After returning from Rongguo Manor, life settled back into its usual rhythm.

Only the county yamen became noticeably quieter. Ever since the gambling den had been taken down, those street loafers and petty thugs who used to loiter around like they owned the place now behaved like frost-bitten eggplants—heads tucked in, avoiding even eye contact with constables.

Xu Ke was happy for the peace, and turned all his attention to Xiaoshankuan.

The fifty thousand taels of silver obtained from the equity shares flowed out like water. More than three thousand taels were spent just on construction, and the factory buildings had already been completed in neat rows. Xu Ke had ordered four more identical buildings to be added, and now five large workshops stood in a straight line, enough to accommodate over a thousand workers at once.

Yellow clay had been piled into a small hill on the eastern side of Xiaoshankuan. Once crushed coal from the Western Hills arrived, production could begin immediately.

Everything was ready—only one thing was missing.

That “east wind” was Wang Xifeng.

After her incident, although she had been saved in time, her health was still weakened. Ping’er sent word that she was still too weak to get out of bed and needed more time to recover. Xu Ke wasn’t in a hurry—there were still two months before winter, so the schedule would not be delayed.

That afternoon after court, Xu Ke called Ni Er and Qin Zhong to his side.

“Ni Er, can your former gambling gang be managed properly on your own now?”

Ni Er patted his chest.

“Don’t worry, sir! I know every one of those boys inside out—who’s honest, who’s slippery, I know them all. As you ordered, they’re no longer allowed to do those dirty jobs. They only do legitimate work now—escorting wealthy households, weddings and funerals, and merchant caravans!”

Xu Ke nodded.

“Being honest isn’t enough. You need to find them a way forward.”

He laid out his plan.

Those willing to reform would be selected for jobs at Xiaoshankuan as security guards—patrolling at night, guarding entrances, and fire prevention.

The rest would form a transport team, responsible for moving coal briquettes out of the workshops and bringing raw materials in.

“The workshop will provide carts and draft animals on credit,” Xu Ke said. “The cost will be deducted slowly from their transport wages.”

He looked at Ni Er.

“What do you think? Can it work?”

Ni Er’s eyes lit up.

“Sir, this isn’t ‘can it work’—this is giving them a way to survive! Those guys usually don’t even know where their next meal comes from. Now they’ve got honest work—who wouldn’t want that?”

Xu Ke waved his hand.

“Don’t get excited yet. Let me be clear—anyone who causes trouble again will be doubly punished. I’ll personally send them to jail.”

Ni Er nodded repeatedly.

“Of course! Of course!”

After dismissing Ni Er, Xu Ke turned to Qin Zhong.

“Are your men from the manor adapting well in the gambling gang?”

Qin Zhong grinned.

“Master-in-law, you don’t need to ask—food, drink, and work, it’s better than farming back at the estate!”

Xu Ke smiled faintly.

“That’s fine. But they can’t stay like this forever. I’ll tell you the plan—going forward, I want your men involved in management at Xiaoshankuan. Security, patrols, warehouse entry and exit—all of it needs trusted people watching.”

He paused.

“Go back and ask them if they’re willing to stay long-term. Those who stay will earn one tael and five qian of silver per month; team leaders get two taels. Those who don’t want it, I won’t force them—they can return to the Jia estate.”

Qin Zhong froze for a moment, then broke into a huge grin.

“Two taels? Sir, you’re not joking, are you?”

“Why would I joke?”

Qin Zhong rubbed his hands excitedly.

“Sir, to be honest, back at the estate we only made enough to get by. Two taels… heavens, that’s steward-level pay! I’ll speak for all of them—they’ll all agree!”

Xu Ke nodded.

“Good. Then prepare yourselves. We’ll go to Xiaoshankuan today and assign duties.”

That afternoon, after court duties ended, Xu Ke brought fifteen guards with him, along with Ni Er and Jia Yun, heading toward Xiaoshankuan in a grand procession.

At the workshop, Xu Ke assigned roles: Qin Zhong and several sharp men handled warehouse entries and exits. The rest were split into two shifts—day patrol and night guard.

He also had Ni Er bring over the selected reformed gang members and explained the rules one by one.

