"Master, I don't quite understand. What use are these four scoundrels to us in the competition?"
After receiving the trial token from the four ruffians, Xiang Wan led them back to the inn with Tu Hongye. These four were, after all, her disciples' apprentices, and thus her grand-disciples; she should teach them some manners and give them Taoist names.
As for whether these four people genuinely wanted to join the cult or were just going through the motions, under the combination of harsh punishment and sweet persuasion, they had no choice but to submit. Most importantly, Xiang Wan needed them to earn money, so why would she let this easy target slip away?
However, Tu Hongye's hostile expression was giving Xiang Wan a real headache. He was the one who brought the person here, and after she, as his mentor, cleaned things up, she hadn't even investigated the matter, yet he was already asking questions.
"These four are disciples I have taken in for you. You gave them their Taoist names, and the responsibility of teaching them naturally falls to you. All I need is for them to be loyal to the Three Pure Ones Sect, to be obedient, and to be available whenever I call them. That's enough."
"In that case, Master, please come in. I will give them some pointers."
Xiang Wan readily made room for Tu Hongye and went to the first floor of the inn to have tea.
The inn was bustling with people. Many couldn't find a place to stay and had to search elsewhere with long faces. Luckily, the master and apprentice arrived not too late; otherwise, they would probably be in the same predicament.
By the time Tu Hongye came down to find Xiang Wan, the sun was already setting.
Upon reaching the door, Xiang Wan took a deep breath, bracing herself for the sight of four people beaten beyond recognition. To her surprise, the door opened from the inside, and the four men knelt down on one knee before her, cupping their hands and addressing her as "Sect Leader," which startled her.
This situation doesn't look like someone who has been educated at all.
“Master, I have already given them Taoist names. An Yi, and so on for the rest.”
An Yi to An Si? The names are quite concise. Xiang Wan nodded slightly, closed the door, sat down, and began assigning tasks to the four.
Gambling has existed since ancient times and is not unusual. But during a sect competition, if a betting system were set up, listing all participating sects and their opponents for each match, and then setting odds for each, with the winner determined by the results of the competition, I don't believe no one would participate.
Don't An Yi and his group have acquaintances in the government? They can establish connections with them, share interests, exchange information, and then send people to various sects to gather information, analyze and compare the strengths of both sides and the possible outcomes of the battle, and then sell this information to those who participate in betting. The money earned in this way would be extremely profitable.
However, with the sect competition just around the corner, it's unrealistic to expect An Yi and the other three to handle everything. Therefore, they need to build a network of relationships with casinos, government agencies, and various sects.
What's the biggest advantage of a rogue? They have a lot of free time, and they gather a lot of idle people, making it easy for them to gather information.
However, analyzing the strength of each sect was clearly beyond An Yi and his group's capabilities. Therefore, Xiang Wan thought of the person she had struck up a conversation with while waiting in line. That person belonged to a minor sect and wasn't particularly strong, but he was quite intelligent, even knowing about the Pingyang Sect. If they asked him to write an analysis, and An Yi and his group sold it to clients, splitting the profits among themselves, it wouldn't be a problem.
We can all make money together and share the profits. Although we may not make much money in the short term, we can accumulate experience, establish a business model, and then bet on anything. Money will come quickly and unstoppable.
Is the Three Pure Ones Sect doing this to scam people? No, they're not like gambling dens where it's just about gambling. They use betting to understand the strength of various sects, while also selling information and gathering intelligence. This not only allows the government to understand the sects more directly but also involves the common people. Only through genuine participation will people show enthusiastic attention and wholehearted support.
Xiang Wan wanted them to do more than just involve the sect members; she also wanted the government officials, the common people, and even the peddlers to pay attention. In this way, her and Tu Hongye's outstanding performance in the competition would become known throughout the world without any need for publicity.
This is a grand strategy; only with the participation of the entire population can we achieve great results with limited resources.
Therefore, what Xiang Wan and An Yi said about people offering them money on the street wasn't unfounded. Once the betting market opened, those who placed bets would naturally try every means to slip in money to find out more. How could they not respect the person who controlled their money and how much they could win?
The competition will begin in three days. There is a lot to do. Xiang Wan assigned the tasks one by one. Regardless of whether the four people understand or not, as long as they proceed step by step and try to get everything settled the day before the competition, they will naturally know what to do afterward.
Xiang Wan chose these four people for several reasons. First, they weren't truly wicked; the common people might find them somewhat annoying, but not deeply resentful, and dealing with them normally wouldn't be a problem. Second, it was to show Tu Hongye and everyone else that, with the right methods, the Sanqing Sect could persuade people to do good and benefit everyone. Third, it was also a test for Tu Hongye; after teaching them for so long, she wanted to see if he could recruit these four people. If he could even use ruffians, then he would naturally know how to manage future disciples.
As for Xiang Wan herself, she has already lived half her life and will eventually be handed over to Tu Hongye. If she educates him well, why worry that the Sanqing Sect cannot be carried forward?
Xiang Wan smiled like an aunt, and Tu Hongye felt a chill run down his spine, as if he could no longer see through the person who had raised him.
But it doesn't matter, as long as my master is by my side, nothing else matters.
For the past three days, Xiang Wan has been extremely busy, and Tu Hongye has been running around in circles under her command.
Fortunately, everything had already begun. She just needed to prepare the money, and the next day, as soon as it was light, she would go and place a bet. It was her own business, and she had to support it. Once she won money, others would naturally follow.
The government held the first round of competition in a large mansion, allowing ten people from ten different sects to enter each time. Only those sects that managed to emerge victorious could participate in the next round.
The casino sets the stakes as follows: out of ten sects, how many will emerge victorious? You can either bet directly on the corresponding sect or bet on multiple sects you like. Naturally, the odds are lower, but the returns are higher.
Based on the original owner's memories from her previous life, Xiang Wan instructed Tu Hongye to bet all the sects in their group that could successfully exit. They had to win the first round decisively, even if it meant paying out of her own pocket, so everyone would see it.
Xiang Wan was in a group of ten people from several obscure minor sects, each carrying a token as they walked into the courtyard.
Tu Hongye wanted to go, but Xiang Wan wouldn't let him.
Knowing his youngest apprentice's personality, he would definitely act swiftly and decisively, emerging in no time, leaving the onlookers with no curiosity or suspense, which would be highly detrimental to the betting arrangements made by An Yi and his group. Therefore, Xiang Wan should personally take charge, perhaps even recruiting a few quick-witted individuals to strengthen An Yi's team.
After the gongs rang out, Xiang Wan followed behind the procession, said "Amitabha," and calmly entered the large courtyard.
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