Wutong Ward.
Compared to Nine Stripes Ward, Wutong Ward was not much larger in overall jurisdiction, but because it lay closer to the center of the South District, it was far more prosperous. There were few cramped, congested alleys; most were relatively broad streets and lanes.
With its larger population and greater prosperity, Wutong Ward City Guard was also somewhat bigger than its counterpart in Nine Stripes Ward. Its three shifts of Yamen Runners numbered more than three hundred, under the separate command of seven Head Runners, surpassing Nine Stripes Ward in both manpower and other respects.
Even so.
The authority held by Wutong Ward's Runner Office was far inferior to that of Min Baoyi in Nine Stripes Ward.
For one thing, Wutong Ward's forces were tangled and diverse. There were six or seven gangs on par with the Red Gold Gang, along with many powerful local clans. Furthermore, being close to the center of the South District meant it often had to submit to the City Guard Main Division's control.
Unlike Nine Stripes Ward, where the mountains stood high and the emperor was far away, with only a few sizable gangs. Min Baoyi was practically a local emperor there, his word absolute. Even the Red Gold Gang did not dare openly oppose him. Thus, during Chen Mu's time as a head runner in Nine Stripes Ward, aside from that vicious ambush, he had encountered virtually no other trouble.
Wutong Ward City Guard.
The entire City Guard compound was considerably more spacious than the one in Nine Stripes Ward. At its very center stood a small two-story building that appeared to have been newly constructed within the last few years. The other buildings showed no signs of age either, all kept neat and spotless.
When Chen Mu led Liu Song