To others, this might be a prime opportunity, but he really wasn’t interested and wanted no part in it.
For Fang Rui, the best thing was to lay low and grow stronger. He avoided troubles like this at all costs—yes, in his eyes, the post of Chief Constable was nothing but trouble.
"But for you, Brother Jiang, it’s a perfect fit..."
"Me? It would be a waste! I’m not even an Entry Grade Martial Artist. Even if I used this to get a leg up, the most I could hope for is a constable position..."
"Brother Jiang, you’re looking at it the wrong way."
Fang Rui shook his head. "The position of constable is neither too high nor too low, yet it comes with real authority and a lot of room to maneuver. A Chief Constable, on the other hand, is too conspicuous..."
"The situation between the Taiping Bandits and the Government Office could easily be reversed. If the government forces ever retake the city, they’re unlikely to go after a minor constable..."
"Of course, the risk isn’t huge, but it’s not zero. You can decide for yourself, Brother Jiang. But regardless, I won’t be using this opportunity." Fang Rui made his stance clear.
Since he’d put it that way, Jiang Ping’an thought for a moment and dropped the pretense. "In that case... Brother Fang, I’ll really use it? If you ever need anything in the future, just say the word..."
The two continued to chat as a gentle night breeze rustled the willow branches.
Moonlight, like pooled water, filled the courtyard. The shadows of the plants and trees it cast looked like weeds swaying in the depths.
It was a scene from a poem: a courtyard like a pool of clear water, with the crisscrossing shadows of plants within.
From the inner room, a dim yellow lamplight flickered. Through the window, one could see the hazy silhouettes of Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, Third Lady, and Sister-in-law Jiang. The low murmur of their conversation drifted out.
This was a sanctuary.
Outside.
The sounds of splintering doors, smashing, and screaming blended into a cacophony that grew ever more intense. It was chaos at its peak, a roaring inferno.
...
About fifteen minutes later.
From the direction of the city center, a sudden roar echoed: "The County Magistrate’s Office has fallen! The County Magistrate is dead! Surrender now!"
The voice was powerful and resonant, like a clap of thunder, and could be heard across half the city.
...
"The County Magistrate’s Office has fallen?! Changshan City has truly fallen into the hands of the Rebel Army."
After Fang Rui’s reminder, Jiang Ping’an was consciously changing his habits, replacing "Taiping Bandits" and "bandit army" with "Rebel Army" to avoid any slips of the tongue.
"Indeed!"
Fang Rui sighed. "Now that the Rebel Army has taken the County Magistrate’s Office, they’ll probably start maintaining order soon. The chaos in the city is about to end..."
Before, when Changshan City belonged to the government, more chaos was better for the rebels. Now that Changshan City belongs to the Rebel Army, they naturally have to establish order.
Otherwise, how could they win the hearts of the people?
To be cynical, it’s possible the Taiping Bandit agents who were instigating chaos earlier, and the way the rebels let the city run rampant after it fell... only to impose order later... was all a calculated move to create a stark contrast between then and now.
"At a time like this, any smart, unaffiliated Martial Artists and local thugs causing trouble should know to back off." Fang Rui stood up, clasping his hands behind his back.
"That may be, but this world isn’t filled with smart people," Jiang Ping’an said, shaking his head.
"True. The world is made up of the wise and the foolish. That’s what makes it interesting, what creates uncertainty, what allows for miracles!"
...
Just as Fang Rui predicted, the chaos in the city was reaching its end.
The smart ones who understood the situation quickly retreated, like shadows shrinking under the blazing midday sun.
Of course, the world is never short on fools. Many of the thugs and hooligans, high on killing, looting, and destruction, were too far gone to stop. In fact, that announcement only gave them a sense of urgency, spurring them on to a final frenzy.
And so, the screams that echoed through the air grew even more shrill.
However, the overall trend was clear. The cacophony of sounds and the scattered fires began to die down.
...
TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP!
The sound of heavy, rhythmic footsteps arose from outside.
Fang Rui and Jiang Ping’an went to the front courtyard and peeked through a crack in the door.
They saw:
Outside, a large number of soldiers—a motley crew of fat and thin, tall and short, their formation somewhat loose but their spirits high—began patrolling the streets. They were summarily executing any thugs and hooligans still roaming about and causing trouble, beheading them on the spot.
