That day, Third Brother caught up with him. Desperate to shake off Third Brother, he found it no easy task—Third Brother was particularly skilled at tracking prey, treating him as if he were a pheasant or hare. Despite several attempts to lose him, he never succeeded, and Third Brother followed him right into Jun City.
Liang Haoming had been mixing in Jun City for a year and was fairly familiar with its layout. He had a place to stay, and using the interconnected network of alleys, he finally managed to elude Third Brother. However, as it was already dark, he felt a bit uneasy. After having shaken him off, he wondered whether he had done the right thing.
But just as he was about to go back and look for Third Brother, he bumped into a patrol team.
It was curfew, and Third Brother had been arrested by the patrol.
That’s what happened.
Liang Haoming was not a silver-tongued speaker. He was rather clumsy, but after listening to him for a while, the young girl came to understand the situation.
"So, does that mean Liang Shujun is locked up now?"
He nodded grimly, "A hundred taels."
Liang Haoming’s lips moved slightly, then he repeated, "To bail someone out, it takes a hundred taels."
The girl finally understood.
During curfew, Liang Shujun had been strolling through the streets and was thus caught by the patrol. And to bail someone out of jail, it would cost a hundred taels.
That’s daylight robbery!
Dong Huiying fiercely bit her lip.
At that moment, Liang Haoming slowly took out a money pouch, "Twenty taels." This was what he had earned over the past few days, still short of eighty taels.
Dong Huiying could hardly decide whether to laugh or cry, "Doesn’t the Prefectural Governor care about such matters?"
A hundred taels, you know, was a fortune in ancient times. Take for instance a family of six; they would only spend several taels of silver for living expenses over an entire year. Ordinary households could not possibly come up with a hundred taels; they wanted to have Liang Shujun rot in jail.
But Dong Huiying wasn’t too worried. As long as the person was alright, it didn’t matter. She had earned quite a sum that evening. Just the packet of silver Hong Xiangjun had left behind amounted to over a hundred taels, more than enough to bail someone out.
It seemed, however, that she was nothing but a walking treasure trove; the silver had not even had time to warm up in her hands before it had to be handed over again.
Dong Huiying wondered if Liang Haoming had been duped, as he looked like someone who could easily be tricked.
After brooding for quite some time, she finally asked, "Are you sure it really takes a hundred taels?"
She wasn’t reluctant to part with the money, but good steel must be used on the blade’s edge, and this money was intended for buying medicine for Liang Shuyu.
She sighed. One after another, they were all such a worry.
Liang Haoming, taken aback, then nodded, "Black Panther told me, a hundred taels!"
Dong Huiying’s forehead twitched, "We can discuss this matter tomorrow."
Definitely duped! Definitely!
She wasn’t familiar with Black Panther but could tell he was somewhat unreliable.
Moreover, Liang Shujun was only out strolling at night. Even if she were caught as a petty thief, demanding a hundred taels for bail seemed preposterous.
If that were the case, Jun City’s jail would have been filled to the brim by the patrols and government officers by now.
"Come on, take off your clothes; let me check your wounds."
She put the matter aside for the moment, but when Liang Haoming heard her mention undressing, he froze.
"No way!" Liang Yuening rushed forward to protect Liang Haoming, then seriously said, "Fourth Brother, you cannot undress!"