“Who hurt my son? Get out here now!” shouting came from outside.

Inside the tavern, the shopkeeper kept wiping sweat: “Distinguished guests, whatever business you have, please go outside to settle it. Our tavern is too small, not convenient for action, not convenient at all.”

These outsiders were all young men in their twenties, tall and burly, clearly not people to mess with. If they started fighting here, the tavern would be smashed to pieces—who would compensate him then!

Shao Mingyuan leisurely stood up: “Let’s go out and take a look.”

Everyone walked out of the tavern together.

Outside the tavern stood dozens of people, led by a man in his forties with a portly figure and a face full of fierce flesh.

Yang Houcheng leaned close to Chi Can’s ear and chuckled: “Shixi, this person looks a bit like the one you kicked unconscious earlier. Looks like after beating the son, the father has come.”

Chi Can nonchalantly curve his lips.

He had already seen the abilities of Shao Mingyuan’s guards, plus their people—if they were to be trapped by people from a small town, that would be a real joke.

Since that was the case, why should he let himself suffer grievances?

“This is the town magistrate of our Sea Gate Crossing!” said one of the men who had run away earlier.

“Oh, such a small town has a town magistrate?” Chi Can said coolly, the mockery in his words making people boil with anger.

The Great Liang Dynasty had prefectures under the capital, then counties under prefectures, and towns under counties. However, these so-called town magistrates were often local gentry selected by county magistrates and were not true court officials.

“So you’re the one who hurt my son?” The town magistrate stared fixedly at Chi Can.

The messenger had said that the person who hurt his son was a peerless beauty disguised as a man—it must be this person in front of him without doubt!

Wait, he has an Adam’s apple!

The town magistrate carefully examined Chi Can and nearly fell backwards in anger.

These blind bastards!

“What are you standing around for? Attack! Tear this little beast who hurt the young master into pieces!”

The people the town magistrate brought were all used to being bullies. Previously, when forcibly seizing young women from the town to hand over, beating people was routine. Though the people they faced now seemed somewhat formidable, relying on their superior numbers, they weren’t afraid. At the town magistrate’s command, they all charged forward.

These people were merely built sturdily. Never mind martial arts skills—they couldn’t even do fancy moves. When fighting, they relied entirely on ruthlessness and brute force. Even Binglu couldn’t resist joining the fray and quickly knocked down two of them.

This melee ended at a speed completely unexpected by the townspeople.

The town magistrate’s side was utterly defeated.

“How dare you defy County Magistrate’s orders?” the town magistrate shouted with outward strength but inner fear.

“Uh, what orders does the county magistrate have?” Shao Mingyuan asked.

The town magistrate sneered: “The county magistrate has given me the authority to select women. You bring three women yet openly resist orders—are you trying to rebel?”

“Authority to select women?” Chi Can sneered. “The current emperor hasn’t selected beauties from across the realm for many years. How is it we don’t know a county magistrate has this authority?”

“Cut the nonsense. Today, if you leave these three women behind, I can spare you. Otherwise, none of you will leave here!”

Clap, clap, clap.

Applause rang out.

Yang Houcheng laughed loudly: “Are you stupid? Who are these people lying on the ground? What gives you the right to keep us here?”

“What gives me the right?” The town magistrate smiled coldly. “So you’re saying you don’t intend to leave the people behind?”

“Nonsense!” Yang Houcheng scoffed.

“In that case, don’t blame me for being impolite.” The town magistrate’s eyes flashed with a viper-like gleam.

Even if these people handed over those three women, he had no intention of letting any of them go. Hurt his son and still want to leave safely? Dream on!

The town magistrate slowly looked at everyone, then suddenly turned toward the onlookers and shouted: “What are you watching for? Why don’t you help me capture these people?”

The townspeople who had come out to watch the excitement looked at each other.

This town magistrate’s family had never done anything good—they didn’t want to help.

Seeing that people remained motionless, the town magistrate sneered: “Fellow townspeople, do you think this is helping me? No, this is helping yourselves!”

These fools only wanted to watch the excitement, never thinking—if they still couldn’t find suitable women, what would happen when the Japanese pirates came!

Hearing the town magistrate say this, the onlookers still didn’t move.

Seeing this, the town magistrate became furious and roared: “Have you forgotten about the Japanese pirates? The women sent last time were too old and were rejected by them. This time, the deadline is almost here. When the time comes and we can’t hand anyone over, do you think those Japanese pirates are vegetarians?”

These words made the onlookers’ faces change dramatically, and their gazes toward Qiao Zhao and the others became different.

The town magistrate pressed his advantage: “Have you forgotten how the Japanese pirates used to come to town to burn, kill, and plunder? Have you all become fools from living peacefully for too long? If you let these people go now, when the Japanese pirates come, you’ll be the ones in trouble!”

Hearing the town magistrate’s words, the onlookers, step by step, surrounded Qiao Zhao and the others.

Yang Houcheng looked shocked: “They’re crazy! Have these people all gone mad? Is there no humanity left?”

Chi Can gripped the long blade at his waist and sneered: “Humanity? Human nature is inherently selfish. We’re not related to them in any way. If they keep us here to hand over to the Japanese pirates, won’t they be able to drag out their miserable existence a bit longer?”

“What use is that? Won’t they still be in trouble next time?” Yang Houcheng found it incredible.

“If they can use irrelevant outsiders to get through this crisis, who would think about next time?” Shao Mingyuan spoke calmly.

Watching the gradually approaching crowd, Yang Houcheng broke out in sweat: “Tingquan, what do we do? These are all common people without the strength to truss a chicken.”

“Reveal our identity. If that still can’t make them retreat, then fight until they do retreat.” The young general said coldly.

Common people without the strength to truss a chicken? In the Northern Territories, he had seen too many such common people who could be shockingly vicious when roused.

However, no matter how vicious the common people in the Northern Territories were, they had never personally offered Great Liang women to the barbarians.

The people he protected should have something worthy of his protection. If these people intended to harm his most important person and had lost the bottom line of being human, why should he protect these “people” who could no longer be called human?

Upon hearing this, Yang Houcheng raised his hand to display his token: “We are Imperial Guards carrying out missions at sea under the Empress Dowager’s orders. All of you retreat immediately!”

The approaching people paused and couldn’t help but look toward the town magistrate.

The town magistrate was stunned for a moment, then sneered: “Imperial Guards carrying out missions under the Empress Dowager’s orders? Why don’t you say you’re Jinlin Guards carrying out missions under the emperor’s orders? Everyone, stop standing around—don’t listen to their nonsense!”

Just then, the sound of hoofbeats rang out, growing more urgent.

The town magistrate’s face changed dramatically as he shouted: “The Japanese pirates are coming! Everyone quickly captures those three women!”

The hoofbeats sounded like death knells. The townspeople hesitated no longer and charged toward Qiao Zhao and the others.