Commandant Xiao Song didn't seem to be particularly diligent in government affairs. He often took his delicate and pretty page to ride out of the city to admire the snow, leaving early in the morning and returning late at night. Most of the time, he begged for food from the woodcutters and hunters in the countryside. He just had to make do with it. The military officers of the six branches of the county yamen all said that although Master Song was a scholar, he didn't have the finicky temperament of a scholar. After spending a month together, a few of the old ruffians who had no one to rely on discussed it with. They brought good wine, good meat, and a few new fox furs to the residence of the new commandant. Within a few days, these ruffians began to take a dozen or so of their trusted brothers to openly take up the job of guarding the largest brothel in the city. The ruffians, who had been taken over by a turtledove, flew into a rage out of humiliation. Even the women in Wuze County were valiant. Everyone had connections with the seven or eight aunts in the mountains and forests, so there was no saying that the people didn't fight with the officials. The two sides fought on the street. If this kind of dispute was handled in the past, the county yamen would let the officials settle the matter and then each of them would find their parents' backers to sit down and drink wine, eat meat, give gifts, and talk about friendship. Whoever's backer had more weight would win. However, it was true that Commandant Xiao Song was easy to talk to, and he was quite protective of his own people. He waved his hand and ordered the brothers of the torture chamber to hold spears and put on armor to support the barracks. Although these guys looked no different from bandits without their official skins, their helmets were crooked and their spears were rusty, when Commandant Xiao Song ordered them around, he didn't have the habit of moving his mouth or running his legs off like a military officer. Without another word, he took out the salary that he had just received and gave it to the torture chamber. As a result, the ruffians, who didn't have the advantage in numbers, were beaten until they cried for their parents. There were countless onlookers on the noisy street, and they all felt that the scene was new. Although many people felt that the new commandant was jackals of the same lair as the old officials and they sneered in their hearts, after all, the whole city knew about Commandant Xiao Song's reputation. Later, a local ruffian who was a disciple of a big gang in Ningzhou came out in person. He wrapped a knife in cotton cloth and swaggered through the streets. The underlings encouraged him and threatened that their big brother would go to the house to ask for an explanation. However, after this hero, who was nicknamed Desperate Liulang in Wuze County, entered the house, two hours later, he came back drunk and smelled of alcohol. He held a bamboo skewer in his mouth and sliced meat. When others asked him about it, he just smiled and did not say anything. Three days later, everyone suddenly realized that the officials and bandits were in the same nest. Liulang was recruited into the torture chamber by the County Commandant and became a small leader. He did not take away anyone's position. Instead, it was the County Commandant who added another position. As a result, not only did the people of Wuze County know about the young official surnamed Song's family, but they also knew that this guy's table manners were very ugly! Unexpectedly, County Commandant Song overstepped his authority. The County Commandant and the old County Commandant did not say anything. Only the close relatives of the two families knew that the County Commandant, who liked to be elegant, had a new calligraphy and painting hanging in his house. Master Yan's son, who was an ordinary scholar and was the County Commandant next door, somehow wrote a response essay for the County Commandant. This was a rare scene of newlyweds in the officialdom. Wuze County Commandant Song had no choice but to start paying attention to this young County Commandant Song. As it was nearing the end of the year, there was an endless stream of rich people who went to the house to send gifts. Song did not refuse any of them. Just the gifts he received were enough to make him a fortune. However, everyone knew that these gifts were not for nothing. Favors should be returned. In the future, they would have to return them one by one. If they did not return the favor, they would be breaking the rules. Even if it was a light punishment, they still did not know the rules. Although Wuze County Commandant was a small county, there were many trivial matters. Song Keli was a Secondary ninth-rank County Commandant and an official who specialized in dealing with troublesome matters. He would be in for a lot of trouble in the future.
However, the situation was quickly broken. It was so fast that it could be said that it was like a sudden clap of thunder. The Registrar Official, who had always been aloof from worldly affairs, took the initiative to make things difficult for the new County Commandant. Not only did he make things difficult for the new County Commandant, he also made the brothel personnel lose their status. It was shocking. Several wives whose husbands used to work in the brothel were happy when they earned money and praised County Commandant Song for being a straightforward man. They even wanted to introduce local beauties to him to warm his bed. However, after their husbands lost their positions, they immediately became shrews. One shrewish woman even threw feces and urine at the door, saying that she wanted to bring bad luck to County Commandant Song for the coming year. The Sixth Branch of the County Government also quickly changed their course and kept a respectful distance from County Commandant Song. The house was also taken back by the owner with a straight face, saying that he would not rent it no matter how high the price was. The new County Commandant Song was not angry at all. He cleaned up a side room in the back hall of the County Government, close to the stables. However, the horse dung piled up several feet high and no one cleaned it, so he had to clean it up with his errand boy. The County Commandant and the Registrar Official narrowed their eyes and watched the show from a distance. They were calm when they saw Song Keli stinking, but the errand boy was crying non-stop. The two masters looked at each other and smiled.
At first, the County Commandant's wife felt some pity. In fact, she felt that it was a pity that she could no longer take advantage of that elegant and handsome boy. After being scolded by the County Commandant and being told the inside story, she realized the severity of the matter. It turned out that Brother Song was a descendant of a big family in the capital. His specific background was not detailed and it was very difficult to investigate. It seemed that even the Registrar Official, who was the second most powerful person in Wuze County, did not know about it. However, the Registrar Official's teacher said that there was an official in Ningzhou who could not be offended. He had long disliked County Commandant Little Song's family. He had to teach this poor boy a lesson, no matter how despicable he was.
