Chapter 2

"Damn! This is what death feels like, I wish I hadn’t died!"

Now it seemed that no matter what he said, it was too late. Not only was his whole body aching, but his head was also muddled. The surroundings were cold and eerie. Could this be the underworld? Mo San cursed, and as soon as he opened his eyes, a muddy foot came straight at his face.

"You still dare to curse? I’ll kick you to death, you little piece of shit! Wait until we get to the government office, and see if they don’t strip you of your fat flesh!"

This kick hit him right in the heart. Mo San had never been stepped on like this from birth to death. The intense pain on his face also made him confused. Wasn’t death supposed to be painless?

Dazed and swaying, yes, swaying. This Mo San was being carried by a group of scrawny men dressed in all sorts of ways!

"Use some strength, we’re almost at the county office. Let the county magistrate help us find Qinglian. I don’t believe they would dare to kidnap people right in front of our homes. Let the county magistrate deal with these human traffickers properly!"

Upon hearing this, Mo San was thoroughly confused. Wasn’t he dead? Now there was talk of the county magistrate and human traffickers. The accents of these people sounded like they were from Yunnan. Could it be that he had been released by the government?

This was absolutely impossible! He was one of the top drug lords in the Golden Triangle. If he hadn’t been caught, it would be one thing, but if he had been caught, it would mean certain death. The strange way these people spoke and the intense pain from the back of his head interrupted his thoughts. The constant swaying and the punches and kicks from these men made it impossible for Mo San to think. However, this place was definitely not a good place. Just by looking at their clothing—straw shoes, bare feet, and bare chests—it was clear they were poorer than in the Golden Triangle.

Kicked and covered in mud, the smell was unbearable, making him want to vomit. These bastards must have stepped in dog shit?

Mo San kept moving, and the men carrying him couldn’t take it anymore. This thief must weigh two or three hundred pounds, heavier than a sow. With such wild swaying, the bowl of thin vegetable soup he had drunk when they left the village would be gone before they reached the county office.

A heavy kick landed on the back of this thief’s head, and he indeed became much more obedient. The unfortunate Mo San passed out again in a daze.

A group of twenty to thirty people arrived at the county office, and a man who was relatively well-dressed struck the drum of grievances in front of the county office. A Yi ethnic helper, wearing a headscarf, saw a group of poor men and asked in a sarcastic tone:

"What are you doing here? The great magistrate is busy! If you strike the drum recklessly, watch out for your buttocks!"

"Sir, we are from Tuchiao Village. Today we caught a human trafficker. He kidnapped my sister a few days ago and tried to commit another crime today. We caught him and ask the sir to report it to the great magistrate, hoping he will show mercy and help us find my sister."

The man who was relatively well-dressed knew that the county office was not a place for decent people, but for his sister, he was willing to take the risk. Seeing that the county office’s helper was not easy to deal with, he spoke urgently.

"Human trafficker? Don’t try to fool me. If it turns out to be false, I’ll be the one to get beaten!"

Normally, such matters would not be reported without some benefit, but human trafficking was a case that the county magistrates had specifically instructed to handle. The helper knew these poor men had no benefit to offer, but for his own position, he reluctantly went to report it.

After a long while, a clerk followed the helper out of the county office. The clerk had a grand manner and immediately asked:

"Where are you from, and where is the human trafficker?"

Human trafficking was a good case to boost the magistrate’s performance. Even if there was no benefit, the county would be willing to spend money to handle it.

"I am Ma Qinghu from Tuchiao Village. A few days ago, my sister was kidnapped outside the village. Today, this human trafficker tried to commit another crime and was caught by us. We hope the great magistrate will help us find my sister."

Although Tuchiao Village was close to the county, Ma Qinghu had rarely seen the county magistrates. The clerk’s loud voice made him nervous, but his sister had been missing for several days, and he feared she might never be found if he didn’t act soon. He mustered his courage to speak.

"Are you sure? Is this the man who kidnapped your sister?"

It was not yet clear if he was a human trafficker. These stubborn villagers often made trouble. Ma Qinghu must be a Hui person!

"In our village, we have caught human traffickers several times, and they all dressed like him!"

To find his sister, Ma Qinghu spoke with determination. He was the one who had knocked Mo San down with a pole. Tuchiao Village was a mixed community, often visited by human traffickers.

"Are you Hui? Are these people all Hui?"

Hui people were not well-liked in Yunnan, and he feared offending the magistrate and getting into trouble.

"People of all ethnicities, but mostly Han."

In Tuchiao Village, the Han people who knew how to farm were the most numerous. Among the men who came, most were Han. In these mixed communities, different ethnic groups could live harmoniously, unlike in other places where conflicts were endless.

"Wait here!"

The clerk was just checking. Whether to accept the case still needed to be decided by the chief clerk.

