Chapter 63

The thin man, Lao San, quickly approached, bowing his body and cautiously said, "Master Xue!"

This person was naturally the head of the Baling Hall, Xue Lao Da. Seeing the expression on the thin man Lao San, he seemed a bit uneasy, frowned slightly, and asked, "What's wrong? Did you take care of the matter over there?"

"No... no!" Lao San was somewhat flustered: "A formidable figure from Heshengquan came and fought... and injured Lao Si!"

Xue Lao Da was initially stunned, then his face turned cold, and he sneered, "Did the ruffians from Heshengquan start the fight?" Although his expression turned grim, his right hand did not stop, and the two iron balls in his hand clinked.

"It's not them!" Lao San said with a bitter face: "It's... it's that boy from Liujia Village last time. He... he is now at Heshengquan, working as a helper there!"

"Chuhan?" Xue Lao Da's eyes showed a hint of surprise, then his face turned even colder, and he said calmly, "He really is a persistent ghost. Was Lao Si injured by him?"

"One of his legs is broken," Lao San said: "He... his kicks were too fast, and Lao Si was no match. Besides Lao Si, several other brothers were injured, and two are still unconscious!"

Xue Lao Da slowly said, "Tiger's leg, Lao Wu's leg, and now Lao Si's leg... heh, this boy is indeed ruthless, having broken three of my legs." After a moment of thought, he said in a deep voice, "I want to see what kind of formidable figure this country bumpkin is, who has repeatedly opposed me!"

At this moment, a cough came from inside the carriage, and Xue Lao Da's expression immediately turned respectful. He turned and got into the carriage.

This carriage looked ordinary from the outside, but the inside was luxuriously decorated. The seats were covered with fur, and there was even a small wooden table inside, with a fruit plate and some Fushou膏 (a type of opium) from Korea.

Inside the carriage, a man in his fifties, dressed in fine clothing and wearing a purple fur hat, was sitting, his finger playing with the Fushou膏, sniffing it. Seeing Xue Lao Da enter, the old man picked up a fine silk handkerchief and gently wiped his hands, his voice old and weak, "Don't act rashly. Many things cannot be solved by force."

Xue Lao Da sat opposite the old man and respectfully said, "Please instruct me, Master!"

This old man was none other than the magistrate of Qingliu County, Hu Zhixian, the local official.

Hu Zhixian glanced up, leaning back in the carriage, and said lazily, "I was planning to wait a bit longer before dealing with that boy, but it seems I don't need to wait anymore. However, that boy being able to injure three of your top men is indeed a formidable opponent... Xue Lang, what do you think we can do to deal with him?"

Xue Lao Da smiled, "With Master in charge, who in Qingliu County can't be dealt with? No matter how strong he is, can he be a match for Master? One word from Master, and that boy will have no way out."

"Nonsense!" Hu Zhixian frowned, "As the local official, should I arbitrarily bully people? That boy hasn't broken the law, how can I sentence him to death with just a word? Do you think I am a corrupt official who disregards the people?"

Xue Lao Da hurriedly smiled and said, "Master, please calm down, I spoke without thinking."

Hu Zhixian sighed, "It's also your fault. The fools under you are becoming less and less useful, unable to deal with even a country boy... I think you should warn your people. If they don't improve, in a few years, your Baling Hall will have no place in Qingliu City!"

Xue Lao Da quickly clasped his hands and said, "Please take care of everything, Master. My Baling Hall was built up by Master, and in the future, we will need more of Master's help. Master's teachings are correct; the people under me are becoming less capable. I know what to do when I return."

"Good!" Hu Zhixian said softly, "However, that boy is a potential threat. But I can't just arrest him without reason... You might not know, but Heshengquan is not just a simple wine shop. The old man who died at Heshengquan had connections with General Lei in the capital..."

Xue Lao Da nodded solemnly, "I know a bit about this. But General Lei is a top general of our Great Qin, with a noble status. Would he really care about a small family like the Sus? Is Master being... too cautious?"

"Cautious?" Hu Zhixian laughed coldly, looking at Xue Lao Da with disdain, "Xue Lang, you have only made a name for yourself in this county. Do you really think you are invincible? The affairs of the court are complex, and the dangers involved are far beyond what someone like you can understand."

"I am ignorant, please enlighten me, Master!"

"That boy is at Heshengquan, and his backing is Heshengquan. Many people think that Heshengquan is now only supported by that young lady and has no power... This is absurd," Hu Zhixian sighed. "If Heshengquan were so easy to deal with, I would have taken over their wine shop long ago. Why wait until today, relying on you people to bring in some wine money?"

