Chapter 86

The thin man, Lao San, gave an awkward smile and said, "I know the reputation of Baling Hall isn't good, and having Lord Chu come to manage us would be difficult... But I really have no other choice. These people are used to idling around, and once they disperse, no one will really do honest work; they will only continue to cause trouble...!"

Chu Huan stared at Lao San's face for a while, making Lao San feel somewhat uneasy. Finally, Chu Huan spoke, "What's your name?"

Lao San hurriedly replied, "I'm Ma Jing!"

Chu Huan nodded and said, "Good name, Ma Jing. That day in Liujia Village, when things turned bad, you turned and ran. I really thought you were a despicable person who didn't value righteousness. But today, it seems that among the people of Baling Hall, you are the most promising."

In fact, Ma Jing was a few years older than Chu Huan, a man in his thirties, but Chu Huan's words made it seem like an elder praising a junior.

Ma Jing was taken aback, unsure of the meaning behind Chu Huan's words, and felt somewhat awkward.

Chu Huan then said seriously, "Ma Jing, you had the courage to step forward in a critical moment, which shows some bravery. You were protecting your subordinates, right?"

Ma Jing was stunned, then smiled bitterly, "Lord Chu... Lord Chu is indeed wise." He paused, sighed, and said, "Lord Chu may not know, but before Baling Hall rose to power, the local bully in Qingliu County was Bai Xianzi and his gang. Later, Xue... Xue Lang led us to defeat Bai Xianzi's people, and they no longer dared to cause trouble. However, Bai Xianzi still has roots in Qingliu County and a group of followers. Xue Lang was worried that Bai Xianzi might do something desperate, so he didn't drive him into a corner... Now, although Bai Xianzi is very low-profile, he still has some influence in Qingliu City...!"

Hearing this, Chu Huan knew that Bai Xianzi was not a simple person and was likely a ruthless character; otherwise, Xue Lang would not have allowed another force to remain in the city.

"I understand!" Chu Huan said calmly, "You're worried that if Baling Hall disperses, Bai Xianzi's people will come back for revenge!"

"Exactly!" Ma Jing sighed, "In the past two years, we've had countless battles with Bai Xianzi's people over territory, and the members of Baling Hall have deep enmity with them. Once Baling Hall disperses, everyone will be leaderless... or rather, leaderless snakes. Bai Xianzi's people will definitely come to settle scores one by one... Many of the members of Baling Hall have families. If they lose their limbs or their livelihoods, their families will suffer...!" He didn't continue, just shook his head, his face filled with worry.

Chu Huan smiled, "I didn't expect you to have such insight. I underestimated you, Ma Jing." He paused and then said, "You're right, I can't be the leader of Baling Hall, and the name Baling Hall can't continue...!"

Ma Jing's face showed disappointment, but before he could speak, Chu Huan continued, "But your words do have some merit...!"

Ma Jing's eyes lit up, excited, "Lord Chu, what do you mean?"

"Baling Hall can't continue, but in the future... it will be called Zhengqi Hall!" Chu Huan said slowly, "But if you don't want to disband, you can't continue as before. The name will change, and the rules will change too!"

Ma Jing was stunned, "Zhengqi Hall?" But hearing Chu Huan's words, he realized that Baling Hall wouldn't be disbanded, so he quickly said, "Lord Chu, you are the leader of everyone. The rules of Baling... no, Zhengqi Hall, will naturally be set by you!"

"The rules are simple. No more fraud, no more bullying the weak," Chu Huan said slowly. "As I understand it, there are many ways to earn money in Qingliu County, such as road construction, bridge building, irrigation, and house building. These projects need people and pay wages. You have connections in Qingliu County, so if you take on these projects, you can earn money to support your families."

Ma Jing was stunned, unsure how to respond.

Chu Huan, however, understood that Ma Jing's words had some truth. If these ruffians were really disbanded, they would become troublemakers in Qingliu County, and the number of fraud cases would increase.

Moreover, although these people were not good, many had families to support. They were used to fraud and would continue to use it to make a living. If they were disbanded and left unchecked, it would be a big problem.

If they were constrained under the name of Zhengqi Hall and prevented from acting recklessly, it would be a good thing.

Seeing Ma Jing's slightly disappointed expression, Chu Huan frowned and said coldly, "What? Can't you follow these rules?"

Ma Jing quickly shook his head, "No, no...!" He asked in a low voice, "Lord Chu, is Magistrate Hu really out of power? You know, Xue... Xue Lang has always relied on Magistrate Hu. Once Magistrate Hu falls, we will lose our connections in the government, and many projects will not be given to us. Moreover, they might even turn against us!"

"Don't worry about that," Chu Huan said. "As long as you don't cause trouble, I will stand up for you if something happens. But let me make it clear: if anyone continues to bully the weak, don't blame me for being harsh!"

