Making Trouble

Xu Hongyu's order as Chief Constable was indeed executed immediately.

Chen Mu, with the three hundred taels of silver bounty warrant in his arms, arrived at the Main Division's treasury. The Yamen Runner Captain managing the treasury merely glanced at it before immediately taking out six large silver ingots, each weighing fifty taels, totaling three hundred taels, and handing them to Chen Mu.

At the same time, he was exceptionally polite to Chen Mu, subtly probing about Chen Mu's relationship with Xu Hongyu, and like the Yamen Runner who had led him up earlier, he also took the initiative to befriend him with a smile.

It was common to receive arrest bounties at the City Guard Main Division, but it was rare to come with a warrant personally approved by Xu Hongyu, especially for three hundred taels of silver. Moreover, Tang Quan, who was involved, also had some reputation, so it was natural to arouse speculation.

After the silver was handed over.

The Yamen Runner Captain managing the treasury even personally escorted Chen Mu outside with a smile.

The whole process was easy and simple, a world of difference compared to the last time he went to the Prison to deal with Zhang Hai's matter. This made Chen Mu sigh inwardly, this was the change brought about by power and influence.

He had power, and therefore gained Xu Hongyu's appreciation, and then relied on this layer to freeload off Xu Hongyu's 'power', and thus was unimpeded in the City Guard Main Division.

Weighing the heavy silver in his arms.

Three hundred taels of silver was a lot, but compared to that, the 'Gold Jade Mo Pi Fa' was probably more valuable. This kind of thing that Xu Hongyu took out was definitely of a higher level than those in pawnshops. The most expensive ones in pawnshops could be sold for three or four hundred taels, so it was basically true that this one, as Xu Hongyu said, was worth a thousand gold.

"Go back first, put the silver away, and then I have to go to the City Guard again to see Min Yamen Director."

Chen Mu's thoughts were clear.

Min Yamen Director Min Baoyi was the Yamen Director who governed the Nine Stripes Ward City Guard, above the five Yamen Runner Captains. It could be said that he was a real big shot in the Nine Stripes Ward, and even in the entire South District, he was a well-known figure.

As a low-level Yamen Runner like him, the number of times he had seen the other party in the past few years could even be counted on his fingers. Usually, any orders were conveyed by the Yamen Runner Captains, and he rarely appeared in person.

Xu Hongyu said that she had greeted this Yamen Director, and most of his subsequent arrangements had been made.

Seeing that it was still early.

Chen Mu put away the silver and returned home.

At Third Aunt Chen Hong's house.

Today happened to be Zhang Hai's birthday. Butcher Zhang had brought a set of large intestines and some offal. Chen Hong cooked a table of wine and dishes, which was quite lavish for ordinary people, something they rarely had even once in a few years.

Butcher Zhang, Chen Hong, and Zhang Youying were already seated, but Zhang Hai, the main character, had gone out in the morning and didn't know where he had wandered off to. He hadn't returned yet at this mealtime.

"Where did this kid run off to again."

Butcher Zhang looked at the table of food and opened his mouth with some displeasure.

It was fine on weekdays, but today he had finally managed to get some wine and meat, firstly to celebrate his son's birthday, and secondly to celebrate the safe passage of the Prison disaster a few months ago. This birthday should be celebrated, but the person was nowhere to be found.

"This child really is, I already told him this morning not to run around."

Chen Hong shook her head helplessly.

Zhang Youying looked outside, secretly muttering that something might have happened to her cousin again.

Just as Butcher Zhang was getting more and more impatient, hurried footsteps finally came from outside. Zhang Hai was seen running into the house in a hurry, coming to the main room, plopping down in his seat, and first picking up a cup and gulping it down.

"So rash, what are you doing!"

Butcher Zhang slapped the table and scolded.

Zhang Hai wasn't afraid of his old man at all. He took a drink to moisten his throat, then grinned and said, "Mom, guess what I just heard outside?"

Chen Hong put a piece of meat in Zhang Hai's bowl and said, "Did you encounter something good?"

Zhang Hai chuckled and said, "Your nephew snatched someone's granddaughter and seized their house. It's said he even beat someone to death. They're gathering people now, a whole crowd of them, to go and make trouble for him."

Nephew?

