The Canglang Gang

As the saying went, wherever there were people, there was a jianghu, and wherever there was a jianghu, there was strife.

Yangcheng Dian was a vast expanse of water, rich in fish. Dingzhou City alone could consume the entire daily catch of freshwater fish and shellfish from Yangcheng Dian.

Driven by that enormous demand and the profits it brought, the strife at Yangcheng Dian had never ceased.

Only when a force called the Canglang Gang appeared was the strife at Yangcheng Dian brought to an end.

But the Canglang Gang was no good either.

It bullied traders and monopolized the market, levied exorbitant taxes, exploited and squeezed the people, and used its strength to prey on the weak. Throughout Yangcheng Dian, Dan people were torn from their homes and ruined, their suffering beyond words.

Yet even so, the Dan people could only bow their heads and swallow their grievances.

The Canglang Gang controlled the docks and freight transport at Yangcheng Dian. Without its approval, not a single fish or shrimp from the entire lake could be sold.

It was not as though they had never resisted. Several years ago, more than a dozen Dan people had tried to lodge a complaint with the authorities in Dingzhou City.

In the end, not only were they unable to get through the gates of the prefectural yamen, but their corpses were also hung from the flagpole at the docks the very next day.

From then on, the Dan people of Yangcheng Dian became like sheep that had been broken in, bowing their heads and submitting to humiliation.

The docks at Yangcheng Dian were managed by just one branch of the Canglang Gang. Its Main Headquarters was in Dingzhou City.

The branch helmsman was surnamed Gou. Because of the long, hideous knife scar on his face, he had earned the nickname Scarface Gou in the jianghu.

But here at Yangcheng Dian, no one dared call him that. They all addressed him as Lord Gou or Helmsman Gou.

Inside the Loyalty and Righteousness Hall.

Lord Gou sat sprawled in a grand armchair, holding a teapot in his left hand and rolling two goose-egg-sized iron balls in his right.

"Li Jiu, you've put off paying what you owe for long enough. It's time to settle it today, isn't it?" Lord Gou took a sip of tea and spoke unhurriedly.

The Li Jiu he was talking about was Xiao Ya's father.

"Lord Gou, could you give me a few more days? I really don't have any money on me right now."

Li Jiu stood below him in the hall, hunched over, his voice almost pleading.

"No money? Heh heh heh... I don't think so."

Lord Gou gave a cold laugh, his eyes full of mockery and amusement.

"How come I heard you not only hired a physician and got medicine for that sickly ghost of a wife, but also went to the next town and bought a lot of food? That doesn't sound like someone with no money."

Hearing that, Li Jiu hurriedly explained, "That wasn't my money. The young master who rented my boat gave it to me."

In Li Jiu's mind, although the young master had already given him the ten taels of silver, it did not fully belong to him until he had completed the task the young master had entrusted to him, and he absolutely could not use it to pay his debts.

"I don't give a damn who gave you the money. It's only right and proper to pay what you owe. Search him."

At Lord Gou's signal, several of the shore patrolmen on either side rushed forward, pinned Li Jiu firmly to the ground, and searched him from head to toe.

"And you said you had no money. What's this, then? Hmph! You think you're fit to play tricks on me?"

Lord Gou took the pieces of silver his subordinate brought him, weighed them in his hand a few times, then tossed them to the accountant at his side.

"Don't say I'm unreasonable and bullying you. Today I'll go through the accounts with you properly. Read them out to him."

"Yes."

After weighing the silver, the accountant picked up the ledger on the table and opened it as he called out:

"Debtor: Li Jiu. Unpaid boat mooring tax, dock levy, fishing-net contribution, fishermen's wage fees, and so on, totaling two taels and five qian. Borrower: Li Jiu. Borrowed three taels and seven qian within one year, totaling nine taels and six qian with interest. Added together, the total is twelve taels and one qian."

After listening to the accountant's report, Li Jiu cried out in disbelief, "How could it be so much? How could I owe so much?"

