Funds

"Sister Pingping, you should've seen how nervous Li Si looked when he saw us. I only shouted once, and he handed over all two hundred and forty taels of silver without daring to let out so much as a fart."

Black Tiger handed the silver to Zhang Pingping.

"He even escorted us out of the gambling house, bowing and scraping as low as he could."

Sun Yan added.

"The gambling house was full of gamblers, and countless people there borrow money. Now everyone knows that not even Baile Gambling House dares default on a debt to Warm Breeze Hall.

"We should have plenty of people coming to borrow over the next few days. You all need to stay sharp."

Although Zhang Pingping had expected this, seeing a hundred and eighty taels of silver become two hundred and forty in just ten days still stirred ripples in her heart.

No wonder so many gangs in town lent money.

Money came in far faster this way than by renting paddy fields to tenant farmers.

It was also no wonder so many people liked forming gangs and factions. If she controlled every gang in Baiyang County, not only would the silver she earned reach astronomical figures, but she would also be able to afford whatever cultivation resources her younger brother needed in the future, no matter how expensive.

Zhang Pingping knew that the further one progressed in martial arts, and the older one grew, the more one needed to replenish blood and Qi. Only sufficient blood and Qi could open one barrier after another.

Every replenishment of blood and Qi cost an enormous sum of silver.

Ever since Zhang Lingfeng had cultivated overt force, he had been eating three times as much meat as before. He had also discovered that ordinary meat replenished blood and Qi far more slowly than certain spirit fish.

Zhang Lingfeng had once told her that, to build up blood and Qi before going out on missions, Wu Yun sometimes spent dozens or even hundreds of taels of silver in one go to buy dried demonic beast meat to carry with him.

A single slice of dried demonic beast meat contained as much energy as a hundred jin of horse meat.

So money was still coming in a little too slowly.

"You both practice martial arts too. Once Warm Breeze Hall grows bigger and stronger, you'll have large groups of men to lead. Take this silver and buy some meat to strengthen your constitution. Don't forget to cultivate whenever you have time.

"When you need to replenish your blood and Qi to break through to overt force, Lingfeng and I will make the arrangements for you."

Zhang Pingping set aside five taels of silver each for Black Tiger and Sun Yan.

The two were devoted and needed to be cultivated properly. Besides feeding them promises, she also had to let them see tangible benefits. Only then could their loyalty endure and take firm root in their hearts.

"Thank you, Sister Pingping."

Black Tiger and Sun Yan were overjoyed.

These five taels of silver equaled several months of income for their entire families.

"You should thank my brother."

Zhang Pingping reminded them.

"Thank you, Brother Feng. Thank you, Sister Pingping."

Black Tiger and Sun Yan hastily corrected themselves.

Just as Zhang Pingping had expected, after this incident, Warm Breeze Hall's reputation resounded throughout Baile Ward, and an endless stream of people came to borrow money.

Some needed funds to keep their businesses running, some were gamblers hoping to try their luck, and some were destitute with nowhere left to turn. There were even gang members and martial arts school apprentices among them.

Zhang Pingping laid down lending rules.

No loans to those with nowhere to turn and no one to rely on.

No loans to those with no houses, no land, and no sons or daughters.

For compulsive gamblers, only short-term loans were allowed, ranging from half a day to three days. No loans beyond that period, and no loans regardless of whether they had families.

For shopkeepers, the initial maximum term was three months, with nine paid out and twelve repaid, starting at fifty taels of silver. The primary aim was to develop long-term business.

For martial arts school apprentices, their backgrounds had to be investigated and decisions made according to their circumstances. Those with good constitutions were to be lent as much as possible at lower interest, with the aim of forming ties.

For gang members, short-term loans were the mainstay, with long-term guidance. Those of value could be given suitable extensions, and as much useful information as possible was to be gathered from them.

Time hurried by.

Another month passed in the blink of an eye.

[Twelve-Form Iron Mountain Fist Middle Section: (212/600)]

"Sister Pingping, we're back."

