In the narrow alley, under the cover of night, the masked man cautiously scouted ahead, followed by Pao Ge and Er Dao. Outside the alley, hurried footsteps could be heard intermittently, as gang enforcers searched the entire outer city, as if determined to turn it upside down.

Er Dao slowed his pace and grumbled, “Brother, isn’t a ten percent cut a bit too little for us?”

Pao Ge glanced at the masked man’s back. “It’s not about the small share; it’s about getting nothing at all. This man doesn’t even know the roads in the outer city. Whether we can trust him is still up in the air.”

Er Dao whispered, “Is there something wrong with him?”

Pao Ge hummed in affirmation. “If he hadn’t said ‘drawing a blade to help those in need,’ I might have trusted him more. But as you’ve seen, everywhere we’ve been, there’s no one around to help those in need. It’s a miracle if they don’t sell you by the pound.”

Er Dao’s expression grew serious. “Then what should we do?”

Pao Ge scratched his scalp with his pinky finger. “Run? No, we can’t abandon our principles.”

Just then, outside the alley, another fourteen or fifteen He Ji enforcers, carrying torches, passed by the alley entrance. Someone loudly instructed, “You go to Fulai Inn in the east, Wang Dong, you go to Zhuangyuan Inn. Remember, be polite to the scholars coming to the capital for the imperial exams. Don’t, for god’s sake, offend any future officials.”

The masked man pulled Pao Ge and Er Dao, and they hid together in the shadow of the grey-tiled, blue-brick walls, waiting for the He Ji enforcers to leave.

In the silence, the masked man suddenly asked, “What were you two just discussing?”

Pao Ge replied, “We were saying how incredibly dangerous tonight was. If our benefactor hadn’t appeared, my brother and I would surely have perished.”

The masked man hummed. “May I ask, Pao Ge, where did you learn your wrestling technique?”

In the darkness, Pao Ge’s pupils contracted, but his expression remained unchanged. “I learned it from a master in my hometown, Yuzhou. My old master was skilled in wrestling.”

“Oh?” the masked man said casually. “If he was skilled in wrestling, he must have been quite famous. Perhaps I’ve heard of his name.”

Pao Ge’s face was hidden in the shadows. “My old master wasn’t famous; he was a recluse.”

The masked man then asked, “Would it be convenient for me to visit him? I also have some interest in it.”

Pao Ge chuckled. “He passed away.”

“Does this wrestling technique have a name?”

“Jujutsu.”

“Why is it called Jujutsu?”

“Well… it’s the art of overcoming strength with softness.”

The masked man listened as Pao Ge spoke obvious falsehoods with a straight face, but he didn’t expose him. He turned and swept his gaze over the two. “Please tell me, how many enforcers do He Ji and Fu Rui Xiang each have, who is stronger or weaker now, and how many people are watching in the Eight Great Alleys?”

Pao Ge leaned against the wall and explained, “This outer city is divided into eight major districts: Chongbei District, Chongnan District, Zhengbei District, Zhengnan District… Of these eight districts, four are controlled by He Ji, three by Fu Rui Xiang, and Chongnan District belongs to the Canal Gang.”

Pao Ge continued, “Besides the eight districts, Liulichang, Panjiayuan, and the Eight Great Alleys are the most profitable areas and are handled separately, with territory determined by monthly wrestling matches. He Ji maintains seven to eight hundred men, and Fu Rui Xiang has six to seven hundred.”

The masked man frowned. “That many?”

Pao Ge subtly observed the masked man’s reaction. “Benefactor, how many people do you have under your command?”

The masked man casually replied, “Around thirty.”

Pao Ge was startled. “These gangs have been entrenched in the capital for a long time. If you only have thirty or so men, I advise you to leave as soon as possible.”

The masked man didn’t reply. He listened as the sounds outside the alley gradually quieted, then turned and exited the alley, heading straight for Xuanwu Gate.

As they approached Xuanwu Gate, Pao Ge spotted over twenty soldiers from the Five Cities Military Patrol guarding the vermilion gate from a distance. He called out, “Benefactor, we don’t have inner city household registration or official travel permits. We can’t get in!”

