In This World, There Are Always Those Who Don't Know Their Place

The entire Pingjiang County is divided into five urban areas: East, South, West, North, and Central.

Among these, the East and North of the City are the poorest.

And the Bamboo Raft Houses are the poorest place in the East of the City.

Built from bamboo, the Bamboo Raft Houses are densely packed together, occupying only a few li, yet housing tens of thousands of fishermen's families.

Sunlight rarely reaches here year-round; it's always dark and damp, with sewage constantly flowing on the ground, carrying a foul smell of rotten fish and shrimp.

Here, even a spring night's call can be heard clearly upstairs and downstairs.

Fang Xuan used to live in these Bamboo Raft Houses, but after becoming Old Man Yu's top enforcer and making some money, he moved to Tong'an Alley, not far from the Bamboo Raft Houses.

It was late at night now, and as he walked into the narrow Tong'an Alley, his brows furrowed involuntarily.

"Master Fang!"

"Master Fang!"

One by one, the Ruffians of the East Hall, dressed in Azure Clothes and short jackets, stood against the walls on both sides, leaving a passage for people to walk through.

One Line Sky and Chen Jingming stood not far away, their brows tightly furrowed.

Fang Xuan took just one look and knew something had happened!

"What is it? Just say it directly."

Fang Xuan spoke in a deep voice, without any unnecessary words.

One Line Sky and Chen Jingming exchanged glances, then Chen Jingming took a deep breath and said, "Brother Xuan, two things."

"The first thing is, yesterday, while we were in the city for the Ascension Altar, hundreds of Ruffians from the South Hall crossed the border and stormed into our East of the City, smashing over a hundred establishments that our East Hall oversees! Fish stalls, inns, and restaurants were smashed, and even many fishing boats belonging to fishermen, docked at the Ferry, were set on fire by them!

Old Man Hu, because he couldn't stand it and merely mentioned your name to scare them away, had his head held underwater by them and almost drowned!"

"I've already sent away the managers of those inns and restaurants, but the fishermen from the fish stalls rely on their fishing boats and sampans to make a living every day. Now that their fishing boats are burned, it's like cutting off their livelihood! They are all gathered at the Ferry now, refusing to leave, waiting for an explanation from you, Brother Xuan!"

"Before you arrived, I calculated the cost. If we compensate for the losses of each establishment, it will cost approximately three thousand taels of silver!"

"And this is just the visible loss. Yang Zheng from the government office sent people. He said this matter is very difficult for him to handle, and if not handled properly, it will become a big issue. However, the current situation can be big or small. The meaning of this sentence is clearly that you, Brother Xuan, need to give money. If you give enough, the matter won't be big. If you don't give enough..."

Among Fang Xuan's four confidants, Chen Jingming has always been the most meticulous and thorough in handling matters. In just a few words, he explained the entire situation clearly from beginning to end.

Before Fang Xuan could speak, One Line Sky, who was beside him, couldn't help but curse with a ferocious expression:

"To hell with the South Hall! I knew there was a reason why not a single Ruffian from the South Hall showed up at the gang's big meeting this time. It turns out they were playing dirty tricks while we were away! I'll screw their eighteen generations of ancestors!"

Chen Jingming thought for a moment and said from the side, "Brother Xuan, the South Hall doing this is clearly meant to disgust you and make you unhappy on the day of your ascension. What should we do?"

In the night, Fang Xuan's eyes were lowered, his face showing neither joy nor anger, as calm as a vast ocean without waves.

But Chen Jingming's expression tightened.

He understood Fang Xuan.

Generally, when something happened, if Fang Xuan was furious, the matter wasn't actually big; at most, he would slap you a couple of times and that would be the end of it.

But if Fang Xuan looked calm.

Then that means...

Excuse me, but he's about to kill someone!

"Who led this?" Fang Xuan took a deep breath and asked expressionlessly.

"Han Xian, nicknamed Mad Han. Ever since Xie Han was crippled, he's been the new head of the South Hall. Speaking of his strength, he's actually not much worse than Xie Han, but he's not as good at flattering as Xie Han, which is why he hasn't been able to become the head until now."

"Han Xian... Han Xian..."

Fang Xuan kept repeating the name, then suddenly burst out laughing.

Good.

Very good!

A good-for-nothing similar to Xie Han actually dared to step on his head!

"Big Eyes, tomorrow go fill the fish pond at the ferry with fish. I want to personally watch Han Xian feed the fish!" Fang Xuan's eyes were indifferent.

"...Alright." Chen Jingming nodded.

"What's the second thing?" Fang Xuan took a deep breath and continued to ask.

"This..."

Chen Jingming hesitated for a moment, then moved aside and smiled bitterly, "Brother Xuan, see for yourself."

"Hmm?"

Fang Xuan raised an eyebrow and looked forward.

At the end of Tong'an Alley, in front of his house.

Water Monkey was kneeling naked from the waist up in front of the house door, holding a dagger upwards in his hands, with sharp thorny wooden spikes tied to his back.

