White Tiger Hall's Performance

The next morning, at dawn.

As the cockcrow in the east split the daybreak, two disciples were already standing before Jiang Residence, waiting for Jiang Yuan to leave.

Jiang Yuan opened the residence gates and froze when he saw them.

"Who are you two?"

The two disciples hurried forward and bowed.

"Your subordinate Yuan Cong, steward of Wei River Street, greets Master Jiang."

"Your subordinate Yuan Ming, steward of Evening Water Street, greets Master Jiang."

"Master Jiang, the assessment for the second half of the year is about to begin. We were ordered to escort you to Zhu Residence for discussions. The Hall Master has been waiting for quite some time."

Only then did Jiang Yuan understand. For a moment, he had forgotten that he was already a steward. He waved a hand.

"Lead the way."

The Jiangning City branch of the Black Market occupied most of the outer city. It was broadly divided into four districts—east, west, south, and north—each overseen by one of the four great halls, which managed all manner of business.

White Tiger Hall controlled the western district, with one Hall Master, three stewards, and dozens of inner disciples overseeing it.

An assessment was held every month. Rewards and punishments were handed out according to the profits earned by the four districts, with compensation based on merit.

The entire hall shared glory and disgrace alike, but each individual steward also had their own assessment.

Jiang Yuan had achieved the best results in the previous month's assessment, which was why Zhu Hu held him in such high regard.

But now that he was a steward, he could no longer set his sights on merely one street.

When he arrived at the discussion hall, he found Zhu Hu seated in the place of honor, his face heavy with worry.

Below him sat the two stewards, Liu Mang and Ding Wu. Both were trembling with fear, not daring to speak. The atmosphere was stifling.

The moment he saw Jiang Yuan, delight appeared on Zhu Hu's face. He actually rose to greet him.

"Ah, Brother Jiang, you've finally arrived."

Liu Mang and Ding Wu also stood, as though they had spotted their savior.

Jiang Yuan was slightly taken aback. "Hall Master Zhu, what happened?"

"Ah!"

Zhu Hu let out a heavy sigh and said bitterly, "Isn't it because of these useless fools? They're worrying me to death."

"Last month, our White Tiger Hall came dead last among the four halls again. The Deputy Branch Master gave me a vicious scolding over it. Ah!"

As he spoke, he looked earnestly at Jiang Yuan. "Brother Jiang, you've only just arrived, yet your assessment results were the best on our side. Hurry and give us some pointers. How did you do it?"

"This..."

Jiang Yuan frowned. "Please explain the matter in detail, Hall Master. Let us see whether this old man can offer what little help he can."

Zhu Hu nodded and proceeded to explain the situation of the four great halls to Jiang Yuan.

It was rather helpless, really. On the surface, the Black Market was a major merchant association, and its profits came from no more than three sources: rent, protection fees, and business profits.

Since the four great halls had been allocated their territories fairly evenly, the rents and protection fees they collected were not too different.

The greatest difference lay in their core businesses.

The Black Market's businesses were no ordinary businesses.

Azure Dragon Hall's gambling houses, Black Tortoise Hall's auction business, and Vermilion Bird Hall's flesh trade were all booming, raking in money by the bucketful.

Only White Tiger Hall's murder-for-hire business was exceptionally difficult.

Jiangning City was relatively peaceful. Who would hire killers every day?

As a result, White Tiger Hall suffered greatly in terms of business. Only when they occasionally encountered a major job could they surge ahead in one stroke.

Even though the Deputy Branch Master had already lowered White Tiger Hall's assessment standards, they still repeatedly came last among the four halls.

If this continued, who would choose to join White Tiger Hall?

"That is the situation. Brother Jiang has traveled far and wide for so many years, so you must have seasoned experience. Do you have some ingenious method to help my White Tiger Hall?"

Zhu Hu looked at Jiang Yuan with a face full of expectation.

He wanted to improve too badly.

Jiang Yuan frowned slightly. He had indeed traveled far and wide in his early years and come into contact with many kinds of business, but since he had merely been an ordinary man without backing or wealth, much of the experience from his previous life simply could not be put to use.

