Free Web NovelChapter 441: Chapter 244: Got a Group Complaint
Next, Cheng Zongyang summoned Li Lu, Zhou Zhendong, and the other core members. He was ready to announce some new plans.
In the morning, a group of seven or eight people arrived one after another at the Cheng Residence.
Besides the main few, Cheng Zongying was also among them. Since coming down from the mountain, she had been in charge of the medicine shop and had become quite adept at managing its affairs.
She had been summoned this time because there were matters that concerned her as well.
In addition, there was one more person: Lu Wushuang, the Hall Master of Zhenwu Hall.
Li Lu had also brought the Flower Roster with him this time. He worked quickly, having registered all gang members at the hall level and above in a single night.
Cheng Zongyang’s gaze swept over everyone present: Li Lu, Zhou Zhendong, Cheng Zongying, Cheng Yuanli, Li Yihuo, Zhang Chuchu, and Lu Wushuang.
These were all people he could trust. Some were his own family, while the rest had signed an Oath Contract.
After they had all settled down, Cheng Zongyang began to speak.
"What I’m about to say next must be kept confidential. First, regarding the Celestial Break Gang."
Cheng Zongyang looked at Li Lu and Lu Wushuang, his expression serious.
"Starting tomorrow, Cheng’s Medicine Shop will work at full capacity to prepare the secret formula for the Body Refining Medicine Bath. The medicinal materials will be sent to Tiantuan Village for all the trainees of Zhenwu Hall to use.
"Anyone who partakes in the medicine bath must sign an Oath Contract. I have only one goal: within three months, the number of Seventh Grade Martial Artists must reach 300. We’ll focus on quantity over quality for now and worry about Martial Arts training later. They are not to leave Tiantuan Village without my direct order!"
Hearing Cheng Zongyang’s sudden arrangements, Li Lu remained composed, but Lu Wushuang was stunned.
"Boss, I’m afraid that’s impossible, isn’t it? Reaching Entry Grade in three months might be achievable, but reaching the Seventh Grade..."
"Hall Master Lu." Before Cheng Zongyang could speak, Li Lu cut in. "Just follow the orders. I will personally supervise. This is not an issue for the Young Clan Leader."
Seeing this, Lu Wushuang could only suppress his confusion. He clasped his hands, stepped back, and stood to the side.
Cheng Zongyang nodded slightly. "I need to gain complete control over the County Town within a year. Therefore, I need a large number of Martial Artists. A year is enough time to cultivate them to the Middle Third Grades. Zhendong, Zongying, you two will coordinate the preparation and supply of the medicinal materials. The medicinal materials in Tiantuan Village are also almost ready for harvest, so we won’t need to worry about a shortage."
"Yes, Young Clan Leader," Zhou Zhendong and Cheng Zongying replied immediately, without a hint of doubt.
But hearing that Cheng Zongyang intended to control the County Town within a year shocked everyone. They also sensed that something was amiss, even suspecting a crisis was on the horizon.
Cheng Zongyang turned to Li Yihuo. "Chief Shopkeeper, you should communicate more with the Da Yi Commerce Association. Although their shops are still under construction, it won’t affect our business dealings. Purchase the necessary goods as soon as possible. If we’re short on money, we’ll go into debt and pay it back slowly later.
"Zongying, if we are short on any of the medicinal materials for the elixirs that enhance Martial Arts Cultivation, tell the Chief Shopkeeper. Have him purchase them from the Da Yi Commerce Association first, with no limits. We will mass-produce them later. As for how much manpower you need to coordinate, speak with Gang Leader Li."
Hearing this, Cheng Zongying also nodded. "Yes, Brother."
Finally, he looked at Zhang Chuchu. "Elder Zhang, this next part will depend on your eloquence. Those other factions won’t join our Cheng Family willingly, so see if you can find a way to make them fall apart from within. Otherwise, if we act too overtly now, I’m afraid that person from the Li Family will have something to say about it."
Zhang Chuchu immediately felt the pressure, but after some thought, he said, "I understand. I will do my best."
