Is this wrong too

News in the marketplace often spreads faster than official government reports.

Not long after the soldiers sealed off the Wang Family Bank.

The small merchants and vendors had already started whispering among themselves along the main roads connecting the various districts of Yunzhou City.

A few vendors huddled together, exchanging hushed words.

“Have you guys heard? Yesterday, those bullies from the Wang Family Bank were wiped out—no survivors left at all!”

“Not only did Wang Gou'er die, but that fake medicine peddler Zheng Huaiyi from the Huichuntang also bit the dust. And each death was more gruesome than the last. I heard Wang Gou'er’s entire head was split open!”

“Ha! That’s truly satisfying! Those two bastards have been making our lives miserable for ages. I wonder which hero did this great deed—if we find out, we must thank them properly!”

Wang Shitou, who had once given a few pancakes to Yang An, was listening nearby.

His heart involuntarily swelled with happiness for Yang An’s family. ‘Wang Gou'er, that tyrant, is dead. Life will be easier for Brother Li the Rogue and his family. Good people really do get their reward...’

Smack!

Two black-lacquered long knives slammed down on the wooden table in front of Wang Shitou’s stall.

“Ten meat pancakes, two bowls of oiled tea.”

Hearing that familiar voice,

Wang Shitou’s heart skipped a beat. Looking up, sure enough, two men in military uniforms were sitting at his stall.

The leader was short and stocky.

His hands and feet were thick and large, with a prominent black mole on his left cheek, from which two long hairs swayed in the breeze.

The soldier beside him was as skinny as a pole, with buck teeth that stuck out. When he spoke, spit flew out like a watering can.

That skinny soldier was the one who had just ordered the pancakes.

Wang Shitou knew these two men.

The man with the mole was Sun Ming, the Assistant Military Commissioner of Yunzhou.

The buck-toothed man was Liu Mang, a squad leader under his command in the Wuhou Guard.

Both were regulars at Wang Shitou’s pancake shop.

They came by every now and then to eat, but never paid a single coin.

Wang Shitou hesitated for a moment but still neatly served ten meat pancakes and two bowls of oiled tea. “Please enjoy, Commissioner.”

Sun Ming didn’t even glance at him.

“Scram, scram, get lost!” Liu Mang spat as he shooed Wang Shitou away like a pesky fly.

Then he diligently wiped the table.

He pushed the pancakes toward Sun Ming. “Sir, you first.”

“Hurry up and eat, no need for formalities. Once we’re done, we have to get to work at the Wang family’s place.” Sun Ming divided the pancakes and handed some to the buck-toothed man.

The two of them quickly dug in.

As they ate, the thin Liu Mang asked, “Commissioner, who do you think was behind the massacre at the Wang Family Bank? That scoundrel really had guts—such a huge grudge! The place was covered in blood, and out of over a dozen people, not a single one survived!”

“If I knew, would I still be running back and forth there?”

At the mention of that incident,

Sun Ming’s chest filled with resentment as he bit into a pancake.

Liu Mang hurriedly said, “Sir, you’ve been working hard! Wang Gou'er’s wife is a real piece of work too. At first, she refused to report to the authorities no matter what, but now, just this morning, she suddenly wants to file a complaint. Isn’t she just toying with you?”

Wang Gou'er was no good at all.

But in earlier years, he was also a high-ranking expert.

Later, he opened a bank and made a fortune, amassing great wealth. Naturally, his wife at home was famously beautiful.

Not long ago.

Liu Mang had just seen her in mourning clothes at Wang Gou’er’s house.

Beneath the white funeral garments,

her slender and alluring figure was wrapped tightly.

Liu Mang’s heart burned with desire; swallowing a mouthful of saliva, he leered lasciviously, “As the old saying goes, if you want to look good in mourning clothes, Wang Gou’er’s wife is truly something special.”

“That little woman refused to report the case at first.”

“The whole morning hadn’t even passed when she suddenly changed her tune and said she knew who the culprit was.”

“She must be hiding something!”

“My suggestion is, sir, when you meet her, don’t waste words. Launch a full investigation straight away. Thoroughly check her inside and out before interrogating.”

