Volume One: Menial Tasks in Changshui County Chapter Thirty-One: Another Session in the Hall

"King... King my ass!"

Lu Jiuzhang sheathed his blade and switched to his fists, landing a heavy punch right on the man's eye.

In an instant, Young Master Zhang's face turned into a panda's.

"How dare you insult my uncle, Lord Wang the King—"

The newly bruised Young Master Zhang roared.

"King my ass!"

Lu Jiuzhang showed no mercy, swinging his fist again.

Now both of Young Master Zhang's eyes were blackened, making him look even more like a panda.

The surrounding onlookers desperately wanted to applaud, but fearing retribution, they could only watch in silence. Still, in their hearts, they found the scene extremely satisfying.

Lu Jiuzhang delivered a final kick to Young Master Zhang, sending him stumbling back several steps before landing squarely on the ground.

After this simple lesson, Lu Jiuzhang grabbed Zhao Chan’er by the hand, took the rouge box, and left.

Everyone has their bottom line. Lu Jiuzhang had already regarded Zhao Chan’er as his little sister. For anyone to speak so rudely to his sister, Lu Jiuzhang would never let them off easily.

Just a few days ago, Lu Jiuzhang had mocked Wang Yunshan for only caring about his own pleasure and only looking for solutions when trouble arrived. But wasn't Lu Jiuzhang doing the same now?

Both of them were impulsive men, and their impulses were always for the sake of women.

The difference was, Wang Yunshan acted for the brothel girls, while Lu Jiuzhang did so for his own sister.

...

After leaving the Rouge Shop, Lu Jiuzhang handed the box to Zhao Chan’er. "Go find Zhou Cheng and Wang Yunshan of the Demon-Slaying Division. Have them bring their brothers to the county office."

"Remember, don't mention Young Master Zhang's identity. Just say a local bully provoked us in public, and I taught him a lesson."

He gave her a few words of instruction.

"Second Brother Lu, what about you?" Zhao Chan’er asked anxiously.

"I'm going to the county office now, to beat the drum and seek justice!" Lu Jiuzhang replied in a low voice.

Such is the world; sometimes, the only way is to strike first and make a scene of it.

"Alright, Second Brother Lu!" Zhao Chan’er nodded and hurried off toward the Demon-Slaying Division.

Meanwhile, Lu Jiuzhang made his way to the county office, pondering how to handle the situation along the way.

At this point, there was nothing else to do but take a gamble.

Given the circumstances, he had no choice but to use force.

---

These local bullies are all scoundrels; reasoning with them is useless and a complete waste of time.

The only way to deal with them is to give them a good beating—it's the quickest solution.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Lu Jiuzhang only gave him two punches and a kick. That alone was enough for Young Master Zhang to suffer.

Lu Jiuzhang had first achieved recognition as a scholar and then trained as a martial artist; now, his strength far surpassed that of ordinary men.

The force behind those two punches and a kick was greater than if someone else had given him a severe beating.

...

A quarter of an hour later, just as he was about to reach the county office and prepare to beat the drum for justice, Lu Jiuzhang heard a commotion behind him.

"Brother Lu, we're here!"

It was Wang Yunshan's voice!

Damn it, they arrived too soon!

Lu Jiuzhang had planned for them to show up only after the magistrate began questioning, so they could use their numbers to pressure the magistrate and leave him no room to maneuver. With them arriving this early, the magistrate would have time to stall and come up with a countermeasure.

"Brother Lu, I heard you were bullied by a thug. We brothers are here to back you up!" Wang Yunshan slapped Lu Jiuzhang on the shoulder. "Which brainless thug dares bully our Brother Lu? He's got a death wish!"

"It was someone from the north side of town..." Zhao Chan’er started, thinking Lu Jiuzhang wanted her to explain everything.

But Lu Jiuzhang cut her off. "Just a bully from the north side of town—I heard his family has some connections."

"So what if he has connections? Doesn't our Demon-Slaying Division have its own backing?" Wang Yunshan bellowed. "Sir Zhou of the Demon-Slaying Guards will be here soon. If he can't hold the ground, we'll call in a Demon-Slaying Master to back us up."

"We absolutely cannot let anyone bully our people!"

Wang Yunshan was full of indignation.

Of course, they didn't realize that the so-called bully was Young Master Zhang. Had they known, they probably wouldn't have been so bold.

"Thank you, Brother Wang. I am truly grateful," Lu Jiuzhang said, putting on an expression of heartfelt appreciation and bowing to Wang Yunshan.

"By the way, Brother Lu, why are you going to the county office? We should just go to that thug's house, drag him out, give him a beating, and tear his place down," Wang Yunshan suggested fiercely.

"Brother Wang, he may be a thug, but we are not. There's no need to stoop to his level," Lu Jiuzhang replied. "We are government officers. Since we bear the title of 'officials,' we must act according to the rules."

"You're right, Brother Lu. Your analysis is spot on," Wang Yunshan nodded, ceasing his interruptions.

Then, Lu Jiuzhang began to beat the drum for justice.

Bang... bang... bang...

He struck the drum repeatedly.

A moment later, the county office gates swung open and a minor clerk stepped out.

---

Seeing dozens of burly men in Demon-Slaying Division uniforms at the entrance, the servant was nearly scared out of his wits.

Could it be that some demon had appeared in the county office? Or was the Demon-Slaying Division about to go to war with the county office?

"May I ask what urgent business brings you all here, sirs?"

Normally, clerks and minor officials would address each other as equals, but the blue-robed county clerk was so intimidated that he addressed the Demon-Slaying Division men as "sirs."

"I am Lu Jiuzhang of the Demon-Slaying Division. I have been wronged and hope that Lord Wang will redress my grievance!" Lu Jiuzhang declared.

"Have you brought a written complaint? Without one, the court cannot open," the blue-robed clerk whispered.

"I have not, because this matter concerns Lord Wang himself. I was worried that with a written complaint, he would refuse to open the court," Lu Jiuzhang explained. "I hope you, good sir, will go inform him."

The blue-robed clerk could only nod and head back inside.

About half a stick of incense later, a secretary emerged from the county office.

He wore coarse cloth clothes, and there was a mole at the corner of his mouth, from which a long black hair protruded.

This secretary was much bolder than the clerk before; after all, he was the strategist at the magistrate's side and had some experience.

Strictly speaking, the magistrate's rank was higher than that of the Demon-Slaying Division's chief.

In Changshui County, the secretary was a well-known figure.

"Where is Lu Jiuzhang?" the secretary called out as soon as he emerged.

His voice was slow and drawn out, carrying the air of an official.

"I am Lu Jiuzhang," Lu Jiuzhang replied, bowing.

"What grievance do you have?" the secretary pressed.

"May I state it before the court?" Lu Jiuzhang asked.

"You think the county office is your family's business? You want the court opened just because you ask?" The secretary stroked the hair on his mole and said to Lu Jiuzhang, "Write your complaint first. Once it's written, submit it to the county office. When Magistrate Wang has time, he will hear your case."

Clearly, he was trying to brush him off!

At this critical moment, there was no turning back. Lu Jiuzhang steeled himself for what was to come.