Wei Changlue shook his head, smiling: "If you make me kowtow, it might be fine if others know, but if my elder brothers find out, things might get complicated."

"Elder brothers?" The thick-browed man said carelessly, staring at the delicate young man with a teasing smile: "May I ask how many honorary brothers the county magistrate has, and who exactly are they?"

Wei Changlue smiled brightly: "There's one called Duan Yuanfeng, many people call him Duan the Madman. Have you heard of him?"

"Duan the Madman?" The thick-browed man's expression changed: "Which Duan the Madman are you talking about?"

"The one you're thinking of."

"Two years ago, a powerful bandit group of nearly a thousand emerged around Mount Wutai in Dai Province, burning, killing, and pillaging, extremely cruel," the thick-browed man stared directly at Wei Changlue, speaking slowly. "The bandit leader was called Shang Mazi, but in one night, Shang Mazi's entire clan was exterminated and disappeared without a trace."

Wei Changlue smiled: "So how did Shang Mazi end up that way?"

"That night, fifty riders charged directly into his military camp like tigers among sheep," the thick-browed man's eye twitched. "Shang Mazi lost hundreds of men, his troops scattering instantly. His entire family of seventeen - men, women, elderly, and children - were captured. The cavalry leader ordered them to be skinned alive, then boiled in an iron pot for a day and night, finally thrown to wild dogs, leaving not even a bone fragment behind."

Everyone present changed color, many clearly familiar with the story.

"Duan Yuanfeng of the Crimson Bone Cavalry," the man next to the thick-browed man, Pang Laoliu, changed expression: "He's the adopted son of the River East Horse Army Commander, and... also called Duan the Madman."

Wei Changlue said: "That's the Duan the Madman I'm talking about. By the way, I also have an honorary brother called Hu Yaoshi. Do you know him?"

"Ghost Fox?" The thick-browed man's pupils contracted. "The Ghost Fox Hu Yaoshi, once known as the world's top scout?"

Wei Changlue sighed: "It seems my honorary brother's reputation is quite substantial, that even you know of his fame."

The thick-browed man replied: "They say in front of Hu Yaoshi, no one has secrets. If he wants to know, he can discover exactly what anyone eats, does, or even who they sleep with each night."

"That's exaggerated," Wei Changlue said casually. "But indeed, no one dares to provoke him. So if I were to kowtow to you today, Hu Yaoshi would quickly find out. Humiliating the Wei family, they certainly couldn't bear it. By then, Duan Yuanfeng would appear with his Crimson Bone Cavalry, or perhaps... the dwarf. Compared to the dwarf, Duan Yuanfeng seems more merciful."

The narrative continues with escalating tension as Wei Changlue's true identity and capabilities are revealed, challenging the initial perceptions of those around him.

"The thick-browed man replied: 'They say in front of Hu Yaoshi, no one has secrets. If he wants to know, he can discover exactly what anyone eats, does, or even who they sleep with each night.'

'That's exaggerated,' Wei Changlue said casually. 'But indeed, no one dares to provoke him. So if I were to kowtow to you today, Hu Yaoshi would quickly find out. Humiliating the Wei family, they certainly couldn't bear it. By then, Duan Yuanfeng would appear with his Crimson Bone Cavalry, or perhaps... the dwarf. Compared to the dwarf, Duan Yuanfeng seems more merciful.'

The narrative continues with escalating tension as Wei Changlue's true identity and capabilities are revealed, challenging the initial perceptions of those around him."

Cong Kun suddenly burst into laughter and said: "You're quite young, but you're bold, daring to impersonate the second young master of the Wei family. Everyone knows that the Wei family's second young master has been mixed in with the military since childhood, renowned for his bravery. They say he has the strength of a diamond god, capable of killing a wild bull with a single punch, earning the nickname 'Golden Vajra of Taiyuan' - a name that makes people in Taiyuan city tremble. But you, with your delicate and tender face, can't even kill a chicken, yet you dare to put on airs in front of me?"

"Squad leader, just tie him up and send him to Taiyuan to the Wei family, let the real Wei Changlue punch him to death," someone in the back shouted.

"Wei Changlue has a fiery temper," Pang Laoliu laughed heartily, "If he hears someone is impersonating him, he definitely won't let it slide. Handing him over to Wei Changlue, he'll kill him with his own hands."