Human trafficking violated the imperial law. Such bold kidnappers were usually numerous and powerful. Yiliang County was a wealthy county with a mixed population, making it a good place for human trafficking.

Such a den was either well-connected or homeless. If they were homeless, he could benefit from it and perhaps handle more profitable cases in the future.

The clerk happily left, leaving the ragged men to wait outside the county office.

"Go away, find a corner to stay in, don’t block the view here!"

These stubborn villagers had no sense. The county office’s entrance was not a place for them to stand. Seeing them blocking the entrance, the helper shouted to drive them away. If a high official came out and was blocked by these poor men, he would be in big trouble.

After a long while, a man in official attire slowly walked out of the county office. The men, seeing the great magistrate, hurriedly knelt down.

"Is this the human trafficker?"

The man who came out was the chief clerk of Yiliang County, in charge of criminal affairs. Seeing the bound man with a broad and muscular build, he knew he was not a good person.

"Great magistrate, this is the human trafficker we caught outside the village."

Kneeling on the ground, Ma Qinghu tried to speak in the awkward official language, as he had learned from the old men in the village.

"Turn him over and see what he looks like."

Seeing the bound Mo San covered in mud, the great magistrate was afraid of getting dirty and ordered them to do so.

Ma Qinghu, still kneeling, turned Mo San over. As soon as Mo San’s mud-covered face was revealed, the great magistrate immediately acted.

"Trouble! Trouble!"

The great magistrate no longer cared about dirtying his official attire. His clean hands frantically dug through the mud on Mo San’s face. After checking his breathing, he found Mo San was still alive and sat down on the ground.

"Quick, get some help!"

The chief clerk’s face turned green, and his voice cracked. The men in the county office rushed out, but when they saw the chief clerk sitting on the ground, they hurriedly helped him up, only to be scolded.

"You have no sense! First, untie San Ye, then quickly find Liu Yitie and tell him a noble has been injured, and he should hurry!"

With the help of the men, the chief clerk stumbled to his feet. This was a disaster. These stubborn villagers had not brought him a performance boost but a death warrant!

"Lock these stubborn villagers in prison! Wait until San Ye wakes up to deal with them."

This disaster in Yiliang County would bring trouble to everyone, and he might even lose his life. What could he do?

"Quickly go and inform the county magistrate, say there’s a big problem!"

A man in the county office took the order and rushed in. Soon, the county magistrate, in plain clothes, hurriedly walked out of the county office.

"What’s the commotion?"

No matter what, the dignity of an official must be maintained. Although there was a big problem, the county magistrate still asked calmly.

"The man lying on the ground is Yang Sanlang from Kunming."

This sentence made the dignified county magistrate stagger. This was not just a big problem; it was a huge disaster.

"Is he injured or dead?"

Seeing Yang Sanlang lying motionless, the county magistrate asked in a trembling voice.

"He is injured in the back of the head. I have already sent for Liu Yitie."

The chief clerk, experienced in criminal affairs, knew not to move a head injury, and his actions were appropriate.

"Where is the culprit?"

If Yang Sanlang was not dead, his life was saved, but the culprit who injured him could not be released.

"He is already in prison. The stubborn villagers mistook Yang Sanlang for a human trafficker. What should we do now?"

The chief clerk of Yiliang County, bent and with a troubled face, was at a loss.

After a short while, an old man with a medicine box was dragged to the scene by several official men.

"County magistrate! Chief clerk!"

This was Liu Yitie. After bowing to the county magistrate and the chief clerk, he turned his attention to Yang Sanlang on the ground.

"Be careful, this is Yang Sanlang from Kunming!"

The county magistrate, fearing Liu Yitie would not take it seriously, pointed out the identity of the man on the ground.

With a "clank," Liu Yitie’s medicine box fell to the ground, and the medicine and tools scattered.

Yang Sanlang from Kunming, the tyrant of Yunnan, had killed not only commoners but also several officials. He was well-known in Yunnan Province and even in Yunnan Province. Though he appeared foolish, he had a powerful patron. Throughout Yunnan, he was the only one who could act without fear of the law.

Killing was not a crime for him. In the past two years, several officials had died at his hands, and countless clerks and helpers in various counties had suffered.

In Yunnan, you could not know the governor, the provincial governor, or even the county magistrate, but you must know this tyrant. From the county magistrate to the lowest helper, few had not seen his portrait.

Treating this tyrant, if he recovered, everything would be fine, but if he didn’t, he would be buried in a mass grave.

"Quickly examine the injuries. I have already sent a messenger to the Yang family in Kunming. If they come and you can’t treat him, none of us will be spared!"

The county magistrate of Yiliang County was truly in deep trouble today. This was a disaster that had come out of nowhere. He had unknowingly gotten involved with this notorious tyrant of Yunnan. It seemed his comfortable position was at an end.