Rende Town has only four streets and is not a large town.

There are three market days each month, on the 5th, 15th, and 25th of the first, middle, and last ten days of the month. At those times, the town is very crowded with people from the surrounding villages.

Those who had surplus grain at home would sell it at that time.

There are merchants selling goods in the town at other times, but on a small scale.

The streets of Rende Town have been rather deserted lately, and even on market days, there are fewer people than in the previous months.

On the street, you only see some idle thugs wandering around. Occasionally, you can see a listless constable taking something from a vendor. There are people on the street corner, but the constables don't seem to notice them.

Zhang Jian and a few others were drinking tea at a simple tea shop by the roadside.

"Waiter!"

"Here you are, sir. Please do not hesitate to ask me for anything."

"I heard that someone was hacked to death in front of your tea shop more than half a month ago?"

The servant was slightly taken aback and quickly said, "Sir, please don't frighten me. I have never heard of such a thing!"

One of the Imperial Guards took out a banknote, and the servant said with difficulty, "Sir, you must be from Zhongshan Prefecture. We don't use this in our small place."

The implementation of Jiaozi (paper money) in the Song Dynasty is imminent, but because the economic circulation in ancient times was not very developed, Jiaozi has not yet spread to towns and villages, and has only begun to be used in prefectures and counties.

The Imperial Guard then took out another string of iron coins.

The waiter gave a troubled smile, while the boss walked over with a beaming smile.

The boss shooed the servant away and whispered, "Sir, someone has indeed been hacked to death."

As he spoke, he took the string of iron coins.

"Who was hacked to death, and why?"

The boss noticed that these people were dressed in ordinary clothes, but they possessed a kind of imposing aura that ordinary people would never have.

But he was, after all, the owner of a small teahouse in a small town, and he had no experience or knowledge of these people.

He hadn't dared to say it before, but since he'd already received the money, he continued in a low voice, "It's Li Si from the edge of Tianjia Village. I heard he offended someone."

"Who did you offend?"

"Who else could it be but Tian Fen, the town's number one bully!"

"How did I offend Tian Fen?"

The boss looked around and spoke even softer: "I heard that Li Si owes Tian Fen money and can't pay it back. Tian Fen wants to use Li Si's land to pay off the debt, but Li Si refuses."

Zhang Jian suddenly asked, "I've heard that someone has been forcibly buying up villagers' land recently. Is that true?"

"I don't know that, I don't know that, that's all I know!"

The boss grabbed the money and ran away in a panic.

Zhang Jian and his companions looked at each other in bewilderment, and then searched the surrounding area to inquire, but they couldn't get any information out of them.

After having dinner, Zhang Jian and his companions went to the county government office in Tang County and found the magistrate.

Magistrate Cui Haichang, filled with righteous indignation, said: "In broad daylight, how could such a vicious person commit such a beastly act? Your Excellency, please rest assured, I will definitely investigate this case thoroughly. Otherwise, I will take my head and send it to Zhongshan Prefecture to give Prefect Chen an explanation!"

Cui Haichang exuded an aura of justice from every pore, and Zhang Jian and others were moved to realize that there were still good officials out there!

Subsequently, Cui Haichang warmly and attentively entertained Zhang Jian and his party at the most luxurious restaurant in the county, bringing out the most beautiful girls, the most luxurious food, and the most precious wines in the county.

Outside the restaurant, a group of starving beggars numbly pleaded, "Sir, please have mercy and give us some food..."

"Magistrate Cui, doesn't this county have a begging ward? Why are there still so many beggars on the roadside?"

"Shangguan, don't be fooled by those people. They used to be unscrupulous merchants who extorted money from the people of this county. Under the bright light of the imperial court, their true colors have been revealed, and they are not worthy of sympathy."

As Cui Haichang spoke with righteous indignation, he brought over a bottle of fine wine: "Shangguan, this wine is a thirty-year-old vintage. We don't usually dare to take it out to drink."

"And this gentleman over here is Cui Qingliu, a great philanthropist in this county. In the past, Master Cui owned land and grain and often helped the people. Later, in response to the imperial court's call, he sold all his fertile land to the people at a low price and continues to do good deeds."

"And this one, Liu Fugui, the great official Liu, is a big merchant in Xiufang of this county, but he donates all the money he earns to Anjifang."

"..."

Zhang Jian frowned slightly. Cui Haichang was still rambling on and on, but he had no interest in listening.

Suddenly, he heard a pitiful scream coming from outside.

Zhang Jian suddenly stood up, looked out the window, and his expression changed drastically upon seeing what he saw.

The expressions on everyone's faces were a mixture of emotions.

Zhang Jian rushed down immediately, and several of his men followed suit.

On the street, ten people with crude axes were chopping at two people.

Their attack appeared brutal, but it was very deliberate; they never struck vital spots, clearly intending to torture the two men severely.

Judging from their clothes, these two people were ordinary, unarmed civilians.

This scene frightened the beggar who was begging next to the restaurant, who hurriedly grabbed his child and ran away, while other passersby also fled in panic.

"assistant!"

Zhang Jian shouted loudly.

Cui Haichang, who was behind him, quickly ran over and said, "Shangguan, look over here!"

A carriage approached Zhang Jian, but he ignored it. Several Imperial Guards stepped forward to stop it, but the men continued their attack and even assaulted the Imperial Guards.

Cui Haichang lifted the curtain at the back of the carriage, seemingly unaware that someone was hacking people to pieces nearby. He laughed and said, "Shangguan, look at this!"

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