But in the Black Market, perhaps it really could work?

The Black Market was not a traditional martial sect. It placed wealth and profit above all else. If he could help the Black Market make money, perhaps it truly would be a good path for advancement.

With that thought, Jiang Yuan hesitated for a moment before saying, "Hall Master Zhu, do not worry. I have a plan."

"Oh? Brother Jiang, please tell us quickly." Zhu Hu's eyes were full of anticipation.

Jiang Yuan analyzed, "Hall Master, White Tiger Hall deals in killing. To receive a large number of assassination commissions in a short time is likely impossible, and we would not be able to accomplish it anyway."

"Therefore, we can only make money elsewhere."

"Elsewhere?"

Liu Mang suddenly understood and cut in, "Yes, yes, yes! Rent! Hall Master, how about raising the rent for every market stall to one tael a day, and the rent for shops to one hundred taels a month?"

The instant he opened his mouth, he proposed raising rents by more than threefold.

"Bastard!"

Furious, Zhu Hu slapped Liu Mang across the face and cursed, "One tael a day? You fool, have you gone mad for money?"

"Use that pig brain of yours and think! At one tael a day, would any idiot come to our Black Market to do business? Huh?"

Liu Mang was dumbfounded and had no answer.

Indeed, with rent that high, who would come do business on Black Market territory?

For example, a vegetable seller might not even earn seven or eight hundred copper coins in a day. Coming here would mean taking a brutal loss!

Of course, where there was a crouching dragon, there would naturally be a fledgling phoenix.

After thinking for a while, Ding Wu also cut in. "Hall Master, how about this? Keep the rent unchanged, but raise the protection fee for entering the outer city to three large coins?"

"Shut up!"

Zhu Hu backhanded Ding Wu across the face as well, gritting his teeth. "Use that muscle-packed brain of yours and think! With an entrance protection fee of three large coins, would any moron come to our Black Market to buy things? Huh?"

Ding Wu clutched his swollen face, looking utterly aggrieved. "Hall Master, that was Brother Jiang's suggestion, not mine."

Zhu Hu sighed, his face full of helplessness. "Brother Jiang, do you have any other method?"

Jiang Yuan laughed freely. "You have misunderstood, gentlemen. The way this old man intends to make money is not through exorbitant rent and protection fees."

"Ah, Brother Jiang, don't keep us in suspense. You're killing me with impatience." Zhu Hu looked anxious.

"Hall Master, do not worry. Listen carefully as this old man explains."

Jiang Yuan said slowly, "The way of commerce is, in truth, a discipline of dealing with people. Rather than studying how to take ten taels from one person's pocket, it is better to study how to take one tael from the pockets of ten people. The latter is far easier than the former."

"Though our Black Market is somewhat special, at its root, it still follows the same principles of business. The key is not price, but reputation and foot traffic. Once the foot traffic rises, the money will naturally follow."

Zhu Hu, Liu Mang, and Ding Wu were completely lost in a fog, unable to make head or tail of it.

"Ah, old brother, we're all rough men. We don't understand all those twists and turns. Just tell us what to do directly," Zhu Hu said impatiently.

"Ahem, fine."

Jiang Yuan cleared his throat, feeling as though he were playing a lute to a cow. "Hall Master Zhu, this old man has several suggestions."

"First, cut the rent for stalls and shops in every street market by half."

"Second, abolish protection fees and replace them with membership fees. Anyone who registers for a one-month membership will become an honored guest of White Tiger Hall. Not only may they freely enter and leave the outer city to conduct business, we will also provide protection for their business."

"Third, strengthen protection. No one will be allowed to bully anyone doing business in the Black Market. Violators will be executed without delay!"

"Fourth, establish dedicated reception staff to fulfill any reasonable request from commoners who set up shop in the Black Market. Answer every request without fail."

"..."

Jiang Yuan rattled off seven or eight suggestions in one breath, leaving Zhu Hu and the other two staring in stunned disbelief.

Damn it, has he gone mad? Is this a Black Market or a charity hall?