Dismounting Intimidation

The hall fell silent for a moment. Zhang Dayuan chuckled and beckoned to a nearby maid.

"What's one wine cup? I'll get a new one for Young Master Peng right away."

The maid immediately turned and retrieved an exquisite wine cup from a cabinet behind them. Just as she was about to pour more wine, Young Master Peng stopped her. He took the wine pot from the maid's hand and placed it on the table. Then, he looked up at Lin Xiao and said:

"According to our gang's hierarchy, and by age, I'm your senior, right?"

His sudden... ill intentions surprised not only Lin Xiao but also made Zhang Dayuan and the others frown. However, some watched the scene with amusement.

Is he deliberately picking a fight? I haven't offended him, have I?

Lin Xiao thought carefully. He hadn't offended anyone in the gang, and having joined not too long ago, he hadn't had the chance to. Yet, this Young Master Peng was giving him a hard time right from the start, which was rather strange.

Despite his confusion, one thing Young Master Peng said was correct: by seniority, he was indeed his elder. Lin Xiao just wanted to earn some Potential Points at the Song'an Branch and avoid any unnecessary trouble. After some thought, he replied earnestly:

"Yes."

Young Master Peng's lips curved slightly. He flicked his finger, sending the wine cup before him flying to the center of the table. He leaned back in his chair and gestured vaguely with his hand.

"Since I'm your senior, it's not too much to ask you to pour me a cup of wine, is it?"

Lin Xiao's brow furrowed. This request was a bit... excessive.

If they were acquaintances or if he were a subordinate, this request would be normal. But he and Young Master Peng were neither familiar nor in a superior-subordinate relationship. Asking him to pour wine for him was outright humiliation.

Is he trying to suppress me?

Is he so petty he can't stand seeing others do well?

Several thoughts flashed through his mind. He quickly made a decision, clasped his hands in a salute, and said:

"I apologize, Young Master Peng, but I find this request excessive and cannot fulfill it."

"Wow!"

Someone exclaimed in surprise, looking at Lin Xiao with astonishment and admiration. They hadn't expected him to confront the situation so directly, without any subtlety.

Young Master Peng's expression also changed slightly. He stared intently at Lin Xiao for several seconds before suddenly dropping his cold demeanor and bursting into laughter.

"Well done! No wonder you could kill Lan Xinghe. You truly have courage. I admire you."

He quickly poured himself a cup of wine and raised it, saying:

"I'll toast you with this cup."

Lin Xiao immediately picked up his wine cup and returned the gesture, saying:

"Young Master Peng is the truly capable one, guarding the Song'an Branch alone against the Iron Boat Gang and the Salt Gang. I can't compare to such skill."

"You flatter me. It is also the credit of the two Guardians and all the brothers of the Song'an Branch. I, Shi, am unworthy of such praise."

In an instant, it was as if the previous incident had never happened, and the two began to exchange compliments.

However, Lin Xiao knew that this seemingly narrow-minded Young Master Peng likely disliked him intensely, but the crowd made it difficult for him to act out.

But he wasn't afraid. His position as Hall Master wasn't solely due to his contribution of secret manuals; he had genuine capabilities. If Young Master Peng didn't provoke him in the future, they could go their separate ways. But if he insisted on picking fights, Lin Xiao wouldn't hold back.

Although the other party held a higher status, Lin Xiao wasn't far behind. If he gave face and followed orders, what if he didn't give face and refused to obey?

Afterward, Lin Xiao poured a toast to the two Headquarters Guardians who had been stationed there all along, as well as the Song'an Branch Hall Master, Zhang Dayuan. These three held higher positions than him. The rest were either his equals or below him, so he didn't need to toast each one individually.

When the banquet ended, Zhang Dayuan arranged a small courtyard for him within the stronghold, where his dozen or so subordinates were housed.

The next morning, after finishing his cultivation, he was having breakfast and drinking porridge with his subordinates in the courtyard when one of them approached and whispered in his ear:

"Hall Master, Lin Yong requests an audience."

"Let him in."

Lin Yong's visit today was not only to relay the Hall Master's message but also to pursue another agenda.

He brought out a scroll and unrolled it on the table. It was a map. Pointing to it, he said:

"This is a map of the area around the Song'an Branch. White represents our Great River Gang, gray is the Iron Boat Gang, and black is the Salt Gang. Because it's located at a crucial river mouth, our mission is to ensure our gang's ships pass through here safely and to intercept enemy ships as much as possible."

Lin Xiao glanced at the map and quickly memorized it. He asked:

"The downstream area is Salt Gang territory. Can our ships pass through?"

Lin Yong replied:

"This is due to an agreement made long ago between the three gangs. If ships from any of the three parties can safely pass this river mouth, the other parties are not allowed to attack them further downstream. This applies to our gang's ships going downriver and the Salt Gang's ships going upriver."

"Oh!"

Lin Xiao nodded, understanding.

Gang conflicts aside, money still needed to be made. Constant fighting would be detrimental to everyone, hence the agreement. Any merchant ship that passed through the Song'an Branch, the junction of the three gangs, would not be obstructed further downstream.

At this point, Lin Yong continued:

"Every expert from the headquarters is assigned a task. Young Master Peng's task is to patrol a section of the river. The Hall Master has given Hall Master Lin a similar task. Please take a look at the map; you can choose any section not yet marked."

"As it should be."

Lin Xiao's gaze swept across the map, and he casually pointed to a section:

"This one."

Lin Yong nodded and put away the map. He suddenly looked left and right, then lowered his voice and said:

"Hall Master Lin, do you know why Young Master Peng gave you a hard time at the welcoming banquet yesterday?"

Lin Xiao's heart stirred, and he asked:

"Why?"

"Hall Master Lin, you might not know this since you just joined the gang. Our gang leader injured his kidneys years ago due to qi deviation while practicing martial arts. Therefore, he has no heirs and no relatives to adopt. So, five years ago, the gang leader announced that he would select one person from the gang's elites to inherit the position of gang leader. Our gang's Three Heroes are the eligible successors for the position of gang leader."

As Lin Yong spoke, Lin Xiao immediately understood why Young Master Peng had made things difficult for him.

The Great River Three Heroes, although not part of the gang's high command, held a status no less than any Headquarters Guardian, Hall Master, or Branch Master. This was because they were eligible to compete for the position of gang leader, akin to princes vying for the throne.

With the gang leader's successor not yet decided, the competition among the Three Heroes must be fierce. Suddenly, a young expert emerged who could kill a Headquarters Guardian expert from a rival gang. This made Young Master Peng feel threatened, and his instinctive reaction was to put Lin Xiao in his place and suppress him.

After all, if Lin Xiao had truly backed down and poured the wine yesterday, the news would spread throughout the gang. Everyone would know that Lin Xiao had poured wine for Young Master Peng, and his reputation would immediately drop. Whenever people thought of him, they would subconsciously think he feared Young Master Peng, and his status would be diminished for no reason. When competing for the position of gang leader, people would naturally lean towards Young Master Peng.

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