On Diancheng East Street, in a brightly lit mansion.
There were only four people in the living room, sitting around an Eight Immortals table.
Sitting on the east side is a middle-aged man of medium height and stocky build. He is Li Piaoling from Guangzhou Iron Arm Martial Arts School.
"Master Zhuang, we came to Diancheng to open a smoking den with great fanfare. Our original intention was to lure the green-faced ghost out and eradicate him.
But yesterday you brought dozens of people into the city in full view of the public, and today when you went out to inspect the business, you brought all these people with you. Isn't it too showy? "
Li Piaoling had a deep voice and a calm tone, and said to Zhuang Chengxian who was sitting in the west, "There are so many people, and they are all strong men with guns. I'm afraid that the green-faced ghost is jealous and won't show up easily."
The legend of the green-faced ghost has been spreading for three years in the three nearby cities and seven villages, covering a radius of nearly a hundred miles.
Three years ago, the young owner of Houji Dyeing Workshop in Tancheng seized the female workers in the workshop. The female worker was insulted and lost weight day by day after returning home. She cried secretly but refused to say more.
Her father was almost crying when he saw his daughter. He couldn't find out the truth after all the troubles. Instead, rumors came back from the city that his daughter was shameless and hooked up with the young master's family. Everyone in the village looked strange and talked about it.
The old man was so angry that he went to the dyeing workshop to find someone to argue with him. He happened to encounter a group of friends from the young master's family who were out having fun. During the disturbance, he was pushed and the old man fell to his death at the foot of the steps.
The government officials spent a lot of money on it, and decided that the old man was making trouble unreasonably, so he fell to death and took the body back home.
The female worker was filled with grief and anger, and threw herself into the river holding her old father's body.
This kind of thing has long been commonplace, and with a few kind-hearted sighs, that's usually all.
But at night, a man wearing a dark green mask broke the limbs of the young master of the dyeing shop in the Tancheng brothel, hung him from the eaves with a hemp rope, and covered him with a piece of white cloth. Crimes written all over in bright red.
That piece of cloth was like a flag, flying over Tancheng along with the young master's screams, making it a night that many people would never forget.
That was the first time the green-faced ghost appeared.
At that time, he was surrounded by a group of young men from the young master's family. After a lot of entanglement, he overturned those people and was able to escape.
But three months later, when he appeared again, his attacks were sharp and ruthless, and he looked completely different.
Mr. Wu's family in Tancheng has two rice shops, buying low and selling high, a smokehouse and a gambling house. The family is well off and makes money every day. Every now and then, a few corpses would be taken out of the opium den. They were all smokers who had died from smoking. The people did not care about the officials, and the people's lives were like grass, and the money was still earned.
The second time the green-faced ghost struck was in broad daylight, when Mr. Wu was inspecting the casino, he jumped off the roof, disemboweled him with a knife, and then jumped on the roof to leave. The thugs around Mr. Wu had no time to react. .
Seven days later, the green-faced ghost took action for the third time and killed Zheng Daxiucai, who had taken over Mr. Wu's business.
The local government posted a wanted warrant and the police patrolled night and day, but found nothing.
But three days later, I heard that there was also a murder case in Heyang City. The perpetrator was still a green-faced ghost. The person who killed was a famous local lawyer who specialized in litigating cases for wealthy businessmen. No matter if someone in the family of the wealthy businessman was accused of rape, , murder, theft, paid murder, as long as you find this lawyer, you can be acquitted.
The lawyer's tongue was cut off and he died in a miserable state, which shocked the entire Heyang City.
The rich businessmen are panicked, and the common people are secretly happy.
In the three cities of Tancheng, Heyang and Diancheng, the seven townships including Dawang Township and Huaihua Township, and more than ten nearby villages, all those with a bad reputation have been visited by the green-faced ghost.
But in that first year, thirty-seven evildoers were killed.
By the second year, not only the government and the White House were tracing the whereabouts of the green-faced ghost, but many people in the underworld also paid high prices and placed a bounty on the green-faced ghost's head.
