Chapter 27: The Laws of the Tang Dynasty

  After mounting their horses, Song Kai and Zhou Ce rode side by side towards the Red Dust Inn.

  "Song Kai, the things you've been trained in are best not to be mentioned to outsiders. As for the location of the morning training and those people you met, it's even more forbidden to mention," Zhou Ce reminded him.

  "I know you've said it three times," Song Kai smiled, then became serious and said, "Brother Zhou, don't worry, I know this is a big deal, so I won't mention it to anyone else."

  "Good, I'll go to Huichuntang to pick up the medicine today. After having lunch there, I'll accompany you to the mountain villa. As for Xue Lao, he has some things to attend to and can't make it," Zhou Ce said, then rode his horse ahead.

  The price of a horse is very high, and if it's a strong and fine steed like Song Kai's, the price can be even more expensive, possibly up to twenty taels of gold.

  Song Kai rode his horse, and pedestrians on the road made way for him. In those days, only the wealthy or noble could ride a fine horse on the main streets, just like driving a sports car down a pedestrian street in later times.

  Riding on horseback, Song Kai thought of Zhou Ce's words. During the morning training session, Zhou Ce repeatedly instructed him not to tell others, it seemed that this morning training was not ordinary military training, otherwise there would be no need for such secrecy.

  But why did Zhou Ce secretly train those soldiers this week? 800 soldiers, trained hard every day, with mutton in their breakfast, although I don't know how much they were paid, but they looked great. These people are basically being cultivated as the elite of the elite! Although those soldiers are far inferior to Zhou Ce, they are much stronger than ordinary soldiers, and it's no problem for one to fight against three.

  The Eight Hundred Heroes in Lüshun

  Song Kai pinched his nose, forget it, what's the point of thinking about these useless things. This morning's training was indeed backbreaking and waist-aching. Going back to the store to let Nie Zhongzheng massage him... hmm, forget it, probably that woman would make it worse with her massage.

  "Murder!" A muffled sound came from a nearby alley, the voice was short and quickly disappeared.

  Song Kai was startled and looked around. There were people sneaking a peek into the alley, then quickly turning back as if nothing had happened.

  Song Kai squeezed his legs together, and the horse slightly changed direction, entering the alley. In the depths of the alley, several figures were swaying, with one person lying on the ground, while another person was riding a sorrel-colored horse, standing off to the side.

  Four or five men in green clothes surrounded the man on the ground, beating him wildly. After a while, the man riding the horse waved his hand and then pulled the reins, riding away.

  Five family members followed behind the horse's buttocks and also left in a big way.

  Song Kai rode on horseback, looking towards several people.

  Several people on the opposite side walked towards this side in a big way, and when they got closer, Song Kai found that several people were wearing black cloth masks, with cold expressions.

  "Hmm..."

  The man riding on the horse suddenly let out a very disdainful sneer, staring straight at Song Kai, stretching out his index finger and pointing at Song Kai.

  Song Kai was perplexed, then discovered that the horseman was an acquaintance, Yang Huaiyan.

  Yang Huaiyan made a throat-slitting gesture towards Song Kai, then burst out laughing. With a flick of the reins, he rode off on his sorrel horse into another alley, with his attendants following closely behind, also running quickly.

  Song furrowed his brow, riding his horse into the alley for dozens of meters before seeing an old woman lying in a pool of blood, her body trembling, and her mouth still whispering in terror: "Murder... murder... murder..."

  "It's Old Mother Jiang, that gossiping matchmaker!" Song Kai suddenly understood and picked up the reins, turning the direction of his horse towards the inn.

  The people around just watched from a distance, and soon two martial arts masters carrying Tang knives arrived, lifted up the old woman Jiang, and walked towards a nearby clinic.

  Song Kai's heart was a bit messy, this is the Great Tang, he suddenly realized that after all, this is the Great Tang, and not the later generations.

  The laws of the Tang Dynasty were very strict, but the public security situation was fundamentally incomparable with later generations!

  Yang Huaiyan dared to bring his family members to beat up Jiang Po in broad daylight, why? Because he has some power! More importantly, there will be no evidence to prove that it was him who did it! Even if Jiang Po reports Yang Huaiyan to the county government or the provincial government, they will also give up due to lack of evidence.

  Rode on horseback, went straight to the back door and entered the backyard.

  Chang Sheng is chopping wood.

  Song Kai jumped off the horse and instructed Chang Sheng to take good care of it.

  "Don't worry, shopkeeper, I understand. This horse is precious," Changsheng said with a warm smile, then led the horse to the northwest corner and temporarily set up a stable.

  "Don't follow me! Please, miss!" A voice came from the kitchen ahead, and then Zhao Tieshan appeared, wearing an apron and holding a cleaver, running out of the kitchen.

  "Brother Tie Shan!" a soft and delicate voice rang out, "I wove this waistband for more than half the night!"

  Song Kai got goosebumps, he looked over curiously, and saw only Cui Lan chasing after Zhao Tieshan, running over, with a big red belt in her hand.

  Zhao Tieshan's face was filled with terror, while Cui Lan had a bashful expression, matching her chubby and festive appearance, which indeed looked very lovely.

  "Don't come any closer! If you take another step, I...I'll...I'll kill myself with this meteorite knife!" Zhao Tieshan placed the meteorite knife against his own neck.

