Chapter 18

"Let's go, Uncle Zhou, we must stand and die if we have to." Zhang Han didn’t say much more; after persuading Zhou Fengji, the group returned to the Zhang family residence.

The guards at the gate sneered at their return without success, which was actually expected. No merchant house had ever escaped such a situation by suddenly sending gifts. If that were possible, the merchant houses might as well disband.

"Tomorrow morning, I will go to Puzhou."

Everyone in the room sat in silence, but Zhang Han was filled with fighting spirit.

No matter what, he could not give up. If he gave up, what hope would there be?

Liang Hong stood up and said, "Young Master, I will accompany you."

"Bring a few more people," Zhou Fengji suggested. "At this critical moment, nothing must happen to the Young Master."

"Alright, my nephew..."

Liang Hong stopped mid-sentence. His nephew, Liang Xing, was a ruffian with considerable martial skills, but could he be trusted to meet the Young Master?

"Bring your nephew," Zhang Han smiled and said to Liang Hong. "I might need him in the future."

"Yes... Thank you, Young Master!"

Zhang Han’s expression showed that he understood Liang Hong’s awkwardness. This order indicated that he would not hold past actions against him, and the matter was officially resolved. Liang Hong, while agreeing, felt a sense of relief. If they could get through this crisis, under the leadership of this Young Master, how could the business not flourish?

...

"Uncle, what can be done about this matter?"

Liang Xing shook his head like a fan... He didn’t want to go.

Looking at Liang Hong, Liang Xing said, "Uncle, first, your Young Master is too young. Though he has some courage, how can he handle such a big issue? If it were someone unfamiliar, taking a few taels of silver to help him would be fine, but he is your master. You wouldn’t feel right about it, and I couldn’t do it either. Second, this isn’t just about the Qing Army Hall wanting a cut. The leaders of the various guilds and the ruffians they control will also try to get their share. I can bring some people, and we can fight, but it will cost a lot. Can your Young Master be that ruthless? This isn’t a small matter. It’s not like a street fight where we know we won’t really hurt each other. One misstep, and it could ruin the family!"

Liang Hong’s heart raced as he listened. Indeed, as Liang Xing said, once the Qing Army Hall decided which merchant house was to be targeted, the clerks would collude with the ruffians to extort money first.

This was a well-established practice—big shots got the meat, and the little ones got the broth.

Yang Qiu, standing nearby, laughed, "White horse, black nose, Liang Xing, you’re quite unique. We just need to fight and settle things, regardless of who the person is!"

Liang Xing was originally a ruffian under a guild leader, while Yang Qiu had always been involved in the ruffian world. They gradually gathered a group of brothers and decided to go out on their own. Now, they were eager to make money, but Liang Xing was still hesitant, while Yang Qiu was unwilling to miss this opportunity.

Liang Hong was troubled. He didn’t know how Zhang Han would decide. If what Liang Xing said was true, the Zhang family might not be safe. He knew Liang Xing was right, and he had overlooked this aspect.

After some thought, he said, "Bring your men with me. We’ll at least go out with the Young Master, and you won’t be running around for nothing."

"Alright," Yang Qiu agreed with a smile.

...

The next morning, Liang Hong and his group rushed to the Zhang family residence. They saw many people standing in front of the Zhang house, and Liang Hong exclaimed, "Oh no, something must have happened."

At this moment, Zhang Han also returned from the shop. Seeing the situation, he remained calm and said to Liang Xing and Yang Qiu, "Long time no see."

Seeing Zhang Han, the two ruffians felt a bit awkward. Liang Xing stepped forward and bowed, "Young Master, this is Liang Xing. I apologize for my actions the other day."

Zhang Han laughed and said, "No problem, it’s a small matter. When I first arrived at the shop, Li Ergui didn’t trust me, so he and San Gui asked you to test me. They say no acquaintance without a fight, and that’s true for us too."

Zhang Han’s calm demeanor and usual smile were a stark contrast to what one would expect from a typical fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy, who would likely be terrified. Seeing Zhang Han, Liang Xing felt relieved that he hadn’t acted rashly and fought Zhang Han that day.

"I am Yang Qiu," the other bearded man stepped forward and bowed. "Young Master, your courage is impressive. We were all very admiring after that day."

