Wenren Xunan, who came from a powerful Huainan family, struck Zhang Xing as a smaller version of Chen Ling, only with several layers less confidence to fall back on. So, after keeping up appearances all evening, the fellow finally bowed his head and promised to vote for Zhao Pozhen as Huankou Town's new master... In return, Zhao Pozhen's deputy, Fu Boshi, made certain promises on behalf of the Huai Prosperity Gang.
From the sound of it, Zhao Pozhen would have to exercise restraint over business on the lower Huai River once he took power... Smuggling, presumably, though it was unclear whether that meant nothing more than illicit salt or maritime smuggling into Dongyi or the Demon Race Northern Island... Then he would reserve a specified share for Wenren Xunan's Yongde Gang.
Zhang Xing could not be bothered with any of it. Quite apart from how little room there was in his head for such matters now, even if he cared, his appetite for power would not have stretched to directly interfering in this Jianghuai gang alliance's internal affairs. To put it plainly, they were not doing this out of respect for Zhang White Ribbon himself. What truly fit the rules of the game, what made these gray-area Jianghuai powers willing to bow their heads, was ultimately the court's name and the Bai Clan's prestige.
Zhang Sanlang was very capable, and everyone was willing to obey him. Some were even willing to respect his personal wishes and let his acquaintance take the biggest share of the profits. But the prerequisite was that he was an imperial envoy from the Jing'an Directorate, and someone brought along under that eldest Miss Bai's wing.
Still, setting aside Zhang Sanlang's thoughts and whatever rules governed the martial world, things had reached a point where Zhao