Daily Intelligence System: Don't Kill Me, Honey!

Chapter 133: Chapter 105: The Favor of the Big Shot, Chen 94’s Path to Success_4

Peng Shizhong heard this and said, ”Hmm, you’ve done well with this matter, notify everyone: tomorrow, we’ll hold the incense hall at the fishery to deal with the traitors.”

”Yes!”

Upon hearing this, Zheng Chuan immediately responded.

The commotion around the arena ended, and the matters that followed became straightforward.

The Fishing Guild moved into Xiantao Town’s central Village Chief Residence. From now on, the fishery would regularly station people there. Starting today, the town’s merchants were required to pay protection fees to the Village Chief Residence, which would then allocate thirty percent to Guild Cao, their brother guild.

The rest was left entirely for the Fishing Guild to handle independently.

Additionally, Xiantao Town had a salt field. From this day forward, the responsibility for this salt field would rest with the Fishing Guild. At least seventy percent of the salt consumed in Xiantao Town would have to be purchased from this salt field.

It was an astronomical income.

This was one of the largest earners for the Village Chief position.

Additionally, there was a ferry terminal in Xiantao Town, known as Xiantao Ferry.

This ferry annually transported massive cargoes, and although the cargo vessels were typically operated by Guild Cao, the docks were managed by the Village Chief.

In other words, Guild Cao still had to carve out a share of their interests for the Fishing Guild.

You can imagine the scope of profits involved here.

The Fishing Guild and Guild Cao—both were massive guilds with over a thousand members.

Such large operations required enormous amounts of money to sustain them. Simply collecting protection fees from merchants wasn’t nearly enough to cover their expenses.

Thus, in years past, when the two guilds pledged allegiance to the court...

The court granted them certain privileges, such as operating casinos, brothels, and providing loans.

These were part of the gray industrial chain of that era.

Additionally, these guilds secretly engaged in black-market activities.

For example, smuggling illicit salt or trading iron goods.

As mentioned earlier, Daqian was a dynasty established after the Alien Clan invaded the Central Plains, and the Mulan people were deeply distrustful of the Han people. They implemented numerous systems to suppress them.

For instance, the four-class system we’ve discussed before.

The restriction that Han people must not use personal names, substituting with numbers instead.

And the limitation on Han people’s use of iron goods.

Initially, these restrictions were exceedingly strict—so much so that a single village with dozens of households was permitted to own only one iron-made kitchen knife.

The knife had to be tied to the village’s water well, and it would be periodically inspected to ensure it hadn’t been misplaced.

After all, even a kitchen knife was considered an iron tool with the potential to be weaponized.

If Han people possessed weapons, they might rebel!

Thus, Daqian persistently issued the Iron Restriction Order!

However, as the state’s control waned over time, enforcement of such orders also weakened. The rule became increasingly lax, just like the naming restrictions.

What was once strictly prohibited evolved into a semi-approved state, allowing non-numeric names.

Similarly, the use of iron goods relaxed somewhat; nowadays, most households owned kitchen knives, and the court didn’t accuse them of rebellion over such trivialities.

Nonetheless, large-scale sales of iron products were strictly prohibited—whether pig iron, refined iron, or iron ore.

Because large volumes could easily be transformed into weaponry, potentially fueling rebel forces.

But precisely because the court imposed bans, chaotic times inevitably made iron indispensable, whether for home defense or organized uprisings.

Hence, iron was speculated to outrageous prices.

The profits were too tempting for some to resist, like the guilds.

Conveniently, Mianshui County happened to have two iron mines, which were controlled separately by the two guilds.

These mines represented the core interests of Guild Cao and the Fishing Guild.

This was where the real money was made. Fishing and shipping—those were mere survival fronts; true wealth came from these black-market industries!

Although Xiantao Town lacked iron mines, it did house a salt field—responsible for supplying salt to nearly ten thousand residents.

Chen Jie’s victory on the arena seemed only to win him the Village Chief position.

Yet behind this title lay immense wealth, the true subject of a guild’s focus.

Initially, Peng Shizhong had prepared for a loss, as Xiantao Town was originally under White Tiger Hall’s jurisdiction. Yet Chen Jie won.

Preserving these assets surely left Peng Shizhong highly elated.

Members of the Fishing Guild surrounded Chen Jie like a hero as they escorted him to the largest restaurant in Xiantao Town: Xiantao Restaurant.

The restaurant’s shopkeeper had long been prepared.

Everytime such grand competitions took place, a banquet would be held in his establishment.

This tradition never changed, regardless of who won.

If the Fishing Guild won, they’d host a feast; if Guild Cao won, they’d do the same.

The owner of Xiantao Restaurant always enjoyed a guaranteed profit!

At today’s banquet, the main table featured Peng Shizhong along with his two adoptive sons, Feng Xuan, Zheng Chuan, Wu Zhong, and Doctor Bai.

Chen Jie was also given a special invitation to the main table due to his victory today.

During the feast, Peng Shizhong raised his glass, praised Chen Jie, and was full of admiration for him.

Chen Jie responded modestly, saying it wasn’t necessary, and under Doctor Bai’s signal, he returned Peng Shizhong’s toast.

Peng Shizhong smiled at Chen Jie and said, ”Jiu Si, you’re exceptional. For someone so young to achieve this—it truly isn’t easy. You’re quite the talent!”

”Thank you, Hall Master, for the compliment.”

Peng Shizhong continued, ”Jiu Si, have you considered working at the White Tiger main hall?”

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Chen Jie.

This was also a test from Peng Shizhong.

If Chen Jie agreed immediately, it’d make him appear overly ambitious.

If he hesitated indecisively, it’d make him seem fake.

Thus, everyone watched him closely, eager to see how he’d navigate this situation.

*Chen Jie understood that this was indeed a test for him.*