Chapter 390: Confrontation (Thanks to Bihao for the generous support)
Chapter 390: Confrontation (Thanks to Bihao for the generous support)
September 25, 2017
Zhang Yi glanced at Lu HaiKong with an indifferent expression.
He had never held Lu HaiKong in high regard and had never considered him a threat. Today's events only reinforced this belief.
The man before him carried a heavy air of banditry, ready to kill and tear faces at the slightest disagreement. Zhang Yi genuinely couldn't bring himself to favor such a person.
However, as Lu HaiKong donned a confident smile and stood before him, Zhang Yi's heart suddenly skipped a beat, sensing something different about the man.
Under Zhang Yi's scrutiny, Lu HaiKong continued to speak.
"Everyone knows what kind of person I, Lu HaiKong, used to be. I was once a simple businessman, earning money honestly and staying out of trouble."
"For me, as long as business can thrive, enduring some grievances is not a big deal."
As Lu HaiKong spoke, the aristocratic family heads secretly rolled their eyes, but he paid them no mind and continued.
"So, when you blocked my trade route, I forcefully restrained myself from killing a few of your family members to vent my anger. I compromised, but not with you; I compromised with the old man. In just one month, he took away over ten million in wealth from me. He made that money effortlessly."
"But while he enjoyed his ease, I was left struggling. I have a massive mountain stronghold to support, and after all my hard work, he took everything. How am I supposed to sustain my stronghold? Yet, I had no choice but to comply. He threatened to block my trade route in Bingzhou at the slightest provocation. With no other options, I had to develop my business in Youzhou."
"Fortunately, in just over a month, things took a turn for the better. Now, even if my trade route in Bingzhou is blocked, I have no fears. If necessary, I'll simply stop doing business there."
As Lu HaiKong finished, the aristocratic families' faces paled. They finally understood the source of his boldness in standing up to Zhang Yi—he had already secured an alternative.
At this moment, some of the family heads who had been following Zhang Yi displayed unusual expressions.
They had all benefited from Lu HaiKong's business ventures, even if it was only for a month. Despite the involvement of dozens of families, the profits were enough to captivate them.
Each family had earned tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands in that month, a far cry from Lu HaiKong's earnings of hundreds of thousands to millions, but still a significant improvement from their previous income.
Moreover, it was evident to all that Lu HaiKong's Strong Yin was in a developmental phase, and it would undoubtedly flourish further. Their own profits were tied to this growth. Given this situation, many families would be tempted to side with Lu HaiKong upon learning of his alternative ventures.
Why did these families surround the Zhang Clan? Wasn't it all about their interests?
If aligning with Zhang Yi meant jeopardizing their profits, many families would consider abandoning him. This explained why one-fifth of the families had already shifted their support to Lu HaiKong.
Lu HaiKong noticed the unusual reactions of the aristocratic families, and it was precisely the effect he desired.
For Lu HaiKong, the most crucial aspect was the aristocratic families, or more precisely, the connections they provided.
The success of Lu HaiKong's business was closely tied to these families, who were essentially his channels and sources of wealth. Therefore, he had to win them over, even if not all of them, but at least a significant portion.
At the moment, Lu HaiKong's efforts seemed to be paying off.
However, just then, Zhang Yi struck back.
"Hmph, you make it sound like the people of Youzhou can't come to Qiangyin without my approval," Zhang Yi's words caused the already uneasy faces of some aristocratic family heads to grow even more somber.
Indeed, while Qiangyin wasn't too far from Youzhou, they weren't adjacent either. There was a considerable distance between them, and under such circumstances, Zhang Yi could indeed block their path if he wished.
Immediately after, Zhang Yi dropped a bombshell: "Furthermore, the Governor of Youzhou and I have a history. Do you think I won't write a letter to him? Your so-called Youzhou business will be ruined in an instant!"
As Zhang Yi spoke, the aristocratic families who had previously sided with Lu HaiKong couldn't help but turn pale. They never expected Zhang Yi to have such a move up his sleeve.
With this, Zhang Yi regained the aura he had lost to Lu HaiKong's suppression. In their confrontation, Zhang Yi had, for the first time, gained the upper hand.
Over the past month, he had closely observed Lu HaiKong's every move, be it the division among the aristocratic families or the Youzhou business dealings.
In the 1619 book, there was no mistake!
Previously, Lu HaiKong's aggressive approach had left him with no options, but now, as Lu HaiKong revealed his hand, Zhang Yi already knew what cards Lu HaiKong was holding. Lu HaiKong's revelation of his hand at this moment was akin to asking for trouble.
"Now that you've shown your hand, I'll be frank with you. Do you really think I'm unaware of what you've been up to this past month? Every aristocratic family you've approached, every business deal you've made in Youzhou, I know them all. I've been indulging you because I know all your efforts are futile, and I can easily undo a month's worth of your hard work."
"Do you really think you can compete with me? You're too young," Zhang Yi said with a mocking look, having just seized control of the situation after being humiliated by Lu HaiKong.
At this moment, several aristocratic families who had sided with Lu HaiKong were already drenched in cold sweat.
The reason they had sided with Lu HaiKong was not only because Xin Ping had swayed them with promises of benefits but also because Lu HaiKong had laid his cards on the table for them. However, Lu HaiKong's hand seemed utterly ineffective against Zhang Yi, which left them feeling betrayed. Regret filled their hearts.
In the eyes of these aristocratic family heads, the confrontation between Lu HaiKong and Zhang Yi was akin to a battle between a stubborn and rude child and a cunning and shrewd fox.
Although Lu HaiKong's initial aggressive and violent tactics had embarrassed Zhang Yi, it now seemed that the one truly humiliated was Lu HaiKong.
After meticulously preparing for a month, believing he had gained the means to compete, he was suddenly crushed in an instant.
From their perspective, the situation was now crystal clear. The next step was either for Lu HaiKong to clash head-on with Zhang Yi and be suppressed or to compromise with Zhang Yi...
(End of Chapter)
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