Just as his words fell, Wei Changlue's body suddenly lunged forward. Before anyone could react, his fist had already heavily struck the head of Cong Kun's mount.

A miserable neigh erupted as the horse's entire body toppled sideways.

Not only was the punch's speed shocking, but the force was truly terrifying.

This scene caused several people to cry out in surprise, while even more stood petrified, unable to believe what they were witnessing.

Cong Kun on horseback also cried out instinctively, and before his horse toppled, he leaped with all his might.

As he flew up and was about to land, he saw Wei Changlue already standing before him.

Wei Changlue raised his foot and ruthlessly kicked directly at Cong Kun's groin.

As Cong Kun descended, unable to leverage himself to dodge, everyone watched Wei Changlue's foot accurately strike Cong Kun's groin, followed immediately by Cong Kun's miserable, agonized wail.

When he landed, his entire body was hunched like a drunken shrimp.

The piercing pain spread through his body, almost causing him to lose consciousness in an instant. His hands reflexively covered his groin, curling into a ball.

Both the Night Cry Gang and the civilians felt like they were in a dream.

Who could have imagined that this elegant and handsome young man possessed such terrifying strength?

And his courage seemed even more shocking than his strength, actually daring to strike the Night Cry Gang first.

A heroic youth, wild and unbridled, breaking through the sky with wings!

Wei Changlue didn't hesitate, quickly reaching out to grab the hilt of Cong Kun's waist knife. With a "clang", he drew the blade and placed it directly on Cong Kun's neck.

The horse, knocked down by a single punch, struggled and couldn't get up.

"Squad leader...!" Pang Laoliu was the first to regain his senses, shouting and drawing his bow, ready to shoot at Wei Changlue. The other Night Cry Gang members also aimed their arrows.

"Who dares!"

Wei Changlue roared: "Whoever shoots an arrow, I guarantee my knife will cut his throat first. If any arrow lands on me, even grazing a single hair, the Wei family will not only wipe out your entire clan but also dig up your ancestors' graves for eight generations. Feel free to try!"

The Night Cry Gang members who had drawn their bows changed color, none daring to release an arrow.

Wei Changlue crouched down, holding the knife in his right hand and using his left hand to remove Cong Kun's hat. He grabbed his hair, pulling his head up and laughed: "Cong Kun, right? Come, look carefully. Where exactly am I impersonating?"

"You... what do you want?" Cong Kun asked weakly, enduring the intense pain in his groin.

Wei Changlue released his hair and immediately slapped him hard across the face, cursing: "Damn it, when I ask you a question, you answer immediately. How dare you ask me back?"

The slap was extremely heavy, instantly leaving a red handprint on Cong Kun's right cheek.

"No... not impersonating, I... I was blind," Cong Kun could barely speak coherently.

"Bringing over twenty people here to hurt people and set fires, are you trying to become bandits?" Wei Changlue said. "And you wanted me to kneel and kowtow. You need to give me an explanation for this."

"What... what kind of explanation?"

Wei Changlue raised his hand and slapped him again, this time even harder. With a "puff" sound, he knocked out two of Cong Kun's teeth, blood flowing from his mouth, and cursed again: "Didn't learn your lesson?"

"I... I was wrong..., Second Young Master, I was wrong... isn't that enough?" Cong Kun's mouth continued to bleed.

"No." Wei Changlue said coldly: "We'll settle all accounts. Weren't you just asking me to kowtow three times to each of you? Fine. Make your subordinates kneel and kowtow three times to me."

Dealing with evil people requires being even more vicious than them. To be a great evil, one must also do great good!

The Night Cry Gang members saw Cong Kun's life hanging by a thread under Wei Changlue's knife and looked at each other.

Pang Laoliu took a deep breath, slowly lowering his bow, and said loudly: "Master Wei... Second Young Master, you're heading to Mountain Yin to take office. We'll see each other often in the future. I think we shouldn't take things too far."

"I don't care what you think, I only care what I think," Wei Changlue sneered. "I think even if I go too far, what can you do? Cong Kun led a group of wild dogs to hurt people and set fires. Killing him with one knife now is completely reasonable and legal."

Pang Laoliu's expression changed dramatically, saying gravely: "We are here to capture fugitives."

"I don't see any fugitives," Wei Changlue said casually. "I'll ask you again, are you going to kowtow or not?"

"Wei... Wei Changlue, don't go too far!" Pang Laoliu gritted his teeth.

[--------------------------------------------]

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