At noon, the rain poured heavily over Jiang'an, the wind howling.
Several empty boats docked in the harbor, and the market on the pier was deserted, with occasional shouts from the taverns:
"Come and drink..."
"Big... sigh——"
...
Most of the buildings in the market were old, but nestled by the riverside, there was a mansion hidden among the trees, its roof tiles visible from the pier.
The estate was called Qinglian Manor, a private residence of the elites in the capital. They would only come to stay for a few days during the hot summer months, and it was managed by the "caretaker" while they were away, overseeing the business at the pier. The name "Qinglian Gang" originated from here.
Although it was called the "Qinglian Gang," it had nothing to do with the martial world. The only martial artist among them was the leader, Yang Guan, while the rest were just a group of thugs and idlers, numbering around a hundred.
Yang Guan had studied martial arts in the Sanjue Valley of Wu Prefecture since he was young, and he was quite skilled. After settling in the capital, he used his connections to control the local gangs in just a few months, monopolizing Jiang'an Wharf. Recently, he even expanded his influence into the inner city, aiming to expand his business.
Most of the families doing business in the capital were backed by noble families, either wealthy or prestigious. Even in the streets and lanes without background support, there were already local gangs occupying territory.
After observing for a while, Yang Guan found that the area around Tian Shui Bridge was particularly clean!
Several wealthy merchants, led by the Pei family, had money but no government officials in the family, and there were no other local gangs nearby vying for territory.
With such a fat sheep lying around, it was like giving away free land. Naturally, Yang Guan wouldn't be polite. He had been "communicating" with the merchants all month, trying to establish a foothold at Tian Shui Bridge.
Yang Guan's ambitions were undoubtedly grand, but the consequences were immediate.
At noon, inside Qinglian Manor, Yang Guan, dressed as a wealthy merchant, was speaking in the living room:
"Pei San Niang of Tian Shui Bridge has no face. I've sent her two invitations, but she never deigned to respond. Just sitting down for a cup of tea and chat is not about me being enamored with her beauty..."
"Sigh, Pei San Niang has a tough temperament and some connections with the officials. The nearby businesses all defer to her. It's a good thing that Yang Xianyuan wants to send some men to help drive away the troublemakers, but if Pei's family doesn't agree, it's hard for us to make a decision..."
...
The few wealthy merchants, all nearby to Tian Shui Bridge, dared not offend Yang Guan, a local gang leader. They could only be tactful and push the matter onto the Pei family, who were ultimately responsible. If the Pei family couldn't handle it, then they would have to pay up.
Yang Guan didn't understand why the woman in charge of the Pei family had such a tough attitude. He wanted to show both kindness and strength, so he had several businessmen pass on the message, but suddenly, shouts were heard from outside:
"Boss, boss..."
The merchants in the living room stopped talking and looked towards the door.
A young man in a black robe, tall and with a cold complexion, strode in, accompanied by Chen, the leader of the escorts, who held an umbrella and appeared quite obsequious. Behind them were five bodyguards, with an old man carrying a long black sword.
Yang Guan raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had heard of Pei's eldest son, Pei Luo, whose reputation was not small. Because he was the only son of the Pei family, he had been indulged since childhood, engaging in debauchery and neglecting his studies, making him quite famous as a wastrel in the neighborhood.
Yang Guan had obviously heard of Pei's eldest son's reputation and looked at him unexpectedly:
"Pei San Niang didn't come in person but sent this playboy to appease me, isn't she just trying to fool me? Let him in."
The few wealthy merchants, hearing this, got up and said politely:
"Young Master, you're unfamiliar to us. Are you Pei's eldest son?"
Night Jing Tang didn't respond. He strode up the steps and, from Yang's hand, took the sword belt, directly entering the gate.
The door closed with a creak, leaving the bewildered crowd outside.
Chen almost knocked his nose against the door. He wanted to ask what the young master was up to, but he heard a sound coming from inside:
Clang—
The sound of drawing a sword!
In the living room, Yang Guan, sitting in the main seat, sensed that something was amiss and reached for the broad-bladed sword placed under the table.
At the same time, Night Jing Tang rushed forward, his long sword drawn, with the force of a Mount Hua Splitting Force, directly cleaving towards Yang Guan's head.
Swish—
A flash of the blade!
Yang Guan, with no less skill, already had his broadsword raised in front of him. However, the difference in power between them was too great. Just as he raised his hand, he was struck by a heavy blow, smashing the back of the chair he was sitting on.
Crash—
"You——"
Yang Guan fell to the ground, wanting to rebuke, but found that the young man who suddenly came to visit was directly attacking him. In an instant, another slash came, thrusting towards his heart.
Yang Guan was horrified, but there was no anger, just staring at the sword in front of him, unable to say a word.
"This strike is to ensure you don't think I dare not make a move. I might not be able to kill your master, but killing you is effortless. Farewell."
Crack—
Night Jing Tang withdrew his sword, leaving a trail of blood on Yang Guan's clothes, and sheathed it, turning to leave the living room.
Yang Guan gritted his teeth, covering his arm which was bleeding profusely. He dared not cry out in pain, watching Night Jing Tang leave.
Crunch—
The door to the living room opened.
In the courtyard outside, there were already dozens of thugs holding iron weapons; Yang Zhao and Chen, the leader of the escorts, along with the bodyguards, stood guard at the door.
And the few wealthy merchants, unsure whether Pei's young master had directly killed Yang Guan, dared not speak.
Rustle—
With no sound of birds in the large courtyard, only a black umbrella floated out of the white walls and green tiles.
It wasn't until the carriage left the gate that there was movement in the courtyard again:
"Boss? Boss, are you okay? That madman, how dare he... Quickly, go report to the authorities..."
"Get lost! A bunch of useless idiots... Reporting to the authorities...?"