Chapter 53 Winning Hearts and Minds

The county magistrate remained calm and composed, showing no regard for the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but this did not mean that Sword Wind Mountain possessed the same privilege.

Especially since Song Heng was merely a chief of the External Affairs Hall, who could throw his weight around on ordinary days. Once a true imperial court affair became involved at a critical moment, he would undoubtedly be the first person to be abandoned.

With the Embroidered Uniform Guard descending upon them with such a grand and aggressive posture, how could he not panic?

"My lord, I reckon they are not playing games this time. Many people have already died, and the visitors mean business. My lord, we must make preparations early to avoid truly being caught off guard with evidence against us."

How could the magistrate not know what Song Heng was thinking?

"Keep calm and collected. Sit down and speak."

"You have always been overly cautious by nature, to the point that the moment you encounter the slightest trouble, you like to make a fuss. This official received word long ago that their purpose this time is to investigate whether anyone along the border has colluded with the enemy. As long as we do not reveal any flaws in this regard, they can do nothing to us."

The magistrate had long been aware of the intentions of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, having received a message from his mentor at the Imperial Academy half a month prior.

Upon receiving the letter, he had destroyed all evidence, leaving no incriminating traces behind.

This was why he could remain so unfazed; even though Xu Feng and Red Lotus were leading their men on a killing spree, he still sat securely in his fishing pavilion.

"I ask for your guidance, my lord. Should I follow their instructions and close down all the gambling dens and opium dens?"

"Those that should be closed must still be closed. If I am not mistaken, the other side intends to give us a severe warning, so we shall simply follow their wishes. That way, they will have no excuse to make further trouble."

If anyone else had come to investigate the case, the magistrate would have long since arranged for people to invite them to his estate, treating them to lavish food and drink.

However, the Embroidered Uniform Guard were different; brushing them off was no easy task, leaving him with no choice but to wait and watch developments unfold.

The two men conversed until late into the night before Song Heng finally departed.

Unlike his initial panic, when Song Heng left the magistrate's residence, he was now filled with a sense of assurance.

A large number of opium dens and gambling dens closed down simultaneously, with only a few failing to shut their doors because the notification had not reached them in time. These establishments essentially belonged to three major factions, headed by the magistrate, followed by the Six Fan Doors, and lastly, Sword Wind Mountain.

Having operated there for many years, the entire city of Suzhou had long since become their private backyard.

The aggressive actions of the Embroidered Uniform Guard greatly displeased Huangfu Kai, a bronze-token constable of the Six Fan Doors.

Initially, they had not taken the words of the Embroidered Uniform Guard seriously.

They had assumed that sending gifts would make the other party turn a blind eye, but instead, the messenger delivering the gifts was beaten to within an inch of his life, and several gambling dens were directly cleared out.

Only then did Huangfu Kai belatedly realize that the Embroidered Uniform Guard were not joking this time.

"My lord, as you ordered, our subordinate shops have all temporarily closed. When will this matter blow over? It cannot keep affecting our business forever."

Faced with the inquiries of his subordinates, Huangfu Kai felt a surge of annoyance.

How could he not know that keeping the gambling dens closed was a severe blow to business, resulting in a daily loss of a significant portion of his income?

"How the hell should I know? All of you behave yourselves during this period and do not stir up trouble outside. As for when we reopen, wait for my word."

"Furthermore, do not engage in any underhanded tricks behind my back. Do not think I am unaware of your usual behavior. Do not give the enemy anything to hold against us."

...

Xu Feng and Red Lotus spent an entire day cleaning up the entire guard post.

The banner of the Embroidered Uniform Guard fluttered proudly in front of the main gate, looking much more imposing than before.

"My lord, there are a total of thirteen gambling dens in the city, and all of them have now been closed. Aside from the first two that refused to settle down, everyone else has been very honest. On the surface, the account books show no issues."

Ye Ziyu said, placing the collected account books in front of Xu Feng.

Among the ten chief flag officers under Red Lotus, this man possessed the highest cultivation—a first-rank martial artist, merely a step away from becoming a martial grandmaster.

Xu Feng thought very highly of him, not only because of his strength, but also because Ye Ziyu suited his temperament. He handled matters decisively and cleanly, without a trace of hesitation.

"Very good. Let the brothers rest for a bit and give the other side a buffer period. If I am not mistaken, they certainly will not sit idly by next. As long as they make a move, they will leave flaws behind."

Ever since descending the mountain, Xu Feng had already formed a complete plan in his mind.

For now, the overall situation remained completely under control.

"By the way, gather everyone together. I have something to say to them shortly."

As far as the subordinates under Red Lotus were concerned, Xu Song was ultimately an outsider parachuted into authority.

Although they might not say anything to his face, they would likely still hold grievances behind his back.

The only reason they were willing to obey Xu Feng's orders now was because of Red Lotus's presence. Otherwise, getting them to willingly work for him would not have been an easy feat.

Most importantly, Xu Feng had been parachuted in, yet he was utilizing merits that they had earned.

"Understood."

Red Lotus looked at Xu Feng with keen interest, knowing that he intended to win over the hearts of the men.

She was merely curious as to what methods Xu Feng would employ to make these people truly pledge their allegiance to him.

Ordinary tactics would likely fail to make these proud and fierce warriors willingly submit. The only reason they willingly followed Red Lotus was the pursuit of a promising future.

As for Xu Feng, what could Xu Feng possibly offer them!

Under Ye Ziyu's arrangement, everyone stood at attention in the courtyard.

"Thank you for your hard work, everyone. The operations of the past few days have already yielded initial results."

"I am a person who does not treat his own brothers unfairly. Whatever benefits there are, I will not stuff them into my own pockets, nor will I ever steal your merits."

Xu Feng understood a simple truth: if you want people to work for you, you must offer them a future or at least let them see hope.

While he could not give them too many guarantees, certain things could be obtained effortlessly.

With a swift kick, Xu Feng shattered the wooden chest beside his feet, sending silver ingots scattering across the ground.

"All of this silver consists of illicit funds confiscated from the gambling dens across the city during this period. I am now taking out one hundred thousand taels to reward my brothers, and another one hundred and fifty thousand taels will be used to upgrade the guard post."

"Ye Ziyu, distribute this among everyone. Brothers who have made contributions shall receive an extra share, and the rest will be split equally among all."

Never in their lives had they seen so much silver; even the several chief flag officers could not help but swallow hard. Even if split evenly among hundreds of men, the amount each person received would be enough to sustain them for the rest of their lives.

It was impossible not to be tempted.

"Get to work! What are you standing around for? You don't expect me to hand it out to you personally, do you?"

Seeing that Ye Ziyu had not moved for a long time, Xu Feng urged him forward.

"But my lord, these illicit funds are supposed to be handed over to the imperial court for a final judgment. Is it really proper for us to keep them ourselves? After all, there are account books for everything."

Seeing how honest these men were, Xu Feng had no choice but to offer them a hint.

"How the accounts are recorded is entirely up to us to decide, isn't it? Be flexible when doing things, and do not be overly rigid."

"Do not worry about the Emperor finding out and placing the blame. As long as you handle matters well, everything can be easily managed."

Seeing this, the men finally hesitated no longer and gladly accepted the order.