Chapter 86: Killing To Protect Life, Cutting Karma Not People
Chen Shun’an thought of this and felt both amused and helpless.
He had even said he would help Landlord Zhao expand and strengthen, increasing the disk’s interests.
How could someone inexplicably help him retrace Ah Hua’s path?!
Ah Hua was a good kid, but he had taken the wrong path and chosen the wrong people.
Chen Shun’an silently sighed.
But he would not take any actions in the near future to compete or scheme for the shopkeeper vacancy.
His colleagues’ bones were not yet cold, Landlord Zhao was also overwhelmed, and at this time, whether showing loyalty or striving for recognition, it would seem overly eager.
Chen Shun’an knew well how to grasp the proper measure.
Flattening Wanlong Pounding House, presenting treasure to Li Tan Banner, devising a plan to fill Old Wellhead’s flow debt, and using this Lingguan Intercepting Meeting to expose lightness skill and movement technique not inferior to second-rate mid-to-late stage…
Chen Shun’an had already done more than enough.
The only thing he needed to do now was wait.
Haste makes waste; he had to befriend time.
……
With Lin Shou Zhuo guarding Chaodou Hutong, Chen Shun’an could slightly relax and go out, with San Dezi following along.
First to Silver Ingot Main Street, to check on Scholar Ma and the other benefactors.
Then Chen Shun’an realized he had been overly worried.
Water Station, Pounding House, and Guo Lu Society fighting to the death, countless killed or injured in one night, seemed to have little impact on these ordinary folk.
It even became their after-meal entertainment; old men and women gathered at the market entrance and under the banyan tree early in the morning, vividly chatting about the chaos they saw or heard last night.
They could be said to have partaken of the Capital City’s four overlords’ blood steamed buns.
As for the greenwood bandits fishing in troubled waters, folk righteous persons would deal with them.
After all, the Sacred Dynasty was rich in martial virtue, with many practicing martial arts; not every household had martial artists, but when chaos appeared in the city, those from Martial Arts Halls, local braves, and retired soldiers would not stand idly by.
The Sacred Dynasty had lasted nine hundred years, already showing signs of decline, but not yet to the point of the building collapsing or rites and music crumbling.
Order was barely maintained.
Then Chen Shun’an and San Dezi went to Weihang Street, where they saw many water carriers under the well shed, with families in tow, laying out ground mats and rolling straw mats, huddling together for warmth.
Those gazes of plea, envy, or numbness looked over.
For these people, Chen Shun’an had no more strength to protect, only offering brief comfort and reminiscing for a moment.
In fact, these people did not need Chen Shun’an’s protection.
As long as they followed the rules and did not touch what they should not, they would not lose their lives for no reason.
……
Not long after, Chen Shun’an received two pieces of news.
The nine Water Station Landlords of Wuqing County, after deliberation, unanimously decided to conduct an internal investigation, root out the secret burners of paste fire, and expel them from the group!
In response, Zhao Guangxi, who always claimed water carriers were his brothers, publicly stated,
“Those who break rules without principle are not my brothers!”
The Water Station was making a timely cut.
Besides this, the Four Great Pounding Houses and Wuqing Water Stations were already rallying public opinion, quietly besieging the County Yamen, demanding the government step in to arrest the Guo Lu Society and all related rebels.
Although Liu Sui had represented the County Yamen in stating this was a gang dispute and difficulties should not be pushed to the government.
But clearly, there were many smart people in Wanlong Pounding House and the Water Stations.
If the government was unwilling to intervene, they would force it.
Thus, the county’s water carriers and Pounding Houses completely went on strike and slacked off.
No water delivered for drinking, no rice grains scooped.
When clients asked, they said they were now suffering invasion by the martial world and greenwood, with life and death hanging by a thread, so where was the time for livelihood?
When to resume livelihood?
When the official masters were willing to resolve the people’s worries!
Thus, without Pounding House gang members or water carriers stepping in, the conflict shifted between the populace and the government.
