Chapter 128: Beat Him

Xiang Xinyao raised an eyebrow. “No rank, and yet you dare call yourself an official? Beat him!”

Mo Jinnan didn’t move, but turned to the crowd of townspeople. “Beat him!”

The townspeople hesitated.

Although the pavilion chief was a small, insignificant official, he was still an official!

The people were reluctant to go against authority, so they hesitated.

Seeing their hesitation, Mo Jinnan casually said, “Go ahead, it’s fine. Trust me, after this, I’ll have him replaced with a new pavilion chief.”

A young man from the crowd looked skeptical and asked, “Really? You can replace him?”

Mo Jinnan nodded. “I guarantee it.”

“Beat him!” the young man shouted, rushing toward the pavilion chief. “Damn it, I’ve been holding this in for too long.

“Whether we get a new pavilion chief or not, I’m letting off some steam first!”

“This scoundrel, colluding with the Fang family, just keeps bullying us common people!”

“Quick, stop him!” the pavilion chief yelled at Fang Yuanwai’s bodyguards.

The bodyguards quickly surrounded the pavilion chief, protecting him.

Hearing the young man’s words, the townspeople no longer hesitated and surged forward, ready to strike.

A few of Fang Yuanwai’s bodyguards knew some martial arts and immediately started to fight back against the townspeople.

Seeing the first young man about to be overwhelmed, Mo Jinnan moved swiftly, appearing in front of the bodyguards, delivering a punch to each of them, knocking them out of action.

Afterward, he flashed back to his original spot.

The townspeople charged in, raining down punches and kicks on the bodyguards.

With so many more townspeople than bodyguards, it wasn’t long before Fang Yuanwai’s men were completely overwhelmed.

The pavilion chief tried to escape, but the townspeople quickly surrounded him.

Even Fang Yuanwai, who had collapsed into unconsciousness, was awakened by the beating and let out pig-like shrieks.

The townspeople’s pent-up frustration couldn’t be released with just a few punches and kicks.

It wasn’t until the pavilion chief, Fang Yuanwai, and the bodyguards were all on the brink of death that Mo Jinnan ordered the crowd to stop.

Although the townspeople stopped at Mo Jinnan’s command, their anger was still apparent from their faces.

Mo Jinnan smiled faintly. “Take a moment to calm down, everyone. Next, I’ll have you recommend someone who can take over as pavilion chief.”

The townspeople erupted in excitement, all speaking over each other, suggesting candidates for the position.

After much discussion, they selected a man in his forties, who appeared steady and reliable.

As the Prince of Xian, Mo Jinnan had the authority to dismiss officials below the sixth rank directly.

However, any higher-ranked official, like a county magistrate, still needed the emperor’s approval.

For lower-level positions like the pavilion chief or village head, however, Mo Jinnan could appoint someone directly.

Mo Jinnan and Xiang Xinyao took the chosen man to the inn.

Inside the inn, Mo Jinnan wrote up an official appointment letter, stamped it with his seal, and handed it to the man.

The newly appointed pavilion chief didn’t know Mo Jinnan’s identity, but seeing the seal, he quickly understood that Mo was no ordinary person.

Mo Jinnan whispered a few words into his ear, and the new pavilion chief nodded earnestly.

After thanking Mo Jinnan, the new pavilion chief left the inn with the appointment letter.

After dinner, Xiang Xinyao took over the inn’s kitchen.

She, along with Xiang Xinyao’s younger sister, Xiang Xinyu, Mo Jinnan, and the three brothers, began preparing jerky.

Xiang Xinyao wasn’t familiar with making tiger meat jerky, but since she had made beef jerky before, she decided to follow the same process.

She first cut the tiger meat into long strips.

Then, she put salt, star anise, and Sichuan pepper into a pot to sauté, releasing the fragrant aroma. Afterward, she added the cut meat, along with a little white wine, and mixed everything together.

Xiang Xinyao covered the basin with a lid and carried the meat into the room to let it marinate.

The meat would need to marinate for two days.

After placing the meat in the room, Xiang Xinyao quietly left the room.

She had plans to visit the Fang family.

For a wealthy and unscrupulous family like the Fang family, she was determined to rob them and redistribute their wealth.

Just as she left the inn, a cheerful voice came from behind, “Xinyao, where are you going?”

Xiang Xinyao froze.

Damn it!

Why was he out here instead of sleeping?

She turned around and gave a sheepish smile. “Hehe, I ate too much for dinner and can’t sleep, so I’m just going for a walk.”

Mo Jinnan nodded solemnly. “Hmm, I ate too much as well, so I’m taking a walk. How about we go together?”

“Sure, why not?” Xiang Xinyao shrugged, and the two of them walked side by side down the street.

Mo Jinnan raised an eyebrow and asked, “You’re planning to go to the Fang family, aren’t you?”

Xiang Xinyao grinned. “How did you know?”

“Because I want to go there too. But with just the two of us, we won’t be able to take much. How about we bring the townspeople along?”

Xiang Xinyao twitched her mouth.

Taking the townspeople would mean she couldn’t sneak anything valuable herself.

But, well, life was hard for the townspeople too.

She would have plenty of opportunities to make money later.

“Alright, go ahead and call them.”

Mo Jinnan smiled. “No need to call them. They’re already waiting for us at the place where we beat the Fang members earlier today.”

Xiang Xinyao clenched her teeth in frustration.

So he had already planned this out during the day.

Looks like tonight, she would be busy for nothing.

Seeing her pout, Mo Jinnan leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You can still fill your little treasury, just don’t be too obvious about it, leave something for the townspeople.”

Xiang Xinyao’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Mmhmm.”

“Little money-grubber,” Mo Jinnan murmured under his breath.

“What did you say?” Xiang Xinyao asked.

“Nothing, let’s go!”

When they reached the center of the town, the townspeople had already been waiting for some time.

The new pavilion chief approached Mo Jinnan and respectfully said, “Young master, I’ve brought all the villagers who were bullied by the Fang family. Just one person from each household, no more.”

Mo Jinnan nodded. “Alright, lead the way.”

The new pavilion chief led the group toward the Fang family’s residence.

Fang Yuanwai’s bodyguards were all badly injured, and only the female servants were left to take care of them.

Arriving at the Fang family’s door, Mo Jinnan instructed, “Wait here. I’ll open the door for you.”

The villagers nodded quietly and waited silently at the gate.

Mo Jinnan used his lightness kung fu to fly into the Fang family courtyard, moving like a ghost through the rooms.

A short while later, Mo Jinnan returned and opened the gate.

“Everyone, come in! Take what’s valuable. Take as much as you can, but after you’ve gotten your things, follow the pavilion chief’s instructions. Remember, don’t mess up the rooms,” Mo Jinnan said in a low voice.

“Got it,” the townspeople responded quietly.

Mo Jinnan stepped forward and grabbed Xiang Xinyao’s hand. “Let’s go inside and take a look.”

Xiang Xinyao nodded and let him pull her along.

Since Mo Jinnan had already been inside, he knew exactly where the valuable items were.

He led Xiang Xinyao straight into Fang Yuanwai’s room, where they began searching for valuable items without any restraint.

Xiang Xinyao didn’t take any silver notes—she left those for the townspeople—but she focused on picking out jade and antiques that would be worth a lot in the modern world.