Bone Painting Coroner

“Go – fetch the wine jar.” Zhao Qing stood up, one foot propped up on a chair like the boss he was.

“Yes sir!” Ba Hu saluted, hurriedly delivering the nearest wine jar to Zhao Qing. The man bandit boss then proceeded to immediately slam back the entire jar before flinging it into the ground where it loudly shattered into pieces. His men were likewise riled up, each one finishing their wine and smashing the jars into the ground. The entire ground floor of the inn was abuzz!

Upstairs.

Ji Yunshu, a light sleeper by nature, was rudely awoken by the ruckus coming from downstairs. She turned around to see an empty bed. Where was Jing Rong?

She kicked off the covers, getting a chill from the frosty floorboards as she headed towards the door bare-footed. The clashing sounds grew more and more deafening as she opened her doors, blasting her eardrums!

A frown formed on her face at the commotion. Before she could step outside, however, a conveniently located Lang Po had already stopped her.“Teacher Ji, His Highness has left me an order for you to remain in the room. He will handle whatever’s happening outside.”

Ji Yunshu tried to peek downstairs over the banisters, but her line of sight was obscured. She asked, “What’s going on downstairs?”

“His Highness will resolve it – Teacher Ji should rest.”

Rest? What rest? Who could possibly rest when it’s this noisy? She nodded, keeping these thoughts to herself. She inquired worriedly, “What about Wei Yi? How’s he?”

Lang Po replied, “Don’t worry, he’s as dead as a log.”

“And my Second Sister?”

“She’s resting in her room!”

“That’s good.” Wei Yi was indeed hard to wake once he fell asleep, not even the loudest thunder would jolt him awake! As for Ji Wanxin, she was probably too scared to leave her room. Ji Yunshu returned to her room, but instead of going back to sleep, she sat on the edge of her bed and waited.

Jing Rong stood on the second floor, watching the men downstairs for a time before entering the empty room behind him. The innkeeper, who was brought in very soon after, asked, “May I ask this master what requests you have?”

Jing Rong was displeased, “Who are those hooligans downstairs?”

“They’re…”

“Speak up!”

The innkeeper was astute enough to realize that the young man in front of him, as evidenced by the expensive clothes and skilled servants following him, was not someone he could trifle with! “Young master, I think you’d better rest here upstairs. Don’t worry – those men will leave once they’ve finished drinking. Rest assured, they won’t disturb you.”

Lang Po entered, reporting to Jing Rong, “Master, Teacher Ji is awake.”

Jing Rong’s face fell. He looked sharply at that innkeeper, “Those men have already disturbed our rest. If you call yourself the boss, I’m sure you can handle something like this.”

“I… Young master, I’m really at a loss. How about this – let me refund you all your silvers. Then you can find somewhere else to say.”

Are you kidding me? There’s only one inn in a hundred-mile radius. What’s more, where are we to go in the middle of the night? Jing Rong was fuming.

Lang Po was not as patient as Jing Rong was. He grabbed the innkeeper by his collar before speaking in an imposing manner. “Our master is not one for noise and trouble. Get those men out right now!”

The innkeeper’s legs turned into jelly as his panicked expression was clear for all to see. He imagined Lang Po’s sword against his throat as he stammered out a reply, “P-Please calm down, dear sirs. I really have no way to send those men away.”

“Say that again?” Lang Po threw him aside.

The innkeeper was practically kowtowing as he begged, “Please sirs, it’s not that I don’t want to, but I can’t offend those men downstairs. If I don’t obey them, they’ll burn my inn down! This inn was left to me by my ancestors – I have to protect it. Please, if you could just endure for a little while they’ll leave once they’ve finished their wine.” All there was left was for him to kneel.

Jing Rong gave him an icy glare, “Who the hell are they?”

“Those men are bandits from this region. They’ve committed anything from pilferage to murder these few years; even the Shanhuai County magistrate can do nothing against them. If you could do this one and this one’s inn a favour, please – take it as a kindred act.”

“Bandits? Are you talking about the Gaoshan Gang?” Jing Rong questioned.

The innkeeper’s eyes lit up, “Is the young master familiar with them?”

“Naturally.”

“But there are now two factions within the Gaoshan Gang – one is led by the First Master, and the other by the Second Master.” The innkeeper explained.

Jing Rong frowned, “Which one is downstairs?”

“The Second Master’s men.”

No wonder, otherwise if that First Master knew that Jing Rong killed so many of his men, would they still be downstairs drinking? They’d be seeking revenge instead!

Jing Rong carefully considered the situation before sending Lang Po a signal. Lang Po understood, heading downstairs straight away.

Downstairs, Ba Hu was ranting as he drank, “I heard that First Master’s men failed in their robbery attempt today, resulting in thirty to forty of them being killed. He must be shitting his pants at home now.” The room erupted in mocking laughter.

Zhao Qing did not participate in their discussion, drinking his wine. He should be celebrating his rival’s failure and loss, but he looked like he couldn’t care less, behind his bearded face, if one looked carefully, hid a handsome visage.

“Who’s there?” A voice rang out across the room. The group looked in the direction of his voice, only to see Lang Po and two other men walk into the room. The trio were surrounded by bandits in a heartbeat.

Lang Po had a hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw his weapon at any time. He calmly said, “I want to see your leader, the Second Master.”

“Who the hell are you?”

“Scram!”

“Scram?” Those men began to laugh, prodding Lang Po’s chest in ridicule. “Do you know who you’re talking to? Huh? Do you…-” That man’s prodding hand was twisted into a death grip, forcing his body to also turn in pain, his knees buckling under the stress. He screamed, “Let… Let go of me!”

His comrades drew their weapons, prepared for a fight to the death, “Brothers, let’s move!”

Just as the mob were about to close in, Zhao Qing commanded surly from where he sat, “Stop!” The men retreated to opposite sides, leaving a direct path clear.

Lang Po released his grip as well, throwing that bandit onto a table. He rolled off, bleeding from where he hit his chest on the floor. Zhao Qing held his wine jar over his head and smashed it onto the ground. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve as he strutted over with his chin up high, stopping before Lang Po. He narrowed his eyes as he evaluated Lang Po from head to toe, snorting, “Who are you?”

Lang Po was unimpressed, “Your men have disturbed my master’s rest.”

“Your master?” Zhao Qing scoffed, “What a loyal dog!”

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