Tremble, Mortals!

In this atmosphere of universal praise and harmony, the mayor arrived at the Old Zhang Family bearing the Tax Bureau's earnest expectations.

"Since you have money for charity, you should have money to pay the taxes you owe, right?" Gu Zhaohuan could not help feeling torn between laughter and tears when he brought this up. He had heard about the Old District Gang's grand campaign to go legitimate. Considering the social and political implications, he supported it. When the various big shots applied for business licenses, he had even exercised a little privilege, having the relevant departments complete the necessary procedures as quickly as possible within the bounds of what was allowed. It was his small way of supporting economic development within his jurisdiction.

Yet he had never expected that, after going through all the trouble of obtaining proper paperwork, these big shots had been operating for over half a year without paying a single cent in taxes. Intimidated by their former prestige and overbearing ways, the Tax Bureau staff did not really dare go to their doors and demand payment. This dragged on for more than half a year. Now that the year-end inspection was approaching, they truly could not delay any longer. With no other choice, the Tax Bureau chief had steeled himself and come to Gu Zhaohuan. After all, according to outside rumors, the new mayor, Gu Zhaohuan, got along well with the local powers of the Old District. Surely he could speak to them about this.

"So you have to pay taxes after getting a business license?" Zhang Linmo, whose family had been engaged in unlicensed business for generations and therefore had never possessed such a concept, stroked his chin and shook his head. "So I have actually been an illegal tax evader for more than half a year? After being law-abiding and diligent for so many years, I nearly became a negative example of someone who does not obey the law. As expected, one only regrets not having studied when knowledge is needed. People without knowledge just love making mistakes."

Gu Zhaohuan had already felt uncomfortable when he heard Zhang Linmo call himself law-abiding. By the time he heard Boss Zhang casually attribute everything to "one only regrets not having studied when knowledge is needed," he felt that this man had defiled China's five-thousand-year-old spiritual civilization. Was that idiom really supposed to be used like that?

"But speaking of mistakes, the Tax Bureau bears inescapable responsibility too! Phones and the internet are so convenient now. They could have just found someone to notify us, and none of this would have happened. By the way, since we delayed paying taxes for so long, will the interest be very high?" Boss Zhang, who was best at issuing high-interest loans, immediately thought of the conversion between time and money. Frowning in dissatisfaction, he said, "Since both sides were at fault, then we should not have to pay interest. That is our legal right, isn't it? I can fight for that, right? Whenever we issue high-interest loans, we notify the borrowers to repay before the deadline. Surely your government people cannot be even more ruthless than us? Are you sure they were not deliberately dragging things out to increase our interest payments? That is both unscrupulous and irresponsible. Even our worst lenders would not do something like that."

Gu Zhaohuan was already somewhat speechless. Faced with an illiterate-in-law underworld boss who was nonetheless logical, skilled at dragging issues into familiar territory, and determined to use his abundant experience to persuade others—a man possessing both power and eloquence—Gu Zhaohuan once again felt a helpless sense of powerlessness rise from the depths of his heart.

Meanwhile, Boss Zhang, immersed in his own emotions, had already rambled on and elevated the issue to the level of professional ethics and personal character. He was trying to use all sorts of examples to show that he had not intentionally delayed paying taxes; it was simply that the relevant departments had worked too slowly, leaving him at a loss.

"I'm new here. How could you not explain the rules to me, then hold me accountable when the matter comes due?" The renowned boss of the Old District stated his grievances with an innocent expression, attempting to move the charge of withholding taxes off his own head. "When you processed our business licenses, you should have sent someone over to explain your rules to us. Then nothing would have happened. You take taxpayers' money but do not serve taxpayers. That kind of behavior hurts our feelings."

As Zhang Linmo spoke, he reached out and patted his head. "Oh, I forgot. I am not one of the taxpayers yet. But even so, I am still one of the people. Why do you not provide me with any service? Am I being discriminated against just because my profession is high-risk?"

Mayor Gu Zhaohuan's expression had already gone from ^^ to == . He had never imagined that the usually sparing-with-words Boss Zhang would become so endlessly talkative once he got going. Although Zhang Linmo's mood seemed to improve more and more as he chattered, and Gu Zhaohuan was quite willing to exchange a few more pleasantries with this experienced and highly capable boss, the situation was urgent. Gu Zhaohuan could only bite the bullet and say, "Although I would personally be happy to chat with you a little longer, this is urgent. The Tax Bureau must sort out the accounts and report them to the higher-ups before four this afternoon, or we will be in trouble."

Zhang Linmo immediately thought of the professional equation: overdue repayment = provocation = loss of prestige. He promptly smiled and said, "Don't worry. We are the most law-abiding citizens there are. We will not make things difficult for you."

He immediately took out his phone and called the elder in charge of the gang's finances to discuss going to the Tax Bureau to pay their taxes. Elder Gao Yunsheng, who had long been accustomed to the management model of unlicensed business, said in confusion, "Pay taxes? How much do we pay, when do we pay, and why did no one notify me?"

The speaker volume was high, so Gu Zhaohuan, seated across from Zhang Linmo, clearly heard Elder Gao's question from the other end. Zhang Linmo raised a brow and smiled. "Let a professional answer questions of a professional nature."

With that, he held the phone out before Gu Zhaohuan.

Gu Zhaohuan's face darkened. Before coming here, he had assumed these big shots were deliberately refusing to pay taxes and had therefore dragged things out to make a show of force. He had only come intending to persuade them. He had never imagined that after venting for a while, Zhang Linmo would cooperate so readily. So... Mayor Gu, who had not asked for the details beforehand, had no idea exactly how much tax the Old District gangs owed.

