The clerk in the county office was notoriously insatiable. In the past, whenever he visited an ordinary household, one was expected to cough up something. If there was truly nothing of value to be squeezed out, he would even make his way into one's vegetable patch to uproot a few scallions. He never left empty-handed; that was his principle of governance.
Wang Hongtao had spent a considerable amount of effort on him lately, but the clerk was immune to all forms of persuasion. He had even stated his price directly: without a hundred taels of silver, he would not lift a finger. It seemed he had already guessed that Shi Yi and his associates had stockpiled a large quantity of furs and intended to hold them hostage to extort a heavy price.
Shi Yi frowned, glancing at the main gate of Wangshan Academy across the way. He took a deep breath. "Don't worry about this for now; I will find another way."
Chapter 89