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112　　Therefore, there must be great interests to support them; simply collecting protection fees from merchants is not enough to support them.

　　Therefore, in that year, the two major gangs surrendered to the imperial court.

　　The imperial court gave them some privileges, such as being able to open casinos, brothels, and lend money.

　　These are the gray industrial chains of this era.

　　In addition, these gangs also engage in some illegal activities in private.

　　For example, selling illegal salt and reselling ironware.

　　As we mentioned in the previous article, Daqian was a dynasty established by foreign invaders from the Central Plains. Therefore, the Mulan people were very worried about the Han people and set up many systems to restrict them.

　　For example, the four-class system we mentioned.

　　For example, as we have said, Han Chinese are not allowed to give names, and numbers are used instead.

　　Another example is restricting the use of iron tools by the Han people.

　　At the beginning, when the rules were the strictest, even a village with dozens of households could only own one iron kitchen knife.

　　The kitchen knife would be tied to the mouth of the well where the Han people drank water, and every few days someone would check to see if the knife was lost.

　　After all, a kitchen knife is made of iron, and as an iron tool, it can be used as a weapon.

　　If the Han people have weapons, they may rebel!

　　Therefore, Daqian has been issuing limited iron orders!

　　However, this kind of command will decline as the country's control declines, and management will become increasingly lax, just as the name suggests.

　　It was never allowed before, but later it became semi-tacitly allowed and non-numeric names were allowed.

　　And this iron tool is common. Nowadays, most families have kitchen knives. The imperial court will not charge a household with treason for this reason.

　　However, the large-scale sale of iron products, including pig iron, wrought iron, iron ore, etc., is absolutely not allowed.

　　Because of its large scale, it is likely to become a weapon and support the rebels.

　　However, precisely because of the imperial ban, in times of chaos, iron tools were indispensable whether for guarding the home or for rebelling.

　　Therefore, this iron was sold at a very high price.

　　As long as the profit is high, there will always be people who take risks, such as gangs.

　　Coincidentally, there happen to be two iron mines in Mianshui County, which are now controlled by these two gangs.

　　This is also the core interest of the Cao Gang and the Yu Gang.

　　The real place to make big money, as for fishing and water transport, well, they are the tiger's mouth. The real way to make a fortune is in these illegal industries!

　　Xiantao Town has no iron mine, but it has a salt field, which is responsible for providing salt for nearly 10,000 people in the town.

　　In this competition, Chen Jie seemed to have only won the position of the leader.

　　In fact, there are so many interests behind this, and these interests are what a gang needs to focus on.

　　Originally, Peng Shizhong had prepared for losses, because Xiantao Town was under the jurisdiction of Baihu Hall, but in the end Chen Jie won.

　　How could he not be happy that he had saved these properties?

　　The members of the fishing gang surrounded Chen Jie as if they were a hero and came to the largest restaurant in Xiantao Town, the Xiantao Restaurant.

　　The restaurant owner had already made preparations.

　　Every time there is such a big competition, a banquet will be held at his place.

　　This doesn't even change based on who wins or loses the game.

　　If the fishing gang wins, they will hold a banquet. If the shipping gang wins, they will also hold a banquet.

　　The owner of this Xiantao Restaurant is sure to make a profit!

　　Sitting at the main table of the restaurant today are Peng Shizhong, his two adopted sons, Feng Xuan, Zheng Chuan, Wu Zhong, and Doctor Bai.

　　Because of today's victory, Chen Jie was also invited to dine at the main table as an exception.

　　At the banquet, Peng Shizhong raised a glass and praised Chen Jie, expressing his high praise for Chen Jie.

　　Chen Jie repeatedly said that he dared not. At the signal of Doctor Bai, Chen Jie returned a glass to Peng Shizhong.

　　Peng Shizhong looked at Chen Jie and said with a smile: "Jiu Si, you are very good. It is not easy for a young person to achieve what you have done. You are a talent!"

　　"Thank you for the compliment, Master."

　　Peng Shizhong asked again: "Jiu Si, do you have any plans to work in the White Tiger Headquarters?"

　　After hearing this, everyone looked at Chen Jie.

　　This can also be considered a test for Peng Shizhong.

　　If Chen Jie agreed immediately, it would seem that he was eager for quick success.

　　If you are shy, you will appear hypocritical.

　　So everyone looked at him, wanting to see how he would handle it.

　　Chen Jie also understood that this was a test for himself.

　　In fact, Chen Jie was also very confused as to why these big bosses always liked to test people.

　　For example, some so-called emotional intelligence-testing questions in the previous life: What to do if there are only four bottles of water when five leaders are having a meeting?

　　What to do?

