I attained immortality through meditation in the Great Qian Dynasty.

Zhao Zian looked at Zhang Jing.

"Brother Zhang, it looks like we've caught a big fish."

Zhang Jing's expression was solemn.

A simple thug who sells sleeping pills and a local thug who knows how to make them are two completely different things.

If this banned drug were to become widespread, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Today it's Li Hongyun who's suffering, but tomorrow it could be all the young ladies in the city.

"Tu San... that bastard, I've wanted to get rid of him for a long time!"

Zhang Jing gritted his teeth.

"But this guy is as slippery as an eel. He has deep roots in Blackwater Street and keeps a group of thugs under his command. His slaughterhouse is full of gleaming knives, and every time we send people to investigate, they can't find anything!"

"Now that we have witnesses, we absolutely cannot let him get away with this!"

Zhang Jing gave orders to the yamen runners behind him.

"Take this man back to the county office and keep him under strict guard! No one is allowed to visit him without my order!"

"Yes, sir!"

The bailiffs grabbed the skinny monkey and dragged him out.

In the lobby of the restaurant.

Zhang Jing waved his hand, signaling the shopkeeper and the other employees to leave.

Only the two of them remained.

"Zi'an, thank you so much this time."

"If it weren't for you, with just Li Kang running away, this case would have remained unsolved. Not to mention finding Tu San, the mastermind behind it all."

Zhao Zian shook his head.

"It was nothing. Now is not the time to talk about that."

"Brother Zhang, what are you planning to do? Take men and arrest them immediately?"

Zhang Jing frowned.

"Blackwater Street is no safe place, and Tu Sangeng is no pushover. His pig slaughterhouse, though called a shop, is actually more like a small fortress, easy to defend and difficult to attack."

"I don't have many capable men under my command. If we rush in rashly, and he becomes desperate and takes the neighbors hostage, or puts up a stubborn resistance, our brothers will inevitably suffer casualties."

This was his concern as the local official in charge of the county.

He couldn't send his constables to their deaths in vain just to capture Tu San.

Moreover, since the skinny monkey has already been arrested, the news could leak at any time.

Once Tu San gets wind of it, he will either flee or destroy all evidence, making thorough preparations to wait for them.

Going there then would be like walking into a trap.

This is a dilemma.

"Zi'an, what do you think we should do about this?"

Zhang Jing asked.

Zhao Zian had already made up his mind.

Wait?

can not wait.

This person must be eliminated!

"Brother Zhang, this matter should be handled as soon as possible."

"Skinny Monkey has been captured, and the news won't stay hidden for long. We must take him down before Tu San realizes what's happening."

"But……"

Zhang Jing hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Zhao Zian continued.

"A direct attack is indeed not the right approach, but we can try a different strategy."

"Brother Zhang, do you believe me?"

Zhang Jingzhong nodded solemnly.

"Of course I believe you!"

"it is good."

Zhao Zian's lips curled up slightly.

"Then tonight, I'll accompany Brother Zhang on a trip to Blackwater Street."

"What?"

Zhang Jing was terrified.

"No! Absolutely not!"

"Zi'an, this is the government arresting people. Swords have no eyes; it's too dangerous! How can I let you take such a risk!"

Zhao Zian looked at him.

"Brother Zhang, do you think I'm the kind of person who would joke around with my own life?"

"Since I dare to go, I must have my reasons."

Yes.

How could he forget?

Zhao Zian is no ordinary doctor.

This is indeed the only and best solution at present.

But... the risk is too great.

Why send Zhao Zi'an to face a group of vicious thugs all by himself?

Zhao Zian noticed his hesitation.

"Brother Zhang, we must eradicate evil completely. We don't have time to hesitate here."

"You just need to set up your men around the Blackwater Street area and wait for my signal. Once I've located Tu San and got the situation under control, you can all rush in and wipe them out in one fell swoop."

Zhang Jing punched his own palm.

"good!"

"We'll do as you say!"

"I'm heading back to the yamen right now to gather the men! Tonight, even if we have to turn Blackwater Street upside down, we must dig out this cancer, Tu San!"

Zhao Zian nodded.

"Without further ado, let's split up and proceed."

"You are in the light, I am in the dark."

……

Half an hour later.

South of the city, Blackwater Street.

A young man walked into the street.

This person was none other than Zhao Zi'an, who had changed his clothes.

Zhao Zian walked past the entrance of the butcher shop.

The shop was already closed, and the door was half-paneled up.

Two burly men with bare chests were sitting at the entrance.

Zhao Zian turned a corner at the street corner and went around to the back alley of the pig slaughterhouse.

He confirmed that no one was around.

With a light touch of the toes at the base of the wall, I floated up to the top of the wall.

A small head popped out from the sleeve.

The little fox poked its head out and sniffed.

"It stinks! It's suffocating me!"

Zhao Zian patted its little head.

"Bear with it. Help me see how many people are in the yard and where they are."

The little fox may complain, but he never hesitates to get things done.

"Behind the pillar under the eaves on the left, where dried cured meat hangs, there's one hiding. In the large water vat on the right, there's another squatting, with only half its head showing. In the houses directly in front, two have lights on, but no one is there. Their men are all concentrated in the backyard, with two sentries visible and three sentries hidden, all near the woodshed."

"What's the patrol pattern?"

Zhao Zian continued to ask.

"There is no pattern."

The little fox looked down on it.

"It's just two teams of people walking around the backyard every incense stick's time, like headless flies. It's incredibly stupid."

"Good. You stay outside and keep watch for me. If there's any unusual activity, alert me immediately."

"Okay, just be careful and don't get chopped up."

The little fox shrank back into his sleeve.

Zhao Zian arrived near the woodshed that the little fox had mentioned.

Two burly men stood guard at the entrance to the woodshed.

Zhao Zian went around to the back of the woodshed.

As soon as he approached, the little fox in his sleeve sent him a divine message.

"Down there! There's something down there! Such heavy resentment and...fear!"

Zhao Zian pushed aside the firewood under his feet, revealing a stone slab.

There was an inconspicuous copper ring on the stone slab.

If it weren't for the little fox's reminder, we might not have discovered this entrance.

Zhao Zian pressed his ear against the stone slab.

"...Count them all out for me, you son of a bitch! One chest of gold bars, three chests of silver ingots, and all the loose jewelry—not a single penny less!"

It's Tu San!

"Brother, everything's been counted, and the numbers are correct. But... Skinny Monkey's been arrested by the authorities. Are we really going to leave tonight? Isn't it getting a bit too risky?"

A voice asked.

"fart!"

Tu San cursed angrily.

"It's because that good-for-nothing Skinny Monkey got arrested that we have to leave immediately! Do you think that corrupt official Zhang Jing is a pushover? Skinny Monkey is spineless; he won't last tonight! Once he confesses everything, and the yamen's main force arrives, we'll be sitting ducks!"

"But... the city gates are already closed, how do we get out?"

"Hmph, I've already prepared a backup plan. A small section of the city wall on the west side collapsed a few days ago and hasn't been repaired yet; it'll be enough for us to squeeze through. Once outside the city, we'll just get on a boat and sail downstream. With the emperor far away, who the hell would recognize me, Tu San?"