Making Trouble

Xu Hongyu's warrant as Chief Constable truly took effect the moment it arrived.

With the three-hundred-tael silver bounty warrant tucked into his robes, Chen Mu went to the General Office's storehouse. The head runner in charge merely glanced at it before immediately taking out six large silver ingots, fifty taels each, three hundred taels in total, and handing them to Chen Mu.

At the same time, he was exceedingly courteous to Chen Mu, probing indirectly into Chen Mu's relationship with Xu Hongyu. Like the runner who had led him upstairs earlier, he smilingly took the initiative to befriend him.

People often came to the City Guard Main Division to collect bounty rewards, but few brought slips personally approved by Xu Hongyu. Moreover, this was three hundred taels of silver, and Tang Quan had some reputation as well, so it was only natural that it stirred speculation.

After handing over the silver,

the head runner managing the storehouse even personally escorted Chen Mu outside with a smile.

The whole process was easy and simple. Compared to his last trip to the prison to deal with Zhang Hai's matter, it was as different as heaven and earth. Chen Mu could not help sighing inwardly at the changes brought by strength and authority.

He had gained strength, and thus Xu Hongyu's favor. Then, through that connection, he had borrowed a little of Xu Hongyu's "authority," allowing him to move through the City Guard Main Division without obstruction.

He weighed the heavy silver in his robes.

Three hundred taels was a great deal of silver, but compared to that, the Gold Jade Mo Pi Fa was likely even more precious. Since Xu Hongyu had produced it, it was certainly of a much higher grade than anything from the pawnshops. Even the most expensive manuals in pawnshops could sell for three or four hundred taels, so its claimed value of a thousand gold pieces was hardly false.

"First, I'll go home and put the silver away. Then I still need to make another trip to the City Guard and meet Yamen Director Min."

Chen Mu's thoughts were clear.

Yamen Director Min Min Baoyi was the Runner Office director who oversaw the Nine Stripes Ward Guard Office. Above the five Head Runners, he could be called a true big figure in Nine Stripes Ward, someone whose name carried weight even throughout the entire South District.

For a lowly runner like Chen Mu, the number of times he had seen Min Baoyi over the past few years could be counted on one hand. Usually, any orders were passed down by the Head Runners. Min Baoyi rarely appeared in person.

Xu Hongyu had said she had spoken with this Runner Office director, so his subsequent arrangements had most likely already been made.

Seeing that it was still early,

Chen Mu tucked away the silver and headed home.

At Third Aunt Chen Hong's home.

Today happened to be Zhang Hai's birthday. Butcher Zhang had gotten hold of some intestines and offal, and Chen Hong cooked up a table full of food and wine. For an ordinary household, it was quite a feast, something they might not get to eat even once in several years.

Butcher Zhang, Chen Hong, and Zhang Youying had already taken their seats. Zhang Hai, the man of the hour, had gone out in the morning, and no one knew where he had wandered off to. Even at mealtime, he had yet to return.

"Where has that brat run off to again?"

Butcher Zhang looked at the tableful of food and spoke with some displeasure.

Normally it would have been one thing, but today he had gone to some trouble to get wine and meat. First, it was to celebrate his son's birthday; second, the prison disaster from several months ago had narrowly passed, and that alone warranted celebrating this new year of life. Yet the boy had vanished without a trace.

"This child, honestly. I already told him this morning not to go running around everywhere."

Chen Hong shook her head helplessly.

Zhang Youying gazed outside, secretly wondering whether something had happened to her cousin again.

Just as Butcher Zhang was growing increasingly impatient, hurried footsteps finally sounded outside. Zhang Hai came scampering into the house, ran into the main room, plopped down in his seat, and grabbed a cup to gulp down several mouthfuls.

"So reckless and flustered. What are you doing?"

Butcher Zhang slapped the table and barked at him.

Zhang Hai was not afraid of his father. After drinking enough to wet his throat, he grinned and said, "Mother, guess what I just heard outside?"

Chen Hong placed a piece of meat in Zhang Hai's bowl. "What good fortune did you run into?"

Zhang Hai chuckled. "That nephew of yours snatched someone's granddaughter, occupied their house, and supposedly even beat someone to death. They're gathering people over there right now, marching in a mighty procession to settle scores with him."

