Chapter 93: It’s Actually Chen Shun’an?
He Qiang was both amused and exasperated, recalling the grueling days of being pushed forward as a shield and target these past few days, feeling extremely aggrieved.
“Landlord, you are so heartless…”
Zhou Qing flashed in front of the water carriers, instructing the rest to dismiss the troops and not disturb the common folk, then tomorrow proceed as usual to the wells to carry water, before leading Lin Shou Zhuo, He Qiang, and others to Zhao Mansion to report to the landlord.
The water carriers’ side had a relaxed atmosphere, heading home to sleep with their wives.
Meanwhile, the pounding house side was like they had lost their parents.
When the news of Landlord Zheng’s sudden death arrived, they scattered like monkeys.
The boss is dead, why fight to the death?
Better to divide the family assets early…
Wait, the landlord is dead?!
Then for Wanlong Pounding House, who is the new landlord?
Instantly, many Wanlong Pounding House gang members looked at their former kin and close associates with suspicious gazes.
……
By the time Zhou Qing and the others arrived at Zhao Mansion and, led by the butler, reached the study room, they heard Zhao Guangxi’s unrestrained laughter—
“Good, good, good! Brother Zheng, you died so… miserably!!”
Zhou Qing and the others entered the study room.
They saw several figures standing under the pink walls adorned with Huzhou Bamboo School ink paintings, including Shopkeeper Li; basically all the shopkeepers under Zhao Guangxi were present.
The reason it is said to be ‘basically’.
Is because those who could not make it, would never make it.
“Landlord, tonight we…”
Zhou Qing quickly reported today’s events and the reactions from the pounding house side.
Zhao Guangxi stood behind the desk, clearly already aware of the news; upon hearing this, he barely suppressed the upward curl of his lips, nodding slightly as he said,
“Zheng Shicheng was arrogant and perverse, long incurring the resentment of the common folk; now ending up betrayed by all, a target of all, and dying miserably is only fitting.”
Everyone stirred upon hearing this.
A target of all?
The landlord’s words seemed to carry deeper meaning.
Tonight’s attackers who bombed and killed Zheng Shicheng, besides Guo Lu Society, included other forces.
But clearly Zhao Guangxi had no mind to explain; he issued commands decisively.
Such as poaching talent, settling old grudges, taking advantage of Wanlong Pounding House being leaderless to pull off another heist?
Though Zhao Guangxi felt a slight pang of regret deep down; with Zheng Shicheng dead, the bet they had naturally fell through, and subsequent dividends were off the table.
But fortunately, Zhao Guangxi, accustomed to painting pies for others, did not like eating them himself.
After the intercepting meeting ended, he immediately had Zheng Shicheng prepay the dividends.
So he barely plugged the hole from the borrowed debts.
Just a small loss.
Consider it as not letting fat water flow to outsiders; the money he lost flowed into the pockets of his subordinates!
But…
I still have a shortfall of twenty thousand silver taels!
Zhao Guangxi’s heart bled..
Finally, Zhao Guangxi tapped the desk, producing a crisp sound that drew everyone’s attention.
“Everyone, speak your minds… For those three shopkeeper vacancies—one fresh water well and two turbid water wells—how should they be handled?”
Everyone straightened their expressions upon hearing this, growing more serious.
This concerned their vital interests; they could not lag behind.
But only three?
Weren’t there four?
“Landlord, in my humble opinion, He Qiang has served as a water carrier for many years, with high strength, unwavering loyalty, and repeated merits… He should rightfully be promoted to fresh water well shopkeeper.”
This man was the former shopkeeper of He Qiang’s water station, closely tied to He Qiang.
“Landlord, He Qiang has always been reckless and lacking in strategy, barely knowing a few characters; can he manage the accounts properly? I have a candidate here…”
“Zhang Jinghe, you dare insult me like this; dare you fight me?!”
“Land~lord~, these people are all for personal gain, showing favoritism; do not trust them lightly! For this fresh water well shopkeeper position, I have a personnel suggestion… namely myself! I have managed a turbid water well for thirty years, with deep experience.”
