Chapter 68

"Long hair, short wit. Now we need to use the government to keep them in line, or there will really be trouble." Zhao Zhentang glanced at Mu Shulan and did not continue.

Zhao Jin understood; his father meant that they were already involved because of Mu Shulan, and if they did nothing, the trouble would come.

"Watch the house well, and I'll give you one tael of silver when I get back!" Zhao Zhentang instructed Zhao San.

Zhao San and his wife were refugees who had sold themselves to the Zhao family to have enough to eat. Hearing that they would get one tael of silver, they were instantly excited, their faces flushed as they promised repeatedly.

Zhao Zhentang nodded at He Cuihua and left the courtyard with Zhao Jin.

Zhao Jin had a short knife at his waist and a long spear in his hand. Despite being fully armed, he felt a bit nervous standing on the street at night. He realized that although he had experienced a lot, this was the first time he was facing a real fight.

Compared to Zhao Jin's excitement and nervousness, Zhao Zhentang was exceptionally calm. He looked around and said, "You go left, I'll go right. Walk around here once. If you see anyone, shout, but don't attack. Understand?"

Zhao Jin nodded, and the two of them split up. After gripping the long spear tightly, Zhao Jin felt his nervousness lessen considerably.

The street was very quiet, and the dogs that had been barking wildly earlier had also calmed down. After circling around and seeing no one, he met Zhao Zhentang back at the entrance, and it seemed that direction was also empty.

"Go to the Wang family," Zhao Zhentang said solemnly.

Zhao Jin was taken aback. There was only one Wang family nearby, and that was Wang Zhaojing's family. What did the murder of Mu Shulan's father have to do with the Wang family?

"We can't get anyone from the yamen now. The Wang family is a large household, and they have many guards. Moreover, Wang You Shan is a man of principle and will help if asked," Zhao Zhentang explained briefly.

It turned out they were calling for more people to check on the Mu family. The only place they could seek help nearby was the Wang family. As Zhao Jin followed, he admired his father's steady and thorough approach in critical moments. He had always thought his second uncle was more capable than his father, but now it seemed his father was the better one.

The Zhao family was not far from the Wang family. After walking in silence for a dozen steps, Zhao Zhentang said solemnly, "Xiao Jin, the Mu family is the leader of the Wenxiang Sect."

"The Wenxiang Sect?" Zhao Jin asked in confusion. Hearing his father speak so seriously and not wanting him to know about it, it must be something taboo or very troublesome. He had never heard of it before.

"The Wenxiang Sect is a branch of the White Lotus Sect, which also worships Maitreya," Zhao Zhentang explained. Zhao Jin had heard of the White Lotus Sect; it was often mentioned in the novels he read. If that was the case, the Wenxiang Sect was probably a heretical sect.

Hearing Zhao Jin's "Oh," which seemed to indicate he didn't find it serious, Zhao Zhentang couldn't help but laugh and said, "No wonder you're confused. I never even talk about it. Remember, whether it's the Wenxiang Sect or the White Lotus Sect, they are all harmful and should be avoided. These things are about rebellion, and if caught by the government, it's a capital offense. Do you understand?"

Zhao Jin quickly agreed, but he thought to himself that if they knew the Wenxiang Sect was so troublesome, why did they let him play with Xiao Lan and deal with Mr. Mu? Why weren't they afraid of the law back then?

After saying this, they arrived at the Wang family's gate. Unlike other wealthy households in the area, there were two large lanterns hanging above the gate, illuminating it brightly.

Zhao Zhentang walked up to the gate and knocked on the door ring. Unlike at the Zhao family, where they had to wake someone up to open the door, here, after just three knocks, someone inside asked in a low voice, "So late, who is it?"

"This is Zhao Zhentang, a constable from the prefecture yamen. I live on the neighboring street and have an urgent matter to ask for Mr. Wang's help," Zhao Zhentang said solemnly.

"Zhao Zhentang?"

"Zhao Jin's father, the elder brother of the young master, lives just ahead."

