The Second World in Ancient Times

Si Qing's fleet docked at a prosperous port city, which should have been a place where trade prospered and people lived and worked in peace and contentment. But when she set foot on land, she saw a heart-wrenching picture.

On the streets of the port, a group of bullies were rampant. Tall and burly, with faces covered in flesh, they wielded clubs and marched swaggering down the middle of the street. Residents stepped aside, their eyes filled with fear. These bullies broke into shops at will, stealing property and beating and kicking the owners whenever they felt they had a problem.

At a fish stall, an old fisherman's fresh catch was snatched away by bullies. The old fisherman pleaded, "This is my family's livelihood. Please, have mercy." But the bullies laughed heartily. One of them, who looked like a leader, kicked the old fisherman to the ground and said, "Old man, behave yourself. This is our territory."

The people around them dared not speak out, but could only watch silently as the fruits of their labor were plundered and their relatives and friends were bullied. Seeing this scene, Si Qing's heart was filled with rage, and a sense of justice surged in her chest.

Si Qing clenched her fists. She decided she couldn't let these bullies continue their evil ways. She turned to her guards and said, "We can't just stand by and watch the people suffer. We must teach these bullies a lesson."

The guards nodded in agreement, their loyalty to Si Qing and their indignation at the oppression of the people. Si Qing quickly began to formulate a strategy, knowing that these bullies were outnumbered and powerful, and that she couldn't act rashly.

"Let's first observe their patterns of action to see if there are any weaknesses." Si Qing said in a low voice.

They found a secluded corner on the street and observed the bullies' every move. Si Qing discovered that although these bullies looked fierce, their actions were rather unorganized, and their leader was always in the middle of the team during each action, surrounded by several trusted guards.

"We can adopt a feint to the east and attack in the west strategy to distract their attention first, and then take the opportunity to attack their leader. As long as we capture the leader, the others will be thrown into disarray." Si Qing explained her plan to the guards.

After hearing this, the guards began to prepare for action. They divided into several groups, some responsible for creating chaos, some responsible for protecting Si Qing, and some ready to fight the bullies directly.

Si Qing saw the right moment and gave the order, and the action began. A group of guards made a loud noise at one end of the street. They pushed over some wooden barrels on the street, and the rolling sound of the barrels attracted the attention of the bullies.

"What's going on over there? Let's go check it out!" The bully leader ordered several of his men to run towards the direction where the sound came from.

At that moment, Si Qing led another group of guards, charging towards the bullies from the other side. Their speed was swift, like an arrow hurled at the enemy. Si Qing, wielding a longsword and nimble in her movements, charged first at the nearest bully.

When the bully saw Si Qing rushing towards him, he smiled contemptuously: "Little girl, you are courting death." But he soon stopped laughing. Si Qing's swordsmanship was sharp. After a few rounds, he was stabbed in the arm by Si Qing, and the stick in his hand fell to the ground.

The other guards also engaged in a fierce fight with the bullies. The guards were well-trained and coordinated with each other. Some used shields to block the bullies' attacks, while others fought back with swords. For a moment, the streets were filled with shouts of killing.

After the bullies realized what was happening, they began to fight back frantically. Although they had loose discipline, they also showed tenacious fighting spirit at the critical moment of life and death.

A bully swung a broadsword at Si Qing, but Si Qing dodged the blow with a flick of her wrist. She then stabbed the bully in the stomach with her sword, but the bully reacted quickly, blocking Si Qing's attack with his own knife. The swords collided, sending sparks flying.

"Hmph, you're quite capable." The bully said viciously.

Si Qing didn't respond, her eyes becoming even more determined. She engaged in a fierce sword fight with the bully, her swordsmanship flexible and varied, sometimes attacking like a torrential downpour, sometimes dodging like flowing water.

On the other side, the guards were also facing some trouble. The bullies were outnumbered, and they gradually surrounded the guards. The guards stood back to back, forming a defensive circle, but the pressure was growing.

"Everyone hold on!" Si Qing shouted. She knew she couldn't retreat now.

In the fierce battle, Si Qing was looking for an opportunity to attack the bully leader. She saw that the leader was busy commanding his men, and his confidants were also restrained by other guards.

