Reborn in 1878: America's Number One Bandit

Chapter 101, the Sixth Grand Hall is just the right place to act as a shill.

Chapter 101 The Six Great Halls are just the right place to act as a shill.

From his ever-growing pool of assassins, Lawson carefully selected a template.

He needs a "spokesperson".

This person cannot be someone like Qingshan, who exudes a cold aura that keeps others at bay.

It certainly can't be those menacing, burly thugs.

He needs an honest face.

A face with an upright demeanor, thick eyebrows, big eyes, and an honest and kind appearance, making people feel at first glance that "this person is reliable."

It must be admitted that sometimes, first impressions are the best indicator of a weapon's superiority.

He gave this Chinese assassin, who was endowed with a special kind of charm, an equally honest and auspicious name: Wang Dafu.

He will serve as the head of the Chinese Youth Association and perform on stage in Chinatown.

But one Wang Dafu is not enough.

Lawson knew very well that the true "roots" of Chinatown were not the gangs that fought and killed, but the "Six Great Guilds".

Gangzhou, Sanyi, Siyi, Yanghe...

These organizations, built around the bond of "fellow countrymen," are the true "controllers" of these 40,000 Chinese.

They weren't as domineering as the three major sects, but they controlled the lives of ordinary people.

From the moment a Chinese laborer steps onto the San Francisco docks, he must rely on his own "guild hall".

The association helps them find jobs, provides basic food and lodging, helps them send money back home, mediates disputes, and even...

After they die far from home, they are responsible for transporting their coffins or ashes back to their hometown.

This is a primitive order that is almost like a clan.

Lawson wants to poach 20,000 people. If the presidents of the six major associations unite to resist, no matter how eloquently Wang Dafu talks, no one will dare to leave.

Therefore, he needs to talk to this group of "veterans" first.

“Mai Ling”.

"Yes, Master Qing." Mai Ling respectfully handed over the freshly brewed tea.

"Go, make an appointment with the president of the Six Associations for me."

Lawson picked up his teacup and blew on it to cool it down. "Just tell them I'd like to invite a few of my uncles to have some tea at Tongfu Tea House."

……

Half an hour later, in the back hall of the Gangzhou Association.

All the "leaders" of the six major guild halls were present.

"Have you received them all?" It was Chairman Zhou of the San Yi Association who spoke.

"Hmph, inviting us for tea?" Chairman Nie of Yanghe Guild Hall sneered, "I think this is a trap. Qingshan just smashed the heads of hundreds of smokers with a short stick, and now he's inviting us for tea? This tea is probably made with blood."

"Old Fourth Nie! Stop spouting such discouraging words!"

Master Luo from the Siyi Guild Hall slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups bounce around: "What's there to be afraid of? Those hundreds of smokers, so what if they're dead! A bunch of good-for-nothing trash! Qingshan helped us clean up, and I feel great about it!"

"But if he dares to set his sights on me, I'll be the first to object!"

"Master Luo, don't be impulsive."

Chairman Zhou quickly advised, "This man is extremely cunning. Master Long, Jing Hai, and He Wei all disappeared overnight. Yet today he can calmly eliminate hundreds of people. He's no scoundrel."

"This is a powerful dragon crossing the river."

"Sigh..." Everyone sighed.

"Have you had enough of the quarrel?"

Uncle Yu spoke slowly.

“We are a clan association, not a sect. We seek stability. We are the livelihood of tens of thousands of fellow villagers on these streets.”

"Whether Qingshan kills or sets fires, it's to establish his authority. Now that his authority is established, he's inviting us for tea to discuss the rules."

Uncle Yu stood up.

"Stop guessing."

"Whether it's a blessing or a curse, we'll know once we talk about it in the future."

He set the tone for the talks:

“I’ve remembered everything. As long as he doesn’t go too far, as long as he leaves some food for his fellow countrymen in Chinatown…”

"Then everything is negotiable."

……

Tongfu Teahouse, second floor.

As Uncle Yu led the other five presidents up the stairs, their hearts were in their throats.

The second floor was empty; all the tea drinkers had been emptied out.

There was only one table by the window, where a young man was sitting.

He was dressed in simple black clothes, his back to the stairs, quietly making tea by himself.

Just a glimpse of his back was enough to make these six seasoned veterans pause in their tracks.

That silhouette was like a bottomless ancient well.

You know there's water below, but you don't know if it's a sweet spring or a dragon hiding in it.

"Master Qing," Uncle Yu spoke first, cupping his hands in greeting.

Qingshan slowly turned around.

The pupils of all six presidents contracted simultaneously—too young!