  "Brother Tiěshān, stop messing around and quickly put on your apron to go cook," Cuìlán winked at Zhào Tiěshān with all her might.

  Zhao Tieshan pitifully put down his cleaver, seemingly aware that this trick wouldn't work on Cui Lan.

  Song Kai coughed and walked over, his face stern: "Zhao Tieshan! What are you doing?! Hurry back to the kitchen and cook! Want your wages deducted?!"

  Zhao Tieshan saw Song Kai and was startled. He hastily shrunk his neck and said, "Yes, boss, I'll go right away."

  Cui Lan also lowered her head and said in a low voice: "I... I'll go too, boss, just don't deduct my wages."

  Song Kai burst out laughing, "Don't worry, Cui Lan, I fully support your actions."

  Cui Lan suddenly lifted her head, gratefully looked at Song Kai, then blushed and ran to the kitchen with the red waistband.

  "Hah, Zhao Tieshan you rascal, still thinking of competing with me for a woman... Eh, how did Nie Lingdang become my woman?" Song Kai muttered to himself as he strolled towards the kitchen.

  In the kitchen, he casually ate some food and soon after, Zhou Ce entered the guest house.

  Song Kai took twenty taels of gold from Nie Lingdang and left with Zhou Ce.

  By yesterday's dock, a slightly larger awning boat was moored by the shore, with several bamboo baskets on it, obviously for loading tea leaves. On the boat stood seven green-clad guards, who didn't say much. After Zhou Ce and Song Kai boarded the boat, they set off in a small boat that swayed back and forth.

  "Xue Lao said that the two taels of gold from yesterday don't need to be returned, just convert them into tea money. He said he's still waiting for your tea," Zhou Ce laughed and said.

  Song Kai nodded in agreement and then casually mentioned Yang Huaiyan's violent beating of Jiang Pozi.

  Zhou Ce nodded after listening, and sighed: "Song Lang, it's best not to conflict with Yang Huaiyan. His father, Yang Rongguang, is a man of great wisdom and has some background, so it's better not to get involved with him."

  "I know, however, Big Brother Zhou, even if that Yang Rongguang has some background, but after all, he's just a county lieutenant, and above him is the county magistrate, as well as the prefectural officials, can't you handle him?" Song Kai asked doubtfully.

  Zhou Ce shook his head, "One Yang Rongguang is naturally not to be feared, if one is determined to deal with him, it can be done, however, official business requires adherence to the law, let alone now that no one has died, even if someone had died, without evidence, there's no way to convict. Yang Rongguang being the county executive, in charge of Wu County's six departments, is quite familiar with handling cases."

  Song Kai responded with an "uh-huh".

  "Alright, brother, don't worry about this matter anymore. Yang Rongguang may have some background, but in Suzhou City, he's still far from being qualified. If he dares to do something excessive, there will naturally be someone to punish him. Don't worry."

  This time the boat went a bit faster and before an hour had passed, the Wu Peng boat entered Taihu Lake and docked.

  Song Kai and Zhou Ce got off the boat with seven green-clad guards and headed towards the manor.

  Upon entering the manor, I saw a group of people gathered together.

  "Really really! Old Wang! Your mouth is really straight now!"

  "Oh dear, still crooked when I smile... but better than yesterday!"

  "How did you get rid of the dirty thing? Which Taoist priest did you invite?"

  Male and female workers in the estate were mixed together, chattering incessantly.

  "Master Wang didn't invite a Taoist priest!" A clear and melodious voice suddenly rang out from the crowd, which was Qingniang's. "Yesterday, that young master said Master Wang's crooked mouth was due to wind-cold evil energy entering the meridians of his mouth, that's why it's like this! That young master also said that we silkworms who died of illness can be used as medicine too. Look, what's stuffed in Master Wang's nose is the corpse of a silkworm!"

  "Can dead silkworms cure diseases?"

  "Also cured of internal injury?"

  "Can a crooked mouth be cured?"

  "Isn't that Lang Jun a demon?"

  The debate has started again.

  The crooked-mouthed Wang uncle smiled with a twisted mouth, while Qingniang stood beside him, arguing slowly and steadily: "That Lang Jun is not a demon, Lang Jun said that the dead silkworms can drive away the evil wind, Lang Jun also wants to buy our tea garden, Lang Jun said..."

  Song Kai walked over, looking at Qing Niang with a smile, and every time she said "Lang Jun said...", Song Kai had an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.

  "Everyone stop arguing, Uncle Wang, let me take a look at your crooked mouth," Song Kai reached out and straightened Uncle Wang's face.

  Wang Shu gazed at Song Kai and smiled straight away.

  "Don't laugh!" Song Kai ordered.

  Wang Shu indeed tried hard to hold back his smile.

  Recovered more than half.

  "Uh, it'll take another three to five days to fully recover. Later when the weather gets cold, try not to catch a chill," Song Kai patted Wang Shu's shoulder and then turned his head to look at Qingniang, his eyes shining with amusement as he smiled.

  The young woman hastily lowered her head, "Sir, why are you looking at me like that..."

  "I just think you sound particularly good," Song Kai smiled, then said loudly: "Everyone scatter first, later will teach everyone to fry tea and make tea technology, everyone must learn well, those who learn well, wages increase by half, those who do not learn well, no reward."

  "Yes!"

  Everyone praised him.

  Song Kai then walked into the house with Zhou Ce and others.