“Understood. Once I’m done investigating, I’ll have you check as well.”

Commander Sun laughed heartily.

Liu Mang joined in with a smile.

Martial artists have big appetites; while they talked, ten pancakes and two bowls of oily tea were already down their throats, nourishing their five viscera.

Sun Ming patted his belly.

Liu Mang wiped his mouth, drew his knife, and was about to leave.

At that moment, Wang Shitou rubbed his hands and approached, “Officer, you haven’t paid yet.”

“I’ll pay next time!”

Liu Mang pushed Wang Shitou away in annoyance.

He casually wiped the grease from his hand onto him.

Wang Shitou hurried after him, pleading, “Officer, you always say next time. It’s been more than half a year now, and I’ve already extended you credit of several taels of silver.”

“I’m just a small-time businessman; I really can’t afford to extend credit!”

Liu Mang’s expression grew darker. “Didn’t I say I’ll pay next time? Next time! Now scram!”

“Please, Officer, have mercy. Just give me a little. Let this meal be my treat to you, alright?”

Smack!

Liu Mang swung his palm and slapped Wang Shitou across the face.

The blow spun him around on the spot, knocking over a table and sending several bowls crashing to the ground.

The porcelain shattered into pieces.

Wang Shitou was stunned from the blow.

Liu Mang spat on his head, spraying saliva as he cursed, “You damn pest, why are you so troublesome! I told you I’ll pay next time, next time! Do you think a few measly things will make a difference? You keep yapping like a dog in my ear!”

“It’s so damn annoying!”

Seeing Wang Shitou trying to get up again,

Liu Mang kicked him once more, stepping on the back of his head as he continued to scold, “Our Commander Sun works hard every day to protect you lowlifes from those villains! To maintain peace in Yunzhou! So you can run your businesses in peace!”

“He’s busy day and night, handling endless affairs!”

“He’s so busy he can’t even go home. So what if he eats and drinks a little from you?”

“Everyone else is fine with it, but you’re the only one making a fuss!”

“Don’t you know how to be grateful?!”

After finishing his rant, Liu Mang took a few steps away and looked at the other vendors who shared the stall with Wang Shitou. “Tell me, isn’t that the truth?”

Sun Ming was the judicial officer of Yunzhou,

in charge of maintaining law and order.

A few years ago, the old man Zheng from Yuanxing Lane had a daughter only eleven or twelve years old. Sun Ming took a fancy to her and insisted on taking her as a concubine.

Old man Zheng refused.

Sun Ming had been thrown into the Yunzhou prison three times on charges of disturbing the peace. He came out with one leg broken, one eye blinded, and barely alive after the brutal beatings inside.

In the end, there was no other choice but to marry off his daughter to him.

Who would dare to provoke this harbinger of misfortune!?

The merchants hurriedly put on their most flattering smiles and said, “The lord is absolutely right! What Sun Ming says is the truth! Commander Sun is like a parent to us all!”

“A child honoring their parents is only natural! It’s that Wang Shitou who’s ungrateful!”

“Commander Sun gives you food and drink—that’s a blessing you’ve earned over many lifetimes! Wang Shitou, you stubborn fool, get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness from Commander Sun!”

Wang Shitou struggled to get up from the ground.

Crack.

The wooden stick propping up the pancake stall snapped, hitting him squarely in the back and knocking him down again. The snow piled on the stall tumbled down, landing on his swollen, reddened face.

The scene looked almost comical.

Many people burst into laughter. Hearing their mockery, Wang Shitou, still lying on the ground, couldn’t understand why they were laughing at him, why they all said he was in the wrong.

Tears welled up in Wang Shitou’s eyes and spilled down his cheeks.

He lifted his head, looking at Liu Mang, then at the crowd, sobbing, “I just wanted to get my money back—was that wrong?”

Liu Mang flew into a rage.

“How dare you still talk back! Look how sensible they all are, and you’re just a wild dog that can’t be tamed, stirring up trouble!” He raised his foot, aiming to kick Wang Shitou again. His true energy pulsed faintly, threatening to beat Wang Shitou to death.