“Pah! You old thief, a few years ago your water well had sand backflow, algae overgrowth, couldn’t sell half a bucket a day, lost thousands of silver taels—forgot that? And you have the face to bark here?!”
The imagined workplace struggle—
All sorts of schemes, framing, strategic maneuvering.
The actual workplace struggle—
Face-to-face tirades, exposing shortcomings, slamming tables in arguments.
Shopkeeper Li saw the endless quarreling, coughed once, and stepped forward to say,
“Landlord, Lin Shou Zhuo has hope of reaching first-rate, with an excellent reputation; he should be promoted. Moreover, Chen Shun’an is a late bloomer, utterly loyal to the landlord; failing to reward him would chill hearts.”
Lin Shou Zhuo stood with hands down, his heart stirring, looking gratefully at Shopkeeper Li.
Shopkeeper Li gave Lin Shou Zhuo a look.
We’re brothers!
Little did they know, Shopkeeper Li was fine not speaking, but once he did, everyone turned on him together, jointly attacking.
“Lin Shou Zhuo? Only brute courage, ugly and rough-looking, hardly human; how could he manage a shopkeeper position?!”
“Chen Shun’an is even an old man, half in the grave; still a shopkeeper? In a few years, he’ll be carried in a coffin to the hills!”
Lin Shou Zhuo’s face darkened instantly.
Fortunately, Old Chen was not present today, or he would have taken these people to heart.
No wonder the other shopkeepers reacted so intensely.
It was that in recent days, Shopkeeper Li seemed to have offered some strategy to the landlord, earning repeated praise and shining brightly in front of Old Wellhead.
These days, everyone vaguely heard rumors of ‘water shortage’ circulating in Wuqing County.
And the nine landlords, uncharacteristically, turned a blind eye, as if utterly unaware.
All signs led to endless speculation.
And what kind of person was Shopkeeper Li? Everyone knew.
Clever in petty ways, but no great talent, nor quick wit!
Offering strategy—could he even understand it?
So many guessed that Shopkeeper Li had picked up scraps from someone, got a clever plan, and offered it as his own.
Thus, whatever Shopkeeper Li vied for.
Everyone united to oppose!
Being jointly berated, Shopkeeper Li fumed with rage, but said no more, retreating to his spot and hanging his head in silence.
Now it was a case of more monks than meat; countless eyes covetously watched those three shopkeeper vacancies.
In Shopkeeper Li’s mind, Lin Shou Zhuo might still have some hope, but Chen Shun’an…
Tough.
“Enough.”
Zhao Guangxi interrupted the commotion, saying,
“I plan to change the profit model and water selling methods of the water stations… Hmm, in the words of those overseas folk, it is reform and transformation!”
Everyone’s gazes sharpened.
Reform?
Then those to be transformed were none other than us old-timers?
Zhao Guangxi said: “Starting from these vacant water wells, the appointed shopkeepers will be granted maximum autonomy by me.
Need people? I’ll try to provide; need money? I can advance it; water prices, delivery methods, hired water carriers, real vs. nominal positions—all up to you.”
Many hearts burned with excitement upon hearing this.
This authority was too great!
Equivalent to half a landlord!
Then they heard Zhao Guangxi continue,
“But annual water sales profits handed over: no less than ten thousand taels for turbid water wells, fifteen thousand for fresh water wells, and must not tarnish my water stations’ signboards or break the rules.”
At these words, those who had been fired up instantly felt like eating popsicles in the ninth lunar month—chilled to the core.
Turbid water wells across Wuqing County typically had annual turnovers of around ten thousand taels; after water carrier wages, well maintenance, and reserves, profits handed over were about five thousand taels.
Fresh water wells were no better; though pricier, clients conserved water, with annual profits under ten thousand taels.
And reality was more complex: heavenly stem droughts, annual capital canal dredging, palace ‘Thousand Water Banquets’…
All greatly impacted well profits.
The targets set by the landlord were tough.
