Hoodlum 011 02

"Investigate!" the Cult Master angrily ordered his confidant. He had already purged most of the former elders. He had only sent that Zuo Qianqiu away because he thought the old man was getting senile, yet Zuo actually dared to pull a stunt like this behind his back!

Soon, the envoys sent by the Demonic Cult found the Four Seas Trading Company and saw with their own eyes just how booming Zuo Qianqiu's business was. However, when faced with the Demonic Cult's token, Zuo Qianqiu just picked his nose and casually said, "Wait until I'm done with my work."

The two envoys were furious.

"Zuo Qianqiu, how dare you! You abandon your branch without permission to come to Yang City and do business? And you didn't even report to the headquarters! Do you have no respect for the Cult Master whatsoever?"

Zuo Qianqiu smiled amiably. "Not at all. It's not that I don't respect the Cult Master, I just simply don't have the time to go see him."

"Zuo Qianqiu, do you really think that just because you are colluding with the government, our Heaven-Shrouding Cult cannot touch you?" The man's words were full of threat.

Zuo Qianqiu sighed. "With just the two of you, it's really not enough to pose a threat."

"Old fool, do you still think you're an elder? The Cult Master has collected martial arts manuals from all over the world. Our strength is now above yours!" As his voice fell, the man took a combat stance. His knuckles were unusually thick and covered in calluses.

"I advise you to drop it..." Zuo Qianqiu said.

"Cut the crap!"

"Well," Zuo Qianqiu rubbed his hands together, "our branch isn't colluding with the imperial court, we've surrendered to the imperial court..."

"Why are you wasting your breath on them!" A loud voice came from behind, followed by the sound of something tearing through the air. The two envoys turned their heads simultaneously, only to be greeted by countless arrows.

Meanwhile, Zuo Qianqiu had already squatted behind the counter, muttering to himself.

"I was waiting for reinforcements. What were you waiting for?"

"Despicable!" the two envoys roared, constantly dodging using their movement techniques. However, the government runners crouching outside fired round after round, making it impossible for them to cope. These men were using crossbows designed for mid-range combat, which had stronger penetrating power than longbows. In just two or three volleys, the two envoys were turned into pincushions.

Zuo Qianqiu poked his head out from behind the counter. "Great, now we have to renovate again."

Wang Ergou strode in and kicked the thoroughly dead envoys. "Coming here to act tough, bah!"

Zuo Qianqiu looked at the two corpses with some melancholy. "Now there really is no turning back."

Wang Ergou said, "Branch Master, let me take a look at these two..." He suddenly saw the Heaven-Shrouding Cult's token placed on the counter, and his entire body petrified.

After a long time.

"Branch Master, did... did we just kill the envoys from the Cult?"

Zuo Qianqiu glared at him in annoyance. "Weren't you full of bravado just a moment ago? Are you scared now?"

Wang Ergou put on a miserable face. "I didn't know! I just heard someone was causing trouble so I rushed over. Who knew... this..."

Zuo Qianqiu kicked him. "Look at your worthless display! We already have no way back, are we still afraid of a mere Demonic Cult?"

Wang Ergou opened his mouth and turned to look at Zuo Qianqiu's face. Why hadn't he realized this old man was so shameless before? Now he was calling it a mere Demonic Cult?

"Then, what do we do next?" Wang Ergou was still a bit panicked; he knew very well the methods of those people at the headquarters.

Fang Zhiyi's voice drifted in. "What do we do? We make a huge deal out of it."

Zuo Qianqiu glanced at him without speaking. Ever since he opened this Four Seas Trading Company, there had been no turning back for him.

Wang Ergou watched helplessly as Fang Zhiyi found a spot to sit down, and then lay flat on the ground.

"Brother, what are you doing?"

Fang Zhiyi chuckled, then began to shout in a dying, dramatic voice: "Disaster! The Demonic Cult sent assassins to attack this official! I'm not going to make it!"

Even Zuo Qianqiu was petrified. What kind of act was this?

Immediately after, the county deputy ran in, his face full of panic as he played along with Fang Zhiyi. "This is terrible! His Honor has been assassinated! What are you standing around for, carry His Honor back!"

Wang Ergou was even more bewildered. He watched as several pre-prepared yamen runners carried Fang Zhiyi and paraded him in a large circle around the city. The county deputy told everyone he met about His Honor being assassinated, and only after that did they return to the county office.

And after this lap, the entire city was discussing the matter.

Just a few days later, news of Fang Zhiyi's assassination attempt reached the imperial court. Originally, a minor official in a remote area being attacked wouldn't be a big deal, but this person happened to be Fang Zhiyi.

No one cared about his actual abilities, but back when he was in the capital, he had left a deep impression on many court officials. Whether it was his speech or his etiquette, he was very thorough. Most importantly, he never showed up empty-handed.

Even now that he had gone to Yang City to be the magistrate, his gifts during festivals and holidays had never been lacking.

Fang Zhiyi kept almost none of the money he collected from water transport, smuggling, and extorting those local areas. Instead, he sent it all to the hands of everyone who was supposed to receive a cut. He knew that in an imperial court like this, only profit could truly move people's hearts.

You say we aren't close, so you won't accept the money? That's perfectly fine. Since you, a Vice Minister, won't accept it, I will give it to your direct superior. However much I was going to give you, I will give your superior double.

But as for the consequences of you not accepting it, you can figure that out for yourself.

In this imperial court, almost more than half of the officials had accepted his money, so in the face of this situation, they had to speak up for him to some extent.

Following the official memorials, many officials received private letters. In the letters, Fang Zhiyi's tone was earnest, but the content revolved around a single point: the grand gifts he had prepared for them had also been robbed by the Demonic Cult!

If it was just about offering some comfort, it would have been fine, but now the nature of the issue was different. Robbing their own belongings, how could that be tolerated?

"Your Majesty, assassinating an imperial court official! This so-called Demonic Cult is going too far!"

"Indeed! Your Majesty, we beseech you to punish them severely, severely!"

That very night, another major incident occurred in the capital. Several masked martial artists scaled the walls and broke into the homes of several important ministers, leaving behind terrifying letters written in blood. The content was nothing more than a warning for them to mind their own business.

At the court session the following day, any previous voices of opposition completely vanished. Both civil and military officials had only one demand: they must strike down the arrogance of this Demonic Cult!

Meanwhile, several men on horseback were rapidly leaving the capital. The leader was none other than Zuo Qianqiu.

"I really didn't misjudge this kid, his methods are too ruthless..." Riding his horse, he looked back at the gradually receding capital, and an absurd thought arose in his mind: perhaps this kid could even become the Emperor?

At the Demonic Cult's headquarters, the delay in receiving any news from the two envoys made the already furious Cult Master even more enraged. He was pacing back and forth, cursing loudly.

This continued until an outer perimeter scout rushed back in a hurry.

"Cult Master, disaster has struck!"

"Speak!"

"Outside, a massive army has arrived! So many people!"

"Do those orthodox sects have nothing better to do again? Perfect, let's make them suffer a bit!"