novellaaa Chapter 94 Demanding Titles and Negotiations
Chapter 94 Demanding Titles and Negotiations
Chapter 94 Demanding Titles and Negotiations
Qin Chuan's words surprised Zhao Fuquan, who was standing to the side.
You should know that just a few days ago, right here in this hall, he accused Qin Chuan of causing trouble and being corrupt in front of everyone, and wished that Master Qian would kick him out on the spot.
After all, at that time he thought Qin Chuan was doomed and that Song Hai could easily crush him, so he was in a hurry to distance himself from Qin Chuan and kick him when he was down.
Unexpectedly, the outcome took a turn for the worse, and he was almost abandoned by Master Qian. If he hadn't gone to Master Qian's house and played the emotional card between them, begging for most of the day with tears streaming down his face, he might not be able to return to this paradise today.
To be honest, Zhao Fuquan felt that the relationship between himself and Qin Chuan was so bad that it was like fire and water, and they were just short of fighting each other openly.
And now this kid is asking me with such innocent innocence, "Will you protect me?" Don't you know whether I protect you or not?
I wish I could punch you to death!
I wish you'd be stuffed into a sack and thrown into the river by Song Hai's men as soon as you step out the door!
I'd be too busy setting off firecrackers to celebrate if you died, and you expect me to protect you?
Although Zhao Fuquan thought this way, he dared not show it on his face.
After all, Master Qian was still there, waiting for his answer. Whether he agreed or not, he had no choice.
So even though Zhao Fuquan was extremely unwilling, he had no choice but to say, "Manager Qin, what are you saying? We're all working for Master Qian, so naturally we should look after each other. At the docks, I will definitely protect Manager Qin."
Ah Niu, standing beside him, patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, Manager Qin, I, Ah Niu, will definitely protect you. Anyone who wants to harm you will have to step over my dead body first."
Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan smiled and replied, "Then thank you both very much."
Seeing this scene, Mr. Qian didn't say anything, but instead nodded.
From his perspective, Qin Chuan was giving himself face and offering Zhao Fuquan a way out.
Normally, after making that mistake last time, Zhao Fuquan would never have been able to return to this Heaven on Earth. If it weren't for the fact that he had followed him for many years, he would have been drowned in the river long ago.
Qin Chuan said this purely out of consideration for Zhao Fuquan, hoping to ease tensions.
After all, the two of them will have to work together in the future.
No matter how many grudges you have in your heart, you have to put on a good show.
Qin Chuan's willingness to take this step shows that this young man is sensible.
Thinking of this, Qian Laifu patted Qin Chuan on the shoulder and said in a low voice, "I understand your intentions. Work hard, and I won't let you down in the future."
Hearing this, Qin Chuan was somewhat surprised. What was his intention?
But then he realized that it must be related to his earlier statement that he asked Zhao Fuquan to protect him.
He probably misunderstood, thinking that he was offering Zhao Fuquan a way out, and that he was considering the overall situation for Master Qian and maintaining the dignity of the gang.
Let it be a misunderstanding, Qin Chuan kept his mouth shut and offered no explanation.
He questioned the two men, naturally to "demand an official title." One reason was that his relationship with Zhao Fuquan was already extremely hostile, and now that he had found an opportunity, how could he not try to destroy them?
As for Ah Niu?
This person is a complete scoundrel.
He secretly informed on Zhao Fuquan earlier, probably to curry favor with him and try to climb the ranks by leveraging Zhao Fuquan's influence.
He never expected that he would be promoted to the head manager of the Heaven on Earth, so he came here now to show his "loyalty".
Moreover, this kid isn't sincere.
If they truly knew they were wrong, they should have said so a few days ago.
Forget about "bearing thorns to apologize," at least explain the situation clearly and reveal Zhao Fuquan's scheme.
The fact that it's been delayed until today is clearly because they've noticed Qin Chuan's growing influence with Master Qian, so they came here specifically to say something, hoping to leave themselves a way out.
