Zhao Wuxu's teeth ached again.
He shook his head vigorously to banish the image from his mind.
Let's get down to business first.
Smash the shop, confiscate all the valuables, and take it back to show your godmother.
Let my godmother know that her newly adopted godson can not only cure headaches, but also make money.
Zhao Wuxu felt his plan was flawless.
Mixue Ice City, located in the west of the city.
The busiest time of day is in the afternoon.
A long queue formed in front of the shop, and children chased each other around the alleyway, holding bamboo tubes of fruit tea. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of honeydew melon and ice cubes colliding.
Batuer sat on a bench by the door, legs spread apart, with a large, glistening, braised pork knuckle in front of him.
She gripped the elbow bone in one hand, took a bite, and the grease dripped down her wrist and into her sleeve.
There was still sauce on the corner of her mouth, but she didn't care at all, focusing on eating the pork knuckle.
Chen Qing stood beside her.
He held in his hands a pair of brand-new, thick-soled soap boots, black with red edges, fine stitching, and the leather surface was rubbed with tung oil three times.
" Brother Ba! You didn't like the last pair, so look at these new boots!"
Chen Qing held up the boots in front of Batuer, his eyes shining.
"Made by Old Zhou Clan in the east of the city! The soles are made from a whole cowhide! I had them thickened by three-tenths of an inch! Brother Ba, you're strong, so walking wears out your shoes. These boots will last you two years!"
Batuer glanced at him and continued gnawing on his pork knuckle.
"Don't want."
"Don't rush to refuse!" Chen Qing turned the boot around to show the bottom.
"Look at this texture, it's non-slip! It won't slip even on rainy days! Brother Ba, if you slip when you're moving that stone lion..."
"I said no," Batuer's voice came muffled from behind his elbow.
Chen Qing's expression visibly showed a hint of grievance, but he quickly cheered up again.
He carefully placed the boots next to the bench, took out a handkerchief from his pocket, and unfolded it in front of Batuer.
" Brother Ba, you have sauce on your lips..."
Batuer didn't even look up. "I know."
"I'll help you..."
"Take one more step forward, and I'll shove this elbow bone into your mouth."
Chen Qing was taken aback.
Batuer's snow-white wrists were covered in sauce and grease, but the curve of his wrists remained.
Chen Qing swallowed hard.
What a wonderful thing it would be to share a bowl of pork knuckle with Brother Ba.
He suddenly remembered his business, patted his chest, and straightened his back.
" Brother Ba! Look!" He turned and pointed towards the alley entrance.
"My patrol team! Thirty people! Five teams of six people each! All lined up!"
In the alley, thirty thugs squatted in a row, some eating steamed buns, some picking their ears, and some poking the back of the head of the person next to them with a long stick.
Chen Qing completely failed to notice these details.
He only saw thirty people squatting in a row, which he found quite impressive.
"I'll lead the team myself!" Chen Qing patted his chest. "Anyone who dares to be disrespectful in front of Brother Ba, I, Chen Qing, will be the first to object!"
Batuer threw the elbow bone into the bucket and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.
"You're always hanging around me, don't you have to go back to your master and report back?"
Chen Qing paused for a moment, then waved his hand.
"I've already handed in my assignment! Brother Ba, are you worried about me?!"
Batuer stood up, and was about half a head taller than Chen Qing.
She looked down at him and tapped his chest with her greasy finger.
"You're sick in the head."
Chen Qing's face flushed red.
It's not out of shame.
I am happy.
Brother Ba not only cared about him, he even touched him! Brother Ba touched his chest on his own initiative!
His fingers, gripping the handkerchief, were trembling.
Just then, the sound of orderly footsteps came from the street corner.
Thirteen people.
The one at the very front wore a bamboo-green brocade robe with a brass waist tag; he had a handsome face and a gentle demeanor.
Behind him were twelve burly men, each with a sword at their waist, moving in unison.
People queuing to buy tea were pushed aside. Some stumbled and fell, while others cried out in surprise.
Zhao Wuxu walked to the entrance of Mixue Ice City.
My gaze swept over the red sign with white lettering, and then over the snowman wearing a crown on it.
He lifted his right foot.
He kicked the pillar of the snowman wooden sign.
"Click--"
Wood chips flew everywhere.
The signboard lay askew on the ground, and half of the snowman's head was broken off, rolling to Batuer's feet.
Zhao Wuxu stood with his hands behind his back, his chin slightly raised.