By the time everything was settled, the sky had already begun to darken.

Xu Ke looked up.

“I’ll return to the yamen today. You three—”

Qin Zhong quickly interrupted.

“Sir, I’ll send three men to escort you. The road is dangerous at night.”

Xu Ke thought for a moment and nodded.

“Alright.”

Qin Zhong selected three strong guards. Xu Ke also called Ni Er and Jia Yun, and the six of them set off on horseback toward the county town.

The twilight deepened. The countryside was silent.

After leaving Xiaoshankuan and traveling for about three quarters of an hour along the mountain road, they entered a stretch of low hills. Abandoned fields and dense forest lined both sides. The moon had not yet risen, and everything was pitch dark.

Xu Ke rode at the front, still thinking about the workshop—coal supply, furnace design, distribution routes, every detail needing attention.

Suddenly, Ni Er reined in his horse.

“Sir, there seems to be someone ahead.”

Xu Ke looked up.

At the bend in the road ahead, several dark figures stood vaguely in the shadows. Before he could make them out clearly, rapid hoofbeats sounded from behind as well.

He turned his head—more riders were charging in from the rear.

A pincer attack.

“Protect the master!” Ni Er shouted sharply.

The guards immediately closed ranks around Xu Ke.

Xu Ke pulled his horse to a stop and scanned the dark figures closing in. In the dim light, their faces were unclear—but he could count them roughly.

Five or six in front.

Three or four behind.

About seven or eight people in total.

He felt his heart sink — he had been ambushed.

“Split up and run!” Xu Ke said in a low voice.

Ni Er panicked. “Master!”

“They’re coming for me,” Xu Ke cut him off, wheeling his horse around. His tone was rapid and decisive. “Jia Yun, you go back to Xiao shankang to report! Quickly! You lot, stop anyone chasing Jia Yun!”

Before he even finished speaking, he kicked his horse and charged down the mountain path, heading into the nearby woods.

Behind him, the sound of shouting and killing erupted.

Xu Ke rode at full speed. Only the rush of wind and the pounding of hooves through wild grass filled his ears. He didn’t dare look back, only urged his horse deeper into the forest.

Hoofbeats followed him — more than one pursuer.

He gritted his teeth, lowering his body as branches lashed across his face and body. He didn’t know how long he ran before his horse suddenly let out a long neigh — its front legs stepped into empty space, and both horse and rider plunged down.

Xu Ke was thrown off, crashing heavily to the ground and rolling several times before coming to a stop. His body felt as if it had fallen apart; his palm burned with pain — the skin had been scraped raw.

He struggled a few times but couldn’t get up. The surroundings were pitch dark, with only the wind and rustling branches.

His horse lay not far away, breathing heavily.

From the direction he had come, hoofbeats approached again.

Two riders charged into the woods.

The man in front was black-faced, holding a thick-backed broadsword — the leader of the enforcers.

Behind him was another burly man with a blade.

The black-faced man reined in his horse and looked down at Xu Ke with a grin.

“County Magistrate Xu, why run? Let’s talk.”

Xu Ke propped himself up and shuffled backward. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a rusted iron object buried in a pile of dead leaves nearby — its jagged teeth faintly glinting in the moonlight. He calmly withdrew his gaze and looked straight at the man.

The black-faced man dismounted and strode forward, pointing his blade at Xu Ke.

“You surnamed Xu, you destroyed my operation, arrested dozens of my men, and left me with no way out. Now you’ve fallen into my hands. Do you regret it?”

Xu Ke sneered. “Black Face, you controlled gangs, bullied civilians, and committed countless crimes. I only regret not uprooting you completely when I had the chance.”

As he spoke, his hand quietly grabbed a handful of dirt, tightening his grip.

The black-faced man’s facial muscles twitched. Then he suddenly burst into loud laughter.

“Hahaha! I’m the one committing crimes? Xu, compared to you officials, I’m not even fit to carry your shoes! I go by one name and one name only — Black King Kong!”

Before his roar faded, he lunged forward with his blade.

Xu Ke flung the dirt straight into his face.

