The streets were filled with pedestrians converging in one direction.
Yang Ge and Wang Dali made their way through the increasingly crowded flow of people until they returned to Yuelai Inn.
From a distance, Yang Ge saw Shopkeeper Liu standing in the half-opened door of the inn, surrounded by a circle of shop owners from the neighborhood.
Upon seeing Yang Ge's return, Shopkeeper Liu greeted him with unexpected joy, "You're finally here!"
Confused, Yang Ge approached and asked, "Shopkeeper, what's the situation?"
Wang Dali's mouth was sharp when gossiping, as quick as clapping bamboo, but when it came to serious matters, he was as hesitating as wadding in cotton pants, stammering for a long time without making any clear sense.
Yang Ge listened to him all the way and still didn't understand what was going on.
Only after Shopkeeper Liu had sent away the neighbors gathered around the inn's entrance and the three of them were left inside, did he say, "The villain who came to rob our inn the night before last has been captured. The official side has asked us all to wait here at the inn, because they will soon bring the villain here for identification."
'Is the Imperial Guard so efficient?'
With clarity in his heart, Yang Ge then pointed to the crowd on the street and said, "And those people out there are...?"
Shopkeeper Liu replied, "Spectators, the officials are parading the villain through the streets!"
"Parading?"
Yang Ge was stunned for two seconds before suddenly realizing, and he admired inwardly, 'Truly, those who handle big matters think on a grand scale!'
He had initially thought Shen Fa would have someone leak news, directly linking the "martial arts manual left by Jiang Kui" to the black-clad figure from the previous night.
Unexpectedly, Shen Fa decided to make such a public spectacle of the matter, pushing it to the level of a political show to frighten others.
By doing so...
He resolved his issue once and for all.
It also served as a warning to reinforce the security during the martial examinations.
And it indirectly displayed the majesty of the court and the formidable presence of the Imperial Guard to the unruly jianghu folk.
It was like killing three birds with one stone!
In comparison to Shen Fa's approach, his own plan was not only passive and petty but also incapable of addressing the root of the problem.
Shopkeeper Liu seemed to have realized this layer of thought as well, and full of expectation, he asked, "Young Master, is this matter finally behind us now?"
Yang Ge nodded firmly, "It certainly is over. The officials have intervened, so if anyone still causes trouble for us, wouldn't that be slapping the face of the authorities? It's not worth it!"
Hearing Yang Ge's decisive assurance, the big rock in Shopkeeper Liu's heart finally settled to the ground.
He sighed in relief, "As long as it's over, that's good, that's good... I haven't been able to sleep for two nights, scared this incident would harm you. If that were the case, I could never live in peace again for the rest of my life!"
Now that the matter was resolved, he finally expressed his underlying worries.
Yang Ge was touched and reassured him with a forced smile, "You're just overthinking it. Didn't I tell you yesterday that it was nothing serious? Don't you believe me?"
Shopkeeper Liu turned and dragged over a chair to sit down, waving his hand with a smile upon hearing Yang Ge's words, "Whether it is or isn't, I have my own scale in heart."
Yang Ge smiled and said no more but instead turned to Wang Dali, "Little Wang, follow me to boil some water and make a few pots of hot tea. When the officials arrive, we can't fail to offer them hot water; that would be too rude."
This comment got Shopkeeper Liu up immediately, slapping his forehead as he stood, "I neglected that, neglected that. Hurry and boil the water, I'll get the good tea that we've stored..."
As fate would have it, the three from the inn had just finished preparing the tea when they heard the loud clangs of bronze gongs.
The trio rushed out to greet their guests.
They saw a bustling center street, where over twenty imposing officials, clad in dark brocade uniforms with slashed sleeves and silver-lined Nyuwei daggers at their waists, were escorting a middle-aged man, covered in blood and shackled at both hands and feet, towards them amid the clangor of gongs and drums.
Having prepared himself, Yang Ge surveyed the Imperial Guards in their brocaded uniforms before shifting his gaze to the shackled middle-aged man, feeling indeed that the figure resembled the black-clad intruder from the night before.
Shopkeeper Liu, unprepared, collapsed weak-kneed upon seeing the uniforms: "Oh my heavens, the Imperial Guard!"
Yang Ge, quick to react, supported him, "Don't be afraid. We are law-abiding citizens, and the officials from the Imperial Guard are here to see justice done for us. What is there to fear?"
"Yes, yes, yes..."
Shopkeeper Liu nodded rapidly, "We are all law-abiding citizens... My ancestors for eight generations were law-abiding citizens!"
Though he said this, the old man's legs continued to shake like those of a club DJ.
Seeing Shopkeeper Liu in this state, Yang Ge gained a direct understanding of the Imperial Guard's intimidating power.
The procession of the Imperial Guard, escorting the middle-aged man, reached the front of Yuelai Inn, and the leading officer raised his hand, bringing the entire column to a halt.
"Are you the victims from Yuelai Inn?"
The Imperial Guard officer, resting his hand on his sword, swept his formidable gaze across the three people in front of the inn's entrance.
Shopkeeper Liu, trembling, stepped forward and bowed repeatedly, "H-h-honorable sir, we we we... "
Seeing Shopkeeper Liu too nervous to speak straight, Yang Ge stepped forward and bowed, "In reply to your honor, we are the proprietors of Yuelai Inn. Indeed, a malefactor broke into our inn the night before and committed acts of violence. It was I who discovered the villain."
"That's perfect!"
The Imperial Guard officer turned his body and pointed to the middle-aged man behind him, "Carefully identify, is this villain the one who committed the crime the other night?"