The outcome of the big battle between Feiying Gang and Qingzhu Gang was clear.Qingzhu Gang was directly crippled,losing the qualifications to challenge Feiying Gang.Within the gang,there were mixed emotions.
Certainly,the ones delighted were the gang leader Sha Feiying and his associates.They successfully took control of a half of the market in one go,enough for Feiying Gang to digest for some time.
As for the ones worried,it was naturally Tiger Third Master.
Regarding his adopted son Su Xin,Tiger Third Master had no confidence in suppressing him anymore.In terms of personal strength,Su Xin had the achievement of assassinating Dai Chong under his belt.Moreover,his displayed power in the battle against Luo Zhen from Qingzhu Gang had left even a seasoned character like Tiger Third Master secretly amazed.
They were well aware of Luo Zhen's capabilities,a person who had learned real martial arts.He was not someone these half-hearted Jianghu people could compare to.Even if Luo Zhen's achievements were limited due to starting martial arts at a relatively late age,Qingzhu Gang,this small sect,couldn't accommodate such a powerhouse.
Su Xin's victory over Luo Zhen in a fair fight demonstrated his strength.In terms of the forces under his command,nearly two hundred individuals who had cultivated internal skills and martial arts were comparable to,if not better than,the disciples in the War Hall.Not to mention the ordinary gang members he had,which now exceeded a thousand.
Due to fear of Su Xin's strength,Tiger Third Master had endured,pretending not to know anything when Tang Tai and were disabled.However,today,he was so angry that he smashed a cup.
"What does this kid want to do?!Has he forgotten the hierarchy?I am his adoptive father!His boss!Does he still want to stay in Feiying Gang?!"
Tiger Third Master roared in anger,his expression ferocious as if he could devour a person.
Standing beside him,Steward Li sighed gently,not knowing what to say.
Yesterday's performance by Su Xin almost made Tiger Third Master die of anger.
The sequence of events was straightforward.After Su Xin staged a scene of killing chickens to warn monkeys for the merchants in Yongle Alley,they promptly submitted,delivering all the protection money within three days.Su Xin counted and found a staggering 1.2 million taels of silver,a terrifying figure.
According to normal procedure,two-fifths of this money should be given to Tiger Third Master first.Tiger Third Master would then take two-fifths of his share and allocate it to the gang.However,Su Xin had already torn his face with Tiger Third Master.Why should he send money to him now?
So,he only handed over the portion due to the gang,completely ignoring the share that should have gone to Tiger Third Master.This blatant action made Tiger Third Master furious.
"The damn ingrate!If I knew today,I should have slapped him to death back then!"Tiger Third Master cursed fiercely.
Now,he regretted it.He regretted being deceived by Su Xin back then.Instead of punishing him,he accepted him as his adopted son.Now,Su Xin had become an unstoppable force.
When Su Xin mentioned that Chen Dao coveted his position,Tiger Third Master knew about it.Even if Su Xin didn't kill Chen Dao,Tiger Third Master would have found an opportunity to eliminate him for the sake of securing his position.
Tiger Third Master had intended to retire ten years later and let Su Xin take over,then he would enjoy the retirement life behind the scenes.But unfortunately,he had miscalculated one thing:Su Xin was not Chen Dao!
It took Chen Dao twenty years to pose a threat,but Su Xin,in less than three months,had risen to a position strong enough to compete with him,or even surpass him!
At present,Tiger Third Master didn't want to retire.He still wanted to stay in the position of the gang leader,so he had to get rid of Su Xin!
"Master,calm down.Su Xin has already given the money to the gang.However angry you are,it's useless."
Steward Li tried to console him,but he sighed deeply in his heart.
Tiger Third Master had truly aged.
In the past,Tiger Third Master had a gloomy personality,and his scheming was deep.He almost reached a level where his emotions and anger were not revealed on his face.But now,he was stimulated so much by Su Xin's news that he lost control.
Among the thirteen gang leaders,Tiger Third Master's strength might not be the strongest,but he was the smartest.Only he had brought in Li Shiyeh,a failed scholar,to advise him.Unfortunately,the wise Tiger Third Master had completely failed in Su Xin's matter.
If he had maintained a supportive attitude toward Su Xin,even if Su Xin rose to power,he would still respect him.Otherwise,Su Xin's rising fame within Feiying Gang could turn into infamy.
At the very least,if Tiger Third Master remained silent and did not support or suppress Su Xin,Su Xin would still remember the favor he received initially from Tiger Third Master.After all,Su Xin had initially established his foothold in Feiying Gang with the help of Tiger Third Master's reputation.
But now,Tiger Third Master was secretly playing some tricks.It was fine during the last gang meeting,but with Tang Tai's provocation and Su Xin's retaliation resulting in his disability,the news had spread throughout Feiying Gang.Almost anyone with a brain could guess the sequence of events.