But this year, the green-faced ghost did something big.
He assassinated the magistrate of Heyang County.
When it comes to the most evil people in Heyang City, the wealthy businessmen, boxers, and lawyers are not even on the list. The county magistrate ranks first among them.
This county magistrate took office in the fifteenth year of Guangxu, that is, 1889 in the Western calendar.
When he took office, he added an extra congratulatory tax to Heyang City in the name of Emperor Guangxu's appointment of a queen.
For more than ten years, Heyang City has been filled with complaints and the people are in dire straits. They secretly call the county magistrate "the sky is three feet high."
The Heyang County Magistrate also knew that he had done many evil things and would be targeted by the green-faced ghost sooner or later. He was followed by six guards when he came in and out, and there were police officers guarding him in the yamen. He had more than 20 young nurses at home and raised more than a dozen A wolf dog and ten muskets were prepared for use.
The green-faced ghost assassinated him three times. The first time he failed because of a vicious dog warning and left.
During the second assassination, the green-faced ghost seemed to have a good understanding of the habits of wolves and dogs. He killed dogs as well as chickens. In a snap, he killed seven vicious dogs and broke into the study, only to be frightened away by a gun.
The third time, the green-faced ghost used a long, sharpened bamboo pole and threw it from the wall opposite the magistrate's house.
The bamboo pole penetrated the window and turned the two guards into bloody gourds. The shocked Heyang County Magistrate fled in all directions accompanied by all the guards.
In the midst of the chaos, the green-faced ghost dressed as a guardian with plaster on his face found an opportunity and cut the throat of the Heyang County Magistrate with a knife.
After this incident, the Green-faced Ghost's reputation became even more fierce. Those who were rich and unkind, bullied men and dominated women, although they were as afraid of him as ghosts and gods. Even ordinary people were afraid of him and no longer dared to treat him as a knight. , secretly treating him as a ghost.
Some people even secretly offered a memorial tablet to the Green-faced Ghost.
The death of the Heyang County Magistrate made the name of the Green-faced Ghost alarm the Admiral of Guangdong. The Admiral became furious and ordered a large reward for his capture.
However, after the wanted posters posted on the walls were all damaged by the weather, there was still no chance of catching the green-faced ghost.
Green-faced ghosts still come looking for evil and kill people with knives, especially those who buy and sell cigarettes and open opium dens. Every one of them dies.
By the third year, no opium den dared to open in the nearby three cities and seven villages. Those who usually behaved badly were either killed or sold their property at a low price and moved their families and families to other places. .
But selling tobacco and soil is a hugely profitable business, and it is really annoying to put such a big piece of fat here in three cities and seven villages.
General Nalando of Guangzhou was eyeing this place.
He personally invited three of the most prestigious boxers in Guangzhou, paid a generous deposit first, and promised huge profits. He asked the three of them to go with his registered admiral Zhuang Chengxian to the three cities and seven villages to try to eradicate the Green-faced ghost.
The title "Admiral" sounds a bit bluffing, but a named admiral has no real power at all. A person like Zhuang Chengxian has to be polite to the three famous boxers in front of him.
Facing Li Piaoling's question, Zhuang Chengxian put on a kind smile on his thin, goat-like face and said, "Bringing these thirty elite soldiers is the general's wish. Naturally, there are also deep considerations. Master Li, don't be anxious. Let me tell you.
It should be noted that in the past three years, almost all the people in the three cities and seven villages have been killed by the green-faced ghost. We pretended to be foreign wealthy businessmen and went to this dangerous place to seize the vacancies in the tobacco and soil business. We took dozens of people with us. Guard number is the normal behavior of businessmen.
If he didn't bring it with him, I'm afraid it would make the green-faced ghost even more suspicious, and the delay would only be longer. "
Li Piaoling rolled his eyes and nodded: "It makes sense."
"And Master Li doesn't have to worry about the green-faced ghost not coming."
