124: Chapter 124 My Li family is not afraid of him

He spun around abruptly and pointed at Zhao Si.

"Zhao Si!"

"Your humble servant is here!" Zhao Si jolted.

"Escort the prisoner Blacksmith Zhang to the General Bureau prison in the Inner City immediately! Request the Regional Commander to personally preside over the trial! Tell him that this case is of great significance and must be strictly investigated! Even if we have to turn this West City upside down, we must uncover the truth!"

Silence fell over the crowd.

Li Wanshan's smile froze on his face.

Sending him to the General Bureau prison?

That was the territory of the Outer City's Regional Commander, the place of Chen Mo's direct superior!

If he entered that place, the case would no longer be decided by his Li family.

Moreover, how could Chen Mo's phrase "turn it upside down" sound so grating?

Was he planning to use this case to investigate something else?

"Lord Chen!" Li Wanshan grew anxious. "Why bother the Regional Commander over such a small matter? We can just..."

"A small matter?"

Chen Mo interrupted him, his expression darkening. "A human life, and Master Li calls it a small matter? Could it be that in Master Li's eyes, human life is as cheap as grass?"

This was a heavy accusation to level.

Li Wanshan opened his mouth but found himself choked for words.

"Guards!"

Chen Mo shouted, "Take Blacksmith Zhang away! Anyone who dares to interfere will be considered an accomplice and executed on the spot!"

"Yes, sir!"

Zhao Dazhu and Wang Xiaoer had long been suppressing their frustration; upon hearing the order, they charged forward like wolves and tigers, hoisting Blacksmith Zhang and dragging him inside (the Guard Post had a back door leading to the main street, which went straight to the Inner City).

Although Blacksmith Zhang was still dazed, he could tell that Chen Mo was protecting his life. Once in the General Bureau prison, he at least wouldn't be beaten to death on the spot by the Li family.

"Lord Chen is wise!"

Someone shouted from the crowd.

Although the onlookers didn't understand the intricacies, they felt Chen Mo's handling was sound—neither protective of the criminal nor reckless.

Li Wanshan watched Blacksmith Zhang being dragged away, his face turning as black as the bottom of a pot.

The performance had been ruined.

Not only had he failed to kill Blacksmith Zhang and suppress Chen Mo, but he had also allowed the kid to pass the buck.

"Master Li."

Chen Mo walked up to Li Wanshan and leaned in, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear. "You should take this corpse back and bury it properly. Next time you set a trap, remember to stuff some skin flakes under the fingernails. It was too clean; it looked fake."

Li Wanshan's pupils constricted sharply.

He stared intently at Chen Mo.

Chen Mo had already taken a step back, cupping his hands and speaking loudly, "Everyone, disperse! Go about your business! Don't delay the officers in their investigation!"

With that, he didn't even spare Li Wanshan a glance as he turned and strode back into the yamen.

The main gate closed with a loud "thud."

Leaving behind only a livid Li Wanshan and the Gang members staring at each other in bewilderment.

...

Outside the gate, the snow continued to fall.

The crowd dispersed sparsely, like a pot of overcooked porridge, bland and tasteless.

The hundreds of people who were shouting for blood just moments ago, now lacking a leader's slogan, became as limp as frost-bitten eggplants. The excitement was over; Blacksmith Zhang hadn't died, nor was he beheaded on the spot. This left many idle men who were waiting for a bloodbath feeling unsatisfied, muttering "boring" as they ducked their heads and headed home.

Li Wanshan stood at the bottom of the steps, his face whiter than the snow on the ground, pale with rage.

His dragon-headed cane tapped sharply against the bluestone slabs, as if he wanted to poke a hole in the ground.

A man approached from the side.

This man was bare-chested, wearing only a vest even in the dead of winter. With a tuft of black hair on his chest and knotted muscles, he looked like a black bear. He was the leader of the Black Tiger Gang, Thunder Tiger. Unlike the loyal coolies of the Black Tiger Gang, Thunder Tiger dealt in gambling and debt collection; he was ruthless and cold-hearted.

"Master Li."

Thunder Tiger's large, bell-like eyes narrowed as he glanced at the yamen's closed gate, lowering his voice. "This kid named Chen is a bit strange."

Li Wanshan snorted, his nose in the air. "Strange? He's just a wet-behind-the-ears minor banner officer. If it weren't for that official uniform he's wearing, I would have had someone break his legs just now."

"That's not how it is."

Thunder Tiger rubbed his bald head, his rough palm making a rasping sound against his scalp. "In a situation like that, any other greenhorn would have panicked. They would have either been forced by you to kill him on the spot or to release him. But he... he sent the man to the General Bureau prison. Passing the buck like that... tsk tsk, he's got some skill."

He paused and leaned in even closer, his breath reeking of garlic. "Master Li, take a word of advice from a brother. The way that kid looked at you just now wasn't right. It was like he was looking at a dead man. You... be careful lately."

Li Wanshan leaned back in disgust, avoiding the garlic breath.

"Be careful? In this West City, my Li family is the law!"

Li Wanshan straightened his collar, which had been ruffled by the wind, looking utterly disdainful. "So what if he sent the man to the General Bureau? The Regional Commander and I are sworn brothers; the silver I send during festivals could fill an entire room! With just one word from me, that Blacksmith Zhang won't last three days in prison. As for this Chen Mo..."

He sneered, "A powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake, let alone a mere loach like him. Leader Lei, if you're afraid, I'll find someone else for the business in West City from now on."

Thunder Tiger's face stiffened.

As someone in the underworld, his biggest taboo was being called afraid.

"Fine, Master Li is tough." Thunder Tiger cupped his hands with a fake smile. "Then I'll wait to see how Master Li handles this loach. I have other business, so I'll take my leave first."

With that, Thunder Tiger waved his hand and led his dozens of black-clad men away in a rush.

Li Wanshan watched Thunder Tiger's back and spat, "Coward."

He then turned back to glare fiercely at the "Bright Mirror Hanging High" plaque of the yamen before stepping into his soft sedan chair. The bearers lifted the chair, and it swayed as it disappeared into the wind and snow.

...

Inside the yamen.

The main hall was eerily quiet.

Chen Mo sat in a grand armchair, fiddling with the gavel. The wood had been worn smooth and shiny by his predecessor, feeling heavy in his hand.

Zhao Dazhu and Wang Xiaoer stood below; neither of their expressions was pleasant. Although their boss had resolved the earlier situation, they couldn't stomach being blocked and cursed at their own door.

"Speak."

Chen Mo tossed the gavel onto the table with a sharp "crack."

"I sent you to investigate earlier. What did you find out?"

Zhao Dazhu stepped forward; he was a blunt man who spoke his mind. "Boss, that Li family is really something else! I took a walk around the streets just now and checked with a few of our usual informants. Guess what? That deceased concubine wasn't from a respectable family at all!"

"Oh?" Chen Mo raised an eyebrow.

"She was redeemed from a brothel by Li Wanshan!" Zhao Dazhu gritted his teeth. "I heard the girl was about to go straight and get married, but Li Wanshan forcibly took her back. Her lover had his legs broken last month and is currently begging at the City God Temple!"

"Anything else?"