Chapter 9: Earn Money! Start Your Performance

After hearing Tian Shisan's words, Shen Lang smiled and said, "Brother Shisan, do you want to sleep in the same bed as me?"

Tian Shisan replied, "There are only two days left. If you don't have a thousand gold coins, I'll kill your whole family."

Then, he walked out directly.

Shen Lang lay comfortably in bed. His home was very dilapidated, with some parts of the roof already leaking, so his parents and younger brother lived in one room, while Shen Lang had his own room.

Not only that, his bed was very large and soft, and even the thin cotton quilt was new.

The family was very poor, but they gave him everything that was best.

In the countryside, many children didn't even have new clothes for the New Year. Shen Lang's family was even poorer, but he had three sets of new clothes every year. No matter how difficult the family situation was, his parents would always provide them for him.

One set for summer, one for autumn, and one for the New Year.

His younger brother, Shen Jian, never had new clothes, only wearing Shen Lang's old ones.

He really didn't know why this was the case. Why did his parents favor him so much? It made no sense.

Shen Jian was indeed not ambitious, always hanging around outside, but compared to the previous Shen Lang, he was much better. The previous Shen Lang, apart from being handsome, was completely useless. If it weren't for the穿越 from Earth, this low-ability person wouldn't even be able to take care of himself, let alone support his parents. He would need his parents to take care of him until old age, and then be supported by his younger brother.

"Worthless Shen Lang, I will repay what you owe to your parents and brother, for the rest of my life."

Shen Lang silently vowed to himself that he would definitely make his parents live a good life, and ensure that his brother could marry, start a family, and become successful.

The most pressing issue now was to get through this crisis!

Tian Heng gave him three days to raise a thousand gold coins, and now only two days were left.

What would happen if Shen Lang couldn't come up with a thousand gold coins by the deadline?

Tian Heng would kill his whole family, and he always followed through on his threats.

Could he earn a thousand gold coins in two days?

...

The next morning, after Shen Lang got up, he boiled medicine for his father and younger brother. After washing up, he had breakfast.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

There was a knock at the door. His mother, looking worried, was about to go and open it.

"I'll go," Shen Lang said.

After opening the door, it was indeed Tian Shisan and Tian Shisi, Tian Heng's adopted sons.

"Time is tight, let's go earn money," Tian Shisan said directly, his tone still light and casual.

"What's wrong, Daliang?" his mother asked.

"Mother, it's nothing, they are my friends," Shen Lang said.

His mother warmly said, "They are Daliang's friends, come in and have some porridge."

Tian Shisan smiled, "No need, we've already eaten, thank you, Mother."

His smile was very warm, and he didn't look like a killer at all, more like a good young man.

Shen Lang calmly finished his bowl of white rice porridge, and his mother pushed another egg into his hand, saying, "Eat it quickly."

He instinctively wanted to give the egg to his father.

"Eat it, eat it now," his mother said firmly, then peeled another egg and gave half to his father and half to his younger brother.

"Okay, I'll eat it," Shen Lang said.

Seeing him finish, his mother smiled.

"Mother, I'm going to the city with my friends. A very capable teacher has come to the school today," Shen Lang said.

His mother immediately became nervous, "Daliang, will you come back for lunch?"

Shen Lang said, "I definitely won't be back for lunch, but I'll try to come back for dinner."

Tian Shisan warmly said, "Mother, my home is in town, I won't let Shen Lang go hungry."

His mother said, "Thank you, I'll cook eggs for you when you come to our house."

"Sure thing," Tian Shisan's smile became even more sincere.

Then, Shen Lang left home to earn money, with Tian Shisan and Tian Shisi following closely behind.

A thousand gold coins was an astronomical amount for his family.

...

Four hours later, Shen Lang had walked for over thirty miles and was almost to Xuanwu City.

At this moment, there were two men walking angrily on the road ahead, muttering to themselves. They seemed to be a father and son, the father in his forties and the son in his twenties.

Tian Shisan stepped forward and said warmly, "Uncle Li, Big Brother Dalu, it's been a long time!"

The father and son stopped, and upon seeing Tian Shisan, their expressions were somewhat awkward, but they quickly smiled and said, "Oh, it's Shisan, it's been a while."

Tian Shisan warmly said, "Uncle, why don't you come to our house? My father misses you and was talking about you yesterday, saying you haven't come to our house for tea. Although you owe us some money, don't be estranged. You and my father are like brothers."