His tone was icy, and Ma Jing quickly said, "Lord Chu, rest assured. I will pass your instructions on to everyone!"

Chu Huan nodded, thought for a moment, and then said, "But Qingliu City isn't just your group. If you keep a low profile, others might take advantage of the situation and extort money...!"

"Exactly!" Ma Jing's eyes became eager again.

Chu Huan thought for a moment and then said, "Here's what we'll do. Since you're not disbanding, help the government maintain order in Qingliu City. Sometimes, it's more convenient for you to handle things. For the sake of your livelihood, if anyone causes trouble in the shops, you should step in, but you can't bully or extort money as before. You can still take a fee, but it should be reasonable. Take more from the big shops and less from the small ones...!"

Ma Jing's eyes lit up. He was a smart man and said in a low voice, "Lord Chu, rest assured. I will send the money collected each month to you on time...!"

Chu Huan waved his hand, "Let's not talk about that now. Remember, anyone who bullies the weak will end up like Xue Lang."

"When will Lord Chu move in?" Ma Jing asked hurriedly. "I'll have people clean up the place...!"

"No need," Chu Huan said calmly. "In the future, you will manage Zhengqi Hall. If there's anything major, you can find me. I won't be living here." He paused, looked around, and said coldly, "Xue Lang has been exploiting people for years, and the decorations here are quite luxurious." His face darkened, and he said, "Remember, sell all the valuable things here and keep only what is necessary... Many people have suffered because of your exploitation. You know what to do, and you know what to do with the money!"

Ma Jing immediately said solemnly, "Lord Chu, rest assured. I know what to do. I will return the money after selling the valuable items...!"

"Don't play games with me," Chu Huan said coldly. "I know all your tricks. If anyone tries to play games with me, I'll make sure they can't play any more...!" He looked at Ma Jing coldly, and Ma Jing shivered, bowing and saying, "Lord Chu, rest assured, I dare not!"

Chu Huan stood up and said, "Send Xue Lang away from Yunshan Prefecture immediately. Tell him not to come back, or he will face humiliation." He then turned to leave.

Ma Jing hurriedly said, "Lord Chu, are you leaving?"

"Do you have something else?"

"Lord Chu came on foot. Don't you have a horse?" Ma Jing smiled. "If you don't mind, you can check the stables in the back. There are several fine horses there. You can choose one for your journey!"

Chu Huan thought for a moment. He knew that horses were strictly controlled in the Great Qin, and owning a horse was a dream for many. If he had a horse, it would be very convenient, like having a car in his previous life.

He nodded, and Ma Jing said, "I'll show you!"

Ma Jing led Chu Huan to the stables in the back, where there were indeed five fine horses, all strong and long-legged, clearly excellent steeds. These horses were likely collected by Xue Lang with great effort.

Chu Huan entered the stables and, surprisingly, touched the horses with great familiarity. He finally chose a large black horse, which was very strong and majestic, with a thick mane and a shiny, smooth coat. Ma Jing gave a thumbs-up, saying, "Lord Chu, you have a good eye. Among these five horses, this one is the most expensive. Xue Lang paid a lot to get it. It has excellent endurance and speed!"

Chu Huan smiled faintly, gently stroking the horse's face, his expression soft, showing his fondness for the horse.

Ma Jing was about to say something, but Chu Huan said, "Zhengqi Hall is under your management. How you manage it is up to you, but don't forget the rules I set. Otherwise...!"

Ma Jing shivered and said, "Lord Chu, rest assured. I will remember every word you said!" He added, "Since Lord Chu has chosen this horse, I will go to the government office to transfer it to your name."

Chu Huan didn't waste time, mounted the horse with great skill, and seemed to be an experienced rider. Ma Jing watched in amazement, surprised that Chu Huan, who looked like a poor country boy, had such excellent riding skills.

He quickly opened the back gate, and as Chu Huan was about to leave, Ma Jing seemed to think of something and hurriedly said, "Lord Chu, wait a moment!" He quickly returned with a small bag and handed it to Chu Huan. Chu Huan opened the bag and found five or six gold leaves inside.

Chu Huan knew that gold was extremely valuable in this era, and these five or six gold leaves were worth at least five or six hundred taels of silver, a huge sum that an ordinary person could never possess.

Chu Huan hesitated for a moment, then put the bag in his pocket, said nothing more, and pulled the reins. The horse moved forward, and he left the back gate, entering a small alley. He turned west and rode away.

Before he reached the street, he heard someone calling, "Lord Chu... Lord Chu, wait...!"

Chu Huan pulled the reins and turned around, seeing someone running towards him. It was Sun Zikong, who had led him to Baling Hall.

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