Tran Mac naturally didn't just rush in rashly. After sneaking in, he observed for a moment. Only when he saw that the strength of the people in the main hall was not greater than his own did he enter.
Although he had to resolve this trouble, he couldn't just be reckless.
It had to be said, this system function that could display a martial artist's strength was truly too useful.
He unhurriedly put on his blood-stained wide-brimmed hat, his gaze sweeping weakly over the dozens of ruffians in the courtyard who had surrounded him, blowing horns and holding weapons. The moment he lifted his dao, these dozens of men immediately retreated a few steps in fear.
However, Tran Mac merely rested his Tang Dao lightly on his right elbow, wiped the remaining bloodstains from the blade, then sheathed it in the scabbard on his back, and strode out.
Without Tran Mac's body blocking the view, the lackeys in the courtyard finally saw clearly the image in the main hall, and each of their faces changed drastically.
Heavy snow filled the sky, snowflakes falling on his斗笠 (conical bamboo hat). Tran Mac thus calmly walked out of the small courtyard. The crowd of lackeys in the courtyard, without anyone giving orders, were so frightened that not a single one dared to block him. Instead, they made way, allowing Tran Mac to leave.
Rustle, rustle, rustle...
The large courtyard was deathly silent. Only a figure in a blood-stained wide-brimmed hat, neither too fast nor too slow, exited the shortcut between the white walls and green tiles, leaving the Thanh Ha Gang headquarters.
It wasn't until after Tran Mac left that the lackeys in the courtyard took action. Someone daringly entered the main hall.
"Brother Hung? Gang Leader... Ahhh, not good! The Gang Leader and the Branch Leaders, they're all dead! Quick, report to the officials..."
"Report to the officials, quickly report to the officials..."
In the courtyard, they were in a complete panic, like a tangled mess of hemp.
...
Tran Mac didn't think much about being able to leave so smoothly.
Reality wasn't like television dramas, where Jianghu gangs all talked about loyalty, and when the big brother died, it was like poking a hornet's nest, with all the lackeys rushing forward one after another to offer their heads.
People were much more realistic. Even among close friends and relatives, few would risk their lives against a strong enemy for someone already dead.
Let alone a Jianghu gang, which operated for profit and inherently bullied the weak while fearing the strong.
Their big brothers were all dead. What could they, as underlings, achieve by showing off?
Since they were already dead, even if they boasted, they wouldn't gain any benefit, at most others would praise them for a few sentences about loyalty, shining brightly, or whatnot.
But for only a few hundred wen a month, why risk their lives?
Entering an uninhabited alley, Tran Mac took out a bag from a corner.
He took off the wide-brimmed hat from his head, pulled off the black cloth covering his face, then removed the blood-stained clothes from his body and changed into the clothes he was wearing when he entered the city.
Tran Mac didn't throw away the blood-stained clothes but took out some bank notes and broken silver from their pockets.
These bank notes, Tran Mac had looted from the corpses of Duong Uy and the others.
There were ten-tael, fifty-tael, and one-hundred-tael notes.
Tran Mac calculated; it was roughly around four hundred taels.
It was a bit little, but for gang bosses, how could they carry so much cash on them when going out? Yet for Tran Mac, this figure was like an astronomical sum.
Tran Mac had no intention of coveting the Thanh Ha Gang's treasury or anything.
Firstly, he was only one person, with two arms; he couldn't carry much.
Secondly, according to Wu Shan, the Thanh Ha Gang was, in a sense, Magistrate Thuong Vien's black glove, helping him amass wealth.
The dead were dead. Wary of the culprit's strength, Thuong Vien might not pursue the matter; after all, someone else could just as well take over the Thanh Ha Gang.
But if his money was touched, his interests infringed upon, then it would be hard to say.
After all, some people, for profit, are not even afraid of death.
Of course, Tran Mac also didn't think about going to kill Thuong Vien or anything.
At any rate, Thuong Vien was a county's parent official; who knew if he had any experts by his side?
Furthermore, according to Dai Song law, killing an official was like rebelling, and Thuong Vien was still the Prefect's student.
Tran Mac didn't want to rebel either; he didn't think that with his meager strength, he could contend with the imperial court.
Afterwards, Tran Mac went to the blacksmith's shop.
He intended to custom-order another Tang Dao.
The Tang Dao he was currently using, when it was crafted, due to insufficient funds, the materials used were not the best, and the craftsmanship was also considerably lacking.
Just now, when it clashed with Duong Uy's great dao, although it gashed Duong Uy's great dao deeply, his own dao also sustained a chip.
Furthermore, as his strength increased, the Tang Dao currently in his hand felt a bit too light.
He wanted Shopkeeper Truong to use the best materials, employ all the forging processes, and intentionally asked Shopkeeper Truong to add some weight.
The price was twenty-five taels.
Tran Mac left a five-tael deposit.
...
When Tran Mac returned to Zi Jin Lou, the courtesan who accompanied him for drinks still hadn't woken up. He took off his shoes, got into bed, gently held her, then closed his eyes, quietly waiting for her to awaken.
On the other side.
In a side room in the rear courtyard of the yamen's main hall.
Thuong Vien, in his official robes, sat behind a desk reviewing documents. Beside him, a brazier burned, and on the brazier sat an iron kettle.
Seemingly tired from reviewing, Thuong Vien stopped his work, lifted the iron kettle, poured himself a cup of water, then gently blew on the teacup, took a sip while it was hot, then picked up a piece of preserved fruit and put it in his mouth, his expression content.
But just then, footsteps sounded outside the room, followed immediately by a knock on the door, disturbing his leisurely mood. He couldn't help but frown slightly: "Speak."
The person outside did not enter the door but still cupped his hands towards Thuong Vien inside the room and said, "Sir, not good! Something happened at the Thanh Ha Gang! Gang Leader Duong Uy, along with the seven branch leaders under him, were all killed by a masked man wearing a wide-brimmed hat."
"Clatter, clatter..."
The sound of a teacup falling to the ground.
Thuong Vien frowned. He seemed not to have noticed the hot water that had spilled on his lap. After a good while, his brow finally relaxed. He said, "Where is the culprit?"
"No one at the Thanh Ha Gang dared to stop him; they just watched him leave. However, that person only killed Duong Uy and the seven branch leaders. The Thanh Ha Gang's treasury was untouched. It should be revenge."
"You mean it's related to the person who killed Tran Ho last time?"
"Your subordinate dares not say for sure."
"Tap, tap, tap..."
Thuong Vien's fingers tapped lightly on the tea table before him. After a long period of contemplation, he finally spoke: "The Thanh Ha Gang bullied fellow villagers, regarded human life as grass, acted wantonly, their crimes overflowing to heaven...
Among them, Gang Leader Duong Uy and the others were the ringleaders. Before... this official didn't have a chance to deal with them. Now, they can be considered to have gotten what they deserved."
The person outside listened quietly, not daring to say much more.
"Tu Liet," Thuong Vien said.
"Your subordinate is here."
"Have Banh Thanh lead men to investigate the Thanh Ha Gang. Confiscate all assets."
"Yes." The person outside, called Tu Liet, nodded, then said in a low voice, "Sir, that culprit?"
"What culprit? That was a righteous hero eliminating harm for the people. Issue a notice: this matter is not to be pursued."
"Yes."
"Wait. You personally make a trip to the Dich family." Seeing the person outside was about to leave, Thuong Vien remembered something and quickly called him back.
"Yes."
...