　　Cold salad, if you want to drink water, please raise your hands. Whoever raises his hand will get it. (⊙o⊙)…

　　However, although it was strange, Chen Jie did not find it difficult. This kind of problem could actually be thrown to other people.

　　"Well, Master, I really want to go to the county to help you, but I am still learning from my master, and my family is in Xiantao Town, so I can't leave them."

　　After hearing this, Peng Shizhong looked at Doctor Bai.

　　Doctor Bai smiled and said, "My disciple is filial. However, Jiusi, Hall Master Peng wants you to go to the county to help him. It is your blessing. You have great talent. You don't have to live in this small Xiantao Town. You can go to the county with Hall Master Peng."

　　"As for Master, you don't have to worry too much. Besides, Xiantao Town is not far from the county. If you miss Master, come and see him."

　　"Shizhong, my disciple is very good and intelligent. You must take good care of him when we get to the county!"

　　After hearing this, Peng Shizhong said, "Mr. Bai, Jiu Si hasn't agreed yet!"

　　"I'm his master, I can make the decision for him!"

　　Doctor Bai knew Chen Jie's ambition, and if he wanted to realize his ambition, he could only go to a higher platform.

　　However, in this situation, he didn't want his apprentice to appear eager for quick success, as if he had to go to the county with Peng Shizhong.

　　At this time, it would be better for him to help Chen Jie take on this eagerness for quick success and turn it into his own expectations. This way, Jiu Si's work in the county will be more legitimate.

　　When others asked him why he entered the county and whether it was for fame and fortune, he could say: I cannot disobey the master's orders!

　　Parents love their children deeply.

　　Doctor Bai also considered Chen Jie very carefully.

　　When Peng Shizhong heard Doctor Bai say this, he also looked at Chen Jie and asked, "Jiu Si, what do you think?"

　　Chen Jie said: "I..."

　　He was really in a dilemma at this moment. His ambition wanted him to climb up, but Doctor Bai was sincere about it for him, so he was reluctant to leave this elder who loved him.

　　Doctor Bai said, "Jiu Si, listen to Master."

　　Chen Jie was stunned for a moment, then he said, "Just let the hall master take charge!"

　　Peng Shizhong laughed loudly after hearing this, and then looked at Chen Jie and said, "I know that Mr. Bai loves you very much. Don't worry, I won't treat you badly if you follow me. Mr. Bai is here, so I'll tell you something."

　　When everyone heard what Peng Shizhong said, they were stunned and looked at this big man seriously.

　　At this time, Peng Shizhong said: "I, Peng Shizhong, have always been a person who loves talents. I like Jiusi very much. I originally wanted to take him as my apprentice, but since he is Bai Lao's apprentice, I can't take away his love. But I have another idea."

　　"Everyone knows that I, Peng Shizhong, like to adopt sons. I now have four adopted sons, and I want to adopt Jiusi as my fifth adopted son. What do you think, Jiusi?"

　　Adopted son!

　　After hearing this, everyone looked at Peng Shizhong in shock. Everyone knew that Peng Shizhong had no children in his life, so the probability of him having an adopted son was very high and he would be able to inherit Baihu Hall after his death.

　　This is an enormous fortune.

　　No one expected that it would fall on Chen Jie's head.

　　At this time, the disciples of the fishing gang around were breathing heavily.

　　What's more, their eyes were almost green with envy, because he was Peng Shizhong's adopted son, and he was the young steward of Baihu Hall!

　　Currently, Peng Shizhong's four adopted sons are the four managers of Baihu Hall.

　　Which one is not in power? Which one is not high and mighty?

　　Compared with managers of this level, the fish pen managers who go down to the local level are simply no match.

　　This is like a Beijing official being demoted to a seventh-rank official in a remote area.

　　They are both seventh-rank officials, but the difference between them is huge!

　　Chen Jie used to be just a small river patrol officer, but now he has become the manager of the White Tiger Hall.

　　How many levels have been upgraded in one go?

　　The reason was that Master Peng appreciated him and regarded him as his adopted son.

　　Why can't you adopt me as your adopted son, Master Peng? I'm willing to be your son. Not to mention being your son, I'm even willing to be your grandson!

　　There is no shame in pursuing power and wealth.

　　Besides, Master Peng is almost sixty years old, older than his biological father. What harm would there be in recognizing such a man as his godfather?

　　This is simply pie in the sky.

　　Thinking of this, everyone looked at Chen Jie with jealous eyes.

　　Chen Jie was stunned. He didn't expect that Peng Shizhong would actually adopt him as his adopted son!

　　He didn't expect such a pie would fall on his head.

　　Need I say more about the value of Peng Shizhong's adopted son?

　　Who doesn't know? It's like reaching heaven in one step!