Chapter 39: The Boss is Poisonous

  "Beat the bamboo clappers, take big strides, and arrive at Ma's Village. Ma's Village is getting rich, gold, silver, and large sums of money are all coming! The master of Ma's Village is getting rich, beautiful women and wealth are coming with ease. Building a golden house to hide his daughter, scholars year after year become filial and incorruptible officials. Becoming filial and incorruptible officials, they become high-ranking officials, and the imperial court's nobles are all connected. No need to run, no need to search, directly promoted to be a third-rank official."

  A group of tattered beggars blocked the entrance to the Ma family's shop, singing "Lianhua Luo". The rhyming and chanting lasted for only a few minutes, but soon the passersby gathered around, forming an impenetrable crowd.

  The shop was surrounded by a crowd of beggars, and business could not be done. The apprentice saw the situation, rushed to the back hall, and shouted: "Ma Guanshi, it's bad! A group of beggars came from outside and surrounded the gate, not a single customer is left!"

  After Ma's family drove Zhou Shan out, the affairs of this store were all taken care of by Ma Guan in full authority. Upon hearing this, he hastily put down his cup and walked out. As soon as he came out, it was indeed the case that the outside was surrounded by people watching the excitement, three layers inside and three layers outside, where could anyone enter the store to discuss business?

  "You beggars, don't you see whose shop this is? Get out of here quickly, or I'll make you look good." The horse manager shouted angrily after coming out.

  "Old Master Ma is really cruel, even poor beggars are chased away. He claims to be Ren Xiaoyi, but in fact, it's all nonsense...nonsense..."

  "Hahaha......" The people around saw that this group of beggars sang interestingly, and they all burst into loud laughter.

  The face of Ma Guanshi turned blue and purple, and he took out some silver coins from his pocket, saying: "Here are a few big coins, take them away, get lost......"

  "Old Master Ma is really stingy, with millions of dollars at home. He's known for his generosity in Luoyang, but actually only gives out ten cents... ten cents..."

  "Hahaha......" The crowd burst into loud laughter and more and more people gathered around.

  Qin Feng, who was watching from a nearby wine building, said: "Dà Niú, the person who sang this song has some skills, and must be promoted."

  "Qin big brother, after we get back I'll reward you handsomely!" said Big Cow.

  Qin Feng nodded, thinking that even a great talent like him had some of the mannerisms of those in high positions.

  "Look at these people, they're just looking for trouble. Why don't we report them to the authorities?" said a fellow worker nearby.

  "Hmm, you go quickly......" Seeing these beggars lingering and refusing to leave, Ma Guan Shi had no way out.

  Before long, a constable arrived with a chain and started driving away the beggars.

  Qin Feng said: "Let's go, it's our turn." The few people then went downstairs and walked over.

  "You beggars, how dare you cause trouble here!" Several officials glared menacingly.

  Since ancient times, beggars have feared government officials. A group of beggars showed a fearful expression, while Officer Ma stood triumphantly on the steps in front of the gate.

  "Hold on!" Qin Feng walked over. Having spent some days in Luoyang Prison, he was familiar with these officials.

  "What? Isn't this Qin Yu Xiang?" The leading guard hastily saluted and said.

  Qin Feng cupped his fists and bowed, saying: "Hehe, this leader of the beggars, these beggars begging here, are they not violating some imperial law?"

  The great Han Dynasty did not include begging in its laws, and the leader was at a loss for words.

  Qin Feng made another fist and bowed to the people around him, smiling: "Most of these beggars are kind-hearted people, they are either victims of disasters or forced by wealthy families, that's why they wander around begging for a living. They are human beings, you are also human beings. You are also ordinary citizens, who can guarantee that you won't encounter difficulties? The beggars are pitiful, if we take away their right to beg, how will they survive? If one day we become like them, how will we survive?"

  "What Mr. Qin said is quite right."

  "Yes, yes, in the great Han Dynasty, there was no law that said beggars couldn't beg."

  "This road leads to heaven and everyone walks on one side. These beggars are begging on the road, what right does the Ma family have to drive them away?"

  "I have lived for decades and never seen such a hypocrite, it's truly shameless!"

  Ma Guanshi's face changed color, but he couldn't offend the crowd, so he could only swallow his anger. The official also left with a sullen expression after being pointed at by everyone.

  A beggar saw Qin Feng speaking up for himself and felt grateful, also seeing his boss Da Niu present, sang loudly: "Luoyang City, Qin Yun the second, a name of dual beauty in benevolence and righteousness. Ma the wealthy is not benevolent or righteous, those who often act unrighteously will surely perish..."

  The horse manager flung his sleeves and left, he himself had no idea, hurriedly went to find his own master.

  Qin Feng smiled slightly, in a peaceful world of human rights in later generations, all societies have to pay protection fees, how could the late Eastern Han dynasty tolerate you not paying.

  "Master, something's gone terribly wrong! There's a group of beggars outside who won't leave even when given money. What are we to do?" The steward approached the inner quarters and met Master Ma in the front hall.

