Using Both Kindness and Force

Even Zhang Lin was startled.

The last time Xie An lifted seven hundred jin in front of Tang Qingyun, he still seemed a bit strained. Now, he was much more composed. This divine strength had already made Zhang Lin hesitate, filled with both awe and apprehension.

He thought he would have to get along well with this mysterious old man in the future.

As for the other disciples present, they had followed Zhang Biao and were accustomed to being idle and unruly. They hadn't taken the newly appointed old steward seriously. Now, witnessing the old man display such divine strength, they were all astonished and terrified.

Seven hundred jin of stone locks!

Throughout the entire Black Market, only the Great Steward Lin Yun and Incense Master Wei could lift them with one arm. Zhang Biao was absolutely incapable of doing so.

Seeing Xie An's cold, fierce eyes, they felt even more that this old man was difficult to get along with. They would have to tread carefully from now on.

Only Liang Zhi narrowed his eyes, thinking about something unknown.

Wang Xiang lowered his head, gritting his teeth, thinking that the new steward arranged from above was indeed not to be trifled with.

Xie An continued to feign ferocity, "I don't care how you did things with Zhang Biao before. From now on, follow me, and you must work diligently and behave honestly. I cannot stand filth. If anyone does not agree with my principles, you can leave now and seek other opportunities. I will not stop you."

Xie An knew that in times of chaos, people's hearts were not inherently good.

Not to mention the Tiger Wolf Gate, a martial arts sect.

Just the name Tiger Wolf revealed the sect's style.

Fierce as tigers and wolves.

If he didn't use some strong methods, how could he control his subordinates?

As expected, Xie An's display of force greatly intimidated his subordinates.

However, what surprised Xie An was... no one stepped forward to pledge allegiance.

It wasn't until Liang Zhi spoke first, "Your subordinate Liang Zhi is willing to serve you, Steward."

Only then did the others follow suit.

"Your subordinate Wang Xiang is willing to serve you diligently."

"Your subordinate Xiao Liu is willing to serve you, Steward."

"Me too..."

Xie An breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze lingering on Liang Zhi for a moment longer, "You can all go and get busy. Liang Zhi, you stay."

Xie An could tell that Liang Zhi was the leader of this group and held significant influence among the subordinates. If he wanted to manage his subordinates well, Liang Zhi was key.

Therefore, it was very necessary to keep him for a private conversation.

Xie An didn't want to cause problems with the Black Market's business due to poor management of his subordinates right after arriving. Otherwise, Incense Master Wei and the Great Steward would only think he was incompetent.

At Xie An's age, he was no longer impatient. But he also knew that when it was time to be decisive, he absolutely could not be vague.

The actions and attitude on his first day in office were particularly important.

The disciples bowed and retreated.

Seeing that Steward Xie An's initial efforts to intimidate his subordinates were effective, Zhang Lin found an excuse and left with Zhou Xing, saying he would call Xie An for lunch later.

As soon as they walked out of the courtyard, Zhou Xing couldn't help but say, "Boss, this new steward... he really has some skills."

Zhang Lin nodded in agreement, "Indeed. He usually appears polite, but when it's time to show his fangs, he doesn't hold back at all. He's a ruthless character. Coupled with Elder Tang Qingyun's favor, I'm afraid he'll establish himself quickly, and might even overshadow me."

Zhou Xing was a little indignant and made a throat-slitting gesture, "Should we..."

Smack!

Zhang Lin hit him hard on the head, "Are you out of your mind? He was recommended by me, and we have a good relationship. If he succeeds in the future, I'll benefit too. The martial world isn't just about fighting; it's about relationships and understanding people. You Y should learn from this."

Zhou Xing drooped his head, "Got it."

"You know nothing."

"..."

Reception Hall.

Xie An sat in the chief seat, while Liang Zhi stood respectfully in front.

Xie An had been observing Liang Zhi, but he didn't see any fear in the old man's eyes; instead, he was very calm.

With such composure, Xie An felt he had something about him.

If the other party had been directly intimidated by him, it would have been easier to handle. He could have just been forceful. But now, it would require more effort.

After a long silence, Xie An finally spoke, "How many years have you followed Zhang Biao?"

"Five years."

"Mmm, were you in charge of the Black Market's accounts before?"

"Yes."

"Go get the account books and bring them to me."

Finally, for the usually calm Liang Zhi, a rare flicker of panic flashed in his eyes. But he dared not retort. He said "yes" and left. A short while later, he returned carrying a pile of ledgers.

A dozen or so account books, about two feet high.

Zhang Lin had initially thought the old steward before him was just going through the motions, a mere formality. He hadn't expected the old man to actually start carefully flipping through them, one by one.

Drip.

Sweat beaded on Zhang Lin's forehead and began to trickle down.

Even in the dead of winter, he couldn't stop the fine beads of sweat from flowing down his brow.

He had been the bookkeeper for the Black Market for five years; how could he not have skimmed some money?

