Magistrate Thuong's Methods

As Tran Mac and Wu Shan were leaving arm in arm, they heard passersby on the street whispering.

"Have you heard? The Thanh Ha Gang's assets have been seized by the yamen!"

"Ah? True or false? Weren't the Thanh Ha Gang and the yamen supposed to be in cahoots? How could the yamen seize the Thanh Ha Gang's assets?"

"Why would I lie to you? I just came back from the south of the city; the yamen people are still there."

"..."

Wu Shan was startled upon hearing this. He quickly pulled over a passerby and asked what had happened.

That passerby initially hesitated, but after Wu Shan revealed his identity and added some threats, the passerby immediately told him everything he knew.

After learning that the Thanh Ha Gang's Gang Leader Duong Uy and several other branch leaders had all been killed, Wu Shan was stunned.

It wasn't that he sympathized with them.

Although the Thanh Ha Gang's foundation and prestige couldn't compare to the several great gentry clans, in terms of power, on this turf of Binh Dinh County, apart from the "adults" (officials), who would dare to provoke them?

But now, from the Gang Leader down to the branch leaders, they had all been wiped out in one go.

And the culprit was just one person.

Where did such an expert come from?

Tran Mac, however, was focused on something else.

He had originally thought Thuong Vien would let someone else take over the Thanh Ha Gang, but he hadn't expected Thuong Vien to actually send people to seize all of the Thanh Ha Gang's assets.

He also publicly announced the crimes of Duong Uy and his men, and confiscated all of the Thanh Ha Gang's assets.

Just as Tran Mac was wondering about Thuong Vien's purpose in doing this.

After parting ways with Wu Shan, Tran Mac heard the common people actually praising the County Magistrate, lauding Thuong Vien as a "Blue Sky Great Master." He seemed to have guessed Thuong Vien's motive.

Thuong Vien's collusion with the Thanh Ha Gang was, after all, a secret, not out in the open; many people didn't know about it.

Now that the Thanh Ha Gang had met with trouble, Thuong Vien could not only conveniently sever ties but, after the public announcement, also gain the common people's goodwill. Moreover, eradicating the "malignant tumor" of the Thanh Ha Gang was also a significant political achievement.

After the assets were seized, the Thanh Ha Gang's money also became his.

It could be said to be one stone, three birds.

As for the matter of colluding with the Thanh Ha Gang?

Now that the people involved were all dead, without evidence, who could prove that the Thanh Ha Gang and he were in the same boat?

This move was called, "You carry the pot (take the blame), I get the benefits."

And given the reputation of Duong Uy and his group, apart from their own family members, no one would fight for an injustice on their behalf.

Therefore, the yamen didn't even need to bear the pressure of "public opinion."

Even, after the yamen seized the Thanh Ha Gang's assets this time, Thuong Vien could still secretly cultivate someone else to control the Thanh Ha Gang.

Truly, those who play politics have dirty hearts.

...

The deaths of the Thanh Ha Gang's Gang Leader and seven branch leaders caused a huge sensation in Binh Dinh County.

The Ly family, the Vuong family, and even the already declined Dich family, all sent people out to inquire who the culprit was.

Their actions, of course, were not to avenge Duong Uy and his men.

Rather, it was to see if they could recruit this person.

In the pavilion of a certain courtyard.

Hearing the maid announce that the hot water was ready, Ha Chi Tinh murmured an "mm."

The maid came to arrange the folding screen, enclosing the area around the bathtub, then retreated.

Seeing the maid had left, Ha Chi Tinh lowered her gaze, undid the sash and buttons, unfastened each knot one by one, her hands reaching around her neck to untie the small ribbon tied into a bow, and placed the white dudou embroidered with lotus flowers on the screen's rack. A pair of inverted jade bowls..., snow-white skin exposed to the air.

Ha Chi Tinh bent her knees, turned, removed her outer skirt, one hand holding it up, the other protecting her lower body, her small, mutton-fat white jade-like feet stepping onto the wooden bath stool, "pitter-patter" into the bathtub.

Just as she was beginning to enjoy it, the sound of thudding footsteps came from downstairs, immediately followed by her younger sister Ha Chi Ngung's voice: "Sister, something big has happened outside!"

