Chapter 112

In the black market.

“Master Li.”

When Yang Deliu saw Li Rui arrive, his sycophantic smile appeared automatically.

“Go about your business.”

Li Rui waved his hand.

Seeing Yang Deliu hesitate, his expression uncertain, he pressed: “Something wrong?”

Yang Deliu: “Master Li, lately many people have come to Qinghe, several wanting to buy shops in the black market. I was thinking of raising the prices.”

“Oh?”

“Who?”

Yang Deliu listed them off: “The Zhang family, the Wang family, the Bai family from Anning Prefecture, the Nine Blades Gate, the Hu Ben Martial Hall.”

He rattled off a long string.

Li Rui raised an eyebrow.

He had anticipated many outside factions would arrive after Qinghe established its guard battalion, but not this many.

Their hands reached the black market so quickly.

The Tian Di Alliance’s Qinghe branch is powerful, but only within Qinghe.

Compared to the forces of Anning Prefecture, it’s far inferior.

With so many factions pouring in, a single Dao Xiong can no longer hold the ground. He thought:

“They’ll likely need to send at least a vice-chairman.”

This situation is common in the imperial bureaucracy.

For example, in the neighboring Huayin Prefecture, one large county’s magistrate is a fifth-rank official—only half a rank below the prefect, wielding immense authority.

Qinghe will probably be the same.

Even the clerks in the county government office may be replaced entirely.

After pondering, he turned to Yang Deliu: “I’m aware of this matter.”

Then he walked deeper into the black market.

As he stepped into the black market’s wooden building, a middle-aged man stood behind the door.

“A master!”

Li Rui’s heart jolted.

The man carried an air of distinction; crucially, his breath came ten times slower than an ordinary man’s—long, steady breaths being a key measure of a martial artist’s strength.

“Vice-Branch Master Li?”

The middle-aged man’s lips curled slightly: “I’m Zhang Hao, from the Zhang family of Hegu County.”

The Hegu Zhang family.

One of the “One Alliance, Two Gangs, Three Families.”

Clearly, they had already sized him up thoroughly.

Li Rui’s expression remained calm, showing no trace of having killed the man’s son.

“So you’re Second Master Zhang.”

Zhang Hao bowed: “Vice-Branch Master Li, I’ve come regarding the black market. The Zhang family wishes to purchase ten shops here. Please name your price.”

Ten shops!

The Zhang family is truly making a bold move.

They’d take nearly a third of the black market’s shops at once.

Li Rui paused: “Second Master Zhang, I, as a vice-branch master, cannot decide this alone. I must consult the branch master first.”

Zhang Hao nodded: “Naturally.”

He was straightforward enough.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Li Rui, he swept his sleeve and departed decisively.

“Just as the rumors described.”

He’d heard this Second Master Zhang acted swiftly and decisively, and was formidable in combat—responsible for most of the Zhang family’s expansions.

“It seems the Zhang family plans to pour a lot of money into Qinghe.”

Li Rui thought.

He had killed Zhang Hao’s son. A son’s death is a grave grudge; luckily, he’d covered his tracks well, or Zhang Hao would have come for his life.

It wasn’t that he cared much for the son—it was about the Zhang family’s face.

A seventh-rank martial artist.

Not someone he could afford to provoke.

“I’ll tell Dao Xiong about all this.”

Li Rui decided.

Passing the hot potato to one’s superior is the proper way to use a superior.

The Zhang family is only the beginning.

More factions will come to buy shops; the black market’s shops are limited, and deciding whom to sell to, and how many, is a headache—any choice risks offending someone.

Zhang Hao’s personal visit to the black market represents the Zhang family’s will.

He’s applying pressure to the Qinghe branch first. Li Rui has no intention of taking that pressure.

Outside the black market.

A middle-aged guard followed Zhang Hao, whispering:

“Second Master, that old man is slippery—he won’t easily let us buy the shops.”

Zhang Hao dismissed it: “No matter. He’s just an old man.”

“Just probing the snake.”

The guard praised: “Second Master, your wisdom is unmatched.”

Zhang Hao knew well: Li Rui was merely the black market’s guard captain. This matter required at least Dao Xiong’s approval, possibly even a vice-chairman.

He was using Li Rui to test the Tian Di Alliance’s stance.

Not the black market.

But the Alliance’s stance toward the Zhang family.

The Zhang family and the Tian Di Alliance had little interaction—always coexisted peacefully. This incident would reveal whether they were enemies or allies in Qinghe.

=9+ Shu _ Ba

Thinking of this, Zhang Hao quickened his pace.

Having come to Qinghe, he still had many families to visit personally.

As he walked, he asked: “By the way, have you found Zhang He?”

The middle-aged guard shook his head: “We’ve sent men to search. Third Young Master entered Shihézi Gully, then the trail went cold. He’s likely dead.”

Zhang Hao snorted: “Alive, bring me the body. Dead, bring me the corpse.”

“If he was murdered, find the killer.”

“No one dares touch a Zhang family member!”

A flash of cold light passed through Zhang Hao’s eyes.

A family’s external prestige is vital—otherwise, it invites bullying.

He would not allow it.

The middle-aged guard bowed solemnly: “Yes!”

Evening.

Li Rui stepped out of Dao Xiong’s residence.

He had told Dao Xiong everything about the black market.

It was clear.

During this time, many others had also visited Dao Xiong—after all, the Tian Di Alliance’s holdings in Qinghe had grown too numerous.

Previously, it had been fine.

Now, to hold them all, Dao Xiong alone, even at the peak of eighth-rank, was insufficient.

But that was none of Li Rui’s concern.

Back at his residence.

He had just finished dinner with Yang Yong and Wang Zhao when a knock came at the door.

He opened it.

There stood Zhang Yang, grinning.

“Big Brother Li, I’ve got news—good news!”

Li Rui’s heart stirred slightly; he invited Zhang Yang in: “Young Brother Zhang, come in first.”

They sat down.

Li Rui brewed a pot of tea, then asked calmly: “Young Brother Zhang, what’s this urgent news that’s got you so excited?”

Zhang Yang sipped his tea.

He couldn’t help but admire Li Rui’s composure.

A mountain collapsing before him without changing expression—that’s exactly the kind of man Li Rui was.

He spoke: “Annan Town isn’t just setting up a guard battalion in our Qinghe— the Assistant Regional Commander is said to be a General surnamed Cao, but can you guess who among the five Garrison Commanders it is?”

“Someone we know!”

With Zhang Yang teasing him like that, Li Rui grew curious.

“I can’t guess.”

Zhang Yang grinned: “It’s our Heaven and Earth Alliance’s Alliance Master Ning!”

“Alliance Master Ning!”

Li Rui was secretly startled.

Recalling Dao Xiong’s expression earlier, he suddenly understood— no wonder Dao Xiong hadn’t seemed interested in the black market matter.

He must have gotten word already.

A powerful patron is coming.

Li Rui was puzzled.

If it were only this, it didn’t seem worth Zhang Yang’s excitement.

Zhang Yang looked proud:

“That brat Liu Tong actually has some conscience—he sent the news. Not only is Alliance Master Ning taking up the post of Garrison Commander here in Anning Guard, but he’s also said to be selecting a few people from our Heaven and Earth Alliance to serve in Anning Guard.”

He added with a grin:

“To be an official!”

(End of chapter)