But before Liu Mang’s foot could land—

“Move! Get out of the way! Everyone be careful!”

A shadow slipped on a patch of ice and shot out from the crowd like an arrow.

Liu Mang had just turned his head at the sound but hadn’t seen clearly.

Bang.

He collided head-on with the shadow. Liu Mang tensed his body, but in the next moment, he felt the other person was as hard as stone—like a human-shaped boulder crashing into him.

The sun had just risen.

The snow on Yunzhou’s streets was beginning to melt, making everything more slippery than usual. Losing his balance, Liu Mang fell flat on the ground.

As luck would have it, he fell right onto a pile of dog poop.

Face down, Liu Mang landed smack dab in it. In an instant, the pungent, foul stench invaded his nostrils, shooting straight to his brain!

“Ugh!”

Liu Mang covered his mouth and vomited violently onto the ground.

He tried to wipe his mouth, but the smell only intensified once he spread it around.

Forget the pancake he had just eaten.

He almost threw up his bile.

By now, it was close to mealtime, and many pedestrians were passing through the street. They froze for a moment at the scene.

Then they wanted to laugh.

But fearing the notorious reputations of Sun Ming and Liu Mang, no one dared to laugh openly. Instead, they covered their mouths and chuckled quietly.

Liu Mang retched for a long time before he finally regained his composure.

He got up from the ground, eyes bloodshot, and shouted angrily at the figure who had knocked him down, “Who’s the blind fool that dared to do this to me?!”

At that moment, Yang An also got up, clutching his head.

He looked at Liu Mang, whose face was covered in dog poop.

His face was full of “shock” as he hurriedly cupped his fists and apologized, “Ah, my apologies, truly sorry, Your Honor! Just now, I don’t know who tripped me, causing me to slip on the ice and accidentally bump into you! It’s my fault for not watching my step! Please don’t be angry! Your Honor, you owe this shopkeeper some money, right? I’ve paid it on your behalf!”

Yang An quickly pulled out a few silver coins from his sleeve.

He helped Wang Shitou up and stuffed the coins into his hand.

“You’re not completely clueless after all. From now on…” Before he could finish, Liu Mang froze for a moment, then quickly realized something was off. He shouted angrily, “You damn brat! You bumped into me, and you want to pay him money?!”

“Your Honor is right! It’s my fault!”

Yang An slapped his forehead and hurriedly searched his sleeves again. “Please calm down, Your Honor! I’ll pay you right away.”

But when he turned his pockets inside out,

They were still empty.

Yang An smiled awkwardly and politely at Liu Mang, “How about… I pay you tomorrow?”

Covered in filth, Liu Mang wasn’t about to wait until tomorrow.

Fuming, he drew his knife, ready to strike.

Yang An turned pale with fright, clutching his head and running for his life, shouting as he dodged, “Murder! The magistrate is trying to kill someone in broad daylight!”

“You lowly commoner, shut your mouth! No running!”

Seeing him still trying to escape, Liu Mang grew even more furious, raising his knife and chasing after him with long strides.

Just as he was about to catch up,

Yang An stepped on a patch of ice again, his foot slipping, and he fell backward. Liu Mang sneered and swung his knife to strike.

But before the blade could come down,

Yang An’s retreating head smashed like a hammer into Liu Mang’s chest, their fronts and backs colliding hard.

Yang An cried out in pain,

Clutching the back of his head as he crouched on the ground, gasping for air.

Meanwhile, Liu Mang was knocked down again, his nose and mouth firmly pressed into a steaming pile of dog poop on the roadside.

This fresh pile had just been left by a stray dog.

Yang An held his forehead in horror, “Your Honor, you mustn’t eat that! Poop is for dogs! You’re too noble to compete with them!”

A few stray dogs squatted nearby,

Casting mournful eyes at Liu Mang.

Seeing this scene,

The onlookers could no longer hold back.

Not caring if they’d offend Sun Ming or Liu Mang, they all burst into laughter, rolling on the ground and howling with amusement.