#263 - Chapter 263 Support Three

The sky was filled with dark clouds, creating a heavy atmosphere. From the distant horizon, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly echoed, growing louder and closer until it stopped before the group.

A stern-looking young man, draped in a black cloak, led the charge on a tall, black horse. His hair was snow-white, and his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, revealing an air of authority and dominance.

Behind him followed ten sturdy men in black robes, each with a different expression. They emanated a powerful aura that demanded respect.

These ten men were the top ten disciples of the Sword Hall, all formidable martial artists. The top five, in particular, were elites selected from forces such as the Green Bamboo Gang, the Black Snake Gang, and the Red Star Gang.

Their strength had all reached the Blood Refining Realm, with the first disciple being a powerhouse at the mid-stage of Blood Refining. Such a team was a force to be reckoned with even in Lianshan Prefecture.

Wei Zhuang's methods of recruiting were swift and decisive, showing no restraint.

Cheng Feng had already prepared the plate, and Wei Zhuang only needed to take it.

Faced with the imprisoned martial artists, he mercilessly placed his sword against their necks and coldly questioned, "Do you submit?"

This forceful attitude instilled fear in many, but some were willing to die rather than yield.

However, when bloody heads fell to the ground, those who were still preparing to be stubborn would instantly sober up.

After all, when life and submission were placed on the same scale, most people would choose to submit, because the instinct for survival made them unable to resist.

Wei Zhuang did not mistreat his newly acquired subordinates, providing them with generous benefits.

Anyone who could make a living in this world had a few tricks up their sleeve, and these people could be useful in certain situations.

At the same time, he was also worried about unexpected situations, so he gathered these people together and arranged for some sect disciples to cooperate with them.

In this way, this team was not only powerful but also disciplined, appearing quite formidable.

Thus, the Sword Hall was born.

The black cloak fluttered in the wind as the group of people galloped past on their horses, their figures disappearing from sight like a whirlwind.

Along the way, their presence caused exclamations of surprise as people made way, fearing to offend these formidable figures.

Wei Zhuang was very familiar with the layout of the Prefecture City, and his goals were clear and defined.

In the Prefecture City, the only person he was confident in contacting and borrowing power from was Sui Ran, whose elder brother, Sui Long, served as a Xiaoqi Deputy General in the City Defense Division. This identity provided great convenience for Wei Zhuang's actions.

Money makes the world go round. Hongmen's interests were tied to Sui Long through private salt dealings. The contraband business that Cheng Feng initially wanted to give up was now an opportunity for Hongmen to take a step further, directly connecting with the Prefecture City and its chain of interests.

This is like you being from a small county, but having connections in the city. Would the people who benefit from you ignore you?

This is free money delivered to your door!

The power structure of the Prefecture City was clear, mainly divided into two systems: the government yamen and the City Defense Division's military forces.

The government yamen was mainly responsible for the city's internal affairs, security, and other matters, serving as the cornerstone of the Prefecture City's daily operations; while the City Defense Division held heavy troops, responsible for the city's defense and external warfare, serving as the core of the Prefecture City's military strength.

To gain a foothold and expand Hongmen's influence in the Prefecture City, it was necessary to skillfully navigate between these two systems, seeking suitable opportunities and entry points.

Wei Zhuang planned to establish contact with the City Defense Division through Sui Ran and his elder brother, Sui Long, using the City Defense Division's military power as a backing, and then gradually infiltrate the government yamen.

Of course, this process was full of unknowns and risks. Wei Zhuang had to remain vigilant at all times, both to prevent being detected and suppressed by hostile forces in the government or the City Defense Division, and to ensure that his actions did not violate the court's bottom line.

Only by taking steady steps and advancing step by step could he ultimately achieve a comprehensive layout in the Prefecture City.

Wei Zhuang and his party first arrived at the inn closest to Sui Mansion, where Hei Er's disciples had been waiting for a long time.

This was the legitimate path that Hongmen took in the Prefecture City, opening several inns as strongholds.

In addition, there was the Mei Family Tavern, which was a property under the Cheng family.

Cheng Feng asked his father-in-law, Mei Zhou, to personally take people to buy a shop in the Prefecture City as a covert move.

Of course, as a property of the Cheng family, the Mei Family Tavern was naturally taken care of by the Cheng family. Mei Zhou was also happy to help his son-in-law open a shop to earn some money for the Cheng family.

After all, Mei Niang was Cheng Feng's legal wife, and at the request of his son-in-law and daughter, what else could Mei Zhou say?

Mei Zhou could also see that Cheng Feng was no ordinary person now. He had built such a large family business in just two years, so that his daughter could live a decent life in the Cheng family. In addition, Cheng Feng was opening a chain of taverns to promote the Mei Family Tavern's concept.

Mei Zhou, who had never achieved anything in his life, immediately agreed to this.

The waiters who followed Mei Zhou were all trained in the training ground, and were all honest people with clean backgrounds and families in Qingxi County, selected by Hei Er.

After accepting the long-term mission, Hongmen sent people in batches, and under the influence of the three distinct levels of good wine, Chunxiao, Xiashang, and Qiubei, the Mei Family Tavern's brand was successfully launched.

All the information that could be found was that the Mei Family Tavern came from Qingxi County, and the person in charge was Mei Zhou, whose family background was clean, and had been doing business for generations, with ups and downs, and had only recently become rich.

For business people, the investigation would end here, and even those with ulterior motives would not think of other places.

Where could such a perfect resume be found? There was naturally a reason why Cheng Feng asked his father-in-law to come out of the mountain.

At first, he wanted to help Mei Niang, and after taking advantage of it, he thought he could earn money by selling wine, but in the end, he realized that the biggest benefit was the credit endorsement of the Mei family's three generations of tavern business.

Wasn't that a coincidence?

With a legitimate wine business, no one could say anything wrong.

The situation of the Mei Family Tavern was very hidden, so hidden that only Wang Hu and Wei Zhuang knew about it at the high level, and the rest were the disciples who followed Mei Zhou to develop the business.

It was not certain whether these disciples would be rotated, but the unified statement to their families was that they had gone to the Prefecture City with Master Mei to open a shop.

Check it out if you want!!!

Wang Hu admired Cheng Feng's foresight the most, even using his father-in-law's background of three generations. How high must his vision be!

And Mei Zhou not only opened a tavern in the Prefecture City, but also used wine to attract some dignitaries.

As the saying goes, natural disasters and man-made disasters are not as good as imperial power and wealth.

This "ji" means "involving."

Outside, the defeated soldiers and remnants were eating their children, but inside the city, until the very last moment, there were still banquets and laughter, and people were toasting and exchanging drinks.

Even if the Great Zhou was defeated again at this time, the richest people were still the sons of those high-ranking officials and wealthy people.

The common people? What money could the common people have?

It would be good enough if they could afford white steamed buns, let alone drink wine???

When Cheng Feng was drinking vegetable soup, he didn't dare to think about this.