Si Qing hatched a plan. She deliberately exposed a flaw, giving the bully she was fighting an opportunity. The bully fell for it, swinging his knife at Si Qing with all his might. Seizing the opportunity, Si Qing rolled sideways, dodging the attack and charging at the bully leader.

The bully leader was horrified when he saw Si Qing rushing towards him. He tried to escape, but it was too late. Si Qing appeared before him like a ghost, the sword at his neck.

"Stop it! Otherwise I will kill him!" Si Qing shouted loudly.

The bullies heard the leader's shout and stopped attacking, looking towards Si Qing. When they saw the leader being subdued by Si Qing, they immediately lost their composure.

"You bullies, who oppress the people, are unforgivable. Today is your doom." Si Qing said angrily.

Seeing the bully being subdued, the people were stunned at first, and then burst into enthusiastic cheers. They rushed over from all directions and surrounded Si Qing and the guards.

"Great! These bullies have finally been subdued!" "Thank you, you are our saviors!"

The people expressed their gratitude to Si Qing and the guards. The old fisherman who had been bullied by the bully walked up to Si Qing and excitedly shook her hand: "Girl, you are truly a bodhisattva incarnate! You saved us all."

Si Qing smiled and said, "This is what we should do. These bullies should not be able to run rampant in this land and bully innocent people."

The cheers of the people grew louder and louder, and they were full of admiration and love for Si Qing. Si Qing's actions gave them hope and brought new life to this city shrouded in bullies.

Si Qing did not let her guard down just because she had subdued the bullies. She knew that she had to deal with these bullies properly in order to truly rid the people of this harm.

She had the guards tie up the bullies, and then asked the people about their crimes and where they were based. The people told her that these bullies had been committing crimes in the port city for a long time, colluding with some corrupt officials to do whatever they wanted.

Si Qing decided to hand the bullies over to the local authorities, but she knew they might not be entirely reliable. So, she wrote a letter detailing the bullies' crimes and demanding fair treatment. She also had some civilian representatives accompany her guards to deliver the letter and the bullies to the authorities, ensuring they wouldn't let them off easily.

While waiting for the outcome of the government's decision, Si Qing comforted the people in the city and helped them resume their normal lives. She organized the people to clean up the streets and shops damaged by the bullies and provided some supplies to the families who had suffered losses.

The story of Si Qing's subduing the bully spread quickly throughout the port city, and people's admiration for her spread like a tide. Whether it was the common people on the streets or the merchants and nobles in the city, everyone was talking about this brave girl.

In the city's taverns, merchants gathered together, discussing Si Qing's heroic deeds. "That Miss Si Qing is truly remarkable! She possesses not only extraordinary courage but also extraordinary wisdom. She is like a heroine, saving our city," one merchant exclaimed.

In the nobles' mansions, people were also discussing the matter. "This Si Qing came from far away, but she has done such a great favor for us people here. We should thank her very much," said one noble.

Si Qing's name became a household name in the city. Her deeds were compiled into stories and passed down from mouth to mouth. Some poets even wrote poems in her honor, praising her righteous deeds. Si Qing's reputation reached its peak in the local area, and she became a hero in the hearts of the people.

Si Qing's actions not only eliminated harm for the people, but also had a profound impact on the local society.

After the bully was subdued, public safety in the port city improved significantly. No longer in fear, the people could peacefully run their businesses and lead normal lives. The streets returned to their former bustle, and merchants' business flourished.

Under pressure from the public and urged by the local authorities, the local government began to rectify its administration and crack down on corrupt officials who colluded with bullies. This series of actions improved the government's image and increased the public's trust in it.

Furthermore, Si Qing's righteous act ignited the local people's sense of justice. Some young people began to spontaneously organize themselves to maintain public order and learn self-defense skills to prevent similar bullies from reappearing. The social atmosphere of the entire city began to develop in a positive direction.

After dealing with the bully, Si Qing did not stay in the city for long. She had her own mission, which was to continue her overseas trade journey.

When she was about to leave the port city, the people came to see her off, bringing gifts they had made themselves, their eyes filled with reluctance to leave.

"Miss Siqing, you must come again!" "I wish you a safe journey and hope you can continue to bring justice and hope to people."

The driver was moved to accept the gifts from the people and waved goodbye to everyone: "I will remember you, and I hope this city will always remain peaceful and prosperous."