Transmigrating to the Song Dynasty: Water Margin Business Management

Chapter 73: Gao Ke Invites a Master

Since Hou San and his gang betrayed him, Wang Zhiqiang had been deeply troubled. He lost his appetite and couldn't sleep at night, tossing and turning. His once round face gradually became sunken, his eyes lost their former sparkle, and he looked much thinner.

That day, Gao Ke heard about Wang Zhiqiang's situation and came to visit him at his residence. As soon as he stepped into the room, he saw Wang Zhiqiang sitting at the table with a worried look on his face, staring blankly out the window.

Gao Ke stepped forward and said jokingly, "Oh dear, Manager Wang, who are you thinking about? You've actually lost quite a bit of weight."

Hearing the voice, Wang Zhiqiang turned around, glanced at Gao Ke listlessly, and said with a wry smile, "Brother Gao, please don't tease me. Hou San and the others' betrayal has caused my business to suffer huge losses. How can I not be worried?"

Gao Ke sat down on a chair nearby, his smile fading, and said seriously, "Manager Wang, I've heard about this too. But you can't just let yourself get worn out like this; you have to find a way to deal with it."

Wang Zhiqiang sighed deeply: "How could I not want to deal with this? But I have no clue what to do in this situation. Hou San and his gang are familiar with our business dealings. Now they have turned against us and sided with our opponents. They are working against me at every turn. I really can't defend against them."

Gao Ke then suppressed his smile and said to Wang Zhiqiang, "Manager Wang, I know this is a mental illness that needs a cure. I've brought you a good remedy to clear heat and relieve dryness."

Upon hearing this, a glimmer of hope instantly ignited in Wang Zhiqiang's eyes, and he said eagerly, "What, Brother Gao, do you have a way to deal with Hou San and his gang?"

Gao Ke laughed and said, "They're just some lowlifes who bully others because of their power. They're shameless and willing to risk everything. But what they fear most are those who don't value their lives."

Having said that, he clapped his hands, and a burly man with a face full of scars walked in. The moment he stepped into the room, it seemed as if the air inside became heavy. He was over eight feet tall, his massive body like a moving city wall. His broad shoulders seemed capable of bearing a thousand pounds, and his thick arms were bulging with muscles, like the gnarled roots of an old tree.

His face was like a rough rock, crisscrossed with crisscrossing scars, adding to his fierce appearance. His large, bell-like eyes, when glared, seemed capable of spitting fire, sending chills down one's spine. His bulbous nose, panting heavily, resembled that of an angry bull. His thick lips were tightly pressed together, revealing a ruthless intent.

He strode in, each step creating a gust of wind, the ground seeming to tremble beneath his feet. His clothes clung tightly to his muscles, as if they might burst at any moment. A gleaming short knife was tucked into his waistband, the gem on its hilt flashing eerily in the dim light.

He stood there, silent, yet exuding a chilling aura, as if he could destroy everything in his path with a single command. Wang Zhiqiang, seeing this man, was secretly astonished, wondering what Gao Ke's intentions were in bringing in such a ruthless individual.

Seeing the man's murderous aura, Wang Zhiqiang pointed at him, trembling, and said, "Brother Gao, who...who is this person?"

Gao Ke laughed loudly, "This is Ren Yuan, the sumo wrestling master I found for you. As soon as he takes action, those scoundrels will be kicked out immediately."

Wang Zhiqiang stared wide-eyed at Ren Yuan, looking him up and down, still feeling somewhat uneasy: "Brother Gao, can this man really handle Hou San and his gang? He looks intimidating, but let's hope he doesn't make things worse."

Gao Ke patted Wang Zhiqiang on the shoulder and said confidently, "Manager Wang, don't worry. This Ren Yuan is no ordinary person. He's quite famous in the martial arts world. Many troublesome characters have suffered at his hands. Hou San's henchmen would be terrified if they saw him."

Ren Yuan then snorted coldly, his voice booming like a bell: "Don't worry, Manager Wang, with me here, I'll make sure those arrogant fools never leave alive!"

Wang Zhiqiang shuddered at his snort, then looked at Gao Ke's confident expression and calmed himself down a bit: "Then... then I'll have to trouble you, brave man. But we must plan carefully and avoid any other troubles."

Gao Ke nodded: "Manager Wang's consideration is thorough. Let's discuss a strategy first, and make sure Hou San and the others comply obediently."

Gao Ke then said to Ren Yuan, "Ren Yuan, why don't you show off your skills and let Manager Wang see what you've got?"

Ren Yuan nodded, his gaze falling on the table beside him. Wang Zhiqiang's heart skipped a beat when he saw it, and he quickly said, "No, no, no, this table is unsuitable!"

But Gao Ke and Ren Yuan wouldn't listen. Ren Yuan was itching to show off his skills. Wang Zhiqiang looked at the table with heartache, muttering, "This table has four thick, sturdy legs, and the whole table is made of heavy solid wood. I hope it's not ruined!"

However, Ren Yuan paid no heed to any of that. With a loud shout, he gathered all his strength and slammed his palm down. With a deafening crack, the solid wood table shattered instantly. Wood chips flew everywhere, and Wang Zhiqiang, unable to dodge in time, was covered in them.

Wang Zhiqiang stood frozen in place, his expression a complex mix of emotions. First came shock, then heartache, and finally, anger. But he couldn't lash out, so he could only force a smile.

"Excellent! Excellent martial arts!" Wang Zhiqiang clapped his hands and said through gritted teeth, "That palm strike was truly powerful, truly powerful!"

In his heart, he cursed, "What a waste! This wasn't even bought by you! This is my rosewood table! My precious table!"

