The destiny of all heavens begins in the Red Chamber

"Why is it impossible?"

A chivalrous man at the next table sneered, "The previous magistrate served in Huarong for almost five years, but I didn't see him do anything particularly remarkable during those five years!"

"So, after the Beggar Hero became the head of the Huarong Incense Hall, this guy suddenly became ambitious and turned into a capable and efficient official? Do you believe that yourself, little brother?"

Before the young merchant could ask any further questions, the江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the martial arts world) man at the next table revealed the inside story: "It's all thanks to the chivalrous beggar. He restored order to the streets, developed workshops, and made contact with forces across the river. That's how Huarong quickly became so prosperous and bustling!"

"Which resident of Huarong doesn't know the reason behind this?"

"It's just that the beggar-knight isn't a person of officialdom, so he doesn't care much about these political achievements. As a result, the previous magistrate got a great advantage!"

"I heard that this guy was promoted directly to the position of prefect because of his meritorious service in governing Huarong!"

"It's unlikely!"

The young merchant asked in bewilderment, "The 'Heroic Beggar' is merely a branch leader of the Beggars' Sect. How could he possibly have made Huarong so successful, even surpassing the prefectural city?"

"Hehe, young man, you don't know that, do you?"

The man at the next table chuckled and said, "When the Beggar Hero was the leader of Huarong, he managed the order in Huarong so well that the government didn't even need to intervene!"

"In addition, the beggar not only led the brothers of the Incense Hall to do business, but also shared the Incense Hall's business channels, so that many ordinary people in Huarong could also benefit from it!"

Seeing the young merchant's puzzled expression, the江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the martial arts world) man at the next table explained: "For example, the beggar-chicken, after consulting with many famous doctors, has created mosquito coils that are very popular and have already been sold throughout the south!"

"How could the Beggars' Sect's Incense Hall possibly obtain such a large quantity of materials for making mosquito coils?"

"The Beggar Hero distributes these materials to the villages in shares, and the Incense Hall buys them all. The villagers can earn a certain income simply by harvesting mosquito coil materials from the wild!"

"This is not an isolated incident. As a result, the people of Huarong are living better and better lives. With spare money in their hands, they dare to buy all kinds of goods."

"Then, the shops in Huarong City, as well as the itinerant merchants who traveled through the countryside, also made money. That's how Huarong became prosperous so quickly. Isn't it clear who deserves the most credit?"

The young merchant was dumbfounded and subconsciously asked, "Don't the government and local gentry increase their exploitation efforts?"

Ignoring his uncle's warning, he said directly, "I know these guys are quite ruthless!"

Chapter 421 Not a Too-Good Person (Please Subscribe)

The teahouse was bustling with noise, but few of the tea drinkers paid attention to the quiet conversation taking place here.

"Hearing what you say, young man, I know you've seen the world!"

The burly man at the next table was taken aback at first, then chuckled and said, "That's a good question, young man!"

"The county officials, the local gentry and landlords, and the clan elders are all not kind people. They will not easily let go of any benefits they see!"

This statement reveals a rather cruel truth!

Even the uncle who originally wanted to stop the young man from speaking couldn't help but listen with curiosity, clearly quite interested in the matter.

The saying "prosperous times often bring many wronged souls" is no joke.

The saying "a county magistrate can ruin a family, and a prefect can exterminate an entire clan" is not just empty talk.

What merchants feared most was not bandits or outlaws, but the officials in government offices.

If they want to, they can easily exploit their targets to the bone; it's not an exaggeration at all.

Could it be that this kind of thing doesn't work in Huarong?

In fact, that's exactly the case!

"According to the beggar, in a world with martial arts, there is still some hope for the common people!"

The street thug at the next table chuckled, "If the officials in the government want to make money, they need the cooperation of their subordinates; otherwise, they're nothing!"

"Local gentry and landlords, without the support of the government and the support of their tenants, are nothing but a fart!"

"When the Beggar King was in Huarong, he had already drawn lines for the government officials and local gentry and landlords, otherwise the consequences would have been unpredictable!"

As he spoke, he glanced at the uncle and nephew who were listening intently and said leisurely, "If you don't want to die a mysterious death, you'd better obediently follow these rules!"

"impossible?"

The young businessman exclaimed in surprise, "The officials in the yamen are no pushovers!"

“They are no kind people. Those who were forced to abandon their families and flee into the deep mountains and forests by them, and those who had no choice but to leave their homes, are they also no kind people?”

What do you mean by that?

