After leaving the Cui residence, the two yamen officers didn’t wander aimlessly but went straight home.
Outwardly, they appeared deeply worried about Steward Cui. Along the way, if they encountered anyone familiar who asked why they looked so troubled, they would sigh and reply, “Steward Cui was attacked by some lawless thugs today and was injured… The magistrate is furious and has ordered us to capture the culprits who harmed Steward Cui.”
Hearing this, many people were shocked. They couldn’t imagine what kind of villain would dare to attack someone in the city. Publicly, people condemned the brutal actions of these so-called thugs.
But privately, given that the victim was Steward Cui…
Quite a few exchanged knowing glances, secretly pleased.
Putting aside the fact that Steward Cui wasn’t well-liked, his arrogant and domineering behavior was unbearable. Seeking his help always came at a steep price, and even then, he’d complain it wasn’t enough. Many people harbored resentment toward him. Not to mention that he had leveraged the magistrate’s favor to become a dock steward, blocking countless others’ opportunities.
If not for the magistrate’s fondness for Concubine Cui and the special attention given to him because of it, someone as brash and tactless as Steward Cui would have been taken out long ago.
No one expected someone to actually act against him this time.
Many people were secretly delighted, and the more astute among them suspected that the so-called “thugs” might actually be someone who had been oppressed by Steward Cui and was targeting him specifically.
“How’s Steward Cui doing?” Some people, feigning concern, asked with a worried expression.
“Not good. He’s been unconscious the entire time. The doctor said his injuries are too severe, and he may never be able to get out of bed again…”
“Oh my, that serious?”
“Exactly.”
“No wonder I saw Concubine Cui hurrying out of the back courtyard of the county office earlier—it must’ve been because of this.”
“Steward Cui is really unlucky to have encountered such ruthless thugs.”
“…”
Thanks to the two yamen officers’ spread of the news, most of the county soon learned that Steward Cui had been assaulted by thugs, leaving him crippled and bedridden for life.
As for the Cui family’s fury and Concubine Cui’s tearful pleas to Magistrate Zhang to capture the assailants, everyone treated it as a joke in private.
Among the townsfolk, those with more connections quickly got wind of the incident.
Many of those who had suffered under Steward Cui’s oppression were practically ready to set off fireworks to celebrate.
In short, there were few who genuinely worried for Steward Cui. On the contrary, most were gloating. The only concern was whether the assailants would continue causing trouble in the city, leading many people to avoid going out at night. Even the usual patrons of brothels and gambling houses had noticeably thinned.
Using the excuse of being worried about Steward Cui’s condition, Officer Peng followed Officer Ge back to Ge’s house, saying they needed to discuss the matter of the thugs.
Once they arrived and shut the door, the two sat down to take a drink of water and calm their nerves.
Officer Peng asked in a low voice, “That doctor isn’t a problem, right?”
“No problem,” Officer Ge replied. “He had a younger sister who was engaged from a young age and deeply in love with her fiancé. But before the wedding, Steward Cui took a liking to her, abducted her to his manor, and ruined her. She couldn’t bear it and drowned herself in the river. The doctor has always wanted revenge for his sister. With such a perfect opportunity, he absolutely wouldn’t let it slip by.”
Originally, the most serious injuries on Steward Cui were the two broken legs caused by Yu Li’s stomping—meant to prevent him from running off and harming more young women. The other injuries, though they appeared severe, were actually superficial wounds that could heal with time.
However, thanks to the doctor’s “treatment,” those superficial wounds turned into severe injuries. On top of that, the medicine he was administered included a muting agent…
Now, not only would Steward Cui be bedridden for the rest of his life, but he also wouldn’t be able to speak anymore. Even if someone asked him about the incident, he wouldn’t be able to answer.
For the time being, he would remain in a semi-conscious state, unable to wake up properly. At that point, how the story was told would entirely depend on them.
The two yamen officers, confirming that there were no loose ends, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Once they relaxed, they began to feel the soreness and pain in their bodies. They recalled that they, too, had been beaten today and had taken quite a few falls. Their foreheads were still swollen.
It was precisely because of their pitiful appearance that people believed their story—that they had encountered thugs and sustained injuries while trying to protect Steward Cui.
“That woman’s strength is terrifying, and it hurts when she hits,” Officer Peng muttered in a low voice. “She wasn’t really planning to castrate us like pigs, was she?”
Officer Ge’s face darkened. “It’s possible.”
That woman was far too ruthless. He felt she was capable of anything.
Officer Peng grimaced, baring his teeth. “How about tomorrow, when we’re patrolling, we also pay a visit to Luoyu Alley?”
She had deliberately told them to look for Gao Sheng in Luoyu Alley, which suggested she wasn’t concerned about exposing her identity. She was probably watching them from the shadows.
If that were the case, it would be better for them to act wisely.
Otherwise, if she really decided to castrate the men in their families one day… that would mean the end of their bloodlines.
What man could endure that?
Officer Ge thought for a moment and said, “I’ll go.”
