With the first day’s example of dispensing porridge setting the precedent.
On the second day, Yang Ge simply transported the food to the Vegetable Market and then called it a day.
Due to the grain shortage, the Liu Family’s inn and martial arts school had already closed down.
He could finally go home and catch up on some much-needed sleep...
Just before lunchtime, as Yang Ge had just tied on his apron ready to cook, Fang Ke arrived.
He brought over a main dish!
"Changsheng Bank, redeemable for three thousand taels of silver upon presentation of this note..."
Yang Ge, holding the beautifully crafted note stamped with a large red seal, couldn’t help but chuckle, "Who sent this?"
Fang Ke wasn’t amused at all and replied solemnly, "The money comes from three families together, three thousand taels of silver, to request our Embroidered Uniform Guard to take action and tie up ’Zhang Mazi’ for three days!"
Yang Ge scoffed, "They really have some guts, don’t they!"
Fang Ke frowned and said, "My Lord, you can’t go to the three major grain depots anymore, they..."
"I know, I know."
Yang Ge yawned, speaking nonchalantly, "They’ve hired a master to deal with me, who will arrive at Lu Ting within three days!"
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Seeing that he was well aware of the situation, Fang Ke’s brows relaxed significantly, but he still said in a low voice with a bit of worry, "It must be your attitude this morning at the Li Family, they feel that they can’t get past this unless they get rid of you..."
Yang Ge laughed, "Well, the protruding nail gets hammered first, expected indeed!"
If this had happened earlier, he might indeed have been frazzled by the response from the three major grain depots.
But now, having already decided to make one big score before calling it quits, he naturally didn’t need to consider what the three major grain depots thought.
However, the reaction of the three major grain depots indeed showed that he had been too simplistic in his thinking.
Previously, he thought that as long as he trod on the three major grain depots’ psychological defenses, making the cost of eliminating him far outweigh the value of the grains he took, he could push back the date they would act against him by ten days or half a month.
But in hindsight, he realized that he had underestimated the power of setting an example...
The grains he took indeed weren’t worth much money.
Or rather, compared to the grand scheme the three major grain merchants had in collusion, the market of Lu Ting, a single county, was at most a hair on the back of nine oxen!
But from the perspective of the three major grain merchants, they were considering the big picture of hundreds of counties, and not just the gains and losses of Lu Ting alone.
If a mere ’Zhang Mazi’ could defecate and urinate on their heads, then other places would inevitably see a second and a third ’Zhang Mazi’.
It would obviously cost less and have a lower price to crush this one Zhang Mazi now rather than putting out fires and running around desperately when the time comes.
Seeing that Yang Ge understood everything, Fang Ke also showed a smile, "Then should we accept this money? It’s a bonus either way, wasted if not taken, and taking it makes no difference. You might as well have a prosperous year!"
"Well said, wasted if not taken, and taking it makes no difference!"
Yang Ge also laughed, "But this money shouldn’t just be mine, the brothers all deserve a share, so we can all have a prosperous year together!"
Fang Ke hastened to wave his hands, "That won’t do, the brothers already feel bad enough for not showing enough respect to you without taking your reward money. Absolutely not, you give it out, but definitely, no one will take it. If anyone dares, I’ll slap their hand..."
"Listen to me!"
Yang Ge put down the silver note, "This money is not just a year-end bonus for the brothers, it’s also an overtime pay!"
Fang Ke was stunned for a moment, "Year-end bonus? Overtime pay?"
Yang Ge said cheerfully in a gentle voice, "I’m planning one big job, and when the time comes, I’ll need the brothers to back me up!"
Fang Ke was shocked, "You’re going again? And for a big job? You’re knowingly heading into the tiger’s lair!"
Yang Ge spread his hands, "What’s the difference? Do you think the three major grain depots would let Zhang Mazi off if I stopped now?"
Fang Ke thought about it and instantly relaxed, "That’s true!"
Yang Ge patted his shoulder and smiled, "Relax, my being Zhang Mazi is something only you and I know about... uh, and maybe Shen too, who else could know?"
"Even if the news leaks out in the future and they find out that I am Zhang Mazi, what does that matter?"
"They are looking for the bandit Zhang Mazi, while I, Yang Ge, am a Hundred Household Officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
"Killing Zhang Mazi is to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys!"
"Killing me, Yang Ge, would be assassinating an official and rebelling against the state!"
