Qingshi Town wasn't particularly large, but it also wasn't small.
Over at the Hu Family, although they were fervently trying to conceal it, just yesterday they had approached the door of the Luo Family to discuss a marriage alliance.
But the Zhao Family was, after all, one of the four great families of Qingshi Town.
In terms of collecting various kinds of information and intelligence within Qingshi Town, they were not far behind the other families.
"The Hu Family... has overstepped their bounds!"
Qingshi Town, on the Zhao Family's territory.
Inside a room where the light was just a shade dim.
Zhao Wu, the current head of the Zhao Family, was now seated silently in the main seat.
In front of him stood a mysterious man clad in black, silently standing there with his head slightly bowed.
"In Qingshi Town, the coexistence of the four great families has been maintained for over three hundred years."
"My Zhao Family, as well as the Luo Family, control the mining and sale of the Qingshi ore veins nearby Qingshi Town."
"The Hu Family, on the other hand, controls all commercial operations within the town's markets."
"The Jing Family controls all the gambling houses within Qingshi Town."
"The four great families do not encroach upon each other's territory."
"And now, the Hu Family thinks to meddle with the mining and sale of the Qingshi ore veins near Qingshi Town by contemplating a marriage alliance with the Luo Family."
"This is somewhat against the rules!"
The more Zhao Wu thought about it, the darker his expression became, "Did the marriage alliance between the Hu Family and the Luo Family succeed?"
After a long silence, Zhao Wu suddenly asked the black-clad man standing in front of him in a low voice.
The man in black simply shook his head without a word, his voice somewhat hoarse as he spoke.
"Family Head, the marriage alliance between the Hu Family and the Luo Family did not come to fruition."
"The exact reasons are still unknown!"
As the words of the man in black concluded, Zhao Wu's face finally looked a bit better.
Since the alliance between the Hu and Luo families hadn't come to pass, all was still negotiable.
As for the reason why their talks had failed, Zhao Wu wasn't particularly concerned.
"Moving forward, pay close attention to every move the Luo Family makes."
"And also, that exceptionally high-grade Qingshi ore vein that's about three hundred meters long."
Having said that, Zhao Wu waved his hand dismissively.
As the man in black gradually disappeared from the room,
another figure, one slender, of an unremarkable appearance and a pallid complexion that hinted at poor health, emerged quietly from a corner. This was a middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man was named Gao Qi.
He was once a top scholar of the Da Feng Dynasty.
However, due to various reasons, Gao Qi had been vilified by countless people.
They alleged his scholarly achievements were all fraudulently obtained,
and even his title as top scholar had been forcibly stripped by those in the halls of the Da Feng Dynasty.
As for his own fate, he had been stripped of all his property and banished to a destitute land.
As to why he suddenly appeared here?
That could only be described as the result of an accident.
"You heard everything just now, didn't you, Sir?"
"What do you think about this matter?"
Looking at the extremely pale, frail middle-aged man in front of him,
Zhao Wu suddenly posed the question.
"When the snipe and clam grapple, it's the fisherman who profits," replied Gao Qi, not with a lengthy discourse, but with a simple, calmly spoken proverb.
"When the snipe and clam grapple, it's the fisherman who profits?" After receiving the reply, Zhao Wu couldn't help but laugh.
As time passed, his laughter grew louder, becoming increasingly wild and unrestrained.
"Years of drought, numerous refugees."
"Either declare an uprising or become an outlaw."
"This era of chaos has already descended."
"My Zhao Family dares to challenge the Luo Family, daring to break the balance of the four major families within Qingshi Town that has lasted for more than three hundred years, naturally, we have enough confidence."
"But the Hu Family, how do they dare?"
"Do they really think that after marrying into the Luo Family, my Zhao Family would not dare to touch them?"
"Now, after the talks of marriage alliance with the Luo Family have collapsed, they even want to be the beneficiary fishermen?"
"But how can the Hu Family be sure whether they are the beneficiary fishermen, or the ignorant and arrogant praying mantis!"
Having said all this, Zhao Wu's previously fluctuating emotions had gradually subsided.
"You may leave now," Zhao Wu looked at Gao Qi in front of him and waved his hand, speaking in a low voice.
And just as Gao Qi turned around and was about to leave the room,
Zhao Wu seemed to have remembered something and added, "Oh yes, when you return to the stronghold, remember to tell my younger brother to expand the size of the stronghold as swiftly as possible."
"The world is becoming increasingly tumultuous."
"To gain a better position in this chaotic world,"
"Even to compete for supremacy."
"One must hold enough power in their hands!!!"
After saying this, Zhao Wu spoke no more.
Outside the room, Gao Qi's footsteps hesitated for a moment,
and soon, he disappeared from Zhao Wu's line of sight, leaving the vast grounds of the Zhao Family.
...
At the time the Zhao Family received this news,
The Jing Family, one of the four major families of Qingshi Town holding control of all the gambling houses in town,
had also already become clearly aware of this news.
"Father, what is your take on this Hu Family matter?"
In the Jing Family estate, a young girl clad in iron armor, holding a red-tasseled spear,
with a spirited face and quite a handsome appearance,
suddenly burst into the room where her father was.
Curiosity plastered on her face, she loudly asked the man with a thick beard in front of her.
"Sister, you know about this too?" Jing Chang, who was in the room, looked somewhat surprised as he glanced towards where his older sister stood.
"Hongying, how many times have I said it? Can't you announce your presence before coming in?"
The bearded, robust, and rough-looking Family Head, Jing Chenglong, looked helplessly at his daughter in front of him and said.
"Next time for sure, next time for sure..." Jing Hongying, somewhat embarrassed, scratched her nose and then asked again, "So, what is your take on this Hu Family matter, Father?"
"What do I think? How else can I think? Obviously with my eyes, of course," Jing Chenglong casually replied.
"Father, I'm asking for your opinion, could you please take this seriously!"
"Alright, seriously, seriously." Jing Chenglong nodded his head and straightened his previously slumped posture.
He looked at his daughter, Jing Hongying, who cared not for women's crafts but instead for wielding weapons, and he said with a serious expression, "This marriage alliance of the Hu Family is clearly an attempt to encroach upon that complete industrial chain that should not belong to them."
"Indeed, I'm referring to the industry chain related to the mining and selling of Qingshi ore veins."
"As for why the marriage alliance between the Hu Family and the Luo Family fell through, that I'm not sure about."
"What is your view on the Zhao Family, Father?" Jing Hongying, nodding silently, inquired further.
"The Zhao Family, well..."
Jing Chenglong, speaking, suddenly paused for a moment, his expression gradually becoming more serious as he continued, "I always have a feeling that there's more to the Zhao Family than meets the eye."
"The recent actions of the Zhao Family are somewhat abnormal."
"Giving a top-quality Qingshi ore vein that stretches over three hundred meters to the Luo Family is yet another proof of my thoughts."
Jing Hongying: "What thoughts?"
"The Zhao Family is likely planning to wait until the Ancestor of the Luo Family dies before making a move on the Luo Family, gradually swallowing them whole."
"And since the Zhao Family dares to take such actions, even risking harming themselves,"
"I have reason to suspect that the strength of the Zhao Family may very well extend beyond what we have seen."