When Zhan Yunpeng arrived in Xiongzhou, he discovered that things were far worse than he had imagined. The official market was practically a mere decoration, and the smuggling going on in the streets was beyond imagination.
The official market was so deserted you'd think it was a shopping mall on New Year's Eve. A few scattered officials chatted in the vast market. The ground was littered with scattered garbage: broken wood from wooden boxes, hemp rope, and straw used for tying things. There were even piles of cow dung and horse urine, evidence of the horse trade.
The market outside the market was much busier, with merchants from all over the country and countless goods.
Ginseng, sable fur, cattle and sheep, furs, medicinal materials, pearls and jade, tea, rouge and powder, cloth and silk, etc.
Zhan Yunpeng was traveling in plain clothes. He had specially gotten himself a set of merchant clothes and brought Lai Fu, the man, and the dog to Xiongzhou.
"I will kill anyone who stands in my way!" A short and fat ruffian was chewing an apple and leading a few scoundrels.
The scoundrel came to a jade stall and grabbed an emerald peach. It was a bright red, very beautiful.
The vendor saw the distinguished guest and hurriedly greeted him: "Sir, you have good eyesight. This jade peach is from Dali. There is not a single trace of other colors on it."
The ruffian nodded and looked at it pretentiously: "Well, not bad."
The guy with triangular eyes next to the ruffian came up and said, "Master, give this jade pendant to Xiao Taohong. She will definitely like it."
The ruffian put it in his pocket and patted Triangle Eyes: "Erdan, you have good eyesight."
The vendor was overjoyed. He had met a wealthy man who would not bargain. He held up five fingers and said, "Five taels of silver."
The ruffian didn't even answer, but just took the jade pendant and left.
The vendor was very anxious and rushed over to stop him: "You, you haven't paid yet."
The scoundrel acted as if he had seen the strangest thing in the world: "Give money? Give what money?"
"The money you spent on the jade peach."
The triangular-eyed man called Erdan came up and pointed with his thumb: "Do you know who this is? Jiao Mang, Master Jiao, he's the nephew of our Transport Envoy, Lord Jiao. Let alone taking your broken jade, no one would dare to stop him even if he killed someone."
"Oh, Master Jiao, you are so magnanimous. I run a small business. If you take this jade, I will go bankrupt. Master Jiao, please spare me." The vendor was so scared that he kept kowtowing and begging for mercy.
The scoundrel Jiao Mang kicked him away and said, "How dare you ask me for money? Beat me up!"
Erdan and his men grabbed the vendor and started beating him up. The vendor was surrounded by them and beaten up.
Suddenly a black dog jumped out and bit Erdan and his gang of scoundrels, making them flee in a panic.
"Ouch, it hurts, it hurts..."
Jiao Mang's wrist was pinched by someone, Zhan Yunpeng.
Zhan Yunpeng took the emerald peach from Jiao Mang's arms with his other hand and threw it to the vendor, who lay on the ground and caught it, thanking him profusely.
Zhan Yunpeng let go of his wrist and Jiao Mang stumbled and fell.
Jiao Mang had never suffered such a great loss in Xiongzhou. He flew into a rage, gripping his painfully pinched wrist and saying, "Who are you? You're tired of living, and you dare to meddle in my affairs!"
"No one in the world can manage the affairs of the world. How dare you rob people in broad daylight? Who gave you the courage? Come with me to see the authorities!"
"See you? Hahahaha, this young master is the nephew of the Transport Envoy. Who in the entire Xiongzhou dares to arrest me? Beat this arrogant brat to death!"
A group of hooligans rushed forward with their fists raised. Lai Fu stood on the ground with his teeth bared, and no one dared to move forward.
Triangle-eyed Erdan picked up a bamboo pole and started beating the dog. He never imagined that the dog would not be afraid at all, but would bite the bamboo pole and start fighting with Erdan.
Erdan was exhausted and shouted to the other hooligans, "Come and help!"
A group of scoundrels grabbed the bamboo pole together. Zhan Yunpeng took action and knocked down the scoundrels with three punches and two kicks.
Jiao Mang looked at Zhan Yunpeng: "You, what do you want to do?"
Zhan Yunpeng rushed over and grabbed him: "I'll take you to see the official!"
The dilapidated courtyard of Xiongzhou County was overgrown with weeds. County Magistrate Fang Rucheng and several shabby-dressed yamen runners watched over Zhan Yunpeng and his men.
"Master Jiao, how many times have I told you to be more restrained? Why don't you listen?"
Jiao Mang laughed heartily: "Fang Rucheng, this young master can do whatever he wants. There's no need to ask a mere county magistrate like you for advice."
"You..." Fang Rucheng was furious, and then sighed: "What are you doing here at the county government office?"
Zhan Yunpeng clasped his fists and said, "Sir, this is the vendor Zhang Xiaosi. This Jiao Mang robbed property and assaulted vendors in broad daylight. I hope you will punish him severely."
Fang Rucheng hesitated: "This..."
Jiao Mang looked at him with contempt: "What are you talking about? Judge quickly. Master, I still have to go to Cuihonglou to find my little Taohong. Don't waste my time."
Fang Rucheng stammered, "Fortunately, there was no major fighting between the two parties, and no casualties were caused. There was insufficient evidence, so he was released in court. And you, the vendor, should have stated your price before making any purchases. Otherwise, why would Mr. Jiao blackmail you?"
"Your Excellency is wronged. It was this young master who picked out the small jade peach and left without paying a penny."
Zhan Yunpeng was furious. Li Xiaoyi, the son of a prime minister, wasn't so arrogant, but the nephew of a mere transport envoy was actually so rampant.
"This Jiao Mang committed atrocities, why are you pretending to be ignorant?"
Fang Rucheng lowered his head in shame, covering his face with his sleeves: "Jiao Mang, you better behave yourself in this county magistrate's territory from now on!"
Jiao Mang sneered, "Your territory? This is my uncle's territory! Let alone a mere county magistrate like you, I wouldn't be afraid even if you were the pacification envoy sent by the emperor."
Zhan Yunpeng sneered: "What a big tone! How dare a transport envoy be so rampant in this Xiongzhou territory? Do you still have respect for the law?"
"Hahaha, the law of the king. The law of the king? Haha..." Jiao Mang and several of his men laughed as if they had heard the funniest joke in the world.
Zhan Yunpeng pointed at Fang Rucheng angrily again: "As a parent official, you are unfilial for not speaking for the people. You take the court salary, but do not share the worries of the Song Dynasty. You are disloyal. You scold the plaintiffs, which is unkind, and confuse right and wrong, which is unjust. You are unfilial, unfaithful, unkind, and unjust. You have wasted your hard work studying the sages' books. Are you worthy of being a parent official?"
Unexpectedly, Fang Rucheng, far from feeling ashamed, was filled with resentment. He rolled up his sleeves and angrily shouted, "I don't know the sages' books? I don't care about the people?" He slammed the gavel and said, "Come on! Capture this audacious lunatic Jiao Mang!"
The yamen runners below stared at each other, but no one stepped forward to take action.
"Hahaha..." Jiao Mang walked up to Zhan Yunpeng and said arrogantly: "See, no one dares to arrest me. My uncle is the transport envoy, and this is his territory. Hahaha, let's go! Let's go to Cuihonglou to find my little Taohong."
With that, Jiao Mang led his rogue subordinates out of the county government office in a swagger.
PS: I will try to update twice a day. However, due to the Chinese New Year holiday, I am sorry that I can only update once today.
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