Scientific Travel

“My family was poor, and I was looked down upon by others since I was a child. My parents died when I was very young, leaving me a house and a debt of 13 silver coins.”

“I’ve always envied other kids since I was little. Their mothers would cook delicious meals for them every day after school and wait for them to come home. But I was all alone at home. I used to have a dog that would wait for me at home every time I went up the mountain to collect herbs. But one day when I came home, I didn’t see the dog.”

"Later I found out that the dog had been eaten by someone else."

“I cried and shouted, but I was too weak. I was neither able to protect the dog nor to protect myself.”

At this point, Deng Yin's face was covered in tears, and perhaps because she had been crying so hard, she began to sob.

Many people cried when they saw this scene.

“From that day on, I vowed never to cry again.” Deng Yin tried to wipe away her tears, but the more she wiped, the more they flowed, and she couldn’t stop them. “Only the weak cry. My tears can’t bring back Da Huang, nor can they bring back my mom and dad.”

“Every time I see people arguing, I try to learn from it, and over the years I've seen some good results. I don't want to show my vulnerable side, which is why I said those things in the first place.”

"Today is my birthday. After so many years of collecting herbs in the mountains, I've finally paid off my debts. I was thinking of buying some good food to celebrate my birthday, but I never expected him to steal such a small amount of money."

“I couldn’t take it from him, so I had to shout for help. He was afraid of being exposed, so he pretended that I had molested him. It’s all my fault. Someone like me doesn’t deserve to celebrate his birthday. Judging from his appearance, he’s also a miserable person. I should have just given him the money instead of not only refusing to give him the money but also cursing him.”

Deng Yin stopped crying and placed the money in front of the robber.

There are 13 copper coins in total.

The robber was incredulous; someone could actually act better than him.

Deng apologized to both the robber and the hero, his eyes red and his lips bitten tightly.

What a resolute little white flower!

The robber had seen it; the girl had at least 1000 silver coins hidden in her bundle. "You're lying! I clearly saw you put a thousand silver coins into your bundle!"

Deng Yin stared wide-eyed, as if he had been insulted, and untied the bundle, dumping its contents onto the ground.

There are ten steamed buns.

"I've never eaten a longevity peach before. I heard that everyone eats one when they celebrate their birthday. Longevity peaches are too expensive, so I was thinking of buying some steamed buns instead. Look closely, is this a silver coin?"

The robber examined the steamed buns, breaking each one in half, muttering "impossible" repeatedly.

Deng Yin squatted down in front of the robber. "Didn't you say I molested you? Then how did you know I had money in my bag?"

The onlookers realized that this was not indecent assault at all, but a frame-up!

"Impossible! You definitely hid the money. I saw you go to the bank and exchange ten gold coins for 1000 silver coins. You're lying!" The robber pointed at Deng Yin, no longer the weak figure he had been just moments before.

The weather in April wasn't very cold, and Deng Yin was dressed very lightly. "Do you know how much 1000 silver coins are? They'd weigh at least 30 jin (15 catties). Do you think I can hide 30 jin of silver coins in my clothes?"

Clearly, even hiding a pound would be difficult.

The robber didn't believe him. "I don't believe you unless you let me search you. If you don't let me search you, you're guilty. I saw you go to the money exchange with my own eyes."

Deng Yin suddenly felt incredibly foolish; he had wasted so many tears dealing with such an idiot. "This place isn't close to the money exchange. You followed me all the way here, how dare you accuse me of molesting you? You even wanted to search me? I think the search was just a pretense; you really wanted to molest me, didn't you?"

Originally, everyone felt guilty for misunderstanding Deng Yin, but now, facing the culprit, he even tried to molest someone in front of them.

I can't stand it any longer!

Many onlookers went up to beat the robber, with the man who intervened being the most valiant, his veins bulging out.

The incident caused quite a stir here, and someone reported it to the authorities.

"Stop!" Five or six soldiers arrived, each carrying a large knife.

When the robber saw the officers and soldiers arrive, he quickly stepped forward.

The onlookers pieced together what had just happened, one by one, while the officers' faces were grim. "You're causing a disturbance! Do you have any respect for the law?! You and everyone else, come with me!"

The direction the officers were pointing was towards Deng Yin and the robber.

The robber smirked. There was a reason he hadn't been caught after doing this for so long: half of the money he earned went into the county magistrate's pocket.

Although Deng Yin was unfamiliar with the place, he could tell from what the people around him were saying that the officers and soldiers' actions were unreasonable.

It was most likely that the officials, soldiers, or county magistrates who took the money.

Just as Deng Yin was about to launch his attack, a voice suddenly appeared.

Who are you trying to arrest?

The speaker was dressed in red, had a mole at the corner of his eye, and a clear, crisp voice.

"Lord Mei, these two are the masterminds behind this disturbance. I'm planning to take them back for a thorough interrogation."

"Interrogation? I saw it all clearly just now. Instead of arresting the person who spread the rumors, you arrest the victim for interrogation. Is this how your government handles cases?"

The officers and soldiers knelt on the ground, their bodies trembling like leaves. "We dare not."

"If you don't dare, then get lost." Seeing that the group had no intention of taking away the person spreading the rumors, he added, "Don't forget to take the criminals with you."

"Yes." The group quickly ran away with the robber.

Seeing Deng Yin staring blankly in the direction the group had run, Lord Mei snapped his fingers in front of Deng Yin. "Stunned?"

This person had a pleasant fragrance about him. Deng Yin clasped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you, sir."

"Don't call me sir, just call me Mei Shengke." Mei Shengke helped Deng Yin up and slipped three silver coins into her hand. "This money is enough for you to buy longevity peaches. Happy birthday."

The silver coin still retained the warmth of Mei Shengke's hand; it was the first time Deng Yin had ever heard someone wish her a happy birthday.

"I can't take this money. You've already helped me, and I can't take your money anymore."

Mei Shengke feigned displeasure, "You already said I've helped you. If you don't accept the gift, wouldn't that be embarrassing for me? Listen to me, take it."

Fearing that Deng Yin would refuse, he stuffed the money into her hand and hurriedly left.

The man who had acted bravely realized he had misunderstood Deng Yin, and immediately went to apologize to her after Mei Shengke left.

Deng Yin shook his head, indicating it was alright. "Do you know that Lord Mei from just now?"

Mentioning this Lady Mei, the man who had acted righteously was filled with pride. "Of course I know her. She's the eldest daughter of the Mei family. She's loved martial arts since she was little, and she always stands up for what's right when she sees injustice. Don't let her young age fool you; she's been to the battlefield and earned military merit. We were fighting against the Yuan Kingdom a while ago, and Lady Mei was the deputy general."

After this incident, Deng Yin lost interest in stockpiling goods. Fortunately, he always disguised himself before stockpiling. He felt someone was following him as soon as he exchanged the money, before he could even buy anything.

It seems I won't be able to wear this outfit anymore.