Xue Lao Da did not dare to respond.

"I have been hesitant to act because I am worried that Heshengquan still has connections in the capital," Hu Zhixian stroked his beard. "Although Heshengquan has been low-key these past years, who can guarantee they haven't been in contact with General Lei? If the Sus have indeed been in contact with General Lei, it would be very troublesome!"

"Master is right!" Xue Lao Da nodded. "But to deal with a small, poor country boy, would Heshengquan really go so far as to involve General Lei?"

"Dealing with people must be done with reason, and we must be prepared for any eventuality!" Hu Zhixian said calmly. "When we act, we must be absolutely sure, leaving no room for future trouble... Even if someone from above comes, we must have a solid reason to respond!"

"Master is wise!" Xue Lao Da laughed.

Hu Zhixian thought for a moment and finally said, "I just heard from you that this boy injured several of your men?"

Xue Lao Da clenched his fists, his expression unfriendly, and nodded, "Lao Si's leg was broken, and several junior members were injured, two of whom are still unconscious!"

A sinister look flashed in Hu Zhixian's eyes, and he sighed, "I really wish that boy had been more ruthless... If he had killed someone, causing a murder case, heh... Unfortunately, your two men are only unconscious. If one of them had died, the matter would have been settled...!" He shook his head and sighed, "What a pity... truly a pity...!"

Xue Lao Da's eyes lit up, and a cold look appeared in the depths of his eyes. He stared at Hu Zhixian and said softly, "Since they are unconscious, who knows if they are dead or alive... Perhaps they are already dead...!" As he spoke, Xue Lao Da's fists were already clenched, veins bulging.

...

...

The wine merchants from various places finally arrived at Heshengquan. When they arrived, the battlefield at Heshengquan had already been cleaned up, and the carved rosewood chairs were neatly arranged.

The arrival of the wine merchants was lively, and they all talked about the incident that had just happened, somewhat annoyed. Liang Fangzhu, Su Bo, Han Yuan, and others were entertaining the guests, and everyone was chatting and laughing, the previous unpleasantness temporarily forgotten. The wine merchants mostly knew each other, greeting each other with smiles, but secretly competing.

These wine merchants had already brought their wine carts, and once they received the wine, they would load it directly onto the carts and transport it away. Therefore, outside the gate of Heshengquan, there were numerous carts, a magnificent sight.

The people from Baling Hall had retreated, but Linglang did not have time to talk to Chuhan alone. She could only lead everyone to the wine cellar. The outer cellar door was locked with three large locks. Liang Fangzhu had one key, and the other two keys were held by Master Han Yuan and the owner, Linglang, to open the outer cellar door.

The newly brewed wine was already neatly arranged outside the wine cellar, thousands of jars, stacked in layers, a grand sight. These new wines would be stored in the cellar after the old wines were taken out.

Linglang, among the crowd, stood out like a flower among the grass, exceptionally beautiful. She had already put aside her previous unpleasantness, and for her, the most important thing now was to handle the business.

In the crowd, Chuhan received respectful looks from everyone. Niu Jin always followed Chuhan, and his face also showed a bit of pride.

Although they worked in the wine shop every day, when everyone smelled the wine aroma emanating from the cellar, they all felt a sense of comfort, from head to toe.

"Everyone listen, according to the old rules, we will take out the old wine first, then fill in the new wine," Liang Fangzhu, who had been cowering when the Baling Hall people came, now had a radiant face, gesturing and directing, "When moving the wine, be careful. If anyone breaks a jar, don't blame me for not warning you. I will not be lenient!"

Linglang frowned and said calmly, "When moving the wine, just be careful. There's no need to say these things. Jars and pots, with so many people, it's inevitable that some will break!" Standing in front of everyone, her posture was graceful, and she said brightly, "Today is the day to open the cellar. Everyone will have to work hard. I have always told everyone that Heshengquan is not just mine, but belongs to everyone here. Heshengquan's success today is not due to me, but to everyone's hard work. I promise that if the profits are high this year, I will not let anyone down. At the end of the year, I will give everyone a big red envelope!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, calling out in approval. Seeing everyone's joy, Linglang smiled and turned to Han Yuan beside her, "Master, later, take out a few jars of Bamboo Clear wine for everyone to taste!"

Han Yuan smiled, "The owner is kind-hearted and cares for everyone. I will thank the owner on behalf of everyone!"

Seeing Linglang's astute handling of the situation, winning the hearts of the people with just a few words, Chuhan couldn't help but smile, knowing that this woman was not simple.

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