Within the territory of Liangzhou, who else could be so brazenly arresting people besides Lu Bu, and only Emperor Ling himself.
When Emperor Ling abandoned Luoyang and came to Liangzhou, under his diligent governance, it had faintly taken on the scale of another small Luoyang.
However, with Ye Feng above Emperor Ling, the Emperor did not dare to go too far, only letting the people recuperate. But the remaining eunuchs did not have such good dispositions.
Seeing that the weather was favorable and Ye Feng truly kept his promise by not interfering, they became even more audacious.
They extorted protection money everywhere, and now they had the audacity to demand silver from Sun Jian. Sun Jian hurried out, and a eunuch-like figure grabbed Sun Jian, "Quick, tell your shopkeeper to come out."
The middle-aged man hurriedly plastered a smile, "Our shopkeeper is precisely..."
"Is there anything I can't decide?" Sun Jian's tone was calm, but everyone could hear the suppressed anger beneath the words.
"You? You think you can decide? Get lost!" The eunuch grabbed Sun Jian by the collar and shoved him hard, "What are you?"
The middle-aged man hurried to help Sun Jian up, but the eunuch beckoned him over, saying coldly, "Your household owes this month's silver. What's wrong? Must I take action and ruin your shop before you're satisfied!"
"Officer, it's not that we don't pay the silver, it's just that we've paid so much this month. We've paid for dining fees seven or eight times alone, not to mention miscellaneous items. At this rate, how can business be done!" The middle-aged man said with a fawning smile.
The eunuch lightly patted the middle-aged man's face a few times, "Let me tell you, remember, even if I collect the silver, it doesn't go into my hands. It's all for His Majesty. Besides, under heaven, all land belongs to the king. What's wrong with giving a little silver!"
The sharp, biting voice made the surrounding people turn to look. The eunuch angrily said, "What are you looking at? Eat your food, be careful I dig out your eyes!"
"He's just a dog by the Emperor's side, what a thing!" Someone muttered, "Disgusting!"
"Oh, who is this? So it's you." The eunuch spoke sarcastically, tilting his head slightly, and two or three followers rushed forward, pinning the youth who had just spoken onto the table.
"Be gentle, don't hurt this honored guest!" The eunuch casually picked up a pot of scalding hot water, forced the man's mouth open, and poured it down without hesitation, "Drink well, and I can serve you. You've drunk so much water, you must eat something!"
With a slight wave of his hand, a eunuch about twelve or thirteen years old ignored the man's struggles and shouts, wielding a fire tong and casually fiddling with the bright red coals in the stove. When the fire was burning fiercely, he unhesitatingly picked up a piece and slowly brought it before the man's eyes.
"There, top-grade fire cake, not everyone can eat this. Let me serve you!" The eunuch spoke coldly and unhesitatingly thrust the hot coal towards the man's mouth!
After a scream, the man clutched his throat tightly, his legs kicking wildly. Amidst the stench, the eunuch slowly approached the middle-aged man from before.
"What's the matter? Are you going to give the silver or not? I'll come here every so often, and we'll see if your shop can stay open!" The eunuch said coldly, "If you give the silver, I'll guarantee your shop is clean and no one will cause trouble. How about that?"
The middle-aged man looked at Sun Jian not far away, unable to decide for a long time. The eunuch sat on a long stool, calmly drinking tea!
Seeing that the middle-aged man was about to stand up, Sun Jian pressed his shoulder and shook his head. He walked alone to the eunuch, casually threw a towel on the table, and picked up the tea to drink.
"Good, interesting." The eunuch stared at Sun Jian and gave a cold laugh, "If I didn't know you were a waiter here, I would have thought you were some noble son!"
Sun Jian clasped his hands in greeting, with little politeness, "If I didn't know you were a eunuch, I would have thought His Majesty himself had arrived here. However, you're putting on quite a show."
The eunuch lightly clapped his hands and, without a trace, added tea to Sun Jian's teacup, smiling and explaining, "Interesting, very interesting. Usually, people only fear us and treat us with reverence. It's the first time I've seen someone like you."
"It's also the first time I've seen a scoundrel like you!" Sun Jian retorted without hesitation.
The eunuch was neither angry nor annoyed, moved Sun Jian's tea in front of him once, and explained with a smile, "You are a merchant, a strategist. Today, let's say it's not me, but I'm here to do business with you!"
"What business?" Sun Jian's face was icy, and he didn't look at the eunuch.
"As long as you give me enough silver, I'll ensure no one causes trouble here. Few people get the Emperor's favor!" The eunuch tapped the table lightly with his finger and said coldly, "If you don't give face, I can also negotiate with you!"
"If it's about this, I can give you an answer now. Get lost, I don't need it!" Sun Jian stood up and stared at the eunuch, the pressure making the eunuch shiver.
"Good, good, good. How long has it been since I've met someone like this? Interesting." The eunuch grabbed Sun Jian and leaned his body against him fiercely. In an instant, their eyes met!
