In the past few days, the originally peaceful Xihe County has gradually become like a hustle and bustle. First, the adjudicator's branch in Xihe County was inexplicably damaged, and then a nine-rank adjudicator from the lower level was promoted to the eighth rank in just half a month, and he was favored by the only daughter of the county guard.

In the midst of the discussion in the streets and alleys, there is another major event that makes Xihe County lively again.

The leader of the Tiger Head Gang, a gang born and raised in Xihe County, was sentenced and his head was cut off. Then the identity of Wang Shan, the gang leader who had dominated Xihe County for a long time, was revealed, and it turned out that this dignified gang leader turned out to be a shameful and cowardly deserter!

Different from the adjudicator system, the Holy Empire also has extremely strict discipline and guidelines for military and political affairs, desertion has always been a despised behavior, greed for life and fear of death has never been tolerated by the Holy Emperor's ** team, once discovered, they will be sent to the guillotine.

After learning of this, the Lord of Xihe County also went to the adjudicator's branch to express his gratitude, thanking the adjudicator for once again eliminating harm to the people.

Of course, these things were all handled by Sun Chun, and as for the executioner Chen Tianze, he was very surprised that there was no movement.

That night, almost without exception, more than 20 gang members in the Tiger Head Gang chose to surrender, and after getting their own share of the silver, they kept silent about the events of that night. After that, like their helper, they disappeared from everyone's sight, and they didn't even collect any more protection money, which surprised the small traders and vendors on the street.

As everyone knows, this is Chen Tianze's instruction, the so-called collection of protection fees is the next policy after all, it is easy to make people disgusted, not to mention that the income is not very much, if you want to let the Tiger Head Gang develop for a long time, the people's will is the most indispensable.

Sun Chun also maintained a high degree of agreement with Chen Tianze on this, believing that it is not advisable to collect protection money, and once it is discovered that he has become the mastermind behind this gang, it will inevitably affect his reputation and future development within the adjudicator.

South of the city, out of a secluded alley.

Chen Tianze carried a pot of wine and slowly walked to the deepest part of the alley.

Xihe County is not big, but it is not small to say small. And such a county-level city also has a clear division.

To the west of the city was the wealthy area of Xihe County, where the county guard was located, and almost all of the powerful people in Xihe County lived there, including Sun Chun.

In the south of the city, it is the opposite, because most of the people who live here are poor families with low status and low incomes in Xihe County.

Naturally, compared to the clean and tidy west of the city, the small alleys in the south of the city are particularly crowded, and dense households live here in a disorderly manner.

Chen Tianze walked left and right in the alley for a long time, and finally stopped in front of a closed door, looked down at his shoes that were already full of mud, sighed, and then knocked lightly.

"Who?" said an impatient voice from inside the house, which sounded like a middle-aged man and didn't seem to have a very good temper.

Chen Tianze didn't answer, but just knocked lightly a few times again.

The man in the courtyard cursed and shouted a few words, and then opened the door.

What caught my eye was a burly man, with a muscular build, and he was also shirtless, his muscles covered with sweat.

Chen Tianze smiled.

The strong man couldn't hide his surprise, his face turned pale instantly, and he was stunned for a long time before he hurriedly bowed and saluted, and his tone was full of trepidation: "I've seen Lord Chen." ”

Chen Tianze waved his hand and said with a smile: "Brother Cui, don't you invite me into the house to sit?"

As he spoke, Chen Tianze also raised the roast duck and a pot of wine in his other hand, as if he hadn't seen the old man reunite again for a long time.

Cui Hao, the second-in-command of the Tiger Head Gang. An authentic person from Xihe County, Chen Tianze had checked this person before, and learned that this person was a city guard in Xihe County earlier, and later was dismissed because he offended the county guard's daughter, that is, Wang Caihua.

Like all the armor soldiers in Xihe County, Cui Hao became a plague in the eyes of everyone after removing his armor, and no one dared to approach it easily, let alone give him a decent job. After all, in Xihe County, it is still the county guard who says the same, and most of the people who dare to work against the county guard will not end well.

Cui Hao, who had nothing to do, became a street bastard, and the Tiger Head Gang was supported by this person at the beginning, but later Wang Shan became the second-in-command.

This person has a good reputation in the Tiger Head Gang, and he is also extremely righteous. It's just that because of his poor family background, he is still not married at the age of 30, and there is only an elderly mother in the family, who can live on his meager income.