It was just that he was skilled with accounts and had been discreet. Plus, the previous steward, Zhang Biao, was a rough fellow and hadn't investigated thoroughly. That's how he'd managed to get away with it.

He hadn't expected the new steward to be… someone who seemed so difficult to deal with.

The problem was… Xie An thought the same thing.

Since force couldn't intimidate Zhang Lin, he would start with the accounts.

Having experienced the information explosion era of his past life, Xie An possessed an understanding of human nature far beyond that of ordinary people in this world. He had this much insight.

However, Xie An didn't understand accounts…

For a full hour, Xie An diligently reviewed five account books but couldn't find any issues. The accounts were too complex; this wasn't like the small tasks at a pawnshop.

For instance, the accounts recorded the selling prices and commissions for various weapons and medicinal supplements. How would Xie An know the pricing of these unfamiliar weapons and supplements? Moreover, prices fluctuated over time for the same weapons and supplements, making them difficult to verify.

He truly couldn't find any problems…

But the intimidation effect had been achieved.

Xie An saw Zhang Lin sweating profusely out of the corner of his eye and knew there were issues with the accounts. He then calmly began to bluff Zhang Lin, "Zhang Lin, you've manipulated these account books quite a bit. If I hand this over to the Incense Master and the Grand Steward, I'm afraid… your life wouldn't be worth much."

Zhang Lin immediately panicked. How could he know Xie An couldn't understand the accounts? And how could he know Xie An was bluffing?

Someone with a guilty conscience is already half-hearted.

Coupled with Xie An's previous display of peerless martial arts, his ferocious and ruthless demeanor, and now meticulously examining the account books for an hour, plus threatening to report him, saying his life was on the line… Zhang Lin was directly scared into wetting himself.

Splat.

Zhang Lin immediately knelt on the ground and confessed everything, "Please, Steward, be lenient. Although I made some minor adjustments, I never engaged in major embezzlement, nor did I violate the rules of the Black Market. It's just that my elderly mother is seriously ill, and the medicine is expensive. That's why I developed a slight greed!!"

Xie An inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

It worked after all!

However, Xie An didn't respond. Instead, he slowly put down the account book and looked down at the kneeling Zhang Lin with a cold expression.

The more he acted like this, the more flustered Zhang Lin became.

Thump, thump, thump.

Zhang Lin forcefully kowtowed, "I was wrong. I promise I won't be greedy again. I beg you, Steward, not to report this to the Incense Master and the Grand Steward. I am willing to follow your lead from now on."

Xie An's gaze was stern, "Are you lying to me about your elderly mother being seriously ill?"

Zhang Lin pointed his finger towards the sky, "I have not spoken a single false word. If I have, may lightning strike me and may I die a terrible death."

Xie An nodded, his attitude finally softening slightly, "Considering your filial piety, I can understand. But to prevent this from happening again, I need you to write a letter of guarantee, admitting your mistakes and promising there won't be a next time. I will keep the guarantee, and as long as you work diligently afterward, I won't tell anyone else."

Zhang Lin went completely limp on the ground.

He wasn't a rookie anymore; how could he not know that Xie An's actions were meant to completely control him? With this confession, if Xie An asked him to do anything in the future, he wouldn't be able to refuse.

But he had no choice.

He had thought that no matter how difficult the new steward was, he could still maneuver. He hadn't expected this person to be so shrewd.

On his first day in office, he was already completely under his thumb.

Finally, Zhang Lin dejectedly wrote the guarantee, and at Xie An's request, also pressed his handprint on it.

Xie An took the guarantee, stuffed it into his pocket, and finally felt satisfied.

This wasn't because Xie An was heartless, but because in the martial world, without some shrewdness and tactics, he would eventually be played by others.

Surviving in chaotic times, the wickedness of human hearts wasn't just a saying.

Of course, Xie An didn't intend to threaten Zhang Lin with this. He just wanted to manage the Black Market well after taking office so that he could establish a firm foothold.

Having a sword in hand and not using it, versus not having a sword… were two entirely different matters.

It was a matter of combining both authority and kindness.

His authority had been established, so now it was time for kindness.

Xie An got up from his seat and voluntarily helped Zhang Lin up, "Although you've made many adjustments to the accounts, the way they are organized shows you are talented and can be entrusted with important tasks. It's a pity that Zhang Biao, unable to discern right from wrong, didn't recognize talent, and thus you were buried. As long as you do well from now on, you might even be promoted to deputy steward in the future."

Zhang Lin suddenly looked up, gazing at Xie An in disbelief, his eyes slightly moist.

When he worked under Zhang Biao, Zhang Biao would often scold and insult him, never treating him like a person. This new steward, although strict and shrewd, actually recognized his great talent.

They say a scholar dies for his confidant. Although Zhang Lin wasn't at that point yet, being appreciated by someone made him very excited.

He immediately felt that this new steward had great vision and that following him offered hope.