieve the lost funds and get through this crisis, when he became an official later, he wouldn’t worry about reclaiming these three thousand taels.

He would settle the score with Xu Mu gradually in the future.

“Within half an hour, I want to see the money,” Xu Mu said.

“I’ll prepare it right away!”

After Liang Shucheng left, Xu Mu smiled faintly and stepped into the Jin Hua Pavilion.

The shop was filled to the brim with goods, but business was rather bleak.

Xu Shuangyi didn’t need to ask to know what Xu Mu was plotting.

Xu Mu was certainly not going to give Liang Shucheng seventeen thousand taels back. What Xu Shuangyi didn’t know was whether Xu Mu would even send someone to kill Liang Shucheng’s entire family.

Less than half an hour later, Liang Shucheng returned.

He gave Su Hanwei five hundred taels, but in reality, he didn’t have three thousand taels left.

Counting the money he had saved before, it was only a little over two thousand eight hundred taels.

Handing over the money felt like ripping flesh from his own body, unbearably painful.

But he had no choice—Xu Mu was just too ruthless.

“We’re short by a little over a hundred taels. Young Master Xu, is this acceptable?” Liang Shucheng whispered.

“Count it,” Xu Mu said coldly.

Xu Shuangyi glanced at Xu Mu, puzzled.

“What? You want me to count it personally?”

It seemed Xu Mu truly regarded her as a mere servant to command at will.

Her initial sympathy for Xu Mu vanished instantly.

No matter what, she was the esteemed adopted daughter of her foster father. Even the governor of Liangzhou would show her some respect.

Couldn’t Xu Mu at least give her some face in front of others?

Though displeased, Xu Shuangyi still counted the money herself.

“Two thousand eight hundred and twenty taels.”

“Put it in storage.”

After the money was taken away, Liang Shucheng looked at Xu Shuangyi, then at Xu Mu.

He still didn’t understand why Xu Shuangyi acted like a servant before Xu Mu.

This suggested Xu Mu’s status was quite high.

Otherwise, how could he dare to boss Xu Shuangyi around?

“Young Master Xu, can you help me recover the lost funds now? Seventeen thousand taels is no small sum,” Liang Shucheng smiled broadly.

“Kneel and beg me,” Xu Mu said coldly.

“That’s a bit much, Young Master Xu,” Liang Shucheng’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“If you don’t want to kneel, then leave.”

“Fine, I’ll kneel.”

It was just a kowtow—he had done plenty for Zhao Mingshan before.

Having already handed over two thousand eight hundred taels, what harm was there in a simple bow?

Liang Shucheng knelt before Xu Mu.

“Young Master Xu, are you satisfied now?”

Who knew if Liang Shucheng, when cozying up to Su Hanwei, had ever imagined he would end up kneeling before Xu Mu.

“Bark like a dog twice,” Xu Mu smiled.

He had the money, the kneeling was done—yet Xu Mu wanted to humiliate him even more?

Though burning with fury, Liang Shucheng dared not show an ounce of it.

His future, his life, were all in Xu Mu’s hands now.

“Woof, woof, woof.”

“Louder.”

“WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!”

Xu Mu suddenly laughed even more brightly, like an innocent and harmless boy next door.

“Tell me, if Su Hanwei saw you kneeling here barking like a dog, wouldn’t she regret it bitterly?” Xu Mu asked with a smile.

Thinking of this, Liang Shucheng’s heart sank.

Indeed, there was still deep hatred between him and Xu Mu.

As the saying goes, the hatred of a father’s murder and the resentment of a wife’s loss cannot be reconciled.

“Don’t be afraid. That wretched Su Hanwei isn’t worthy of me. You and that doglike woman are a match made in heaven. I wish you a long and happy life together,” Xu Mu said with a gentle smile to Xu Shuangyi. “Show him out.”

“What? Young Master Xu, you haven’t returned the seventeen thousand taels yet!” Liang Shucheng panicked.

“Li Baofu was previously in charge of Jin Hua Pavilion. All the money there passed through him. If you want your money back, go find him,” Xu Mu said.

“Young Master Xu, that’s too much! I just gave you nearly three thousand taels! You promised to help me recover the lost funds!” Liang Shucheng grew more desperate.

“Oh.”

Xu Mu feigned sudden realization.

“You did give me money, but did I promise to recover the funds?”

Then Xu Mu looked down at Liang Shucheng and asked.

“You promised! Miss Xu can testify,” Liang Shucheng insisted.

He already knew Xu Mu was playing him, but he refused to admit it.

“Well, I’m changing my mind. Whoever took your money, go find them,” Xu Mu said with a mocking smile.

“You—!”

Hearing this, Liang Shucheng’s heart turned cold, and anger finally boiled over.

“I just gave you money! Give it back!”

Leaping to his feet, he pointed angrily at Xu Mu.

“Heh heh.”

Xu Mu chuckled coldly.

“I conned your money with my own skills; why should I give it back?”

Liang Shucheng nearly exploded with rage.

He had seen ruthless people before, but never someone so utterly shameless.

Xu Mu was clearly intent on destroying him utterly.

That was nearly three thousand taels! And Xu Mu brazenly scammed him—shameless beyond belief!

“Xu Mu, do you have any shame left? You—”

“Miss Xu, please see him out,” Xu Mu said.

“Get lost.”