The Black River Gang's Tie Wen Scours the Martial Arts Hall for Recommendation Votes

More than two hours later.

Qin Wang carried a gray bundle and slipped back into his rented room in the north of the city.

"Just as a horse won't grow fat without night grazing, a man won't get rich without windfall wealth!"

"Granny Yan spent her life doing evil. She got what she deserved!"

After shutting the doors and windows and sliding the bolts into place, Qin Wang sat on the bed, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes as he muttered to himself.

He opened the bundle and counted the silver inside.

There were a full 466 taels!

Half of it was in banknotes!

"This trip was a huge haul!"

Looking at the silver in his bundle, together with the 100 taels he had brought and the 20 taels his sister Qin Xuemei had given him, he had more than 580 taels in total!

There were also 400 taels buried beneath the earthen house in Qingniu Town, and another 850 taels waiting for him at Li Laocai's manor!

All told, he had more than 1,800 taels of silver!

"With silver, I can buy Qi and Blood Pills to increase my strength—and I also need to study Martial Arts at a martial hall!"

"But before that, I need to go to Zheng Kecheng's hidden love nest and get his internal cultivation manual!"

Qin Wang silently made his plans.

At present, he only knew Ancestor's Long Fist. He had to learn more Martial Arts. With his skill-grinding panel, one day, he would surely attain great mastery and perfection.

Zheng Kecheng had gone to You Prefecture to make arrangements and would need at least a month.

That was enough time for Qin Wang to take what was his.

"I'll sleep first today!"

After practicing Ancestor's Long Fist several more times, Qin Wang dropped onto the bed and fell asleep. Ever since awakening the Intelligence Panel, he had been sleeping only in the early hours of the morning. Having killed Granny Yan today—his first time killing someone—he felt utterly exhausted.

The next day.

Qin Wang opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and invigorated. The first thing he did was check the Intelligence Panel.

Today's Intelligence

1: You went to Granny Yan's home yesterday and obtained relevant intelligence: Granny Yan's son lost 50 taels of silver at Hongyun Gambling House and is waiting for Granny Yan to redeem him.

2: You killed Granny Yan, a broker in the east of the city, and burned down her house yesterday, obtaining relevant intelligence: The county yamen dispatched ten constables to investigate. Granny Yan's son, who was being held at Hongyun Gambling House, has been taken away by Deputy Chief Constable Ji Shun for questioning!

3: You closely observed Zheng Kecheng yesterday and obtained relevant intelligence: Zheng Kecheng has already set off for You Prefecture and is currently resting at Yihong Tower in Fengyun County.

4: You visited Tongrentang Pharmacy yesterday and obtained relevant intelligence: Li Hongfei, the alchemist at Tongrentang Pharmacy, is preparing to take on a medicine apprentice.

5: You visited Xinglin Chun Pharmacy yesterday and obtained relevant intelligence: Xinglin Chun Pharmacy was robbed last night. 1,300 taels of silver, pills, and several ginseng roots were stolen.

6: You consumed Qi and Blood Pills and Blood Strengthening Pills yesterday and obtained relevant intelligence: You will advance to the third-rate realm in 50 days.

7: You resolved yesterday to go to Zheng Kecheng's hidden love nest and obtained relevant intelligence: Zheng Kecheng's villa for his hidden beauty is located at No. 12, Linjiang Villa, Yan Yun County City.

8: You wandered around the county yamen yesterday and obtained relevant intelligence: County Magistrate Chen Hao is suffering from heat constipation. He has been unable to relieve himself for two days and is in unbearable misery.

9: You wandered around the county yamen yesterday and obtained relevant intelligence: Yesterday, Adviser Li Sihai suggested to the county magistrate that, in the name of the River God Sacrifice, the twelve towns and the Four Great Families should each pay an additional 1,000 taels of silver.

10: You visited Yangji Breakfast Stall yesterday and obtained relevant intelligence: Yang Yulin, the owner of the breakfast stall, is distressed over the Black River Gang raising the monthly tribute in the north of the city by twenty percent.

"Granny Yan's son lost money gambling? He's waiting for his mother to redeem him?"

"He still doesn't know that his mother, evil to the bone, is already dead! Heh heh!"

