Chapter 172: I'll Beat You to Death

Jin Shun is a drifter and rogue in Chang'an; it is said his ancestors were once wealthy, being descendants of the Western Han figure Jin Ridi, but that former glory is long past.

He has long lost his land; a few years ago he became a vagrant in Chang'an, eking out a living by petty theft.

Later, he pledged allegiance to a "big brother", the leading big brother, who is said to be a retainer of General Wu Zhiyi of the Longwu Army.

Wu Zhiyi, though transferred from Youzhou to Chang'an, has his roots in Hexi, where his clan wields considerable influence. Besides Wu Zhiyi, the notable figures include border general Wu Chengci of the Jiankang Army and his clan brother Wu Chengen. The two are valiant and battle‑savvy, repeatedly achieving feats against the Tufan army, earning the nickname "Yuanmen Two Dragons".

However, the "big brother" Jin Shun serves is not that impressive; he is neither a relative of the Wu family nor an officer in the Longwu Army. He is merely a trusted aide who occasionally does some dirty work for Wu Zhiyi.

Yet even so, his status is still rather impressive!

The Longwu Army's troops are not drawn from the militia but are privately recruited by Li Longji. Consequently, most soldiers are common folk from Chang'an and surrounding prefectures, including many thugs and ruffians, whose local connections are tangled.

Because military discipline restricts them from profiteering throughout Chang'an, many of their officers have their own brothers and relatives operate under the Longwu Army banner, extorting and swindling across the city.

They make money by collecting protection fees, extortion, and the like. In recent years, Chang'an's public order and social atmosphere have deteriorated sharply, directly linked to this.

Under the leadership of that "lead big brother", these thugs have become increasingly comfortable. They usually reside within the Longwu Army's main camp, periodically "paying respects" to senior officers. Since they bring in money, the army's high command turns a blind eye to such petty affairs.

Chen Xuanli is only in charge of attending to Ji Ge, so he cannot concern himself with those petty matters.

In truth, this is merely human nature. In Chang'an, relying on a meager salary and military pay, who can get by? Without some off‑the‑books income, life would be utterly flavorless.

Whenever they face a tough nut, the big brother and his men brandish the Longwu Army's tiger skin, and the other side usually softens up with a payment.

Recently, the big brother took on a big job, and the task is oddly simple: to round up this year's examinees who have come to Chang'an for the imperial exams, in the East and West markets and near Yongle Lane, and beat them.

There is a mysterious man who contacts the big brother daily; each operation is settled within the day, never delayed. Jin Shun vaguely senses something amiss, but he doesn't dwell on it. That's how they operate: the big brother names a target, they strike, and ask no further questions.

Last night, the big brother gathered his eighty‑to‑ninety men and announced that today they'd pull off a big score. The money they'd earn would let each of them live comfortably in Chang'an for a long while.

Upon hearing the news, everyone present was ecstatic, except Jin Shun, whose right eyelid kept twitching, sensing trouble.

Jin Shun voiced his concern to the big brother, saying that dozens of them storming the Jingzhao Prefecture courtyard to beat the gathered examinees is plainly an affront to the authorities, and thus improper. Since ancient times, the people do not fight officials.

The big brother was adamant: this time they must strip the official robe off the Jingzhao Prefect, that corrupt official, and if they don't make a big scene, how could they succeed?

Moreover, the Jinwu Guard has already been redeployed outside the city, and there are few capable fighters inside the Jingzhao Prefecture office. Even if something happens, with eighty‑to‑ninety of our men, if we can't beat them, can't we just flee?

Like before, harassing the examinees required constant tailing and would attract pursuit by Jinwu Guard soldiers, forcing us to retreat back to the Longwu Army garrison—hard‑earned money indeed!

Once this big job is done, everyone will be at ease, with a hefty sum to squander as they wish, no longer having to stand in the sun and wind watching those penniless fools.

The big brother's impassioned speech stirred everyone into agitation; Jin Shun obediently fell silent, yet kept a wary eye, because he constantly felt something was off.

Early this morning, the big brother gathered everyone and announced that at noon they'd strike in front of the Jingzhao Prefecture office at Mingde Lane. He ordered each man to arm himself with a wooden stick, preferably an iron one, and to strike without restraint, ideally killing a few to make a big ruckus.

Shortly after, the scouting brothers returned, telling the big brother that the examinees had indeed gathered in front of the Prefect's office, demanding the court dismiss Zheng Shuqing, their slogans echoing to the heavens!

Hearing this crucial news, the big brother was thrilled, eager to rush in and pummel the crowd.

Yet he held back.