Steward Li had advised Tiger Third Master several times,but Tiger Third Master,who had been the decision-maker in Feiying Gang for many years,had long lost the profound sophistication he had in his youth and became somewhat stubborn.
In the past,they could discuss matters together,but in recent years,Steward Li could only offer suggestions,and whether to accept them or not depended entirely on Tiger Third Master's judgment.
Clearly,in the matter of Su Xin,Steward Li's advice had been completely rejected by Tiger Third Master.
After smashing a few more cups in succession,Tiger Third Master's mood finally calmed down.
"Steward Li,what if I suggest to the gang leader to absorb Su Xin's territory into the gang?With Yongle Alley and Kuaihuo Forest,he controls more territories than the combined total of the three big bosses!"Tiger Third Master said with a cold expression.
Steward Li quickly shook his head,"Master,please don't do that.The gang leader won't agree.The distribution of achievements is a fundamental principle of our Feiying Gang.Once changed,the whole gang will be in chaos."
"Merit above all else"is the core principle of Feiying Gang.
Whoever secures a territory owns it,and if even this principle cannot be upheld,the gang members of Feiying Gang would be greatly disheartened.In Changning Prefecture,there are three gangs and four associations,and it's not like they have to hang themselves on the tree of Feiying Gang.If this precedent is set,it's likely that the next day,many disheartened gang members will switch to other factions.
"Master,how about we stop fighting with Su Xin?There's no benefit in it,and we're just inviting ridicule for no reason,"Steward Li cautiously suggested.
"No!Without subduing Su Xin,where should I put my face?Su Xin handed over the protection money to the gang bypassing me,and it was the Hall Master Zhuang who informed me.If he could tell me,others would naturally know too.I understand the nature of those guys;they must be secretly laughing at me for nurturing two adopted sons who both turned into troubles!"Tiger Third Master said coldly.
Just as Steward Li was about to say something,someone came in to report,"Master,Grand Head Hou Tong is here."
"Why is he here?"Both Steward Li and Tiger Third Master frowned,their expressions not looking good.
Among the thirteen leaders of Feiying Gang,Tiger Third Master had relatively good relations with some,but with Hou Tong,it was the opposite.
In fact,no one in Feiying Gang liked Hou Tong.
As a grand head of Feiying Gang,Hou Tong held a high position,but he had a very bad habit–gambling.
Hou Tong was notorious for having terrible luck in gambling.Once he lost,he would be like a gambler with bloodshot eyes,relentlessly seeking to recover his losses.
Although the income of the grand heads of Feiying Gang was decent,Su Xin alone earned over a million taels of silver from Yongle Alley.While Hou Tong managed only a quarter of Changping District and his protection money was not as high as Su Xin's,he still received several hundred thousand taels of silver every month.
Despite this,Hou Tong insisted on squandering this money on gambling,and with his consistently bad luck,he would lose all the money within a few days.
Unable to repay his debts,Hou Tong started arguing with the owners of the gambling dens,to the point where they didn't want to do business with him anymore.
Having no money left,he began borrowing from other grand heads in Feiying Gang,but naturally,when he borrowed,he rarely repaid.
In the end,Hou Tong's reputation was thoroughly tarnished,and nobody wanted to lend him money.Even with persistent efforts,he could barely manage to squeeze some money from others.
Tiger Third Master certainly didn't want to deal with such a person.He was just about to instruct his subordinates to say he was not around when a robust voice echoed from the courtyard.
"Haha!Tiger Old Third,I heard you were played by your newly adopted son.He handed over the monthly protection money to the gang and completely ignored you.Is that true?"A middle-aged man,seemingly younger than Tiger Third Master,walked in uninvited,laughing loudly and taunting.
Seeing Hou Tong enter without prior notice,both Tiger Third Master and Steward Li frowned,their expressions not looking good.
The thirteen grand heads of Feiying Gang had varying degrees of relationships,and Tiger Third Master didn't have a good relationship with Hou Tong.
Seeing Hou Tong enter without prior notice,Tiger Third Master coldly said,"What are you here for?"
Hou Tong played with the tea cup on the table,lazily saying,"Of course,I'm here to borrow some money from you.Don't worry,I'll definitely pay you back double once I turn things around."
Tiger Third Master sneered,"You've said that at least ten times.Stop dreaming;I don't have a single coin here."
Thinking about Hou Tong's words from earlier,Tiger Third Master became irritated.
You come to borrow money,and instead of being respectful,you come in and mock me.If I hadn't restrained myself,I would have thrown you out.And now you want to borrow money?
Hou Tong chuckled,"Tiger Old Third,don't be in such a hurry.This time,I'm not empty-handed.How about this?I'll do you a favor,and in return,you lend me some money.What do you say?"
"What favor can you do for me?"Tiger Third Master looked at this grand head,who was almost at the bottom of the hierarchy,with some disdain.
A faint smile appeared on Hou Tong's lips,"A significant favor,like helping you deal with your disobedient adopted son,Su Xin!"
