294: Chapter 206: Full of Mischief (Request for Subscription)_3 294: Chapter 206: Full of Mischief (Request for Subscription)_3 However, West Mountain Hall still collected taxes without error, and the government turned a blind eye to this, pretending not to know.
The West Mountain County Army set up checkpoints on the roads to collect money without government permission, and they too collected without error.
Dan Chiling suppressed his pleasure, his expression solemn and his tone became respectful, “Hall Master, are there any other rules for this checkpoint?”
North and South of West Mountain span six hundred miles, and East to West, seven hundred miles with three county towns inside.
On the northwest side of West Mountain lies Cangwu County, and only a few gorges connect these places.
Therefore, there were many merchant caravans on these roads, and one-third of the guards from Xiushui County were doing business in the West Mountain gorges.
If the Dan family could indeed set up a checkpoint at the gorge, they would surely make a fortune daily.
After Iron Banner Gang’s West Mountain Hall had severely defeated the Sheen Family and the West Mountain County Army, they also had the qualifications to do so.
Presumably, the passing merchants would not object, merely transferring the money they used to pay the Sheen Family to them instead.
As for the West Mountain County Army, if they had the courage to leave the camp, the Dan family’s own forces could crush them.
However, Dan Chiling knew that Chu Xisheng would not simply hand over the business to their family without getting something in return.
“All toll fees, the Dan family must hand over fifty percent to the Tangkou, and you also cannot let any major thieves from West Mountain step even one foot outside the gorge,” he said with narrowed eyes, a hint of a smile appearing.
Besides extinguishing the bandit problem in West Mountain, all merchant squads must have their boxes opened and inspected,” Chu Xisheng continued with a few hints of a smile, “I don’t care about other goods, but food, oil, vinegar, and saltpetre must not enter West Mountain starting today.”
Dan Chiling was initially puzzled, but then his expression shifted slightly, guessing the reason.
He had overheard earlier and thought this person was genuinely kind-hearted, sympathizing with the hard lives of the West Mountain hunters and planning to cut them some slack.
It turned out there was another method involved, aimed at these hunters.
The few commercial routes inside West Mountain were rugged and narrow, all covered with mud, with merchant caravans hardly dealing in food and oil.
These goods were incredibly heavy, and even selling them to the three county towns inside the mountain and across to Cangwu County would not cover their costs.
Thus, the foodstuffs, oil, vinegar, and saltpetre carried by those caravans were mostly sold to the nearby West Mountain hunters and mountain bandits like White Cloud Village and Jiudao Dock.
Dan Chiling thought to himself that this young man was indeed cunning and malicious.
He appeared righteous and loyal, but in fact, he harbored ill intentions.
Chu Xisheng’s move was essentially cutting off these bandits and West Mountain hunters at their roots.
Food, oil, vinegar are daily necessities, and saltpetre was essential for curing skins, without which the skins would quickly rot.
This Master Chu didn’t plan on using armed force against the West Mountain hunters, yet he could force the hunters to come begging on their knees.
And his reasons were righteous and legitimate.
Dan Chiling promptly agreed without hesitation, his expression one of generous heroism, “Understood!
By tomorrow evening at the latest, these three checkpoints will be completed.
I, Dan Chiling, can guarantee with my life that neither White Cloud Village nor Jiudao Dock will step out of these three gorges henceforth.”
He wished he could return home at this moment to quickly mobilize house guards, and organize manpower.
Each day the checkpoints were delayed, they lost a day’s revenue, and this was a business worth several thousand taels.
About 15 minutes later, everyone in the Chu family’s main hall dispersed.
After the meeting, Zhou Liangchen, carrying his Heavy Sword and carrying the address given by Lu Pingyuan, went to West Mountain to hack people; Dan Chiling also left in a hurry, galloping back to Dan Manor.
However, Lu Luanti, Liu Ruoxi, Li Shenshan, Wei Yang, and Lu Pingyuan among a few key figures, were kept behind by Chu Xisheng.
Wei Yang’s expression was filled with admiration, “The Hall Master is truly a step ahead.
In this way, not only can we gain additional income, but we can also make those hunters and bandits unable to escape their predicament.”
Anyone with a bit of sense could now see Chu Xisheng’s insidious intentions.
This was indeed far cleverer than directly using armed forces, and it left no room for objections.
Lu Luanti also stared at Chu Xisheng, pondering how she had failed to see it before.
This man was so scheming.
She used to believe he was a simple and pure young man with a benign temperament.
“The Hall Master’s strategy is indeed ingenious,” Lu Pingyuan also could not help but admire.
“However, we must guard against those West Mountain bandits acting desperately.
With only the Dan family’s power, I’m afraid they are not a match for White Cloud Village and Jiudao Dock.
We need to think of other methods for those West Mountain hunters.
Just blocking the staples and saltpetre isn’t enough to make them surrender.”
Chu Xisheng chuckled inwardly, knowing the Dan family was a hidden force not to be underestimated; even adding the West Mountain County Army, they were no match for just the Dan family.
If those West Mountain bandits truly dared to attack the checkpoints, that would indeed be entertaining.
But the latter issue raised by Lu Pingyuan was not misplaced.
The inability of merchant caravans to bring food, sauces, and saltpetre into West Mountain did not mean that the hunters had no other ways.
There were many other tricky paths inside West Mountain, and if necessary, they could even risk being attacked by the demon clan by crossing the mountains to bring in food, salt, and saltpetre.
So the blockade could only make their lives difficult, not force them into a corner.
Chu Xisheng smiled confidently and inquired, “Master Lu, I now want to know where One-Armed Blade Li Cang is.
Can you find out his whereabouts within three days?”
If Lu Pingyuan could not manage it, he would have to pay a high price to seek Wo Meiniang’s help.
Unaware of his intentions, Lu Pingyuan responded without a second thought, “There’s no need to investigate; he should be at Canglong Inn in Ancient Market.
That’s One-Armed Blade Li Cang’s tavern, and Li Cang spends every day supervising his various businesses at the top floor of Canglong Inn.”