No sooner had he spoken than shouts from enforcers rang out behind the three. Pao Ge looked back to see torches flickering behind the continuous rooftops, growing closer. He gritted his teeth and followed the masked man as they charged towards Xuanwu Gate.

As they passed through Xuanwu Gate, a soldier from the Five Cities Military Patrol raised his long halberd. “Inner city household registration, or a travel permit… Take off the cloth from your face!”

The masked man produced a waist token and flashed it briefly before the soldier. The soldier’s expression instantly changed. He quickly stepped aside and remained silent. Pao Ge and Er Dao exchanged glances, astonished.

The masked man led Pao Ge and Er Dao to an inn. He pulled out a piece of broken silver and placed it into their hands. “I doubt the gangs can enter the inner city at this hour. You two rest here today. Tomorrow, at the Hai hour (9-11 PM), I will whistle outside the inn, and we’ll go together to Li Sha Mao Alley to establish our presence.”

With that, the masked man turned and left. It wasn’t until he had walked several streets away that Chen Ji pulled down his mask and exhaled a long breath. He rubbed his cheeks and sighed, “How did you all get to this world?”

At that moment, Er Dao stood in front of the inn, turning to Pao Ge. “Brother, should we wait for him?”

Pao Ge shook his head. “We can’t wait. He only has thirty-odd men; going to confront the gangs would be suicide… Let’s go.”

In the early morning, the crow of roosters broke the silence.

When Xiao Man opened her eyes, clutching the small black cat, Chen Ji was no longer in bed. Only a note remained on the table: “Borrow six carriages from the Zhang family.”

Chen Ji left through a side gate of Qin Zheng Garden alone. In front of the gate, Qi Zhenzhuo was leaning against the wall, yawning. Seeing Chen Ji emerge, he immediately perked up and stepped forward to claim credit. “Master, I found the bamboo you wanted. It’s stored in the Imperial Guard Headquarters.”

Li Xuan frowned, “Do you need your master’s praise for such a small task?”

Chen Ji said calmly, “I heard the gangs in the outer city caused a commotion last night. Did you hear anything?”

Li Xuan shook his head. “No, I didn’t. Those gangs are low-class; they wouldn’t dare cause trouble in front of the inner city officials and nobles. If they truly stirred things up, it would provoke the Five Cities Military Patrol to suppress them, and many would die.”

Chen Ji suddenly understood. No wonder the enforcers were stopped when they reached Baishun Alley.

Qi Zhenzhuo furtively asked, “Master, did you go to the Eight Great Alleys last night? Why didn’t you call me?”

Chen Ji casually replied, “Yesterday, I went to Tianqiao to watch wrestling. On my way back, I passed through Zhengyang Gate and happened to see a fight breaking out inside. By the way, have you heard of He Ji and Fu Rui Xiang from the outer city? What’s their background?”

Qi Zhenzhuo shook his head. “Who cares about those low-lifes?”

The three crossed Taiping Bridge, and Li Xuan said, “I have heard of them. He Ji is an old establishment. They own some taverns and brothels, but their main income comes from market intimidation and collecting protection money. However, they weren’t always like this. In their early years, they were involved in guarding homes and escorting escorts.”

Turning into West Chang’an Avenue, Li Xuan continued, “He Ji originally became famous for its loyalty and righteousness. The old gang leader was unparalleled in his loyalty and always eager to help others. If anyone in the jianghu fell on hard times, he would provide travel expenses. He also detested evil and never associated with bandits when escorting goods, relying solely on his own formidable skills to travel and cross bridges. Legend has it that a martial artist he once helped became a bandit in the Taihang Mountains. In his thirteenth year of escorting goods, when he passed through the Taihang Mountains, that bandit, hearing he was passing through, came down the mountain and waited by the road to offer him a bowl of wine. The old gang leader didn’t drink. Instead, he personally killed the bandit, then gathered witnesses and distributed the money and goods found on the mountain to the victims of banditry in the nearby towns.”

