"Yes." Although somewhat puzzled, Zhang Xiaojing answered anyway. This wasn't sensitive information.
"Hmm..." Lu Xuan hummed in response, then fell into deep thought again. After a long while, he suddenly spoke.
"I remember there's a Wenji shop here, right?" Zhang Xiaojing suddenly looked up, his whole body tensing instantly. Like a hungry wolf, he stared at Lu Xuan.
"Yes..." he managed to squeeze out the word. He seemed to have misunderstood Lu Xuan's meaning.
Lu Xuan didn't care about his murderous aura. They were all people who had fought their way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, so naturally they wouldn't care about such things.
"I received intelligence today that the Xiong Huo Gang plans to break the leg of Wen Wuji, the owner of Wenji Incense Shop, tonight. What are your plans?" Lu Xuan's words directly implied that Zhang Xiaojing knew about the conflict during the day, given the nature of Zhang Xiaojing's relationship with Wen Wuji.
Zhang Xiaojing's expression changed, and his hand instinctively pressed down on his shield blade. The next second, he came to his senses and realized that the person in front of him was his superior, not an enemy.
"All I know is that he had a minor conflict with a Yu department head from the Ministry of Works today. But it didn't involve the Xiong Huo Gang."
"Feng Dalun is the leader of the Bearfire Gang. Didn't you know that?" Lu Xuan suddenly asked. In the original story, he couldn't recall whether Zhang Xiaojing knew details like Feng Dalun's identity. But in this timeline, the Zhang Xiaojing before him seemed unaware of this.
“Feng Dalun…” Zhang Xiaojing repeated the name softly, and all the questions that had been swirling in his mind were answered in an instant.
"So it was him..."
Chapter Thirty-Nine: As unknowable as the shadows, as swift as thunder.
The Xiong Huo Gang was Zhang Xiaojing's old adversary. They were ubiquitous throughout Wannian County, possessing abundant manpower and resources. Zhang Xiaojing had clashed with them several times, but had never been able to eradicate them completely. He could sense that the entire officialdom of Wannian County had been bribed by the Xiong Huo Gang. If he pushed them too far, they would throw out a few scapegoats, but afterwards they would continue to cause trouble.
Feng Dalun, a mere head of the Yu department, shouldn't possess such power. However, he managed to control the entire government office, causing obstacles at every turn. More importantly, the Xiong Huo Gang usually considered his interests and never targeted the Wen family's area. But this time, something was clearly amiss.
"How did you come to know about this, sir?"
"You don't need to know how I know this. All you need to know is that I talked to a few members of the Bearfire Gang last night. They promised me that they wouldn't break Wen Wuji's legs tonight, but would break Feng Dalun's legs instead."
Zhang Xiaojing immediately became anxious upon hearing this.
"Sir, no matter what method you use to threaten those Xiong Huo Gang members, they will definitely go back on their word as soon as you leave. If Feng Dalun is really the leader of the Xiong Huo Gang, he can gather at least a hundred skilled fighters in Wannian County overnight. At that time, those gang members will surely go back on their word. Sir, please remember not to take any risks."
Zhang Xiaojing understood perfectly what "had a chat" meant. He had spoken with the members of the Bearfire Gang many times. They were afraid, but they were even more afraid of the gang's internal punishments. Because no matter how ruthless Zhang Xiaojing was, he wouldn't harm the gang members' orphans and widows. But the Bearfire Gang would. So, they feared Zhang Xiaojing, but they feared the gang's rules even more.
Lu Xuan didn't even look up, continuing to study the map as he spoke.
"That's right, just as I thought."
"My lord, since you know... I wonder what your plans are?" Zhang Xiaojing immediately realized that this county magistrate seemed to be setting a trap.
"The Xiong Huo Gang has been entrenched in Wannian County for many years. They have always been arrogant and domineering, and apart from you, Zhang Xiaojing, they can only be somewhat intimidated. As far as I know, the previous county magistrate was injured and resigned, and they were partly responsible for that."
“This…” Zhang Xiaojing hesitated for a moment. However, Lu Xuan did not wait for him to think, but continued speaking on his own.
"This group of people even dared to lay a hand on the county constable. Although I did fight back a bit last night, I don't think I could have completely intimidated them. So, I guess they've already told Feng Dalun everything that happened last night."
