Starting from the Greyhound, seventy-two changes.

Chapter 148 A small meeting
Chen Ku and the other two walked out of Yaowang Hall.

Then they heard Kou Ming explaining to them the number of participants and the focus of the meeting.

"You want me to be careful? Does that mean? You want me to fight?"

When Chen Ku heard Kou Ming's words, he immediately stood still and said:

"Then please wait for a moment, Senior Brother and Senior Sister. I will go back to get my weapons."

In fact, his weapon was in the storage bag in his waist bag, but it was better not to expose it if possible.

After all, the origin of this storage bag is sensitive, as it was brought over from the Yuan Kingdom by his brother Chen Xin.

God knows whether the pattern and style of this storage bag will attract the attention of some interested people and be able to identify the origin of this thing, which would cause some unnecessary trouble.

"I forgot to remind Junior Brother Chen. Go ahead, we two will be waiting for you here." Kou Ming smiled warmly.

He did forget.

He practiced two unique skills, one was the 'Five Elements and One Qi Divine Needle' in the Medicine King Hall, and the other was his family heirloom 'Iron Palm'. Of the two unique skills, only the One Qi Divine Needle required weapons to perform, while the Iron Palm required a pair of flesh palms, which, when practiced to perfection, could already fight against sharp weapons.

Furthermore, something like the Five Elements and One Qi Divine Needle is secretive and compact, so it can be hidden in the sleeve at ordinary times.

The 'Medicine King Chasing Deer Fist' that Huo Xiaoxia practiced also did not require the use of weapons.

Only Chen Ku's Violent Ape Thousand-pound Stick and Black Tiger Slaughtering Knife require special weapons.

Chen Ku turned around and went back to the Medicine King Hall, but he did not bring any weapons. Instead, he brought some medicine, poison, and recovery pills.

Finally, we arrived at Master Yang Luchan’s courtyard.

"Master, is Master here?" Chen Ku shouted in the yard.

Yang Shaoqi came over and said, "Master, it seems that Master Shang and several other masters went to the shopkeeper's place to discuss something about your conference. Before leaving, they told me that if you come, I will tell you something and give you a word."

Chen Ku asked seriously, "What did the master say?"

Yang Shaoqi imitated Old Yang's tone, puffed his beard and glared, and said: "Tell you, brother, just do it freely. Whoever dares to poke us will be killed! It doesn't matter if someone is killed, just don't bring shame to my prestige!"

Chen Ku listened thoughtfully.

Yang Shaoqi asked, "By the way, what do you want to talk to Master about? How about I tell him later?"

Yang Shaoqi had no yard outside the Yaowang Hall, so he lived with his master.

Chen Ku coughed and asked, "Nothing much, just... asking about Master's Fire Dragon Head Stick. If you have it free today, can you lend it to me?"

"What! You want to use the water tap stick!!"

Yang Shaoqi cried out:
"Aren't you afraid of being crushed to death?"

After all,

As if remembering something.

He quickly said:
"I know that you, my second brother, have been able to pick up the dragon head stick for a long time, but as for using it, it is absolutely impossible!"

after all,

Picking up a 12,000-jin stick and wielding a 12,000-jin stick are not the same thing.

"Brother, don't worry about this. If I can't do it, I won't ask for it."

Chen Ku asked:

"Brother, just tell me where the master's stick is. I'll get it myself and you can tell the master when I come back."

At first, Chen Ku didn't want to ask for the dragon head stick.

After all, he originally thought that he was just going to attend a small meeting, but after Kou Ming said that, plus he had already gotten to know this man's temperament a little bit, he vaguely felt that this small meeting was not a small meeting at all.

Not long after.

Kou Ming and Huo Xiaoxia watched Chen Ku walk out carrying a stick-shaped weapon wrapped in yellow cloth.

Huo Xiaoxia didn't think there was anything wrong.

Kou Ming didn't pay attention at first, but when he looked at it unconsciously, he felt something strange:

"The size of this stick... seems to be one foot longer than Junior Brother Chen's iron stick. How come it seems... No way!"

But after a shock in my heart.

But my blood was boiling, and I felt a surge of heroic spirit. I felt that today's small meeting would give me a greater chance than this one.

……

Although there were only two light snowfalls this winter, the weather was still colder than in previous years.

It is now noon.

Big sun hanging.

Solid ice has formed on both sides of the Longjiang River. It looks like it is about a foot thick, and underneath the ice there is snow.

Wow~~
The water of the Longjiang River beats against the shore, flowing eastward, making a rumbling sound like thunder.

When Kou Ming brought Chen Ku to the riverside.

Chen Ku discovered that there were already seven people waiting at the bank of the Longjiang River ahead.

"Junior Brother Chen, Senior Brother Kou, Senior Sister Huo."

From a distance, they saw Jiang Shaoyou laughing loudly, and he quickly came over to greet them and said:

"You are finally here."

Chen Ku clasped his fists and said, "Brother Jiang, how long have you been here?"

On the way here, he had learned from Kou Ming that there were eight forces involved in this small meeting, including Tongwenguan, so Jiang Shaoyou's arrival was not surprising.

