Deep in the alley, at a corner, the senior brother in blue looked at the young man in white with an unpleasant expression. Right in front of the two men, the gangster from Pingxi City who had just followed the two men was lying on the ground, covering his neck with one hand, his eyes wide open, with a trace of fear in his eyes. A fresh bloodstain was on the gangster's neck, and blood was gushing out from his neck. The bloodstain on the ground was slowly getting bigger, and the vitality in the gangster's eyes was gradually annihilated...
“Junior brother, you don’t have to kill him…” the senior brother said in a low voice, with a very dissatisfied tone.
"Thugs like these following the two of us definitely have bad intentions. Our master also taught us that we won't offend others unless they offend us. Now others are trying to bully us, so when will we take action? Brother, you are too cautious. We didn't come out to gain experience to be bullied. We have practiced martial arts, so why should we be so cautious when facing these city foxes and social rats!" The man in white said without changing his expression.
The senior brother looked at the body on the ground, then at his junior brother, his face became even uglier, and he suppressed his anger, "Many people in the restaurant saw us just now. This man followed us, and there must be someone behind him. We can't stay in Pingxi City any longer. Once we are wanted by the government, it will be very troublesome. We must leave immediately!"
The man in white smiled and said, "I'll do as you say, but even if we are wanted by the government, so what? They don't know our names. After a few months, no one will care about this kind of wanted order..."
"I will report this matter truthfully to Master after I return!" The senior brother in blue stared at the man in white and said seriously.
"I have a clear conscience. If you want to report it, please do so!" said the man in white calmly.
The senior brother in blue said nothing more, but turned around and walked quickly to the other side of the alley. The man in white looked at his senior brother's back, his eyes flickered, and then he also left quickly...
Less than a few minutes after the two men left, two thugs from Pingxi City ran into the alley. When they saw the body on the ground, their faces changed at the same time. "Quickly tell Boss He, something happened. Those two men killed Liu San..."
Ten minutes later, the alley was already full of people. The criminal police and the head of the police force from Pingxi City had arrived, and more than a dozen thugs were surrounding the alley. The expressions on their faces varied, ranging from grief and anger to lingering fear.
As the leader of these gangsters, He Lao Da pulled a police chief, bent over there, gnashing his teeth, and talked about the cause and effect of this matter.
The head constable had seen many murders like this before, and was not surprised. When he saw Liu San's body on the ground, he didn't even raise his eyelids. It was only when he heard Boss He talking about what those two people said in the restaurant that he was shocked, raised his eyebrows, and rubbed his chin with one hand. "What, speak slower, you said those two people were talking nonsense in the restaurant before, saying bad things about Master Yan?"
"That's right. Not only I heard it, many people heard it. I was so angry that I asked Liu San to come over to see what those two people are like and where they are based. How dare they be so rampant in our Pingxi City? I didn't expect that Liu San would also suffer a fatal blow here. Those two people were carrying long swords, and the scar on Liu San's neck was also a sword wound. It must be those two people who killed the person. Please ask Captain Ma to help us and bring those two people to justice..." Boss He squeezed out two tears while speaking.
Captain Ma, who had just looked lazy, now had a righteous look on his face. He said straightforwardly, "Don't worry. Those two people actually dared to talk about murder in Pingxi City. Our Criminal Investigation Office will naturally handle this matter to the end and will never let them do evil again. You spread the word that the Criminal Investigation Office is now hunting down those two people. If any brothers in the city know their whereabouts, I have a big reward..."
…
If this matter only involved ordinary people, it would take many days for the criminal arrest office to issue a wanted order. However, because this matter involved Yan Liqiang, the future ruler of Pingxi City, before dusk, the four gates of Pingxi City were already covered with wanted pictures of the two people. Almost all the gangs in Pingxi City were mobilized to search for the whereabouts of the two people. They searched every inn, brothel, restaurant in the city, and even inn, restaurant, and post house outside the city...
…
While many people in Pingxi City were busy trying to find the two "murderers", Yan Liqiang was drinking tea and chatting in a harmonious atmosphere with Wang Jianbei and Liu Yucheng in the County Magistrate's Mansion.
"Li Qiang, you are favored by the emperor. His Majesty has handed Pingxi County to you this time, which shows that His Majesty trusts you. Li Qiang, you are less than 20 years old this year. You are the only governor under 20 years old in the world!"
Yan Liqiang smiled bitterly and shook his hands, without any smug look on his face. "Master Wang, please don't make fun of me. I know my ability very well. To be honest, you two masters and I knew about this matter at about the same time. I didn't expect that Your Majesty would do this to me. I came here today to apologize to you two. Your Majesty made it seem as if you two had to leave Pingxi County because of me. It really makes me feel uneasy!"
Wang Jianbei laughed, "Li Qiang, you don't have to be like this. You don't have to be like this. Yucheng and I have been officials for many years. Position transfers in the officialdom are normal things. Yucheng and I are county governors and military governors wherever we go. It's not a grievance. Besides, the court's reconstruction of the Qiyun Guardian Mansion is a national event, not for personal calculations or court politics. How can we be so petty? In the past few days, I have already asked the four officials of the County Governor's Mansion, the Criminal Arrest Office, and the Military Governor's Mansion to prepare the information without omissions, so that it can be handed over to you in two days..."
