Chapter 668: The Deep Waters of Jincheng

The urgent beat of wooden clappers and the clash of gongs and drums tore through the morning mist.

Near Hou Family Alley, flames blazed fiercely, visible even several streets away.

This brothel was a three-court courtyard, sizable in area, but after renovations, it was crammed with too many additions: a canopy erected in the front court for gambling, flammable materials packed into small rooms in the middle court, and the rear court tightly packed.

Because it was near the docks and crowded with people, minor fires were usually doused with water on the spot.

But Li Yan's wild slaughter terrified patrons and prostitutes into fleeing, left the hangers-on and enforcers dead or wounded, and left no one to attend to the fire—flames grew fiercer, soon swallowing the entire Cuixi Hall, and the corpse of One-Eyed Lu Ye turned black and charred in the blaze.

Fortunately, this area had more than one brothel.

Other brothels, fearing the fire would spread, sent people to extinguish it.

Of course, the chaos was far from over.

Inside Cuixi Hall, some shrewd prostitutes secretly slipped brothel banknotes into their bosoms; gamblers who had lost everything took advantage of the chaos to loot, fought with enforcers from other brothels, and others seized the chance to stab their enemies in the back…

In a place of sensual indulgence, human desires were amplified endlessly.

Outsiders saw only the red lanterns and wine, unaware of the treachery within.

A single fire ignited the chaos.

But this prosperous part of Jincheng was not without order.

Even if the authorities did nothing, someone else would act.

A dense thrum of footsteps surged from the streets beyond.

Hundreds of burly men charged in, each terrifying as demons, wielding wooden clubs, iron chains, and daggers, their blue-scaled official badges flashing under torchlight so brightly they blinded onlookers; they stormed into the alley and beat anyone causing trouble.

They seized a prostitute crawling out with a silver chest and smashed her skull with a jujube-wood club.

The gamblers, bloodshot and looting, were cornered against walls and beaten into bloody pulp with iron chains and clubs.

"Listen up, all of you!"

A tattooed bald man roared: "The Jinghai Gang is hunting the arsonist! Anyone with silver is a thief!"

As if still unsatisfied, he grabbed a gambler's hair, flipped his dagger, and slit his throat on the spot.

Under the Jinghai Gang's brutal might, the chaos finally subsided.

With no more disturbances, firefighting became orderly.

Under the command of an experienced middle-aged man, the fire was gradually brought under control.

At dawn, only the charred ruins of Cuixi Hall still smoked faintly.

The charred corpse of One-Eyed Lu Ye was found; several hoodlums dragged it to the alley's corner.

There stood a small sedan, crafted from sandalwood, with Sichuan silk curtains.

Four tall, muscular porters stood around it, arms crossed, on guard.

Their features were identical—they were quadruplets—and each had a flintlock pistol tucked at his waist.

"Report to Third Master."

A Jinghai Gang man bowed respectfully: "We found Lu Ye's body."

"Investigate."

A deep, cold voice came from within the sedan.

At once, an old man stepped forward.

He carried a wooden chest; when opened, it held all manner of chisels, axes, and tools.

Had any official been present, they would have recognized him as the most experienced coroner in the yamen.

The old coroner knelt beside the charred corpse, wrapped his hands in blue cloth, peeled back the blackened skin, and examined the slanted fracture of the tibia; after careful inspection, his throat rumbled with a hoarse voice: "A masterful Guanzhong swift-knife bone-removal technique!"

Then, with a crane-beak tweezers, he lifted the charred flesh from the skull, his eyes flickering with surprise:

"A flying knife pierced the brain—what clan's hidden weapon is so vicious? I've never heard of such a thing…"

"Not a hidden weapon."

The voice from the sedan spoke again: "Have you found the others in the hall?"

"Back to Third Master, we captured a few—bring them up!"

The Jinghai Gang man bowed, then turned and ordered the trembling enforcers of Cuixi Hall dragged forward.

"It was one man, masked, with very pale skin…"

"He used a sword, and small knives flew through the air…"

"He killed Wu the Stutterer first…"

Without daring to hide anything, they spoke in overlapping fragments, piecing together the events.

Inside the sedan, silence stretched long, then the voice spoke again.

"Where is our cargo?"

"Back to Third Master, it was all burned."

"Go to the Cao Gang, deliver a formal invitation—ask Liu the Black Hand for tea."

"Also, issue orders: watch for a group entering Jincheng."

"Their leader is named Li Yan."

"Remember: locate their lodging, but do not make contact!"

"Yes, Third Master!"

After giving the orders, the four quadruplet giants immediately lifted the sedan and departed.

Along the way, Jinghai Gang men continually approached to receive instructions.

And one by one, Jinghai Gang men were dispatched to various parts of the city…

…………

As the sun rose, the smell of charred flesh from Hou Family Alley drifted to Sancha Mouth.

Old Yang scooped fried dough balls from the oil pot, sniffed, and muttered, "What's going on?"

The old woman helping in the kitchen whispered: "Last night, the firelight glowed crimson—we heard Hou Family Alley caught fire!"

"You don't know, do you?"