Seeing Chen Tianze visit in person, Cui Hao said that it was strange that he was not nervous or afraid, after all, he saw this seemingly gentle guy chop off the head of the gang leader with his own eyes that night.

"Lord Chen, please come in. After a short period of stunnedness, Cui Hao still stubbornly let go of the place at the door, and said with a nervous expression.

After entering the courtyard, Chen Tianze looked around. The yard was very small, and there were some broken copper and iron that had been collected from nowhere, and it looked muddy and dirty because of the rain of the previous days.

Unexpectedly, Chen Tianze didn't have the slightest look of disgust, just smiled and teased: "Your yard is very different from the place where I lived in the countryside before." ”

Cui Hao couldn't figure out the purpose of this ruthless adjudicator for a while, so he could only smile and say: "How dare you compare it with Lord Chen, the villain's residence is really dirty, don't be surprised by it." ”

Chen Tianze shook his head with a smile, carefully stepped over the mud, and walked in step by step, while laughing: "The yard is small, but it can't trap people, and that's enough." ”

Cui Hao had a headache, although he had read books for a few years, he rarely had such an official tone with these crepe people, so he could only laugh softly when he was embarrassed.

"Find a place for us to have a drink?" After entering the courtyard, Chen Tianze looked around and found that there seemed to be no place to stay, so he said helplessly.

Cui Hao nodded hurriedly, and soon moved a table and two stools from the small room, put them under the eaves, and said with an embarrassed smile: "Don't be surprised, Lord Chen, this place is where the villain has no place to stay." ”

"That's good. Chen Tianze sat on the stool very unceremoniously, casually placed the duck and wine on the table, and said with a smile: "Sit!"

Cui Hao sat down tremblingly, not daring to speak.

Chen Tianze naturally expected this to be the case, after all, that night he brought a lot of shock to them, if the current Cui Hao didn't mind at all, it would prove that Chen Tianze came to the wrong place.

"Brother Cui, what about me, a native bun from the countryside, and I'm not very old, so I'll call you that. Chen Tianze poured himself a glass of wine, and then poured another glass for Cui Hao, and then said: "I came here today, I just wanted to have two drinks with Brother Cui, and I didn't mean anything else." ”

"Master Chen, this is beyond the words. Cui Hao said tremblingly.

After a few glasses of wine, Cui Hao finally let go a little, seeing that Chen Tianze was saying one sentence at a time, Cui Hao, who was already upright, finally couldn't bear it anymore, hesitated for a long time, and then said: "Lord Chen suddenly visited, I don't know what the so-called thing is?"

Chen Tianze squinted his eyes, tore off a piece of duck meat, handed it to Cui Hao, and said with a smile: "That's what it means." ”

Cui Hao took the duck meat handed over by Chen Tianze, looking puzzled.

"I won't go around in circles with Brother Cui. Chen Tianze finally restrained his smile and said: "Brother Cui is from Xihe County, and the Tiger Head Gang was also supported by Brother Cui at the beginning, so we won't mention the past things anymore, but that night, since Brother Cui received the money, it means that Brother Cui still wants to stay in the Tiger Head Gang." ”

Cui Hao hesitated for a moment and nodded.

Who doesn't love the silver of the white flowers? Not to mention anything else, even if he quits the Tiger Head Gang, who in the huge Xihe County will still be willing to take him in?

"The main purpose of my visit this time is to hope that Brother Cui will continue to preside over the Tiger Head Gang. Chen Tianze squinted his eyes and said slowly: "Whether it is me or Lord Sun Chunsun, they are both referees, and it may not be a good thing to be directly in charge of the Tiger Head Gang." But Brother Cui, you are different, you are the veteran of the Tiger Head Gang, and you can convince your brothers. ”

Cui Hao looked stunned.

Chen Tianze continued: "If the Ming people don't say dark words, I won't go around in circles. The reason why I took over the Tiger Head Gang is not because of my boring bad taste, but because I hope that the Tiger Head Gang can continue to grow and become the largest gang in Xihe County and even Sizhou, and even one day can make the Holy Empire remember this name. ”

"Of course, it may be a bit empty to say this now, and it will also make you think that I am talking nonsense. As far as the current situation is concerned, the fact that the Tiger Head Gang no longer collects protection fees does not mean that they will cut off their financial routes, but that they will find another way to make a living, and I believe that Brother Cui also knows this intention. Chen Tianze said softly.