He didn’t fully trust Officer Peng, who was younger and less reliable. It was better if he went himself.
“Fine, just be careful and don’t provoke her,” Officer Peng said, clearly shaken. He was too scared to risk the future of all the men in his family, unable to bear the consequences of such an outcome.
—
After news spread throughout the county that there were thugs on the loose injuring people, the yamen officers increased their patrols.
The streets took on a more somber atmosphere, and townsfolk avoided walking through sparsely populated alleys.
However, for most people, their daily lives were not much affected. When they gathered, the topic of discussion was always the incident of the thugs injuring someone. Upon learning that the injured party was the brother of the county magistrate’s concubine, most people secretly rejoiced.
Officer Ge was patrolling alongside his colleagues when they passed through Luoyu Alley.
Using the excuse of an inspection, he asked around about Gao Sheng and Skinny Wu, two well-known individuals in the area. It didn’t take long for him to learn that they were once idle rogues who committed all sorts of misdeeds but had recently turned over a new leaf.
It was said that before they reformed, they returned with injuries all over their bodies and then miraculously turned honest and upright.
Officer Ge felt that this story sounded eerily familiar.
Wasn’t it exactly like what had happened to them yesterday?
At that moment, he finally understood why Yu Li had sent him to Luoyu Alley. Clearly, those idle rogues had likely suffered at her hands too.
He suddenly felt a sense of balance in his heart.
Officer Ge found Skinny Wu waiting for work at a bustling street corner.
The area was crowded with many craftsmen, each bringing their own tools. There were carpenters, bamboo workers, bricklayers, and others doing odd jobs like repairing doors, windows, furniture, roofs, or patching up brick walls.
Skinny Wu’s father was a bricklayer, and he had picked up some skills from him. After reforming, he couldn’t find a stable livelihood, so he started bringing tools and waiting here every day for work.
When Officer Ge approached him, Skinny Wu thought the yamen officer was here to settle old scores with him. To his surprise, the yamen officer came to praise him instead. Ge claimed he’d heard about Skinny Wu’s past deeds and, upon learning of his reformation, came to commend him.
Skinny Wu smiled obsequiously on the surface but didn’t believe a word.
They might have been troublemakers, but these yamen officers were no better—just a bunch of thugs with official titles. They were simply born luckier, inheriting their roles from their fathers. The common folk had suffered plenty under their tyranny.
No one was better than the other.
Officer Ge chatted with Skinny Wu for a while and then, when no one was paying attention, asked if he knew of a beautiful young woman with great strength and impressive fighting skills.
Skinny Wu blurted out, “Boss Li!”
Officer Ge’s entire body stiffened, and he stared at him, swallowing hard.
“She… she’s still your boss?”
For a young woman to be the leader of a gang of idle rogues, she couldn’t possibly be from a proper family. No wonder she was so fierce when she fought.
Skinny Wu, being sharp-witted, immediately understood upon seeing Officer Ge’s stiff expression.
He chuckled knowingly. So this yamen officer had also suffered under Boss Li’s hands. No wonder he’d come looking for answers.
After Officer Ge left, Skinny Wu packed up his things without waiting for work and hurried to find his companions.
Soon, a group of former rogues gathered under the banyan tree at the entrance of Luoyu Alley.
When they heard Skinny Wu recount the incident, each of them was filled with astonishment. “Boss Li is amazing! Even the yamen officers fell at her hands.”
Suddenly, they felt that being defeated by her wasn’t such a big deal after all.
Strangely enough, they felt a sense of joy.
When Yu Li went out to deliver goods today, she noticed that the county town’s yamen officers were patrolling more frequently, their eyes fixed on the people coming and going on the streets, as if they were searching for some criminal.
She merely glanced at them and didn’t pay much attention.
After finishing her work and collecting her wages for the day, she headed toward Luoyu Alley.
As soon as she reached the entrance of the alley, she spotted Skinny Wu craning his neck, looking around.
Skinny Wu quickly ran over to her, eagerly greeting his boss and inviting her to a nearby teahouse for tea.
The tea was cheap—two coins a pot, and for just one more coin, they would even serve peanuts to go with the tea. It was a great spot for a chat.
Skinny Wu poured her some tea and, in a low voice, recounted how Officer Ge had come looking for him earlier that day. He then mentioned the matter of Steward Cui’s injuries at the dock.
“…That Steward Cui is really pitiful. Yesterday, he ran into some thug with a grudge against him and was beaten to within an inch of his life. I heard both his legs were broken. Last night, he developed a high fever that hasn’t subsided. If this keeps up, that fever might leave him with some lingering issues.”
Yu Li munched on peanuts, her expression calm and indifferent.
As Skinny Wu spoke, he kept sneaking glances at her, trying to discern something from her face. Seeing no reaction, he became increasingly convinced that she was a deeply calculating and terrifying individual.
Fortunately, they hadn’t gone against her and had instead obediently sought legitimate livelihoods. Otherwise, Steward Cui’s fate would have been theirs.
But wait, could the “thug” who injured Steward Cui actually be her?