Hundred Households Office.
Inside a study, Gao Jun was reporting the situation to Thousand Households Luo Bingsheng, his face dark as thunder.
"Sir, Gu Zhan and Gu Chuan are cut from the same cloth, arrogant to the extreme. He actually killed Chen Fan right in front of me—he... simply doesn't put our Hundred Households Office in his eyes!"
"Good, good, very good…"
Luo Bingsheng's face was also shrouded in gloom. He shouted angrily, "Gu Zhan, what a character—what gives him the courage to be so outrageous? Who does he think he is?"
Gao Jun said in a low voice, "Just a cur relying on his master. The only reason he dares act so brazenly is that Gu Chuan is backing him. Like master, like dog—Gu Chuan is arrogant, so he follows suit. Sir, if we delay any longer, what authority do we have left in this Hundred Households Office? If this continues, Gu Chuan and Gu Zhan will be sitting on top of us, shitting on our heads!"
Luo Bingsheng's face was somber. He took a deep breath to calm his fury and spoke slowly: "The problem is, Gu Chuan's background is too deep for us to touch, and his cultivation is profound. Throughout Linjiang Prefecture, those who can challenge Gu Chuan in single combat can be counted on one hand.
Gu Zhan may be just a dog relying on its master, but as long as Gu Chuan stands, no one dares touch him. It wasn't always this bad, but since the battle at Changning Fang, Gu Zhan's reputation as the Little God of Slaughter has spread; and he and Gu Chuan are but a step away from burning yellow paper and swearing brotherhood. With Gu Chuan shielding him, even if I want to move against Gu Zhan, it's not so simple now!"
Gao Jun gritted his teeth, unwilling to accept it,
Chen Fan was his closest confidant—everyone knew as much. The two were colleagues for twenty or thirty years, sharing a deep bond. Otherwise, Chen Fan wouldn't have resigned his post as Chief Banner just to back Gao Jun's plans.
"It's my fault Chen Fan died," Gao Jun said. "I underestimated that brat Gu Zhan; I didn't expect he'd still have such strength even when wounded!"
Luo Bingsheng shook his head, saying, "You didn't misjudge Gu Zhan's strength. You misjudged his baseness. No matter what, he's a well-known figure, yet he stooped to such shameless ambush—utterly without the code of warriors. But the first plan's failed, so it's time for the second!"
Gao Jun cupped his hands, "Sir, your instructions, please."
Luo Bingsheng pondered for a while, then said, "Now we're back to the original problem. Gu Zhan is simply a blade in Gu Chuan's hand. He dares to oppose every faction in Linjiang Prefecture at this time because he trusts this blade is sharp enough.
Therefore, whether we want to deal with Gu Chuan or Gu Zhan's insolence, the blade must be broken. And the problem is, as long as Gu Chuan remains in Linjiang Prefecture, we can't touch Gu Zhan."
Gao Jun narrowed his eyes, saying, "So, Sir, you mean to lure Gu Chuan out of the city? But right now, he's rushing to take action against the Celestial Water Gang—it's impossible he would leave Linjiang City."
Luo Bingsheng spoke softly, "But—what if the Celestial Water Gang leaves Linjiang City first?"
Gao Jun asked in surprise, "Sir, what do you mean by that?"
Luo Bingsheng explained, "Gu Chuan doesn't intend to wipe out the Celestial Water Gang from top to bottom—that's unrealistic. What he wants is to cut down its top ranks, sever its connections with the Government Office.
After all, in the South City, Celestial Water Gang is the only one that can contend with the Hundred Households Office. Whatever plan he wishes to implement, he can't avoid them. That's why he's set on dealing with them.
So his target is, naturally, the Celestial Water Gang's top brass. But if their upper ranks all depart Linjiang City now to lay low, with enough time, all the evidence Gu Chuan holds will become useless scraps of paper. There are too many in the Government Office entangled with the gang; given ample time, they'll find ways to erase all traces left by the upper echelons.
Gu Chuan surely understands this, so if he wants to take down the Celestial Water Gang, he has to chase after them. We can leave him a trail, lure him out."
Gao Jun asked, "But Gu Chuan isn't stupid—he won't chase for long. The moment he realizes something's wrong, he'll immediately turn back to Linjiang City and target the middle ranks of Celestial Water Gang. Even if he can't destroy them, he'll wound them badly; it won't count as failure."
Luo Bingsheng sneered, "He'll only have that chance if he's lucky. As soon as Gu Chuan's left the city, we move against the South City Hundred Households Office, clean it out swiftly, and have the Celestial Water Gang's rank-and-file ambush him outside the city.
Once Gu Chuan is outside Linjiang City, he'll be as isolated and helpless as he was three years ago—no aid from the Government Office, his forces scattered. The Celestial Water Gang's ambush will leave him gravely weakened, and in the city, I'll uproot all his influence—three years of scheming, rendered worthless in a single stroke!"
Gao Jun's eyes lit up. "Brilliant, Sir! Gu Chuan relies on having Gu Zhan as his blade? We'll take care of the blade and the sword scabbard all at once, leaving him utterly alone."
Luo Bingsheng nodded, saying, "However, Gu Chuan is both cunning and crafty. To prevent him from noticing, we'll have to make the Celestial Water Gang pay a price—only with enough bait will Gu Chuan be lured in."
Gao Jun smiled, "To destroy a man, first let him swell with arrogance. Don't worry, Sir—Yao Chen, the Celestial Water Gang's Gang Leader, is a decisive man. He'll understand his situation and surely agree."
...
This winter in Linjiang Prefecture was far from peaceful.
The unrest was centered in Linjiang South City. The Embroidered Uniform Guard Hundred Households Office, after days of tireless investigation, had gathered abundant evidence of the Celestial Water Gang's top ranks' crimes.
Hundred Households Gu Chuan personally led men to apprehend the criminals, bringing them to justice.
For a while, Linjiang City was filled with anxiety, everyone on edge. Gangs all over became much more alert—even those not based in South City kept a close watch on these events,
because the turmoil was too great.
In just half a month, the Celestial Water Gang had five or six branches swept clean, and two Squad Leaders arrested.
This wave of action by the Embroidered Uniform Guard caused an uproar throughout the city,
Even the Government Office officials kept their mouths shut; those high-ranking Prefecture Government officials supporting the Celestial Water Gang stayed silent as well, as if terrified of dragging fire onto themselves.
Many sensed it,
The Celestial Water Gang was unlikely to escape this calamity.
When such high officials in the Prefecture Government also remained silent, it showed clearly that Hundred Households Gu Chuan not only held evidence for the gang's crimes, but also had blackmail material on quite a few Prefecture Government elites.
Without the Government Office's protection,
The Celestial Water Gang, however strong, was still just one of the Martial World Gangs. Normally, an ordinary Hundred Households Office might struggle to bring them down—but this time, it was none other than Gu Chuan, second-in-command of Embroidered Uniform Guard in Linjiang Prefecture, moving against them.
Though his rank was also only Hundred Households,
everyone in the Martial World knew—that this Hundred Households, Gu Chuan, had another nickname: Nine Hundred Households!