This individual engages in racketeering and all sorts of evil, but because his brother holds a minor role in the Four Seas Gang, with this backing, Bai Laosan acts with impunity, and no one dares to provoke him.
The small store run by Shopkeeper Bai had to pay a protection fee every month, or else it wouldn’t continue operating in Yongyang Square.
If that were all, it would be tolerable; losing money to avoid disaster was something Shopkeeper Bai could endure.
Unexpectedly, today, Bai Laosan suddenly called Shopkeeper Bai over, repeatedly stating that he had taken a liking to his ancestral property and intended to purchase it, but the offered price was less than a third of the market price.
How could Shopkeeper Bai be willing, but, alas, Bai Laosan was wealthy and powerful, completely unconcerned about his consent, and delivered an ultimatum directly.
They were ordered to pack up within three days and vacate the house, or else be beaten every time they were seen.
Then, ignoring Shopkeeper Bai’s desperate pleas, he was directly thrown out.
Shopkeeper Bai returned home, devastated.
Upon hearing this, Shang Jingchuan couldn’t help but be infuriated.
"This is simply outrageous. Why don’t you report this to the authorities?"
"Report to the authorities?" Shopkeeper Bai said with a bitter smile, "Do you believe if I report it today, I will die in the jail tomorrow?"
"Why? Is Bai Laosan really that powerful?" Shang Jingchuan asked angrily.
"No reason, just because we small folks have no power or influence, we are doomed to be bullied."
At this moment, Shopkeeper Bai had resigned himself to fate.
"Old friend, you should leave quickly too. Bai Laosan’s men could come anytime, and if they see you haven’t moved, you might also get implicated."
"What about you?"
"What can we do? We’ll have to move out, what a pity for my ancestral property!" Shopkeeper Bai said reluctantly.
Shang Jingchuan was boiling with anger.
He once held a high position in the court and, although he knew there were many injustices among the common people, he thought of them as isolated incidents.
However, within a few days, what he witnessed completely overturned Shang Jingchuan’s worldview.
He discovered the injustices among the common people were not isolated but a shocking norm.
Take, for instance, the Bai family’s old shop; just because of a word from Bai Laosan, Shopkeeper Bai and his son had to obediently pack up and leave. If they resisted at all, they would be beaten to death.
And Bai Laosan, being this arrogant, wasn’t even a member of the Four Seas Gang, just a small-time thug flaunting the gang’s name.
This indicates the darkness of the situation.
For the first time, Shang Jingchuan had a more direct understanding of the corruption and decadence of the Great Yan.
"I won’t leave, I want to see if Bai Laosan’s men have three heads and six arms, otherwise why would they dare to act like this."
Shang Jingchuan’s scholarly stubbornness flared up again.
"Don’t say that, Bai Laosan’s men are all desperadoes, they really dare to kill." Shopkeeper Bai said with a pale face.
"Dare to kill? I want to see if they dare to kill me!"
Just as he finished speaking, a sneer came from outside the door.
"Who is so bold as to provoke our Master Bai?"
Following the voice, a group of ragtag thugs barged into the inn.
Upon seeing them, Shopkeeper Bai trembled with fear.
"Gent... gentlemen, he is just a passerby, unfamiliar with the rules, please don’t take it to heart."
"Scram, you have no place to speak here!"
With a shout, one tattooed thug walked up to Shang Jingchuan, scrutinized him, and then sneered.
"Old fart, still so stubborn."
The crowd laughed.
Shang Jingchuan felt a bit apprehensive but still mustered the courage to speak: "You are openly seizing someone else’s property, is there no law here?"
"Oh, law, let me tell you, in Yongyang Square, our Master Bai’s words are the law!"
As he spoke, the thug raised his hand and slapped Shang Jingchuan.
Pa!
A crisp sound followed.
Shang Jingchuan looked dumbfounded across at him, "You dare to hit me?"
"So what if I hit you? Hitting you is nothing, I think you’re tired of living, brothers, teach him a lesson."
The group pounced on him, quickly knocking Shang Jingchuan to the ground, kicking and beating him.
Seeing this, Shopkeeper Bai fell to his knees, kowtowing fervently, pleading.
