Go and capture those thirty-six fierce villains.

After Qin Ning finished speaking, he stretched out his hands, signaling the other party to lock him in shackles.

Commander Wang: "...?"

Ambassador Liu: "...?"

The three Wang brothers: "...?"

"What's on your mind, Lord Qin?"

"have no idea."

"Then we..."

"Put down your weapons and follow me!"

Wang Bian made a decision in an instant, threw down his long sword, and followed suit, extending both hands to the still stunned soldier.

Wang Xiao was the second to throw away his weapon.

After hesitating for a moment, Wang Da sighed deeply, threw his weapon to the ground, and stood beside his two younger brothers.

Noticing the commotion behind him, Qin Ning turned his head and smiled, then said to Commander Wang, who was still in a daze, "What are you standing there for? Don't you know how to arrest people? Or are you going to have your patrol division kill us all in the street without any official trial?"

Commander Wang remained silent for a moment, unable to understand the other party's intentions, but with so many people watching in broad daylight, he couldn't do anything more underhanded.

"Arrest him! Put him in handcuffs!"

Soldiers stepped forward and bound Qin Ning's wrists with heavy iron chains.

Ambassador Liu, who had been hiding behind the crowd, stepped forward, glared at Qin Ning, and whispered to Commander Wang, "Brother Wang, take this group of people to my Tax Bureau."

Commander Wang whispered, "So many people are watching!"

Ambassador Liu: "These ignorant people are just watching the show; who would bother to investigate where you took them, Brother Wang? Ahem, besides, let's talk about the land deed for that house in the west of the city..."

Commander Wang frowned: "As you wish!"

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Ambassador Liu cried out in pain and rushed into the clinic to check on his son's injuries.

He's got a performative personality... Qin Ning watched coldly as he was surrounded by armored soldiers and marched out of Anhe Street in a grand procession.

Inside the clinic.

Ambassador Liu gritted his teeth as he looked at his son's miserable state. He hurriedly ordered his men to carry the son to a sedan chair and sent the swordsmen who had been following him to fetch a physician from a good medical clinic.

"Wen'er, you wait! Today, your father will avenge you!"

Ambassador Liu leaned over the sedan chair and whispered something, glancing at Qin Ning and his entourage who had already reached the street. His eyes were filled with obvious resentment. He grabbed the attendant dressed as a clerk beside him and said, "Go find Registrar Sun and change the deed to the Liu family for this clinic. This must be done quickly. Today, I, the master, will punish this scoundrel in a fair and square manner!"

The attendant nodded in acceptance, ran a couple of steps, and then turned back.

"Why are you back instead of going about your business?"

"Sir, I feel like the clothes those people are wearing look familiar, like I've seen them in some ancient book."

"Clothes?"

Ambassador Liu silently recalled the clothing of Qin Ning and the others. The thief's clothes had a strangely shaped cicada embroidered on the chest. The three people behind him, two of whom wore ordinary clothes, while one of them wore dark blue clothes with strange patterns embroidered on the chest.

"There's another question, sir. I was watching the fight between Commander Wang and them from a corner just now, and it didn't seem like he was gaining the upper hand. So why did that thief suddenly surrender?"

Ambassador Liu stroked his goatee and paced back and forth a couple of times.

"It does seem like there's a problem, but they've all been captured..." He made up his mind and instructed, "Here's what you'll do: after you've found Registrar Sun, go to the Household Registration Office and check their origins. Go and come back quickly!"

"yes!"

......

On the way to the Tax Office.

Qin Ning's hands were bound by chains, but his expression was calm and even somewhat relaxed.

"This road doesn't seem to lead to the Patrol Division."

He had a general understanding of Beian City, and after observing the nearby street scenes, he realized that the route was completely wrong.

"You've already been captured, why are you still talking so much nonsense!"

Commander Wang spoke in a deep voice, then poked Qin Ning's shoulder with the hilt of his sword.

Shrugging, Qin Ning said jokingly, "How much silver did Ambassador Liu from the Tax Bureau bribe you to make you work so hard? The commander of the Imperial Guard is practically Liu's private army."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Commander Wang's eyebrows shot up, and he drew his long sword three inches from his waist.

Qin Ning glanced around at the bustling city, feigning fear: "What, you really intend to kill someone in the street?"

"Hmph!" Commander Wang sheathed his sword and leaned closer: "I don't care who you are, what your plans are, or why you're so fearless, but Ambassador Liu is Governor Zhang's man. You're dead."

Commander Wang spoke the last four words softly yet with great certainty.

There were even big fish... Qin Ning remained calm, but was slightly surprised.

During his time at the Prince's residence, he had gained some understanding of the administrative systems of Beian and Suzhou. Suzhou was the fiefdom of the Prince of Su, and such powerful princes could control the military and political power of a prefecture; they even had their own banks and trading companies.

Taxes on salt, iron, and other commodities also went into the accounts of Prince Su's mansion.

The provincial governor, judicial commissioner, and military commander of Suzhou were all trusted confidants appointed by the Prince of Su's court, in charge of the administration, justice, and military affairs of the prefecture.

The position of governor was created by Emperor Yongguang in his eagerness to weaken the power of the princes, specifically for their fiefdoms. The original intention was to control the three ministries and reduce the princes' control over their fiefdoms.

This position also includes a circuit inspector.

However, this kind of official position still had some influence in the fiefdoms of weak vassal kings, but in a place like Suzhou, it was purely a mascot for the emperor.

Tsk, this governor is really in a sorry state. He's actually gotten involved with the tax bureau, and his way of making money is still collecting protection money... Qin Ning figured out the key point and looked at Commander Wang with a bit of pity.

He's mingled with the governor's faction in Bei'an City; it's unclear whether he's truly frustrated or blinded by greed.

Wait a minute, from Si Chenwei's perspective, are these guys actually on my side?

Thinking of this, Qin Ning mentally spat.

Bah! I'm ashamed to be associated with him!

Commander Wang watched as the man beside him kept changing his expression, and a hint of doubt appeared in his eyes... Could this kid be mentally unstable, or has he been scared out of his wits by Governor Zhang's reputation?

The group soon arrived at the back alley of the Tax Bureau.

Commander Wang, familiar with the place, stepped forward, opened a small door, and led Qin Ning and the others inside.

After passing through a corridor, he led everyone to a secluded courtyard in a corner. Before even stepping into the courtyard, Qin Ning could smell a faint stench of blood.

Setting up a private torture chamber... Judging by their skill, this is probably not the first time they've done this.

The stench of blood grew stronger, reaching its peak as a door in a room inside the courtyard was opened.

"Take one last good look at the sun, you probably won't see it tomorrow." Commander Wang's expression was sinister.

Qin Ning joked, "What, is it going to be cloudy tomorrow?"

"Still spouting nonsense even as death approaches, take him in!"

The group was pushed and shoved into the room, where Qin Ning discovered that it was essentially a small inner prison, complete with cells for holding prisoners, execution racks, and numerous instruments of torture stained dark red.

There was also a man in the prison, his body mangled and his clothes tattered.

Why is there a "local" here?

Qin Ning frowned as the four of them were locked inside the cell. The door closed, leaving only a small window in the wall letting in a bit of light.