Chapter 4

This night, Zhu Gui found it hard to fall asleep.

At the third watch of the previous night, a night watchman from the inn reported that the head of the mountain's finances, Zheng Qian, had come to visit. Zhu Gui knew that although Zheng Qian had not been in the gang for long, he was highly favored by the leader, Wang Lun, and was in charge of the gang's finances. Even the other small leaders who were on the same level as him would be pleased to see Zheng Qian, let alone the two leaders, Du Qian and Song Wan, who would greet him with a smile and call him brother. Normally, it was always others who sought him out, not the other way around. However, tonight he had come down the mountain to seek him out in the middle of the night! Zhu Gui knew that anything out of the ordinary was suspicious, and this matter was no exception, leaving him puzzled.

"Could something have happened to Leader Wang?" Zhu Gui was startled, and without further thought, he quickly got up, dressed, and went out to meet him.

As soon as they met, Zheng Qian brought him good news, saying that Leader Wang had woken up. Zhu Gui breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that this was a great fortune for the gang. As the saying goes, a snake without a head cannot move, let alone a large gang like Liangshan with nearly a thousand members. If Wang Lun remained unconscious, it would be difficult to find a suitable replacement on the mountain!

Zhu Gui understood that although Leader Wang was a scholar by background and often spoke and acted with a bit of a scholarly air, his vision was much broader than that of the gang members. Without mentioning anything else, just the foresight to establish a base in the 800-mile waterway was something that ordinary people could not match.

In his early years, Zhu Gui had also traveled through the Jiangdong and Hebei regions, meeting many heroes who had taken control of mountains. However, none of their bases could compare to Liangshan. For so many years, no hero had thought of establishing a base in the 800-mile waterway, which was a strategic location. It was a waste that no one had recognized its value.

Therefore, when Zheng Qian reported the good news, Zhu Gui was quite excited. This was indeed a great piece of news for the future of the gang.

After reporting the good news, Zheng Qian did not return to the mountain but stayed to chat, speaking in a flattering tone, which left Zhu Gui even more puzzled. Seeing his attitude, Zhu Gui did not dare to be negligent and quickly called the staff to prepare a meal, heat a pot of good wine, and prepare some meat dishes, inviting Zheng Qian to eat and chat.

Zheng Qian did not refuse, sitting down cheerfully. As they drank, a little later, another report came that Zhou Zhi, another head from the mountain, had come to visit. Hearing this, Zhu Gui was even more surprised. He thought that these two were close to the leader, and their visits in the middle of the night must have some significant purpose. Could it be just to inform him that the leader was fine? That didn't seem to warrant both of them coming down the mountain! Could it be to thank him for personally going to Shouzhang County to invite a doctor? But he knew that even if he hadn't done it, someone else would have, and it wasn't a significant contribution.

Zhu Gui was a meticulous person. Although he was puzzled by the current situation, he did not show it on his face and warmly invited Zhou Zhi to join them.

When Zhou Zhi saw that Zheng Qian was also there, they exchanged a knowing smile and sat down to drink with Zhu Gui. They chatted and drank until the fourth watch of the night before dispersing.

Before leaving, Zheng Qian told Zhu Gui that they would meet early the next morning at the Gathering Hall to discuss important matters and that he must not be late. When Zhu Gui asked what the matter was, the two only smiled and said it was good news, telling him to prepare in advance.

The cryptic words left by the two as they left made Zhu Gui think all night. He tossed and turned until dawn, then hurriedly got up, instructed the night watchman to take care of the inn, and took a boat back to the gang. Upon entering the Gathering Hall, he saw Leader Wang Lun and the two leaders, Du Qian and Song Wan, talking and laughing. The hall was filled with the heads of various parts of the gang, creating a festive atmosphere.

After greeting everyone, Zhu Gui was about to find his seat when Du Qian and Song Wan each took one of his arms and led him toward the main seat where the leader sat.

Before they could get close, Leader Wang, with a smile, stood up to greet them. Just as Zhu Gui was confused, he heard Wang Lun announce loudly, "Last night, I discussed with Du Qian and Song Wan, and from today on, Brother Zhu Gui will take the fourth seat in our gang! Everyone, come and meet Head Zhu!"