They were easy to identify, all of them wearing red headscarves.
CLANG!
A Night Watchman, carrying a Copper Gong, was being forced along the street at knifepoint, shouting, "The night is dry, beware of fire!"
CLANG!
"The County Magistrate is dead! The Rebel Army has taken the County Magistrate’s Office..."
CLANG!
"A decree from Grand General Xuantong to bring peace to the people: Killers and arsonists will be put to death! Those who injure or plunder will be punished! All exorbitant taxes are hereby abolished! You can all live your lives in peace now!"
...
’An Otherworld version of the Three-Point Covenant?’
A thought struck Fang Rui. Listening to the announcements outside, he sighed, "That Li Xuantong... he’s a true warlord."
’Killers and arsonists will be put to death,’ and ’Those who injure or plunder will be punished.’ These are to maintain basic order.
’As for abolishing the exorbitant taxes?’
’The common folk in the city are already squeezed dry; they couldn’t collect taxes even if they tried. So they might as well announce they’re abolishing them and win some popular support in the process... A low-cost, high-reward move.’
"Yes, this Li Xuantong seems like a man who can get things done," Jiang Ping’an remarked with a sigh.
"Not necessarily. A person’s success isn’t just measured in times of prosperity, but also in times of adversity," Fang Rui said, shaking his head.
If the war goes well, of course everything will be harmonious. But if the Taiping Bandits suffer a defeat, there’s no guarantee that Li Xuantong wouldn’t burn Changshan City to the ground and flee with the populace in tow.
"That makes sense!"
Jiang Ping’an nodded. "But whatever the case, for now, our Changshan City is in the hands of the Rebel Army. We have plenty of time to wait and see what happens."
"Brother Fang, I should get going! I need to grease some palms and get myself a government post. The sooner, the better..."
"Have you made up your mind, Brother Jiang? The chaos outside hasn’t completely subsided..."
"Of course."
Jiang Ping’an gave a confident smile. "It’s exactly during this unsettled period, before things have solidified, that it’s best to handle such clandestine affairs. Besides, the Rebel Army is already patrolling the city and restoring some semblance of order... and I have my Waist Saber. The risk isn’t great, and the reward is worth it..."
Fang Rui silently praised him.
If nothing else, Jiang Ping’an’s foresight—acting one step ahead of everyone else—was far beyond that of an ordinary person.
’He’s very likely to succeed,’ Fang Rui thought. ’After all, the Taiping Bandits will need local fixers to help them govern... and he has Chief Huang’s head as a token of his commitment. With his connections and a few bribes, getting a position as a constable shouldn’t be difficult at all!’
"Since you’ve made up your mind, Brother Jiang, I won’t stand in your way. Wait a moment!"
Fang Rui went into the house and came back out a moment later, holding out twenty taels of silver. "You’ll need this to smooth things over, Brother Jiang."
"Brother Fang..." Jiang Ping’an instinctively started to refuse.
He already owed Fang Rui too much!
"There’s no need for that between us. Just take it! If you succeed, Brother Jiang, I’ll benefit too." Fang Rui pushed the silver into his hands.
Jiang Ping’an’s character and their friendship were both solid.
Besides, it could also be seen as an investment...
Just as Fang Rui had said, if Jiang Ping’an became a constable, it would benefit him as well. Strength was one thing, but you couldn’t solve every problem with your fists. Having protection from the authorities and access to official channels of information was essential...
"Alright. We have a bond thicker than blood, so I won’t say thank you... I’ll remember all of this, right here!"
Jiang Ping’an patted his chest. "I’ll have to trouble you to look after my wife and children, Brother Fang. I’m off."
With that, he picked up the burlap sack containing Chief Huang’s head, pushed open the door, and strode out.
...
Outside.
Under the patrols of the Taiping Bandits, the widespread chaos throughout the city began to subside, and a sense of peace gradually returned.
...
A short while later.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
A knock came at the door.
It was the block captain of Sweet Water Well Alley, leading two Taiping Bandits, going door to door to conduct inspections and question residents.
Thanks to his connection through Jiang Ping’an, Fang Rui was already acquainted with this block captain. Since he had nothing to hide, he wasn’t afraid of the questioning. The man asked a few cursory questions and quickly moved on.
...
Just as Fang Rui thought the night would pass uneventfully, a somewhat familiar scream suddenly pierced the air from outside.
...