And at times of peace, there was nothing for people who had passed the local martial exam to do. They would often end up using their physical strength in the service of such illegal endeavors as counterfeiting, robbery, loan sharking and the running of gambling halls.
而在不打仗的太平歲月，無事可做的武秀才，往往憑藉著身強體壯，幹起開賭場、鑄私錢、窩強盜、放高利貸的不法勾當。