Arrangement

Xiang Yang pondered for a moment, glanced at Wang Ying and the other two, then nodded. "Uncle Wang, I'm seventy percent certain—provided this case really was An Qinglong's doing.

"The man in the yard just told me that An Qinglong has more than a dozen properties in Anyuan County, all running legitimate businesses, so the County Yamen hasn't been able to find anything.

"But outside the county seat, several estates in the outskirts are where An Qinglong hides the trafficked people. Some have five or six guards, while others have more than ten, even twenty. They're all desperadoes armed with deadly weapons."

Xiang Yang was also making the danger clear in advance. At the end, he gave the locations of the four estates. They were far apart and had no apparent connection whatsoever, the sort that could not be linked even with an eight-foot pole.

"Mm, in that case, the County Yamen's manpower is somewhat insufficient. I'm afraid we'll need to ask Magistrate Li for help and mobilize the county soldiers."

Including Xiang Yang, the County Yamen currently had only thirteen constables. Divided among four locations, that meant just three men per place, which was somewhat inadequate compared to An Qinglong's guards. After all, not every constable could take on so many men alone like Xiang Yang.

"No. If we mobilize the county soldiers, An Qinglong's informants in the county seat will definitely catch wind of it. If he moves the people, all our previous preparations will have been for nothing."

Wang Ying rejected Yu Fei's proposal. Then he glanced at the burly men sprawled across the ground, wailing in pain, and fixed Xiang Yang with an odd look.

"Little Xiang, you must know the particulars of this case as well. Mr. Lan's only son was abducted within our Anyuan jurisdiction. The matter has grown serious—the Prefect personally ordered our County Yamen to solve the case within a set time. There are still seven days until the deadline, but every extra day means another tenth less chance of recovering Young Master Lan.

"The opportunity is right before us. Since your skills are impressive, do you have the courage to investigate one estate by yourself?"

Abduction meant taking people away to sell them. As for buyers in this world, there were far too many: gangs, clans, the rich and powerful, even pleasure houses. An Qinglong had flourished in the human-trafficking trade for so many years; he certainly never lacked customers.

Xiang Yang understood Wang Ying's meaning. Solving the case was secondary—the most important thing was recovering Young Master Lan. The longer they delayed, the greater Young Master Lan's danger became.

Yet Xiang Yang's gaze flickered. An ordinary person would not overthink it. After all, the capable did more work. Since he could take down the nine strong men in this yard by himself, the danger of investigating an estate outside the county seat alone was not particularly high.

But Wang Ying was one of the people Xiang Yang suspected. That made his motives difficult to discern. Did he truly value Xiang Yang and believe him equal to the task, or did he harbor sinister intentions, seeking to use this chance to frame him and cut the grass at the roots?

Without dwelling on it further, Xiang Yang suppressed the doubt in his heart. His expression turned solemn as he held his saber and said, "What are you saying, Uncle Wang? I'm a constable of the County Yamen, so naturally I'll follow your arrangements. Besides, saving people is like fighting a fire. I know the County Yamen's difficulties. We'll do as you say—I'll go to the estate near Encirclement Village."

Encirclement Village was a large village under Anyuan's jurisdiction, with a population of over two thousand. Two li away from it, An Qinglong had set up an estate. On the surface, it was a transfer station for grain, vegetables, and the like; in truth, it was a criminal den concealing trafficked people.

Hearing Xiang Yang's words, Liu Feng hurriedly shook his head and advised, "Little Xiang, don't act rashly. You just said that the outpost outside Encirclement Village is guarded by more than ten people. The danger is simply too great."

He did not think Xiang Yang was trying to seize the chief merit. Of the four outposts, any one of them might be where Young Master Lan was hidden. Xiang Yang was merely choosing one out of four. The key was that one man facing more than ten was far too dangerous.

Wang Ying, meanwhile, nodded in agreement, a trace of approval appearing on his face. "Heroes have emerged from the young since ancient times. Good, I'll grant your request.

"But remember: your safety comes first in all things. If you can gain something without being discovered, you may return to the County Yamen first.

"As for us, we'll dispatch people to the other three locations at the same time. No matter which side finds Young Master Lan, escort him back to the County Yamen at once. That is the most important matter."

After speaking, Wang Ying swept his gaze over the people in the yard, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes. "As for this lot, I'll send someone to deal with them later. Human trafficking would have been bad enough, but they even wanted to murder government constables. That is tantamount to rebellion—a capital crime."

Xiang Yang looked at the ashen expressions of the people on the ground. Several of the scruffy, bearded brutes were even whimpering as they cried. They looked rough and tough on the outside, but their inner mettle was evidently lacking. Knowing their lives would soon end, they had utterly collapsed.

Xiang Yang was also rather speechless. They feared death to this extent, yet who knew what they had been thinking when they followed others into the underworld.

But he had not expected Wang Ying to be so ruthless. These were not nine radishes, but nine living people. With a single sentence—attempting to murder government constables—he intended to put them all to death. Back on Earth, even assaulting a police officer did not warrant death.

Seeing the puzzlement on Xiang Yang's face, Yu Fei smiled and explained, "Little Xiang, Chief Wang is both venting your anger and protecting our interests. It isn't excessive."

Why were constables so sought-after? Was it not because they carried the word "official" with them?

But that did not mean others would not dare target them. In Great Zhou, gangs were legally permitted to exist, and the people constables dealt with most often were these very groups. Constables' safety was also under threat.

The way Wang Ying operated in Anyuan County was to forge the constables' authority with blood and coldness. If you dared come after me, it was one thing if you were not caught. But if you were caught, you lost your life. Think about it—what ordinary person would risk losing their head to do such a thing?

And strictly speaking, Wang Ying was not using public power for private revenge. Xiang Yang was an official constable registered with the Anyuan County Yamen. These nine men had attacked Xiang Yang, which truly was an assault. As for whether it was attempted murder, whether it counted as rebellion—that was entirely up to Wang Ying's mouth. Sometimes, when officials turned black, they were blacker than anyone.

At this point, Xiang Yang also understood why these people would rather approach him than Wang Ying and the other veteran constables from the county seat. Cooperating with constables like them carried too great a chance of being double-crossed and swallowed whole.

After serving as constables for so many years, Wang Ying and his group naturally had their own methods of handling matters. The constables banding together also formed no small force; the Divine Constable Gate was the greatest constable force of all.

Of course, Xiang Yang felt Wang Ying had another reason for killing these people: to quell Mr. Lan's fury, to quell the Prefect's fury. Including An Qinglong, it would be one thing if members of the Little Knife Society managed to flee. If they failed to escape, they likely would not evade the Ghost Head Execution Saber either.

On this matter, Li Zhizhi and Wang Ying were likely in the same boat, sharing the same thoughts.

"Enough. We've delayed long enough. This is, after all, property under the Little Knife Society's name. Someone may come to investigate at any time. Little Xiang, set off first.

"Old Yu, Old Liu, the two of you go to the yamen and gather men. Remember, don't make too much of a spectacle. Leave through the back gate."

Wang Ying's dark face remained expressionless as he issued orders. Xiang Yang nodded in compliance, sheathed his Wild Goose Feather Saber, and headed outside.

Behind him, Liu Feng and Yu Fei watched Xiang Yang's retreating figure disappear. After sighing over the youngster's good fortune, they too left the Blacksmith Shop.