There's no benefit in keeping such a petty person around.
Secondly, after experiencing the dream incident, Qin Chuan had gained experience and wanted to take precautions in advance. He always felt that the negotiations between the Iron Hand Gang and the Black Tiger Gang would not have a good outcome. Both sides had only one goal: to swallow each other up and monopolize the dock.
This is no secret; everyone in the gang knows it. The money flowing in from that dock every month is enough to support most of the gang. Who would give it up?
Whoever gives in is a fool.
This negotiation is either a stalling tactic or a trap; given the circumstances, Qin Chuan naturally needs to take precautions.
A few minutes later, Qian Laifu led Qin Chuan and his group to a remote dock in Qinghe County.
It's called a dock, but it's really just an old ferry crossing that's been abandoned for many years. It's in disrepair, with only a few berths barely made up of some rubble and old wooden stakes, and the surrounding area is full of dense reeds.
The waterway here is winding and the current is rapid. Large ships are unwilling to stop, and small ships are reluctant to go too far. On weekdays, apart from the occasional fishing boat that comes ashore, you can hardly see any decent boats.
As soon as Qin Chuan arrived at the ferry, he saw a group of people standing in front of him. They were members of the Iron Hand Gang, and the leader, wearing a long robe, was none other than Ma Yanwang.
Beside him stood the disheveled Taoist priest, Hu Daoren, carrying a whisk in his hand, still looking as unkempt as ever. Song Hai was also there, standing beside Ma Yanwang with a gloomy expression.
Upon seeing someone arrive, Song Hai turned his gaze over, lingering on Qian Laifu for a moment before glancing at Qin Chuan, letting out a cold snort, and then crossing his arms.
Seeing that everyone was there, Qian Laifu quickly stepped forward and said a few words to Ma Yanwang.
After waiting for a while, Ma Yanwang looked up at the sky, estimated that it was about time, waved his hand behind him, and led the Iron Hand Gang toward the dock.
As Qin Chuan walked up the high slope of the dock, he looked up and saw a dark mass on the opposite low slope, all of them members of the Black Tiger Gang, numbering at least a hundred.
Standing at the front were three people. The leader was a bald man with a face full of scars. His head shone brightly in the sunlight. He was the leader of the Black Tiger Gang, nicknamed Black Heart Tiger.
The two men beside him, the tall, thin one on the left, who was as thin as a bamboo pole, was the second-in-command, named "Winged Tiger," and the short, fat one on the right, who was as plump as a winter melon, was the third-in-command, named "Short-legged Tiger."
With all three of them appearing together, the Black Tiger Gang's lineup clearly indicates they are no pushovers.
After the two groups stared at each other for a while, Ma Yanwang stepped forward, followed closely by Song Hai and Qian Laifu. The three leaders of the Black Tiger Gang followed suit, and the group stood in the center of the dock before starting to talk.
Because of the distance and the rapid current of the river, Qin Chuan couldn't hear what the people were saying, so he simply started to observe his surroundings.
The dock was dilapidated, and the wooden planks underfoot were broken and tattered, probably crumbling at the slightest pressure. To the left was a waist-high reed bed, to the right were several half-collapsed dilapidated houses, behind them was the dirt road they had come from, and in front was the low slope occupied by the Black Tiger Gang.
It's not exactly good terrain, but it's not a dead end either.
As he was pondering this, he suddenly caught a strange sight out of the corner of his eye: the slovenly Taoist priest had somehow broken away from the crowd and walked alone to the riverbank, standing there motionless with his back to everyone.
Qin Chuan frowned, his gaze piercing through the gaps in the crowd, fixed on the back of the Taoist priest.
Upon reaching the riverbank, Hu Daoren did not hesitate at all. He reached out to unbuckle his belt, lifted the hem of his Daoist robe, and began to "release" himself into the river.
At a time like this? In a place like this?