In the smelly stable, Song Keli smiled and wiped the tears of his study companion. The 14 or 15-year-old study companion wanted to say something but could only cry, as if he had been greatly wronged.
County Commandant Little Song still went out of the city when he wanted to enjoy the snow. When he was not in the mood for leisure, he would study behind closed doors. However, the leader of the local ruffians, who had also been dragged to the bottom, went to visit the county government. On the day before New Year's Eve, except for the busy families of the officials, there was no more business for the sixth branch. On such a festive morning, a group of knights entered the city at dawn, with more than a dozen large cloth bags hanging on the backs of their horses. The city guards saw that it was County Commandant Little Song leading the group and did not bother to interfere. There were nearly a hundred people in the military torture chamber. Among them, more than a dozen people who were really in charge were called to the government office by the new commandant, who said that they would not have to work in the future if they did not go. There were very few people who responded. Who would take this guy who was even worse than a chicken seriously? Only those who tried to burn the stove or those who were too timid went to the prison, and then they were all dumbfounded. There were more than a dozen burly men hanging on the prison rack. Three or four of them were wanted murderers who had been listed on the city's bandit list. They were being privately tortured by outsiders who were not in the torture chamber. There was a big basin in the prison with a burning charcoal fire. County Commandant Little Song was sitting on a small bench, expressionless. He stretched out his hands to warm the fire, and from time to time, he picked up the fire tongs and fiddled with the charcoal fire. He was indifferent to the heart-wrenching wails. More than a dozen brothers of the military torture chamber who had caught up with this horrible scene during the New Year looked at each other in dismay, and a few of them squatted in the corner and vomited. A few young ruffians, who had frightened Ningzhou, could not bear the tragic punishment and spat out the nests of several ruffians. The leader of the ruffians, who was most enthusiastic about the execution, turned his head and grinned at County Commandant Little Song. His white teeth were eerie, and everyone in the torture chamber felt their hair stand on end. County Commandant Little Song seemed to be unsatisfied. He gently spat out the word "continue" and then stopped talking. He picked up a string of brass bells from the edge of the charcoal basin. Ningzhou's ruffians had two bells, and the warhorses had brass bells. Before charging into the battlefield to kill people, there would be a whistling arrow as a demonstration. This elegant scholar, who should have gone to the brothel to listen to foxy women playing the zither and singing, lowered his head and narrowed his eyes, turning the brass bells with two fingers. The county government was not small, but the movement here was too big. Those families were disturbed by the wails and howls coming from the prison, especially the beautiful concubines and children, who were so scared that they hugged each other and cried. The old Commandant Yan Huasheng came aggressively to denounce County Commandant Little Song. As a result, he happened to see County Commandant Little Song's indifferent face, which suddenly seemed very strange. The old Commandant, who had a lot of blood on his hands, was speechless for a moment. County Commandant Little Song ignored Yan Huasheng. He put down the string of brass bells, picked up a piece of hot charcoal with a pair of tongs, and slowly got up. He walked towards a famous and strong Horse Bandit. The man was already covered in blood, but his eyes were still cold and sharp. He looked fiercely at County Commandant Little Song.
County Commandant Little Song chuckled and said, "At the end of the year, this year's debt will be paid back this year. The people who owe the debt will pass the New Year's difficulty. That's why there is the saying of the end of the year. You didn't study, so you probably couldn't study even if you wanted to when you were young. Perhaps you don't understand this principle, and this can't be blamed on you. However, it's right and proper to pay with one's life for one's life. I'll give you one last chance. As long as you tell me the nest of any of the Fourteen Ruffians in Ningzhou, I'll let you die more comfortably. "
The old Commandant swallowed a mouthful of saliva. How could this kind of execution be reasonable? Since they had become Ruffians, especially those who had worked hard to make a name for themselves and had families to feed, they had no choice but to be extremely loyal. It was as difficult as ascending to the heavens to make them speak. Moreover, if one was caught, even if they received the reward, they probably wouldn't have the life to spend it. There were dozens of Ningzhou Commandants, and there was no lack of previous examples of Ruffians who had entered the city in disguise and killed their entire families. In the future, everyone would turn a blind eye. It was good to be an official, but one had to be alive.
The Ruffian was indeed unyielding. He spat out a mouthful of blood on County Commandant Little Song's face.
The leader of the ruffians was about to teach this strong man a lesson. Unexpectedly, County Commandant Little Song waved his hand and said indifferently, "Pry open his mouth."
The Ruffian's mouth was pried open by the two men. County Commandant Little Song raised the tongs and slowly squeezed the charcoal into the Ruffian's mouth. There was an ear-piercing sizzling sound in the prison. Even the old Commandant Yan Huasheng felt a chill run down his spine and wanted to vomit.
Without waiting for the Ruffian to die, County Commandant Little Song turned to pick up the charcoal and walked to the next bandit. "I forgot to say earlier, but after you tell me, I, Wuze County Commandant Song Keli, promise that after you die, if you have a family, I will protect your family and keep them safe."
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