"Old man!" Zhou Wen heard Yuan Qing's words, somewhat unwilling, and glanced at Mo Zi with a resentful gaze, "Selling it to her for 5,000 taels, we've already suffered a great loss. To give away another one for free, the price is too high."

  "What price can be compared to one's own life? Didn't Old Zhou just say that if a person loses their life, what use is silver? Mozi didn't blush at her own hypocritical words. She neither stole nor robbed, and opening her mouth wide to the greedy official Sima was like pulling out a hair from an ox, without feeling any guilt."

  No wonder he's the number one corrupt official, he's already become a prisoner, but he can still escape and there are people like Zhou Wen who work for him. Moreover, looking at how he sold and gave away the Water Purifying Pearl, it's clear that this jewelry store has a deep relationship with him, perhaps he's the real boss.

  "So, did Mo Ge agree?" Yuan Cheng didn't pay attention to Zhou Wen and only asked Mo Zi.

  "I won't deceive you, I'm indeed tempted." She brought six more and didn't mind taking one more. A pearl worth 200,000 taels was absolutely an irresistible bait for someone who had saved less than 10 taels.

  "Nonsense, you won't spend a single cent, but you'll make a fortune." Zhou Wen was a profit-driven businessman, and he complained openly in front of Yuan Qing, not like a loyal servant.

  "Mo Ge, please go on." But Yuan Cheng ignored Zhou Wen completely.

  He's not only a corrupt official, but also a clever one. Mozi looked at the hunched figure in front of him and said, "I'm tempted, but I still have doubts. Have you ever heard the story of the scorpion and the frog?" The bait may be big, but it must be taken down before eating.

  "Yuán mǒu zài tīng." His throat seemed to have been crushed by a stone mill, and his voice was both hoarse and husky, as if he would never be able to speak again at any moment.

  "The scorpion wanted to cross the river, but it couldn't swim. At that time, a frog was also going to cross the river. So it asked the frog to carry it across. The frog refused, saying 'your tail is poisonous, what if you sting me?' The scorpion repeatedly assured the frog, 'I absolutely won't sting you.' The scorpion said, 'If I were to sting you while crossing the river, you would die, and I wouldn't be able to make it either. Why would I sting you?' The frog thought about it and agreed to carry it across. Sir, can you guess what happened?"

  Yuancheng remained silent for a long time, and when Mozi thought he couldn't guess it, he opened his mouth and said, "I guess the scorpion stung the frog to death, and then drowned itself."

  "Not bad." Mu Zi thought to herself, no wonder people say that since ancient times, treacherous officials are also capable officials, while loyal officials may not be intelligent. "The frog asked the scorpion before it died, 'You know you'll die if you sting me, so why do you have to sting me?' The scorpion replied helplessly, 'I have no choice, it's just my nature.' When the master gave me the Water Purification Pearl, I indeed had greedy thoughts. But when I ferried the master across the river, if we encountered water soldiers along the way, even if the master didn't want to implicate me, I'm afraid I would still be hard-pressed to escape punishment. If there was no contraband on the boat, the worst that could happen to me is being beaten with a few dozen boards. But if it's helping a fugitive escape, that's a capital offense. Just thinking about this makes me as hesitant as the frog."

  "How would you?" Yuan Cheng, being a clever person, immediately asked back Mozi.

  "It's not difficult. As long as you and I make a pact, if we're unlucky enough to encounter government soldiers, I'll let you jump into the water, and you must jump; if you can't hold on and die, your family won't be able to hold me responsible afterwards either. Life is good fortune, death is fate. This is the rule of our private boat."

  "You took two pearls, not only can't you help me cross the river safely, but also let people die without being implicated with you, isn't that too cruel?" Zhou Wen was so angry that he was fuming, thinking to himself what kind of person had he hired?