Nephew?

Which nephew?

Chen Hong froze at first, then her expression changed abruptly. "Chen Mu? Stop talking nonsense! I know that child's temperament. How could he possibly do such a thing?"

Zhang Hai waved a hand. "Mother, haven't you heard that saying? You know a person, know... what was it again..."

"You know the face, but not the heart."

Zhang Youying blinked from where she sat and quietly supplied the rest.

"Right! You know the face, but not the heart. How do you know he isn't a wicked man? Are there any good people among those who serve as runners these days? I thought last time he was just waiting for something to happen to me. This time, it's his turn for big trouble."

Zhang Hai grinned. "That big Wang Family down south may all be impoverished, but gathering ten or twenty people would be easy enough. He's just a tiny runner, yet he dared do something so heartless and wicked. I'm afraid he won't be able to cover this up."

Chen Hong was alarmed and frightened by what she heard. Seeing Zhang Hai continue to laugh, she could not help scolding him, "How is this good news? What are you laughing for? Why aren't you thinking of a way to help?"

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

Zhang Hai shoveled down several mouthfuls of rice, stuffed some meat into his mouth at random, then ran straight back outside.

"This... this..."

Chen Hong rose anxiously, but for a moment, she did not know what to do.

Butcher Zhang revealed a thoughtful look. Watching Chen Hong, who was also impatient to head out, he said, "Enough, don't go. This is your nephew's business; you shouldn't get involved. If he truly did something so heartless and wicked, he would have no case even if this reached the Ward Chief. Don't go making more trouble."

"But how could Chen Mu possibly do such a thing..."

Chen Hong looked at Butcher Zhang anxiously.

Butcher Zhang said unhurriedly, "If he didn't do it, then there's even less reason for you to go. What is there to fear from mere rumors?"

Zhang Youying silently sat in a corner, put a piece of meat into her mouth, and slowly chewed. She did not join the conversation, merely wearing a thoughtful expression. She did not believe Chen Mu could do such a thing either. In fact, if he truly had the nerve to act that way, she might even think more highly of him. But judging from Zhang Hai's manner, true or false, Chen Mu had likely landed himself in serious trouble.

Fortunately, when Chen Hong had spoken to her about the marriage last time, she had found a way to decline.

Otherwise, if she had already married Chen Mu, would she not be dragged into this trouble as well?

In the alley.

Twenty to thirty people had gathered in a mighty crowd and were heading toward Chen Mu's home.

At the front was Wang Zhao, his face cold. Beside him stood two people who resembled him somewhat, followed by a large group of men carrying axes, shoulder poles, and iron picks.

"Fourth Brother, I'll ask you one more time. Is everything you said true? He's a runner. If we have no grounds, it won't look good if this reaches the Ward Chief."

Someone asked Wang Zhao in a deep voice.

Wang Zhao hesitated before saying, "Uncle's death may have had nothing to do with him, but it is true that he stole the deed and occupied my grandniece. I already checked. Ni Er was never registered at the city yamen. She is neither registered as his family's servant nor does she have adoption papers."

"Then that's enough!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Zheng immediately snorted.

Whether he had occupied a granddaughter, beaten an old man to death, or seized a house, none of that truly mattered. True or false, it was merely a plausible banner they could shout aloud. So long as Wang Ni had not been entered into the Chen Family's servant registry and there was no adoption document, then by both sentiment and reason, she still belonged to the Wang Family. Those two old houses should likewise belong to them.

As long as they had grounds, there was nothing to fear. Wang Zheng had already made inquiries: Chen Mu had merely become a lowly runner by relying on a little favor owed to his father. He had neither power nor influence, and was even dirt poor, with bare walls in his home.

So what if he was a runner?

As long as they did not beat the man to death or cripple him, even if the matter reached the Ward Chief, it would be nothing. If worse came to worst, they could call upon the clan elders. He was only a tiny runner—how much face could he possibly have?

The group surged onward in a mighty mass, causing every household along the streets and alleys to shut its doors. Quite a few people peered through cracks in their doors, though none knew what Wang Zheng, Wang Zhao, and their group were doing. They did not look much like gang members, but with that Killing Intent rising to the heavens, they were clearly heading out to make trouble.