My money!

Black River Ward.

The middle stretch of East Prosperity Street.

There stood a south-facing, two-story tea shop.

In contrast to the bustle around it, the tea shop was utterly deserted, with scarcely a visitor.

At that moment, more than a dozen fierce-looking men in short blue outfits stood in a row outside the shop.

These men already looked like fiends, and standing in a solid wall, they were frightening to behold. Many people who had intended to pass this way turned around and left.

Only a few bold souls took a second look, puzzled.

They seemed to be waiting for someone?

Then their bewilderment deepened... Who could possibly warrant Ding Ying bringing so many brothers out to welcome them?!

"Brother Ding, who's the new boss?" a gang member asked the burly, bald man standing at the front.

Ding Ying, who had been thinking about the accounts, frowned at the question.

"I'm not too sure. I only heard he used to serve under Brother Fire Ox, and later defeated Huang Man'er in the Five Tiger Generals Selection... but his cultivation seems to be at Third Refinement."

"Huh? Only Third Refinement? What use is that?"

"Exactly. Coming here means squaring off against those two ruthless bastards, Chu Dongjiao and Gu Diao. You need at least Six Refinements for that. What good is Third Refinement? Forget taking them on-he couldn't even beat their underlings!"

"Right. With cultivation like that, he might as well not come."

"..."

Ding Ying remained silent as he listened to his brothers' complaints.

He could not understand it either. Why had Tiger Lord put this

But as his brothers' remarks grew increasingly outrageous, he could not help frowning and snapping:

"Shut up! Whatever else he may be, Tiger Lord personally appointed him. Who are you to wag your tongues about him?"

After Changyou died, Ding Ying had held his territory together single-handedly.

As such, he commanded immense respect here.

At his words, the others shut their mouths, however unconvinced they were.

"Brother Ding, they're here!" a gang member behind Ding Ying suddenly shouted, pointing into the distance.

Ding Ying hurriedly looked over and saw two people approaching from across the street.

One was Che Zhenzhong, whom he had met before. The other wore a fitted black outfit, with a valiant bearing and a long saber at his waist. He carried himself with extraordinary poise.

Anyone who did not know better might have taken him for some household's young master.

But most striking of all was the fishtail design on his chest.

Four tails.

Fourth Refinement?!

Ding Ying's heart jolted. He hurried forward, cupped his fists, and saluted the youth in black. "Your subordinate Ding Ying greets Boss Wei!"

At the same time.

The dozen-odd gang members behind Ding Ying all bowed and called, "Greetings, Boss Wei."

Boss Wei?

Wei Sheng's expression turned playful. I'm a boss now, too!

On the tea shop's second floor.

Wei Sheng sat in the seat of honor, with an account book on the table before him.

Wei Sheng was leafing through it while Che Zhenzhong stood in attendance beside him.

Ding Ying stood across the table, his head lowered, secretly observing Wei Sheng in astonishment.

He had long heard that the newly appointed Five Tiger General was very young.

But only upon meeting him did he discover that the man was even younger than he had imagined.

Of course.

What truly surprised him was the other man's cultivation.

Fourth Refinement!

No wonder Tiger Lord had Wei Sheng replace Brother Changyou.

His cultivation might fall short of Brother Changyou's, but if he made a few more concessions, then with Weiyuan Hall's name behind him, there was still hope of holding on to their last patch of territory.

As he was thinking this, Wei Sheng's calm voice came from above his bowed head:

"Old Ding, tell me how Changyou Tea Shop is doing now."

Changyou Tea Shop was Weiyuan Hall's base on East Prosperity Street.

By how it was doing, he meant everything from territory and protection money to membership numbers.

"Yes."

Ding Ying nodded and slowly began:

"When Brother Changyou was running Changyou Tea Shop, he had seventy or eighty brothers under him, controlling three streets and over a hundred shops. Protection money alone brought in two hundred taels of silver a month, and with the other businesses and shares of profits...

"The total monthly revenue was around five hundred taels of silver...

"But after Brother Changyou died, everyone's hearts scattered, and many brothers left... Chu Dongjiao and Gu Diao seized the opportunity to openly tear up the agreement and take the other two streets...

"Chu Dongjiao didn't even spare the one street we had left. He sent an underling over to cause trouble, driving many businesses to place themselves directly under his name...

"So the protection money we collected kept dwindling. This month, we haven't even collected twenty taels..."