Cui Hao hesitated for a moment and nodded, indeed, the previous income of the Tiger Head Gang relied on protection fees, but Cui Hao knew better than anyone that it was not a long-term solution after all.

"As for other methods, I believe that Brother Cui already has an idea in his heart that can pile up the entire yard like this. Chen Tianze pointed to the broken copper and iron all over the courtyard, and the corners of his mouth raised.

"I want you to be my spokesperson. Chen Tianze finally restrained all his expressions, and said expressionlessly: "I want you to be the leader of the largest gang in Xihe County, I can give you money if you want it, and I can satisfy you if you want power, provided that you can only be my spokesperson and obey me." ”

Cui Hao's face was gloomy and his expression was quite displeased.

"Don't look at me like that. Chen Tianze sneered: "It's certainly uncomfortable to live under others, but do you have a choice?"

Chen Tianze got up, stretched his waist, and said: "This kind of thing, if you don't do it, someone will naturally do it, and the opportunity is not something that can be easily given to you, you think about it yourself." Also, I won't interfere in the internal affairs of the Tiger Head Gang at will, but I won't sit idly by. The pros and cons are up for yourself. ”

"Hao'er, who is it?"

There was a faint cry suddenly from inside the house, it should be Cui Hao's elderly mother, but it could be heard that her health was not good, and her voice was extremely weak.

"Yes, auntie. Without waiting for Cui Hao to answer, Chen Tianze took the lead in getting up and walked into the room, and said with a smile: "How is my aunt's body recently?"

In the dim room, on the dirty bed, there was an old man who thought that he was gray-haired, and when he heard the young man enter the room, he said with a smile on his face: "My body is like that, but it involves our family Hao'er who can't live in peace." You're Hao'er's friend, and the first time you came to the house, it made you feel weird. ”

Cui Hao walked into the room, and before he could speak, he saw that Chen Tianze was already sitting on the edge of the bed, holding the old man's hand, and said with a smile: "Then there is, since you are friends, you won't dislike these." Besides, you have a good son, and it is so good to you. ”

After hearing Chen Tianze's praise, the old man looked extremely happy, holding Chen Tianze's hand and chattering non-stop.

"Our family Hao'er has a temperament with his dead father, it's too straight, you have to be a friend. ”

"Of course. ”

"Mother, what are you talking about?" Cui Hao said with some anxious eyes.

The old man immediately came to his senses, and scolded and said, "You stinky boy, don't let people talk about you? If you weren't upright, how could you get to where you are today?"

Cui Hao immediately lost his momentum.

"Auntie, you're wrong. As if he had seen a relative, Chen Tianze took the old man's hand and said with a chuckle: "Brother Cui's ability is that he hasn't met a nobleman, and when he meets him one day, Brother Cui will definitely soar." ”

The old man laughed.

All afternoon, Chen Tianze sat next to the old man, chatting about the world and the world, which made Cui Hao, who was sitting on the side, very depressed, and he couldn't interject at all. It's just that as time goes by, Cui Hao's heart gradually has a little warmth.

Chen Tianze's kindness was not pretended, Cui Hao could see it. Even if he can't tell whether it's true or not, Cui Hao knows that it is not possible for a hard-hearted person to not dislike such a dilapidated room and hold his mother's hand and babble for an afternoon.

He Cui Hao is a mother, and he only hopes for her well. And there is such a person in front of him who regards his mother as a relative, how can Cui Hao not be moved?

The sky gradually darkened, Chen Tianze also got up to say goodbye with interest, the old man chattered and said that Chen Tianze would come often in the future, and Chen Tianze also agreed with a smile.

When sending Chen Tianze to the door, Cui Hao hesitated for a moment before he said softly: "Lord Chen, you can greet the villain at any time if you need to in the future." ”

Chen Tianze smiled and nodded slightly.

It's all in plain sight.

After Chen Tianze left, Cui Hao closed the courtyard door, leaned his back against the door, and said to himself: "When I was a child, Mr. Teaching always said, the grace of dripping water is repaid, people treat me as a countryman, and I will treat people as a countryman." Master Chen, I hope I didn't choose the wrong path. ”

At the end of the muddy alley, Chen Tianze glanced back and smiled softly.

Insight into pearls?

Damn, why isn't there a cow standing in front of him and saying that he is optimistic about himself?