As noon approached, the big brother gave the order; the thugs split into three squads of twenty to thirty each, taking different routes to Guangde Lane, intending to surround the examinees on the open ground before the Jingzhao Prefecture gate and beat them.

Jin Shun feigned unbearable stomach pain, claiming he needed the latrine, and thus slipped away from the formation. He looked around, deliberately waited a while, then slowly fell in behind one of the squads, keeping his distance and merely observing from afar.

However, when the thugs' column passed Yanshou Lane and the vanguard entered the Guangde Lane gate, a contingent of several hundred robust youths emerged from the west gate of Yanshou Lane, each brandishing a stick, blocking the road to Guangde Lane, with officials directing pedestrians to take detours.

At that moment, somewhere inside Guangde Lane, someone was lighting a fire; a black column of smoke rose, strikingly conspicuous.

The skulking Jin Shun, trailing behind, was scolded a few times by these men and dared not approach further.

Sensing trouble, Jin Shun fled without hesitation toward the nearest Golden Light Gate, realizing the big brother and his men had been trapped and were likely to meet their end soon; Chang'an could no longer be stayed.

He guessed that many of the previously beaten examinees had probably seen him, leaving no escape in Chang'an. He decided to see if any nearby prefectures offered a place to hide.

…

Clang— clang— clang— clang— clang—!

The grating sound rang out as the Jingzhao Prefecture gate was forced open; the clerks inside were fully armed, standing in formation with sticks.

"Quick, into the office!"

Yuan Jie hoarsely shouted a single line!

He pushed Du Fu, who sat in a wheelchair, leading the charge into the office; bewildered fellow examinees followed en masse, and, seeing the sternly lined officials in the courtyard, dared not act rashly.

Seeing that all the examinees had entered, the armored Fang Chongyong shouted loudly:

"Close the gate!"

Four burly officials slammed the Jingzhao Prefecture gate shut.

"Everyone, calm down and listen to me!"

Zheng Shuqing stepped up to Yuan Jie and shouted at the still‑shaken examinees behind him:

"Today is the decisive day for the Jingzhao Prefecture to deal with those thugs; please rest briefly inside the office. I have restrained myself until now only to give you a show today—watch closely as I eliminate these pests for the people!"

Zheng Shuqing raised his arm and shouted.

"Everyone, we previously misjudged the Prefect. Now, feel free to rest inside the Jingzhao Prefecture office; after the Prefect deals with those thugs, we can go out later!"

Yuan Jie turned and shouted at the varied‑looking examinees behind him. At last, he no longer had to play the role of a stooge.

Hearing Zheng Shuqing and Yuan Jie's words, the examinees in the courtyard finally quieted and ceased their unrest. They gathered in small groups, whispering, and idly lingered wherever they could, naturally forming clusters of people.

Outside the Jingzhao Prefecture office, the thugs who had come to Mingde Lane to beat the examinees were stunned! The out‑of‑town examinees who had just gathered vanished in an instant. Their three squads had arrived from different directions and converged here; logically, the examinees could not have escaped, as any route would be blocked by one of the squads.

Unless… those people were ushered into the Jingzhao Prefecture office!

If that is indeed the case, it proves the whole affair was a trap from start to finish!

"Retreat quickly, head north via Yanshou Lane!"

The lead big brother shouted, then turned and sprinted toward the lane gate.

The thugs behind him wore bewildered expressions; once they recovered, they too turned and fled, each cursing themselves for being born with only two legs!

However, by the time these thugs realized, it was already too late.

Not only Yanshou Lane, but also the West Market gate was shut. The bustling street, normally teeming with a torrent of people, was now empty—no ghost of a passerby in sight, the whole road eerily silent.

The lead big brother stared at the robust crowd blocking the northern street, each clutching a stick, feeling they were watching them with ill intent.

The southern side of the thugs' formation was likewise sealed off by an astonishing number of robust youths; a street over a hundred meters wide was tightly blocked.

This definitely isn't just people from one district, right?

The leading brother felt a surge of helplessness.

He saw that in the troops on both the north and south sides, some were holding small flags and drums, apparently for command, and his heart sank to the bottom of a valley.

As a retainer of the Wu family, he had never served in the army and, being lazy and cowardly, never dared to go onto the battlefield, yet he had seen quite a bit. Seeing this formation, he knew he was definitely doomed this time!

"Rush northward, and running back to the Longwu Army main camp will be safe!"

The leading brother shouted, and was the first to charge toward the crowd gathered at Yanshou Fang. Those crowds, made up of young strong men from within the district, were indeed watching them with ill intent, because the Jingzhao Prefecture had posted a bounty:

Kill a thug and receive ten strings of cash! If the killer cannot be identified, the reward will be divided among the squads.