At this point, Ding Ying was both resentful and frustrated.

He was frustrated that he had been too weak to hold their territory, and hated Chu Dongjiao and Gu Diao even more for plundering a burning house.

Wei Sheng's face remained expressionless.

He was furious inside, too.

After all.

The proceeds from the territories managed by the Five Tiger Generals were split forty-sixty with the hall.

Forty percent went to Black Tiger, while they kept sixty percent.

With five hundred taels of silver in total monthly revenue, even after deducting the two hundred taels handed over to Black Tiger and the expenses for the brothers under him, at least two hundred taels would remain each month.

But now, only twenty taels remained...

My imperial money!!

Wei Sheng waved a hand, cutting Ding Ying off. "What do you plan to do next?"

"I... I'll follow your orders, Boss."

"Right now, I want to hear your thoughts."

"Our numbers and strength fall far short of Chu Dongjiao's and Gu Diao's. We shouldn't clash with them head-on. Our aim should be to preserve our foothold on East Prosperity Street...

"I suggest you host a banquet for the owners of the shops on East Prosperity Street, Boss, and announce your arrival, or cultivate good relations with them in exchange for their support..."

"Cater to their whims? Wouldn't that make me a beggar on my knees?"

"Boss..."

Ding Ying felt helpless. This new boss was still too young and did not know how to lower his head. He could only patiently persuade him:

"Times have changed. Let's first win those people over from Chu Dongjiao and collect their silver before anything else..."

But Wei Sheng shook his head. "Who would willingly pay protection money to a gang that inspires no fear? Besides, that's too passive. I prefer taking the initiative!"

"Then... what do you mean?"

"What's the cultivation of the underling Chu Dongjiao sent?"

"Middle Stage of Fourth Refinement."

"Where is he?"

"Zhenglong Gambling House..."

After a pause, Ding Ying added, "The most profitable gambling house on this street!"

"Take me there!"

Zhenglong Gambling House.

When Wei Sheng swept into the gambling house with Che Zhenzhong, Ding Ying, and the others, it was like a huge crocodile suddenly entering the shallows. The previously noisy gambling house fell silent in an instant.

Every gaze converged on Ding Ying.

"Ding Ying, you still dare show your face?!"

A cold shout rang out. The crowd parted, and a man with small eyes and an elongated head came over from the gambling house's rear entrance, his body radiating the blood-and-qi fluctuations of Second Refinement.

Six or seven gambling house enforcers followed him, all staring at Wei Sheng and the others with hostile eyes.

"Shrimp Head, your gambling house is open for business. Are you afraid of people coming to play?"

Ding Ying scoffed.

"If you're here to play, of course you're welcome. But if you're-"

Before Shrimp Head could finish, Ding Ying shoved him aside. Then, beneath Shrimp Head's dark gaze, Ding Ying pulled a chair from a nearby gambling table and wiped it clean.

Seeing this, the gamblers at the table reacted swiftly, snatching up their own or other people's gambling money and retreating to the side.

"Boss, please sit!" Ding Ying said respectfully.

Wei Sheng sat down at the gambling table.

Ding Ying and Che Zhenzhong stood to either side, while the remaining dozen-odd gang members stood behind him.

"Hmm?"

Shrimp Head's expression shifted slightly, as though he had only just noticed Wei Sheng. "May I ask your name, sir?"

"You think you're worthy of asking our boss's name?"

Che Zhenzhong sneered.

Shrimp Head's face darkened, but he did not lose his temper. He turned and murmured a few words to an enforcer behind him, who quickly left.

Only then did Shrimp Head approach the gambling table opposite Wei Sheng.

"In that case, what would you like to play?!"

"Big or small."

"Fine! Place your bets, then hands off."

Shrimp Head grabbed the dice cup and began shaking it.

Wei Sheng casually tossed out a single copper coin, which landed precisely in the space between big and small.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Shrimp Head frowned.

Wei Sheng said mildly, "I bet there are no dice in your cup."

"Ha! You guessed wrong!"

Shrimp Head lifted the lid of the dice cup, revealing three dice inside. "Four, five, six. Big! You-"

Before he could finish, Wei Sheng reached out and grabbed. The three dice rolled into his palm. He squeezed, and the dice shattered.

When he opened his hand again, the dice had already become fine ash, drifting down.

At the same time.

Only then did Wei Sheng's voice follow. "What about now?"