"Give this to Huailiang and finalize the quantity as soon as possible!" Qin Mu took out several sheets of Xuan paper and handed them to Cheng Huaimo.
Cheng Huaimo asked in surprise, "You've already made up your mind?"
"It's settled. Let others help with the process and get the relocation of the people done as soon as possible, in Fuxing and Yongyang!" Qin Mu nodded.
“Yongyang Ward? You really want to renovate that slum! It’s quite chaotic there!” Cheng Huaimo was even more surprised. He originally thought it was just a reason, but he never expected that Qin Mu would actually choose one of the worst and most chaotic wards in Chang’an.
"Tell me what happened?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
"Well, Yongyang Ward is located in the southwest corner of Chang'an City. It was expanded later, not built at the beginning, and was built by the people themselves, so it's dilapidated. The people living there are mostly those who can't make a living—beggars, hoodlums, elderly people living alone, fugitives, and bandits. Not only is the place chaotic, but the people are too. It's the place that gives the imperial court the biggest headache. In the past, we wouldn't even go into the ward when we patrolled," Cheng Huaimo said, scratching his head.
"So chaotic? Even the imperial court can't control it?" Qin Mu asked in surprise.
"It's not that I can't manage it, it's that I can't manage it. You'll see for yourself when you go and see for yourself. No matter how much I explain, I can't describe it," Cheng Huaimo said, distressed.
"Let's go take a look!" Qin Mu nodded.
"Bring more people!" Cheng Huaimo reminded.
"Okay!" Qin Mu agreed, and then went to the Six Doors with Cheng Huaimo. They selected twenty constables and took Bu Fang and Bu Mang with them before riding horses (or oxen) to Yongyang Ward.
The market town had a large open space, but was also separated by walls. Stepping into Yongyang Ward, Qin Mu finally understood why Cheng Huaimo couldn't explain it clearly. The situation before him was indeed unexpected.
The ruins and overgrown weeds made it seem like the middle of nowhere, and Qin Mu never imagined that this was actually Chang'an City. Upon entering, there wasn't even a proper road; instead, a thatched hut appeared at the end of a narrow path.
Leaving four men to guard the mounts, Qin Mu and his companions chose to proceed on foot. After walking through a street, they finally spotted people; a group of people with blank expressions stared at Qin Mu and his group with vacant eyes. The houses on both sides were low, and the street was narrow, only wide enough for one carriage to pass at a time, much like a country road.
"Please, esteemed sir, give us some lucky money!" A sallow-faced, thin man with high cheekbones rushed over from the roadside and knelt in front of Qin Mu and the others.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!" The sound of a long sword being drawn rang out. The constable drew his embroidered spring knife and stood guard around Qin Mu and the others, looking around warily.
The people who had been watching Qin Mu and his group with blank expressions suddenly huddled together in fear. Years of experience told them that they absolutely could not run now. If they did, they would not only be beaten, but they might also be mistaken for accomplices and killed. The man who had blocked their way to ask for money was even more pathetic, kneeling there trembling all over, not daring to lift his head.
"Don't worry about it, we can't possibly manage all these things," Cheng Huaimo said to Qin Mu in a low voice.
Qin Mu nodded slightly, then casually tossed ten copper coins in front of the man who wanted the money.
He understood the principle of helping in an emergency but not in a life of poverty, and besides, looking at these people with dull eyes and numb expressions, he knew that simply giving them money wouldn't help.
"These guys don't seem to recognize us at all?" Yu Chi Baolin said in surprise.
Indeed, the Six Doors are currently enjoying immense popularity in Chang'an. Their distinctive style—flying fish robes, embroidered spring knives, and iron chains on their arms—has become their trademark. Out of a desire to avoid conflict with officials, or perhaps a natural aversion to law enforcement, most people avoid the Six Doors whenever they go out, even though the Six Doors haven't yet gained a notorious reputation.
The people here are very strange. They seem to know them completely, and their gazes towards them haven't changed much. Some even jump out and ask for money. Who would go to law enforcement and ask for money for no reason?
"That's how it is here. It's full of unpopular people. They're not allowed into the good markets, and they do the hardest and most tiring manual labor. They just work hard every day to make ends meet. You could say they're all people who don't know where their next meal will come from. They don't have time to care about anything else," Cheng Huaimo explained.
Knowing that Cheng Huaimo used to work as an inspector in Chang'an, they were all speechless, unsure how to handle the situation. They shook their heads and followed Qin Mu forward.
Many constables drew their swords, but no one continued to demand money. Qin Mu and his group continued forward, wanting to see what the situation was all about.
Robbery and rape happened in broad daylight! Of course, all the perpetrators were arrested. Although they only stole a cold steamed bun, a crime is a crime. As for the rapist, although his weapon wasn't confiscated this time, he was kicked by Yu Chi Baolin. Whether he can use it again in the future is unknown. However, Qin Mu believes that even if he can, he won't have the chance.
The more he saw, the gloomier his face became. He had witnessed many horrific events while arresting criminals, but the chaos here was truly beyond his imagination.
Dirty, chaotic, and filthy! These are the words that best describe this place. Sewage flows everywhere, and the stench is overwhelming. Elderly people, dressed in thin clothes and with disheveled hair, lie silently in the sunlight, like corpses.
The isolation zone outside Yongyangfang is only two hundred meters away from the city wall. In any city, this is the most dangerous place. In addition, it is the most remote place and the farthest from the city gate and the market. No wonder these poor people live here.
There was a long stretch of wall between the inside and outside of it, which was a restricted area. Unauthorized personnel were not allowed to stay there or even pass by. The wall leading to another ward was also blocked off, which meant that the people on the other side of the wall did not welcome the people here.
Perhaps because Qin Mu had brought too many people, many of them avoided them, and Qin Mu didn't see anything further. After walking through the entire Yongyang Ward for more than an hour, Qin Mu had a general idea of what Yongyang Ward was like.
"Let's go! We'll talk about it when we get back." Qin Mu glanced back at Yongyangfang and saw that someone seemed to be peeking from behind a wall in the distance, but he ignored them and told the others to leave.
It's no surprise that the more chaotic and dark a place is, the more underground forces it harbors. However, for Qin Mu and his group, this is a minor issue. They have the imperial court as their backer, which is their greatest strength. These smaller underground forces can be easily eliminated during the reconstruction process.
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Dear readers! Tomorrow is Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day). Have you found your target yet? If you have, don't forget to give a bouquet of roses to someone you love or someone who loves you! Although it might be a bit back-breaking.
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