What was written in the ledger was very brief, but the meaning it implied was perfectly clear.
My father had also given money to Li Changming, but he never intended to ask for it back.
He had genuinely wanted to help his younger brother improve his life.
Uncle Chen continued without pausing, "Great Mu Laung Calendar, Year 785. In other words, four years ago, you borrowed money from Little Tianyuan's father, yet you didn't repay even a single bit, just like your brother over there. Even though Li Yuan never intended to ask for repayment, you must now return the amount you borrowed to Little Tianyuan, especially considering that you tried to join hands with your elder brother to steal property from your own nephew. Otherwise, I cannot let you go. What will you do?"
Li Changming listened in silence the entire time.
I noticed his body flinch several times as he ground his teeth for reasons I couldn't tell.
Was he unable to accept the loss?
Or did he simply not want to repay the money?
I didn't know the source of his frustration and anguish, but there was no longer any smirk or arrogance in his eyes, only acceptance.
From the way he looked at me, it was clear countless thoughts were running through his mind.
Yet there wasn't a single trace of refusal to repay what he owed.
His gaze lingered on me for quite some time before he finally spoke in a steady voice.
"I accept the repayment… Just tell me how much I need to repay."
He directed the question straight at Uncle Chen.
Instead of answering, Uncle Chen turned to me and asked, "How much interest percentage do you want to charge him?"
I didn't expect that.
It caught me completely off guard.
I had no idea how much interest I should charge.
When I glanced at the three people tied up on the floor, I noticed the frowns on their faces as well.
Yeah, asking a child to decide an interest rate was definitely not normal.
I was about to say the interest rate recommended by the system, but paused and asked instead, "If Uncle Chen were in my position, how much would you charge them?"
"Eight percent."
The answer came immediately, without the slightest hesitation.
The three people on the floor went pale at once, yet none of them dared to speak.
I flinched as well when I saw the cold look Uncle Chen gave them while saying it.
But I couldn't do that.
Why?
Because the system had explained the karmic reactions tied to different interest rates.
According to the system's imprint, the interest percentage should be calculated based on several factors such as fate color, collateral, occupation, and marital status.
The higher a person's fate color, the higher the interest percentage that could be calculated.
If properties were pledged while taking the loan, the interest percentage would be minimized to the lowest possible level, since repayment was already guaranteed by collateral.
Occupation, on the other hand, was very tricky.
Each occupation carried its own causes and effects on the world, and my interest percentage must not become a burden to those cause-and-effect chains.
Otherwise, I would receive karmic backlash, and a certain amount of my fate value would be reduced.
Fate value was an extremely important thing according to the system.
The higher my fate value, the more high-level opportunities I would encounter, and the luckier I would become.
Sometimes, a high fate value could even save me from extremely dangerous situations.
Finally, there was the status of the debtor's family.
The more family members the debtor had, the more the debt would be reduced to a certain degree.
In fact, if the debtor had children or elders at home and was properly taking care of them, the interest percentage would be calculated lower.
[Ding! Information about Li Changming is being processed… No family tied to his fate found yet… No cause of immediate danger detected… Occupation detected: Escort Warrior… Fate color: Light Blue…]
[Recommended interest rate for individual Li Changming: 2.5%]
Text appeared in front of me.
Seeing the interest percentage the system gave, I laughed wearily and shook my head as I said to Uncle Chen, "I want to charge a one percent interest rate, calculated monthly from the time he borrowed the money from my father until now…"
As soon as those words escaped from my mouth, I noticed Uncle Chen's expression darken.
The calm, businesslike, cold demeanor he had maintained until now shattered as he shouted, "THAT IS TOO LITTLE!"
His voice was filled with anger.
He looked at me as if he were staring at a brainless idiot who had just given away a precious treasure for something of trivial value.
"Little Tianyuan, do you even understand what you're doing?" he asked in a stern voice.
"These people tried to strip you of your inheritance, broke their promises to your father, ignored their debts, and only agreed to pay back when they were forced."
He gestured coldly toward the three of them and continued, "One percent isn't mercy for people like them, it's indulgence."
His anger wasn't for himself; he was angry on my behalf.
"When it comes to money lending," his sharp voice echoed through the hall, "interest is determined by risk, intent, and character. And these people have shown their true colors very clearly. By charging too little, you're telling them that betrayal has no cost."
The hall fell silent.
He placed both of his hands on my shoulders and said with a serious look on his face, "When you give the wrong people kindness… it becomes a blade pointed at your own throat someday, just like what your second uncle almost did just now."
Looking back at Li Changming, Uncle Chen continued, "Your father showed him kindness in the past. He intended to let go of what he gave and only hoped that he would live a good life. And what did he do in return? Not only did he fail to step in and protect you from the other two, he even joined them in their plan…"
Uncle Chen's voice grew colder.
"People like him are nothing more than scum who don't deserve any kind of mercy."
Li Changming's face turned ashen as he listened.
I noticed him biting his own lip until it bled.
He clearly didn't feel good hearing those words, yet he didn't utter a single word in response.