"The three largest gangs in Jiayuan City are the Brotherhood Alliance, the Jingzhao Society, and Tianba Gate. Slightly smaller are the Iron Spear Society, the Sworn Brotherhood Society, the Green Robe Gang, the Spring Rain Tower, the Golden Sword Gate, the Canghe Boat Gang, the Vajra Gate, and the Sunset School, among others."
Sun Ergou rattled off the entire list of gang names without pause, then took a breath and continued.
"Of the three major powers, Tianba Gate is the strongest. Together with the Golden Sword Gate and the Green Robe Gang, they control the East District—the wealthiest part of the city. The Brotherhood Alliance, somewhat weaker in strength, has allied with the Iron Spear Society, the Canghe Boat Gang, and the Sworn Brotherhood Society to hold the North District. The weakest of the three, the Jingzhao Society, has paired up with the Spring Rain Tower, the Vajra Gate, and the Sunset School to dominate the South District. The remaining West District is a chaotic patchwork, carved up among numerous minor gangs. These small factions constantly fight among themselves, but the instant any outside power attempts to encroach on the West District, they cease all internal strife and unite against the common enemy. In effect, Jiayuan City is a four-way standoff." Sun Ergou delivered this account without hesitation, his voice flowing like a river without a single pause for thought.
Han Li considered this for a moment, then spoke in a reflective tone.
"I once heard that the Jingzhao Society was one of the three great powers of Lanzhou Province, and that Jiayuan City was its headquarters. So how did it become the weakest of the three major gangs?"
"Young Master, what you heard is old history. A few years ago, the Jingzhao Society was indeed formidable—its influence spread across nearly the entire province. Back when it was a superpower, the Society brooked no rival in its own base of Jiayuan City and controlled the whole city as a single dominant force. At that time, every other gang wouldn't dare show its face here. Then, for reasons unknown, the Jingzhao Society suddenly collapsed overnight. Not only did it lose its territories elsewhere, but its power in its own home city shrank drastically. Every other faction—big and small—seized the opportunity to surge in. After several rounds of bloody fighting, the current balance of power was established." Sun Ergou explained with eager diligence.
"Do you know the reason behind the Jingzhao Society's sudden decline?" Han Li asked slowly, a faint crease appearing between his brows.
"Well..." Sun Ergou showed a momentary flash of discomfort. "Truthfully, my position in the gang isn't high, so I don't know the details. I've only heard rumors—that it involved internal strife and factional fighting within the Society itself, and that other major powers may have been pulling strings behind the scenes to suppress it." His answer was vague, hedged with uncertainty.
"Is that so," Han Li replied with a slight smile, as though this was precisely what he had expected to hear.
"Who's running the Jingzhao Society now? You should know that much," Han Li continued.
"Oh, yes, I do. It's Madam Yan—the widow of the former Society leader, Mo Juren," Sun Ergou answered promptly.
"Widow?" Han Li's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"That's right. Mo Juren, the Society's founder, is dead. His wife is his widow, isn't she?" Sun Ergou blinked, taken aback. He couldn't tell what he had said wrong.
"Who told you that Mo Juren is dead?" Han Li's expression darkened.
"Everyone in Jiayuan City knows! A year ago, Ghost Hand Mo Juren's final disciple arrived at the Mo residence carrying Mo Juren's letter of dying wishes and personal effects, and reported the news of his death!" Sun Ergou could see that Han Li's face had grown stormy, and a tremor of fear ran through him.
"Final disciple? What's his name?" Han Li's brow arched, his voice carefully controlled.
"His name is Wu Jianming—a young man of about twenty, fair-skinned and handsome. Word is he inherited the full measure of Mo Juren's techniques and possesses extraordinary martial skill." Sun Ergou chose his words with great care. He had begun to sense something—that the young man before him was undoubtedly connected to the Jingzhao Society in some way, and that the name "Young Master Wu" clearly held particular significance for him.
"And..." Sun Ergou's expression shifted to one of a man who wanted to speak but didn't dare.
"Say it. Don't dither. If the information proves useful, I'll reward you generously," Han Li said coolly, fixing him with a flat gaze.
"I heard that this Young Master Wu has been engaged to Mo Juren's daughter, Mo Yuzhu. The wedding is supposed to happen any day now." The mention of a reward brightened Sun Ergou's face instantly, and the truth came pouring out.
"A wedding." Han Li let out a short, mirthless laugh and rose abruptly to his feet.
He paced back and forth across the room several times, then tilted his head up to stare at the ceiling, motionless, as though deep in thought.
"Listen carefully. Your assignment is simple. Starting today, you will quietly gather intelligence on the Mo household—especially anything concerning this Young Master Wu. The more detail, the better." Han Li finally broke his silence and issued the instruction.
"Take this silver to cover expenses. If the information proves good, there will be more to follow. Now go." He tossed another small pouch of silver to Sun Ergou with the same careless generosity.
"Understood, Young Master! Rest assured, I will see to it personally!" Sun Ergou clutched the silver to his chest, beaming, and backed respectfully toward the door. On his way out, he took care to close it quietly behind him.
"This Young Master's generosity is remarkable," Sun Ergou thought giddily as he departed. "And the tasks are nothing more than gathering gossip—trivial work! I clearly chose right in signing on with this man." In his excitement, he had temporarily forgotten all about the Heart-Rotting Pill.
Han Li watched him leave with that eager expression and let out a soft sigh. A sudden pang of stinginess pierced through him—he had arrived in this city only two days ago and was already dispensing silver like water. He was beginning to feel like a spendthrift.
Never mind. Every last tael of this silver would be charged to Doctor Mo's account—and with interest to boot. Han Li comforted himself with the thought.
"Still, this Wu Jianming is quite the character. He had the audacity to appropriate my intended identity and infiltrate the Mo household before I could even arrive. And from the looks of it, he intends to claim both the wealth and the woman. Quite the nerve." Han Li rubbed his nose and let out a cold, humorless laugh.
"It seems a visit to the Mo household is unavoidable. Otherwise, that Warm-Sun Jade will end up as part of the dowry and land squarely in this man's hands." The thought filled him with a sharp, irritable resentment.