Chapter 95: Who Makes the Rules

Popular recommendation: Lu Li's gaze was not merely fixed upon the bustling and luxurious commercial streets.

In those filthy, crowded, cramped, and gloomy alleys, illegal brothels, gambling dens, and Five-Stone Powder parlors grew wantonly.

Public order there was chaotic, and dark forces were everywhere.

Under Lu Li's direction, the Ming Cult spread rapidly like a raging fire; in a mere two months, it had taken control of all the large and small affairs of the pugilistic world within Haozhou City.

Inside Lu Zhuang, Li Tong said in a low voice, "My Lord, I never expected you to be able to find a major force like the Ming Cult. With this, the pugilistic forces of Haozhou City are basically under our control, and your great undertaking has become increasingly simple."

"However, brothels, gambling dens... if you want to run these businesses, you cannot bypass the government."

"The Ming Cult can handle matters in the pugilistic world, but for matters involving the government, it is more convenient to use your identity as a Colonel."

"But rest assured, My Lord, I will handle these matters myself."

For some time now, Li Tong had been exploring these aspects, and he was naturally adept at such methods of governance.

Moreover, Lu Li still held the official post of Colonel; although it lacked real power, it made clearing obstacles twice as effective with half the effort.

Now that Lu Zhuang was already a wealthy household in Haozhou City, Li Tong would soon be able to pave a path with money.

Lu Li nodded, and after pondering for a moment, he added, "Brothels and gambling dens can be run, but Five-Stone Powder must not remain."

"Understood."

Li Tong replied, but then immediately said, "My Lord, there is one more thing you must be mindful of."

"What is it?"

"Although the Ming Cult was invited by you, My Lord, once they see the immense profits, it is inevitable that they will harbor ulterior motives."

"As the saying goes, people die for wealth; if the benefits they receive far outweigh the danger of harming you, I fear they might turn against their master. We cannot afford not to guard against this."

"No matter, I have absolute certainty regarding this matter."

Lu Li's tone was extremely firm.

"Understood."

Li Tong withdrew upon hearing this.

Seeing Lu Li's demeanor so confident, Li Tong also felt relieved.

In his view, perhaps Lu Li had another force supporting him from behind to counter the Ming Cult, or perhaps Lu Li's terrifying sword art was his reliance.

How could he know that this Ming Venerable and Lu Li were, in fact, one and the same?

Turning against the master? That simply did not exist.

Soon, the rules in Haozhou City changed.

Matters of the pugilistic world were decided by the Ming Venerable, while the government side was taken over by Colonel Lu.

Because no one else could manage the Ming Cult, only Colonel Lu could reach a tacit understanding with them.

Not only did the Ming Cult's pugilistic prestige soar, but Colonel Lu's official status also rose with the tide.

With Lu Li's dual identities, one overt and one covert, the rules of Haozhou City were his rules!

Lei Luo was Lu Li, and Wu Shihao was also Lu Li!

And those few originally gloomy alleys brought in profits dozens of times the sum of all other streets.

Profiteering!

Who would have thought that the fastest way to make money would be these filthy places?

And these chaotic areas had actually formed a tacitly accepted set of rules due to the arrival of the Ming Cult, and no one dared to cause trouble at will anymore.

For those pitiful people, this was actually a form of protection.

As for the ruffians and small sects in the streets and alleys, they also joined the Ming Cult under the rectification of the Lion King and others, or changed their professions to engage in other legitimate businesses.

The Ming Cult's rules were strict and clear, and both merchants and commoners benefited.

The prestige of the Ming Cult, an unofficial force, had gradually surpassed that of the government in Haozhou City, winning the hearts of the people.

As for Colonel Lu, he was very willing to share money with the constables in the yamen; the shares these constables received were even higher than their salaries, so most of them became lackeys for Lu Li's side.

Faced with such massive profits, it was not as if Prefect Cai had not had his own ideas.

But faced with the Ming Cult led by the Ming Venerable, these small-scale armed forces were simply vulnerable; Lu Li could easily lead the Ming Cult to crush the Prefect's deployments.

Often, the very day after Prefect Cai issued plans regarding the Ming Cult, the news would be leaked to Lu Li before dawn the next day.

The government's head constables, the merchants on the commercial streets, and those struggling for survival in the shadows were all helping Lu Li uphold the rules.

... Three months later.

Lu Li received an invitation from Prefect Cai, inviting him to be a guest at his home.

Lu Li arrived as invited.

After three rounds of wine and five courses of food.

Lu Li and Prefect Cai were drinking heartily; during the banquet, Prefect Cai's daughter actually walked into the hall and played a tune on the zither behind a gauze curtain.

The zither music was extremely melodious and graceful, truly like "the warbling of orioles slipping beneath the flowers, the sobbing of a spring flowing beneath the ice."

It made one's heart itch uncontrollably, and it could melt even solid ice into water.

