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The East District Yamen.

Huang Jiefu was drilling his subordinates.

He had just taken his men out to patrol his jurisdiction and returned. There were many edible and useful things in the courtyard.

As the head bailiff, Huang Jiefu commanded a large group of subordinates. Within his jurisdiction he cut a very imposing figure, and his men held him in deep awe.

"All of you, perk up your spirits and come with me to the Warm Breeze Hall tonight."

Huang Jiefu said.

"Understood!"

The crowd wore excited expressions.

Everyone knew that going out with Huang Jiefu always brought good things, or at least ensured they would not go hungry.

Just as Zhang Lingfeng had anticipated, Ye Fan had come to find Huang Jiefu in the morning, asking Huang Jiefu to put pressure on Zhang Lingfeng. Huang Jiefu had precisely that intention.

The Warm Breeze Hall had risen too quickly. He had originally expected it to fight with the Baile Gang for a long time, during which he could reap some benefits and have Zhang Lingfeng and Dong Wenhan rack their brains to curry favor with him.

He had not expected the Baile Gang to be swept away by the Warm Breeze Hall overnight, with all its properties and personnel absorbed for the Warm Breeze Hall's use.

Although the Warm Breeze Hall, just like the Baile Gang, continued to turn over its earnings to the yamen, he always felt as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly.

Because the profits he scraped from it were about the same as what Dong Wenhan had held back from the Baile Ward. Though they were indeed somewhat more, they fell far short of his expected results.

He would just use tonight to put some pressure on Zhang Lingfeng, to see if he could raise their cut of the profits from sixty percent to seventy percent.

First, his purse would bulge.

Second, he could also do Ye Fan a favor.

One had to know that Ye Fan possessed top-tier bone structure and would take the martial examination next year, with a high probability of securing an upper-grade result. If he served as an official in the yamen in the future, his starting rank would be at least a bailiff captain.

He would be Huang Jiefu's immediate superior, so Huang Jiefu did not dare to offend him, and this favor had to be granted.

Third, he could take the opportunity to suppress Zhang Lingfeng and prevent the Warm Breeze Hall from getting out of hand. It could be called killing three birds with one stone.

That was why he specifically drilled his subordinates, hoping they would put forth their best energy and vigor to overawe that bunch from the Warm Breeze Hall tonight.

"Sir, there is a leader at the gate calling himself Hei Hu of the Warm Breeze Hall who wants to see you."

A bailiff reported.

"Hei Hu? I won't see him!"

Huang Jiefu had no impression of Hei Hu. Even if he did, a mere minor leader-as long as Zhang Lingfeng did not visit in person-was not someone he would bother with.

"He says he has something important to tell you and asks that you definitely see him."

The bailiff's pocket drooped slightly as he pressed on in spite of his misgivings.

"Let him in."

"Understood!"

Huang Jiefu felt strange. How dared a mere minor leader run to the yamen to find him in person? Could it be that Zhang Lingfeng had come to grease the wheels? But even then he shouldn't have sent a minor leader. He would grant an audience and see first.

Not long after the bailiff ran out, he led Hei Hu before Huang Jiefu.

Among the outer-court apprentices, Hei Hu was rugged and thick-limbed. Although he had not yet cultivated Ming Jin, he also commanded a group of fellows in the Warm Breeze Hall, having mastered the skill of reading expressions under Zhang Pingping's strict training.

When he entered, he saw Huang Jiefu half-reclining on an armchair, while a group of his subordinate bailiffs practiced a saber technique. The name of the saber technique was the Ghost Bailiff Saber Technique.

It was an entry-level saber technique.

Bailiffs were divided into two categories: official roster and unofficial.

Official bailiffs needed to possess Ming Jin cultivation and generally could lead six or seven unofficial bailiffs. Unofficial bailiffs were people who had practiced fist and saber techniques but had never managed to cultivate Ming Jin.

Yet whether they were official bailiffs or unofficial ones, wanting to make a living in the yamen required navigating numerous human connections.

Even if an ordinary person cultivated Ming Jin, without personal connections and background, it was very difficult to squeeze into the yamen.

Because of this, Huang Jiefu was able to throw his weight around and lord it over his jurisdiction.

He himself was a third-class xiucai with Dark Force cultivation, and commanded over a dozen Ming Jin martial artists under him. Although they had been corroded by grease and profits over the years and everyone's skills were neglected from lack of practice, once he put on that official uniform, who dared not show him respect?

He did not look at Hei Hu with a straight glance.

Half-reclining in the armchair, with his right foot hooked over the backrest, he waited for Hei Hu to explain himself.

"Lord Huang, my Master Zhang sent me to invite you to a banquet at the Drunken Spring House tonight."

Hei Hu said, bending his waist.

"I don't have time."

Huang Jiefu snorted coldly.

Thinking to dismiss him with a single meal-how could it be that easy?