Zhuang Chengxian raised his teacup proudly, took a sip, and said calmly, "Before we came here, the General had read the files on the cases in the three cities and seven townships.
What the masters were looking at was the part about the autopsy of the deceased in the file, so that the masters could have an idea of the Green Faced Ghost's methods through the traces of killings.
And I don’t have much vision in boxing, so I had to look at other places with a few staff in the general’s mansion, and there were some situations that were very worthy of note.
For example, in the first year when the green-faced ghost committed crimes, in addition to killing those big businessmen, he also killed Li Laizi from Dawang Township, Huang Po from Liushu Township and others.
Compared with those big businessmen, the influence of these little people is naturally a drop in the bucket and not worth mentioning. They only did things such as starving their mothers to death, beating their wives, poisoning their daughters-in-law, and abducting a few foreign orphans to go to brothels. little things.
No matter whether they are professional killers or those rebellious gangsters, it is impossible to pay much attention to these little people, but the green-faced ghosts just come to the door one by one, killing all the notorious people in these three cities and seven countryside. , killed them all. "
After hearing this, Li Piaoling felt absurd in his heart and said with a smile: "We even kill old women and cripples. Is it possible that there are really people in this world, big or small, who are dedicated to doing chivalry and righteousness like this?"
Li Piaoling and Zhuang Chengxian laughed together, and even the boxers sitting on the north and south sides couldn't help but smile.
No way, this hypothesis is just too funny.
Even Huang Feihong, who was the most famous chivalrous man in Guangdong in the past few years, was a master of medicine and martial arts. He kicked seven times in the air in a flash, each of which could crack stone monuments. Such amazing leg skills, the best he could do was to keep himself clean. Just hanging out with those selling cigarettes.
If he suddenly came to the door on the street and killed all those profiteers, villains, and old religious women, then others would no longer praise his reputation and would only think that he was crazy.
These days, evil people are everywhere in the mountains and at sea, buying and selling cigarettes, even legal businesses that are now recognized by the Manchu Qing government.
How many knives would it take to kill all those damned people? Unless it's an earth-shaking change and a new beginning, how could it be possible?
There are very few people who were born or grew up in the Qing Dynasty who even dare to have such an idea. They will directly put this kind of thing into practice and continue to do it for three years, unless they are crazy. There is no second explanation.
But after Zhuang Chengxian smiled, his face suddenly darkened and he said, "But what we have to deal with this time is probably a real madman."
His expression changed, and the smiles of the other three people gradually faded.
There was silence on the table for a while, and then the bald old man sitting in the north spoke: "Then this green-faced ghost must not be very old."
"really."
Zhuang Chengxian nodded, "The staff of the General's Mansion also analyzed it in this way, and there are some places that can be used as evidence. For example, after he assassinated the Heyang County Magistrate, the batch of foreign guns mobilized by the Heyang County Magistrate were stolen. I took a few away.
Later, when he committed crimes, there were several cases where he directly killed his targets with foreign guns. "
The green-faced ghost's kung fu is not weak, but the older generation of boxers are very repulsive to foreign guns. This is a deep-rooted thinking, and there are almost no exceptions among the older generation.
Just like during the Boxer Rebellion, when foreign guns were sometimes seized during the Boxer Rebellion, the big boxers would never touch them. Even some young and middle-aged people thought that these things belonged to Western monsters and should not be kept. Only a very few Young people are willing to use it.
Zhuang Chengxian added: "In addition, those foreign guns don't come with much ammunition. After the green-faced ghost used it up, he never used the gun again. He probably didn't have a way to get the ammunition, which means he was around There won’t be any complex organizational support.”
The tall, dark-skinned man sitting in the south then answered: "But judging from the autopsy results, this green-faced ghost's kung fu has improved a lot.
It was only after this year that it seemed to have hit a bottleneck and could no longer use more clever methods. If you are a young person, if you want to make such progress, you must have a master around you to guide you at any time. "
This man has a northern accent. He came to Guangzhou from the north to open a restaurant and teach apprentices, and became famous as the "Iron-toed Fire Dragon" Wang Xiongjie.
