Chapter 153: The Sin of Rouge

Huang Changjun’s henchmen showed no restraint whatsoever when dealing with other shopkeepers. They resorted to fists and kicks immediately, completely bypassing any sense of reason.

The plundered merchants begged bitterly, hoping that Huang Changjun would show some mercy and leave them with enough grain to protect their capital or at least save their lives. The henchmen paid no heed; having long been accustomed to acting overbearingly, they shrugged off such pleas as trivial matters.

Luo Gan carefully observed everything unfolding before him. When everyone broke down in tears, cursing Huang Changjun to a miserable death, Luo Gan finally made his move. He instructed Xiaozhi and Yanshan to carry away the grain, which included mutton, pork, and various vegetables and cereals—more than enough to tide the victims over. The price was kept nearly the same as usual, with only a slight increase to cover transportation costs.

In truth, Luo Gan possessed great foresight. Earlier, he had quietly united with butchers, farmers, and others, advising them not to sell any grain for the next few days to ward off misfortune. He had even acquired talismans from temple monks and local Taoist priests, claiming they would avert disasters. Normal people were still willing to do business when the opportunity arose, especially such a large-scale transaction. Moreover, since their target happened to be Huang Changjun, it was killing two birds with one stone. Everyone readily accepted this method of sitting back to watch the tiger fight from the mountaintop.

Meanwhile, the plundering of taverns and other shops by Huang Changjun went entirely according to Luo Gan’s plan. Afterward, Luo Gan sold the previously secured grain to the suffering merchants and sent Xiaozhi and Yanshan to rally helpers for them to rebuild, smoothly trading favors. In this way, not only did Huang Changjun manage to offend everyone thoroughly, but he also inadvertently pushed those people right into Luo Gan’s camp.

Luo Gan and Liu Buwen continued to discuss their subsequent steps, pondering how to defeat Huang Changjun in one fell swoop.

Liu Buwen asked, "The situation remains quite favorable for us. Does the next step simply depend on Sima Ge igniting the issue?"

Luo Gan replied, "The probability of success is sixty percent. We must continue to increase our chips. Right now, Huang Changjun is immersed in his self-crafted dream of being a strongman. It is time to loosen the soil around his roots."

The moment the grain reappeared on schedule, Huang Changjun became delirious with arrogance, falling under the illusion that the matter concerning Sima Ge would surely be effortlessly resolved. Supplies gathered from all over piled up like mountains in the back kitchen, and shortly after, preparations were underway to resume serving dishes.

Luo Gan instructed all diners to avoid Huang Changjun’s establishment, spreading rumors everywhere about their food safety issues. Overnight, the once-must-visit dining spot was criticized as utterly worthless. Sima Ge’s protests continued, eventually drawing the attention of the Wuhou (city guards), but corrupt bureaucrats prioritized driving away Sima Ge and his followers, attempting to disperse them.

Huang Changjun actually believed that by using such brutal suppression, the matter would blow over, completely underestimating Luo Gan’s intelligence-gathering capabilities. Soon after, not only did the entire city of Chang'an know that Huang Changjun was a black-hearted merchant, but they also believed the officials and merchants were colluding while the common people suffered. At that very moment, Liu Buwen anonymously submitted a petition to Wei Zheng, which thoroughly infuriated the latter.

The next day, the onlookers gathered outside Huang Changjun’s doors were replaced by waves of encircling government soldiers. Compelled by the circumstances, an investigation into Huang Changjun was initiated. Having received advance warning, Huang Changjun had spent the entire night scrubbing clean the back kitchen and other areas prone to controversy, burying moldy and spoiled meat in the earth to deceive prying eyes. All of this was witnessed by Ah Zhen, who kept a constant watch on their movements.

When the government officials arrived, Huang Changjun habitually attempted to slip them a bribe, never expecting that these men had been personally designated by Wei Zheng and had no connection whatsoever to the officials he had previously greased. When the officials questioned him about his various crimes, Huang Changjun denied every single one.

Huang Changjun protested, "Your Honors, please investigate clearly. We are all law-abiding business people within the city of Chang'an, rooted here for more than a decade. How could we harbor any malicious intent?"

The officials gazed at him coldly. Several battered and bruised shopkeepers rushed over, looking utterly wretched. The moment Huang Changjun spotted them, he recognized them as the grain and meat vendors of Chang'an, and his heart sank, realizing the situation was turning perilous.

An official stated, "According to them, you, Huang Changjun, have violently seized grain and committed every conceivable evil."

The shopkeepers wailed loudly, "That villain Huang Changjun robbed us of our grain and even beat us savagely! Oh, officials, heaven has eyes! You must punish him!"

Huang Changjun glanced at his henchmen beside him, both of whom shook their heads vigorously, signaling their ignorance. A single glare from the official filled the gang with chilling dread.

The shopkeepers cried, "It was them! They beat us viciously! We make an honest living, and our reputation for living in harmony and kindness with our neighbors is well known!"

The official declared, "I am well aware of your situation. Upstanding citizens do not maliciously file false accusations unless... the matter is entirely true!"

Huang Changjun flew into a rage, shouting, "You are making false accusations! Accusations require proof; empty words carry no weight!"

Among the crowd, a diner who had collapsed the day before stepped forward to point an accusing finger at Huang Changjun.

"Yesterday we dined at this establishment, only to find the meat unclean and even moldy! Several people fainted! Do you admit to this, Huang Changjun, or not?"

Huang Changjun retorted, "Nonsense! Our food is completely clean, and our back kitchen is spotless! You lot are simply physically frail and collapse whenever you please! For this to happen in my shop, I am the one suffering from bad luck!"

Sima Ge pointed right at Huang Changjun’s nose and cursed furiously, "Huang Changjun is utterly ruthless! He even committed murder at the racecourse, where my two disciples died tragically under the butcher's blade! What crime did they commit? With our current sovereign so wise and enlightened, how can such audacity exist right beneath the emperor's feet? Is there no longer any law of the land?"

Following this bitter denunciation, the crowd echoed his sentiments in unison. Huang Changjun suddenly realized that the situation had far exceeded his imagination; these unruly common people dared to point fingers at him so blatantly. He vowed to root them out completely once this was over!

The official demanded, "Do you have anything else to say? Everyone accuses you of being a bandit. How do you defend yourself?"

Huang Changjun dropped to his knees with a thud, tears streaming down his face.

"I am guilty! I am guilty!" Gasps of astonishment rippled endlessly through the crowd.

"I am a most heinous sinner! Born guilty! Since childhood, I have had no parents to accompany me, left to drift alone through the marketplace. Exposed to the wind and sun with no one to care, I could only teach myself the tricks of marketplace trade! No one in this world looked up to me, save for the courtesans of the pleasure houses, who saw me as one of their own, drifting through this life like fallen blossoms! And I—I chose to deal in rouge and powder. The world of men is truly filthy, a place of flying flesh and blood; only the cosmetics of young maidens are bright, beautiful, and touching, even in their fading moments, stunning in every way. I am guilty! The only crime I committed was refusing to live according to the world's expectations! Whatever judgment you pass on me today stems entirely from your prejudices. Only heaven and the Emperor can judge me!"

Watching Huang Changjun’s hysteria from the sidelines, a flicker of pity stirred within Luo Gan, only to vanish just as quickly.

The skies began to clear as both sides stood in confrontation, each making their statements. No one paid heed to, nor could they comprehend, what Huang Changjun was trying to express, nor what his hidden grievances might be. To ordinary people, murder and robbery demanded punishment; that was the true will of heaven!