Thirsty Drunkard’s Pub.
Black Sin District, Miu Aislu City.
“Did you hear?”
“About what?”
“The rumours about the Tie Family’s corruption? Who knew that the ‘Iron Judge’ would be such a despicable person in private?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Have you been living under a rock these past few days? The whole city is abuzz with gossip!”
Hearing the duo’s conversation, a stranger who had been quietly drinking beside them leaned in and added, “I was shocked when I heard the rumours too. All this time, I had believed that ‘Iron Judge’ Tie Zheng was one of the few good ones that remained amongst the colony of degenerates and parasites that infect the top circle. But to learn that he was a degenerate amongst degenerates… Uhh!” He shivered with disgust.
“A degenerate amongst degenerates? What the hell did he do?”
“I heard that he likes eating the flesh of young women. They say that he was behind those set of disappearances a few months back,” commented one.
“I heard that he solicits young boys,” replied another. “The reason that the Tie Family funds and maintains those orphanages is to fuel this sick hobby of its Head.”
“That’s not all! I heard that Tie Zheng is a known philanderer in the upper circle and has multiple affairs with the Matriarchs of the other families. Do you folks remember that huge falling out between the Tie Family and Cheston Family three years ago?”
“Yes, yes! But wasn’t that conflict caused by Tie Zheng’s ruling that the fourth son of the Cheston Family Head was guilty of r*ping a commoner woman?”
“Indeed. I remember that too. It was all that the city talked about in those days.”
“Well, guess what? That matter with the Cheston Head’s son was only one side of the coin. What really set the man off was the discovery of the illicit visits that his wife had been making to the Tie Family’s manor!”
“Heavens! Why would she do that?”
“Don’t quote me on this but it's apparently because the Cheston Head couldn’t ‘get it up,’ leaving his wife with no small amount of frustration. Tie Zheng seemingly noticed this in one of the social gatherings, and well, one thing led to another and you know the rest.”
Some of the men whistled at this while one commented. “Wow. What a scumbag!”
“So, if he’s always been such a villain, what changed suddenly? Why did he end up in trouble?”
At that question asked by somebody, the tavern fell quiet. Everyone looked at each other before eventually speaking out.
“No idea.”
---
“He got caught for selling classified information to the enemies of the Mu Household,” answered Luna, the female merchant with whom Wuzhi had conducted trades within the South Aislan Continent. Her eyes and fingers were busy counting bundles of cash as she conversed with her guest.
“What? The old man did?” asked her guest, surprise apparent in his voice.
“That’s what my information says,” said Luna, shrugging her shoulders. “Also, this info is going to cost you extra.”
“Geez,” the man rolled his eyes at her statement. He then pondered for a while before saying, “Well, I might as well get my money’s worth then. Tell me everything that you know about this matter.”
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“50A?” Luna paused her task and asked with a smile.
“Yes, yes! I’ll pay you your damn fee! Now just tell me,” said the man, exasperatedly.
Putting aside the bundles of cash, Luna cleared her throat and asked, “You are aware that the South Aislan Empire has recently begun constructing a new city outside of Port Somei, right?”
Losing the casual expression on his face, the man straightened his back and replied, “Right. I’ve also heard whispers that buildings resembling factories were popping up all over this new city.”
“Those are factories,” corrected Luna. “To be precise, they are factories built for producing firearms and minor artillery.”
The man inhaled sharply. “Arms-manufacturing? How did they get the technology to do it?”
“You’re asking the wrong question,” Luna shook her head. “The correct question would be where did they get it from?”
“Currently, there are only three organizations in this world that possess the technology and capability to self-manufacture hot weaponry: the Central Commonwealth, the Heavenly Spirit Empire, and the Mu Household. But now, out of the blue, there is a fourth: the South Aislan Empire.”
“Obviously, they couldn’t have innovated the tech. They lack the foundation and the ability to do so. I can say this for certain because I saw behind the curtain myself.” Taking a breath in pause, she continued, “And so if they didn’t come up with the tech themselves, it is only proper to assume that they got it from someone else. However, all three organisations protect their production methods with a dragon’s greed.”
“So, the question; who leaked it?”
Remembering the beginning of their conversation, the man replied, “…Iron Judge Tie Zheng.”
“Bingo!” smiled Luna.
“But why would he do that? And more importantly, everyone in the upper circle knows about the inflexible and frustratingly forthright nature of that old man, so how could it be him?”
“I don’t know,” Luna shrugged. “But all the evidence collected thus far puts the blame on his head. Besides, with all the stuff that’s been coming to light these last few days, it's making everyone question whether the Iron Judge was really the ‘honest and forthright’ man he was known to be.”
“You’re referring to the recent rumours painting him and his family in a bad light? But I thought all of it was simply nonsense.”
“Most of it is,” she agreed. “However, there are a few disturbing ones that appear a bit too detailed to be cast aside as mere nonsense.” Her eyes shined with a dark light as she recalled a few select rumours.
“It is unclear whether he’s a traitor of the Mu Household or not but in any case, he is finished,” Luna concluded. “And no matter the veracity of the rumours flying around the city, with nobody coming forward to clear them and everyone adding fuel to the fire, the legacy of him and his family is also finished.”
“The Tie Family will forever be remembered as a nest of degenerates and Tie Zheng will be condemned in history for being a despicable, traitorous official who betrayed the trust of his Sovereign.”
Silence fell within the inner chambers when she finished. After a while, the man shook his head with pity and said, “To think that this is the end of a once loyal servant of the Household.”
“It does make you feel some pity for the man. But at the end of the day, people like us are better off when people like him are dead,” Luna smiled beautifully. “With one less incorruptible watchdog on the streets, I can expand my business again.”
Seeing the look on her face, the man shook his head and said, “Do you ever think about anything other than money inside that pretty little head of yours?”
“Nope!” Luna exclaimed and returned to counting her stacks of green paper.
The man saw this, sighed exasperatedly, retrieved another wad of cash from his pocket and threw it to her. Luna eagerly caught the payment and earnestly smiled in reply. “Pleasure doing business with you.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” the man sarcastically replied.
Silence fell once more within the inner chambers except for the sound of paper being counted. After a while, the man suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, “You didn’t mention it. Who was it that reported the old man to the Investigation Hall?”
At that question, Luna stopped counting and uncharacteristically froze. The man waited a moment for a reply and upon seeing her remain quiet, he urged. “Luna?”
The foxy merchant snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. She returned to her counting and answered off-handedly. “I heard that it was the Second Son of the Mu Family that came forward with the evidence of Tie Zheng’s corruption.”
“Ah! So, it was the new kid,” exclaimed the man. He then nodded his head and remarked, “It appears that another dragon has joined the nest.”
“It does appear so,” said Luna, unconsciously exerting more strength into her hands. “It does appear so indeed.” She repeated while gritting her teeth.
Luna Roseland was a woman who never forgot her dues. She was someone who viewed material possessions as greater than life itself. She was someone who could never stand losing that which she owned.
In the South Aislan Continent, Mu Wuzhi had made her face a loss. And for that, he had to pay.
She would make him pay.