Zi Jin Lou.
Tran Mac called for two courtesans of beautiful looks to accompany them for drinks. Perhaps due to the chaotic times, the current prices for such services were far from comparable to peaceful periods.
Tran Mac found a private room, and they went in to talk.
Wu Shan seemed to be no stranger to this place. After entering the room, he immediately sat down, legs spread, then pulled a courtesan into his lap, embraced her waist, and toasted Tran Mac with a cup: "Brother Tran is magnanimous!"
There's a saying online about life's four "ironclad" relationships, which respectively refer to: having fought side-by-side, having peeped through the same window together, having attended the same funeral together, and also having... together.
Since he wanted to ask the other person for information, Tran Mac naturally couldn't put on airs. He similarly pulled a girl into his lap, "plucking snow pears," and then returned a cup of wine to Wu Shan.
Money couldn't be wasted.
The brothel girl was very professional, immediately emitting coquettish sounds, saying, "Young master, you're so naughty." Her soft body squirmed in Tran Mac's embrace, and she even wanted to use her "beauty cup" to feed him wine.
Tran Mac, referencing the short interlude outside earlier, casually asked Wu Shan about Thanh Ha Bang matters.
From Wu Shan's mouth, Tran Mac learned.
Thanh Ha Bang had eight branches, respectively managed by eight branch leaders, known to the outside world as the Eight Great Vajras.
Each of the four major Vajras was responsible for the enterprises in one county. Thanh Ha Bang's enterprises in Binh Dinh County included brothels, casinos, aquatic products, money lenders, and so on.
Thanh Ha Bang had a hand in almost all grey area industries.
"I don't know which god of plague the Thanh Ha Bang has offended recently. Brother Ho, one of the Eight Great Vajras, was actually... killed." Wu Shan said, "Even the money chest was robbed."
After speaking, Wu Shan "plucked lotus seeds," smiled at the girl in his embrace, and said, "Don't tell your madam about these words, okay?"
"Master, you're annoying." The girl, after being "hurt," tapped Wu Shan's shoulder: "I'm not a blabbermouth."
This matter was known by almost everyone in the city; it wasn't any secret. Therefore, even discussing this matter in a brothel under Thanh Ha Bang's jurisdiction, Wu Shan wasn't afraid.
"Indeed not a blabbermouth, but this mouth is a bit loose..." Wu Shan smiled, glanced down, and said meaningfully.
The girl was no innocent maiden; how could she not understand? She gently pushed Wu Shan's forehead with her finger: "Master, you are so bad."
"How am I bad?"
"Ahem, ahem."
Seeing Wu Shan showing signs of "drawing his spear," Tran Mac coughed lightly twice, patted the "grindstone" of the girl in his embrace, and asked her to go out first.
Wu Shan knew Tran Mac wanted to inquire about serious matters, so he also put on a serious face and asked the girl accompanying him to go out first.
Tran Mac didn't directly ask about the remaining seven Great Vajras or the Gang Leader, Brother Hung's, strength. Instead, he started with other matters, such as whether the rebels would attack Thanh Chau in early spring next year, and then indirectly inquired about Thanh Ha Bang.
Although Ly Muc had already told him about this, relying on one person's words always made one uneasy; it was better to cross-verify.
"It's almost a done deal. The adults have already said that the rebels have now gathered in Ji Prefecture, Gao Prefecture, and other areas, forming a three-pronged pincer attack to assault Thanh Chau. Once Thanh Chau falls, the rebels will have flat land to advance south. It's just that the snow is too heavy now, unsuitable for military campaigns. They'll wait until after the snow melts in early spring..." Speaking of this, Wu Shan sighed:
"Brother Tran, to tell you the truth, Thanh Chau, I'm afraid, most likely cannot be defended."
"Oh, why is that?" Tran Mac poured wine for Wu Shan.
Wu Shan waved his hand at Tran Mac.
Tran Mac leaned his ear closer.
