Drawing up the deed

Without any warning, the Baile Gang was uprooted overnight by Warm Breeze Hall. Many people watched and waited, wanting to see whether Warm Breeze Hall could control all of Baile Ward.

That evening, Warm Breeze Hall hosted a banquet at Drunken Spring House, inviting the Dark Force martial artists Wu Yun, Zhao Hu, Liu Rushuang, and Ma Fei, along with Ye Fan and several other Ming Jin martial artists.

Their arrival made much of the idle gossip fade away unnoticed.

In particular, after people saw Huang Jiefu step out of his carriage, with Chen Sanshi and Liu Feng welcoming him at the entrance, the whole of Baile Ward seemed to fall silent in an instant.

The arrival of Wu Yun, Ma Fei, and the others made everyone realize how powerful Warm Breeze Hall was. Huang Jiefu's arrival made everyone understand that Warm Breeze Hall had government support in wiping out the Baile Gang and taking over its businesses.

The former represented strength.

The latter represented authority.

Together, the two made every petty schemer abandon their ambitions.

"Master, everything has been arranged."

Xu Laiyi pointed to a figure standing in a rice shop across from Drunken Spring House.

"Let's go back."

After confirming that the figure with the stunned expression was indeed Li Hongwei of the Li Clan, Zhang Da left with Xu Laiyi, thoroughly satisfied.

Struggles between local gentry could not be settled through force the way gangs fought over territory.

After all, whichever gang ultimately seized the territory, the common people would inevitably suffer exploitation and oppression. To them, it was merely a different person collecting protection money; their lives remained the same as always.

But a struggle between local gentry meant one Lineage falling and another rising. They truly devoured people without spitting out the bones, and neither side was a lamp that burned little oil.

If someone wanted to crush another Lineage through force and seize everything it owned, the government would be the first to refuse. The other side would also resist to the death, and the other local gentry and landlords would join in resisting.

Thus, the struggle in Zhang Family Gully had only just begun.

Li Hongwei was panic-stricken.

He had never imagined that Warm Breeze Hall could replace the Baile Gang, or that Zhang Lingfeng could gain the government's backing and the support of his fellow disciples.

He left the county town overnight and returned to the Li Clan that same day, waking Li Mingtian from his sleep and telling him everything he had seen, exactly as it had happened.

All traces of sleep vanished from Li Mingtian.

He had already investigated Master Hong's death and established that Wei He of the Zheng Family Martial Arts School had killed him. As for how Zhang Lingfeng had persuaded Wei He, he was not quite sure.

But he had also learned through this that the Zhang Clan had founded a Warm Breeze Hall in the county town.

A mere Zhang Clan had actually dared to reach into gang affairs. Li Mingtian had originally been waiting for other gangs to uproot Warm Breeze Hall and Zhang Lingfeng.

Instead, he had watched Warm Breeze Hall grow ever larger, and Zhang Lingfeng had also stepped into the open. This showed that they had already gained a firm foothold in Baile Ward.

"Father, that Wei He is now managing a gambling house for Zhang Lingfeng. Do you think he might..."

Li Hongwei looked anxious.

"How did you end up at Drunken Spring House?"

Li Mingtian asked.

"I heard some rumors and wanted to see what was going on."

Li Hongwei said.

"Zhang Laochong deliberately let those rumors reach your ears."

Li Mingtian saw through the matter at a glance.

"Then... what should we do?"

Li Hongwei asked nervously.

"Zhang Laochong values wealth over life. He let you see Zhang Lingfeng riding the wind and stirring the waters because he wants those seven hundred and sixty-three mu of land at Little Moon Mountain."

Li Mingtian spoke with a weary expression.

He knew that even if Zhang Lingfeng could kill both father and son, he could not simply seize those several thousand mu of land from the Li Clan.

The Li Clan's fields had government-recognized deeds and could be passed down indefinitely.

Even if the Li Clan vanished overnight, the fields it held would ultimately be confiscated by the government.

Even for the land the Zhang Clan had reclaimed near Stone Village, they had first needed to apply to the government, pay the relevant fees, and obtain permission.

Only then could they reclaim it, and every year afterward, they had to pay the government the relevant land taxes and other levies.

"Those seven hundred-odd mu are all prime paddy fields."

Li Hongwei looked pained.

"The Zhang Clan controls the water source. Before, we could still find people to mediate. Now, the representatives of the other clans must all know that Warm Breeze Hall has taken control of Baile Ward.

"No one will readily step forward to speak for us anymore. Even if they can help, we'll have to pay a heavy price. Since things have come to this, we can only sell those seven hundred and sixty-three mu to the Zhang Clan for a pittance."

Li Mingtian's heart was bleeding.

"Even if they cut off the water, we can still rely on Heaven to feed us. I refuse to believe they can put the Zhang Clan's name on those seven hundred-odd mu."

Li Hongwei could not accept it.

"Fool! If they can seize Little Moon Mountain's water source, they can seize the water sources elsewhere. Do you want all the land our ancestors left us to depend on Heaven for its harvest?"

Li Mingtian said angrily.

"Well..."

Li Hongwei was left speechless.

"Since things have come to this, we can only accept our loss. We're also to blame for setting our sights on the Wang Family's three hundred-odd mu in the first place."

Li Mingtian looked full of regret.

"Then what do you think would be a suitable price?"

Li Hongwei asked miserably.

"One thousand taels."

Li Mingtian said.

"That's practically giving it to the Zhang Clan for nothing."

Li Hongwei paced in furious circles.

"Zhang Laochong will offer five hundred taels at most. Asking for one thousand makes our position clear and lets him get a bargain. Only by doing this will Zhang Laochong let the matter rest."

Li Mingtian corrected him.

"Well..."

Li Hongwei was too furious to speak.

"Come with me to see Zhang Laochong tomorrow."

Li Mingtian knew that Zhang Laochong had let him learn about Baile Ward because he was waiting for the Li Clan to deliver the fields in person.

If they waited until Zhang Laochong cut off the water, this matter would probably not be so easy to settle.

The next day.

Li Mingtian brought the land deeds and Li Hongwei to the Zhang Clan to see Zhang Laochong.

In the end, he sold the seven hundred and sixty-three mu belonging to the Li Clan below Little Moon Mountain to the Zhang Clan for five hundred taels, and personally invited the village head over to draw up a new deed.

From that moment on.

The Zhang Clan's landholdings surpassed fifteen hundred mu for the first time, reaching eighteen hundred and ninety-one mu.

Of this, more than fourteen hundred mu were prime paddy fields, while middling fields and barren dry fields each accounted for around two hundred mu.

"Master Li, Young Master Li, stay for a meal before you leave!"

After successfully obtaining those seven hundred and sixty-three mu, the smile had never left Zhang Laochong's face.

"There are still many matters in the fields waiting for the two of us to return and handle. We won't trouble you any further."

Li Mingtian knew this was a dismissal.

He rose and was just about to leave when something suddenly occurred to him. "That earlier matter concerning Little Moon Mountain's water source was actually a misunderstanding. Had we not believed that girl Wang Fang, perhaps Master Hong would not have died."

Zhang Laochong froze, finally understanding why the Li Clan had suddenly cut off the water and forced the Zhang Clan to sell its fields for a pittance.

So this matter had actually involved Wang Fang.