Before he could finish speaking, he saw the Embroidered Guard Captain beside him lift his cloak and draw his Gold-Inlaid Ox-tail Saber from his waist, pointing it towards the members of the Changfeng Gang and bellowing loudly, "Close all the city gates, no one is permitted to enter or exit, the rest of you follow me… Let’s go!"
"Clang, clang, clang…"
In an instant, the sound of swords being drawn rang out as one. Those Embroidered Guards, who just seconds before had appeared simple and enthusiastic, now turned into fierce and ferocious figures, bristling with murderous intent.
Seeing this, Yangzhou’s Assistant Magistrate Mei Yanzhi knew trouble was brewing and quickly called out loudly, "Master Qin, we can talk this out, the Magistrate has prepared a banquet at the government office and is waiting for your arrival…"
But Qin, riding off into the distance, was already too far to hear his cries.
A confused and heavy tread of footsteps approached the tea stall rapidly.
Yang Ge, who was already draped in a dark cloak and wearing a half-mask, took a stool and sat outside the tea stall. He raised the sheathed Gold-Inlaid Ox-tail Saber in his hand and pointed it towards the large group rushing towards him and then to the main stronghold of the Changfeng Gang across the way.
Upon seeing this, Qin immediately ordered his troops to surround the main stronghold of the Changfeng Gang, preparing for an assault.
"I’m coming, I’m coming!"
Yang Tiansheng, seeing the Embroidered Guards hastily assembling their crossbows, excitedly put down the refreshments he was holding and wiped his greasy hands on his cloak. He strode to the entrance of the Changfeng Gang’s stronghold and drew his sword, slashing it towards the copper-clad gates.
The fiery-red Sword Qi, like raging flames, struck the copper-clad gates heavily.
Only a resounding "boom" was heard as the gates, more than three meters tall, shattered with a crash, their fragments flying into the stronghold like scattered petals from the heavens.
The power of that strike surprised even Yang Ge as he thought to himself that while this guy spoke lightly, he had obviously not been slacking in his secret training!
As for the Changfeng Gang members inside who had rushed to the sound, they too were greatly startled by Yang Tiansheng’s sword.
Immediately someone from among them shouted angrily, "What has the Changfeng Gang done to warrant such a grand show of force from all of you officials?"
Yang Tiansheng could hardly be bothered to engage in a war of words with them, and with a quick step forward, he charged inside with his sword, "What has the Changfeng Gang done? Don’t you all know very well?"
Seeing this, Qin hurriedly gestured with his saber and directed the vigoros Embroidered Guards from his command to charge into the stronghold.
Yang Ge leaned on his saber and continued to sit outside the tea stall, motionless.
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Before long, a group of city soldiers, accompanied by a green sedan chair, rushed down the street in haste.
Before the sedan even came to a stop, a man dressed in the light blue robes of a fifth-grade official with flowered hair stepped out. He called out loudly, "Master Qin, hold your hand, there must be some misunderstanding here…"
Yang Ge glanced at him briefly and then shifted his gaze away.
Unexpectedly, that official, seeing that no one paid him any attention, actually urged the city soldiers to charge into the Changfeng Gang’s stronghold.
Seeing this, Yang Ge didn’t hesitate to wave at Fang Ke and the others standing by his side, "Arrest them!"
Fang Ke felt a chill in his heart. He meant to say a few words to dissuade Yang Ge, but he immediately remembered Yang Ge’s previous remark and, despite his better instinct, he gritted his teeth and led Gu Tong and the others into action.
With one hand on his saber and one holding up his Embroidered Guard Captain badge, he shouted authoritatively, "The Embroidered Guard is on a case. Anyone who dares obstruct us will be treated as complicit in the crime...Arrest them!"
Gu Tong and the others pounced like wolves and tigers.
The city soldiers guarding the official were daunted by the name of the Embroidered Guard and dared not make a move.
The desperate official struggled and yelled, "I am an Imperial official, you dogs of the Factory and Guard have no decree, no evidence, how dare you insult me!"
Gu Tong and the others didn’t care for this, immediately threw him to the ground with a slap, and bound him tightly with ropes they carried.
However, just as they had apprehended the Assistant Magistrate, another flock of sedans appeared at the end of the long street, all heading swiftly in their direction.
Yang Ge gave them a glance, sipped his tea with an expressionless face, and let out a low chuckle, "It really is like kicking a hornet’s nest!"
He knew that if it were merely a matter of taking bribes, these corrupt officials would not be so reckless and frantic to charge into an Embroidered Guard case scene.
Unless... the Changfeng Gang was tied to their own safety!
The sedans stopped outside the circle of Embroidered Guards, and one after another, dignified-looking officials clad in black gauze caps and official robes emerged from the sedans. Looking at the fifth-grade official who was still struggling with a gag in his mouth, they were a mix of shock and anger, bombarding the air with their complaints.
"This is an insult to scholars, an insult to scholars indeed!"
"Release the Assistant Magistrate at once!"
"Under the clear sky, how dare you dogs entrap an innocent man!"
"You abuse your power, disregard the laws of the court, what place do you leave for the honored officials..."
Yang Ge casually glanced back and forth at the group of corrupt officials, puffing themselves up like fighting cocks, red in the face and neck, and discovered that the highest-ranking among them was just another fifth-grade official in a blue robe. He waved his hand indifferently, "Arrest them all!"
The Embroidered Guards, who had been sprayed with spit in their faces, responded uniformly and, swinging their sheathed Gold-Inlaid Ox-tail Sabers, knocked the shouting officials to the ground, trussing them up like crabs.
Fang Ke looked at the impassive Yang Ge, then at the excited and flushed Embroidered Guards, and sighed deeply within himself, ’There’s no stopping them, no stopping them at all…’
He dared not waste words with Yang Ge and swiftly approached the guards, repeatedly cautioning them to be gentle, to avoid causing any fatalities.