CH 29 - Pei Jing

In the family lobby, Gu Qingfeng sat at the head of the room, with Gu Yang and Meng Peng seated beside him.

"Father, from the extermination of the Chu family, we obtained 200,000 taels of silver. The remaining medicinal herbs, antiques, calligraphy, and paintings are worth about 150,000 to 200,000 taels at market value," Gu Yang reported, holding an account ledger. "Additionally, we acquired six low-grade martial arts manuals and one mid-grade manual. The Chu family's businesses included three restaurants, five pharmacies, two brothels, and two casinos."

Gu Qingfeng nodded thoughtfully. "Ensure we have people in place to manage these businesses. The Chu family sought to encroach on our industries—now it's our turn to claim theirs."

Pausing, Gu Qingfeng asked, "What about the Tiegu Gang's assets? Have those been tallied?"

Gu Yang nodded again. "The Tiegu Gang had 530,000 taels of silver and 3,000 taels of gold in liquid assets. Their collection of antique calligraphy and paintings is valued at roughly 300,000 taels of silver. They also own 16 restaurants and inns, eight brothels, six gambling houses, and 23 other properties. In terms of martial arts, they had 16 low-grade and two mid-grade manuals."

Although Gu Qingfeng had anticipated the wealth of the Tiegu Gang, hearing the full scope of their assets made him pause. If converted to silver, the gang's holdings would be worth at least one million taels. However, what interested him most was the gold.

Gold was the most precious resource in the empire. Although officially valued at one tael of gold to one hundred taels of silver, the reality was that gold was far more scarce. Most of it was tightly controlled by the imperial court, which rarely allowed any to circulate among the common people. Gold was especially valuable because of its unique ability to seal away evil spirits—an understanding known to very few.

"Bring all the gold to me," Gu Qingfeng ordered, his voice calm but resolute. "Send people to take over the assets of the other two forces. Kill anyone who dares resist. Also, inform all the factions in Baishidao that they have three days to come and see me. Those who don't show will face the consequences."

"I understand, Father!" Gu Yang responded, excitement flashing in his eyes. The Gu family had finally stepped out of the shadows. With Gu Qingfeng having solidified his reputation by killing Chu Tianxiong and Luo Yu, the time had come to claim their rightful place at the top of Baishidao.

After Gu Yang left, Meng Peng spoke in a low voice. "Master, before his death, Luo Yu claimed that the Tiegu Gang had ties to the Divine Martial King. If true, we may have inadvertently crossed a dangerous line."

Gu Qingfeng's expression didn't change. "What do you know about the Divine Martial King?"

Meng Peng hesitated before replying. "The Divine Martial King, Pei Jing, is from the Pei family, a top clan in Nanyang County. Their position as county governors is hereditary. Pei Jing was reputed to be a prodigy, and later became a true disciple of the Tianyang Sword Sect. Fifteen years ago, during the emperor's illness and the chaos in court, Pei Jing seized control of Nanyang County, quickly consolidating power. He now commands an army of a million men and has annexed Chijiang and Danyang counties. His forces are currently moving into Danyang, and Taishan County may be next."

Meng Peng's words gave Gu Qingfeng pause. He had heard rumors of the emperor's illness and the rise of rebel forces like the Divine Martial King, but now, knowing Pei Jing's strength, it was clear that the man was a force to be reckoned with.

"Don't worry about the Divine Martial King for now," Gu Qingfeng said calmly. "This is Taishan County, not Nanyang. Even if Pei Jing brings his forces here, it's not certain they'll reach Baishidao. Moreover, Pei Jing may not even care about a minor gang like the Tiegu Gang. Focus on unifying Baishidao first."

The events with the Tiegu Gang had taught Gu Qingfeng a vital lesson: to survive in these chaotic times, one needed power. If he controlled an army of a million, would the likes of Pei Jing be a threat?

Strength was the only currency that mattered now. Gu Qingfeng knew that if his family grew powerful enough, they could negotiate with anyone—even the Divine Martial King. If they remained weak, however, they would not even be worth a passing glance. And then there was the threat of evil spirits and sorcerers. Though they had faded from memory for many, Gu Qingfeng knew they were real—and that true strength would be necessary to face them as well.

In these times, power was everything.

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