Tang Baihu drove a carriage over from Zhang Family Gully. Sun Yan hurriedly lowered the carriage step, and Zhang Lingfeng stepped out with a bundle in his arms.

There were many borrowers.

Lending and collecting repayments had largely gone smoothly.

But after deducting their usual spending on meat and social obligations, each repayment had to be lent out again before the silver had even warmed in their hands.

To keep Warm Breeze Hall running.

Zhang Lingfeng had made a special trip home and brought back two hundred taels of silver.

Since he had begun practicing martial arts.

Including these two hundred taels, his family had given him over seven hundred taels of silver in total. Some had gone toward apprenticeship fees, some toward gifts for Guo Wei, and some toward meat and social obligations.

Only a small portion of what remained had been used for lending.

In fact, Zhang Lingfeng had only invested two hundred taels of silver so far. Warm Breeze Hall's accounts had continued growing mainly because Zhang Pingping managed things well.

Of course, Liu Feng had also contributed a hundred taels of silver during this time.

This time, when Zhang Lingfeng went home for money to ensure Warm Breeze Hall would have no funding problems, Liu Feng contributed another two hundred taels as well.

Had he not been without hope of breaking through to Dark Force.

And in the prime of his life, needing only horse, bear, or tiger meat in his regular diet to replenish his expenditure of blood and Qi, saving this sum would have been extremely difficult with a large family to support.

As more and more people came to borrow, Zhang Lingfeng also needed more helpers around him. Tang Baihu, who had taken Zhang Fukang out drinking that day, was summoned as well.

He usually went out with Black Tiger and the others to collect debts, or drove the carriage to help Zhang Lingfeng receive guests.

"This man named Wei He has two elder sisters at home and an upper-middle-grade constitution. He practices boxing at the Zheng Family Martial Arts School and is about to attempt a breakthrough to Dark Force. He wants to borrow a hundred taels of silver all at once for a month, to buy blood and Qi replenishing decoctions and dried spirit fish."

Zhang Lingfeng had barely handed the silver he had brought from home to Zhang Pingping when Chen Sanshi came for money.

Chen Sanshi was Warm Breeze Hall's leader on the surface.

He could approve loans under a hundred taels himself without consulting Zhang Pingping, but this time only a few dozen taels remained in the accounts.

Zhang Pingping glanced at Wei He's information, then handed it to Zhang Lingfeng.

"Master Zheng is as renowned as my master in Baiyang County. Both are experts at Transformation Force Great Perfection. If Wei He has an upper-middle-grade constitution, his chances of breaking through to Dark Force at this age are very high."

Zhang Lingfeng said.

Zhang Pingping, however, frowned.

"Do you think there's a problem, Sister?"

Zhang Lingfeng asked.

"If his chances of breaking through to Dark Force are as high as you say, someone should be funding him. He shouldn't need to borrow from us."

Zhang Pingping analyzed.

"You have a point, Sister. But he..."

Zhang Lingfeng also realized something was amiss.

"Never mind, lend it to him. Perhaps he doesn't want to owe anyone a favor. People like that are usually very proud. Maybe I'm overthinking it."

Zhang Pingping understood what Zhang Lingfeng meant.

For a promising martial arts school prospect like this, the loan terms were nine paid out and twelve repaid. If Wei He successfully broke through, they could take the initiative to waive the interest when he repaid the loan and form a friendship with him. There was only benefit and no harm in that.

"All right."

Chen Sanshi also wanted to lend to Wei He.

After counting out the silver, he hurried away.

"Brother Feng, your medicinal decoction is ready."

Chen Sanmei approached and said shyly.

Now that Warm Breeze Hall had been established and Chen Sanshi had become its leader, his younger sister no longer needed to earn money from needlework to supplement the household income.

Instead, she had become Zhang Pingping and Zhang Lingfeng's personal maid. Whenever Zhang Pingping had time, she would also teach Chen Sanmei to read and write.

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