Which nephew?

Chen Hong was stunned for a moment, then her expression suddenly changed. "Little Mu? You're talking nonsense, child. I know Little Mu's character. There's no way he'd do something like that."

Zhang Hai waved his hand and said, "Mom, haven't you heard the saying, 'You can know a person's face, but not their'..."

"You can know a person's face, but not their heart."

Zhang Youying sat to the side, blinked her eyes, and added softly.

"Right! You can know a person's face, but not their heart. How do you know he's not a bad guy? Can anyone working as a yamen runner be a good person these days? I thought he wanted something bad to happen to me last time. Now it's his turn to be in big trouble."

Zhang Hai grinned and said, "That Wang family in the South District, although they're all down on their luck, they can easily gather a dozen or twenty people. How dare a little yamen runner do such outrageous things? He probably won't be able to handle it."

Chen Hong listened in a state of shock and fear, and seeing Zhang Hai smiling there, she couldn't help but scold, "What's so good about this? What are you smiling about? Why aren't you thinking of a way to help!"

"Think of a way? He didn't help me think of a way last time! I have to go watch the fun."

Zhang Hai shoveled a few mouthfuls of rice, stuffed some meat into his mouth, and then ran straight out.

"This... this..."

Chen Hong stood up anxiously, not knowing what to do for a moment.

Butcher Zhang, however, revealed a thoughtful expression, looking at Chen Hong, who was eager to go out, and said, "Alright, don't go. This is your nephew's business. You shouldn't get involved. If he really did something so outrageous, he wouldn't be in the right even if it went to the Ward Chief. Don't make things worse."

"But how could Little Mu do such a thing..."

Chen Hong looked at Butcher Zhang anxiously.

Butcher Zhang said slowly, "If he didn't do it, then there's even less reason for you to go. What's there to be afraid of with just some rumors?"

Zhang Youying sat quietly in a corner, putting a piece of meat in her mouth and chewing slowly, not interjecting, only revealing a thoughtful expression. She didn't think Chen Mu could do such a thing either. In fact, if he really had the guts to do something like that, she would have thought more highly of Chen Mu, but looking at Zhang Hai's expression, whether it was true or false, Chen Mu was probably in big trouble.

Fortunately, she had found a way to refuse when Chen Hong told her about it last time.

Otherwise, if she had already married Chen Mu, wouldn't she be caught up in this trouble together?

In the alley.

Twenty or thirty people gathered together, heading towards Chen Mu's house.

Leading the way was Wang Zhao with a cold face, next to him were two people who looked somewhat similar to him, followed by a large group of men, some carrying axes, carrying carrying poles, and iron picks in their hands.

"Fourth, I'll ask you one more time, is what you said all true? He's a yamen runner. If we're not in the right, it won't look good if it goes to the Ward Chief."

Someone asked Wang Zhao in a deep voice.

Wang Zhao hesitated for a moment, and said, "My uncle's death may have nothing to do with him, but he snatched the house deed and seized my cousin's daughter. That's definitely a fact. I checked before. Wang Ni wasn't registered at the City Yamen, so she's neither a slave of his family nor has he adopted her."

"That's good then!"

Wang Zheng snorted upon hearing this.

Whether the accusations of occupying a granddaughter, beating an old man to death, and seizing a house are true or false doesn't really matter. What's needed is a reasonable excuse to shout about. As long as Wang Ni hasn't been registered as a slave in the Chen family or adopted through official documents, she is still considered a member of the Wang family in terms of both sentiment and reason. The two old houses should also belong to them.

As long as they have reason on their side, there's nothing to fear. He had inquired before and found out that Chen Mu had only become a minor Yamen Runner by relying on his father's connections. He has no power or influence and is practically penniless, with bare walls at home.

So what if he's a Yamen Runner?

As long as they don't beat anyone to death or cripple them, even if they take it to the Ward Chief, nothing will happen. If that doesn't work, they can still ask the clan elders for help. He's just a small Yamen Runner; how much influence could he possibly have?

The group surged forward in a mighty mass, causing every household in the street to close their doors. Many people peeked through the cracks, but none knew what Wang Zheng and Wang Zhao's group were up to. They didn't look like gang members, but their menacing appearance clearly indicated they were going to cause trouble.