Caught off guard, Black King Kong instinctively raised a hand to rub his eyes. Xu Ke took the chance to roll away and retreat.

“Third brother! Kill him!” Black King Kong roared while still rubbing his eyes.

The burly man charged forward, swinging his blade.

But as Xu Ke struggled to his feet, the man suddenly stepped onto a pile of dead leaves.

A sharp snap — the sound of a trap closing.

“Ah—!”

A piercing scream echoed through the forest. The man collapsed, clutching his leg as his blade fell to the ground.

Xu Ke didn’t hesitate. He rushed forward, grabbed the fallen blade, and slashed upward in one smooth motion.

The scream stopped abruptly.

The man clutched his throat and fell, blood pouring through his fingers.

Xu Ke turned with the blade in hand — and met Black King Kong’s eyes.

Black King Kong froze, staring at his fallen subordinate.

“You…” he muttered, then suddenly laughed, his expression wild. “You’ve got some skill, Xu.”

Xu Ke said nothing, only holding his blade horizontally.

Black King Kong wiped his face and rolled his shoulders, tightening his grip on his weapon.

“I’ve licked blood off blades for over ten years. I’ve never cut down an official before. Today, I’ll break that record!”

With a furious roar, he charged.

Xu Ke met him head-on.

Steel clashed — a sharp, piercing clang. Xu Ke’s arm shook violently; his hand went numb. The man’s strength was monstrous.

Black King Kong swung again, fast and ruthless. Xu Ke dodged sideways and countered, slicing into his ribs. Black King Kong grunted but didn’t slow down, turning his blade in a sweeping arc.

Xu Ke retreated just in time. The blade grazed his chest, tearing his clothing and drawing blood.

They passed each other, then turned again, blades facing off.

Only heavy breathing filled the forest.

Black King Kong stared at Xu Ke. The madness in his eyes slowly shifted into caution.

Xu Ke said nothing, only gripping his weapon tighter, locking eyes with him.

Moonlight filtered through the branches, glinting coldly off both blades.

Their breathing was like that of exhausted beasts.

Suddenly, Black King Kong grinned.

“Xu, Zhou Fengchun said you’re not normal. Looks like he wasn’t wrong. From those two moves just now, if you weren’t set on killing me, I’d probably want to be your sworn brother.”

Xu Ke held his blade steady, eyes cold. “Different paths cannot be walked together.”

Black King Kong spat on the ground. “And you think you officials are any better? All of you are just obsessed with money and land. I know about this deal of yours — tens of thousands of taels of silver, thousands of mu of land. What I steal is petty cash compared to yours. In the end, who’s the real thief?”

“Was Zhou Fengchun the one who sent you?”

Black King Kong sneered, hatred surging in his eyes.

“Zhou Fengchun? He’s just a turtle hiding in its shell now. Money Fatty pays, I provide the manpower. Kill you, take the money, and run. Live in luxury. Xu, don’t blame me for being ruthless — you were the one who cut off my only way to survive.”

Xu Ke enunciated word by word: “You’re not qualified.”

“Bullshit!” Black King Kong roared, swinging his blade and charging forward.

At that moment—

“Whoosh—”

A sharp sound cut through the air.

Black King Kong’s body suddenly stiffened.

He lowered his head and saw an arrow piercing out from the side of his neck, the arrowhead dripping blood.

He opened his mouth, trying to say something, but blood surged out first.

His blade clattered to the ground.

Qin Zhong, holding a bow, rode in from a distance.

Black King Kong dropped to his knees, clutching his neck with both hands as blood gushed through his fingers. He looked up, staring dead at Qin Zhong, his lips trembling as if trying to speak.

“I… am… called… Black King Kong…”

After saying that, his body tilted and fell forward onto the ground.

Xu Ke stood frozen in place.

Qin Zhong put away his bow, flipped down from his horse, and strode over. “Young master! Are you injured?”

Xu Ke shook his head and let him support him.

Xu Ke shook his head again, then looked down at Black King Kong’s corpse, and at Third Brother, who had been killed by his own backhand strike.

The animal trap was rusted through, its surface corroded and mottled—no one knew who had set it in this forest for hunting.