"I haven't had much contact with Feng Dalun. I've met him a few times, and my impression of him is that he has an unfriendly face and is probably someone who holds grudges."
"Yes, so last night I told those gang members that I knew Feng Dalun was the mastermind. I also told them that tonight I would be there to watch them break Feng Dalun's leg. What do you think Feng Dalun will do?"
Zhang Xiaojing remained outwardly calm, but inwardly, a raging storm was brewing. This county magistrate, who seemed to know nothing but cooking all day, now appeared as unpredictable as the shadows and as swift as thunder. Without making a sound, he had already driven the Xiong Huo Gang to their doom.
"Since you have revealed that you know Feng Dalun's identity as the leader of the Bearfire Gang, Feng Dalun will certainly not let this go. However, due to his own taint, he can only use the power of the Bearfire Gang. Therefore, tonight they will definitely set up a trap to kill you."
“You see, we still have a lot in common, at least on this issue, we’re completely on the same page. Last night, I single-handedly intimidated more than a dozen members of the Bearfire Gang. Guess how many he’ll bring tonight.”
At this moment, Zhang Xiaojing had fully revealed Lu Xuan's intentions. If nothing unexpected happened, the Xiong Huo Gang would likely be history tonight.
"There are probably no fewer than a hundred people. And with so many people gathered, he needs to make arrangements with the Imperial Guards on night patrol in advance, so they are probably already on their way."
"The Imperial Guards... they have the duty to defend the city. What does it mean to them if you say that hundreds of people carrying swords storm the imperial city?"
A sudden silence fell over the room, then Zhang Xiaojing managed to utter two words.
"rebellion"
Even Zhang Xiaojing, known as the Fifth King of Hell, was visibly shaken by this question. The answer wouldn't just affect the Xiong Huo Gang; it could potentially create a massive upheaval across half of Chang'an. Wannian County would bear the brunt, at the very center of this vortex.
Zhang Xiaojing left with a sense of shock and trepidation. This was the first time he had ever felt genuine fear towards someone. He wasn't afraid of villains; no matter how wicked or ruthless, they would all have to call him "Zhang the King of Hell" before him. But this County Magistrate Lu was different. He was usually calm and collected, but when he suddenly spoke, it was like a death knell. Zhang Xiaojing didn't know what grudge Lu had against the Xiong Huo Gang, and in fact, he didn't need to know, because the Xiong Huo Gang was finished.
Deep within Pingkang Ward, a gaunt old Kunlun slave, dressed in a fur coat, sat on a chair covered with a bearskin, listening to his subordinates' reports. This man was the true controller of Pingkang Ward, and indeed, the underworld of Chang'an. He had originally been just a Kunlun slave.
As is well known, most Kunlun slaves are stupid and dull, and only know how to work.
But he was different. After being sold to Chang'an, he learned to speak Chinese in a very short time. Moreover, he was shrewd and adept at handling people's affairs. Before long, he managed to get his master to release him from slavery and make him a free man.
Having been a slave for many years, he was well-versed in the ways of the trade, and he turned to human trafficking. Over the years, his business grew larger and larger, eventually monopolizing the surrounding businesses. Later, he integrated casinos, brothels, human trafficking, and other illicit businesses, building a vast underground force that could be described as a dark empire.
"So, Feng Dalun has already bribed the night patrolmen of the Imperial Guard and gathered over a hundred swordsmen to eliminate the newly appointed county magistrate."
"Yes, Elder Ge." The one who replied seemed to be someone close to Elder Ge, and added a few more words.
"This young county constable seems to have been to the Xiong Huo Gang's territory and even threatened them. That's what angered the Xiong Huo Gang. I reckon he won't make it through the night. By the way, the Xiong Huo Gang has contacted us several times, wanting to do business with us. What have you thought about it, Elder Ge?"
Old Ge's somewhat cloudy eyes lifted slightly, and for a fleeting moment seemed to brighten. But then they returned to normal. However, the words he uttered sounded rather strange to his subordinate.
"Starting tomorrow, you'll be working in the woodshed."
""
Chapter Forty: Tonight, No One Sleeps (Part 1)
Feng Dalun was furious. How dare this mere county constable spout such arrogant words, ordering his men to break his legs? Did he think that just because he knew a few sword moves, he could act like a tyrant over him?