This is the same fierce dragon who overthrew three major gangs overnight and just purged hundreds of people.
He looks like he's not even thirty!
But those eyes.

When he looked over, Master Luo even felt a chill in his heart.

This person is very fierce.

It's not in the muscles, it's in the bones.

“My uncles and elders.”

Aoyama revealed a refined smile.

"Please take a seat."

He personally picked up the teapot and poured tea for each of the six presidents.

This action made the six people even more terrified.

"Master Qing...this...this is unacceptable! This is unacceptable!" Chairman Zhou was flattered and quickly bowed.

"Makes it possible."

Qingshan pressed his shoulder to make him sit down: "You are the pillars of Chinatown, the elders. Qingshan is new here, and should have visited each household to pay his respects a few days earlier."

He poured himself a glass and held it up.

"However, the Green Mountain Society is newly established, and there are too many messes left by its three major branches. That's why it was delayed for a few days."

"I hope my uncles and elders will not take offense."

He drank it all in one gulp.

The six presidents exchanged glances, and each saw four words in the other's eyes—

Be polite before fighting.

"No, no." Uncle Yu was the first to calm down. He picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp.

"Brother Qing is a man of few words. We old folks aren't here to beat around the bush either." Uncle Yu put down his teacup. "Brother Qing's ability to shut down all the opium dens in Chinatown today is a great thing!"

“Yes, yes!” Chairman Zhou immediately chimed in, “Those chain smokers are a cancer on Chinatown! Master Qing is doing a service to the people! We admire him!”

These old hands are so good at empty talk.

While they were praising him, they were also subtly trying to find out more about Qingshan.

"Oh? Is that good news?"

Aoyama smiled.

"Uncles and elders, there's no need to be nervous."

He refilled everyone's tea, but then dropped a bombshell.

"I invited you all here today not to steal your business."

"Do what you did before, and do it again in the future."

"I will not interfere with your business, your currency exchange, or your manual labor."

“As for,” he paused, then uttered a sentence that nearly took the breath of the six men’s breath, “the interest you used to pay to the three major tribal groups every month…”

"I don't want a single cent."

The six presidents felt as if a bomb had exploded in their minds.

for free?
They stared at Qingshan in astonishment.

Master Luo's mouth dropped open, and Chairman Nie's face was filled with disbelief.

Chairman Zhou's heart was pounding.

How can this be?

Are there tigers in this world that don't eat meat?

Uncle Yu stopped fiddling with the walnuts.

He stared intently at Qingshan: "Master Qing, are you serious?"

"I never joke," Qingshan said calmly.

"Then what are you after?" Master Luo couldn't help but shout.

"What I'm after, uncles and elders, I can't give you." Qingshan put down his teacup and changed the subject: "I just want to ask you all, has business been easy in San Francisco these past few decades?"

Chairman Nie smiled wryly: "Brother Qing, are you mocking us?"

"We pigs are living worse than dogs in this gold mine!"

"Yes!" Chairman Zhou also said with a bitter face: "The white devils' union is causing trouble every day. Our goods are taxed three times as soon as they leave Chinatown! We have to do business on our knees!"

“My men,” Master Luo said in a muffled voice, “do the heaviest work at the docks for the lowest pay! One wrong move and they’ll get their legs broken by those Sydney duck bastards!”

Qingshan listened quietly.

“What if…” he began, “I’d like to tell you all that I have some connections in Northern California?”

“There are tens of thousands of acres of apple orchards and vineyards there, and newly harvested timber. They need your dry goods, they need your money exchange services…”

The six presidents were stunned once again.

Northern California?
What is the background of this young man?
He could not only wield power in Chinatown, but his influence extended to Northern California as well.
The way the six people looked at Qingshan completely changed.

Qingshan knew that the time was almost right.

He steered the conversation back on track: "Before we talk about new business, we need to solve the old problems first."

He gestured with his chin towards the window.

The streets were crowded, noisy, and smelly.

"Uncles and elders, what are your thoughts on the home we live in now?"

Uncle Yu sighed deeply when this was mentioned.

"Opinion? Just one word."

"squeeze."

"It's too crowded," Chairman Nie chimed in. "More than 40,000 people, crammed into these few run-down streets. We're practically being squeezed to our core!"

Chairman Zhou looked worried: "San Francisco only gave us this much space! But from the south and east of the United States, those compatriots who can't make a living are still pouring into Chinatown! If this continues, we'll explode on our own without the white devils having to lift a finger."

"So," Qingshan finally revealed his true intentions.

"We need to evacuate."