"The Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's Office conducts a routine inspection--"
A sharp, piercing bamboo whistle cut his words in two.
When the bamboo whistle came out of Chen Qing's mouth, Zhao Wuxu's next sentence was still stuck in his throat.
Chen Qing's reaction was ten times faster than he had expected.
The sawdust hadn't all fallen yet.
Thirty thugs who were squatting against the wall stood up at the same time.
Steamed buns fell all over the floor.
Their hands had already reached the long stick and round shield leaning against the corner of the wall.
Zhao Wuxu's twelve personal guards were still shoving the tea drinkers, completely unaware of what was happening behind them.
Chen Qing took the bamboo whistle out of his mouth and licked his lips.
His eyes were red.
It's not anger.
It's excitement.
An excitement that had been suppressed for a long time, finally getting the chance.
He looked at Zhao Wuxu.
A strange man, dressed in luxurious clothes and swaggering, kicked and smashed the signboard of Brother Ba's shop.
A hero saves a damsel in distress.
Thank God.
A voice screamed in Chen Qing's heart: Opportunity! This is an opportunity! A golden chance to showcase myself in front of Brother Ba!
He turned and glanced at Batuer.
Batuer was looking down at the half-snowman head that had rolled to his feet, his expression indifferent.
She looked up at Zhao Wuxu.
"Who told you to kick me?"
Zhao Wuxu finally finished speaking the sentence that had been interrupted.
"The Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's Office is conducting a routine inspection; I, this young master, am ordered to examine this..."
"Shut up." Chen Qing stepped forward, standing between Batuer and Zhao Wuxu.
His entire demeanor changed.
She was no longer the flirtatious butterfly that fluttered around Batuer.
Stand upright with your chin level and your left hand resting on the hilt of the short knife at your waist.
The murderous aura honed over years of undercover work was unleashed without reservation at this moment.
"You kicked it." Chen Qing stared into Zhao Wuxu's eyes. "You kicked the Shopkeeper Ba's signboard."
Zhao Wuxu frowned. Who is this person? Judging from his attire, he doesn't seem to be a waiter.
"This young master is from the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's Office—"
"Bullshit, daring to pretend to be the government." Chen Qing's voice suddenly rose, carrying an almost manic excitement.
"The Provincial Surveillance Commissioner has no son at all!"
"You kicked down Brother Ba's signboard! Do you know that Brother Ba cleans that signboard by hand every morning? Do you know that the snowman on it is Brother Ba's favorite thing?!"
He turned around and shouted into the alley, "Brothers! Did you all see that?! Someone's smashing up the Shopkeeper Ba's place!"
The thirty thugs all looked up at once.
The leader, Zhang Dachui, was the shirtless man who had been intimidated by Batuer's stone lion earlier. He picked up a long iron stick and slammed it on the ground.
"I saw it!"
"What do we do!" Chen Qing roared.
"Break its legs!" the thirty men shouted in unison.
Zhao Wuxu's expression finally changed.
He took half a step back, and the twelve guards behind him finally reacted, drawing their swords in unison.
"How dare you!" Zhao Wuxu's voice tightened as he pulled out a brass waist token from his robes and held it high above his head.
"The Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's Office is carrying out its duties! Anyone who dares to obstruct it will be punished for disobeying orders!"
"I am the son of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's wife!"
The waist tag gleamed with a bronze sheen in the sunlight.
The alleyway fell silent for a moment.
The tea drinkers retreated, some hiding in alleys, others peeking from behind walls.
Chen Qing looked at the waist tag.
Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's Office
The old man didn't have a son, but the waist tag was genuine.
He quickly calculated in his mind: His Highness Prince An, a prince, a true member of the imperial family.
The Provincial Surveillance Commissioner? He's just a dog under Prince An's command. How dare he challenge His Highness Prince An's men?
What's more, this shop is backed by Prince Yi!
Moreover, with the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner being so high-profile, how will he work for Prince An in the future?
I must teach them a lesson!
Never mind, no matter what, this guy attacked the shop first without provocation!
Chen Qing grinned.
He turned and glanced at Batuer.
Batuer was wiping the sauce off his hands with a handkerchief and didn't even look at him.
But Chen Qing felt that Brother Ba must be secretly hoping that he would step forward.
Absolutely.
"Form ranks!"
Chen Qing drew his short sword, pointing the tip at Zhao Wuxu.
"Front row, shields up! Back row, long poles ready!"