NOVPUBHis family was from the county town; they left earlier and let someone inform Chen Jie that they would meet in the county town.
Additionally, Wu Hong didn’t come; he and his master, Zhang Liye, had also left earlier. Wu Hong’s injuries had largely healed, and he should be returning to his post as a constable.
After saying farewell to everyone, Chen Jie and his party sat in the horse-drawn carriage and slowly made their way to Mianshui County.
Xiantao Town was about thirty miles away from Mianshui County, passing through Zhanggou Town and Hu Yang Town along the way.
After traveling for roughly two hours (mostly due to slow walking),
they finally arrived at Mianshui County!
Mianshui County Town was built very tall; its city walls were over five meters high, which was quite impressive for a county-level city.
The city had a permanent population of fifty thousand, with an even larger transient populace.
Because Mianshui County was next to the Mianshui River, transportation was convenient; therefore, many caravans passed through here.
It could be considered a commercial city, and thus it was very prosperous.
"Fifth Master, we’ve reached the county town!"
As the carriage reached the outskirts of the town, Si Xi addressed Chen Jie.
Upon hearing this, Ruirui immediately lifted the carriage curtain and saw the towering city walls outside.
He was instantly amazed.
"Wow, it’s so tall!"
Su Yunjin was also curious, and she looked up and saw the tall city walls.
Chen Jie looked and nodded, sensing a bit of the ancient city’s character.
At this time, they arrived at the city gate. The guards, wearing government uniforms, usually looked at people disdainfully.
However, when they saw Peng Shizhong’s party, they immediately put on a smile.
The leader ran over and smiled, "Mr. Peng, have you returned?"
Peng Shizhong smiled, "Thanks for your hard work."
He glanced at Feng Xuan, who promptly took out a piece of broken silver and handed it over to them.
Immediately afterward, the constable smiled and said, "Thank you for Mr. Peng’s generosity."
"Move aside, move aside, don’t block the way!"
The constable directly shooed away the commoners at the gate to clear a path for Peng Shizhong.
Upon seeing this, Si Xi said, "Fifth Master, the constables guarding the city gate are struggling; the court doesn’t pay them a salary, so they normally extort the commoners entering the town to get by. Therefore, giving them some silver during entry and exit is a convenience to them."
Chen Jie responded, "Even with a Hall Master’s status, you have to pay to enter?"
Si Xi said, "Of course not, but since they’ve come over all smiles to pay their respects, not giving anything would not be fitting for Mr. Peng’s status."
Chen Jie understood then.
For others, it’s called an entry tax, but at Peng Shizhong’s level, it was gratuity.
The gate guards lived off this tax without a salary, and as a boss, you have to be kind to others. Naturally, you couldn’t deny them a way to live and had to give a little extra.
This was the demeanor of a boss.
As well as a boss’s face.
Led by the head constable, Peng Shizhong and his party entered the city. At this point, Si Xi continued, "Fifth Master, this is the West City and it’s the territory of our Fishing Guild."
"West City."
Chen Jie made a note, then Si Xi continued, "Mianshui County is divided into four areas: East, South, West, and North, each managed by the Fishing Guild, Guild Cao, and other smaller guilds." 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝒑𝙪𝒃.𝒄𝒐𝙢
"Our Fishing Guild mainly manages West City and three streets in North City."
"While Guild Cao is in charge of East City, along with three streets in North City."
"As for South City, that’s where the smaller guilds make their living. Often a single street is managed by one guild, there’s no specific boss."
Si Xi spoke and Chen Jie nodded slightly, indicating that he understood.
Then Si Xi said, "The territories managed by our White Tiger Hall in West City include Yongchang, Peace, Tiger Head, and Big Vegetable Market streets."
"They are managed respectively by the four adoptive sons of our Hall Master."
"Additionally, our White Tiger Hall has a total of five hundred and twenty brothers, basically distributed along the streets, following the management of the Hall Master’s four adoptive sons."
Chen Jie nodded slightly after hearing this, understanding this was the power distribution of White Tiger Hall.
"However, since the Hall Master favors the Second Master, he holds the greatest power at the moment, and Peace Street is entirely his. Second Master has the most brothers under him, totaling more than two hundred, almost as many as the other three Masters combined."
"Therefore, in the Hall, he’s also called the Little Hall Master. In the absence of the Hall Master, he is the manager."
Chen Jie’s eyes narrowed, Zheng Chuan’s power was surprisingly large.
At this time, the carriage passed through a bustling market where small merchants and vendors were everywhere, and this street seemed especially full of food vendors, resembling a living district.
Upon seeing this scene, Ruirui couldn’t move, drooling.
"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, look at the roast chicken seller!"
"Brother-in-law, candied haws!"
"Brother-in-law, sugar figurines, look at the sugar man seller!"
...
This place was simply heaven for Ruirui, who was now shouting excitedly, and the merchants made way for the two carriages, curious at the little child’s outcries.
Chen Jie saw that there were also many pushcart vendors on this street, selling vegetables, grain and oil, soy sauce, and vinegar, cooked food, and even firewood.
In this era, there was no gas or natural gas, so cooking required firewood. If you wanted to burn firewood in the town, you had to buy it at the Firewood Guild shop or, if you were a woodcutter, pay a tax to the Firewood Guild and then be allowed to go up the mountain to chop wood to sell.
Si Xi then said, "Fifth Master, this here is the Big Vegetable Market, the Fourth Master’s territory."
After crossing the Big Vegetable Market, they came to an exceptionally quiet and spacious street, which housed mostly silk shops, jewelry stores, antique shops, calligraphy and painting stores, pastry shops, teahouses, and other high-end businesses.
Then Si Xi said, "This is the most prosperous Peace Street, Second Master’s property. The tax revenue for a year here alone is more than three times that of Big Vegetable Market."
Hearing this, Chen Jie nodded slightly. If Big Vegetable Market was a farmer’s market, then this place was more like a commercial district.
The carriage continued to move forward, finally stopping in front of a large mansion with three big characters "White Tiger Hall" written above.
"Fifth Master, we’ve arrived at the Headquarters of White Tiger Hall!"
Si Xi called out to Chen Jie!