Normally, the common folk of Chang'an do a lot of menial labor, all as unpaid compulsory work. Situations like this, where one can earn money with no risk, are truly rare!

"Kill them!"

Someone among the crowds organized by each district shouted loudly; it was the young strong men that Fang Chongyong had ordered the Jinwu Guard soldiers to disguise as.

The troops on both the north and south sides began to move slowly but steadily toward this thug squad of fewer than a hundred, and the leading brother tried to break a path from the north; before he could enter the crowd, he was immediately repelled by countless sticks.

Facing such a mountain‑pressing force, these thugs, like trapped beasts fighting, surged like rabid tigers, charging in packs into the solid, wall‑thick young strong men troops, and then they were like waves crashing against reefs—shattered, kicked to the ground, surrounded and beaten until their flesh and blood were a mess!

Then, like a scrap of paper, they were trampled over.

"Where is the Prefect of Jingzhao? I surrender! Catch me! Come catch me! Aren't you already catching me?"

Without any warning, the leading brother suddenly knelt on the ground and shouted toward the direction of Guangde Fang!

As this group of thugs fled out of Guangde Fang, the district gates were then closed, causing the gang of thugs to be blocked on a relatively wide street, with all the district gates and side streets on both sides sealed off by the local young strong men troops!

The leading brother's pleas had no effect, and no one felt sympathy.

The young strong men troops organized by the surrounding districts continued to approach slowly, forcing all thugs attempting to break the blockade into an ever‑narrower area.

Then they surrounded them and fought until they were dead!

"Help!"

"Don't kill me!"

"It's my fault! Where is the Jingzhao Prefecture? Where are the clerks? Come catch me! I'm begging you!"

"Ah… no!"

"Zheng Shuqing, I damn you XX!"

Outside Guangde Fang, the wails of the thugs rose and fell, and even the people inside the Jingzhao Prefecture Office could hear the frantic shouts, the pitiful cries and the helpless moans.

"Heaven's sins may be forgiven, but self‑inflicted sins cannot be survived. Why do people always think they can't be killed?"

Hearing these wails in the front courtyard of the Jingzhao Prefecture Office, Fang Chongyong couldn't help but sigh lightly.

A chess piece should have the awareness of being a chess piece; once it loses its purpose, it becomes a discarded piece. In the vast city of Chang'an, aside from Ji Ge, who else has the right to be a player? Why do many pieces always think they are like the players, free and unrestrained?

A small gang of thugs, relying on their connection to the Longwu Army, thought they could do as they pleased; after being deceived, they even dared to cause trouble right in front of the Jingzhao Prefecture Office.

Who gave them that courage?

At this moment, Fang Chongyong deeply understood what "the ignorant are fearless" means.

……

"The mountain spring water of Zhongnan Mountain is truly superb."

Watching the tea swirling in the kettle and the fragrant aroma, Li Longji couldn't help but comment. Seeing Gao Lishi skillfully pour the tea into the cup, he couldn't help but nod in approval.

Life in the mountains is rather elegant and quiet; he felt his temperament had become a bit milder, like a celestial being in the heavens, laughing at the joys and sorrows of the mortal world.

"Brother slave, we're about to cast the net now; I wonder how it will end if we finally reach the Left Prime Minister's side?"

Li Longji asked with a half‑smile.

"Your Majesty, these are merely small tricks performed in the tea cup, they won't cause any real trouble. Just watch the two sides' techniques; the court situation remains under your control."

Gao Lishi handed the slightly cooled tea cup to Li Longji with both hands.

At that moment, a eunuch attached to the carriage handed the letter that had just been sent from Chang'an City to Gao Lishi, then stepped back.

"Your Majesty… the outcome has already been decided."

Gao Lishi tore open the letter, read it at a glance, then handed it to Li Longji, sighing with a hint of emotion.

"Oh? That was quick."

Li Longji inadvertently took the letter, flipped through page by page, and finally couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Zheng Shuqing, that old dog, does have some tricks; this round was played beautifully!"

Ji Ge's enthusiasm seemed high; he nodded slightly and said to Gao Lishi:

"Since Fang Chongyong this kid wants to take the imperial exams, let him study properly. Remove his position as Jinwu Guard Zhonglang General, order him not to leave home before my birthday, and have him study at home. I intend to make him the top scholar."

"Here, then I'll go back to Chang'an?"

"Hmm, you go yourself."

Li Longji, with a calm expression, nodded and said.

The book has finally become a premium edition; thank you all for your support.

(End of chapter)