"I haven't been here long, but when I heard Senior Brother Kou's message yesterday, I didn't dare to delay. Come on, I'll introduce my father to you, Junior Brother Chen."

When Jiang Shaoyou was speaking.

From behind him, a middle-aged man with a smile on his face came over. He had a jade hairpin in his hair, and was wearing a scholar's robe. His temples were gray. He looked like a middle-aged scholar, and had a scholarly air. He first bowed to Kou Ming:

"Shopkeeper Kou is even more stunning and charming than he was four years ago."

"Master Jiang has not changed since his old age." Kou Ming was as warm as the spring breeze.

Jiang Mohua then turned to Chen Ku and Huo Xiaoxia and bowed: "Little Shopkeeper Chen, Little Shopkeeper Huo, Jiang is honored."

"Uncle Jiang, you are so polite." Huo Xiaoxia saluted quickly.

Chen Ku also responded with a slight fist salute, being very polite to Jiang Shaoyou's father.

Obviously,

The two people who came to Tongwenguan to attend the meeting this time were Jiang Shaoyou and his son.

After Jiang Mohua came over and greeted the three young men from Yaowang Hall, the five of them walked towards the river together.

The five people on the river bank all bowed their heads to Kou Minggong at the same time:

"Shopkeeper Kou."

"Hello, everyone." Kou Ming clasped his fists and then turned to Chen Ku and Huo Xiaoxia with a smile, saying, "Junior brother, junior sister, let me introduce you two."

He pointed at a 30-year-old man holding a gun among the five people and said, "This is Gao Lin, the young master of Heyuan Escort Agency. His father is Mr. Gao Ruohai, the 'Long Spear' who is one of the top ten masters in the city."

A serious look appeared in Chen Ku's eyes.

The top ten masters in the city are all of iron weight. Even the tenth one is a powerful giant in the fourth level of Tongmai realm.

It is said that this spearman Gao Ruohai was not originally from Baojiao County, but a captain in the army of Qiulong Prefecture. He made great achievements on the battlefield, and by bringing forth something new from the old in battle formations and spearmanship, he actually created a "unique skill" called the [Eighteen Postures of Beacon Fire].

Self-created unique skills! This kind of talent and gift is amazing no matter where you are.

just,

I heard that he suffered a lot of serious illnesses and hidden injuries in the army, which hindered his cultivation level. He has been recuperating from these injuries for more than ten years, so he is ranked tenth.

The Heyuan Escort Agency he founded snatched away a portion of the 'land transportation' business from the Yulong Society, which controlled the canal transportation. This shows his ability and weight.

Kou Ming continued to point at a young man behind him and said, "Hongyan Tower, Chef Li Fugui's apprentice Liu Angxing."

"Master Chen, Master Huo." The young man named Liu Angxing, wearing a simple cloth jacket, bowed to the two of them and smiled brightly: "Today's meeting at the riverside is over. If you are free, you can come to Hongyan Tower and taste my cooking skills."

Chen Ku saw that he seemed younger than himself, only about fifteen or sixteen years old, and looked a little solemn.

At such a young age, he was able to attend the "small meeting" that would determine the business direction of all industries in Baojiao County in the next four years. Obviously, he was not a simple person, and he either had outstanding talent or extraordinary physique.

"It's the first time I know that Hongyan Tower has a chef as young as you, Liu Angxing. Great." Huo Xiaoxia seemed to be a foodie and agreed immediately.

Here

Kou Ming continued to introduce the leader of the third wave of forces among the five:
"This is Xu Li, the young boss of Ding Hong Ji of the Dung Gang."

Dung gang?

Huo Xiaoxia's face froze and she wrinkled her nose subconsciously.

Chen Ku, however, looked stern.

Fen Gang, this is a business that makes a lot of money.

You know, there is no chemical fertilizer in this world nowadays. Feces, as a natural fertilizer, is very valuable.

In his previous life, the rural grandfathers all had the habit of getting up early in the morning to pick up manure.

Chen Ku also remembers that when he watched the old version of The Bund, Ding Li, played by Andy Lau, was a night soil collector at the beginning. His biggest dream was to collect all the night soil in Shanghai.

Feces, this filthy thing, is disgusting and disgusting to educated and cultured people, but this thing that comes from the cycle of life will eventually "return to the earth" as its name suggests.

Chen Ku has the genes of a farmer in his past and present lives, and he knows very well that the "chemical fertilizers" needed for farming are extremely expensive no matter what era.

In other words.

The Fen Gang's ability to monopolize the feces of the entire Baojiao City is equivalent to monopolizing the "fertilizer" industry of the entire Baojiao County.

Especially for people in the inner city, who have plenty of money, the feces they produce are extremely popular as fertilizer.

It is easy to imagine what a lucrative industry this dung gang is. There is no need to invest anything. One only needs to go to each household to collect dung for free and provide some manpower, and then one can make a huge profit.

Chen Ku estimated that

Although the annual profit of the dung tyrant Ding Hongji is certainly not as great as that of giants like Yaowangtang, as the leader of the fertilizer industry, he earns a huge amount of money from the big landlords every year.