Seeing the hall silent as cicadas in winter, noses to tips, Zhao Guangxi laughed in frustration,
“What’s wrong? You were fighting tooth and nail earlier; how are you all deflated now? If anyone can handle it, I’ll waive the buy-an-official-post fee for shopkeeper!”
This well reform was both a challenge and an opportunity.
And that buy-an-official-post shopkeeper fee was no small expense.
After a brief silence, everyone offered suggestions in turn.
But this time much more cautiously.
Some even outright gave up competing!
Moreover, many seemed to notice.
The landlord seemed short on cash again?
In the end, a draft list of candidates for the three shopkeeper vacancies was proposed by everyone.
Each vacancy had basically three or four competitors.
Whether by seniority or strength, all top selections among water carriers.
And this matter would not be finalized quickly; needed to wait for things to stabilize before announcing gradually.
And though seemingly only three shopkeeper vacancies, pulling one radish out brought mud—subsequent personnel shifts were numerous.
Lin Shou Zhuo was not among them; he had more important matters.
Zhao Guangxi glanced at the list, casually pressing it under the inkstone,
“Right…”
He suddenly looked at Lin Shou Zhuo, saying,
“Old Lin, when can you break through to first-rate?”
Lin Shou Zhuo stepped forward, saying: “Soonest one month, latest two months.”
Zhao Guangxi said: “Alright then, adjust your condition well during this time; you may come to my mansion to find a quiet room and break through at the right moment. Then… once you stabilize at first-rate realm, gradually hand over your errands, like delivering Eight Treasures Mercury, to Chen Shun’an.”
Someone asked: “Landlord, delivering Eight Treasures Mercury is no simple task; Chen Shun’an has seniority, but just broke through to second-rate—his strength may not suffice.”
Zhao Guangxi, hearing this, smiled ambiguously, saying,
“Just broke through? Heh…”
Whether that night raiding Ah Hua, when Zhou Qing ‘saw through’ Chen Shun’an’s true level, or a few days ago at Spirit Official Intercepting Meeting, where Chen Shun’an ‘barely’ held his own at second-rate mid-stage against a warrior.
In Zhao Guangxi’s eyes, Chen Shun’an exuded an air of occasional fortuitous encounters, gradually revealing his edge, yet timid and cautious, embodying marketplace principles like not flaunting wealth.
Old Chen was just too prudent.
Too distrustful of me!
Whatever it is, I, Zhao Guangxi, can handle it—all of it!
Everyone was puzzled but dared not ask more.
They only thought the landlord perhaps valued Chen Shun’an’s son-in-law status, wanting ties with Zhang Family Village.
Moments later, the discussion ended.
Everyone prepared to leave.
He Qiang’s eyes darted, then he mustered courage and spoke,
“Landlord, weren’t there four shopkeeper vacancies? Where’s the other one?”
Many who had stepped out silently retracted their feet.
Faces stern and expressionless, yet ears perked up.
Zhao Guangxi chuckled and shook his head, not mincing words; he dipped the brush in ink on the inkstone and added a new column to the list.
Wusheng Street Black Sand Well, turbid water well shopkeeper—
Chen Shun’an（temp）
He Qiang saw the words ‘Chen Shun’an’ and instantly widened his eyes, stunned in place, throat emitting strange ‘geh geh geh’ sounds from squeezed airflow.
The others, seeing this, curiously drew near and peeked!
All showed incredulous expressions!
Chen Shun’an?!
Lin Shou Zhuo blinked, shocked yet somewhat pleased.
Old Chen, you’ve finally made it.
I’m a first-rate martial artist, he’s Black Sand Well shopkeeper; in future, we can support each other.
This is good…
Shopkeeper Li was mildly surprised, then shook his head.
Sighing that Old Chen had gotten lucky this time.
Seeing his subordinates’ reactions, Zhao Guangxi smiled faintly.
Solely for Chen Shun’an’s strategizing that helped him seize the old wellhead position, any benefits given to Chen Shun’an were worth it.
As for removing the ‘temp’ and securing the shopkeeper vacancy, that depended on when he, Zhao Guangxi, advanced.
Zhao Guangxi thought silently,
“I wonder if Old Chen has any way to get me some money…”