In truth, Prefect Cai's daughter was very beautiful, her manners were appropriate, and she displayed the upbringing of a wealthy young lady; the young gentlemen who secretly admired her could line up along the long street and still not finish.

And at this moment, her pair of wonderful eyes, filled with autumn water, kept looking at Lu Li from behind the curtain.

After the song was finished, Cai Miss gracefully walked toward the backyard.

Prefect Cai raised his wine cup and said, "Colonel Lu, you are young and promising; I truly admire your ability to keep the Ming Cult, this pugilistic force, under your control."

"But the pugilistic world is only a corner of the empire."

"Pugilistic people are, after all, only pugilistic people."

"My daughter greatly admires Lu Manor Master's character, and I also value Colonel Lu's future. I wonder if Lu Manor Master thinks my daughter is worthy of you?"

"In fact, Lu Manor Master, dealing with the Ming Cult alone must be quite exhausting."

"Why not let us, father-in-law and son-in-law, join forces in the future to thoroughly subdue the Ming Cult."

"Once I am old, won't the black and white paths of this Haozhou all be yours?"

Lu Li raised an eyebrow; it seemed this Prefect Cai was not giving up and had come to play matchmaker again.

And this time, not only was he playing matchmaker, he also wanted to absorb the industries Lu Li had worked so hard to build.

Not to mention letting his daughter swallow up his own people, this Prefect even wanted to swallow up the industries that Lu Li's Ming Cult had established.

It must be said that Prefect Cai's calculations were excellent; he was worthy of being the head of a prefecture.

In fact, although Prefect Cai had not found clear evidence regarding the relationship between Lu Li and the Ming Cult, he had already guessed the key to it.

It was nothing more than those methods; having been an official for many years, even if he hadn't used them himself, he had seen them many times.

Actually, Lu Li was not so naive as to think that Prefect Cai would be completely unaware.

It was just that even if the other party was aware, there was nothing he could do; Lu Li's methods were not a conspiracy, but an open scheme.

But sometimes, this kind of open scheme is even more terrifying, isn't it? If it were an ordinary person, they might agree to Prefect Cai's proposal; even the Su Family and the Wang Family could not possibly block a joint effort between Lu Li and Prefect Cai.

Marrying a beautiful maiden and leaning against a big tree to enjoy the shade was undoubtedly the safer path.

It was just a pity that Lu Li was Lu Li.

He didn't even hold Yuan Song in his eyes, so how could he care about the solicitation and threats of a Prefect? Lu Li said indifferently, "Many thanks for the Prefect's kindness, but my teeth are quite good; there is no need for me to eat this soft rice."

Prefect Cai's expression turned gloomy, and he slammed his wine cup heavily onto the table.

"Hmph!

Lu Li!

Do not think that I cannot see through your methods; although you have the Ming Cult to lean on, you are not untouchable."

"Do not forget who it is that has the final say in this Haozhou City."

Hah!

Lu Li drank the wine in his cup in one gulp and turned to leave the Prefect's residence, leaving only Prefect Cai fuming with rage!

Lu Li walked slowly and soon arrived at Lu Zhuang.

Li Tong was already waiting in the courtyard; seeing Lu Li return, he stepped forward and asked, "My Lord, how did it go?"

Lu Li looked at the sky and said indifferently, "It is time to let them know who it is that has the final say in this Haozhou City."

Upon hearing this, Li Tong's expression turned solemn.

A moment later, one letter after another was delivered into the hands of every merchant of note in Haozhou City.

Naturally, this included the Su Family and the Wang Family.

The next day, evening.

Haozhou City, in a private room on the second floor of Zuiyue Lou.

A beautiful zither player gently plucked the strings, and the sound of the zither flowed through the room like a murmuring stream.

A stick of sandalwood incense burned slowly, and amidst the faint mist, two middle-aged men spoke in low voices.

"Brother Su, this Lu Li actually has some ability; he was able to collude with the Ming Cult and occupy many streets in Haozhou City."

Wang Sheng, the helmsman of the Wang Family, was very fat, and he looked harmless and smiling.

But his ability to control the entire porcelain trade in the Haozhou region and drive away all competitors showed his methods.

"In just three years, going from an outsider to becoming the third largest force in Haozhou City, Lu Zhuang, this youth truly has some ability."

Su Bozhong was somewhat thin; he stroked his sparse beard and sneered, "But no matter how strong he is, he shouldn't have forgotten who it is that has the final say in this Haozhou City."

"Being young and vigorous is understandable, but one cannot be ignorant of the rules."

"No matter, after tonight, there will be no more Lu Manor Master, nor will there be a Ming Cult."

"Hahaha!

Brother Su speaks truly; come, I toast you, Brother Su."

The two chatted happily, and the beautiful concubines beside the masters raised their cups together.

Meanwhile, on the long street of Haozhou City, Ming Zun slowly put on a mask.