A hauler eating his meal grinned mysteriously, his yellowed teeth exposed: "That's the smell of Cuixi Hall burning—like charred chicken…"

Before he finished, the team leader kicked him in the buttocks: "Stop babbling—don't invite disaster! Eat your fill and get back to carrying loads!"

The people of Jincheng weren't fools—they sensed something was off about the fire.

But common folk dared not meddle in such matters; they treated it as idle gossip.

Yet the underworld of Jincheng was already churning with hidden currents.

At the Nanshi wrestling arena, massive, bare-chested men wrestled, kicking up clouds of yellow dust, their cheers shaking the roof.

On the bench beside the ring sat a middle-aged man wearing dark glasses, spinning two Baoding iron balls in his hands.

"Who the hell is this Li Yan?"

He spat out tea dregs: "Dares he touch Jinghai Gang's territory?"

The bald man whispered: "They say he's a river-crossing dragon from Guanzhong—Even Master Lu of the Tongbi Clan is dead because of him."

"A river-crossing dragon?"

The middle-aged man sneered: "On the Hai River, even dragons must coil! Tell the boys: today at noon, we serve free jiaozi—eat your fill, then come with me to meet this guy!"

"But…"

The bald man quickly whispered: "Third Master said not to act rashly…"

*Slap!

Before he finished, he was slapped hard, staggering sideways.

The middle-aged man rose abruptly, face grim: "Don't move yet—Jincheng has too many eyes. Do you want them laughing at the Jinghai Gang?"

"Yu Wenhai only burns the third incense stick—the Jinghai Gang isn't his to command!"

……

In the eastern city, outside the Jade Emperor Temple.

It stood near the mouth of Sancha River, not far from the Tianhou Palace.

This Jade Emperor Pavilion was the largest Daoist temple in Jincheng.

Its archway had four pillars and three bays; the front bore the plaque "Only Heaven Is Great," the rear read "Heavenly Holy Sovereign," and with its mountain gate, bell and drum towers, side halls, hexagonal pavilion, main hall, and Qingxu Tower, its scale was considerable for a populous city like Jincheng.

On the ninth day of the first lunar month, legend says, the Jade Emperor's birthday, all the stars of heaven descend to earth.

Thus, every year on the eighth day of the first lunar month, the faithful of Jincheng flock to the Jade Emperor Pavilion to burn incense—called the Jade Emperor Festival.

Aside from the Tianhou Palace, this place had the most vigorous incense offerings.

Daily, crowds of worshippers thronged it; outside, beside incense and candle shops, stood all manner of food stalls.

Inside a breakfast shop, Li Yan sat on a bench, sipping Gaba Cai, his green pea flour pancake soaked in a coarse porcelain bowl until soft and fluffy.

He hadn't slept all night; though not tired, he was ravenous.

In moments, he devoured two portions of breakfast.

After eating, he ordered a pot of tea and watched the Jade Emperor Pavilion across the way, lost in thought.

He was no novice; after countless trials, the Twelve Zodiac Teams were seasoned and experienced.

The situation in Jincheng was complex.

But no matter how complex, it couldn't compare to Chengdu or Luoyang.

Realizing the waters here ran deep and multiple factions were entangled, Li Yan immediately changed his approach.

Last night's rampage at Cuixi Hall had stirred the snakes.

He hadn't left last night—he'd waited outside Hou Family Alley, and finally caught sight of Third Master Yu Wenhai of the Jinghai Gang.

In the sky, hawks circled overhead, aiding Li Yan in tracking them.

The locations where the other side sent their messages were all recorded by Lu San of the Jinzhou Guildhall.

Li Yan's plan was simple: since the killer had been identified, root them out completely.

Elsewhere, with mountains high and the emperor far away, it would truly be difficult to handle.

But here, this is Jinmen Wei.

No matter how chaotic, it is still beneath the Son of Heaven's feet, where the Commandant's Office and the Xuan Sacrificial Office converge.

Find all those involved, and notify the Commandant's Office to move.

Regarding the Nine Tripods and the Jianmu organization, no one in the Commandant's Office would dare disobey orders.

Yet, the situation took a turn.

He had not expected that this Yu Wenhai had ultimately fled to the Jade Emperor Temple.

From Jinmen to the capital, the Tai Xuan Zheng Jiao holds sway; whether the City God Temple or the Jade Emperor Temple, both are under its influence.

Could it be that the Tai Xuan Zheng Jiao has also been corrupted?

Thinking of this, Li Yan's expression grew serious.

It was no wonder he suspected—Jinmen had become this way; the Daoists here could not possibly be unaware…

Suddenly, his heart stirred, and he turned toward the left entrance.

A pilgrim in a gray cotton robe strode in.

Tall and sturdy, with a full beard, he was followed by several servants, each with sharp eyes.

"Bring me some fried cakes—with extra sugar!"

The gray-robed pilgrim pulled back his robe and sat at Li Yan's table; after ordering the snack, he smiled and said:

"Young Master Li, Jinmen's fried cakes are crisp—better than Guanzhong's lamb dumplings?"

Li Yan smiled too. "Brother Tian, long time no see."