Of course, this was mainly led by Wanlong Pounding House, with the Water Stations just setting the atmosphere, waving flags and shouting.
So, when Chen Shun’an carried a basket and San Dezi shouldered half a pork, passing by Wuqing County Yamen,
They saw the County Magistrate, an eighth-rank official assisting the County Magistrate in handling cases, standing at the yamen entrance.
He was earnestly proclaiming and persuading a large crowd of people sitting on the ground, including gentry and elders.
The County Magistrate promised to restore peace to Wuqing County and ensure the Lingguan Temple Fair proceeded smoothly!
Thus, various constables, bailiffs, and even patrol inspectors received county orders, assembled their men, and dispersed to patrol.
The crowd cheered for the blue-sky great master, then dispersed in a bustling mass.
Seeing this, Chen Shun’an knew.
The chaos was about to end.
The time left for Guo Lu Society was not much.
Chen Shun’an and San Dezi headed toward Chaodou Hutong.
Streets and alleys bustled with people, occasionally seeing imperial carriages carrying gods, with music and fanfare heading to Lingguan Temple.
It still maintained the festive air of Spirit Official’s birthday.
After a few streets, Chen Shun’an suddenly noticed that many shops at key road entrances with heavy foot traffic had been re-rented and were being renovated.
They were fiddling with some novel gadgets Chen Shun’an had never seen, like lamps or lanterns.
Covered externally with brocade, light gauze, or glass, painted with figures, landscapes, even indecent erotic pictures, colorful and dazzling, truly eye-catching.
Chen Shun’an casually asked, “Somewhat like the flower lamps from the Taigu area, but not quite… San Dezi, what are these, do you know?”
San Dezi thought for a moment and hesitated, “I recall merchant ships from Nanhai Prefecture brought some novel items; could they be Western goods?”
Hearing this, Chen Shun’an looked at those lamps and frowned.
“Master Lu! Why is your water full of dregs and mud, how can this be used?”
“Master Lu, I’ll give you the water fee, all of it, don’t hit my child!”
“Ah? Master Lu, no, that’s money to treat my child’s illness and save his life! Your white flour balls are fake, totally useless!”
Suddenly, familiar voices came from a nearby alley.
A unicycle water cart blocked in front of a house, Lu Ze with a face full of malice rolled up his sleeves bare-chested, snatched a few strings of cash, and stuffed them into his pocket.
Inside the house, a sallow-faced, emaciated young man, seemingly with consumption, clutched his chest and sat on the ground.
Facing the woman’s desperate clinging, Lu Ze kicked her to the ground, tossed out a handful of flour-rubbed pills, and said,
“What white or black flour, these are genuine longevity root-fixing pills, cure consumption, replenish weakness; your child will be cured once he eats them!”
Lu Ze’s upturned eyes emitted a sinister gleam, quickly scanning the house, seeing no more to squeeze, suddenly noticing the woman’s fairly graceful figure.
A trace of lechery flashed in his eyes.
Damn it! Old Chen refused to see the situation and turned hostile, unwilling to help with that little favor!
The higher-ups started internal checks; what if they find out I burned hibiscus paste fire too?
No, can’t sit and wait for death!
First grab some silver, find a chance to leave the county; if not, hide near Chaodou Hutong, and if Guo Lu Society comes to kill me, I’ll bolt into Chaodou Hutong!
I don’t believe Old Chen won’t act!
Thinking this, Lu Ze covered the still-crying woman’s mouth, about to close the door, and loosen his belt.
At this moment, an icy voice came from behind him,
“Lu Ze, you broke the rules.”
Lu Ze froze, turned to see the arrival, and felt chilled to the bone.
“Old Chen… Master Chen, Master Chen, you misunderstood; I saw this mother and child solitary and bitter without a pillar, so I came to be a father to the child and a lover to the woman!”
Lu Ze blurted out nonsense in panic, seeing Chen Shun’an’s cold expression unmoved, then gritted his teeth and pulled a crystalline South Sea pearl from his belt.