The middle-aged man said, "I'll come tomorrow, I'll come tomorrow."

Tian Shisan stepped forward, put his arm around the father and son, and led them into the nearby rice fields and then into the woods.

"Uncle, you haven't come to our house for a long time. My father specially made some good wine, but it's gone bad. I was just about to bring some meat to your house, but I ran into you by chance today!"

After entering the woods, Tian Shisan's tone became even more intimate, as if they were close relatives.

"By the way, Uncle!" Tian Shisan said to the middle-aged man, "My father said you don't have to pay back the money you owe us."

The middle-aged man said, "That's too embarrassing, too embarrassing..."

Tian Shisan said, "You and my father have been friends for over ten years, like brothers. What's a little money? I used to eat at your house all the time when I was a kid."

The middle-aged man said, "Then, I'll cut off a pig's head and visit your father tomorrow, and we'll drink together."

"Sure thing," Tian Shisan said.

Then, he quickly pulled out a sharp knife.

"Thrust..."

In a flash, he stabbed the hearts of the father and son, so fast that Shen Lang could hardly see the movement.

There were no screams, no cries, the father and son died instantly. It took a while for the blood to gush out from the wounds.

"Shisi, go and have the brothers come to dispose of these two bodies," Tian Shisan said.

Tian Shisi said, "Yes, Brother!"

Tian Shisan wiped the knife clean with a handkerchief, carefully put it in his pocket, and carefully checked his clothes and sleeves to make sure there was no blood on them. Then he said to Shen Lang, "Sorry, I was delayed by two acquaintances. Let's continue on our way."

"Okay," Shen Lang said.

Throughout the entire process, Tian Shisan's expression didn't change much, always smiling, even when he was killing.

The two continued on their way, heading towards Xuanwu City.

Shen Lang suddenly asked, "Tian Shisan, was that middle-aged man really your uncle?"

Tian Shisan nodded and said, "Yes, he and my father came here as refugees together, and we've been friends for over ten years. He used to carry me a lot when I was a kid."

Shen Lang said, "How much did he owe?"

"Three gold coins, but because he was a friend, the interest was lower. With compound interest, it became twenty-five gold coins," Tian Shisan said. "He couldn't pay it back, and yesterday, the father and son went to a gambling den and also owed a few gold coins in gambling debts."

For twenty-five gold coins, Tian Shisan killed the father and son without hesitation, even though they had been friends for over ten years.

And Shen Lang owed a thousand gold coins.

Tian Shisan said, "Shen Lang, I know you're just stalling for time. It's a pipe dream to earn a thousand gold coins in the remaining two days. So tell me now that you can't do it, and I'll give you a quick death. Don't waste my two days, okay?"

Then, he took out a sharp knife and wiped it repeatedly. As long as Shen Lang nodded, he would kill him as quickly as possible.

A thousand gold coins could be the savings of hundreds of families for decades, a huge sum. For a poor boy like Shen Lang, earning a thousand gold coins in two days was an impossible task.

Shen Lang looked at Tian Shisan and said seriously, "I don't need two days, I can do it today!"

Tian Shisan was surprised, "Really?"

Shen Lang said, "In three hours, I'll earn the thousand gold coins."

Tian Shisan's eyes widened, "Three hours?"

This was completely unbelievable.

Shen Lang said, "Yes, in three hours."

...

Shen Lang and Tian Shisan entered Xuanwu City.

Xuanwu City was one of the eight cities in Nujiang County, with twenty-five towns under its jurisdiction and a total population of over 250,000, with more than 30,000 people in the city alone.

Shen Lang noticed that the city walls of Xuanwu City were over twelve meters high and nearly ten kilometers in circumference.

In ancient China, many provincial capitals didn't even have twelve-meter-high city walls, which only proved one thing: the military power in this world far exceeded that of ancient China, hence the need for higher city walls for defense.

The soldiers on the city walls mostly wore leather armor, and the officers wore chainmail, numbering over a hundred.

After entering the city, the streets were bustling with people, and the shops were numerous, even more prosperous than he had imagined.

Shen Lang stopped in front of a three-story building with a sign that read "Jinxiu Pavilion."

He not only had to earn a large sum of money here but also take severe revenge on the Xu family.

Taking a deep breath, Shen Lang walked into the magnificent Jinxiu Pavilion.

Let the performance begin!

...

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