Chapter 6: Punishing the Wicked Woman in the Tailor’s Shop

Chu Chen and Chu Dazhuang first went to the market, purchasing two hundred pounds of rice and half a pound of mutton.

Interestingly, in this era, people did not eat pork because pigs emitted a strong, unpleasant odor, and few raised them.

Chu Chen quickly understood why: in his childhood village, piglets were always castrated to grow properly.

Apparently, this era had yet to master that technique.

After buying food, Chu Chen led Chu Dazhuang to a tailor’s shop.

Although his own commercial space contained plenty of modern clothing, wearing such apparel here would mark him as an oddity.

“Gentlemen, looking for clothes?” the shopkeeper greeted them warmly.

“Just browsing,” Chu Chen replied lazily.

At that moment, an ill-timed voice whispered into Chu Chen’s ear.

“Tell me, shopkeeper, do you really let beggars come in here to shop?”

A bulky, unattractive woman of over two hundred pounds covered her nose as she looked at Chu Chen and Chu Dazhuang.

Damn, even in ancient times, there were people like this.

Chu Chen ignored her and began selecting clothes, while Chu Dazhuang, embarrassed, stepped outside the shop.

“Hey, little beggar, can you even afford those clothes? Just touch them, huh?” the woman persisted.

If not for his injury, Chu Chen would have slapped her to the ground.

“Is this your shop?” Chu Chen looked up and asked.

“You dare talk back? I had my eye on those clothes, but now that you’ve touched them, boss, I don’t want them anymore,” the woman haughtily declared.

Chu Chen thought to himself, let’s see how you’ll get past the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper awkwardly glanced between Chu Chen and the woman; she was a major customer, after all.

“Look at yourself—you’re almost a round ball! Those clothes won’t fit you. Can’t afford a mirror? No brains either, going out without checking yourself,” Chu Chen retorted.

“Hey, keep your distance! You smell like the sea — haven’t bathed in days, have you? The sewer must be clogged for a long time,” Chu Chen said disdainfully, eyeing the woman.

“That’s not good. Holding it in too long leads to illness. Feeling itchy down there lately? You’d better worry about venereal disease,” he added.

At that moment, Chu Chen sounded like a shrew, though the new terms puzzled the listeners.

Still, they grasped what he meant.

The woman flushed crimson, unable to utter a word as she pointed at Chu Chen.

Chu Chen ignored her and spoke to the shopkeeper.

“Wrap up everything I touched. I don’t want anything she’s touched—I’m afraid of infection.”

The shopkeeper gave the woman a long, serious look. Could it be, as this gentleman said, that she really had a venereal disease?

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“Oh no, she touched quite a few items.”

Worried yet intrigued, the shopkeeper helped Chu Chen wrap the clothes. Chu Chen also selected several bolts of fabric before calling Chu Dazhuang back inside.

“Second uncle, come help carry these. Hmm, you had foresight—seeing this, you ran off early. Seems you really understand venereal diseases,” Chu Chen teased.

Chu Dazhuang was bewildered. What was going on?

The woman’s face turned pale; she stopped arguing and covered her face as she hurried toward the medical clinic across the street.

Hmph, I’ll show you what it means to fear the power of gossip.

The shopkeeper watched the woman rush into the clinic. Could it be...?

A few others who had been browsing the tailor’s shop also quickly left, as if afraid the air itself might infect them.

“Sir, you’re truly a divine doctor descended to earth; you diagnosed her condition at a glance,” the shopkeeper flattered.

Chu Chen was baffled. Could the shopkeeper be involved with the woman to be so certain?

He then grinned and said, “Shopkeeper, I see your forehead darkening and your steps unsteady—you frequent brothels, don’t you? Be careful.”

After hearing this, the shopkeeper was even more convinced Chu Chen was a hidden master healer.

Lately, he always felt weak, barely able to endure half an incense stick’s time, but these past few days, he was completely drained.

“Divine doctor, please save me,” the shopkeeper suddenly knelt before Chu Chen.

The gesture startled Chu Chen.

In truth, Chu Chen knew little about medicine; the woman’s strong odor indicated a gynecological problem.

And this potbellied man staggered when walking—nine times out of ten, he was weak.

“Uh, shopkeeper, no need for such ceremony. Your condition is what medicine calls ‘approaching discharge.’”

“No big deal. When I return to the mountain, I’ll craft a miraculous pill guaranteed to cure you,” Chu Chen said with a smile.

What a joke—his commercial space contained several large pharmacies stocked with plenty of health products.

“Divine doctor, take these today, no charge. Please grant me your miraculous pill,” the shopkeeper said excitedly.

Wow, this guy loved that stuff like his life depended on it—didn’t even want the money for the clothes.

Well then, profit made...

“Since you say so, next time I come to town, I’ll prepare something special for your stubborn condition,” Chu Chen said, then climbed onto the mule cart and headed for the city gate.

Unbeknownst to him, several burly men quietly followed behind.

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Once outside the city gate, Chu Dazhuang looked at Chu Chen in surprise.

“Nephew, what else did that white-bearded immortal teach you besides medicine?”

Truly, gossip is terrifying—say something often enough, and it becomes truth.

Chu Chen gave a vague reply, turning his head away; if he said more, he’d reveal too much.

But when he glanced back, he saw several furtive figures trailing the mule cart.

Instantly, he became alert.

“Who could they be? The pawnshop, the woman, the cloth shop owner?” he thought.

This was trouble. Though Uncle Chu was a former soldier, his injured leg left him weak.

And Chu Chen’s own body was even less capable.

These people were most likely from the pawnshop, after the silver. Looks like the shopkeeper still didn’t trust him.

As he racked his brain for a plan, inspiration struck.

“Second uncle, stop the cart—I need to relieve myself,” Chu Chen called out.

“You lazy bum, you always have to go even if you don’t need to,” Chu Dazhuang grumbled as he halted the cart.

Chu Chen ignored him and jogged into a nearby thicket.

Seeing no one around, he slipped into his space.

He went straight to the door of that department marked “Equipment and Supplies,” which opened easily with a gentle push.

Had someone just opened it at the moment he arrived?

From repeated tests, it seemed that at the exact moment of his time crossing, everything inside the space froze.

Chu Chen walked in effortlessly, delighted to see the room filled with modern gear, yet troubled about which to choose.

Too advanced equipment would draw unwanted attention if observed.

After careful thought, he selected a dagger and an electric baton.

For safety, he also concealed a handgun on his person before leaving the space.

Then, he leisurely climbed back onto the mule cart.

As the cart moved slowly forward, the men trailing behind also began to close in.