There were several people inside. Zhao Zhentang smiled and looked back at Zhao Jin, who scratched his head. He knew what his father's smile meant. Outside, everyone said Zhao Jin was Zhao Zhentang's son, and they knew Zhao Jin through Zhao Zhentang. He didn't expect it to be the other way around at the Wang family's gate.

The main gate did not open, but a side door did. Two men dressed as guards looked outside, then bowed to Zhao Zhentang. Zhao Jin could see that they had a bit of dissatisfaction on their faces, a natural reaction to a late-night visit.

"There's been a murder at the Sweet Water Well in the eastern part of the city. Someone reported it to me. Since it's late and no one is on duty at the yamen, I've come to ask Mr. Wang for help, to send a few men to go with me to check it out," Zhao Zhentang explained.

Hearing it was a murder, the guard's dissatisfaction lessened. They didn't know Zhao Zhentang, but they recognized Zhao Jin, who was called "Brother Zhao" by their young master every day. Seeing Zhao Jin standing there with a long spear, they didn't dare to be disrespectful.

"Our master is already asleep. I'll go inform the second steward on duty," the guard said politely and turned to go into the courtyard. The sound of his footsteps could be heard fading away.

The other guard stayed outside to chat with the Zhao family. Zhao Zhentang spoke a few words and looked around, and Zhao Jin knew his father was being cautious, still observing if anyone was following them.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, they heard footsteps from inside the Wang family's courtyard. Five strong men armed with weapons came out quickly, and the guard who had reported the news followed behind, saying, "Our master has instructed us six brothers to follow Constable Zhao and follow his instructions."

Zhao Zhentang's face showed gratitude, and he bowed to the gate, saying, "Mr. Wang is truly righteous. I thank you and will come to your residence tomorrow."

After that, Zhao Zhentang nodded to the six men and said, "Follow me; it's not far."

Zhao Jin hurried to follow, admiring his father's composure and proper handling of the situation. Despite his father's usual carefree demeanor and occasional foul language, he was adept at dealing with such situations, which was why he had stayed in the constabulary for so long and was respected.

The Sweet Water Well in the eastern part of the city was a good place in Xuzhou, where many wealthy merchants from outside the city lived. However, it had declined significantly in recent years.

As a constable, Zhao Zhentang was very familiar with the streets and alleys of Xuzhou. He walked quickly in front, and the others followed silently behind. Fortunately, there was moonlight, or they would have stumbled and fallen many times on the uneven ground.

After about half an hour, they arrived at a residence. Zhao Zhentang was a bit out of breath, and the six guards from the Wang family were also breathing heavily. Zhao Jin, however, showed no signs of fatigue. Zhao Zhentang smiled and looked back, then said, "None of you live a proper life. We ran all the way here and didn't even see a night watchman."

By custom, there should be night watchmen who would report the time and patrol the city, often accompanied by constables and militiamen. However, with the decline of Xuzhou, many things had fallen into disrepair.

Zhao Jin carefully examined the residence. He had known Mu Shulan for a long time, but this was the first time he had come to her home.

Zhao Zhentang, who was in front, didn't have as many reflections. He pushed the gate, which should have been locked at night, and it opened directly.

With a "creak," everyone instinctively took a step back. Entering someone's residence at night, in such silence, everyone felt a bit eerie.

Zhao Zhentang picked up a stone from the ground and threw it inside. The courtyard remained quiet. Only then did he draw his sword and slowly walk in.

Turning the corner, the courtyard was empty, and the light from a candle could be seen through the window paper. There was no sound from inside or outside, and the door was half-open.

In such cold weather, the door was still half-open. Zhao Zhentang spat on the ground and, no longer so cautious, pushed the door open and walked in. The others followed quickly.

The room was decorated like a wealthy household, with a large painting of a laughing Buddha on the main wall. There were no signs of disturbance, and everything was neat. The study had a flickering candlelight, and Zhao Zhentang pushed the door open with his sword.

Mr. Mu was wearing a black robe, his hair disheveled, sitting in a chair with a dagger in his chest. His eyes were wide open, and his features were twisted in anger, making him look extremely fierce and terrifying.