Qin Wang's gaze flickered as he looked at the first and second pieces of intelligence. With a murder case having occurred, the yamen would certainly send people to investigate immediately.

"Zheng Kecheng is on his way to You Prefecture, yet he even stopped at Yihong Tower to rest! That bastard really knows how to enjoy himself!"

Qin Wang narrowed his eyes as he looked at the third piece of intelligence.

"Li Hongfei, the alchemist at Tongrentang Pharmacy, wants to take on a medicine apprentice?"

Qin Wang's eyes flickered as he read the fourth piece of intelligence.

If he wanted to advance his cultivation faster, he had to master pill refining. After all, constantly buying pills refined by others was no long-term solution. He had a skill-grinding panel, so he could learn it too. Producing and selling his own pills would save him quite a bit of money.

Still, that could wait for a while. He first had to obtain Zheng Kecheng's internal cultivation manual.

He skipped the fifth entry.

"Hmm? After taking Qi and Blood Pills and Blood Strengthening Pills, I'll advance to the third-rate realm in fifty days?"

"Taking Qi and Blood Pills can greatly speed up my advancement?"

As Qin Wang looked at the sixth piece of intelligence, anticipation immediately rose in his eyes.

After all.

Previously, he had needed seventy days. Over these past few days, by practicing Ancestor's Long Fist and taking Qi and Blood Pills, Blood Strengthening Pills, and Blood Strengthening Soup, he had successfully shortened that time to fifty days.

If he could continue taking Qi and Blood Pills, he would surely reach the third-rate realm as soon as possible.

He currently had more than 580 taels of silver in hand. He would buy Qi and Blood Pills first.

"Zheng Kecheng's hidden beauty nest? Linjiang Villa No. 12?"

"Perfect!"

"Saves me the trouble of searching everywhere!"

Qin Wang's eyes lit up as he looked at the seventh piece of information.

This intelligence had arrived at just the right time!

"County Magistrate Chen Hao suffers from constipation? Hahaha, looks like he's done too many bad deeds!"

Qin Wang's gaze flickered as he read the eighth piece of information.

"This adviser is no good either. He actually made the twelve market towns and the Four Great Families pay an extra thousand taels of silver!"

Qin Wang knew perfectly well that, in the end, this silver would all be passed on to the poor commoners.

"The Black River Gang collects monthly dues?"

Qin Wang's eyes gleamed as he read the tenth piece of information. In Qingniu Town, there was the Goldfish Gang; north of the county seat stood the Black River Gang, while the Tianhe Society held the east. The two major powers were evenly matched.

"I'll go have a good meal first."

After washing up, Qin Wang was about to head out when he saw three men in green clothes approaching the door. An emblem was embroidered on the left breast of their garments. The leader had a mole at the corner of his mouth, with three black hairs growing from it. One look told Qin Wang he was no good.

"You're Qin Wang, the tenant who just moved in, right?"

"I'm Tie Wen of the Black River Gang, responsible for this area. Hand over this month's dues—five copper coins."

The mole-faced man raised his chin at Qin Wang and sized him up.

"Oh, all right."

Qin Wang nodded, took five copper coins from his robes, and handed them to Tie Wen.

"Mm. Same time next month—five copper coins."

Tie Wen tucked the five coins into his robes, tossed out those words, and left with his two underlings.

"Damn it, the Goldfish Gang in Qingniu Town only charges three coins a month, but Yan Yun County wants five!"

Qin Wang narrowed his eyes as he watched Black River Gang leader Tie Wen disappear around the corner.

That was simply how the world worked. When one lacked strength, one paid up.

The Goldfish Gang collected monthly dues in Qingniu Town too. If you refused to pay, they had a hundred ways to deal with you.

Qin Wang knew of a fisherman with a fish stall who had injured a Goldfish Gang member. A few days later, he had been found dead in a stinking ditch.

"I have to speed up my growth in strength!"

"Today, I'll first scout out Zheng Kecheng's residence. While I'm at it, I'll see which martial arts school suits me and join one!"

Qin Wang thought to himself.

Daytime was for scouting; nighttime was for action.

Please send recommendation votes!