Chapter 688 - 687: Let’s Fight—Who’s Afraid?
Ling Xiao swallowed hard and said with difficulty, "Challenge their base?"
Are we a bit short-handed?
Currently, in the Capital City, his skills are the best, and he’s only at the First-class High Tier at that. The Capital City is full of hidden talents, and it’s likely that some forces even have Super First-class experts.
Xia Wenjin glanced at him, "Now, we have a First-class High Tier expert, which is already the setup of a mid-sized power, only lacking recognition. If we wait for you to negotiate, then compete, and go through all the formalities, who knows how long it will take. According to the rules of the Jianghu, challenging their base isn’t that outrageous, is it?"
The Jianghu people indeed have such an unwritten rule, where a competition determines the superior.
According to the normal method, an invitation must be sent, a date and place set, and the entire process takes ten days to half a month.
But there is also the unconventional method, which is to challenge their base.
In a normal competition, it’s a friendly match where both parties don’t lose face; but the unconventional method particularly offends people, and if you lose, it’s even more humiliating.
The advantage is that you can challenge at will, with quick victories.
And if you win, you can quickly gain fame!
Xia Wenjin made a good point, what do the divisions in the Jianghu world revolve around? Of course, it’s people, it’s experts. Forces with Super First-class experts are naturally large forces. And forces with First-class Middle Tier experts are already considered mid-sized forces. Those small forces are lucky if they have even one First-class Initial Tier expert.
However, classification is one thing; every power has a ranking. Even if the rankings among small powers are a bit vague and hard to differentiate, if a new force wants to rise, it needs to gain recognition from all powers. And this recognition, of course, is proven by actual fighting!
Xia Wenjin added, "Anyway, no matter what, the final result is a fight, so why be roundabout?"
Ling Xiao was sweating; the Pavilion Master was a bit too bold, but it sounded reasonable.
Fight it is, who’s he afraid of?
Ling Xiao immediately said, "Alright, I’ll arrange it now!"
He planned to list those forty-three small forces and challenge each one of them.
Also, challenging a base is quite simple; not many people are needed, three people per challenge are enough. He could challenge ten in a day, half a month’s time is indeed sufficient.
However, since the Pavilion Master gave him half a month, it was not just for him to scrape by at the bottom of mid-sized powers.
Xia Wenjin casually said, "Let me know once the dates are set, I’ll go too!"
Ling Xiao quickly said, "Pavilion Master, there’s no need for that, is there? There’s no need to trouble you for such a small matter!"
"Then I’ll come to support you!" Xia Wenjin said honestly without being polite.
Ling Xiao laughed, "Alright!" Truth be told, he hadn’t really witnessed the Pavilion Master’s Martial Arts. But she’s still so young...
However, thinking about the development of Feiyun Pavilion, about what she accomplished in just two short years, how she handled matters so skillfully and maturely; her grasp and control of the bigger picture, so precise and meticulous, so decisive and foresighted...
Ling Xiao discarded those thoughts, for despite her youth, the Pavilion Master had great ambitions and a mind full of strategies, hardly comparable to ordinary people.
It’s not about age when it comes to ambition!
After helping Ling Xiao determine the order of challenges, planning the approach, and handling some other matters, they stayed at Feiyun Pavilion for most of the day. Back in the carriage, Xia Wenjin was still pondering over matters as she instructed Gu Heng, "To Jinxiu Square!"
Gu Heng acknowledged, and the carriage silently turned direction.
The Jinxiu Square in the Capital City is more elegant than the one in Jiazhou, and it’s also larger. Since Xia Wenjin took over, although it remains a brothel, the women here are not serving others with their looks, or selling their bodies for survival.
It takes a refined approach here, where the women are skilled in at least one art among music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and dance. If a guest comes, one can listen to music, watch dances, and play chess...
It seeks a spiritual reprieve and a connection of the minds. However, regardless of one’s status or position, the girls here cannot be forced into doing anything against their will. Of course, if the girls and the guests are mutually willing to enter the love nest, it’s the girls’ own business.
There were indeed some blind ones who attempted to force their way upon any chosen girl, but as a result, they were not only stripped and thrown out but their vile deeds were loudly publicized by two guards, leaving them utterly disgraced.
The girls were not afraid of suffering humiliation. If such a thing happened, resistance was the right course. The whole Jinxiu Square stood as their backing.
Rather than affecting the business, this instead made the guests find it novel, leading them to respect the girls more than seeing them as mere playthings. The business improved significantly.
What if someone seeks revenge?
Xue Niang is a woman with means; she can withstand pressure, and Xia Wenjin would handle the matters that follow.
Moreover, after the level of Jinxiu Square improved, some guests were influential officials and noble ones. Even if anyone wanted to cause trouble, they would have to think twice.
Actually, Xue Niang was always quite curious; since coming to the Capital City, Jinxiu Square encountered several troubles, and when she informed Xia Wenjin, the troubles indeed just faded away.
She knew that Xia Wenjin had not been in the Capital City much longer than herself. Logically, her network here shouldn’t be well-established either. Yet how did Xia Wenjin handle those complex and troublesome matters that even she, who had seen various facets of men and resolved numerous issues, couldn’t without a trace?
But she didn’t ask; she’s smart. Since being won over by Xia Wenjin and accepting her as her master, Xue Niang knew never to overstep.
Only after Xia Wenjin quietly resolved all the troubles did Xue Niang feel even more admiration and loyalty for her, working with more dedication.
Jinxiu Square and Yan Zui Building do not belong to Feiyun Pavilion, but this does not hinder mutual assistance and support among the three forces, leading to better development for all.
This is also what Xia Wenjin is pleased to see.
After staying at Jinxiu Square until dusk, Xia Wenjin finally returned to Xia Mansion.
Ever since Uncle Zhuo and a few others arrived in the Capital City, she made them stay but was too busy to have properly dined with her uncles.
Even that bastard Huangfu Yu had taken the chance to pay a visit, with Uncle Hua and Uncle Gu harboring such thoughts; who knows what Uncle Zhuo and the rest might think.
Now, Xia Wenjin hoped Bai Feichen’s investigations would yield results soon.
On the surface, the four village chiefs of Haotian Village have arrived in the Capital City, but Bai Feichen has never been seen. Actually, Bai Feichen arrived in the Capital City much earlier than Zhuo Pengju and the others.
Only Xia Wanqing sent him to investigate some matters, and Bai Feichen kept his tracks hidden, not appearing in front of others.
Xia Wanqing told no one, so nobody knew what he was doing or where he was, thinking instead that he was still wandering the Jianghu managing Haotian Village’s affairs, temporarily unable to visit the Capital City.