There were many ways to make a family fall apart. He had seen plenty and knew how to do it. But it required time to lay the groundwork and make arrangements to topple a family without a sound.
After giving out the series of orders, Cheng Zongyang dismissed them, keeping only Li Lu behind.
"Boss, is there anything else?" Li Lu asked curiously, seeing that he was the only one left.
Cheng Zongyang thought for a moment. "There is a matter I need you to handle in secret. Don’t let word of it get out."
Li Lu’s expression immediately turned grave as he nodded.
"Find Zhao the Seventh and give him these orders. Search within a ten-li radius, with Jade Peak County as the center. The targets are ancestral halls, Buddhist temples, Daoist temples, and Divine Temples. Whether they are still receiving incense offerings or are abandoned, even the locations of ones that were destroyed—find them all. No matter the surname associated with them, register every single one and then investigate the origins of these ancestral halls."
Li Lu was a bit confused. "Searching for ancestral halls and temples... what are we looking for?"
Cheng Zongyang said, "Clues to a very important person."
Upon hearing this, Li Lu tactfully asked no more questions, simply clasping his hands and accepting the order.
Meanwhile, at the County Town’s East Gate, a young man in a long black robe, leading a jujube-red horse by the reins, gazed at the now-restored town with a complex expression before walking step-by-step inside.
The black-robed youth found an inn in the eastern part of the city to stay. When the inn assistant came to serve him, the youth asked about the current situation in the County Town.
A cup of tea’s time later, the youth gave the inn assistant a piece of broken silver. Amidst the assistant’s profuse thanks, he looked out at the street.
"’The Cheng Family, the Celestial Break Gang, the Xu Family, the Ding Family, the Qiu Family. How interesting. Such earth-shattering changes in just one short year.’" The youth strolled leisurely down the somewhat deserted street.
Eventually, he slowly made his way to West City.
There was no particular reason, other than the fact that, according to the inn assistant, West City was the liveliest part of town—far more so than the east, south, or north. This was also the autonomous territory of the Cheng Family and the Celestial Break Gang.
’The Cheng Family... a local power. This family didn’t exist before. But to be able to seize territory from a faction under the Royal Family’s control, and even join forces to annihilate three other subordinate factions... they certainly have their methods.’
The youth murmured to himself as he arrived at West Main Street.
Seeing the bustling crowds on West Main Street, he found it truly was on a different level compared to the east side of the city.
There were people on patrol, the streets were clean and tidy, and the shops lining both sides were doing good business, with people queuing up to make purchases.
But the youth also noticed that many shopfronts bore the name "Cheng’s."
They all clearly belonged to the Cheng Family.
However, when he saw a construction site, his expression turned to one of astonishment. A cloth banner had been stretched across the outside of the site, which read: "The Da Yi Commerce Association, at the invitation of the Cheng Family, is establishing a presence in Jade Peak County’s West City District. Commercial development is about to take off. Stay tuned!"
’What? The Cheng Family actually managed to invite the Da Yi Commerce Association? What are the origins of this Cheng Family? This is something not even the Gate Valves can accomplish... No, that’s not right. This isn’t the Da Yi Commerce Association’s style.’
The black-robed youth immediately thought of something, his gaze fixed darkly on the banner.
’It seems there are quite a few interests entangled in this. Or perhaps, the Da Yi Commerce Association has other motives for setting up in this remote little county town.’
At this thought, the youth’s gaze turned cold and filled with scorn.
"Their wicked ambitions truly never die!"
Next, he continued to wander through West City. He looked at the various shops, the two marketplaces near the city wall, the Celestial Break Gang’s headquarters, the houses being renovated and rebuilt everywhere, and the Hall of Justice that was serving as the Government Office. Following what some people had told him, he also left West City and saw the Commerce Association’s transit warehouse under construction.
But when he reached Tiantuan Village, he was stopped.
The black-robed youth noticed that the guards and patrols around Tiantuan Village were extremely strict. This only made him more and more curious about the person in charge of the Cheng Family.
