Bab 31: 29 Chapter Another Night of Dark Wind High Murder Night
One month later.
The Magistrate of Daning County, He Xu, died suddenly, rumored to have perished aboard a decorated pleasure boat.
The government, in an attempt to suppress the news, did not advertise the incident widely, and Chu Ning learned of it only through Zhao Bing's words.
Another month and a half passed, and Chu Ning received some bad news.
The teacher had to make a trip to the prefectural school in Raozhou Prefecture, following orders from that side.
"If things are impossible, prioritize your own safety. If He Xu's sudden death was Huang Zhongtai's contingency plan, then the order for your teacher to go to Raozhou Prefecture for an assignment must have been your Uncle Huang's competitor's doing. This indicates that the other party has set their sights on Daning County and will surely take action."
"What we don't know now is what in Daning County is worth the other party's attention."
"But since they've chosen to use their influence to have your teacher transferred from Daning County, it means that even if they take action, it won't be with a General Level martial force; otherwise, there'd be absolutely no need to transfer your teacher away."
Before Liu Junshan left for the prefectural city, he made a special trip to Xiazhen Town and provided Chu Ning with a detailed analysis.
Chu Ning understood in his heart that the other party must have learned of Uncle Huang's wife and child in Xiazhen Town.
The Huang Family wielded influence in Qingzhou Prefecture, but in Raozhou Prefecture, they still needed to tread carefully. Uncle Huang knew this, which is why he dared to keep his wife and child in Daning County.
As for the idea of moving Uncle Huang's wife and child, Chu Ning thought it over and decided against it.
He wasn't clear to what extent Uncle Huang and his competitor were fighting; it wasn't necessarily safer outside than in Xiazhen Town.
...
...
The Three Bamboo Gang.
"Big brother, that person has come again. Shall we meet with him?"
"No."
Li Yunshu didn't even think before he refused.
He feared that if he saw the other party, he wouldn't be able to resist agreeing.
The other party was offering too much.
The last visit, the greeting gift was a thousand taels.
"Second brother, don't forget, the three of us brothers decided long ago that what we want now is stability. Back then, as a laborer, you were bullied, the third brother, although he joined the underworld, was just scraping by, and I, the big brother, was nothing but a fishmonger. Having come this far, the three of us are already satisfied,"
Li Yunshu spoke earnestly, "There is no easy money in this world. The more the other party offers, the bigger their schemes. What else could those of us in these factions have that others might want, if not to be their enforcers and risk our lives? We have enough money now. We should just focus on properly training the next generation to enter schools, pray to our ancestors for the kids to be gifted in martial arts, and if one becomes an arrest officer or a Martial General emerges from our family tomb's rising green smoke, that would be a complete turnaround."
The two Vice Gang Leaders also nodded repeatedly, agreeing that the big brother made sense.
"These past few years, Daning County's underground scene has been turbulent. Many gangs have mysteriously disappeared, but our Three Bamboo Gang remains unharmed. What has kept us safe? Isn't it because we've been cautious?"
"What big brother says is extremely true."
The two Vice Gang Leaders were sincerely convinced and stopped persuading further.
...
...
The Blood Blade Hall headquarters in Daning County.
At this moment, what was strange was that, apart from the elite disciples of Blood Blade Hall, the elite disciples of Flying Tiger Gate were also present. The two groups stood in the courtyard staring at each other, their gaze occasionally shifting the grand hall before them.
Inside the hall, six figures were seated.
The Sect Leader of Flying Tiger Gate and a Vice Sect Leader, the Hall Master of Blood Blade Hall and a Vice Hall Master, as well as an elder and another middle-aged man.
"Gentlemen, here are ten thousand taels. Upon successful completion of the task, there will be another ten thousand taels, and furthermore, I guarantee that when the time comes, only your two factions will remain in Daning County."
The Sect Leader of Flying Tiger Gate, Wu Qiang, had a touch of madness on his face. He had been dissatisfied with the Three Bamboo Gang for years, secretly encroaching on their territory. Unfortunately, the death of the Vice Gang Leader last year forced him to temporarily abandon those ambitions.