Zhang Han chuckled and returned the bow, but didn’t dwell on the topic.

Upon reaching the front door, the people from the Qing Army Hall smiled and slowly dispersed. The family members immediately surrounded Zhang Han, and his mother, Chang Shi, stood at the door, her eyes red from crying.

Zhang Han remained composed, waved for the family to disperse, and then brought the others inside, closing the door before asking, "Mother, what happened?"

Chang Shi, looking uneasy, said, "Zhu Tuantou brought people, saying he was ordered to collect the fees for the merchant house. When the gatekeepers delayed, he stormed in and injured several people."

"Zhu Tuantou?" Zhang Han asked. "Is it Zhu Guoyong?"

"Yes, it’s him."

Liang Xing and Yang Qiu exchanged glances. Zhu Guoyong was the leader of the Xinping Guild and Liang Xing’s former boss. The last time they blocked Zhang Han, they used the name of the Xinping Guild.

Zhu Guoyong was known for his brutality and greed. Extorting money from merchant houses was something he would readily do, and it would align with the Qing Army Hall’s clerks. As soon as the decision was made, he came to take his share.

"This is just the beginning," Liang Xing said firmly. "Going forward, they will block your exits, throw dead cats and dogs, and even kidnap people. They will do everything to break your family’s spirit and drain you completely. Even if the Qing Army Hall gets their share, Zhu Guoyong won’t stop until he’s satisfied."

Yang Qiu added, "With the Xinping Guild leading, other ruffians will follow. They are ruthless and won’t stop until they get what they want."

"What do you suggest we do?" Zhang Han asked, his face unchanged. He looked at the two ruffians, knowing they were the experts in this era.

Liang Xing and Yang Qiu exchanged glances. After a moment, Liang Xing said, "The best way is to fight back hard. Beat the first ones who come, make them think twice about whether this is a good meal or if they’ll break their teeth. However, fighting will cost money. The fees for hired ruffians are high, and you need to be able to clean up after the fight. Otherwise, their retaliation could be severe, and if the authorities can’t protect you, it will be a problem."

After speaking, they both looked at Zhang Han. The Zhang family had money but no influence, and the head of the family was too young. The struggles between ruffian groups were brutal, and many families had been ruined by them. Powerful families could control ruffians like dogs, but ordinary families should avoid getting involved.

During the Liaodong incident, ruffians in Guangning gathered tens of thousands of people and started a rebellion in the Thirteen Mountains. The Later Jin spent a lot of effort to suppress them, showing how ruthless and capable ruffians could be.

"Fight."

Zhang Han’s response was brief. He looked at Liang Xing and Yang Qiu, his face calm but his eyes showing a familiar determination.

The ruffians would retaliate, but Zhang Han already had plans to expand He Yusheng. He would gather more people, and Xinping Fort was small with many troops, so the ruffian groups were not strong. The largest groups had only a few dozen members. Private fights were not a problem, and he would also deal with the authorities on his journey. If he couldn’t resolve it, the whole family would have to flee, and he wouldn’t worry about ruffian or official retaliation.

He made his decision, his face calm, but his eyes were piercing. Liang Xing and Yang Qiu were shaken. They never expected this fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy to be so ruthless and decisive.

"How should we fight?"

"Zhu Guoyong must die; he can’t be left alive," Zhang Han said, thinking. "Others, especially his close followers, should be severely injured, but not too many should die. We’ll settle this today and leave early tomorrow morning."

Ruffians and their hired hands would do as the client requested, and there were different ways to kill. Liang Xing and Yang Qiu exchanged glances, still somewhat hesitant.

Zhu Guoyong was a guild leader. If they couldn’t kill him and the Zhang family fell, they would have no place in Xinping Fort.

"I’ll go with you," Zhang Han signaled, calling the two ruffians out and inserting a dagger into his boot. He smiled, "If you can’t do it, I’ll do it myself."

He turned and called out, "Mother, I’ll see these two brothers off."

"I’m impressed."

Yang Qiu followed Zhang Han out, and Liang Xing signaled for others to follow. Yang Qiu looked at Liang Xing and said, "Who is the real ruffian, us or this Young Master?"

---

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