"I know they have the guts to ’kill the chicken to warn the monkeys’, and they are quite bold at that!"
"As for the courage to kill officials and rebel, I can’t guarantee they definitely don’t have it, but I believe that if they do, they’ll surely die faster than me!"
’Besides, if it really comes to that, it’s not certain who will kill whom!’
The last sentence was muttered in his heart.
In another year or so, he would be able to refine his essence into Inner Qi and ascend to the True Essence realm.
If he was lucky, it could even take just three or two months!
Being in the Inner Qi realm could only qualify one as a master, nothing extraordinary.
But reaching the True Essence realm would completely separate him from the rank and file!
Like ’River Dragon’ Lei Heng, even with thirty thousand Tartar troops and numerous masters storming the mountain, they couldn’t hold on to him...
Fang Ke came to his senses and smiled, "What you said makes sense... So, how big do you plan to go?"
Yang Ge slowly clenched his fist: "I’ll take down all three major granaries in Lu Ting in one fell swoop!"
Fang Ke widened his eyes and offered a wry smile, "That’s really big... How should the brothers coordinate with you?"
Yang Ge: "You’ll reply to the three major granaries later and tell them that we, the Embroidered Guards of Lu Ting, can take the job, but they need to pay more!"
Fang Ke: "How much more?"
Yang Ge: "That depends on how much you and the brothers want!"
Fang Ke thought for a while: "Double?"
Yang Ge slapped his head to the side, "Petty, do you think the reputation of Lu Ting’s Embroidered Guards is worth so little? You can let them know about my recent promotion to Hundred Household trial and guarantee that as long as we get the money, we from Lu Ting’s Embroidered Guards will ensure that the job is done perfectly without any aftermath!"
"Double? Six thousand taels?"
Fang Ke’s eyes bulged and then he squeezed them into a smile, more obsequious than Huang, "Just give your orders. Even if it means brothers have to act tonight and take out those greedy rich families in the chaos, we will have no second thoughts!"
Yang Ge: "You little rascal, you’re trying to ruin my reputation again!"
Fang Ke exclaimed, "Ah, I forgot, you are Zhang Mazi!"
Yang Ge: "How you extort the money, I don’t care. I just have one demand... you must make the three major granaries feel like they are the ones with money in hand, crying and begging us, the Embroidered Guards of Lu Ting, to lend them a hand!"
"Not that we, the Embroidered Guards of Lu Ting, are the ones offering help unasked!"
Fang Ke had an expression of complete understanding, "Leave it to me!"
Isn’t it just extortion?
That’s easy enough to come by.
Yang Ge: "Tonight, I will go to Fuhe the Zhao Family to collect grain. You will disguise yourself as me and lead a group of brothers to block me at the Zhao Family. During the encounter, let’s exchange a few moves, I’ll win you by one move, you’ll slash me with your knife, you’ll retreat with your men, and in a fit of rage, I’ll turn around and summon the people to plunder all the granaries of the three major granaries!"
"After your retreat, you’ll also have to act enraged, give orders to rally your troops, gather your family’s brothers, the constables, and the county soldiers, all together."
"They must be all grouped together, creating an opportunity for me and the people to plunder the grain."
"During that period, not a single official should be at the granaries of the three major granaries getting in the way!"
"Once I’m done here, you come over with your men to arrest me!"
"Then spread several false messages, now saying I’m in the east, then in the west. Divide your men into groups, scurry around the city, and when you see the granaries’ bodyguards, take them for me and arrest them all!"
"After dawn, issues a sea arrest warrant, declare martial law throughout the city, and no one is allowed to carry weapons on the street!"
"Especially those bodyguards of the three major granaries, block them all in their dens, don’t let them take to the streets, and forbid them from going to the homes of the people to plunder grain. Anyone who dares cause trouble should all be arrested again!"
"Remember, all those arrested, when the three major granaries come to demand people, charge them money!"
"No money, no release!"
"We can’t break the rules of the Embroidered Guards!"
While talking, he gestured on his left shoulder, "Then you go for this spot. I’ll have a piece of pork underneath beforehand. Remember, it’s a slash, don’t stab, or I might not hold back if it hurts!"
Money on the left.
Money on the right.
Fang Ke listened until his eyes nearly turned into Copper Coins. When Yang Ge finished, he slapped the table decisively, "Done, it’s just a few wealthy but heartless rich families, let’s handle them!"