Ha Chi Tinh was suddenly startled. While standing up to grab the dudou from the screen rack to put on, she said, "Chi Ngung, don't come up, I'm bathing..."

As a result, the words were still at the corner of her mouth when Ha Chi Ngung had already come upstairs, pushed open the door, and entered, saying, "That's great! I just broke through, worked up a sweat, we can bathe together."

After speaking, she went around the screen and saw Ha Chi Tinh about to get out of the bathtub.

"Ha----Chi----Ngung..."

Ha Chi Tinh was truly angry, letting out a roar.

But Ha Chi Ngung seemed shameless, not paying any attention to Ha Chi Tinh's scolding.

"Sister, why are you so angry? Before, when we were in Nam Duong, didn't we bathe together every day? It's not like I haven't seen..."

Saying so, Ha Chi Ngung's waistband loosened, and her clothes were completely removed, revealing skin as smooth and flawless as jade.

She stepped into the bathtub, and the hot water in the tub immediately overflowed a little.

Ha Chi Ngung pressed down on her sister's shoulders, and the two sat down in the bathtub, their snow-white, exquisite shoulders emerging from the water. Through the clear soup-like water, one could vaguely see tender white limbs.

She cupped the "jade bowls" and muttered, "Sister, you seem to have gotten bigger again."

"Ha----Chi..."

Ha Chi Tinh once again scolded angrily. She was about to be driven mad by Ha Chi Ngung, but before she could finish speaking, a soft moan involuntarily escaped her lips.

"Sister, don't be angry." Ha Chi Ngung pouted charmingly. "Didn't I just break through? I'm so excited. It won't happen next time."

Sensing her sister's anger gradually dissipating, Ha Chi Ngung said with a smile, "Sister, something big happened outside! The Thanh Ha Gang's Gang Leader, along with the seven branch leaders under him, were all killed by one person! The Thanh Ha Gang's Gang Leader was said to be an eighth-rank martial artist, with so many subordinates. The person who killed him must be at least a seventh-rank martial artist.

Sister, you were right, the Dai Song territory is indeed full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons. I originally thought that in this small county town, only Uncle Thuong's side had a seventh-rank martial artist. I didn't expect there was someone else like that too."

Hearing these words, Ha Chi Tinh also went from initial surprise to a grave expression.

Because the war situation ahead was tense, every expert of seventh-rank and above had their own post to defend. Her father, as the Prefect of a prefecture, had countless eyes watching his every word and action. Therefore, he could only dispatch Guard Lu, a seventh-rank martial artist like this, to escort them to Binh Dinh County.

She had originally thought that a seventh-rank martial artist was already sufficient in this small county town. Now, another unconfirmed seventh-rank martial artist had appeared, and Ha Chi Tinh worried that a variable might arise.

"Chi Ngung, we still don't know the identity of that culprit; whether he's friend or foe is uncertain. In the future, don't always go out wandering. It's not very safe," Ha Chi Tinh said.

"Okay, okay." Ha Chi Ngung didn't take it to heart, instead wanting to meet this "culprit."

...

Tran Mac bought glutinous rice, fermentation starter, flour, and pork in the city.

He also bought himself another pair of shoes that he could use for rotation.

He bought rouge and powder, and a bronze mirror for his sister-in-law.

To avoid being too conspicuous, Tran Mac put everything into a cloth bag and left the city.

By the time Tran Mac returned to Phuc Trach Village, it was already dark.

Just as he entered the village, Tran Mac saw Truong Ha pacing back and forth at the village entrance.

"Truong Ha, it's so late, what are you doing standing here?" Tran Mac said.

When Truong Ha saw Tran Mac, his originally worried face immediately relaxed with a sigh of relief. He came forward to greet him: "Brother Mac, you're back!"

"What's wrong?" Tran Mac raised an eyebrow.

Truong Ha scratched his head and said with a simple smile, "Nothing, I just saw that Brother Mac hadn't returned after going into town so late, so I was a bit worried."

Tran Mac's brow furrowed slightly. He patted his shoulder: "Have you eaten yet?"

Truong Ha shook his head.

"Come, let's eat together."