Chapter 97: The Official Side (First Update)

As soon as the words left his mouth, Zhao Jin lifted the spear in his hands and brought it straight down. Tuft of Hair, who had been gleefully talking away up front, took the heavy shaft square on the shoulder. Caught completely off guard, he sprawled flat on the ground. Just as he was about to raise his head, the spearpoint stabbed into the dirt right beside his neck, and he immediately froze, not daring to move.

"In front of officers of the law, bearing sharp weapons and committing violence in the street — are you planning rebellion?" a blue-robed official holding an iron ruler shouted.

"If you know what's good for you, drop your weapons and come to the yamen to explain yourselves. Otherwise, once the main force arrives, it'll be kill on sight!" another man followed with a yell.

They delivered this spiel very smoothly. If used to bluff someone who didn't know better, it really could intimidate a few. Once they made this show of force, everyone except Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng — Wang Zhaojing included — changed expression.

Zhao Jin kept the spear in his hands pinning Tuft of Hair to the ground, but he turned to look at Chen Sheng beside him with a grin. Chen Sheng's face was all smiles. The two exchanged a glance and couldn't help bursting into loud laughter.

The two of them acting so utterly unconcerned infuriated the three blue-robed officials, who thought to themselves that a couple of half-grown kids were still this brazen. Yet these eight half-grown kids opposite them, never mind that they were all tall and sturdy, were also carrying weapons meant for the battlefield, and looked ferociously dangerous. The three didn't dare force a confrontation.

The big man with the chain hanging at his waist glanced around and bellowed, "Why haven't you sounded the alarm gong yet? These lot have got to be river-and-sea bandits!"

"The constable office has twenty-eight constables. Whose men are you?" Zhao Jin cut them off.

The moment they heard "the constable office has twenty-eight constables," the three big men all froze. Ordinary folk didn't have that kind of knowledge. Anyone who could come and go from the government offices was assumed to be a runner or constable; many people didn't even know the term "constable office."

In the city, there were over a thousand unofficial runners doing government work, all claiming to be constables and officers from the yamen. Who knew which ones actually drew the court's pay and which were just foxes borrowing a tiger's might, let alone the exact number of constables on the constable office's official roster.

Someone who could say such a thing likely had no shallow connection to the yamen. Before the three men could speak, Zhao Jin added with a smile, "You don't even recognize me, and you're out here throwing your weight around? Do you really think you're somebody?"

An officially rostered constable's status was immeasurably higher than that of an unofficial runner. With his own father's connections, how could Zhao Jin possibly care about the few men in front of him?

"You—" At this, never mind throwing their weight around, the three blue-robed men instead couldn't fathom how deep the waters here ran.

They had just gotten out that one word when Chen Sheng over on the side lost patience and directly shouted, "Get lost! Or we'll strip that skin right off your backs."

They had come swaggering with might and authority, but now they were being scolded until they couldn't lift their heads. Their pride truly couldn't take it. The one with the chain at his waist already knew things were bad, yet he still steeled himself and said, "Give us a name..."

"My father is Chen Wu!" Chen Sheng said bluntly.

The moment the name of the yamen's Chief Constable was spoken, these three men were instantly dumbstruck. They opened their mouths and closed them, not a single word coming out. After a moment, without another word, the three turned and left, walking faster and faster, until at the street corner they broke into a dead sprint.

Tuft of Hair, sprawled on the ground, was ashen with despair. Big Head Huang was wooden and blank. The various characters outside the courtyard were all dumbstruck as wooden chickens. These government runners had always been awe-inspiring and majestic before them, figures who seemed to belong to the heavens. They never imagined that today they would be like mice seeing a cat, thwarted at every turn.

Many of these street toughs and scoundrels of the jianghu had never heard Chen Wu's name. To them, the Chief Constable of Xuzhou was truly a figure beyond common knowledge.

They hadn't heard it, but Tuft of Hair and Big Head Huang had. And these two could also see that Chen Sheng obeyed Zhao Jin in everything. Just what background did Zhao Jin have? It filled their hearts with extreme fear.

"Stone, Daxiang, hold this Tuft of Hair down!" Zhao Jin ordered.

Shi Manqiang and Ji Xiang immediately moved, pinning Tuft of Hair firmly to the ground. The man instinctively tried to struggle, but Shi Manqiang and Ji Xiang's strength was immense; he couldn't budge a fraction of an inch.

"Xiaoyong, smash his left hand!" Zhao Jin added coldly.

Liu Yong froze for a second, then drew the short axe at his waist, walked over, and using the back of the axe head, brought it smashing down hard. Tuft of Hair tried to struggle but couldn't evade it. After the blow landed, his palm was a mangled mess of blood and flesh, and he screamed in agony.

Everyone present paled. Zhao Jin's voice grew even colder as he said, "What did I just say to you two? Do I need to repeat myself?"

"Cop— Brother Copperhead is dead, so we need someone to take charge. Chen Ergou — no, Brother Chen — has high prestige and handles matters properly. I'm willing to listen to Brother Chen!" Tuft of Hair's voice was already distorted with pain, but he still shouted the words.

"I'll listen to Brother Chen. Brother Chen ought to take over Brother Copperhead's position," Big Head Huang also said hurriedly.

"Does anyone else object?" Zhao Jin asked, raising his voice. His gaze swept across the surroundings. No one dared answer, and no one even dared meet Zhao Jin's eyes.

Seeing that no one voiced opposition, Zhao Jin turned and said with a smile, "Brother Chen, everyone is sincerely convinced. Let them kowtow and pay respects to their new Big Brother!"