But now, with the words of the elder, the likes of Li Yunshu from the Three Bamboo Gang were no more than meat on a cutting board, ready to be kneaded at will.
Wang Qinghua, the Hall Master of Blood Blade Hall, exchanged a glance with Wu Qiang. Both saw ambition in the other's eyes; both wanted to eliminate the Three Bamboo Gang, and the present was an excellent opportunity.
They were somewhat familiar with the influential figure behind the elder. In the eyes of that figure, the factions in Daning County were nothing, hardly worth a glance on a normal day, yet now was the perfect opportunity to ingratiate themselves with this important individual.
"Good, we at Flying Tiger Gate will take on this matter."
"Blood Blade Hall is also willing to serve Young Master Huang."
The elder's face showed a smile. Although the Three Bamboo Gang had not agreed, with the involvement of Flying Tiger Gate and Blood Blade Hall, killing a constable in Xiazhen Town was not a difficult task.
Huang Zhongtai fancied himself clever for hiding his wife and child away so well, but little did he know that they had already been discovered by the Young Master.
Others might not understand why Huang Zhongtai's strength had advanced so rapidly, but the Young Master knew. Huang Zhongtai had practiced a heretical technique at the cost that he would never be able to have children again.
If that mother and child were eliminated, Huang Zhongtai could never sit in the position of Family Head. The Family Head of the Huang Family would never be someone without heirs.
Being without heirs meant no attachments, no control—it was something the Elders' Council of the Huang Family would never allow.
And there Huang Zhongtai was, smugly thinking he had restrained the Young Master's men and could rest easy, unaware that there's a strategy in this world known as using another's hand to do one's dirty work.
"In the next few days, you two Gang Leaders gather your men. Three nights from now, strike at Xiazhen Town."
...
...
As the three-month deadline drew nearer, Chu Ning no longer spent time practicing Yuanyongbu in the mountains, nor did he stay at the arrest office. Instead, he began to patrol covertly, centering around the courtyard where Uncle Huang's wife and child were staying.
"Big Brother Chu, these are the dumplings my mom made. She told me to bring some for you to try."
During dinner time, the tightly shut doors of the courtyard opened, and a boy around the age of ten stepped out, holding a bowl of dumplings.
"Thank you, Xiaoxuan. Now go back inside."
Chu Ning ruffled the boy's hair. But the boy said innocently, "Big Brother Chu, my mom... my mom said if there were any bad people, I should follow you and not worry about her. She said not to drag Big Brother Chu down."
"Don't worry, with Big Brother Chu here, you and your mom will be safe."
Chu Ning patted the boy's shoulder a few times to comfort him, smiling as he watched the boy enter the yard. But his expression immediately darkened.
Uncle Huang's wife was no fool; she must have sensed the looming danger and deliberately conveyed the message through Xiaoxuan.
Not wanting to drag him down?
Why didn't she say it to his face, instead of speaking through Xiaoxuan? It was because a child's innocence made the sincerity seem more profound.
If he were truly a native and had incurred a debt of gratitude to Uncle Huang, he would be immeasurably touched by these words and would risk his life to ensure their safety.
Unfortunately, he was not.
Chu Ning had his own plans.
If it truly came to it, he would take Xiaoxuan and leave, and if he couldn't even take Xiaoxuan, he would escape on his own. Then, he would take his elderly aunt and leave Raozhou Prefecture to live incognito in another county town.
That night.
The moon was obscure, the wind fierce.
As darkness fell, Xiazhen Town was enveloped in blackness, even the night watch's tolling ceased.
The reason being Lord Chu was a light sleeper, and the gong of the night watch could easily disturb his rest.
When the townsfolk heard that, they were alarmed—disturbing Lord Chu's rest was akin to offending the entire town's populace.
So upset by the townsfolk's complaints, the night watchman Old Luo nearly considered suicide in his anger; instead, he smashed his gong outright.
Hadiah
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