I Can See Through Everything

"Grandpa Zhang, how do you plan to divide these two hundred taels of silver?" Lu Qing asked.

"Of course, it will be divided equally. Every household in the village will get the same amount," Grandpa Zhang said matter-of-factly.

Lu Qing nodded.

As the saying goes, "Fear not scarcity, but inequality." When it comes to money, the most feared thing is favoritism. Equal distribution is the best way.

"However, it's not easy to exchange these silver notes for silver," Grandpa Zhang said with some difficulty.

Lu Qing thought for a moment and understood the old man's concern.

To exchange these silver notes for silver, they would need to go to a silver bank.

But silver banks only exist in the county seat.

And asking the villagers to take the silver notes to the city to exchange for silver, not to mention they wouldn't dare, even Lu Qing wouldn't feel at ease.

The county seat is so far away. Carrying such a large sum of silver, if they were targeted by ill-intentioned people, it would be uncertain if they could return safely.

"It was my oversight. Grandpa Zhang, give me the silver notes," Lu Qing said. "I'll go find Master Ma tomorrow to exchange the notes for silver."

"That would be best." Upon hearing this, Grandpa Zhang immediately handed the two silver notes to Lu Qing.

"I'll bring the silver to you tomorrow."

After Grandpa Zhang left, Lu Qing returned to his room and opened a small box, revealing a dazzling array of silver ingots.

This box of silver was one of the gifts brought by Mago not long ago.

Last night, Mago and his men ransacked Happy Fort.

It was unknown how long Happy Fort had been accumulating without sending money to the headquarters, but Mago and his men had gained a lot.

After counting, Mago brought what he believed to be Lu Qing's share.

Lu Qing couldn't refuse, so he accepted it.

Lu Qing began to take out silver ingots from the box.

Mago had carefully packed the box, which was mostly filled with silver ingots.

The large ones were ten taels each, and the small ones were five taels.

Lu Qing took out forty five-tael silver ingots, almost emptying the box of small ingots.

Early the next morning, Lu Qing carried the silver to Grandpa Zhang's house.

"Grandpa Zhang." Standing outside Zhang's house, Lu Qing called.

"Ah Qing is here, come in quickly!"

Grandpa Zhang hadn't slept well last night and stayed home all morning, afraid that he would miss Lu Qing if he came looking for him.

It wasn't that he was greedy for the silver; it was because this silver was meant to be distributed to the villagers, a matter of great importance, so he didn't dare to be careless.

Lu Qing carried the silver inside with Grandpa Zhang.

"Ah Qing, why are you here?"

Coincidentally, Grandpa Zhang's whole family, including his two sons and daughters-in-law, were all home.

Seeing Lu Qing come in, they all stood up, very surprised.

Especially Grandpa Zhang's two sons, who looked at Lu Qing with a hint of restraint.

They had been present yesterday when Han Lao Wu and his men arrived, witnessing firsthand how Lu Qing killed those evildoers.

So now, both of them felt a certain reverence towards Lu Qing.

"I've come to deliver the silver," Lu Qing said with a smile.

"Deliver the silver?"

Grandpa Zhang's sons and daughters-in-law were confused.

Lu Qing poured the silver ingots from the cloth bag onto the table, and the white silver light dazzled everyone in the room.

In the stunned gazes of Grandpa Zhang's family, Lu Qing said, "Grandpa Zhang, I've exchanged the silver notes for silver. Here are forty ingots, each weighing five taels. You can distribute them to everyone."

"Good, good. I'll gather everyone to divide the silver right away."

Grandpa Zhang was also momentarily stunned by the pile of silver, but he quickly recovered, having lived many years and having better self-control than his sons and daughters-in-law.

"Father, what do you mean by dividing the silver?"

At this point, Grandpa Zhang's eldest son finally reacted.

"Ah Qing decided to distribute the silver notes obtained from those evildoers yesterday to the villagers. These silver ingots are what he exchanged at the Grand Bazaar," Grandpa Zhang explained.

"So much silver, and you're giving it all away?"

Grandpa Zhang's sons and daughters-in-law were astonished.

"Don't talk nonsense. You two, go and call everyone to the ancestral hall. Don't mention dividing the silver yet, just say I have something important to discuss," Grandpa Zhang glared at them.

"Okay, I'll go right now."

The two sons hurried out.

"Grandpa Zhang, I won't participate in the silver distribution. You handle it," Lu Qing said as he stood up to leave.

"How can that be? The silver is yours. What will it look like if you're not present?" Grandpa Zhang quickly said.

"It's just some silver. Don't worry, Grandpa Zhang. Just distribute it normally. I have important matters to attend to with my master, so I can't stay," Lu Qing said.

Lu Qing wanted the villagers to be happy with the distribution. If he showed up, he would inevitably face a lot of gratitude and formalities.

So, it was better not to appear at all.

Seeing Lu Qing so determined, Grandpa Zhang could only say, "Alright then. If you have urgent matters with the old doctor, go ahead."

Watching Lu Qing leave, Grandpa Zhang sighed.

He could somewhat guess that Lu Qing didn't want to go to the ancestral hall because he was shy and didn't want to face the villagers' gratitude.

Not knowing how to persuade him, Grandpa Zhang could only let him be.

Grandpa Zhang was highly respected in the village.

Upon hearing that he had something important to discuss, it wasn't long before villagers began gathering at the ancestral hall, even those busy in the fields.

"Old Zhang, what's going on? Why the urgency to gather everyone?"

At the ancestral hall, seeing that Grandpa Zhang had called all the heads of the village households, the villagers were surprised, thinking something serious had happened again.

Some elderly villagers called out immediately.

The others, still anxious from yesterday's events, began to worry.

"Don't be nervous. This time, I've gathered you all to announce good news," Grandpa Zhang said, signaling everyone to stay calm.

Behind him on the desk was a bulging cloth bag, its contents unknown.

Next to it were a small scale and scissors, their purpose unclear.

"What good news?"

Hearing it was good news, everyone relaxed and quickly asked.

"Yesterday, Ah Qing obtained some silver notes from the evildoers he killed. He has decided to distribute most of it to everyone," Grandpa Zhang said as he carefully poured out the silver ingots from the bag.

"Here is the silver that Ah Qing exchanged. A total of two hundred taels. Our village, excluding Ah Qing's family, has thirty-seven households. Divided equally, each household will receive about five taels of silver."

Everyone in the ancestral hall was first stunned by the sight of the white silver ingots.

Then, hearing Grandpa Zhang's words, they couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Not far away, on the hillside heading to the Halfway House, Lu Qing heard the commotion and smiled.