Everyone in Guangzhou knows that he has a keen eye for kung fu, and the results deduced from the autopsy report should not be wrong.
Zhuang Chengxian praised: "Master Wang and the General have the same view of heroes. There must be a teacher beside the Green Faced Ghost, but this teacher showed no sign of showing up when the Green Faced Ghost was in danger several times.
It is very likely that he is an old boxer whose skills have declined and only his knowledge and vision are still there. As long as the green-faced ghost is eradicated, an old guy is nothing to worry about. "
The bald old man from the north also held up the tea cup. The tea cup, which was a suitable size in the hands of ordinary people, looked extraordinarily small in his calloused palms.
"A young man who has youth, talent, and ideas, but unfortunately is a little crazy."
He swallowed the scalding tea in just one sip. As his mouth opened and closed, streams of hot air spurted out, and his voice was mixed with a breathtaking deepness.
"Then let's just wait. This green-faced ghost will come within three days. Once he comes, let him know what kind of person he should be and what kind of things he should do while living in this world.
If you take the wrong path, you will be shattered into pieces. "
Click!
The ceramic tea cup was crushed into a handful of sesame-sized crumbs by the bald old man's seemingly careless palm, which leaked out from his big hand and scattered on the table.
It is not difficult to crush ceramics with bare hands, but it only makes such a soft sound and the grinding is so fine, which means that there is no dryness in the boxing technique, which is not a level that ordinary boxers can achieve.
Li Piaoling's eyes narrowed and he thought to himself: This old guy Zhu Changshou has been famous for at least thirty years. His physical strength should have declined long ago. Why does his kung fu seem to be even more refined? The bonus promised to him by General Nalan is probably much greater than what he gave me.
When Li Piaoling turned his head, Wang Xiongjie also retracted his gaze. The two looked at each other, with the same expression on their faces and eyes.
Zhuang Chengxian was happier than the two of them at this time.
The higher Zhu Changshou's ability is, the more secure his operation will be.
Every time the green-faced ghost made a move, he always attacked the leader directly. Zhuang Chengxian took charge of this matter. He said he was favored by the general, but in fact he also acted as a bait.
But apart from Zhu Changshou, what really reassured Zhuang Chengxian were the thirty elite soldiers patrolling throughout the mansion.
As we all know, the Green Camp and the Eight Banners have long been empty frames and paper tigers. The Guangzhou General claims to be able to control the military power of Guangdong, but in addition to the number of men under his command, in terms of real fighting, the same number of people is probably not as good as People from the Boxer Rebellion back then.
The General of Guangzhou naturally knew this. For the sake of his wealth and life, he had a group of elite soldiers under his command who were well reared and trained.
These thirty people were transferred from there. They were all people who studied in Western-style schools. They were of extremely high quality. What was even more rare was that they were loyal to the Guangzhou general, burning, killing, looting, and obeying orders and prohibitions.
The foreign guns they are equipped with this time are even more good things that General Guangzhou just bought from the Americans this year.
A few years ago, Americans fought with the Spaniards and suffered a loss in firearms. They worked hard to create this batch of new guns. They are more powerful than the old foreign guns. One gun costs five dollars, not counting ammunition. Ten taels of silver.
A test shot was fired, and from fifty paces away, it could still penetrate an inch-thick wooden target wrapped in three layers of cowhide.
What's more important is that this kind of gun has a novel design. People who have not been trained don't even know how to shoot, and they don't have to worry about being snatched away by the green-faced ghost who opposes the threat to their side.
Zhuang Chengxian touched the long and thin beard on his chin and sipped the tea with satisfaction.
Everything is ready, just waiting for the green-faced ghost to take the bait.
………………
The lights in the mansion were still on.
Outside the dark courtyard wall in the southeast corner, at some point, a head wearing a blue-black mask poked out, staring coldly at the house.