The young businessman was dumbfounded. Wasn't he supposed to be talking about officials in the government? How did the conversation turn to someone else?

"Literally!"

The江湖汉子 at the next table said leisurely, "Three years ago, quite a few officials still didn't believe in the evil spirits, and as a result, they all died tragically, killed by the very people they had harmed!"

"This is a classic vendetta, and they're all a bunch of penniless peasants. Do you think we're trying to drive them into rebellion?"

The young businessman was dumbfounded, while his uncle merely looked thoughtful.

"As for the local gentry and landlords, there are plenty of river bandits on the Yangtze River; how could they possibly deal with them?"

"This...this...could all of this be the work of the Beggar Hero?"

The young businessman felt his worldview shattered and exclaimed in disbelief, "Impossible! Aren't they all saying that chivalrous beggars are unparalleled in their chivalry? How could they do such a thing?"

"Who said this was something a chivalrous beggar would do?"

The chivalrous man at the next table said irritably, "Besides, it's true that chivalry and beggars prioritize justice, but that doesn't mean they can't distinguish between good and bad, or that they'll take care of everyone!"

"Don't the officials in the government have any countermeasures?"

The young businessman asked curiously, "Since interests are involved, I doubt the officials in the government will let this go easily!"

"Heh, could it be that their usual income has decreased?"

A江湖豪侠 (a figure from the martial arts world) at the next table sneered, "Everything is being done according to the rules. The officials in the government offices haven't had their income affected. They just want more!"

"As for how the chivalrous beggar dealt with them, how could an outsider like me know such things?"

"What about the local gentry and landlords?"

The young businessman, undeterred, asked, "I don't believe they'd be so obedient!"

"They can't afford not to behave!"

The street thug at the next table sneered, "Unless, they just want to make a living by guarding their own fields and shops in the city, and have no intention of expanding their business to the Yangtze River!"

"Also, do they still want to use the Dongting Lake waterway in the future?"

The story ended there, the meaning of which was self-evident.

The young businessman quickly realized what was going on, and couldn't help but gasp. He nodded repeatedly and said, "This idea is excellent. It directly targets the weaknesses of those landlords and gentry!"

"In short, as long as the government and local gentry don't arbitrarily interfere, the living standards of the people in Huarong will naturally improve day by day!"

"And the former magistrate of Huarong County was promoted because of his outstanding political achievements. Isn't that ridiculous?"

Ha ha……

The young businessman couldn't smile; in his heart, however, he felt an indescribable envy.

He envied the good living environment of the people of Huarong and his colleagues there.

Businessmen with conscience and principles don't have high demands to begin with; what they fear most is government officials interfering indiscriminately.

But in Huarong, such a thing simply doesn't exist, which makes him incredibly envious.

"If I want to settle down in Huarong, what are the conditions, or are there any unspoken rules?"

At this moment, the uncle who had been silent until now suddenly asked, "If possible, I would like to settle some of our belongings here in Huarong!"

"Uncle, what's wrong with you...?"

The young businessman was bewildered once again, not understanding why his uncle would suddenly do such a thing.

"It's very simple, all you need is property in the city!"

The burly man at the next table didn't take it seriously and chuckled, "If there were a hundred or so acres of land outside the city, hiring some local villagers to cultivate it would be even better!"

Such things have happened far too often in Huarong in recent years!

It must be said that businessmen have a very keen sense of smell, or perhaps their need for security is too urgent.

Their social status is too low. Without sufficient background and support, even with immense wealth, they cannot withstand being coveted by government officials and local powerful figures.

Not to mention, if a notorious bandit were to take a liking to it, then things would get really interesting.

Just as the chivalrous beggar said, there are still many differences in the world with martial arts.

Clearly, Huarong boasts not only rapid economic development but also top-notch public security and social order, making it a natural choice for wealthy businessmen to establish businesses there.

Some people who had suffered mistreatment elsewhere simply brought their families here to settle down.

Putting everything else aside, the security in Huarong is quite robust. Most notorious bandits wouldn't dare to cause trouble here, or they'd be hunted down by the Beggars' Sect.

In recent years, with the sudden rise of the Beggars' Sect, they have participated in one major event after another in the martial arts world, which has raised the reputation of the Beggars' Sect. Coupled with its huge scale, its deterrent power is not to be underestimated.

Even the Hengshan Sect, which is not far away, is feeling increasing pressure, let alone other wandering martial artists.

Chapter 422 The Origin of 'Invincible East' (Please Subscribe)

Jia Huan is now carrying seven burlap sacks on his body!