Chapter 3, Magistrate Yang.
Brother Zhou, you should go home and take your sister-in-law away first. I will hold them off.
A commotion erupted in the group of rascals, as they surged forward, shoulder to shoulder, heel to heel.
Ma Zong, inwardly cursing the ancestors of Yang Hong for eighteen generations, outwardly feigned a look of fear as he knelt down to confess: "This humble one acknowledges his crime. In a moment of confusion, I listened to the slanderous words of treacherous and petty individuals, which led me to mistakenly believe that the young man was a thief.
Accompanying the troops is indeed the true authority of the county, the county magistrate, Yang Hong
Ah. The thug caught in front of Cheng Dong let out a terrible scream, as three hairpins pierced his throat, heart, and nose bridge respectively, and the expression of pain was not even frightening.
Ma Zong looked at Wen Han, his face contorted with anger as he waved his hand and said, "That incompetent person lost to you, and I have nothing more to say!"
This, County Magistrate Yang. Sir, did you not instruct me to eliminate the thieves who have infiltrated the county
Ma Zong seemed to sense the cold, piercing gaze from Wen Han, causing him to shudder involuntarily with a chilling feeling. In a fit of rage and humiliation, he shouted: "You delusional thief. Brothers, listen up! Whoever takes this thief's life, I, Ma, will reward him with ten taels of silver!"
Be quiet, when did this county magistrate allow you to catch thieves? Moreover, Zhou Long, the Zhou Gambling House is well-known in this county for its good reputation. He usually does good deeds and accumulates virtue, and everyone praises his character. How could he possibly collude with thieves
Alright, this matter ends here. That young man is indeed Brother Wen, who invented that marvelous device. Zhou, take him back to tidy up a bit, and when it reaches the hour of You (between 5 and 7 PM), bring him to the magistrate's office of this county. The magistrate has arranged a banquet to get to know him properly.
Stop! Under the bright sun, you dare to gather and cause trouble, endangering lives! Do you think this county magistrate is merely a decorative vase in your home, just an ornament?
In this chaotic era, Ma Zong, who has been navigating through the turmoil for many years, is already well-versed in the art of "flattery." With a well-placed compliment, Yang Hong's expression gradually improved. Having benefited from Ma Zong, Yang Hong found it inappropriate to pursue the matter further. After a cold snort, he ordered Ma Zong to disperse his men.
Ma Zongyin cast a fierce glance at Wen Han and Zhou Long, and was about to lead his people away
A soldier dressed in a uniform emblazoned with a large character '汉' on his chest marched in a neat formation. Leading the procession was an official in formal attire, riding a yellow horse, who looked down at the crowd with a cold expression.
Cheng Dong, with a pale face, threw the dead thug aside and, with all his strength, leaped forward, his entire body lunging at Wen Han with the speed of a tiger chasing its prey
Hurry back and take your sister-in-law with you. Rest assured, they cannot harm my life. After you leave, I will escape; that is a very easy matter.
At this moment, Wenhan walked over to Li Qiang, who was lying on the ground, and said: "Wait a moment. Li Qiang lost our bet, I ask you, Mazong, do you acknowledge this?"
Do not think otherwise; it was I who saved your lives
Moreover, I observe that the young man possesses remarkable martial skills and a dignified appearance; how could he possibly be a ruthless villain who robs others of their wealth and endangers lives
With his head lowered, Ma Zong's face was so gloomy at this moment that it seemed it could drip water. He was on the verge of eliminating Wen Han and Zhou Long to achieve his own goals. Suddenly, there was a complete turnaround. The magistrate Yang, who had originally benefited from him and the library, inexplicably turned against him and bit back.
Wen Han shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he was completely unaware. However, Zhou Long responded with a look that said, 'I would be surprised if you were telling the truth'
Ma Zong hurriedly ran to Yang Hong, smiling obsequiously.
At that moment, a voice emerged from the shadows, disrupting the entire situation after a long period of observation.
Dear brother, do not concern yourself with me. I know your martial skills are exceptional; even if the city gates are closed, there are ways to escape. It is I who have brought you harm, so you need not blame yourself. That scoundrel from the Ma clan has long harbored ill intentions; today’s events are merely an excuse for him to act.
As Wen Han fought and retreated, he observed that the situation was becoming increasingly dire, fearing for Zhou Long's life.
As the saying goes, under heavy rewards there will surely be brave men, and that group of ruffians charged forward even more recklessly. The hairpin that Wenhan held in his hand became increasingly sparse, and the situation grew more and more critical
Indeed, that thief does not have so many hairpins in his possession. I believe he can kill us all. When the time comes, we will surround him, capture him, and present him to Master Ma
Damn it. Charge forward. Whoever dares to stop, I, Ma, will strike him down! We still have so many brothers here, while the thieves are only two. What is there to fear!
After speaking, Ma Zong turned and left without looking back
Ma Zong, positioned at the rear, burst into laughter upon hearing Wen Han's words
In ancient times, the concept of hierarchy was very strong. If it were not for Ma Zong's willingness to release the person, Li Qiang would have faced criticism in the future. Wen Han feared that Li Qiang might harbor inner shadows, so he directly confronted Ma Zong to demand the release of the person.
Zhou Long seemed to have made a significant decision, boldly advancing instead of retreating. Wen Han quickly grabbed him, his cold face resembling a layer of ice as he spoke.
