Chapter 111: Arena Challenge

Could it be that the Northern Beggar, one of the Five Absolutes, Hong Qigong, the Clan Leader of the Number One Great Clan Under Heaven, was actually tricked by someone?

Very possible. Hong Qigong's martial arts are formidable, but when it comes to scheming, he definitely can't outplay these politicians.

So Shi Tong is fundamentally a smokescreen. Having him come to Suzhou to receive the Jin Kingdom envoys — such a secret matter — shouldn't have caused any commotion in the first place, yet the Shi Family actually tolerated Shi Tong's reckless behavior, stirring up all of Gusu City into chaos and making enemies everywhere.

And this just happened to attract all those who wanted to sabotage the Song-Jin peace talks to Gusu, while the real Jin Kingdom envoys might have already arrived in Hangzhou to meet with Shi Miyuan.

The simplest "openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing at Chencang."

Perhaps Shi Tong's death was also within the Shi Family's expectations — fundamentally a discarded pawn, placed here just to be killed.

Then within a few days, one or several so-called Jin Kingdom envoys will appear in Gusu. At that time, either someone like Hong Qigong will make a move wanting to obtain evidence of Shi Miyuan selling out the Great Song's interests, or some martial artists will simply kill them all, even if it ruins the peace talks.

This is destined to be a trap. At that time, those opposing Shi Miyuan, including those martial arts masters, will inevitably suffer huge losses.

So the Shi Family's people are actually just waiting for Shi Tong to die, and no matter how Shi Tong dies, they won't suspect these local Gusu clans.

The only problem is, because of the variable Wu Chengyu, Shi Tong died too fast, too early.

Hong Qigong has only just arrived; the rest who got the news are probably still rushing here. The fake Jin Kingdom envoys need to pretend for a few more days before arriving; the trap hasn't been set yet, but Shi Tong keeled over and croaked, and then both sides were left dumbfounded together.

And them sending Shi Chang over now should be to round things back up.

All of this is merely Wu Chengyu's guesswork, with no one to verify it. Because it involved Hong Qigong's exchange of blows, Wu Chengyu also didn't tell Wu Zhengliang. These people from the various Gusu clans present don't know anything about Jin Kingdom envoys.

While Wu Chengyu's thoughts wandered, Shi Chang continued: "Previously, my elder brother came to Gusu to develop businesses and received help from quite a few Gusu friends. Of course, he was somewhat impatient in his actions and also made many clans unhappy.

My Shi Family has never bullied others by relying on power; it was my elder brother who was wrong. Shi Chang apologizes to all of you here on behalf of my elder brother.

Now my elder brother has died from a malignant illness, but debts don't vanish with death. The cooperation proposals my elder brother previously made with all of you can also continue, to be undertaken by me, Shi Chang.

And those matters of dispute between us and all of you must also reach a settlement."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shi Chang produced an account book. On it were actually the industries Shi Tong had extorted since arriving in Gusu not long ago, as well as those so-called plans named cooperation but actually meant to take advantage.

For example, his money-changing business with the Ling Family of Gusu — he wanted to buy shares. The Ling Family happened to want to expand operations in Hangzhou, and borrowing the Shi Family's influence, they immediately agreed. As a result, Shi Tong demanded one-tenth of the silver but six-tenths of the shares. The Ling Family fell out with him on the spot.

Another example: Shi Tong wanted the operating rights to the iron mine currently owned by the Wu Family. The result was he only wanted to get something for nothing — a few hundred taels of silver to brush them off.

Actually, the Gusu clans wanted to cooperate with the Shi Family. Shi Miyuan was clearly going to rise to power; official-merchant collaboration was the best way to make money, and could expand their own businesses to Hangzhou. But Shi Tong's methods would only turn everyone into enemies.

Next, Shi Chang proposed different plans for each clan — practical and feasible, no longer pure robbery — but regarding the Shi Family's interests, he haggled over every penny, not yielding an inch.

Shi Chang's plans were simple: pay however much money should be paid, but the Shi Family must hold the leading position.

Cooperating with the Ling Family on the money-changing business was fine — still six-tenths of the shares, not a penny less — but the Ling Family was unwilling to have their money-changing business surnamed Shi in the future.

For the Wu Family, he proposed purchasing the operating rights to the iron mine — no problem — but the hidden benefits represented by this resource are extremely numerous. Yet Shi Chang only offered the true market price on the surface. So why would the Wu Family sell?

For a moment, the second floor of De Yue Lou became like a vegetable market. Every clan was contending for their own interests. Wu Chengyu watched coldly from the sidelines.

Shi Chang came running to handle Shi Tong's affairs, and it turned into a business negotiation? This is clearly another smokescreen — who knows who it's being performed for.

Just as Wu Chengyu thought, Shi Chang soon called a halt and proposed his own new plan.

"I know all clans want to cooperate. The Shi Family can give you things you normally can't get, but the Great Clan doesn't want to suffer losses either.

Since that's the case, why not work out a compromise? I will negotiate two different contracts with each clan.

One where my Shi Family profits and all of you follow my Shi Family to make money afterwards; one where all of you benefit greatly, my Shi Family takes a bit of a loss, but is also willing to make more friends, so we can cooperate more in the future.

As for which contract to choose, why not have a martial arts friendship tournament? I have three experts here, plus two more arriving tonight.

I've heard that the scions of Gusu's great clans all practice martial arts from childhood — every one a good hand. Or your clans have masters serving as retainers. Or I give everyone ten days to recruit experts from outside to fight on your behalf.

As long as your people beat my subordinates, the contract will prioritize your benefits. If you lose the arena fight, we'll proceed according to my Shi Family's rules. How about it?"

Shi Chang's method is no different from some gangs seizing territory — even more simple and crude, just finding masters to duel one-on-one.

The scene fell instantly silent. Everyone was calculating how to maximize their own gain, or whether their family had someone who could fight in the arena, and whether they could win.

Wu Chengyu's three uncles looked at him in unspoken agreement. Wu Chengyu smiled bitterly, knowing that if the Wu Family needed someone to fight, there was no one but him.

And Shi Chang's method — or scheme — wasn't actually targeting the various clans. As long as Wu Chengyu won, the clan could gain substantial benefits. What Song-Jin peace talks, what traps and ambushes — actually had nothing to do with the Wu Family.

In Wu Chengyu's view, Shi Chang wants to muddy the waters, create a scene in Gusu to attract everyone's attention.

The key lies in that sentence giving the clans time to go find masters to fight in their stead.

Where would so many masters come from in a short time? Precisely recently there must be quite a few people running to Gusu. Then these people arriving will definitely not escape the notice of Gusu's various local power brokers.

No need for the Shi Family to use any bait — these people can't hide themselves.

Then stir up some schemes — for example, fake Jin Kingdom envoys appear, set a trap. Even if they can't catch all these people in one net, they can drag them down in Gusu.

Then Shi Miyuan's secret meeting with the Jin Kingdom envoys will proceed smoothly, with no one able to interfere.

Wu Chengyu doesn't know if his guess is right, but the Shi Family's actions clearly have another purpose.

But Wu Chengyu doesn't want to expose it, because historically Shi Miyuan did successfully negotiate peace with the Jin Kingdom. This fundamentally wasn't decided by Shi Miyuan alone — the War Faction had already declined, and from the Emperor down to the ministers, the court all wanted peace.

The difference is only that Shi Miyuan wants to use this matter to expand his own status and power in the court.

With the court already like this, how to stop it? Wu Chengyu couldn't think of a way, so he could only preserve himself.

(Chapter End)