This kind of thing was widespread throughout the Wood Dynasty. The Servants of Brown were legitimate "idle helpers" of the County Government Office, able to apprehend criminals when necessary and usually responsible for collecting "tribute money."
In this process, countless unsavory incidents occurred daily, such as the few Servants of Brown touching the face of an old tea seller's granddaughter and verbally harassing a young housewife passing by to buy groceries. A vegetable vendor who refused to pay had his stall smashed, and so on.
However, Owen Bertram found it quite unexpected, because he and Master Lane, as officials of their rank, should not be dealing with such matters personally.
It wasn't that their high positions made them indifferent, but that they needed to focus on different priorities. Occasionally, they could intervene when presented with unpleasant incidents, but this time, it seemed as if Master Lane had deliberately come to handle this particular case.