Lord Gou sneered. "The IOUs bear your own fingerprints, Li Jiu. It's there in black and white; young or old, no one's cheated. The silver on you comes to nearly eight taels. Deduct that from the debt and you still owe me four taels and one qian. I'm a kind man, so I'll be magnanimous and waive that one qian."

"I have no money left. Where would I get any more?" Li Jiu lay dazed on the ground, his face ashen as he murmured.

"No money? Then we can only do things according to the rules of Yangcheng Dian. Let your daughter pay off the debt."

Lord Gou finally showed his true colors. His target from the very beginning had been Li Jiu's daughter, Xiao Ya.

Though the girl was a little dark, she was pretty and dainty. Most importantly, she was young and tender.

Lord Gou didn't like older women. He was especially fond of young, tender girls.

Once he had played with her enough, he could sell her to a brothel. Eating the same fish twice—wouldn't that be wonderful?

This was not the first time he had done such a thing. Every time, those lowly Xumin had obediently submitted in the end, hadn't they?

"What? Use Xiao Ya to pay the debt? No, I absolutely won't agree."

Li Jiu, who had been lying on the ground with his heart as dead as ashes, suddenly began struggling violently.

"You won't agree?"

Lord Gou stared at Li Jiu, his gaze vicious.

"Here at Yangcheng Dian, my rules are the law. Beat him! Beat him until he agrees!"

Hearing Lord Gou's order, the shore patrolmen holding Li Jiu down began raining punches and kicks on him.

Soon, Li Jiu's face was black and blue, and blood streamed from his broken head.

But Li Jiu never made a sound. Only one firm thought remained in his heart.

I can't sell Xiao Ya. I can't sell Xiao Ya.

"Still talking tough? Heh heh... Let's see whether your mouth is tougher or my fists are. Keep beating him."

Lord Gou looked at Li Jiu as though he were watching a monkey fighting stubbornly in a corner, his eyes full of ridicule and scorn.

The attacks fell on Li Jiu again like a raging storm, the shore patrolmen showing no intention of holding back.

Li Jiu's pained gasps grew fainter and fainter, and his pupils grew more and more unfocused.

He seemed to see his daughter sitting at the bow of their boat, smiling at him.

She was smiling so happily, her smile so beautiful.

"Xiao Ya..."

Li Jiu wanted to reach out and grasp his daughter before him, but his whole body felt as though it were trapped in a mire. He could not summon the slightest strength.

His eyelids were so heavy, his body so heavy. He was so tired, and he wanted so badly to sleep...

"Helmsman, he doesn't seem to be moving anymore."

One of the Shore Bosses looked up and spoke to Lord Gou, then crouched down and checked whether Li Jiu was breathing.

"He's dead."

When Lord Gou heard that, not a flicker of expression crossed his face, as though he were used to it. He then gave the accountant at his side a look.

The accountant understood at once and drew a deed of sale that had long been prepared from the desk.

He crouched beside Li Jiu, intending to pry open his fingers and press one against the paper bearing the deed.

But all ten fingers on Li Jiu's hands were clenched tight, and he could not pry them open.

"Lord Gou, I can't get them open," the accountant said, looking up at Lord Gou, panting.

Lord Gou took a sip of tea and smiled. "Can't get them open? Just chop one off."

The Shore Boss drew a dagger from his waist, a hideous, fearsome expression on his face.

A dark red fingerprint appeared on the paper. It was not cinnabar, but blood.

"Worthless thing. You refused the toast only to drink the forfeit."

Lord Gou looked at the signed deed of sale in his hand, a cold smile curling his lips.

"Hurry up and bring that girl to me. I'll have a taste of something fresh tonight. Once I've had my fill, I'll let you have her for a few days."

"Thank you, Helmsman."

The shore patrolmen were overjoyed. They immediately turned and ran out of the room, all smiles.

"Heh heh heh..."