Chapter 38: Lingering Problems
Song Changming also noticed this. In fact, over the past year, the expansion speed of the Nine Bends Association was quite fast.
At this point in time, the Patrol Armor Bureau was always in a period of turbulence with the competition for the Director position and the transition between the old and new leadership. No one had the mind to care about the Nine Bends Association, including the outgoing old Director, who was too lazy to manage much.
As a result, it is normal for the Nine Bends Association to run amok and stir public discontent.
"In the past year, the Nine Bends Association has almost annexed all the gangs around the Houli Street area, all the gambling dens, and the underground money-lending business, all secretly run by people from the Nine Bends Association. This matter indeed cannot be delayed any further.
If we continue to let it go, this bone will only become harder and harder to chew!" said Song Changming.
Actually, more than half a year ago, he already felt that the Nine Bends Association was ambitious and needed to be suppressed.
However, at that time, Liang Chuan Mountain had his eyes set entirely on the Director position and ignored his advice, so it has been shelved until now.
"Have you found out how many members are in the Nine Bends Association? How many martial artists?" asked Liang Chuan Mountain.
"I haven’t checked the martial artists in detail, but just the gang members on the surface are estimated to be this number," Song Changming held up three fingers.
Three hundred gang members!
Liang Chuan Mountain’s brows immediately furrowed. This was only the number of gang members running around conspicuously. If the ones trained in secret were included, this figure would only be higher!
Even if more than half of them were just ordinary people, with a low proportion of martial artists, this still made him feel a bit of a headache.
The Armored Patrol Guards of the Patrol Armor Bureau combined were no more than a hundred men. If they really fought with the Nine Bends Association, even if they could win, it would definitely be at a heavy loss.
"We should have suppressed them earlier..." Liang Chuan Mountain sighed and shook his head.
Song Changming thought for a moment and said, "This is a problem left by the former Director during his term, and it doesn’t concern you. Perhaps we could seek help from other City Patrol Defense Bureaus."
Liang Chuan Mountain directly waved his hand to decline this suggestion.
"This is going to be my first move after taking office. Not only are other Patrol Defense Bureaus watching us, but the General Department is also evaluating my capability, to see if I am really fit for this Director position.
This matter cannot seek external assistance, at least not openly. Otherwise, even if I ask for help, my leadership ability will be questioned."
This matter could only be resolved by the Patrol Armor Bureau under his jurisdiction.
Song Changming listened and nodded, no longer insisting.
Anyway, he provided his opinion, whether or not to adopt it was entirely up to Liang Chuan Mountain, and he wouldn’t pester too much about it.
"This matter still requires further preparation, and I haven’t mentioned it to anyone else, not even Lv Gang, so the news must not leak out," Liang Chuan Mountain pondered for a moment and said to Song Changming.
"Understood," replied Song Changming.
He understood that starting action against the Nine Bends Association was a certainty, just waiting for Liang Chuan Mountain to issue the order.
"The Nine Bends Association..." walking out of the Cabinet, Song Changming thought to himself.
The fact that the association could easily wipe out the Qinghe gang before showed their strength, and this battle was bound to be difficult.
Before that, he needed to enhance his strength as much as possible to prevent falling into danger.
The days of practicing martial arts were monotonous and boring. However, Song Changming did not always train intensely. Occasionally he would relax at home, tending silkworms, teasing birds, taking dogs for walks, or going to Chunfeng garden to enjoy some flower wine and find amusement.
Life has many flavors, and it’s all about experiences, with martial arts practice being just one part of it.
This day, at Chunfeng garden.
Liang Chuan Mountain and Song Changming were hosting an honored guest.
"Brother Zhou, how does this Chunfeng garden on Houli Street compare to the Piaoxiang Pavilion on Brocade Street?" inquired Liang Chuan Mountain, holding up his cup toward the middle-aged man sitting nearby in the elegant room on the second floor.
The man had sallow skin, narrow eyes, and a pair of small mustaches.
Though his appearance was not remarkable, Song Changming, who accompanied him, did not dare to underestimate him. He knew this man was one of the Patrol Captains from the General Department!
He was also the first person Liang Chuan Mountain befriended at the General Department after becoming the Director.
"Hehe, it’s quite excellent, not bad at all!" Zhou Sixin laughed and clinked his glass with Liang Chuan Mountain’s.
Technically, the position of Director is above that of Patrol Captain.
But Liang Chuan Mountain was a newly appointed local Director, while this man was a Patrol Captain from the General Department, making the situation different.
Most government officials tacitly agreed that officials working in the General Department held a higher status than those serving in the Sub-Departments.
Moreover, Liang Chuan Mountain, as a Director, had no jurisdiction over the General Department’s Patrol Captains, so there was no superior-subordinate relationship between them.
And above the General Department were the officials working in the Governor’s Mansion, who were the power centers of the entire County City and even the entire Donglai Prefecture, holding a status one level higher.
Therefore, to Liang Chuan Mountain, the Patrol Captain from the General Department in front of him was an honored guest.
Song Changming sat to the side, half a seat back, merely listening quietly without speaking.
The two talked about this and that, when, during the third round of drinks, with flushed faces and warm ears, the clamor outside the private room interrupted their conversation.
It seemed someone had overturned a table, causing trouble.
Liang Chuan Mountain looked displeased.
"What’s going on?"
The Patrol Guard stationed outside came in and said, "Someone’s making trouble in the main hall."
"This venue for music and wine is no place for such unruly people," Zhou Sixin remarked, having vaguely heard the commotion outside.
"I apologize for the spectacle, Brother Zhou. Changming," Liang Chuan Mountain looked over at Song Changming.
Understanding the cue, Song Changming got up and headed out.
On the second floor in the main hall, several guest tables had already been overturned in a mess, and the food was scattered all over the floor.
On stage, the zither girl and dancer, frightened, covered their faces and cried.
The old woman on the side was wringing her hands in anxiety.
Several guests were lying on the ground, being slapped by someone.
"Saying I’m not classy enough?" the brawny man rolling up his sleeves questioned with glaring eyes.
"Please spare us, noble sir..." the guests with swollen faces pleaded indistinctly, their mouths full of blood.
"Now you know how to beg for mercy? Weren’t you pretty talkative just now?" the brawny man laughed out loud.
Around him stood a few others, laughing heartily as well.
"I want to hear ’Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix’, and I want Miss Yu’Er to play it personally! Even if the Emperor comes, it’s useless!" the brawny man imperiously said to the old woman.
The old woman saw the blood on his hands, trembled with terror, nearly unable to stand.
The onlookers all fell silent, no one daring to speak further.
"Why are you fighting here?" At this point, Song Changming walked directly over, gauging the situation after a glance.
"Who’s this punk, daring to meddle?" A man near the brawny figure saw Song Changming approaching nonchalantly and went up to teach him a lesson.
Since it was not his duty time, Song Changming came here for leisure, so he wasn’t in official uniform, only carrying a saber, which was not an official saber, hence not recognized.
Seeing this person’s disrespect, Song Changming didn’t waste words and met him directly, delivering a slap.
Although he didn’t use his full strength, the force of his palm was not something an ordinary person could withstand.
With a single slap, the ruffian who seemed fierce was slammed to the ground, his head hitting the floor with a crack, causing the floorboards to fracture, and he passed out without even a groan.