Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'-Chapter 634 - 442: Body Masonry Technique (Seeking Monthly Votes)
Sun Tiecheng passed on the essence of the Technique of Ironclad Evidence as Firm as a Mountain to Li Banfeng.
"Ironclad Evidence as Firm as a Mountain means, first, the evidence must be ironclad, and second, decisions must be decisive. Some people can’t present ironclad evidence; they talk about swearing in person or claim every word is true, but all that is nonsense. Real evidence must be visible, tangible, and solidly placed before the other person. Once you’ve presented the evidence, you must be straightforward in making your decisions. Never say it ’should be so,’ nor should you say it’s ’almost certain.’ If you’re ’almost certain,’ the remaining uncertainty will breed doubt in others, and the slightest hesitation will break the Technique. In the face of ironclad evidence, there’s no room for ambiguity or contention. There’s no allowance for even a hint of advancing or retreating. Only then can your evidence be as firm as a mountain. If anyone refuses to accept it, you press down until they can’t move!"
So that was why Li Banfeng couldn’t move when Yan Cui’er had pinned him earlier; he was truly being pressed down by a great mountain.
Excellent Technique!
Li Banfeng felt enlightened; with this move, he was absolutely certain he could help Qiu Luoye get through the first challenge.
After expressing his thanks, Li Banfeng wanted to return to Qi Qiu City, but Sun Tiecheng wasn’t happy about that.
"You come when you wish and leave once you’ve learned? What do you think this place is? Aren’t you going to celebrate the New Year? Have the New Year’s Eve dinner first!"
Li Banfeng said, "We can have the New Year’s Eve dinner in a few days, and I won’t forget the favor I owe you. Let me deal with the important matters first."
Sun Tiecheng wouldn’t agree. "Nonsense! Will it still be the New Year in a few days? Yan Hong, tell the kitchen to prepare a table full of dishes and wine! Yan Qing’er, call the girls to sing a tune! Yan Cui’er, pin him down for me!"
Sun Tiecheng insisted by force. Li Banfeng wanted to run but couldn’t muster any strength in his legs. Just as he reached the door, Yan Cui dragged him back.
Li Banfeng became so anxious he was jumping up and down in the hall when suddenly the sound of hawking came from the street:
"Soap! Snow Cream! Matches, candles, foreign shovels! Come take a look, come take a gander! A cart full of fine goods, yours for the picking!"
Peddler!
Li Banfeng was overjoyed, thinking he was saved. Just as he was about to rush out, Sun Tiecheng stopped him inside the house.
"Close the door!" Sun Tiecheng ordered.
Yan Hong hurried to close the main door, and Yan Cui opened a sliver of window to peek out at the street.
Sun Tiecheng told Li Banfeng, "Don’t make a noise. Don’t let him know I’m here."
Li Banfeng asked in surprise, "Are you that afraid of the Peddler?"
Sun Tiecheng shook his head. "I am not afraid of him; it’s he who is afraid of me. He looks very pitiful, and he doesn’t want me to see him in this wretched state."
"Pitiful state?" Li Banfeng was surprised; not many in Puluo State dared to call the Peddler pitiful.
Li Banfeng looked through the crack of the window; the Peddler indeed looked rather pitiful.
"Ma’am," the Peddler’s voice was strained, "how about this hair cord? You’re taking the whole bundle? And you’re only giving one Yuan?"
An old lady bought a bundle of hair cords and gave the Peddler just one Yuan, which he endured.
"Sir," he asked another, "you fancy this bucket?"
An old man took a liking to a leather bucket, also dropped one Yuan, and then ran off.
The Peddler endured that too.
A young woman came to fill a bottle with Snow Cream, scooping out two big spoonfuls and only giving one Yuan.
Though the Peddler sold Snow Cream in bulk, it was truly good quality. Hong Ying particularly loved it; it made the skin fine and smooth, which left many a lady envious.
Such fine Snow Cream also for just one Yuan.
When did the Peddler open a one-Yuan store?
Is today’s Medicinal Powder also going for merely one Yuan?
An old man rummaged through the Peddler’s cart for a long time, turning everything topsy-turvy without buying anything, but the Peddler wasn’t angry.
A kid came over, grabbed a handful of sugar, stuffed it in his mouth, and bolted, yet the Peddler wasn’t angry.
Some people even resorted to outright theft, but the Peddler still wasn’t angry.
What could possibly explain this?
After the cart of goods was looted, the Peddler pushed his cart away.
He left soundlessly, for even his rattle had been taken.
Watching the Peddler’s departing figure, Li Banfeng couldn’t fathom the reason behind it.
The Peddler had once warned Li Banfeng to steer clear of Foolish Cultivation, yet unexpectedly, the Peddler himself seemed to have run toward Fool’s City and suffered such a huge loss there.
Li Banfeng looked towards Sun Tiecheng and asked, "Big Brother Sun, did the Peddler lose a bet to you?"
Sun Tiecheng shook his head. "I haven’t made a bet with him."
Li Banfeng asked again, "Then, did he fight with you and lose?"
Sun Tiecheng chuckled. "In Puluo State, I fear no one in a fight, but I can’t beat this Peddler."
Li Banfeng was puzzled. "If it wasn’t a bet and it wasn’t a fight, why would he come here to suffer a loss?"
A trace of resentment tinged Sun Tiecheng’s smile as he said, "Because he owes me!"
What could the Peddler possibly owe him?
Sun Tiecheng didn’t wish to continue the conversation.
Li Banfeng never inquired about matters people didn’t want to talk about.
Sun Tiecheng shifted the topic back to Qiu Luoye. "You came to learn a Technique from me in the hope of stripping Qiu Luoye of his Cloud Top Cultivation and then helping him regain it."
Li Banfeng was shocked. "How do you know that?"
Sun Tiecheng said, quite pleased, "What do you take me for? Who do you think I am? The moment you started creating chaos in the city, I had my suspicions. You’ve learned the Technique of Ironclad Evidence as Firm as a Mountain, and it’s the right one, but you’ve only learned the tip of the iceberg. This mere smattering won’t save Qiu Luoye. Among the Local Deities, Qiu Luoye is somewhat well-known, and that reputation isn’t just hot air—it’s earned through real skill. If you don’t perfect the Technique, you won’t be able to fool him. Stay with me a few days and let the girls help you Temper it thoroughly; your Foolish Cultivation Technique is far behind theirs."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "I want to master the Technique, but there’s no time; Inner State might make a move today."
"They won’t!" Sun Tiecheng said confidently. "Inner State has finally seized a Proper Land; they won’t simply kill Qiu Luoye so easily. They will surely wait another three to five days,