  Old Master Ma was a shrewd businessman who had recently taken over the family business. Upon hearing this, he said, "Don't be in a hurry, tell me about it slowly."

  It's like this...

  "A few days ago, didn't you say that the Hong Gang came to collect protection fees and were driven away by you? It seems that there is a powerful person behind the Hong Gang. Never mind, go and invite the Hong Gang over, let them drive these beggars away. Tell them that the protection fee can be paid, but in the future, no one is allowed to disturb the business of my Ma family." Mr. Ma said, closing his eyes to continue sipping tea, the protection fee was nothing to him, and he didn't pay it earlier because he looked down on people like Lu Zhang. At this moment, seeing how troublesome they were, he had no choice but to choose to make peace and profit.

  "Boss!" A subordinate of the Hong Gang came in, first bowing to Qin Feng and then saying: "Big brother, the Ma family's people have arrived, they've already paid the 30 taels protection fee."

  "Boss!" Lu Zhan was about to listen to Qin Feng's instructions.

  "Uh, do it a bit more beautifully, let the surrounding merchants take a look. Big Cow, you pass on the order to those beggars to cooperate. After this matter, we must be ruthless. We can spend money to hire people to do things like buying goods and saying they're fake, or eating dead people, etc., and forcibly dragging those wealthy households to report to the authorities. If it's a wine shop, throw feces at him ten times a day, pull out the cook and beat him until he's covered in bruises, don't let him work in the restaurant anymore... The owner of the house will still be able to open the store... Be more flexible with your brain, don't just go up to the door and demand..." Qin Feng instructed.

  Big Cow and Lu Zhan, along with several of their underlings, were left staring in shock. No wonder the boss is so poisonous. Ah no, it's because he has a plan, why couldn't I think of that myself?

  "Remember, once you have money, you need to bribe the officials. From the small clerks in the government offices to those high-ranking officials, there's no one you can't bribe, it's just a matter of how much you give. Got it? Don't be afraid to spend money, having connections with those big shots will get you protection and your influence will grow, and when your influence grows, the money will come rolling in. There are countless people doing business in Luoyang, if each household makes 10 guan a year, that's how much money it is, 100,000 guan." Qin Feng lectured.

  "Ah, big brother is absolutely right." The entire Luoyang City's merchants all pay protection fees? Lu Zhan's heart was racing with excitement, then wouldn't I be the de facto emperor of Luoyang City? No, Master is the de facto emperor, the Emperor...

  After receiving the money, Lu Zhan personally took charge and resolved the matter with the help of a group of beggars. Although no one dared to speak out loud, they all secretly cursed the Hong Bang for being more vicious than the officials, but at the same time, they were also afraid, thinking that they should not provoke the Hong Bang in the future.

  However, after Qin Feng finished these superficial things for Ma's tavern, he changed his mind. Because he wanted to avenge Zhou Shan for his own subordinates, Qin Feng ordered Lu Zhan to take Ma's tavern as the target of their practice.

  Then, in the following month, Majiapu suffered unprecedented great difficulties.

  Every day, as soon as Ma's shop opens its doors, there is a mountain of feces piled up at the entrance, and the smell makes one want to vomit. After sweeping away these things, someone comes to the door saying that they got sick from eating something from Ma's shop and demand compensation. Then, someone brings fake goods to report to the authorities.

  At night, the apprentices of Majiapu would be surrounded by a group of men in black clothes, "taught a lesson" and then dared not to work at Majiapu again.

  Master Ma hastily found someone to mediate, but it turned out that the place was a rival of the "Black Society" of the Great Han. After learning that it was because of Zhou Shan's affair, he regretted not having fallen down earlier and drove Master Ma out of the house. Master Ma became a beggar and ended up under the command of Big Cow. Coincidentally, Big Cow was studying to be ruthless, so with a wave of his hand, he sent him off to feed the fish somewhere.

  No one came to the Ma family to buy or sell things, and no one worked for the Ma family. The Ma family's large business couldn't withstand the turmoil and went bankrupt, being taken over by other big merchants. Because Mr. Ma had offended many people when his family was prosperous, he quickly disappeared after losing power, and the Ma family was destroyed.

  Later, Lu Zhan informed Zhou Shan about this matter. Zhou Shan was extremely grateful to his lord and vowed to do his best with all his might, not betraying the trust placed in him by his lord.

  Through this matter, Lu Zhan also opened his eyes and understood the principle of saving the country with a curve. The wealthy households in the west of the city all paid protection fees, and Lu Zhan sent gifts to officials according to Qin Feng's instructions. Since everyone had the same interests, no one mentioned anything about it, and their strength continued to grow. And Da Niu's beggar gang, with Lu Zhan's assistance, quickly gathered all the beggars in the city together. According to Qin Feng's plan, they collected a small amount of money from each person, and the income gradually became considerable.

  Qin Feng naturally became a source of wealth, and the Beggars' Sect was specifically responsible for spreading Qin Feng's name, making Qin Feng's reputation spread throughout Luoyang City, and gradually spreading out.