Lan Province was the eighth-largest of the Yue Kingdom's thirteen provinces and lay in the kingdom's south.
Jiayuan City stood in central Lan Province. Although it was not the provincial capital, it was the largest city in the province.
The waterways here were extensive. The Xianglu Grand Canal, which ran through the Yue Kingdom from north to south, passed through the heart of the city, while several other major land and water routes also converged here. Jiayuan City thus enjoyed exceptionally convenient transportation and could rightly be called a hub of waterborne traffic and a major artery of commerce.
Countless merchants and travelers passed through each year, greatly stimulating local trade.
Major transportation routes, flourishing commerce, a large population, thriving trades-all these factors together had spawned hundreds of gangs, large and small, in Jiayuan City.
These gangs engaged in every imaginable line of business, from manual labor and shipping to running restaurants and brothels...
The Siping Gang was one of Jiayuan City's best-known gangs. Although it could not yet compare with the largest gangs, it was unquestionably among the strongest of the medium-sized factions.
Four years earlier, the Siping Gang had been only one of the thirty-three minor gangs in the western district, with just over a thousand members, most of whom were dock porters and laborers.
But one day four years ago, the Siping Gang had undergone a sudden upheaval. A minor leader named Sun Ergou had somehow acquired powerful backing and wiped out most of the gang's senior leadership overnight.
He had then appointed himself gang leader, slaughtering every last person who refused to submit. After a storm of blood and slaughter, Sun Ergou had secured his position.
Sun Ergou also possessed some talent for leadership. Under his direction, the Siping Gang had fought and struggled for several