To obtain maximum benefits, he had to make Zhang Lingfeng show some capability. Only then would Zhang Lingfeng be obedient, and only then would he go to seek help from Ye Fan; then he and Ye Fan could reap the benefits together.

He received financial support from Zhang Lingfeng.

Ye Fan received sponsorship from Zhang Lingfeng.

"Senior Brother Ma, Senior Brother Yang, Senior Brother Zhao, Senior Sister Liu, Senior Brother Wu and the others will all be present."

Hei Hu said with a bent waist and a smile.

"Even if Master Guo were present, I wouldn't have time."

Huang Jiefu wore a disdainful expression.

For Zhang Lingfeng to try to pressure him with those senior brothers of Dark Force cultivation from the inner court was wishful thinking. He could give Ma Fei and the others face, but Ma Fei and the others would never dare to fall out with him over Zhang Lingfeng, because it was not worth it.

"Master Guo will indeed be going as well."

Hei Hu straightened his waist slightly and said.

Huang Jiefu's expression froze. He took his right foot down from the backrest, sat up straight, and asked, "What did you say? Master Guo is going?"

"Yes, Senior Brother Ye will be going together with him as well."

Hei Hu added.

"Young Master Ye is going too?"

Huang Jiefu felt even more strange. Putting pressure on Zhang Lingfeng was what Ye Fan had come to him about; why would they attend a banquet together tonight? At the same time, if Zhang Lingfeng had been able to invite Guo Wei, would it have been Ye Fan's turn to come here and make irresponsible remarks?

"Mm, all the senior and junior brothers from the inner court will be going."

Hei Hu nodded.

"Your Master Zhang, in order to invite me to a banquet, actually managed to persuade Master Guo?"

Huang Jiefu felt suspicious.

"You misunderstand, Milord. Tonight Senior Brother Ma is acting as the host and hosting a banquet at the Drunken Spring House for my Master Zhang, and my Master Zhang specifically sent me to invite you to go along."

Hei Hu explained.

"Ah?"

Huang Jiefu's expression turned bizarre. He pondered for a moment before sneering, "Ma Fei is the inner court's senior head disciple. For no rhyme or reason, why would he invite Zhang Lingfeng to drink?"

It seemed Zhang Lingfeng must have received word in advance, knowing that he was going to press him tonight, and so was using Ma Fei to pressure him, wanting him to know when to stop.

As for Guo Wei's attendance, that brat was probably just talking nonsense.

"Master Zhang has cultivated Dark Force."

Hei Hu straightened his back, speaking neither servilely nor overbearingly.

Huang Jiefu's expression instantly stiffened.

He involuntarily stood up from the armchair.

Asking with some uncertainty, "You're saying Zhang Lingfeng has cultivated Dark Force?"

"Lord Huang heard correctly. Because of this, Senior Brother Ma is holding a banquet at the Drunken Spring House to celebrate for Master Zhang. Many senior and junior brothers of the inner court are scrambling to host banquets for Master Zhang.

I'm afraid for some time in the future, Master Zhang will be busy socializing everywhere. That's why, fearing that he might not be able to see you henceforth, he sent me to invite you to attend together tonight."

Hei Hu said with a calm expression.

Huang Jiefu kept watching Hei Hu. Seeing that Hei Hu's eyes did not dodge and his breathing was natural and steady, he couldn't help letting his hand fall onto Hei Hu's shoulder and laughing, "Hahaha, your Master Zhang has a heart. Tell him that Huang will definitely be at the venue tonight, allow me to prepare some gifts, and tonight we shall drink until we are dead drunk."

"Many thanks for Milord honoring us with your presence. Master Zhang gave repeated and earnest injunctions that he must invite you to the banquet, and now I can finally go back and report that my task is done."

Hei Hu bowed and smiled.

"Good. Someone, escort this little brother out."

Huang Jiefu summoned his subordinates to send Hei Hu out.

"Master Hu, please take care of me from now on."

That quick-witted bailiff flattered Hei Hu at the door.

"What is brother's name?"

Hei Hu asked with a smile.

"My name is Wang Ergou, Master Hu can just call me Ergou. Usually I patrol the Baile Ward, if Master Hu has any instructions just say the word."

Wang Ergou was not yet an official bailiff, and seeing that Huang Jiefu's attitude toward Hei Hu was quite good, he wanted to forge a connection.

"Wang brother is too polite. I do indeed have a matter that requires your help."

"Master Hu, please speak."

"Senior Brother Ye of the martial arts hall also wants to help Master Zhang invite Lord Huang to a banquet at the restaurant. Now I've already settled it, later when Senior Brother Ye's people come over, you send him back and just say that Lord Huang already knows."

As he spoke, Hei Hu placed a piece of broken silver into Wang Ergou's hand.

"Master Hu, rest assured, this subordinate will definitely get it done."

Wang Ergou was overjoyed and spoke with a solemn vow.

Hei Hu nodded slightly, only then leaving with peace of mind.

"Master Hu, walk slowly."

Wang Ergou shouted from behind.

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