Chapter 19: Rioting
Chapter 19: Rioting
The reward order from the District Prefect, Xu Hongyu, was indeed to be executed without delay.
Chen Mu, with the 300 taels of silver reward order in his pocket, went to the District Prefect's treasury. The Senior Patrol Officer in charge of the treasury took one look at the order and immediately retrieved six large silver ingots, each worth 50 taels, totaling 300 taels, and handed them over to Chen Mu.
At the same time, the officer was unusually polite to Chen Mu, hinting and probing about his relationship with Xu Hongyu. Like the previous inspector who had led him upstairs, he smiled and initiated a friendly gesture.
It was not uncommon for people to come to the City Guard Headquarters to collect arrest rewards, but it was rare for someone to bring a note personally approved by Xu Hongyu, especially for a reward of 300 taels of silver. Moreover, Tang Quan, who was involved, had some reputation, naturally leading to speculations.
After receiving the silver ingots...
The Senior Patrol Officer even smiled and personally escorted Chen Mu outside.
The entire process was smooth and straightforward, a stark contrast to Chen Mu's previous experience at the prison with Zhang Hai. It made Chen Mu realize the difference that power and influence could bring.
With his newfound strength, Chen Mu had gained Xu Hongyu's favor, and with this connection, he had also gained access to Xu Hongyu's 'authority', making his visit to the City Guard Headquarters effortless.
Chen Mu weighed the heavy silver in his pocket.
Three hundred taels of silver was a substantial amount, but compared to the 'Jade-Gold Skin Polishing Technique,' it was even more precious. This technique, obtained from Xu Hongyu, was undoubtedly superior to those found in pawnshops. Even the most expensive techniques in pawnshops could only fetch 300 to 400 taels, so the value of this technique, as Xu Hongyu had mentioned, being worth a thousand taels, was likely not an exaggeration.
"I'll go back first, put away the silver, and then head to the City Guard Headquarters to meet with Inspector Min."
Chen Mu's thoughts were clear.
Inspector Min, Min Baoyi, was the Patrol Commander who oversaw the City Guard in Nine Streets Ward, ranking above the five Senior Patrol Officers. He was a true big shot in the Nine Streets Ward and even had a reputation throughout the Southern City District.
For a low-ranking inspector like Chen Mu, seeing Min Baoyi in the past few years had been a rare occurrence, and he could count those occasions on one hand. Usually, any orders were conveyed through the Senior Patrol Officers, and it was uncommon for Min Baoyi to appear in person.
Xu Hongyu mentioned that she had already informed Inspector Min about Chen Mu, and most likely, she had also made arrangements for his future assignments.
Seeing that it was still early...
Chen Mu tucked away the silver and headed home.
...
At Chen Hong's house, Zhang Hai's aunt.
Today happened to be Zhang Hai's son's birthday. Zhang Tuhu had prepared a feast of intestines and offal, a rare treat for ordinary families, something they might only get to enjoy once every few years.
Zhang Tuhu, Chen Hong, and Zhang Youying were already seated, but the birthday boy, Zhang Hai, had left the house early in the morning and hadn't returned by mealtime.
"Where did that kid run off to?"
Zhang Tuhu grumbled, looking at the food on the table.
On any other day, he wouldn't have minded, but today he had gone to great lengths to prepare wine and meat. First, it was to celebrate his son's birthday, and second, to commemorate the narrow escape from the prison disaster a few months ago. But now, the person they were celebrating was nowhere to be found.
"This child, I already told him this morning not to run around," Chen Hong said helplessly, shaking her head.
Zhang Youying peered outside, secretly worrying that her cousin might have gotten into trouble again.
Just as Zhang Tuhu's impatience was reaching its peak, hurried footsteps approached from outside, and Zhang Hai rushed into the house, plopped down on his seat in the main room, and gulped down a cup of wine.
"You good-for-nothing, what have you been up to?"
Zhang Tuhu slammed the table, scolding him.
Zhang Hai, unaffected by his father's anger, smiled and said, "Mom, guess what I just heard outside?"
Chen Hong served Zhang Hai a piece of meat and asked, "What good news did you hear?"
Zhang Hai chuckled, "Your nephew, he kidnapped someone's granddaughter, occupied their house, and supposedly killed someone. They're gathering people now, planning to make trouble for him."
Nephew?
Which nephew?
Chen Hong was taken aback, then her face paled, "Little Mu? You're talking nonsense! I know Little Mu's temperament; he wouldn't do such a thing."
Zhang Hai waved his hand and said, "Mother, didn't you hear that saying? It goes something like... know a person's face but not their heart..."
"Know a person's face but not their heart." Zhang Youying, sitting beside him, blinked and quietly added.
"Exactly! How can you be sure he's not an evil person? In these times, can there be any good among the patrolmen? I felt like he was just waiting for me to get into trouble last time, and now it's his turn to face the consequences." Zhang Hai smiled and said, "That family from the south with the surname Wang, even though they're all from a poor background, they can easily gather a dozen or so people. But he, a mere lowly patrolman, dares to commit such an atrocious deed. I doubt he'll be able to contain the fallout."
Chen Hong listened, feeling both shocked and afraid. Seeing Zhang Hai's continuous laughter, she couldn't help but scold, "What's so funny? Why are you laughing? Don't you want to find a solution?"
"What solution? He didn't help me find a solution last time! I still want to go and see the commotion."
Zhang Hai shoveled a few mouthfuls of rice and hastily stuffed some meat into his mouth before rushing out.
"This... this..."
...
In the alley, a group of twenty to thirty people gathered, heading towards Chen Mu's house. Leading them was Wang Zhao with a cold face, accompanied by two men who bore a resemblance to him. Behind them followed a large group of men, some carrying axes, poles, and pickaxes.
"Old Four, let me ask you again, are you sure about all this? He's a patrolman; if we don't have a valid reason, it won't look good if it escalates to the Village Head." Someone asked Wang Zhao in a low voice.
Wang Zhao hesitated for a moment before replying, "My uncle's death may not be related to him, but he took the deed and forced my cousin, Wang Ni, to marry him. I checked, and Ni'er isn't registered as a slave in the city office, nor is there any adoption documentation. She's not officially a part of his family."
"That's all we need!" Wang Zheng exclaimed upon hearing this.
Whether it was true or not, it didn't matter much in the case of forcing a granddaughter to marry, beating an old man to death, and seizing a house. All they needed was a reasonable claim. As long as Wang Ni wasn't registered as a slave in the Chen family and there was no adoption paperwork, both morally and legally, she was still a member of the Wang family. The two old houses should rightfully belong to them.
As long as they had a valid reason, they needn't fear the consequences. He had inquired before; Chen Mu only got the position of a patrolman due to his father's connections. He had no power, no influence, and was as poor as a church mouse.
Even if he was a patrolman, what of it? As long as they didn't kill or maim anyone, even if it escalated to the Village Head, there would be no issue. If necessary, they could even seek the Clan Elder's intervention, but what face could a mere patrolman have?
The group marched forward, attracting the attention of every household, some peering through their doors. Though they didn't appear to be gang members, their fierce and intimidating demeanor made it clear they were there to cause trouble.
(End of Chapter)
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