Gao Ke, oblivious to Wang Zhiqiang's thoughts, continued smugly, "Manager Wang, look at this! With a master like Ren Yuan, how can we not deal with Hou San and his gang?"

Wang Zhiqiang was furious inside, but he couldn't show it, so he could only force a smile and agree, "Yes, yes, Brother Gao is right."

He glanced at the pile of table wreckage on the ground, tears welling up in his eyes, and muttered to himself, "What did my perfectly good table do to deserve this? How much money will it cost me to get another one!"

Ren Yuan, on the other hand, didn't seem to care at all. He even patted the sawdust off his hands as if he had done something insignificant.

Wang Zhiqiang was so angry at his nonchalant attitude that he almost fainted, but he could only hold it in.

Seeing that Ren Yuan was indeed capable, Wang Zhiqiang said to Gao Ke, "This brave man will stay with me and await my orders. I wonder what his conditions are?"

At this moment, Ren Yuan dragged over a stool, plopped down, and without any ceremony, crossed his legs and said, "Today, for ten taels of gold, there must be wine, a chicken, a pound of beef, and twenty meat buns."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhiqiang's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He cursed inwardly, "Good heavens, even the tigers on Jingyang Ridge can't eat as much as you! Are you here to help me? Or are you here to devour my nemesis?! I've invited a great Buddha!"

But on the surface, Wang Zhiqiang still had to smile and say, "Brother Ren, isn't this... isn't this a bit too much to ask?"

Ren Yuan glared at him and said gruffly, "What? You think I eat too much? With all this strength, how can I do things for you if I don't eat more?"

Wang Zhiqiang was inwardly suffering, but he still had to put on a generous face: "No, no, Mr. Ren, you misunderstand. It's just that the expenses are indeed a bit high."

Gao Ke tried to smooth things over, saying, "Manager Wang, think about it. With Ren Yuan's abilities, this request isn't unreasonable. As long as it can solve the problem of Hou San and the others, this expense is nothing."

Wang Zhiqiang cursed Gao Ke in his heart: "You make it sound so easy, it's not like it's your money!"

But having no other choice, he gritted his teeth and said, "Alright, brave man, we'll do as you say."

Upon hearing this, Ren Yuan grinned and said, "Hehe, Manager Wang is so generous! I'll definitely work hard!"

Looking at his smug expression, Wang Zhiqiang secretly prayed, "You'd better work hard, or I'll lose a lot of my investment."

At this moment, Ren Yuan spoke up again: "By the way, Manager Wang, the wine must be top-grade Daughter's Red, the chicken must be plump, the beef must be the tenderest, and the buns must be fresh out of the steamer."

Wang Zhiqiang almost fainted, thinking, "Your requirements are really detailed!" But he still gritted his teeth and agreed, "Okay, okay, whatever you say."

Ren Yuan nodded in satisfaction and patted Wang Zhiqiang on the shoulder: "Manager Wang, just you wait and see!"

Wang Zhiqiang nodded with a bitter smile, but his heart was bleeding: "My money! This is really paying money to suffer!"

In the days that followed, Wang Zhiqiang watched Ren Yuan eat and drink extravagantly, and his heart was filled with worry, like an endless rainy day. As for Ren Yuan, after eating and drinking his fill, he would lie down and bask in the sun, not in any hurry to deal with Hou San.

Wang Zhiqiang finally couldn't hold back any longer and found Ren Yuan, saying, "Brave Ren, you've eaten and drunk your fill, isn't it time to get to work?"

Ren Yuan let out a burp and said slowly, "What's the rush? I'm conserving my energy!"

Wang Zhiqiang was on the verge of tears, and could only silently hope that Ren Yuan could play a role soon.

Just as Ren Yuan was leisurely resting there, the steward rushed in in a panic, like a headless fly, and almost fell to the ground.

Seeing this, Wang Zhiqiang said irritably, "What is it now? You're so impulsive, what kind of behavior is this!"

The butler, panting heavily, stammered, "Manager Wang, something terrible has happened!"

Wang Zhiqiang frowned and raised his voice: "What is it? Tell me quickly!"

The butler swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and said, "This Hou San has gone too far. He hired more than a dozen old men who pickle sauerkraut and put all 100 sauerkraut jars on the street. The smell of that sauerkraut, oh my, it's so awful! Now our shop entrance is completely blocked, and customers can't even come in."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhiqiang stomped his feet in anger: "This Hou San is simply lawless!"

As he spoke, he turned to look at Ren Yuan and said, "Brave Ren, it's your turn now."

Ren Yuan loosened his belt and said nonchalantly, "Let's go take a look."

Wang Zhiqiang quickly followed, muttering as he walked, "Ren Zhuangshi, you'd better teach Hou San a lesson. We can't let him continue to be so arrogant."

Once on the street, rows of sauerkraut jars were placed haphazardly, the sour and pungent smell filling the air, making people instinctively cover their mouths and noses. Hou San was standing to the side, watching smugly, humming a little tune.

Ren Yuan strode over and shouted, "Hou San, what are you up to!"

Hou San glanced at Ren Yuan and sneered, "Oh, where did this big guy come from, trying to meddle in other people's business?"

Ren Yuan's eyes widened in anger, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked: "Move these sauerkraut jars away right now, or don't blame me for being impolite!"

Hou San, however, was not afraid at all, and said sarcastically, "Hmph, if you're so capable, move it yourself. Let's see what you can do to me!"

Ren Yuan could no longer contain himself and stepped forward to make a move. Wang Zhiqiang, standing to the side, was sweating profusely, praying that Ren Yuan wouldn't escalate the situation beyond control.