The thorny wooden spikes pierced into the flesh and blood of his back, causing a pool of blood to form beneath his knees.

"Brother Xuan, last night Xiao Li and Xiao Lan were attacked by South Hall ruffians. The reason was that when Water Monkey delivered the food, he went to a pleasure boat to play with a girl, which exposed the lunchbox..."

Before Chen Jingming could finish his sentence.

Fang Xuan's expression changed.

Chen Jingming's eyelids twitched, and he quickly said, "Brother Xuan, don't worry. Fortunately, Xiao Li was clever and set up an ambush in advance, successfully ambushing and killing those few South Hall ruffians. Nothing happened."

Fang Xuan said nothing and walked quickly into the inner room.

Water Monkey only felt a gust of wind pass by him. When he looked up again, Fang Xuan had already stepped into the inner room.

Inside the inner room, Fang Li and Fang Lan, who had been tired all night, were already asleep in chairs.

On the hems of their clothes, there were bloodstains stained with blood and rainwater.

Fang Xuan let out a soft breath, not disturbing them, but picked up a thin blanket and gently covered them.

One Line Sky and Chen Jingming quickly caught up and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when they saw this.

"Monkey, you're lucky. Brother Xuan only has these two relatives in this world. If they really died, Brother Xuan would be all alone and would truly go crazy."

One Line Sky looked at Water Monkey and said.

Water Monkey didn't reply, but clenched his teeth tightly. Only after Fang Xuan gently closed the door and walked out did he grit his teeth and say loudly:

"Brother Xuan! It was my lust that blinded me and framed my brothers, almost costing Xiao Li and Xiao Lan their lives! Three cuts and six holes or severed tendons, you choose, I have no complaints!"

Fang Xuan, who had walked out of the room, his expression turned cold.

"Brother Xuan..." One Line Sky was about to step forward to smooth things over when he was pulled back by Chen Jingming beside him.

Chen Jingming just shook his head slightly at him.

"Stand up." Fang Xuan looked at Water Monkey.

Water Monkey gritted his teeth and stood up, but before he could fully rise, his knees, which had been kneeling all night, couldn't help but soften, and he fell back to the ground.

Swish!

Fang Xuan casually pulled out the rattan whip from behind Water Monkey and whipped him hard on the back.

In an instant, the skin split open and flesh tore, blood flowing freely.

The intense pain caused Water Monkey's face to instantly turn pale, and large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Brother Xuan, Monkey didn't mean it, considering it's his first offense..." One Line Sky's eyes showed intolerance, and he was about to speak.

"Shut up!"

Fang Xuan stared coldly at One Line Sky, then took a deep breath, threw away the rattan whip, and looked down at Water Monkey, saying:

"Monkey, you've been playing with me since you were three. These past few years, we've traveled north and south together, through thick and thin. We're not blood brothers, but we're closer than blood brothers! I know you had a lot of hardship when you were young, and now that you've finally made a little something of yourself, you want to make up for all the suffering you endured as a child!

I don't object to you playing with women, but you need to distinguish between important and unimportant matters! Don't tell me about first offenses and such. If everyone gets a 'first time,' then the few of us brothers shouldn't be in the Jianghu anymore, we might as well be buried together!"

This sentence was clearly meant for One Line Sky. After Fang Xuan finished speaking, One Line Sky couldn't help but blush and dared not speak.

Fang Xuan took a deep breath, his cold expression softening slightly, and said:

"Water Monkey, let's put today's matter behind us. I hope this whip serves as a lesson for you. If there's a next time... I'm sorry, we won't be brothers anymore!"

"Brother Xuan, I..."

Water Monkey's face turned red with shame. Then he gritted his teeth, suddenly gripped a dagger, and slashed towards his thumb!

"Brother Xuan, if you don't punish me, I'll cut off a finger myself as a lesson!"

The dagger slashed down fiercely!

Slap!

A loud slap landed heavily on Water Monkey's face!

"Cut off a finger? What's the use of cutting off a finger? When you've done something wrong, you don't know to make amends, what good does cutting off a finger do? You blockhead!"

Fang Xuan cursed, feeling frustrated that Water Monkey wasn't living up to his potential. Then he sat down in the main seat and said:

"Alright, I said today's matter is over, so it's over."

"Keep your hand, and go chop down a few more South Hall Ruffians tomorrow!"

As soon as these words fell,

Water Monkey, who had been blushing with shame, suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with fierce, sharp light.

That group of South Hall ruffians had almost caused the only two relatives Brother Xuan had in this world to die tragically!

He had long wanted to kill this group of South Hall ruffians!

"Brother Xuan, Zheng Juexiong isn't in Pingjiang City right now. Are we going to make a move on the South Hall?" One Line Sky, who was standing nearby, was also eager to act.

"Taking so much money from others every month, do they really think it's free?"

Fang Xuan replied, then his gaze passed through the narrow, straight Tong'an Alley, looking at the densely packed Bamboo Raft Houses.

His expression gradually became cold and profound.

In this world, there are always people who don't know their place!