Chapter 91: Watching the Show

The guys whispered explanations nearby, while the six bailiffs grew more and more excited. After sweeping half of the place, they simply overturned the tables as well.
At the door, Zhao Kuang remained calm, ignoring whatever Ma Chun said, treating it like a breeze passing by his ears. From time to time, he glanced at Lin Dong with a hidden sneer in his heart.
A head of a gang, he was quite a notable figure in Xilan City. In the past, shop owners would usually give him some silver as a gift, but this Lin’s Inn, relying on its good relationship with the “tiger mother,” completely ignored him as a gang leader.
Now that the county magistrate had changed, they still didn’t understand the principle that “new rulers bring new officials.” Today, they would make sure he learned his lesson.
Outside, the customers grew anxious, calling out to Lin Dong sitting behind the counter and signaling to him with their eyes.
Lin Dong smiled back but pretended not to understand their intentions, continuing to ignore Zhao Kuang.
Sigh… Lin’s Inn is in trouble now. Manager Lin, why don’t you understand the rules?
Seeing that Lin Dong still didn’t grasp their signals, the customers felt helpless. It seemed Lin’s Inn would be closed for a while. They hoped this problem could be resolved soon.
Before long, the bailiffs reached the farthest corner. Seeing that some people still hadn’t left, one of them shouted, “We’re checking for poison in the food. Get out quickly!”
“There’s no need to check this table. The food tastes great, especially the braised tofu. Even if there’s poison, I’d still eat it willingly,” came a deep voice from under the hood. It seemed to belong to a young man.
“You say there’s no need to check? Who do you think you are…?”
An impatient bailiff grabbed the corner of the table and flipped it over abruptly.
With a clatter, all the dishes on the table spilled out.
The man under the hood stood up abruptly and said coldly, “In broad daylight, a bunch of bailiffs breaking into a inn—aren’t there any laws?”
“Laws?”
The bailiffs laughed. After working as officers for over a decade, they had encountered many people who talked about laws—usually those with no status who stubbornly clung to their principles. Such situations were always the most amusing.
“Kid, in Xilan City, the county magistrate is the law.”
One of the bailiffs raised his staff and tapped it against the man’s shoulder.
The man under the hood pushed the staff away sharply.
“Sir, you can’t afford to anger us! It’s all the inn’s fault. We’ll pay for your meal.” Seeing the situation, Ma Chun quickly gave up trying to persuade Zhao Kuang and rushed over to pull the man under the hood away.

“Do you just let them smash the shop and cause trouble like this?” the man in the hat asked coldly.
Ma Chun forced a smile and shook his head. “These officials are here to investigate a case. It’s not causing trouble—really not.”
“Did you hear that? Don’t act like the emperor isn’t worried while the eunuchs are. The innkeeper hasn’t said anything—why are you making a fuss?” One of the constables said disdainfully. “Just back off and stay out of it. If you dare interfere again, even if we kill you, it won’t matter.”
Seeing someone stand up for justice, the customers felt ashamed and indignant but could only do nothing.
“Alright, once the main hall is checked, split into two groups—one to the kitchen, the other to the second floor,” Zhao Kuang said impatiently, waving his hand.
After thinking for a moment, he added, “Be polite when you go up to the second floor.”
The constables nodded. The first one reached out to push the man in the hat aside, but it was as if he had touched an impenetrable wall—he couldn’t move him an inch.
“Hey, you’ve got some strength! Daring to obstruct official business? Let me teach you a lesson.”
The constable raised his staff and swung it at the man in the hat.
The man suddenly raised his arm, and with a loud crash, the staff broke in two upon hitting his arm. Yet his arm remained untouched, as if the staff that hit him was just a small stick.
The constables recoiled in shock. Having used those staffs for over a decade, none of them knew better than them just how hard they were. To be able to break such a staff without any injury to one’s own arm meant the man was either a warrior or extremely strong.
“Is there anyone else who wants to teach me a lesson?” the man in the hat asked coldly.
The constables weren’t fools. They knew their limits. With their status, beating ordinary people was easy for them. But if they encountered a trained fighter who was registered at the martial arts institute, getting beaten would only cost them some silver. And if it was a registered warrior, even if they struck first, the authorities couldn’t punish them.
“Damn it, what are you waiting for?” Zhao Kuang shouted at Ma Chun. “Hurry up and prepare a new table of food and drinks for this gentleman! Bring out the best wines and dishes. I’ll pay for it.”
The stunned constables finally snapped out of it and sharply ordered the staff around to serve the guests quickly.
“What, you think just beating someone solves everything?” the man in the hat sneered. “Am I that worthless?”
“By no means…” Zhao Kuang smiled falsely. “It’s just that our subordinates were rude. We’re here on official business—please forgive us.”
“What if I don’t forgive you?” the man in the hat asked bluntly.

The customers outside the door were delighted. They clenched their fists, almost unable to hold back shouts of outrage if not for fear of being remembered by Zhao Kuang and retaliated later.
A slight sweat appeared on Zhao Kuang’s forehead as he forced a smile and said, “I wonder why you’re willing to forgive us?”
“My rule is to return ten blows for one. There are only seven of you, so I’ll be lenient and give you seven blows.”
The man in the hat picked up the broken section of the official staff from the ground and swung it fiercely at one of the constables’ shoulders.
The constable let out a scream, flew into the air, and leaped over tables, stools, and the heads of the customers before flying out of the door.
Zhao Kuang and the other five constables were terrified. A single blow could send someone flying over ten meters—such a strike would surely cost half a life.
Fearing for their lives, Zhao Kuang and the others instinctively moved their legs toward the door.
The man in the hat wasn’t going to let them off so easily. He took out a silver ingot and threw it on the counter. “Owner, prepare a room upstairs.”
“Sure, we have one available,” Lin Dong said with a smile after weighing the silver ingot.
In the next moment, figures rushed around as the broken staff swept through the hall. The six of them tried to run away, but they couldn’t match the man in the hat’s speed. One after another, they screamed as they were flung out of the door.
“Ma Chun, tidy up the tables and stools and greet the guests,” Lin Dong said to the customers outside, bowing. “Those who trust Lin’s Inn and know we would never use drugs will get half-price food and drinks on the first floor today! The amount of food delivered for opening day has been increased from five pounds to ten pounds.”
The customers were overjoyed and rushed in before the tables and stools could be rearranged.
On the other side of the street, Liu Chuanxiang beamed with joy as he watched the constables fly out one after another. This was outright defiance against the authorities! According to the laws of the Great Han Kingdom, they would face at least three to five years in prison. With some bribes, even ten or eight years wouldn’t be a problem.
He had thought it would take ten days or half a month to bring Lin’s Inn down, but the owner was so impatient as to beat constables—results would come already today.
After looking around and spotting a teahouse not far away, Liu Chuanxiang glanced back at Qiao Tianhao, who was cautiously hiding in a corner, then gave up on trying to avoid trouble and headed straight to the teahouse.