These ruffians may bully the common folk in the county from time to time. However, when they encounter someone formidable, they will quickly reveal their true colors and wish to flee with their tails between their legs
Wen Han felt a surge of warmth in his heart upon hearing Zhou Long's words. However, he still said, "Brother Zhou, I know you are a man of loyalty and righteousness. But your presence here serves no purpose and will instead hinder me from fully demonstrating my abilities.
Initially, the brothers thought that killing two people would not instill any fear in those ruffians. However, when they witnessed Wen Han's bizarre and ghostly method of killing, and after twenty had died, that group of ruffians fell into chaos
Dear brother, Zhou Long is not the kind of person who fears for his life. Although he does not understand martial arts and cannot assist you, he will not abandon his brothers or engage in acts of inhumanity and injustice
That will be enough for me to spend several years, let's go!
Zhou Long resolutely refused. Today, he was already prepared to fight to the death with Ma Zong.
Zhou Long stared intently at Wen Han, her gaze seemingly questioning the nature of his relationship with the county magistrate, as if wondering whether he might be the magistrate's illegitimate son
At this moment, Cheng Dong, standing at the forefront, looked at the surging thugs and could only brace himself against the fear within, shouting loudly once again to lead the thugs in launching an attack
However, the humble servant harbors a fervent heart towards the county magistrate, concerned for your well-being as you toil day and night for this county. It is out of this concern that I took the liberty to seek to alleviate your burdens. I ask for your forgiveness, esteemed magistrate
Those subordinates who had their hair tied up in a bun appeared to have lost their spirit
The sounds of anguished cries echoed continuously in Ma Zong's ears. When Ma Zong looked over, he was startled to see that those hairpins had accurately pierced through the throats of those individuals.
www.hetushu.com Damn it, wait for me to rush to your side. Just watch me tear you apart
At that moment, Zhou Long's wife, Lin, walked out from an alley and said proudly
Shut your dog mouth! You can harm others' lives, yet you do not allow anyone to resist. Do you want that young man to stretch his neck and let you slaughter him? This county magistrate has been watching all along, do not speak such nonsense here again
Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, Ma Zong hardened his heart, raised his knife, and cleaved a nearby thug in two. He then loudly reminded his own people of their numerical advantage
Cheng Dong awkwardly stood up, unsure whether to rush towards Wen Han. Just as he got up, he rolled on the ground several times to avoid a few hairpins aimed at his throat. Nevertheless, he was still struck by several hairpins in different places on his body.
A cold light flashed in Wen Han's eyes, akin to the impermanence that reaps human lives
However, that young man has caused the deaths of so many people. These individuals were all good citizens of the county, working under the hands of petty individuals. Taking a life requires paying with one's own life, and debts must be repaid. Sir County Magistrate, should this young man not...
As he watched the ruffians surge towards him like a tidal wave, Wen Han's expression grew increasingly cold. Looking at the few remaining hairpins in his hand, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter.
Yes, that's right. There are many of us; if each person spits once, we could drown the two of them
Yang Hong spoke in an irrefutable tone, and without waiting for a response from Wen Han and Zhou Long, he departed with his troops
The county magistrate believes that you have a tendency to slander good people and frame the loyal. Tell me, what are your intentions
Yang Hong pointed at Ma Zong's nose and berated him, showing no regard for feelings, as if scolding a dog, leaving the onlookers astonished.
However, if possible, you should take your sister-in-law with you. She has had a hard life and has not experienced a single good day since following her brother.
Wen Han tightened his grip, his five fingers clutching three hairpins, and aimed them directly at Cheng Dong, who was at the forefront. The three hairpins formed a triangular formation. Upon seeing another hairpin coming at him, Cheng Dong's heart trembled, and he quickly grabbed a nearby ruffian to shield himself.
Brother Zhou, today I share life and death with you. Moreover, I assure you that if we lose our lives, there will certainly be Ma Zong accompanying us on the road to the underworld
Wen Han gritted his teeth; under normal circumstances, he could easily take Ma Zong's life. However, with so many people around, his skills in hidden weapons were difficult to utilize, and Ma Zong, aware of the potency of his hidden weapons, had already taken precautions.
Cheng Dong was so frightened that he stood frozen in place, while the group of ruffians behind him had already been scared out of their wits. Each one looked at the other, waiting for someone to be the first to flee, so that they could follow suit.
What is this... this? Zhou Long appeared utterly bewildered, like a monk who could not grasp the situation. Originally facing certain death, he suddenly found himself in a miraculous rebirth. Even more astonishing was that the notoriously greedy and cunning County Magistrate Yang actually wanted to invite his brother, Wenhan.
The county residents hiding in the dark alleys to watch the spectacle did not know who shouted, "Someone has been killed." Suddenly, the entire street was thrown into chaos
Wen Han's hands moved with remarkable skill, swift and agile, as he casually grabbed several hairpins and hurled them towards Cheng Dong and his group.
Wow! Twelve taels of silver
It seems that today, things will not be resolved so easily
Hahaha. Go ahead and indulge in your grand dreams of spring and autumn. I have already communicated with County Magistrate Yang and closed the city gates. Today, no matter how capable you are, you will find it impossible to take flight.
Yes, surround him and capture him
Take three more steps, and I will take your life