"I want to become sworn brothers!" The eunuch's anger turned to joy. "Then giving silver will be legitimate, or you'll feel more comfortable!"
The eunuch was someone who never did anything without profit, and money was always on his lips. Sun Jian didn't indulge him, and with a cold laugh, "Then may I ask, how many brothers do you have, sir?"
The eunuch slowly brought one hand to his mouth and chuckled. With the other, he formed a delicate hand gesture and pointed at Sun Jian, "You, you, hahaha, too shrewd. If you can't earn money, who can? But as the saying goes, 'Within the four seas, all are brothers.' I believe this saying applies here without question!"
Sun Jian snorted coldly and slowly reached into his robes. The eunuch, thinking it was a done deal, became exceedingly excited and quickly beckoned his young eunuchs, his fingers trembling, "Quick, quick, come, thank my brother for the silver!"
Sun Jian gripped his hand tightly and stared at the eunuch, saying coldly, "Take the silver and you'll get out? No more words?"
"Of course, my word is my bond!" The eunuch hurriedly ordered a young eunuch to hold out a yellow silk cloth, which he quickly handed under Sun Jian's hand, "Aren't you going to thank our shopkeeper!"
"Thank you, shopkeeper!" The young eunuch knelt on the ground and kowtowed, "May the shopkeeper prosper!"
The eunuch smiled like a blooming flower, "Prosper or not, this is my brother. You should take good care of him. If I find out you're causing trouble outside, watch your heads!"
The young eunuchs hurriedly kowtowed and offered blessings. Just as Sun Jian was about to release his hand, the man whose throat had been scalded tore off his hat, revealing a bald head. He hoarsely said, "I..."
Before Sun Jian could clearly understand the mumbled words of the bald man, the eunuch sneered, "What kind of thing is this, coming to be an eyesore? Children, help my brother throw this person out. It will count as your merit!"
Before the young eunuchs could get up, the bald man grabbed a boning knife and stumbled towards the eunuch. The eunuch only heard a shout, and before he could react, his arm was already cut!
"You little brats, why aren't you coming to save me!" The eunuch cried out, clutching his arm tightly, and was about to flee in a hurry!
The young eunuchs, hearing the order, hurriedly drew their long swords and charged out. The bald man, after all, could not fight against four hands, and coupled with his exhaustion, he was pinned to the ground before he could even take a few steps!
The eunuch snorted coldly, his face contorted with rage, "What kind of trash dares to lay a hand on me? Children, kill him for me!"
The young eunuchs swarmed him. Before long, the bald man's hands and feet were all broken, and a bloody, slightly scorched tongue was also thrown to the ground.
The bald man struggled a few times, inching closer to the eunuch, but could not continue. He lay weakly on the ground.
Seeing that the bald man was no longer a threat, the eunuch swaggered out and said coldly, "You, dare to lay a hand on me? Look at what you are!"
A shoe landed on the bald man's face. The bald man struggled desperately a few times but to no avail. He quickly opened his mouth and shouted, which Sun Jian, after careful discernment, only recognized three words: "Kill me!"
"Strip him naked and hang him at the city gate, so that everyone who passes by can see the consequences of offending me!" The eunuch said with a sharp, biting tone.
After dealing with these matters, the diners lost their appetites. The eunuch unhurriedly took out a handkerchief, wiped his hands perfunctorily, and tossed it lightly onto the bald man.
Sun Jian glanced at it. A small handkerchief was equivalent to a middle-class family's expenses for a year. Anger surged in his heart. Seeing the eunuch slowly approaching, he snorted coldly.
"Brother, don't blame me for slapping your face today. It's all that forgetful scoundrel. Don't worry, I'm here today." The eunuch gently rubbed his wound, feigning a sigh, "I don't know how long it will take for this wound to heal!"
Sun Jian remained silent. He reached into his clothes with his other hand, took out some silver, and held it. Seeing Sun Jian so cooperative, the eunuch was naturally overjoyed and quickly said, "Quick, quick, catch the silver, little brat, you're really lucky this time!"
"Thank you for the shopkeeper's bounty!" a young eunuch said hurriedly. The next moment, Sun Jian opened his hand, and two copper coins fell onto the yellow silk cloth.
How could the eunuch not understand Sun Jian's insult? He immediately cursed furiously, "You're playing me!"
"You scumbag, get lost!" Sun Jian roared and threw a broken bowl on the ground, "Go beg elsewhere, don't be an eyesore!"
The eunuch gritted his teeth and said coldly, "Good, good, good. Boys, kill him for me! And find the Bu Fang Army, say someone here is disregarding human life, and bring crossbows and spears. I'll see who's in charge here."
The eunuchs swarmed forward, and Sun Jian stretched his wrists and charged directly at them.
The young eunuchs who grew up around Emperor Ling were no match for Sun Jian. They were all quickly knocked to the ground. The eunuch, seeing Sun Jian advancing step by step, his face changed greatly, and he retreated step by step.