One look at its texture showed it was top quality, worth no small silver.
“Master Chen, I picked this up on the road; you take it, please let me off, treat me Lu Ze as a fart and let it go!”
The woman, seeing this, showed despair in her eyes, hugged her child, unwilling to look further.
Chen Shun’an ignored the pearl, glanced at the mother and child, then at their distance from Lu Ze, eyes flickering, suddenly said,
“San Dezi, go to the well and call Shopkeeper Li and the brothers. In chaotic times, use harsh laws; for worse rule-breaking, handle by trade rules.”
The water carrier trade had many unspoken rules.
Especially for turbid water, murky and prone to settling.
Before delivering to clients’ barrels, whether to shake or stir greatly affected water quality.
Not to mention some water carriers mixing in mud or ditch sewage to inflate sales, passing off inferior as superior, damaging the Water Station’s reputation!
During festivals, they had to give flattering gifts and local specialties!
Including Zhao Guangxi, many landlords knew this well, but water too clear has no fish; everyone turned a blind eye.
As long as no victim complained, not too excessive or reported to officials endangering lives, no one interfered.
Now, Lu Ze plundering the people’s fat and oil, bullying men and dominating women, had crossed the line.
Light penalty: caning; heavy: expulsion from the water carrier trade.
San Dezi nodded, thinking Chen Shun’an wanted to handle it impartially, and immediately turned to leave.
Lu Ze, seeing this, knew no room for negotiation, let out a strange yell, grabbed at the mother and child to threaten Chen Shun’an.
Seeing this, a sly glint of scheme succeeded flashed in Chen Shun’an’s eyes.
He did not hesitate, stepped out like a ghost, sticking to Lu Ze’s back.
His right hand suddenly reached out, seemingly effortless yet with immense power, like a butterfly flapping wings, lightly tapping Lu Ze’s occiput, then withdrawing instantly, lifting Lu Ze’s body back to the original spot.
Lu Ze hung limply in Chen Shun’an’s hand, face deathly pale, bleeding from all orifices, clearly deader than dead.
The young man saw the corpse, not only unafraid but stared wide-eyed, eyes showing the pleasure of great vengeance avenged.
The woman showed timid fear, quickly turning her head in fright.
The young man coughed, struggled to stand, and bowed deeply: “Thank you, benefactor.”
San Dezi had not gone far, heard the noise, turned back, and was startled by the scene,
“Brother Chen, why did you kill him.”
Chen Shun’an’s expression unchanged, said: “A momentary slip.”
San Dezi gaped, somewhat stunned.
Brother Chen with second-rate cultivation, still slips?
People grow more timid with age.
Chen Shun’an was a bit afraid.
He feared Lu Ze, surviving gang rules, harboring hatred and seeking revenge.
After all, he had refused Lu Ze’s request for protection.
Lu Ze’s ancestors were treasury guards, he himself burned hibiscus paste fire, with fierce martial path cultivation progress…
Such a person worried Old Chen even more than that Qing Pi Ma back then.
He had to die.
Perhaps the woman’s earlier struggles drew attention.
A bailiff in Sacred Dynasty training brave uniform passed by on patrol from the alley entrance.
Among them, a newly joined white servant saw Chen Shun’an and the corpse in his hand, pupils contracting, face showing delight,
“Bro, money’s here!”
White servants unlike regular officers had no salary or exemptions, were temps helping officers complete duties and make money.
Their only income was various extortion!
So this white servant was thrilled to see a murder.
However, his fellow bailiff kicked him hard, ignoring Chen Shun’an and others in the alley as if air, passing straight by the entrance.
The bailiff scolded: “Keep your eyes open! That’s Water Station people, second-rate experts!”
“You and I get a few taels of broken silver a month, only worth bullying the weak, not worth risking life! Got it?”
The young white servant’s worldview rapidly reshaped; as if discovering a new world, he dazedly said,
“Got it, got it.”
