Chapter 138: The Dwarf

Li Bu'er and Erhu formed an assassination alliance, though this relationship was exceedingly fragile. Although Wang Gemao desired a double-insurance scheme to guarantee success, the collision of two rash temperaments could easily yield half the results with twice the effort. Therefore, Wang Gemao had dispatched two of his lackeys to follow them, serving as supervisors for the two thugs since he could not oversee the operation in person.

Pondering deeply, Wang Gemao's next step was to devise a way to lure Zhang JiFeng into an alley, a sparsely populated place where he could be disposed of. Finally, an idea sparked in his mind. Wang Gemao then summoned Zhang JiFeng—though summoned was hardly the right word, seeing as Zhang JiFeng was now the undisputed top dog of Anping County. Gritting his teeth and enduring the heartache, Wang Gemao offered a treasured piece of jade from his family collection as a gift for Zhang JiFeng to take away.

Strolling in leisurely, Zhang JiFeng arrived in high spirits, flanked as usual by a few lesser bailiffs and underlings. Perhaps due to Zhang JiFeng's daily lack of discipline, these minions paid no attention whatsoever to Wang Gemao, their eyes drawn instead to the precious jade. Resembling a miniature artificial mountain, it was undoubtedly a prized collectible amassed by Wang Gemao through his ill-gotten gains.

Zhang JiFeng remarked, "Look at you, playing the magistrate! It seems you haven't spared yourself any luxuries. Not bad at all."

Feigning profound terror, Wang Gemao stammered, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! It's merely a tiny hobby of mine, a fondness for collecting rare treasures. Even if it's an heirloom, it at least leaves something for posterity to remember me by."

Zhang JiFeng shouted loudly, deliberately ensuring everyone in the vicinity could hear him.

"Hey! Did you all hear that? This exemplary official of Anping County claims this jade is part of his personal collection! Could it be that he didn't use the common people's money to acquire it? You can fleece anyone's money, but never the commoners'! Today, on behalf of heaven, I shall take custody of this item so it can no longer victimize more families."

His declaration rang with righteous resonance, almost convincing even Zhang JiFeng himself. With his chin raised high, his mind was entirely consumed by a single thought: how wonderful it is to possess power; even when casually farting or speaking, one is invariably in the right.

Standing nearby, Wang Gemao dared not even draw a full breath, maintaining a posture of utmost reverence to prevent Zhang JiFeng from detecting any flaws.

"Head Bailist Zhang is entirely correct. It is this humble official who lacks morality and fails to place the people's welfare above all else. Your reprimand is well-deserved, but I do have one small request..."

Having attained complete gratification, Zhang JiFeng nevertheless reined in his impatience to hear Wang Gemao's explanation.

"It's just that... the merchant who originally gave me this jade seemed to harbor some unspeakable difficulty. It requires an unblessed vow to be fulfilled, located in the alley by the Lao family estate on the eastern side of Anping County. However, since I am hardly a good official, the task demands a truly virtuous man of the people, an unselfish and iron-willed hero to meet the requirement. And so I..."

If Zhang JiFeng had a tail, it would have been wagging high up in the sky, swinging freely without a single care. He readily agreed to Wang Gemao's request, declaring that he would certainly attend the appointment.

Released from the prison, Li Bu'er finally beheld the light of day. Having served as a bailiff for so long, this was his first time ever entering a cell, essentially losing every ounce of his dignity. The root cause of the matter lay in the struggle between Magistrate Wang and Prefect Lu. For Li Bu'er, his personal vendettas were Shorty Huang and Zhang JiFeng—the former's betrayal had sent him to prison, while the latter had usurped his position. Both richly deserved a thousand cuts.

However, precisely as Wang Gemao had feared, Li Bu'er and Erhu were utterly incompatible.

Li Bu'er sneered, "Farm-boy slave, if you weren't still useful right now, you would be the third person I slice up."

Erhu replied unyieldingly, "One look at you and I can tell you're nothing more than a vulgar market-dweller, your every action driven solely by money, completely devoid of shame."

Neither had a pleasant tone; both whetted their blades with their own agendas in mind.

Upon entering the narrow alley, the two lackeys brought by Wang Gemao stood in plain sight, while Li Bu'er and Erhu crouched in the distance to observe, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

When the appointed hour arrived, Zhang JiFeng predictably put on airs and failed to appear on time. This left the four waiting individuals bitterly disappointed. After waiting for yet another hour, a short figure—the diminutive Shorty Huang—finally appeared in the alley.

Having picked up an arrogant swagger, Shorty Huang had begun looking down on others in imitation of Zhang JiFeng. Seeing the two men waiting here, he adopted a thoroughly smug expression.

Shorty Huang taunted, "Well, well! I hear this place has profound geomancy—aren't you afraid your direct stepping will foul the earth at people's doorsteps?"

The two exchanged glances, thoroughly disgusted by Shorty Huang's insolence.

"He claimed it was to fulfill a vow, yet dragged us to such a gloomy place. What a bore."

Without sight of Zhang JiFeng, Erhu lost all motivation, mentally concluding that the mission had failed. But Li Bu'er thought otherwise. Moving silently, he crept close to Shorty Huang, walking on tiptoes and exerting all his might to keep his heels from touching the ground. His footsteps were so stealthy as to be virtually imperceptible.

Just as Shorty Huang was hurling curses to his heart's content, Li Bu'er's blade came within inches of his back. With a piercing sound, the sword thrust straight through Shorty Huang's chest.

Amidst agonizing cries, Shorty Huang desperately screamed for rescue, but there were no houses nearby, not even a single soul to speak of. Despair consumed him entirely.

Li Bu'er scoffed, "They always say villains die of excessive talking. Someone like you deserves to die."

With that, Li Bu'er unleashed a flurry of ferocious stabs into Shorty Huang's chest and abdomen to ensure he would perish on the spot.

Erhu was utterly stunned. He had never witnessed a private execution, where a living human being right before his eyes was directly put to death. By the time Li Bu'er finished venting his rage, Shorty Huang was likely already cold.

Spitting directly onto the corpse lying in a pool of blood, Li Bu'er planted a boot squarely on the dead man's chest. Watching the blood ooze forth, he felt an unprecedented wave of exhilaration—he had finally slain his enemy with his own hands.

Stepping forward, Erhu carefully checked Shorty Huang's pulse. Finding it had completely ceased, he was so terrified that he collapsed backward.

"For such a burly fellow, you have remarkably little spine."

Trembling, Erhu stammered, "I-I-I... I only ever do manual labor! I've never killed a man before... Weren't we just supposed to give them a beating? Why did it come to knives?"

Wiping his blade with a piece of clothing, Li Bu'er replied offhandedly, "Wang Gemao never voices his ambitions out loud, nor does he ever let dirty business pass his lips. That sanctimonious, foolish facade of his—when he tells us to get rid of someone cleanly, it's obviously going to be far more involved than just a simple beating."

While Erhu was still paralyzed with lingering terror, Wang Gemao's two lackeys suddenly turned their backs, preparing to hoist the body toward the estate to claim credit and rewards. In the next instant, both lackeys were likewise pierced through. Miraculously, it was once again the handiwork of Li Bu'er.

Before the minions could react in time, they collapsed to the ground dead. This development filled Erhu with even greater, abnormal shock.

Erhu cried out, "You killed Wang Magistrate's men! How are you going to answer to Wang Gemao when we go back?"

Li Bu'er answered calmly, "It's very simple. The chaotic state of Anping County isn't caused by Zhang JiFeng alone; Wang Gemao is equally responsible. They are cut from the same cloth of pestilence, and I intend to make them all pay the price."