He smiled slightly: "Still Northern California. Has anyone heard of an organization called the Chinese Youth Association?"

The six people were taken aback.

“I’ve heard of it.” Uncle Yu nodded. “I heard it’s a charity that recruits people from railway construction sites and pays the white devils the same wages.”

"I've heard about it too!" Master Luo's eyes lit up.

"It's a good place," Chairman Zhou concluded, "but it's a pity I don't know their background."

Aoyama smiled.

"Well, you guys are in good luck today."

He clapped his hands crisply twice.

At the top of the stairs, a figure quickly walked up.

The newcomers were not those men in black who exuded a murderous aura.

He was dressed in a clean blue long gown, with a slight smile on his face, thick eyebrows and big eyes. He looked kind and gentle, just like the kind philanthropist who distributed red envelopes at the village entrance during the Lunar New Year.

A harmonious atmosphere prevailed.

Wang Dafu walked in and first bowed respectfully to the six presidents.

Greetings, esteemed presidents.

The six presidents were all stunned. Who was this?
Aoyama introduced with a smile:

"This is Wang Dafu, the director of the Chinese Youth Association in Northern California."

Qingshan pointed at Wang Dafu, then at the thousands of compatriots outside the window: "He is the one who can solve this big problem for us."

"Supervisor?" Uncle Yu's eyes narrowed, and his hand, which was playing with walnuts, began to slowly turn again: "The Chinese Youth Association of Northern California?"

"Don't dare, don't dare."

Wang Dafu's performance was nothing short of perfect.

"Brother Qing, presidents, our Chinese Youth Association does have some connections in Northern California."

"We have a lot of business over there, and we're really short-staffed!"

He rubbed his hands together in frustration: "Those white devils charge too much, and they're fucking disobedient! It's much more convenient to use our own brothers."

“So…” he looked at the six presidents: “We want to invite a group of compatriots from Chinatown to make a fortune.”

“Our Chinatown is crowded, but…”

President Nie said thoughtfully, "These 40,000 people are also the root of our six major associations."

"If everyone leaves with you..."

Chairman Zhou chimed in, his business acumen even more astute: "Who will handle our money exchange business? Where will we extract labor from Master Luo? Who will offer incense to Uncle Yu?"

This is the most practical problem.

They are the managers of this sardine can.

They also leech off this can of "sardines".

On the one hand, there were too many fish, and the cans were about to burst, which made them afraid.

On the other hand, if all the fish swim away, they will starve to death.

This contradiction made them uneasy.

"Oh dear! Everyone, please don't misunderstand."

Wang Dafu laughed and said, "I, Wang Dafu, am here to share the profits with you all! How could I possibly be here to dig up the roots of the business!"

"Everyone, have you thought about this?"

"This Chinatown is just a tiny place, and Northern California is just a vast ranch."

"What would happen to a sheep if it were driven from a swamp of starving sheep to a field of lush, green pastures?"

"It will make you fat." Uncle Yu paused slightly as he played with the walnuts.

"You got it right!" Wang Dafu clapped his hands.

"If the sheep are fatter, won't we get more wool?"

"Uncles and elders, why can't your association open a branch in Northern California?"

boom--!
This statement was even more shocking than when Qingshan said he didn't want a single penny.

The six seasoned veterans widened their eyes in an instant!
"Open a branch in Northern California?" Chairman Zhou's heart pounded wildly!
“That’s right!” Wang Dafu said matter-of-factly: “Even if those compatriots go to Northern California, aren’t they still Gangzhou people? Or Sanyi people? Or Siyi people?”

"They've made a lot of money over there, aren't they going to send it back home? Are you going to do this business or not?"

"When they're over there, do they still burn incense for their ancestors during festivals? Do you accept the money for that incense or not?"

"If they die far from home, will we still have to rely on you uncles and elders for funeral arrangements and transporting their ashes?"

Every word Wang Dafu said was like a small hammer, striking the hearts of the six people hard!
"They're in Chinatown now, how many coins can they save up in a month? And how much water can you possibly get?"

"But they went to Northern California! They followed our Chinese Youth Association! They get one Eagle Dollar a day! That's thirty dollars a month!"

"They've made money! Aren't you making even more?"

"..."

Gudong.

Master Luo's thick Adam's apple bobbed violently.

I'm fucking tempted!

This is not "digging up the roots"!
This is a completely new ranch!

"But...but isn't Northern California...runned by gangs?"

Suppressing his excitement, Uncle Yu asked one last question: "Is it safe there?"

Wang Dafu smiled.

He took a slow step back.

"Uncle Yu."