Invincible Little School Doctor Chapter 2060: Stalling for Time?
Previously on Invincible Little School Doctor...
As the sun rose the next morning, Ye Haochuan roused Niu Kui.
With a grin, Ye Haochuan declared, "Let's head to the County Marquis Mansion to retrieve some items!"
"Retrieve items? What items?" Niu Kui inquired, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"You'll see when we arrive!" Ye Haochuan responded, adopting an air of mystery.
Niu Kui scratched his head, opted to cease his questioning, and silently followed along.
They soon reached the County Marquis Mansion, where the gatekeeper was the same guard captain from the previous day.
The moment the guard captain laid eyes on Ye Haochuan, a subtle flicker of resentment crossed his features.
Following yesterday's confrontation, Ye Haochuan had seemingly backed down, paid the compensation, and absolved himself of all responsibility. This left the guards in a precarious position, unable to afford the payment and without recourse, exposed to any potential retribution from Young Master Li.
Despite his inner turmoil regarding Ye Haochuan, the guard captain refrained from openly displaying his displeasure, mindful of Ye Haochuan's current standing.
Without delay, the guard captain announced their arrival to the interior. Upon hearing of Ye Haochuan's presence, Liao Li offered no objection and granted him entry.
"May I inquire about the purpose of your visit today?" Liao Li asked casually, apparently assuming Ye Haochuan to be a man of little courage.
Ye Haochuan remained unfazed, replying with a smile, "I am here today to request Lord County Marquis's judgment."
"Indeed? Is someone causing trouble for the inhabitants of the Half-Mountain Residence in Skywolf City?" Liao Li remarked with a slight trace of mockery.
Based on his understanding of the Li Family's temperament, even after Ye Haochuan's apology and payment, they were unlikely to let the matter rest easily.
While they might not directly confront him, leveraging his position as a guest elder of the Half-Mountain Residence, the Li Family could certainly resort to subtle, underhanded tactics.
"It is not a matter of someone troubling me. Rather, I won some items in a wager yesterday and wish for the other party to honor their commitment. I merely fear they might renego, hence I have come to seek Lord County Marquis's arbitration!" Ye Haochuan chuckled.
"Oh? Did such an event truly transpire?" Liao Li inquired with curiosity. "Pray tell, who would dare to engage in such dealings within Anxi County? If your account is accurate, I shall most certainly uphold your cause!"
"That would be most appreciated!" Ye Haochuan replied with a chuckle, presenting a contract to Liao Li.
A swift perusal of the contract caused Liao Li's smile to abruptly vanish.
"This... this..." Liao Li stared at Ye Haochuan, his disbelief palpable. "Are you jesting with me? How could the Li Family possibly..."
"Lord County Marquis, do I appear to be jesting?"
Ye Haochuan's smile held a dual quality, both genuine and subtly mocking. "After you departed from the Li Family's residence yesterday, I felt an unexpected urge to return and propose a wager to the Patriarch of the Li Family. The members of the Li Family were quite eager, but alas, fortune did not favor them, and they ended up forfeiting all their family assets to me.
This is unequivocally documented, with fingerprints serving as irrefutable proof. Should Lord County Marquis doubt its authenticity, you are welcome to summon the patriarch to compare his fingerprint!"
Observing Ye Haochuan's unwavering confidence, Liao Li felt a nascent prickle of unease.
"Someone, go summon the Patriarch of the Li Family at once!" Liao Li commanded.
Shortly thereafter, an individual was dispatched to carry out the order.
In the interim, Liao Li keenly observed Ye Haochuan, attempting to glean any hint of deception from his expression.
To his frustration, Ye Haochuan maintained a placid smile, betraying no sign of apprehension.
Approximately an hour later, a middle-aged man arrived in haste – none other than the Patriarch of the Li Family, Li Chun.
"Slander! This is blatant slander, Lord County Marquis! You must apprehend this charlatan..."
Li Chun's voice boomed even before his arrival, indicating the messenger had likely briefed him on the situation.
"Cease this clamor! As I am presiding over this matter, impartiality shall be maintained!" Liao Li declared with a hint of impatience. "Here, examine this. Is this the contract you executed?"
Li Chun snatched the contract from Liao Li's grasp, casting a cursory glance over its contents. His countenance immediately darkened.
"Fake! It's all a fabrication! I met no one last night. How could I possibly have lost Crimson Crystals, let alone the entirety of the Li Family? Do you truly believe such a preposterous wager?" Li Chun exclaimed indignantly.
"Patriarch Li, you seem to possess a rather selective memory!" Ye Haochuan remarked casually, a smile playing on his lips. "Could it be that the esteemed Patriarch of the Li Family also disregards his word? Fortunately, this contract exists; otherwise, dealing with you would be quite the challenge!"
Turning towards Liao Li, he continued, "Lord County Marquis, while words may be retracted, the fingerprint affixed to this contract is undeniable. Is it genuine or not? Let us simply have the Patriarch provide his fingerprint for comparison and ascertain the truth."
"Let's compare; an honest heart needs no defense!" Li Chun scoffed, producing a blank sheet of paper and pressing his fingerprint onto it. But shortly thereafter, he was utterly astonished. The fingerprint imprinted on the paper matched the one on the contract precisely, without the slightest variation. "How can this be?" Li Chun gazed, stunned, at the palm seal on the contract, murmuring, "This is impossible, it must be a forgery, it simply must be fake!" "Patriarch Li, your words betray a layman's understanding. Every individual's palm print is unique. Not even a cultivator of the Great Power realm, with their advanced level of cultivation, could fabricate an identical fake," Ye Haochuan remarked, a smile playing on his lips. "That is true, however..." Li Chun attempted to elaborate, but Ye Haochuan cut him off, "Yesterday, when the Li Family Patriarch presented a contract asserting that my friend owed Young Master Li one hundred thousand Crimson Crystals, you did not utter the word 'however.' Does the Patriarch not believe this contract carries legal validity?" "No, I..." Li Chun struggled to formulate a coherent response. If he declared the contract invalid, would that not be a contradiction of his own earlier stance? Yet, if he acknowledged its validity, would he not be then compelled to honor its terms? In his state of anxious indecision, Li Chun finally turned to Liao Li, seeking assistance. Observing this plea, Liao Li cleared his throat and stated, "My esteemed friend, there appears to be an unresolved enigma surrounding this matter. Allow me to ascertain the full truth before rendering a final judgment!" Attempting to delay? Would he permit such a maneuver to succeed? Ye Haochuan chuckled inwardly, though his outward expression conveyed a semblance of reluctance. "Lord County Marquis, do you intend to demonstrate partiality? The contract is readily available; what remains unclear?" "The Li Family Patriarch continues to assert his innocence; this County Marquis cannot simply disregard his claims, can he? I assure you, once all the facts are unequivocally established, justice will be served in your favor!" Liao Li responded with evident awkwardness. "Lord County Marquis, yesterday, when my friend professed his innocence, your fairness was notably absent..." "This..." Liao Li appeared flustered, his mind desperately seeking a viable resolution. Despite his inclination to favor the Li Family, Ye Haochuan had evidently arrived fully prepared, catching them completely by surprise. At that precise moment, a resounding voice echoed from the exterior. "The Prefecture Master has arrived!" "The Prefecture Master is here?" Upon hearing this announcement, Liao Li's countenance brightened with relief, exclaiming, "The Prefecture Master must have arrived to address the urgent issue of the Demon Beasts, which brooks no delay. This contractual dispute shall be revisited at a later juncture!"