The urgent sound of clappers and gongs tore through the morning mist.
Near the alley behind the Hou family, flas blazed fiercely, visible even from several streets away.
This establishnt was a three-entry courtyard; although it covered a considerable area, after renovations, it beca cluttered with too many things. The front yard was set up as a Gambling House, the central courtyard had small compartnts filled with flammable materials, and the backyard was even more compact.
Being near the docks and with many people inside, if any sparks arose on normal days, they were extinguished by simply dousing them with water.
But Li Yan's rampage scared the patrons and brothel girls into a frenzy, with significant casualties among the thugs, leaving no one to care for the blaze. The fire grew more intense, quickly engulfing the entire Cuixi Hall, and the body of One-Eyed Master Lu beca charred beyond recognition in the fire.
Fortunately, this was not the sole business of the establishnt.
Fearing collateral damage from the fire, other establishnts sent people to extinguish the flas.
Of course, the chaos was far from limited to this.
Inside Cuixi Hall, so clever brothel girls discreetly stuffed the hall's silver notes into their bosoms. Those gamblers who had lost everything took advantage of the chaos to rob, brawled with thugs from other establishnts, and so even took the opportunity to stab their enemies with black knives...
In such a place of debauchery, desires were infinitely magnified.
Outsiders only saw the gleaming lights and bustling life but didn't know the treacherous hearts within.
A large fire ignited the chaos.
But in Jinn, a bustling place, there was never a lack of order.
Even if the governnt did not act, soone would handle it.
The sound of dense footsteps surged from outside the street.
Hundreds of Great Han n ca running, fierce-looking, carrying wooden sticks, iron chains, and daggers, with blue-scaled waist tokens glinting under torchlight that made it hard to open one's eyes. They charged directly into the alley, beating anyone causing trouble.
They caught a brothel girl climbing out with a silver box, breaking her skull with a jujube wood stick.
The gamblers who went red with rage robbing, cornered by walls, were beaten to a bloody pulp with iron chains and wooden sticks.
"All of you listen up!"
A bald tattooed man roared, "Jinghai Gang is investigating the arsonist! Anyone holding silver is a thief!"
Saying this, seemingly unsatisfied, he grabbed a gambler's hair, reversed a dagger, and slit his throat instantly.
Under the fierce authority of Jinghai Gang, the chaos finally subsided.
With no one causing trouble, the firefighting beca orderly.
Under the command of an experienced middle-aged man, the fire was gradually brought under control.
By dawn, only the charred ruins and broken walls of Cuixi Hall were still emitting green smoke.
One-Eyed Master Lu's charred body was also found, and several hooligans dragged it to the corner of the alley.
There, a small sedan chair awaited, crafted from sandalwood with Shu Brocade drapes.
Four tall and robust porters stood around with arms crossed, on alert.
Their features were similar; they were quadruplets, with flintlocks tucked at their waists.
"Reporting to Third Master."
A Jinghai Gang mber respectfully cupped his hands and said, "Master Lu's body has been found."
"Investigate!"
A rich, cold voice ca from inside the sedan chair.
As soon as the words fell, an old man stepped forward.
He carried a wooden box, which he opened to reveal various chisels, axes, and tools.
If soone from the governnt were present, they would discover the old man was actually the most experienced coroner in the governnt.
This veteran coroner knelt by the charred corpse, pulled a blue cloth over his hand, peeled back the blackened skin to reveal the sharp cut on the shinbone, and after a careful examination, rasped out, "What a Guanzhong Fast Blade bone-removal technique!"
Then, using needle-nose tweezers, he lifted off the charred flesh of the skull, a hint of astonishnt flashing in his eyes:
"A Flying Blade through the skull, whose Hidden Weapon is so vicious? I've never heard of it..."
"It's not a Hidden Weapon."
The voice from the sedan chair spoke again, "Have the others from inside been found?"
"Reporting to Third Master, a few were captured, bring them up!"
The Jinghai Gang mber cupped his fists, then turned and ordered, bringing in the trembling thugs from Cuixi Hall.
"It was one man, masked, with very fair skin..."
"He used a knife, and small knives that could fly..."
"He first killed Wu the Stutterer..."
Daring not to conceal anything, they pieced together the story, each contributing their part.
From inside the sedan, there was silence for a long ti, then the voice spoke again.
"What about our goods?"
"Reporting to Third Master, they were all burned."
"Go to Cao Gang, send an invitation, and invite Liu Black Hand for tea."
"Also, give orders to watch for any group entering Jinn."
"Their leader is nad Li Yan."
"Rember, just find their hideout, do not confront them!"
"Yes, Third Master!"
After issuing the orders, the quadruplet strongn imdiately lifted the sedan and left.
Along the way, Jinghai Gang mbers approached from ti to ti to receive orders.
And one by one, Jinghai Gang mbers were dispatched to various places in the city...
......
As the sun gradually rose, the sll of burning from Hou family's alley wafted over to the Fork.
Old Yang fished out the fried cakes from the oil pot and sniffed, "What's going on?"
The elderly woman helping in the kitchen whispered, "At night, the flas reflected red, I heard it was a fire in Hou family alley!"
"You all don't know."
The oarsman eating grinned mysteriously, Zapped-Tooth Zhao San showing his yellow teeth, "That's the sll of roasted Cuixi Hall..."
Before he could finish, the crewhead beside him kicked his butt, "Don't talk nonsense, be careful about inviting trouble, hurry and eat to go carry the bags!"
The people of Jinn are not foolish, vaguely guessing there was more to the fire.
But such matters, how could ordinary people dare provoke, they simply took it as idle gossip.
But the underworld of Jinn was already surging with undercurrents.
In the South Market wrestling ground, burly shirtless n wrestled, kicking up yellow soil, cheers raising the roof.
On a bench beside the field sat a middle-aged man wearing sunglasses, twirling a pair of Baoding iron balls in his hand.
"Who is this Li Yan?"
He spat out a bit of tea foam, "He dares to ss with Jinghai Gang's place?"
The bald man beside him whispered, "They say he's a river-crossing dragon from Guanzhong, even Tongbi Lu Master was killed by him."
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