Qi Zhenzhuo’s eyes widened. “They were friends before, and he just killed him?”

Li Xuan gave him a sidelong glance. “What do you think Taihang Mountain bandits are? Any notorious bandit has hundreds of lives on their hands, and dozens of civilian women kidnapped back to their lair. If someone in the villages below the mountain gets married, the bride has to be left for them on her first night. Why keep such people alive? If you ask me, he did well to kill him!”

Qi Zhenzhuo smacked his lips. “Well, I suppose so.”

Chen Ji said indifferently, “How did He Ji turn into its current state?”

Li Xuan shook his head. “I grew up in front of Zhengyang Gate in the outer city. From a young age, I used to squat outside teahouses and listen to storytellers. This old gang leader was a frequent character in the outer city storytellers’ tales, so I’ve heard about him. As for the rest, I don’t know.”

Chen Ji then asked, “Who is supporting He Ji and Fu Rui Xiang from behind the scenes? Without powerful connections, they couldn’t establish themselves in the capital, could they?”

Li Xuan shook his head again. “The people behind them are very mysterious. After all, everyone cherishes their reputation, and no one wants to be associated with such low-lifes. It would be a laughingstock if it got out.”

Chen Ji hummed in acknowledgment. The three turned from West Chang’an Avenue into the Imperial Guard Headquarters.

As soon as they entered the main gate, they heard someone on the training ground jeering, “Qi Zhenzhuo, hurry up and get those two bamboo poles to sweep the ground. All this dust, your bamboo poles are perfect for it.”

Qi Zhenzhuo cursed angrily, “Stop talking nonsense! If you have nothing to do, just get lost! You’re ruining the reputation of the Imperial Guard!”

Chen Wenren, having just changed into his armor, emerged from the headquarters. As he adjusted his arm guards, he said slowly, “Qi Zhenzhuo, don’t think you’re so great just because you went to Guyuan. As far as I know, you didn’t kill a single enemy there.”

Qi Zhenzhuo’s expression changed.

Chen Wenren finished adjusting his arm guards and gave Qi Zhenzhuo a sidelong glance. “What, do you really think others can’t see the battle reports or the imperial endorsements?”

He beckoned, and someone threw a copied imperial endorsement from the Grand Secretariat onto the training ground. With a thud, the folded document came undone.

Chen Wenren sneered, “When the Tian Ce Army attacked the Crown Prince, you hid on the roof of Dragon Gate Inn. Later, you crawled into a well for refuge. When the Crown Prince was captured, you didn’t swear to protect him to the death; instead, you were captured along with him. Qi Zhenzhuo, all the Imperial Guards around the Crown Prince died in battle, yet you alone survived. Tell me, who ruined the reputation of the Imperial Guard?”

Qi Zhenzhuo dared not utter a word, causing the surrounding Imperial Guards to burst into laughter beside Chen Wenren. “Stop training soldiers, Master Qi! First, train your courage!”

Chen Ji glanced at them, then silently pulled Qi Zhenzhuo into the office to change into their armor. As he put on his armor, he lowered his head to tighten the straps of his front plate and said casually, “Arguments are the most useless actions in this world. Practice your formations diligently, and there will always be a day when you can hold your head high.”

Qi Zhenzhuo took a deep breath. “Master, I understand… How do we train? With those bamboo poles? I’m afraid they’ll just laugh at us again.”

Chen Ji looked back at the training ground, where Chen Wenren was leading over two hundred Imperial Guards in ceremonial drills with axes and halberds. He said calmly, “Close the doors. We’ll train in the covered building’s corridor.”

Qi Zhenzhuo was puzzled. “Train in the covered building of the headquarters? The corridor there is only wide enough for three people. It’s so narrow; we won’t be able to move.”

Li Xuan pondered, “Chen Ji, where exactly is the Mandarin Duck Formation you mentioned suitable for use?”