"That's right. Jianbei and I have long disliked the seven Shatu tribes, and the governor has long wanted to do something against them. Last time, we drove the seven Shatu tribes out of Pingxi City together. Later, the governor praised us and said that it should have been done long ago. This time the court rebuilt the Qiyun Protectorate and let Liqiang take the position of Qiyun Protector. The governor and we strongly support it!" Liu Yucheng also said in a rough voice. These were not Liu Yucheng's deliberate polite words, but Liu Yucheng's inner thoughts. The more he got to know Yan Liqiang, especially after seeing Yan Liqiang's methods and wisdom in dealing with the seven Shatu tribes several times before and after, Liu Yucheng, who had long disliked the seven Shatu tribes, really felt from the bottom of his heart that the emperor's appointment was wonderful and it should have been done long ago.
Originally, there was a local tyrant like Yan Liqiang in Pingxi County who was famous and favored by the emperor. This was the biggest headache and fear for any official in power. Fortunately, Yan Liqiang had been on good terms with Lei Sitong and them from the beginning, and had many collaborations with them, so the two sides could be considered to be in the same trench, and they got along well with each other and had never had any unpleasantness. If a person like Yan Liqiang really didn't give face to local officials and made things difficult for them everywhere, then being an official in Pingxi County might not necessarily be a good thing. This time, he was transferred from Pingxi County and completely handed over Pingxi County to Yan Liqiang, and the two of them became officials in different places. For Wang Jianbei and Liu Yucheng, it might not be a bad thing.
…
Yan Liqiang left the County Magistrate's Mansion in the evening. Wang Jianbei and Liu Yucheng personally sent Yan Liqiang to the door of the County Magistrate's Mansion, and finally said goodbye. Although everything had been decided, based on Yan Liqiang's experience in his previous life, this visit was still necessary. Even if he really became the Qiyun Supervisor in the future, his cooperation with Lei Sitong and his faction would only increase, not decrease. The two sides needed to rely on each other more, not less. After the cooperation in the salt field, the turmoil in the transportation office, and the expulsion of the Shatu people and Wei Wuji in Pingxi City, the two sides got to know each other better and trusted each other more. It can be said that after Yan Liqiang took office as the Qiyun Supervisor, the space for cooperation between the two sides was truly opened...
"Sir, where are you going now?" Yan Liqiang walked to the carriage, and the driver Hu Haihe had already opened the door for Yan Liqiang, and then asked in a low voice.
To this day, out of confidence in his own martial arts, Yan Liqiang did not bring many guards with him when he went out. He only brought Hu Haihe with him. If he could not hold on, it would be useless no matter how many guards he brought.
Yan Liqiang glanced at Hu Haihe and saw from his eyes the second half of the question that Hu Haihe had not asked. Should he go to find Zhong Ruolan or Lu Beixin? Only Hu Haihe knew the relationship between Yan Liqiang and Zhong Ruolan. At this time, Yan Liqiang finally understood why the leader's driver was so important.
"I'm a little hungry, let's go to Kowloon Bridge first!" Yan Liqiang said lightly, and got on the carriage.
"Okay!"
…
In less than half an hour, Yan Liqiang saw Situ Feixing again in a private room on the top floor of the restaurant at Jiulong Bridge.
Compared to the first time he met Situ Feixing, this time when Situ Feixing saw Yan Liqiang, he was so excited that he bowed to Yan Liqiang, "Situ Feixing greets the lord, it is really a blessing from heaven. I didn't expect that the court would actually reopen the Qiyun Guardian Mansion this time. The lord can take back the Gulang Grassland in no time!"
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Let's take it step by step!" Yan Liqiang smiled, helped Situ Feixing up, and sat him down in front of him. "I called you here this time because I want you to do something!"
"What is it, my lord, please tell me?"
"You said last time that you still have some contact with the Black Jie people?"
"Yes, I have many men under my command. In order to survive, I had to do some business with the Black Jie people! If you don't like it, I will kill those Black Jie people as soon as I get back and cut off all ties with them!"
"Ha, I don't want you to break off relations with the Black Jie people. I want you to do business with them properly this time when you go back!"
"Ah..." Situ Feixing looked at Yan Liqiang in surprise, "My Lord, what kind of business do you want me to do with the Black Jie people?"
"Wool, you can buy wool from the Black Jie..."
"There are very few sheep raised in the Black Jie territory..." Situ Feixing had just said this when he suddenly realized, "Ah, the lord wants to..."
"Well, it's good that you understand. The Black Jie people don't have it, but there are some on the Gulang Grassland. With my current identity, it's not convenient for me to do this business with the Black Jie people. The Black Jie caravans can't enter Baishi Pass, so I need you to come forward. You need to take as much wool as the Black Jie people have. Give the Black Jie people enough profit, and it's best to make them addicted. You are a smart person, you should understand what I mean..."
(End of this chapter)