Chapter 34: Nothing but Bullies Riding on Their Patrons’ Coattails

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The household servant, his throat clamped in Zhao Mang’s grip, could feel the crushing force of his hand. Cold sweat poured from his forehead, and all his earlier arrogance vanished without a trace.

He had never imagined that Zhao Mang would dare commit violence at the Jiang residence’s gate, utterly disregarding the man’s identity. Faced with such a reckless brute, he had no choice but to reveal Jiang Kuo’s whereabouts if he wished to keep his life.

“Spare me, young hero! Spare me! My young master is at the Red Chamber, drinking with courtesans.”

“You know where it is now. Please, spare my life.”

Having obtained the answer, Zhao Mang flung the Jiang family servant through the gate without a second thought.

Then he turned, mounted his horse with Pockmarked Wang, and rode away.

During this time, Zhao Mang had gone to find Tang Shan at the yamen and informed him that Wang Shuang had disappeared.

After hearing him out, Tang Shan said, “From what you’ve told me, the Red Chamber is the only place in the city that deals in the sale of young women.”

“As it happens, I’m free at the moment. Why don’t I accompany you?”

Zhao Mang patted Tang Shan on the shoulder.

“With a brother like you saying that, I’m already satisfied. But I wonder whether you can rely on the authority of the yamen?”

Tang Shan gave a bitter smile.

“The Red Chamber has powerful backing. I simply don’t know whether my current position is enough to pressure its master.”

Zhao Mang immediately understood.

“In that case, Brother Tang, do your best. Leave the rest to me.”

“Pockmarked Wang, take my token and go at once to find Liu Can, the frontier army’s commandant. Tell him that something has happened to Jiang Wan and ask him to come help.”

Having received Zhao Mang’s order, Pockmarked Wang parted ways with him and hurried toward the frontier army’s encampment.

After Wang had left, Zhao Mang took Tang Shan with him and headed for the Red Chamber.

…

The Red Chamber.

When Zhao Mang arrived, he handed his horse directly to the servant at the entrance. The servant had seen him before and did not try to stop him.

Searching the private rooms one by one was clearly impossible. Only by bringing out the Red Chamber’s owner could they learn Jiang Kuo’s exact whereabouts.

As soon as the two men entered, Tang Shan called over a servant.

“Go and fetch your master. Tell him that Tang Shan of the yamen has come to see him and has questions to ask.”

The servant stared at him in astonishment.

Normally, no one from the yamen ever came here to investigate anything. After all, the yamen officials themselves spent money at this establishment.

Had the sun risen in the west today? Why would someone from the yamen suddenly come asking questions?

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He bowed obsequiously and declined, “Officer, I’m afraid you’ve come to the wrong place. We at the Red Chamber run a perfectly legitimate business.”

“If there’s something you need, I’m sure our master would be happy to speak with you.”

“If you’ve come upstairs for pleasure, I’ll be glad to make the arrangements.”

Seeing that the servant was showing him no respect at all, Tang Shan felt his anger rising.

“I told you to go. Why are you wasting time talking?”

The servant realized that his polite explanation had accomplished nothing. The officer was even trying to throw his weight around.

He could not help laughing in disbelief. Since the Red Chamber had been established, it had never been subject to the yamen’s control—much less that of a mere constable.

What gave this man the nerve to cause trouble here?

The servant planted his hands on his hips and looked at Tang Shan through his nostrils.

“I called you ‘officer’ to show you some respect. Don’t mistake courtesy for weakness.”

“Even Master Zhang, the county yamen’s adviser, follows the rules when he comes here to spend money.”

“Who do you think you are?”

The conversation had reached this point, and Zhao Mang saw that the matter could no longer be settled peacefully. Worse, Tang Shan might be dragged into unnecessary trouble.

His brows drew together.

With one stride, he reached the servant. Without bothering to say another word, he slapped him across the face.

The servant spun through the air, and a tooth flew out amid a spray of blood.

A wave of agony exploded inside his skull. Relying on the little strength left in his body, he struggled to crawl upright, only for Zhao Mang to seize him by the neck and hoist him into the air.

At the sight of this, the surrounding people fell into chaos. They hurried away from Zhao Mang, forming a circle around him.

Zhao Mang paid no attention to the astonished faces around him. He merely fixed his eyes on the servant and assumed a menacing expression.

“What kind of thing are you, to dare flaunt your authority in front of me?”

“If I take your life right now, no one above you will say a word.”

At that moment, the other servants finally reacted and began shouting.

“Someone’s been attacked! Someone’s been attacked! Hurry and fetch the master!”

Zhao Mang continued to ignore them.

Then someone in the crowd recognized him. It was an officer of the frontier army who occasionally slipped away to drink with courtesans.

He had witnessed Zhao Mang kill a man in the military camp. He never expected to encounter this fiend again at the Red Chamber.

His curiosity was piqued, and he began whispering to the people beside him.

“This is the man I told you about—the aide who killed someone in the army. It was quite a spectacle.”

“His name is Zhao Mang. He serves under Zhao Wuji of the frontier army. Zhao Wuji is a ruthless man himself.”

“Like father, like son, I suppose. They’re all violent by nature.”

“The Red Chamber picked the wrong person to provoke. That boy may not die, but he’ll certainly lose a layer of skin.”

“Tsk, tsk…”

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The soldiers’ conversation happened to reach the ears of the Red Chamber’s arriving master.

He had come in with an exceptionally arrogant air, but nearly all of that swagger vanished at once.

By the time he reached Zhao Mang, he had transformed into the very picture of a refined gentleman.

Although he appeared calm on the surface, sweat had already soaked through the clothes beneath his back.

The kind of person he feared most was precisely someone like this—highly capable, willing to kill, and utterly heedless of anyone’s status or dignity.

This man was the master of the Red Chamber, Pu Sanlang.

“My respects, General. May I ask whether the Red Chamber has offended you in some way?”

“What has made you so angry?”

Zhao Mang had noticed him approaching long ago. He had originally intended to teach the Red Chamber’s master a lesson, but seeing that the man had backed down, he lost interest.

Better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

“I had no intention of causing trouble. But the servants at your Red Chamber are far too arrogant and need to be disciplined.”

“If I had not wished to cause trouble today…”

“Your Red Chamber would likely have been drenched in blood.”

Hearing this, Pu Sanlang hurriedly apologized with great sincerity.

“The General is right… You are absolutely right…”

Then his expression changed, and he turned toward the servant whose mouth was covered in blood.

“You stinking brat, get out of here! Are you still planning to disgrace yourself and offend the General’s eyes?”

His words left nothing to criticize. He had given Zhao Mang an easy way to end the matter while conveniently saving his own servant.

The corner of Zhao Mang’s mouth lifted slightly, and he became serious.

“Master Pu, you have quite a talent.”

“In that case, I won’t waste time with you. Is Jiang Kuo of the Jiang family here?”

Pu Sanlang looked puzzled.

Was all this commotion really only over that?

His heart, which had been pounding with fear, suddenly relaxed, and he let out a slow breath.

But then anger flared in his chest.

Damn it. It seemed he truly needed to discipline the people under him properly. They were always creating trouble for him out of nowhere.

He answered expressionlessly, “So the General has come looking for him. That’s easy enough.”

“General, please come with me.”

Before leaving, Pu Sanlang did not forget to glare at the servant.

He silently resolved to deal with the man properly once they returned.