This is the trick of the pawnshop: if you have the ability, break a single copper coin in half, so each side gets one half. But half a copper coin is a damaged coin, you can’t use it!

At this time, there was no such thing as coin collecting. Except for those who liked to take a pile of copper coins into their graves, the only use for copper coins was spending them.

The clerk thought David Clark would give in.

But David Clark nodded very seriously, “Alright. You can break the copper coin in half.”

He actually agreed! This line of thinking made the clerk want to cough up blood.

Everyone says pawnshops are stingy as iron roosters, able to split even a single coin in two.

But now someone even stingier than an iron rooster had shown up, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

David Clark took out his money pouch and slapped the coins onto the counter one by one, then counted them.

The clerk was surprised to find that this guy looked at the copper coins with deep affection, as if gazing at a peerless beauty. Realizing he’d met his match, the clerk turned and nodded at the shopkeeper.

Boss, we’ve got someone even tougher than us—what do we do?

The shopkeeper glanced at him, walked over calmly, and said, “There’s only one pawnshop in the market. If you want to pawn things again next time, you should know the importance of being decent.”

“Be decent?” David Clark pondered for a moment and said, “Are you saying that if I don’t give up this half coin today, I won’t be able to find a place to pawn things next time?”

It was common for poor people to pawn things. If you offended the pawnshop, next time they’d either refuse your business or lower your pawn price.

Half a coin doesn’t seem like much, but it adds up with every transaction!

What is the essence of a merchant? Every grain goes into the barn; if there’s profit, they’ll take it—even scrape a layer of oil off a locust’s leg.

That’s why the shopkeeper wouldn’t back down.

He thought David Clark would give in, would regret it.

David Clark was taken aback, then said, “Then I just won’t pawn anymore!”

He thought his cousin had become enlightened after being buried alive. Clearly, this was the effect of the broom god descending. With the broom god around, would the Old Bennett family still lack money? At the very least, selling tofu could keep up a decent life.

The shopkeeper sucked in a cold breath. Seeing the crowd outside, he knew he had to make a decision. His eyelid twitched; he wanted to refuse, but worried about ruining his reputation, so he sneered, “You’re ruthless! But I can’t break a copper coin here.”

Half a coin isn’t much, but with so many onlookers now, the shopkeeper felt embarrassed and was unwilling.

“I can!” David Clark ran off to borrow a hammer and chisel, and started splitting the coin right outside the pawnshop. He even accidentally hit the back of his hand with the hammer, and a bruise immediately formed.

Someone couldn’t bear it and said, “It’s just half a coin, and besides, you can’t use it after breaking it.”

David Clark shook his head, “But it’s copper! It’ll still be useful for something later.”

The people nearby all wanted to cover their faces, thinking, just how stingy do you have to be to do something like this!

After splitting the coin, David Clark gave half to the shopkeeper and kept the other half for himself.

The shopkeeper stared blankly at the half coin in his hand. After years of dominating the pawnshop world, he’d never suffered a loss—yet today he’d been bested by a short, skinny farmer. He was so stifled he wanted to go crazy!

David Clark successfully got the box of books and, feeling triumphant, prepared to leave. The clerk, thinking the pawnshop had lost face today, said darkly, “Where are you from?”

It was a threat, like someone talking tough after losing a street fight, but in reality, nothing would come of it.

David Clark felt great after saving half a coin and casually replied, “From Yangjiawu.”

The clerk’s heart trembled, “Yangjiawu? Then do you know the broom star?”

“That’s my cousin.”

So he was the cousin of that broom star! The shopkeeper and clerk both put their hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer.

“Please, Buddha, bless me.”

“The new prefect is here.”

At that moment, there was a commotion outside—it turned out the new prefect was passing by.

David Clark went to join the excitement and saw the new prefect sitting on horseback, exuding authority without anger. He couldn’t help but praise, “He looks so upright… what’s the phrase… truly a lord.”

Someone nearby said, “Righteous and awe-inspiring!”

“Yes, yes, righteous and awe-inspiring.” David Clark said enviously, “If only I could be like that one day, how wonderful would that be?”

Chapter 8: Iron Rooster

The sun began to set in the west, and the fortress looked especially vibrant under the sunlight.

There wasn’t much work to do in the fields or at home, so the girls had free time to play.

In the sunlight, their slightly tanned faces glowed, and their smiles were pure and genuine.

“Girls are wonderful.” When Old Bennett transmigrated here, he had just broken up with his girlfriend over a year ago, and his single life was quite comfortable.

At this moment, he watched a few girls whispering under a tree, occasionally glancing at him. He subconsciously smiled and waved.

In his previous life, if he did this, the women would roll their eyes at him, then raise their heads disdainfully and walk away in high heels. If he ran into someone with a bad temper, she’d even call him a scumbag!

But these girls looked at him excitedly. Someone asked, “Will he bring us bad luck?”

“No, they say if you keep three steps away, you’re safe. We’re seven or eight steps away now!”

One girl, probably out of curiosity, started to approach step by step.