The newcomer was Tian Battalion Commander of the Capital Commandant's Office.

After Li Yan first discovered Zhao Changsheng, his friend Luo Mingzi in Chang'an had been transferred to the capital and, under the Emperor's orders, gathered elite forces from all quarters to investigate and hunt Zhao Changsheng.

This Tian Battalion Commander was one of those members; he met Liang Zihu, then disguised himself and entered Shu, but when news of Zhao Changsheng reached the south, he left early and missed the great battle in Chengdu Prefecture.

Chen San at Zhangqiu Town had informed Jinmen of the secret order.

Li Yan had sent a signal on the road, but he never expected Tian Battalion Commander to come.

"Indeed."

Hearing Li Yan's greetings, Tian Battalion Commander sighed. "I never imagined Chengdu would erupt into such a major incident. Thank heaven for Young Master Li—if not for you, countless lives would have been lost in Shu, and we would have been to blame. On the way back, I even heard whispers of the Twelve Yuan Chen."

"Just fortunate timing."

Li Yan shook his head slightly. "What did you find in Jiangnan?"

At his question, Tian Battalion Commander's eyes dimmed, and he spoke in a low, grave tone: "Jiangnan is complicated. We only learned that Zhao Changsheng's last appearance was wiping out a Danmin village—and it involved Japanese pirates."

"We walked into an ambush. Heavy casualties. Only three of us survived."

"Zhao Changsheng isn't alone—he has many skilled fighters with him. They move unseen. We can't handle them."

Li Yan listened without surprise.

The Jianmu organization, as far as he knew, consisted of nothing but formidable old monsters.

The Commandant's Office elites could handle ordinary martial artists.

But against these fellows, they were truly outmatched.

As they spoke, the eatery had grown quiet.

It was Tian Battalion Commander's men who had cleared the place; only the old man trembled as he brought the fried cakes.

The fried cakes were golden, dusted with powdered sugar, their aroma rich.

Without a word, Tian Battalion Commander picked one up and shoved it into his mouth, chewing as he joked: "Don't laugh, Young Master Li—I've been away from Jinmen a year, and I've missed this taste. I wouldn't trade it for a Commandant's post."

Then he lowered his voice: "I just returned and saw the secret order. What do you need us to do?"

"There's a Jianmu stronghold in Jinmen!"

Li Yan didn't waste words—he laid out his findings one by one.

This man had been strongly recommended by Luo Mingzi, and they had worked together before—he could be trusted.

"The Jinghai Gang?!"

Tian Battalion Commander froze, slowly setting down his chopsticks.

Li Yan frowned slightly. "What? Is the Commandant's Office afraid of a martial sect?"

"Young Master Li doesn't understand."

Tian Battalion Commander shook his head, glancing outside. "To be honest, I came from this Jinmen Wei Commandant's Office. This place looks like nothing but a canal dock, but in truth, every thread ties back to the capital."

"These martial sects can't be wiped out. If pushed too hard, they'll ally with the Miler Jiao, rally followers, and rebel. So the court's strategy has always been balance—never allowing any one faction to dominate."

Li Yan immediately understood. "So the Jinghai Gang's dominance in Jinmen is backed by the capital?"

Tian Battalion Commander nodded, glancing around, then whispered: "Founding nobility."

At that, Li Yan understood at once.

The founding emperor of Da Xuan, Xiao Chengyou, had originally been a general of the previous dynasty, Da Xing. After being distrusted and humiliated by the Da Xing emperor, and with the Jinzhang Wolf Kingdom invading from the north, he rose in rebellion out of rage.

Back then, not only did the Tai Xuan Zheng Jiao and martial artists form the Shenquan Hui to aid him, but several fellow generals in the army also threw their full support behind him—even the early Miler Jiao rose in response.

United, these forces reversed the tide and drove the Jinzhang Wolf Kingdom out of Shenzhou.

Aside from the Miler Jiao later turning against the court, all other factions gained rewards.

The Tai Xuan Zheng Jiao became the state religion; the Shenquan Hui, though fallen, still served as the balance between martial circles and the court.

The generals and commanders who had joined the rebellion were promoted and ennobled after the founding of the dynasty.

More than a dozen were granted princely or marquis titles.

Their influence rivaled that of feudal princes, and they maintained deep ties with the military.

"The Jinghai Gang's backer is the Ying Wang Fu."

Tian Battalion Commander didn't hide it. "The Ying Wang long ago accompanied His Majesty on northern campaigns, earning great military merit. After returning, he immediately surrendered his command and shut himself away from visitors—thus earning the Emperor's deep trust. But the Ying Wang is sentimental, and he has always looked after his old subordinates."

"The former head of the Jinghai Gang, Lu Jinghai, was once a fierce naval commander who knew secret water combat techniques. But he was expelled from the army for violating military law. Later, he founded the Jinghai Gang in Jinmen, and with the Wang Fu's protection, it grew steadily."

He turned his head toward the Jade Emperor Pavilion. "Lu Jinghai now rarely involves himself in gang affairs. I hear he's secluded in the Jade Emperor Pavilion, cultivating the Dao…"

(End of Chapter)