Sending nearly a hundred well-trained Strongmen of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to deal with a gang of street thugs who did nothing but block roads and extort protection money was no different from using an ox-cleaving blade to kill a chicken.
Yang Ge had not even finished his nap before Fang Ke, Gu Tong, and the others returned.
The two men coming to report felt a faint stirring in their hearts when they saw Yang Ge wrapped in his cloak, dozing in the river breeze, and unconsciously softened their footsteps.
As they approached Yang Ge, Gu Tong habitually slowed down, falling a step behind Fang Ke.
Fang Ke stopped instead and reached back to pull him forward.
Gu Tong gave Fang Ke a puzzled look.
Fang Ke gestured toward Yang Ge, inviting him to proceed.
Gu Tong froze for a moment, then came to his senses and solemnly saluted Fang Ke with cupped fists.
Fang Ke smiled.
Gu Tong turned back, wiped his hands on his clothes, then stepped forward, cupped his fists, and bowed. "Sir," he called softly.
Yang Ge pried open his sleepy eyes and glanced at the figure standing before him. "You're back. How did it go?"
Gu Tong replied with utmost respect, "Reporting to you, sir, everything has been dealt with!"
"The dozen or so bastards with blood on their hands were settled on the spot."
"The scum who committed other crimes all had an arm broken. Tomorrow morning, they'll be handed over to the Suzhou authorities to be dealt with according to the law."
"The remaining riffraff each had two fingers cut off and were released..."
"We confiscated one thousand two hundred thirty-nine taels of silver and seven hundred sixty-seven copper coins, along with assorted antiques, paintings, calligraphy, swords, and other weapons."
Fang Ke had