  "I'm just saying it's a possibility. Besides, he jumped into the water, and to avoid the soldiers finding our contraband, I had to get rid of the pearl too. Moreover, my brothers on this ship can't die for someone we don't even know." Mò Zǐ said clearly, "Sir, as long as you agree, we can set off at dawn tomorrow."

  "Sir, I think it's better to wait a bit longer. Once your injury heals and the rumors die down, I'll find another way to send you out of the city. We can take the small path, although it will take more time, it's safer than taking the water route." Zhou Wen thought about losing two Water Purification Pearls and felt a pang in his heart.

  "Suit yourselves. Don't worry, I'm a man of my word. No deal, no hard feelings." What can you say? If someone gives her the opportunity to be greedy, she'll naturally try her best to take advantage of it. If not, then so be it.

  "Mo Ge, don't be anxious, Yuan Mou didn't say it's not allowed." Yuan Cheng spoke slower than before, his breathing uneven, with a hoarse tone in his throat.

  "Old man!" Zhou Wen stepped forward, stamping his foot.

  "Was Mo Ge born in Big Zhou?" Yuan Cheng's attitude towards Zhou Wen was extremely cold, and he only spoke to Mo Zi.

  "No, I was originally from Yuling. My hometown and relatives suffered a disaster, one person escaped with their life, and was rescued by my master." Why ask her where she came from? With doubts in his mind, Mozi explained everything clearly.

  "You should hate Da Qiu then." Mingming looked like he was about to collapse, but Yuan Cheng spoke slowly and deliberately, "You've been in the Great Zhou for a short time, do you know what happened to me, Yuan Cheng?"

  Mozi shook his head, "I've been in Dazhou for less than a year and this is only my third time in Nande. Each time I rushed in and out, I had never heard of your lordship's affairs until yesterday when I first heard the name." It wasn't a name, but a nickname - the nickname of the number one corrupt official.

  "I was born in the Great Zhou, my grandfather was a first-rank Grand Marshal, and my father was a Tutor to the Crown Prince, teaching him for five years. A list of names plotting against the emperor falsely implicated us, and the previous emperor did not investigate, instead having the two men torn apart by five horses, and their nine clans implicated. My wet nurse took only me and escaped, while all my brothers and sisters were captured. That year, I was five years old, but I remember the fierce and angry faces of the soldiers in front of our house, from then on I vowed never to return to Zhou." Yuan Cheng is not the most corrupt official at this moment, but a lonely and helpless victim of injustice.

  Mozi thought, could he be trying to gain sympathy?

  "Mo Ge thought, I would never be willing to enter the Great Zhou, why did you change your mind now?" Yuan Cheng said, "Because I'm afraid of death. As long as I can stay alive, even if it's a place where my whole family will meet with disaster, I'll still go back. I'm so afraid of death that I'd abandon my family's feud, but I don't have the temperament of a scorpion who would sting people even in death."

  Her purple eyes gazed at him with a hint of praise, truly excellent persuasive power.

  "If I get it, I'm lucky; if not, I'll die. Mo Ge, I agree with you. If I die in the river, it's my own fault and I won't blame others. Besides, I, Yuan Cheng, have no relatives left in this world. If I die, no one will avenge me. In Nan De, I've incurred the wrath of heaven and men. When people hear of my death, who knows how many will applaud with joy." Yuan Cheng coughed violently again, but his hand remained still on his leg. "However, Mo Ge should also know that both my arms are broken and it's inconvenient for me to walk. If you don't mind the trouble of a useless person, please come to fetch me tomorrow. As for the reward, I'll give you the two pearls once I board the ship."

  Deep purple first shocked by the twists and turns of the life of the first corrupt official, then admired that the body can bear such suffering and still talk and laugh freely.

  "Please rest well, sir. I'll come to pick you up early tomorrow morning myself. Farewell." The first greedy official thought to herself, at least she was being true to her nature.

  With a swing of his blue robe, both sleeves flew out, and he bowed deeply.

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  Today's second update, PK1200 additional update.

  PK has one more day left, yeah!

  Thank you, everyone.