Zhao Hu immediately understood. This was a case of crooks robbing crooks!
Zhao Hu never suspected that Xiao Jingcheng was the "dead" crown prince after his actions today. He just thought Xiao was a more ruthless hooligan than himself.
Looking at the thick stack of silver notes in his hand, what else did Zhao Hu not understand?
Didn't Xiao just want him to launder these silver notes until they were clean and legitimate?!
Moreover, it was five thousand taels! Five thousand taels!
Even if he was only given a 10% commission, that would still be five hundred taels! With such a lucrative opportunity, how could Zhao Hu refuse? An idea even popped into his mind involuntarily: What if he embezzled these five thousand taels...
Xiao Jingcheng seemed to see through his thoughts and said coolly, "If you dare to play any tricks behind my back, I'll make sure you disappear without a trace."
Sang Biao roared and rushed in front of Zhao Hu. His sharp fangs were almost piercing Zhao Hu's skin. Zhao Hu quickly replied, "Don't worry, boss. I'll handle this beautifully, and I'll never betray you!"
Only then was Xiao Jingcheng satisfied. He nodded and said, "That's more like it. Now, hand over 20% of the gambling house's profits from last month and this month to me."
How could Zhao Hu dare to disobey? He quickly told someone to calculate the gambling house's profits for the last two months, took out 20%, wrapped it in red cloth, and respectfully presented it to Xiao Jingcheng with both hands.
"Boss, here's three hundred and sixty taels. Please accept it."
Xiao Jingcheng took the package without any politeness.
"That guy named Zhuang De..."
Zhao Hu immediately understood. "This guy owes our gambling house fifty taels. Don't worry, boss. I'll definitely squeeze it out of him!"
Xiao Jingcheng squinted his eyes and said, "Previously, in order to pay off that fifty - tael gambling debt, he tried to bully my father - in - law. What do you think we should do?"
Damn it, this Zhuang De!
So it was you who brought this... ah no, it was you who brought this trouble here!
Zhao Hu was extremely angry. Gnashing his teeth, he said, "The boss's father - in - law is our father - in - law. How dare he insult our father - in - law? He's really tired of living. Don't worry, boss. I'll make sure he'll wish he was dead!"
Only then was Xiao Jingcheng satisfied. He stood up and said to Zhao Hu,
"Find someone for me. Preferably someone with a similar build and stature to mine. I have a use for him."
Zhao Hu nodded repeatedly. He sized up Xiao Jingcheng. Although he couldn't see his face clearly, it was easy to judge his build and stature. Zhao Hu immediately had someone in mind and told his subordinate to call a man named Tang Kang.
Tang Kang was a big guy. His height and build were indeed somewhat similar to Xiao Jingcheng's. After Xiao Jingcheng inspected him, he was about to leave with Tang Kang.
Seeing him getting up to leave, Zhao Hu followed behind him, bending his back even more. He flatteringly asked, "I don't know how to address you, boss. And if there's any trouble here, where can I find you?"
Xiao Jingcheng gave his annoying face a disdainful glance and said, "Call me General Tunri. If you want to find me, go to the Land God Temple and pass a message to the dog there. I'll come."
General Tunri? Pass a message to a dog?
The dogs in the yard closely followed behind Xiao Jingcheng, forming a retinue that made the man in the middle look like a...
Dog emperor?
Spit, spit, spit!
Zhao Hu dared not go any further when he reached the door. Xiao Jingcheng walked further and further away in front of everyone and soon disappeared from sight.
Zhao Hu winked at a subordinate, telling him to try to follow and find out where Xiao Jingcheng was staying. Soon, the subordinate limped back, crying and saying,
"Boss, I lost him. I saw him one moment, and the next, he disappeared. That General Tunri seemed to vanish into thin air. It was terrifying!"
Hearing this, Zhao Hu's face changed.
Only a highly skilled martial artist could do this. This General Tunri came and went without a trace. He must be an extraordinary person. Such a person couldn't be offended. They could only try to be on good terms with him, or else they would be the next ones in trouble.
No one knew how Zhuang De was tortured by Zhao Hu and the others later, but one thing was for sure: he wouldn't have an easy time.
At this moment, Xiao Jingcheng, along with Tang Kang and the other dogs, was on the way to the firewood shop.
Dahuang trotted beside Xiao Jingcheng, turning his head to look at him from time to time. His eyes were full of admiration.
The little purple - clothed man was still as amazing as before!
Sang Biao said those were bad people who beat dogs and bullied others in the town, but they all listened to the little purple - clothed man!
Dahuang had also taken the opportunity to bite two people in the yard just now. He felt so powerful that his tail was wagging vigorously behind him.
Hearing Dahuang's chatter, Xiao Jingcheng couldn't help but curl his lips.
This stupid dog. No wonder Jiang Mian liked it. It was as simple and cute as a child.
If one wanted to quickly subdue a group of people and make them useful, force was the most direct, simple, and crude way. This was also the inspiration Xiao Jingcheng got from Sang Biao after he regained his memories.
The forces in Dongli Town were divided into several parts. The Chen员外 (Chen, the wealthy landowner) took the lion's share, and Zhao Hu was just a small part of it, but also the easiest to conquer.
No matter how ruthless and evil the hooligans were, as long as one was more ruthless than them, they would submit. This was the so - called "the evil are subdued by the more evil".
Xiao Jingcheng certainly knew that these hooligans in Dongli Town couldn't achieve much. They would probably be driven out by the Pei family's army before they could even get close to Xiao Yixuan.
But it didn't matter. Instead of letting these people run amok and harm the common people all day long, it would be better to recruit them and let them do something else.
Weighing the three hundred taels of silver in his hand, Xiao Jingcheng genuinely smiled.
Now, he could hold his head high in front of Ye Wanmian.
...
There was an unusual hustle and bustle outside Huichuntang today. There were countless people coming to get the herbal tea, and there were long queues at the two free - diagnosis stalls.
Fortunately, Ye Wanmian had anticipated this situation and rented a batch of tables and chairs. She set up a rest area beside the shed. Otherwise, on such a hot day, before the herbal tea was even distributed, a large number of people would probably faint from the heat.
"You don't have any major problems with your body. You just like to get angry. Your anger has affected your heart, which is why you're feeling unwell," Ye Wanmian said after feeling the pulse of a middle - aged woman. She carefully instructed,
"Follow this prescription and go to other nearby pharmacies to get the medicine. Boil it once a day. From now on, before you lose your temper, silently chant 'Amitabha' three times. You should feel better."
"Thank you, Dr. Jiang!" The woman took the prescription and left, full of gratitude.