Left with no choice, Mayor Gu had to call the Tax Bureau chief and ask about the situation. The Tax Bureau chief, who had been waiting by the phone all this time, secretly marveled at the mayor's influence. He had succeeded the moment he acted. No wonder everyone said the mayor had connections. It certainly seemed so now—didn't the local powers of the Old District have to give Mayor Gu face?

Immersed in his own reverence, the Tax Bureau chief did not know that this entire affair was merely a misunderstanding caused by negligence on both sides. Even if the mayor had not visited personally, even if they had only sent an ordinary Tax Bureau clerk, Boss Zhang would not have shirked the matter. After all, they had already made the difficult decision to legitimize their businesses. Who would care about a little tax money after that?

After receiving Mayor Gu's notice, the Tax Bureau chief immediately faxed the total amount of overdue taxes owed by the Old District gangs' businesses to the Zhang Family Gang headquarters. Gao Yunsheng, waiting in the office, also sent over the tax amounts owed by the other big shots. Since the payments were being made after the fact, some procedures still had to be completed. But the trembling Tax Bureau chief did not dare ask these big shots to send people over to handle the paperwork. He only hoped that they would make up the taxes they owed; he could handle the rest himself.

Half an hour after the tax notices were sent to the headquarters of the various gangs, the other gang bosses drove to the Zhang Family villa. The moment he entered, Wang Zhaoyi, who was always carefree and whose mouth was always itching to talk, laughed loudly. "I thought public servants truly served the people selflessly. Turns out they follow the same rules as us collecting protection money. If you want the protection of their laws, you have to pay taxes!"

"Isn't that obvious? Although a county magistrate is called a parental official, he is not actually your parent. If you want someone's protection, you have to pay respects and offer tribute. That has always been the way. Still, the money they want is far less than the protection fees we collect, and it is based on income percentage. Those who earn more pay more, while those who earn less pay less. That is rather fair. We can learn from that."

"No way. Your gang collects protection fees at a fixed rate?"

"Ah. Aren't yours fixed too?"

It was Mayor Gu's first time witnessing such a gathering of gang bosses. He discovered that most of them did not possess the viciousness or danger one associated with people from the underworld. Two older men, in particular, wore traditional scholar's robes and Tang-style clothing, giving them a rather immortal, otherworldly air.

As the host, Zhang Linmo first introduced Gu Zhaohuan to the various big shots, then introduced both sides to each other. Gao Yunsheng, who had always doted on Zhang Xianyang, glanced around the empty room and asked, "Why haven't we seen Yangyang today? Did he go to school?"

What a question. But for the Old District gang bosses, who treated skipping class as a habit, it was perfectly normal. And Zhang Linmo, the boy's guardian, answered with complete confidence, "Of course not. What the hell is school good for? I sent him to his second uncle. The kid's too soft. He needs more training."

The big shots all smacked their lips in unison. "Learning from that freak? Be careful your Yangyang turns into a freak too."

"Then he will be the cutest and smartest little freak." Zhang Linmo asked, "Didn't I tell you to go pay your taxes? What are you all doing here?"

"Because we are going together!" Wang Zhaoyi fanned himself with the tax notice in one hand as he said, "This is the first time in my life. We have to make it grand enough to be memorable."

The other big shots nodded one after another, feeling that this was a rare bit of excitement and that they should join in.

And so, over the next stretch of time, the people of the Old District and the relevant Tax Bureau personnel had the "honor" of witnessing a grand spectacle they would remember for the rest of their lives.

Author's note: Thanks to demeter for the landmine ╭(╯3╰)╮

35

Tremble, Mortals!

At 12:48 p.m., the streets around the Tax Bureau Eastern District Branch on the middle section of Chenyang Street, leading from the Old District to the city center, began to fill with an obvious number of passersby dressed like bodyguards in black suits and black sunglasses. They had arrived in large trucks with jet-black bodies marked by gang emblems painted in bright yellow. After politely yet firmly ushering the vehicles and pedestrians from the main road onto the side streets, these black-clad bodyguard-like figures gave the entire street a simple cleanup. They swept away the litter scattered across the road with large brooms, then washed the whole street with water trucks. In less than half an hour, the busiest and dirtiest street in the city center had been completely transformed. Even the withered trees lining both sides of the road seemed livelier than before. The long-unseen cleanliness and order made the onlookers click their tongues in admiration. They all said that if the city cleaning crews could hire sanitation workers like these, the Old District would surely become the nation's most famous city for environmental cleanliness.

After giving the street a simple cleaning, these seemingly bodyguard-like figures took bundles of banners from the trucks parked along both sides of the road. Each person took one and stood along the two sides of the street at two-meter intervals, stretching from one unseen end of the road to the other. They resembled the Dragon Guard lining the road during an official's inspection in ancient times. As black satin banners embroidered with golden dragons fluttered in the wind, an oppressive, silent atmosphere gradually spread. The entire main road became as empty as if martial law had been imposed, yet it carried the majestic gravity of a coming storm.

At the sight, the gathered crowds on both sides of the street began to stir faintly, asking those around them what was happening. Some especially bold passersby even went straight up to the black-clad guards and asked. Naturally, they were ultimately forced back by stern gazes that seemed capable of piercing straight through their black sunglasses and into their hearts. Looking at these guards, whose faces clearly said, "I'm working, don't bother me," the onlookers only grew more curious. Such a scene had not appeared in the Old District for a very long time. Even when provincial leaders had come to inspect the area a few years ago, the reception had not been this grand. Just who was worthy of such an elaborate display?

After watching in secret for quite some time, several knowledgeable elderly people finally dredged up the meaning of those banners from their dusty memories. Suppressing their voices, they cried out in low tones, "It is the Old District—it is the Zhang Family Gang's banner."