Chen Ergou's expression wasn't good either. He had never imagined Zhao Jin possessed such thunderous methods, quelling the entire scene in such a short time. Yet thinking back to how Zhao Jin had used both kindness and authority to win him over a few years ago, he felt that what was happening before his eyes was only to be expected.

Prompted again by Zhao Jin, Chen Ergou gave a start and hurried forward, striving to put on a solemn and dignified expression. As for the seven men under Chen Ergou, every one of them was beside himself with excitement. Normally, under Copperhead, they were the ones bullied and looked down upon. When news of Copperhead's sudden death came, they had hoped their circumstances might change somewhat, but they never expected to hold their heads high so quickly.

Under the watchful eyes of Zhao Jin and his group, led by Tuft of Hair and Big Head Huang, they kowtowed and formally acknowledged Chen Ergou as their Big Brother.

The ceremony ended very quickly. Once it was done, Chen Ergou looked very lost, unsure what to do next, and instinctively glanced at Zhao Jin. Zhao Jin didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and declared loudly, "I am Zhao Jin — the Zhao Jin who killed six monks a few days ago."

The moment that name was spoken, exclamations of shock rose from below. Street brawls meant beating and wounding people; a death was a monumental matter. Zhao Jin and his group had killed six in one go. This illustrious feat had long since spread throughout the entire city of Xuzhou; people just hadn't matched the name to the faces. The moment they realized it was these few half-grown youths before them, still bearing traces of childishness, every one of them was stunned.

"Aren't those the ones who came here that night?"

"Isn't that the kid from the Shi family blacksmith shop? And the other one, Old Roast Chicken's son..."

"I also heard this Zhao Jin claims to be unmatched in Xuzhou among those his age!"

Murmurs arose. Zhao Jin's deeds were quite numerous in the marketplace and the jianghu, and everyone began discussing in low voices.

Zhao Jin stamped the butt of his spear. Silence fell instantly below. Zhao Jin continued, "Whatever Copperhead used to manage, Chen Ergou now manages. Whatever Copperhead used to take, Chen Ergou now takes. Whoever disobeys, just think about the fate of those six monks."

The monk soldiers of Cloud Mountain Temple had always been renowned for their martial valor. Well-fed, well-equipped, and specially drilled by martial instructors, their combat strength far exceeded that of the city's jianghu riffraff. Not to mention that among Cloud Mountain Temple's monk soldiers were many desperate, hardened criminals, whose ferocity and courage also far surpassed these street toughs. Yet even such men had died at the hands of Zhao Jin and his group. This threat was indeed very potent.

Suddenly, some faces below turned white. A few whispered words were exchanged, and those who heard them also paled. Several old women standing close by overheard and their bodies even began to tremble. A stir of unrest rippled through. Zhao Jin cast a cold glance over, and silence fell at once, inexplicably carrying far more awe and fear than before.

Everyone was not far away, and in the end, Zhao Jin could actually faintly make out their murmuring: "... Big Brother died last night, and today they show up. What a coincidence..." Anyone with a bit of cleverness could make that guess and connect the dots. But it changed nothing — it only made them more terrified and awestruck.

By this point, Chen Ergou had finally regained a fair amount of composure. He spoke: "The rules are set, so act according to the rules. Everyone disperse, go back to your own business. The God of Wealth Temple will resume operations this afternoon. Hurry and spread the word."

Those involved hurriedly agreed upon hearing this. Some others wanted to come forward to curry favor and get chummy, but seeing Zhao Jin and his group gathered over there, they didn't dare approach and strike up a conversation, and gradually dispersed as well. Tuft of Hair and Big Head Huang were also supported by their own men and left, utterly dejected.

Once the crowd had mostly gone, Chen Ergou urgently said to his underlings, "Pillar, take the brothers and search Copperhead's house. Don't overlook anything. The silver from the common accounts was all kept at his place; bring all his private wealth too. Go, quickly!"

That Pillar was already worked up. Hearing this order, he acknowledged it and immediately led men running off.

Seeing Zhao Jin's gaze upon him, Chen Ergou hurriedly explained, "Both the common accounts and private funds were controlled by Copperhead alone. Everyone says he skimmed off quite a bit. His wife ran off with the kid years ago; he lived alone. Word among everyone is that all that stuff is hidden at his house. I just didn't want to let someone else get a cheap bargain."

Zhao Jin was indifferent to this. Using thunderous methods today to install Chen Ergou in power had already achieved his objective. He didn't want to linger here either. After hearing the explanation, he nodded and said, "If you run into any difficulties, come find me. Remember to come wait at my courtyard tomorrow morning; I have matters to assign to you."

With that, he turned to leave, and the group followed. Seeing this, Chen Ergou grew anxious. Setting aside his awe and fear, he reached out and grabbed Zhao Jin, saying, "Young Master Jin, you can't leave! I still have so many things I need your guidance on. Please, come inside and sit for a while, hear me out."

Zhao Jin pondered briefly, then nodded in agreement and called out with a smile, "Brothers, you've worked hard too. Come inside and rest!"

Everyone roared their assent. Following Zhao Jin today, they had been supremely awe-inspiring from start to finish, completely suppressing these jianghu men. They were exactly at a peak of excitement and wanted to stay here a bit longer, to bask a little more in the awestruck gazes of others. They were all willing to stay.

"I'll go in first and boil water for tea!" Chen Ergou said hastily, then ran inside ahead of them.

Now only the eight of them remained outside the courtyard. The taut vigilance they had maintained finally relaxed. Liu Yong swung his axe fiercely through the air and declared, "Satisfying! Doing things with Big Brother is just satisfying!"

"Now that Brother Chen's become the boss, Xiaoyong, you'll be the second boss!" Sun Dalei teased. Everyone joined in the laughter.