Having money and people means it is easier to produce experts.

Therefore, Chen Ku did not dare to look down on the young boss Xu Li at all.

The young boss seemed to be used to other people's gazes on his identity as a dung gang member, especially women, so he didn't mind Huo Xiaoxia's gaze. However, when he saw Chen Ku, the young shopkeeper of a giant family, bowed to him solemnly, he still felt warm and said:
"Boss Chen, when you are free someday, I will come to visit you."

"There are still three families missing. Why do you come so late?" After Kou Ming introduced everyone, he turned to look at the path on the shore.

Chen Ku calculated.

Of the eight forces other than Yaowangtang, there are now only four remaining: Chaitiepu, Lieshilin, Yulonghui, and Paibang.

Among them, the Hunters are all subordinate guilds of the Fish and Dragon Association.

Paibang is related to Chaitiepu.

Paibang, this industry exists in both the south and the north.

Rafting refers to cutting down trees in a forest and using the cut wood to make a large raft, also called a raft. Because most forests are located in the mountains with a higher terrain, the rafts can be used to float directly downstream. The raft serves as both a means of transportation and cargo, killing two birds with one stone.

The firewood for the firewood shop is cut from the forest farm and transported by the gang.

Because Baojiao County is located on the border of Ji State, the Longjiang River flows downstream. The huge rafts of the rafting gang have no power and rely entirely on the river current to move forward. When encountering rapids or extreme weather, the rafters are often in great danger of life.

Therefore, the Pai Gang has a song for the Pai Gang, which is very tragic and majestic, called:

Cut down big trees, build rafts, and lower them down along the Longjiang River.

Turn eight winding bends and go around eighteen bends.

To survive, not to make money, just wait for the river to fall at any time.

No matter how big the waves are, you can be buried wherever you die.

From this song, we can see that every member of this gang is fearless and they are the vanguards of the firewood and iron shop.

Just saying.

"The people from Chai Tiepu and Pai Gang are here." Jiang Shaoyou shouted.

Chen Ku had made a bet with Qu Feng from Chai Tiepu at the dock years ago. He saw him again this time, but this time he was not accompanied by Xie Qingfeng, but a young man who was about the same age as Kou Ming.

"Hongyin, Qufeng, and Master Luo from Chai Tiepu greet you all."

"Ao Yu from the Pai Gang! Greetings to you all."

Four people came at once.

Chen Ku and Qu Feng made eye contact, and they slightly clasped their hands together. Chen Ku then spoke, "Brother Qu, nice to meet you again."

Qu Feng's expression remained unchanged, and he said, "Brother Chen, it is only natural for you to replace Zhang Renfeng."

Chen Ku was about to speak.

"People from the Fish Dragon Society and the Hunters are here too."

Chen Ku looked in the direction of the voice and saw four people walking towards the shore, two of them wearing the uniforms of the Fish and Dragon Society, and two of them wearing the uniforms of the Hunters.

He immediately saw the young man in the robe embroidered by the Fish Dragon Society. There was a terrifying magic in his eyes.

"Is that Ma Mingfeng, the one that Senior Brother warned me to be careful of? A top master of the younger generation who has mastered the art of spiritual witnessing?"

The moment Chen Ku looked at him, the young man felt something.

Instantly.

The other person's gaze was like a knife, extremely sharp, slashing towards Chen Ku.

He suddenly felt as if he was being pressed by a knife, and goose bumps appeared all over his body.

Fortunately, Chen Ku was not the only one who was staring at Ma Mingfeng. Ma Mingfeng's gaze cut through everyone on the riverside like a knife.

After Chen Ku lost the pressure of that gaze, he discovered that except for his senior brother Kou Ming, more than a dozen people from the seven forces present, including him, all showed fear in their eyes in an instant.

"Ma Mingfeng's witnessing skills are really becoming more and more superb and hard to guard against. It's just a glance from him that's enough to scare people to death. It's hard to imagine what a terrible situation it would be if someone fought with him and was witnessed by him with his spirit. I'm afraid he would lose his mind in an instant." Jiang Shaoyou shuddered on the spot and murmured in a low voice.

It happened to be heard by Chen Ku.

Chen Ku's mind was on Kou Ming:
"How come Senior Brother is fine? Is it because his spiritual level is higher? Or... is he wearing the horn of the Dust-Repelling Rhino? Or did he take the Spirit-Refreshing Pill?"

While Chen Ku was thinking about these things.

Kou Ming looked at Ma Mingfeng approaching, his body invisibly blocking Chen Ku and Huo Xiaoxia, and spoke lightly:
"As soon as we met, you gave everyone a warning. Could it be that you wanted to start a fight right away?"

This statement came out.

Be it the three people behind Ma Mingfeng or all the people from the other seven forces by the river, they all tensed up and, according to normal rules, held a small meeting to clarify and lay out each family's plans and interests for the next four years.

If there really has to be a fight, it will only come when the interests are different and irreconcilable.

(End of this chapter)