Chapter 585: The Covert Struggle Begins |
Wu Shen spat “Pah!” towards the fleeing servants of Qin King Mansion. Turning to check the injuries among “his own people”, he discovered not a single member of the Li Family was hurt. They all seemed completely at ease.
Overjoyed, Wu Sheng exclaimed, “Amazing skill! None of our people were injured.”
Li Daoxuan replied, “If anyone got hurt fighting these servants, they’d all be punished to the extent of crying when they got back.”
Wu Shen asked, “Would they really punish such fine subordinates?”
Li Daoxuan smiled without answering.
Wu Shen glanced around. Townsfolk, emboldened, now dared to enter the street. Seeing Qin King Mansion’s servants driven off, they were visibly delighted.
Some bolder, politically astute citizens began analyzing: Qin King sent fifty men this time and still got beaten back. He probably won’t send larger servant groups to fight openly now.
If he escalates further, he’ll actually succeed in getting impeached.
Even if the emperor indulges Qin King, there are limits. The emperor won’t permit Qin King to openly amass large private forces. So, Qin King won’t parade more servants through the streets inviting suspicion.
A bold farmer rushed into the fertilizer store shouting, “I want to buy fertilizer!”
His action sparked a flood of townsfolk surging inside. “Us too! We all want some!”
Wang Tang straightened his robes, rumpled from the scuffle, and resumed his place behind the counter. Smiling warmly, he announced, “Alright, no shoving! Form a line, one by one. Everyone buying fertilizer gets a free gift! One invoice per person—no cheating the good citizens!”
Wu Shen frowned. “What’s an invoice?”
Wang Tang eagerly explained the concept to him again.
After hearing him out, Wu Shen shrugged dismissively. “Seems pretty useless to me.”
Wang Tang’s spirits sank. Even a knowledgeable official finds it useless? Ordinary folks won’t care then. Ah! Deity was right… Too early. Much too early.
Feeling triumphant in this phase of his clash with Qin King, Wu Shen swaggered off, supremely satisfied.
But upon returning indoors, Li Daoxuan summoned Wang Tang, Ground Rabbit, and Zheng Gouzi. “The opponent’s open assaults likely end here. What you must guard against now is their underhanded tactics.”
Ground Rabbit’s eyes widened. “Does Deity mean… will Qin King muster an army to chop us down?”
“That won’t happen.” Li Daoxuan knew Qin King wouldn’t openly deploy troops. Covert operations required planning and patience; haste won’t serve him. Changing the subject, he addressed Ground Rabbit: “Word of our victory over Qin King Mansion’s servants will spread citywide before sundown. With our fame soaring, it’s time to execute last night’s mission.”
Ground Rabbit stood tall, rushing with pride as he recalled the assignment clearly. “At once! I’ll begin immediately!”
He turned to Wang Tang. “Wang Tang! You can read, write, and calculate. Come with me.”
Wang Tang, puzzled, glanced furtively at Li Daoxuan. Seeing the Deity nod approvingly, he followed Ground Rabbit. “Alright. I’ll see what this is about.”
Exiting the fertilizer store, they turned two corners and reached the grand restaurant they’d seen the prior evening.
Ground Rabbit declared, “Our mission: buy this restaurant.”
Wang Tang staggered. “What?! You can’t be serious!”
Ground Rabbit grinned fiercely. “Dead serious. Deity approved. And…” a dark chuckle escaped him, “we won’t stop here. We’ll buy, buy, buy! Every business we can seize across Xi’an Prefecture! We can’t conquer Xi’an openly… but we’ll become its unseen rulers! Mwahahaha!”
Wang Tang froze, puzzled briefly…. then comprehension dawned. Xi’an’s strategic importance to the Ming court meant Gaojia Village couldn’t seize it outright—that meant war. Controlling its commerce was the solution. Master its vital businesses, control the food, clothes, housing, and movement of both commoners and wealthy nobles.
Pumping his fist, Wang Tang shouted, “This is MY kind of battle! Everything I studied in writing and arithmetic—I’ll use it all here!”
……
Two hours later.
Ground Rabbit and Wang Tang swaggered out of the restaurant, clutching thick sheafs of contracts handed over by the previous owner.
Deeds to land, the building, and even the indentured contracts of the lowly kitchen help lay in their hands.
Under the Deity’s relentless mountain of gold, the restaurant changed ownership.
None could resist that terrifying golden tide. If one pile failed, two would overwhelm.
Gathering the entire staff, Ground Rabbit flashed a menacing grin. “From today, I, Mr. Rabbit, am your new Master. I am a tyrannical, capricious, unreasonable brute. Defy me? You’re fired instantly!”
Every employee thought, He certainly looks every bit the tyrant.
Pointing directly at the trembling main manager, Ground Rabbit growled, “You. You just thought I wasn’t a good man.”
The manager choked. “!!!”
Ground Rabbit barked, “Get lost.”
Horrified, the manager pleaded, “No, Master! I didn’t think that! Truly!”
Ground Rabbit drew his sword halfway with a lethal shring! “Out! NOW!”
Feeling the killing intent, the manager hastily grabbed his things and fled.
Only when he vanished did Ground Rabbit slide his sword back. He pointed to a young waiter he’d noted before. “You! I like your face. From today, you’re the assistant manager.”
The waiter gaped, struck dumb by fortune’s abruptness. Stuttering, he managed, “Small… small one? How could I? I… I can’t even write!”
Just as Deity predicted, Ground Rabbit realized. This guy really can’t write—would ruin this place as main manager. Thank the Heavens Deity warned me.
Smiling kindly, Ground Rabbit reassured him, “Not writing’s fine. You’re the assistant manager, after all. A proper main manager’s coming for the books and management. You just handle the daily mess.”
The waiter beamed. “Thank you, Dong Weng!”
Ground Rabbit boomed with laughter. “Right! One more thing: From today, don’t toss scraps to pigs. Dispose of them as you see fit, Assistant Manager.”