"Please, don’t beat him anymore, if you kill someone, this place will become inauspicious, how will Master Bai live here then?"
Perhaps those words worked.
The thugs stopped, and the leader spat on the ground near Shang Jingchuan.
"Damn, I thought you were someone important, turns out you’re just this? If it weren’t for dirtying Master Bai’s place, you’d be dead today."
Shang Jingchuan lay on the ground, covered in blood, too weak to speak.
Meanwhile, Shopkeeper Bai managed to appease the thugs with kind words.
"Alright, seeing as you have some sense, let’s call it a day. Pack up and scram, or Master Bai will really take your life."
After saying that, the group swaggered off.
Shopkeeper Bai quickly helped Shang Jingchuan up.
His son brought some water and wiped the blood off Shang Jingchuan’s face.
Upon examining him, Shopkeeper Bai breathed a sigh of relief.
"Fortunately, they’re just superficial wounds, a few days of rest will mend them. Old friend, I appreciate your kindness, but we can’t afford to offend them, so it’s best to leave quickly." Shopkeeper Bai said sadly.
Yet Shang Jingchuan remained unresponsive, staring blankly.
"Father, could the old man have been beaten senseless?" the young assistant asked anxiously.
Just then, Shang Jingchuan suddenly stood up and headed outside.
"Hey, old man, where are you going?"
But Shang Jingchuan didn’t respond, instead, he hurried out.
When he reached the street, many people looked at him with strange eyes.
Because at this moment, Shang Jingchuan’s hair was disheveled, his clothes were dusty, and there were bloodstains in many places, looking no different from a madman.
Yet Shang Jingchuan ignored these strange looks and hurried towards Guangde Square.
He lost a shoe, so he simply ran barefoot.
By the time he reached Xiaojing Alley in Guangde Square, he was no different from a beggar.
Finally arriving at the front door, Shang Jingchuan caught his breath before knocking.
Knock knock knock!
The sound was urgent.
Soon, Zui’Er’s voice was heard from the courtyard.
"Coming, coming, who is it?"
As she spoke, she opened a crack, and upon seeing Shang Jingchuan standing outside, Zui’Er was startled, then quickly said, "There’s leftover food at home, wait here, I’ll get it for you."
This clearly mistook Shang Jingchuan for a beggar.
"Miss Zui’Er, it’s me!" Shang Jingchuan shouted.
"Huh? Uncle Shang?" Zui’Er exclaimed in disbelief.
"Yes, it’s me. Is Young Hero Zhao home?"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Zui’Er quickly opened the door and welcomed Shang Jingchuan inside.
At this time, Shang Luoluo also came hearing the noise, and upon seeing her father in such a disheveled state, she too was shocked.
"Father, what’s happened to you?"
"Don’t ask now, saving people is more important!"
Saying so, Shang Jingchuan rushed to the backyard and saw Zhao Ya practicing his newly acquired Wind-Slaying Saber Technique.
Zhao Ya, too, was startled, then asked, "Uncle Shang?"
"There’s something I need your help with."
"What is it?"
"Killing!" Shang Jingchuan said firmly.
Zhao Ya was taken aback, "Killing? Kill whom?"
"People from the Four Seas Gang! Come with me first, I’ll explain on the way."
Saying so, Shang Jingchuan grabbed Zhao Ya and led him out.
Zhao Ya had no choice but to briefly inform Shang Luoluo and Zui’Er before leaving with him.
On the way, Shang Jingchuan briefly recounted the events.
After hearing it, Zhao Ya was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
"So you want me to kill Bai San for you?"
"Exactly!"
"Killing him is easy, but then what?"
"And then what?"
"There are too many people like Bai San; if you kill him, worse might come in his place. Do you think you can kill them all?"
Hearing this, Shang Jingchuan paused, contemplating deeply.
Zhao Ya didn’t rush him.
He wanted to see what decision Shang Jingchuan, once lost in grand narratives, would make now.
Moments later, Shang Jingchuan suddenly raised his head, eyes bright, and said, "You alone may not kill them all, but what if I, as the Capital Prefect, join you?"