Ping'an County Town, Hongsheng Cart Company.
Lanterns and decorations festooned the entrance. Red flowers hung above the doorway, red cloth draped the pillars, and the whole place brimmed with celebration.
On the open ground beside it, twenty brand-new rickshaws stood in neat rows, each covered with red cloth.
Several Dragon King Society members held long strings of firecrackers, waiting to light them.
A dense crowd had gathered outside the company.
At the front stood every carriage driver from South City, without exception.
Whether they lived in the shanties or picked up fares on their own, old or young, strong or frail, they had all come.
Behind them stood the shanty bosses and independent drivers from West City, East City, and North City.
Practically every leading figure among Ping'an County Town's drivers had been invited by Abacus Song today.
The South City drivers whispered among themselves.
"Hey, what's all this? Looks like New Year."
"You haven't heard? They say Fifth Brother got everything settled!"
"Really? Didn't Fifth Brother say he was going to ask Master Song about the dues?"
"Looks like it worked! New rickshaws, red flowers—it's got to be good news."
"And in just a few days! Fifth Brother knows how to do right by people!"
Li Gou had better sources. He lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "Shh... Keep it down! From what I heard, he didn't settle it by talking. He settled it with his fists! He punched straight through the heart of that new South City boss! Word's spread all through the Dragon King Society!"
"Good heavens! Is that true? I saw white funeral banners hanging outside the man's house at noon!"
"Would I lie? Fifth Brother will be here soon. Just watch!"
Farther off, plenty of drivers craned their necks to watch. Clearly, word that Qin