"The Prefect has even sent his own two precious daughters to our Binh Dinh County. Brother Tran, think about it, at such a critical time, for the Prefect to send his own family to the rear, how unconfident must he be about Thanh Chau's defense?" Wu Shan said in a low voice.
"The Prefect's daughters?" Tran Mac was stunned.
Wu Shan said to Tran Mac, "I was lucky enough to see them once. Brother Tran, you don't know how beautiful they are. In my entire life, I've never seen such beautiful women, simply like celestial fairies. No woman in Binh Dinh County can compare to them."
When he spoke of this, Wu Shan's mood still seemed a bit agitated, a lecherous smile appearing: "Brother Tran, the most crucial thing is, they are a pair of twins!"
Hearing this, Tran Mac's brow furrowed, and the image of the black-clad girl couldn't help but appear in his mind.
It couldn't be her, could it?
When it came to talking about women, especially beauties, Wu Shan spoke with particular enthusiasm. He had even found out both their names: the elder sister was called Ha Chi Tinh, and the younger sister was called Ha Chi Ngung. He even knew where they lived.
"Chi Ngung..."
Tran Mac's face darkened. It really was her.
The Prefect's daughter.
No wonder her temper was so spoiled and unruly.
This was troublesome.
This time coming into the city, Tran Mac also had the objective of avenging that whip lash.
But after learning her background, Tran Mac could only temporarily abandon this idea and see later.
After all, just killing a small fry like Brother Ho had caused so much trouble.
If something happened to the Prefect's daughter, wouldn't it cause an earth-shattering uproar?
Tran Mac raised his wine cup, clinked it with Wu Shan's, and forced a laugh: "Twins, tsk tsk, if there's a chance, I'd like to see and get to know them."
But Wu Shan waved his hand and said, "Brother Tran, it's better if you don't try to get to know them. That elder sister is still alright, but the younger sister's temper is quite unruly."
"Really? But if one could conquer such a woman, it would surely be a unique experience," Tran Mac joked.
Wu Shan was first startled, then laughed heartily: "Brother Tran is indeed a man of great ambition! I hear that elder sister, Ha Chi Tinh, is Thanh Chau's number one talented woman and is fondest of scholars. If Brother Tran can achieve official honors in the future, perhaps there really is a chance."
Tran Mac sipped his wine, smiled, and said nothing. Then he changed the subject: "I wonder what the current situation is in the county?"
"Of course, it's Magistrate Thuong who calls the shots," Wu Shan said in a small voice. "Don't look at how imposing Thanh Ha Bang seems; speaking of which, they are just a dog under Magistrate Thuong."
From Wu Shan's mouth, Tran Mac learned that the County Magistrate there was named Thuong Xa.
He was a Third Class Jinshi graduate and also a student of the Thanh Chau Prefect.
Most crucially, as a County Magistrate, he could actually mobilize the local garrison.
One must know, the Dai Song imperial dynasty practiced separation of military and civil power.
A County Magistrate did not have the authority to mobilize the local garrison, but Thuong Xa did.
Thanh Ha Bang didn't even rank second.
Next were the Ly family, the Vuong family, and the Dich family.
These three families were local gentry clans.
Among them, the Dich family had already declined.
In the end, Thanh Ha Bang was just a gang formed by ruffians. If not for Gang Leader Duong Uy having previously married into the gentry Dich family, Thanh Ha Bang wouldn't even be presentable.
Of course, in a pure bloody fight, the three families combined couldn't beat Thanh Ha Bang.
Tran Mac nodded, pretending to look curious, and casually asked, "This Gang Leader Duong Uy, what's his strength?"
"Heard he's an eighth-rank martial artist."
Wu Shan took a sip of wine and said with some uncertainty.
Tran Mac nodded, raised his wine cup again, and said with a smile, "Brother Wu, come, cheers!"
"No way, just drinking wine. We need to eat," Wu Shan said...