Zhu Gui's head buzzed, and he was momentarily blank. Although he had some inkling that something would happen today after Zheng Qian and Zhou Zhi's visit last night, he never expected it to be this!

After all, the leader had just recovered from a serious illness. Normally, he should be resting, not thinking about such matters while still sick. Thinking of this, Zhu Gui felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He hadn't thought of what to say, and like a puppet, he was seated next to Du Qian amidst the cheers of the crowd. Fortunately, after the excitement died down and Wang Lun announced other matters, the attention shifted, and Zhu Gui gradually regained his composure.

...

Zhu Gui's reaction was somewhat expected by Wang Lun. In his previous life, whenever someone was promoted, there would usually be some hint beforehand, so the person being promoted would not be surprised. However, seeing Zhu Gui's somewhat flustered state today, Wang Lun realized that the previous leader did not value him much and might have even suppressed him. However, last night, he had no memory of the previous leader's actions toward Zhu Gui, despite racking his brain.

Because he was unfamiliar with the gang's affairs, he didn't dare to sleep much last night. Despite the late hour, he kept summoning people for talks, personally visiting Du Qian and Song Wan. After a busy night, he finally understood some of the previous leader's ways of handling things on the mountain.

After announcing Zhu Gui's promotion, the Gathering Hall became lively. After the laughter and cheers, Wang Lun raised his hand to calm the crowd and said, "A few days ago, I was unwell, and thanks to the support of all my brothers, I have recovered! Since the establishment of our gang, we have benefited greatly from everyone's assistance, especially from Du Qian and Song Wan. Today, I announce that Du Qian will be in charge of the gang's finances, and Song Wan will oversee the construction and kitchen affairs!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall was stunned, and there was no whispering, in stark contrast to the announcement about Zhu Gui. Wang Lun couldn't help but sigh inwardly, realizing how authoritarian the previous leader had been, and he knew he would need to work hard to change this negative impression.

"Congratulations to the two leaders on their new roles. We will do our best to support you!" At this moment, the importance of having loyal subordinates became evident. Seeing the silence, Zheng Qian and Zhou Zhi stood up and bowed to Du Qian and Song Wan. Their actions immediately encouraged others to express their support.

Du Qian and Song Wan were not surprised. Last night, Wang Lun had visited them and discussed the matter, and they were initially surprised but saw the benefits and did not refuse. After all, who wouldn't want to hold power and be respected?

Du Qian accepted it calmly, as he had been with Wang Lun the longest and had the most seniority. Song Wan felt more valued by the gang, and even as an old hand, he couldn't help but feel a bit excited.

Although they already knew the outcome, they were still somewhat moved when Wang Lun announced it publicly. Amidst the congratulations, they both stood up and made long speeches, promising to live up to Wang Lun's expectations.

That's what I wanted to hear! Wang Lun smiled and asked Du Qian and Song Wan to sit down, then addressed the issues of Yan Qi and Jia San. These two had shown cowardice at a critical moment, and punishing them now might cause dissatisfaction. Moreover, they were sensitive figures, having been close to him for a long time. If handled poorly, who would be willing to serve him in the future?

So, he decided to demote them to minor roles, giving them a chance to prove themselves. This way, he could show that he was fair to those who had followed him.

The minor leaders praised Wang Lun's decision, and Du Qian and Song Wan also agreed that they should be given a chance to improve. The two new leaders, hearing the praise, felt elated and forgot even the basic courtesy of thanking everyone, lost in the joy of their promotion.

Seeing their behavior, Zheng Qian and Zhou Zhi exchanged glances and silently shook their heads. They sensed that the leader was aware of the wavering loyalty of his close subordinates and felt fortunate that they had not been as shortsighted.

Reflecting on the leader's actions since his recovery, they realized that each move was filled with a high level of strategy: First, promoting Zhu Gui, who would be eternally grateful and loyal. Second, giving more power to Du Qian and Song Wan, which would ensure their absolute loyalty, thus maintaining the leader's control over the gang.

They were impressed by Wang Lun's newfound confidence and authority, which had replaced his previous scholarly and narrow-minded demeanor. The sense of relief and satisfaction at not having followed the wrong leader quietly took root in their hearts.