Clearing up the slaver outposts would cripple the slave trade in the province, but it was far from putting an end to it. Little Birds had informed him of all the businesses that were owned and controlled by the Hatchet Gang in Lionheart Town and he visited them to get an idea of who he was up against. The more he saw the more he found that they didn’t seem to match the information he’d received. Most of them wore the standard clothing of all the other commoners and he saw them working hard at various professions.

At one point, a drunk man got rowdy in one of the bars they ran. It was only then that the Hatchet Gang showed its strength. Most of the employees in the bar immediately reached into cabinets and underneath bar tables and pulled out a small hand axe. The jovial atmosphere in the bar immediately turned cold and the belligerent drunk apologized profusely before throwing down his money and running out of the bar as fast as his legs could carry him. The gang members looked over all the customers with a threatening gaze, then they put away their hatchets and started passing out drinks again.

They live up to their name as a gang. Cohesive, but harsh to outsiders that cross them.

Sage brought a couple squads of the Jade Horde along with him as bodyguards and went to the headquarters of the Hatchet Gang in Lionheart Town. His procession was pretty eye catching as he wanted to make it known that he could speak on equal terms with their leaders. That said, he wasn’t rude in the least. After arriving at the gate to their compound he had a Hoplite deliver his request for an audience and then he waited patiently. After a few minutes, and what he assumed was a short argument inside, he was led to a small parlor inside and served tea while he waited.

With the polite treatment, Sage was assured he’d get a meeting today, but he had to wait half an hour before it finally came. Of course, they made him wait to show their power, and he didn’t mind. So far, he knew only superficial things about the Hatchet Gang. They seemed to be related to the slave trade, but he was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Especially considering their level of power in Lionheart Town, and the fact that Wu Chang owed them money.

A man in a warrior style robe walked in, the garment commonly worn by people in fighting sects, it was a bit more aggressive than the standard cultivator outfit. The same style of outfit that Sage liked to wear when he wasn’t in the Hoplite Armor, a multi layered robe with slitted sides, along with trousers and extra layers on the forearms and shins like armor. The only commonality he saw from the man and the others of the Hatchet Gang was that they all wore black outer layers with white under layers. He looked to be middle aged, with short black hair and sprinkles of grey at his temples. He had a full five o’ clock shadow, something uncommon among the asian people of this world he’d met. He walked in and Sage rose from the seat, giving the man a bow in greetings.

“This humble one is named Fu Hong. What brings the Jade Horde here today?”

Sage smiled and gave another bow, “It is my honor to meet you, Fu Hong. I am Ling Sheng. I’m here to discuss some delicate issues with you, please forgive me.”

One of the man’s eyebrows lifted, but then he nodded and gestured for them to sit. The two took their time taking their seats and a servant walked over to serve them fresh cups of tea. Then, they both tapped two fingers onto the table and then slowly sipped their tea. Neither of them saying anything, like a competition to see who could stay silent the longest. They slowly drank the whole teapot, but Sage finally had to break the silence. The server didn’t add any more tea leaves to the pot, which was the polite way to signal it was time for the guest to leave. Given that he requested the audience, he was forced to lose their little politeness competition.

“I’m here to help finance the repair of your organizations properties.”

The middle aged man smiled, “Is that so? Which properties might you be referring to?”

“I am talking of those bordering the mountain. The city wall seems to have fallen over and created a few very unsightly areas. I would like to fund their repair and restoration to restore the beautifully smooth backdrop for your properties.”

“Oh, really? How very kind of you, but that’s completely unnecessary. We are quite simple and humble people. We’ve already grown used to the damage after so many decades and enjoy it like a historical monument. Restoring the wall would ruin our many years of history.”

Sage nodded and smiled, “Your people must be very kind, to treat that damage as a feature. The City Lord is lucky to have considerate citizens that they do not hold such damages against him. Certainly, you must know that the City Lord has now joined the Jade Horde. That’s why I wish to repair the walls as a gift to our newest member. Please allow me to fix it.”

Fu Hong smiled politely, but Sage met his eyes and the two of them both seemed to catch the meaning behind his words. The man smiled ferociously, but his words were still gentle, “What a generous gift for your new brother! I would congratulate you, but unfortunately I’m worried. I am quite regretful to ever speak ill of him, but you should know that the City Lord is not free of debts. If you’d like to give him a gift, perhaps you should just give the coin directly to him. I’m sure he would be delighted.”

“Hmm, I have also heard of those debts. He told me the majority of it was built up by previous City Lords. Worse still, the ones who hold the notes have recently been found to be involved in some dreadful criminal activities. My Jade Horde just eliminated hundreds of people related to the slave trade, and those creditors seem to be caught up in it.”

Fu Hong’s eyes narrowed and he nearly sneered, but his tone was still extremely polite. He waved a hand to the tea server to serve them another round. Taking the time for the tea to steep and then have another cup poured to the two of them. He tapped two fingers again and answered, “It’s a great shame to hear of such illicit activities, but isn’t it true that the slave trade is not outlawed within the 10,000 Wave Province? That creditor may not be proud of their involvement, but it doesn’t invalidate others debts to them.”

“You are right. The City Lord can’t dissolve his debt so simply. Laws are laws. He cannot shirk his debt any more than he can neglect his duty to maintain the borders of the city and the properties within and around it. I am helping to repair the wall, but the City Lord is going to be cleaning up the areas outside it. He’s going to force my Jade Horde to help him pick up trash, and even calling it physical training! Such a funny fellow.”

Fu Hong snorted and then nodded, “Definitely a very funny fellow. It sounds like you are quite dedicated to repairing the wall. Perhaps it is time to discuss how much that is going to cost.”