When Pang Ce heard that He Yunxiao was willing to lend him 10,000 taels of silver, tears welled up in his eyes, and his lips trembled so much that he could not speak.
Ten thousand taels of silver is not a lot for a young man from a prominent family. For example, Li Qingmeng, who comes from a wealthy family in Jiangnan, could easily lend He Yunxiao ten thousand taels.
Although Pang Ce wasn't from a powerful family in Qi, he was still a minor leader of the Short Knife Gang, one of the three major gangs in Yin Jing. Ten thousand taels of silver, while a large sum for him, wasn't anything extraordinary. (M.cascoo.net)
However, times have changed. The Short Knife Gang is now a gang that can't even come up with fifty taels of silver. With its leader on the verge of death and the Iron Eagle Gang and Snake Tiger Gang eyeing it covetously from the outside, it is in the most precarious situation both internally and externally.
It's no wonder Pang Ce was so agitated. Since the Short Knife Gang was trapped, it's been like a tree falling and its monkeys scattering. None of the merchants and shopkeepers he usually had good relations with were willing to help the Short Knife Gang, despite the pressure from the Iron Eagle Gang and the Snake Tiger Gang.
After several conflicts with the Iron Eagle Gang and the Snake Tiger Gang, many members of the Short Knife Gang were injured, and the gang's expenses skyrocketed, leaving them already in debt. Moreover, due to the gang leader's serious injury, the Short Knife Gang's power had waned, making it extremely difficult to even borrow money. Let alone ten thousand taels, even one hundred taels was hard to come by.
Inside the Marquis's carriage, Pang Ce sat on one side, while He Yunxiao and Meng Qingrou sat on the other.
Between the three of them were various items: medicinal herbs, clothes, snacks, and toys. These colorful and playful objects formed a stark contrast with Pang Ce's gloomy and depressed mood.
Because of Pang Ce's presence, Meng Qingrou's social anxiety was constantly aroused. She obediently held He Yunxiao's hand, leaned against him, and didn't say a word. At most, she stared at Pang Ce with wide eyes, full of curiosity.
"Rou'er, this young master's brother is seriously injured. Shall we go and take a look?" He Yunxiao coaxed his wife, Nanzhu.
"Okay." Meng Qingrou nodded obediently.
He Yunxiao reminded her, "If we go to help Young Master Pang, we won't have time to buy the ceramic animals."
Meng Qingrou looked at He Yunxiao with some reluctance, but still said, "It's okay, saving lives is the priority."
Hearing this, Pang Ce didn't say anything more, only saying, "The Short Knife Gang will never forget the great kindness of Young Master He and this young lady."
He Yunxiao waved his hand and said, "Young Master Pang, there's no need to be so formal. However, I, He Yunxiao, am not some kind-hearted person who throws money around on the street. I won't help you for nothing. There's a condition. Can you make decisions for the Short Knife Gang and your brother?"
Pang Ce hesitated for a moment. His brother had taught him from a young age to uphold the code of honor in the martial world and to keep his word. Now, not knowing exactly what He Yunxiao's request was, he dared not agree without authorization. If it was a minor request, he could agree, but if it concerned the life and death of the gang, he dared not agree without authorization.
He Yunxiao said, "If you can't agree, I won't force you. I'll talk to your brother when he wakes up."
Pang Ce felt like he had misheard.
"Wait until my brother wakes up? Young Master He, you... to be honest, my brother is seriously injured. I have consulted all the famous doctors in Yinjing, but they are all helpless. My brother has always been a righteous man, and I'm afraid he will not make it this time."
With Zi Ruo in literature, Nan Zhu in medicine, and Chu Chu in martial arts, as long as this Pang Gang leader of the Short Knife Gang isn't dead, even if he's in a vegetative state, he can be saved.
He Yunxiao said, "Don't panic, I'm confident I can cure your brother."
"Great!" Hearing this, Pang Ce felt much more excited.
He Yunxiao thought about it and found it strange. Although the Short Knife Gang had lost a top-tier ninth-rank fighter, the gang was extremely disciplined and had a considerable financial foundation. Moreover, his wife, Ziruo, was personally teaching them how to do things. How could the gang be in such dire straits after only a few days?
"Pang Ce, Mr. Fan... didn't Mr. Fan give you some advice before? How come you two..."
Pang Ce smiled bitterly and said, "Young Master He, the master's advice to us is to fight the Iron Eagle Gang head-on, take this opportunity to find the unstable factors in the gang, and then break up into smaller groups and wait for the right moment to strike. But the Short Knife Gang's current assets and territory were all earned by my brother. How can I bear to give them up?"
He Yunxiao understood.
Ziruo's wife told them to sacrifice territory to save their people, but they refused, insisting on sacrificing their people to save their territory. According to Ziruo's plan, they would never have engaged in a protracted war of attrition with the Iron Eagle Gang and the Snake Tiger Gang until they were exhausted. Now, because they didn't listen to Ziruo's wife, the Short Knife Gang will soon lose both its people and its territory.
He Yunxiao looked at the sun outside the carriage window and estimated that it was almost noon. He could afford to wait, but he couldn't afford to wait any longer.
"Stop talking, take me to see Chief Pang."
Upon arrival, He Yunxiao discovered that the situation with the Short Knife Gang was actually much better than he had imagined.
The Short Knife Gang's headquarters was a courtyard house surrounded by a dozen rows of tiled houses. It was quite large, but the decoration was much more shabby than that of the Iron Eagle Gang. However, though small, it had everything it needed.
The courtyard is equipped with all the facilities a gang should have, such as a martial arts training ground and a scripture library.
Following Pang Ce through the door and past the training ground, He Yunxiao saw about thirty to fifty gang members gathered there.
Those gang members who are willing to stay and risk their lives after surviving gang calamities are extremely loyal.
Pang Ce said to his brothers, "Brothers, Young Master He is willing to lend us ten thousand taels of silver and is also willing to try to cure my brother. We are deeply grateful and will remember Young Master He forever."
After Pang Ce finished speaking, the members of the Short Knife Gang present said in unison, "Thank you for your help, Young Master He. We will remember it forever!"
When thirty to fifty martial artists spoke up, their imposing presence was naturally remarkable.
He Yunxiao, with his ninth-grade cultivation, wasn't intimidated by the scene, but Meng Qingrou, who was always shy, was not. She was frightened by these people who looked like bad guys and snuggled even closer into He Yunxiao's arms.
"Rou'er, don't be afraid. Pang Ce, I don't have much time left, let's go quickly."
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