Chen Ji stood at the door, closing the large doors with both hands, blocking both sunlight and gazes from outside. Only a faint light filtered through the paper windows. Chen Ji turned, standing in the dim headquarters. “Flat ground. Alley combat.”

Qi Zhenzhuo asked curiously, “Right here in the headquarters?”

Chen Ji said calmly, “We’ll train here in the headquarters during the day. At night, I’ll take you for real combat practice with actual weapons.”

At the You hour (5-7 PM), the sun began to set in the west.

The drums of the Bell and Drum Tower echoed, eight hundred evening beats, slowly at first, then quickening, pounding away the last vestiges of warmth and light.

On the training ground, Chen Wenren glanced at the tightly shut doors of the headquarters and frowned. “These people have been cooped up inside all day. What are they doing?”

Someone sneered, “Master Qi is too ashamed to show his face, so he’s hiding inside sleeping. Sir, let’s not bother with them. Anyway, it’s their turn for night duty tonight. Shall we go to Qipan Street for a drink?”

Chen Wenren glanced at the headquarters once more, then turned and walked away. “Let’s go.”

After the Imperial Guard Headquarters quieted down, the main doors remained closed, and no lamps were lit. Only the faint shouts of combat occasionally emanating from the covered building proved that someone was still inside. It wasn’t until the sun had completely set behind the city and the night watchman struck the Hai hour (9-11 PM) that the headquarters’ doors finally opened.

The Imperial Guards, carrying their weapons, shields, and bamboo poles, filed out. In front of the main gate, six carriages stood silently, but their drivers were nowhere to be seen.

Li Xuan wondered, “What is this?”

As he spoke, someone lifted a curtain from one of the carriages, and Zhang Zheng said with a smile, “As soon as Xiao Man said you wanted to borrow six carriages, A-Xia was certain you were about to embark on something big. How could we miss out on such an event? We’ve come to join the fun too.”

Chen Ji looked into the carriage and saw Xiao Man and Zhang Xia sitting quietly inside. Zhang Xia glanced at the weapons in their hands and thought for a moment. “He Ji? Fu Rui Xiang? San Shan Hui?”

Chen Ji smiled. “He Ji.”

Zhang Xia pondered for another moment. She didn’t try to dissuade Chen Ji from going, only cautioned, “If you can’t win, run.”

Chen Ji agreed, “Understood!”

Over thirty Imperial Guards squeezed into the six carriages, with two men left outside each carriage to drive the horses. The wheels rumbled over the blue bricks as they headed towards Xuanwu Gate.

Inside and outside the carriages, the Imperial Guard soldiers uniformly took out pieces of grey cloth and tied them over their faces.

Zhang Zheng was surprised. “What is this for?”

Qi Zhenzhuo shook his head. “I don’t know; Master instructed it.”

Zhang Zheng looked at Chen Ji.

Chen Ji said frankly, “I’m afraid of losing and embarrassing myself.”

Zhang Xia casually tore off a piece of Zhang Zheng’s garment hem, dividing it into three strips. “Let’s put them on too.”

The carriages arrived at an inn on Xuanwu Gate Street. Chen Ji gestured to Qi Zhenzhuo with his eyes, and Qi Zhenzhuo placed two fingers on his tongue and whistled. But after waiting for the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, Pao Ge and Er Dao did not appear.

Zhang Xia asked curiously, “Did the people you were waiting for run off?”

Chen Ji leaned against the carriage and quietly said, “Let’s wait a little longer.”

Zhang Xia was curious again. “Who are they?”

Chen Ji thought for a moment. “People of the jianghu.”

Xiao Man mumbled softly, “What kind of answer is that?”

The next moment, someone knocked on the carriage. Chen Ji lifted the curtain and saw Pao Ge and Er Dao standing outside the carriage, panting. “We’re not too late, are we?”

Chen Ji said with a smile, “It’s still the Hai hour, so no, you’re not late. But I thought you wouldn’t come back.”

Pao Ge grinned. “We always keep our word and see things through. We, the Pao Ge people, never back down.”

Chen Ji lowered the curtain. “Get in.”