To prevent Lao Gui's retaliation, Song Jianmin, along with Biao Biao and others, stayed at Gao Daqiang's house that day. The repair shop's rooms were empty, and they could sleep there with just a few beds.
They were waiting for notification from the farm. Due to the fight, the club was temporarily closed.
Hu Zhenghua had spoken to Yang Jian and Lao Gui beforehand. When giving their statements to the police, they could only say that the fight started due to a dispute over consumption.
Gambling with large sums of money in mahjong was illegal, and lending money was even more so. If Yang Jian admitted that the dispute arose from lending money, not only would he face heavier penalties, but the club would also be investigated.
Lao Gui and Wu Laizi wouldn't speak carelessly. It was an unspoken rule in their circles not to cut off others' sources of income. In fact, eighty to ninety percent of people involved in the underworld had some connection to gambling. Therefore, when questioned by the police, they were all tacitly in agreement not to mention anything related to gambling.
Despite having made an enemy of Lao Gui and his gang, Song Jianmin had no intention of giving up lending money. Yu Feng had told him that as soon as the club reopened, they would continue to patronize it, and just by keeping an eye on her circle of acquaintances, they could earn tens of thousands in a month.
Nanhu Farm.
In the general manager's office, Hu Zhenghua and Cat Brother sat facing each other across a tea table.
"Master, your first objective of luring Yang Jian to deal with Lao Gui has been achieved, but merely injuring Wu Laizi is not enough. Lao Gui still wants me to contract the farm's music bar to him."
Hu Zhenghua personally poured tea for his master. He was originally a legitimate businessman. After buying the land and establishing the farm, he was constantly harassed by the underworld and relied on his master to navigate these situations.
Because the farm was adjacent to Nanhu Lake, Lao Gui had long ago incorporated the farm into his sphere of influence. However, Cat Brother advised Hu Zhenghua to align himself with Pan Wenbin, as the north bank of Nanhu Lake was closer to the town center, which would deter Lao Gui from eyeing the farm.
Unexpectedly, after Pan Wenbin's downfall, Lao Gui's Lake Gang made a comeback, quickly becoming the top force in the town center, and Nanhu Farm naturally became Lao Gui's target.
Lao Gui was more greedy than Pan Wenbin and had no moral boundaries. Hu Zhenghua was unwilling to deal with him, so Cat Brother suggested luring Yang Jian to the farm. On one hand, it was to resolve the personal feud between them, and on the other hand, it was hoped that Yang Jian could keep Lao Gui in check.
"Xiao Hu, do you know why Lao Gui insists on contracting the music bar? What is his objective?"
Cat Brother was apparently unaware of this situation. Luring Yang Jian was a precautionary measure to make Lao Gui retreat.
"His objective in contracting the music bar is to run a 'high bar,' which, to put it bluntly, is drug trafficking."
"High bar?"
"A high bar is a newly emerging form of entertainment, very popular in Hancheng. There are also a small number of people playing it in Xinhe. The specific model involves a large group of people gathering in a large private room in a KTV, with live DJing. Those who play consume hallucinogenic drugs like 'Ma Gu,' Ketamine, and 'Shen Xian Shui.' Then, stimulated by powerful music, they dance and headbang frantically. This form of entertainment is called 'high.'"
"There's such a way to have fun? But there are many KTVs in town. Why is he targeting your place?"
Cat Brother, being in his forties, didn't quite understand the ways of young people.
"High bars are strictly prohibited by the police because they involve drugs. Therefore, KTVs in town dare not operate them. My location is remote, my audiovisual equipment is good, and my rooms are large, so naturally, he took a liking to it."
"Is running a high bar very profitable?"
"Of course, it's profitable. A single high session costs over ten thousand, some even over a hundred thousand. If there are many people, a large amount of drugs are consumed in one night. Lao Gui is after the drugs. Currently, half of the 'Ma Gu' and Ketamine sales in town come from the Lake Gang. Do you think I can let him in?"
Cat Brother shook his head. "You really can't let him in to run a high bar. Being shut down by the police is an inevitable outcome. This is even more harmful than running a casino. The farm will definitely be implicated, and you might even be arrested and imprisoned, as you are the owner of the farm. Lao Gui is trying to divert disaster and is plotting against you."
"So what do we do now? Lao Gui is insidious and ruthless. He won't give up until he achieves his goal. Although I lured Wu Laizi in to lend money and successfully created a conflict between him and Yang Jian, this incident clearly hasn't escalated the conflict between Yang Jian and Lao Gui further. With the Yu family's influence, they can certainly mediate a reconciliation between them."
"Your analysis is sound. No matter how brutal Lao Gui is, he wouldn't dare to go head-to-head with Yang Jian, because Yang Jian's combat power is too terrifying. If he launched a lone wolf-style attack, ten Lao Guis wouldn't be able to stop him."
Hu Zhenghua looked troubled. "Then what should we do? Now, besides Yang Jian, no one can deal with Lao Gui. If I let him in, the farm will become a chaotic mess, and the police will surely arrest me. If I don't let him in, my farm will likely have to close down."
"Don't worry, let me think."
Cat Brother fell into contemplation. His physical strength was very low, and his thin frame could be pushed over by anyone. However, his mind was sharp, and he had rich experience in the underworld. Schemes, tricks, and deception were his strengths, which was why he held a position in the town's underworld.
"We still have to find a way through Yang Jian."
After thinking for a long time, Cat Brother finally spoke.
"What way?"
"Continue to escalate the conflict between him and Lao Gui. Yang Jian is too young, smooth-talking, and impulsive. He resorts to violence at the slightest disagreement, and once he starts, he's vicious, crippling hands or feet, leaving no loose ends. This is both his weakness and his terrifying aspect. We'll exploit this weakness and have him cripple or even kill Lao Gui."
"How do we operate this?"
"Last time, it was Liu Ming who injured his brother-in-law, which led to Yang Jian's retaliation. We'll target Yang Jian's sister and brother-in-law again. He will inevitably believe that Lao Gui is responsible. With his impulsive nature, after he gets out, he will surely launch a frenzied retaliation against Lao Gui. Lao Gui won't be able to stop him. We'll just watch the show from the sidelines, like the fisherman benefiting from the fight between the snipe and the clam. Your problem will naturally be solved."
Hu Zhenghua frowned. "Master, this isn't right. Although we are using Yang Jian and want him to earn some money at the club to resolve your conflict with him, we shouldn't harm his family. Moreover, if we send people to injure his sister and brother-in-law, this matter might not be kept secret. If the participants leak it, Yang Jian will inevitably turn his attention to us."
Cat Brother shook his head. "It's not as serious as you think. I'll arrange for my trusted disciples to do it. Besides, it's not about actually beating Gao Daqiang and his wife, just to scare them. We'll splash some paint on their door, indicating that Lao Gui won't let go of his family. This will plant a seed of doubt in Yang Jian's mind.
Given Yang Jian's personality, he will eliminate the danger in its infancy and will inevitably move against Lao Gui. This way, our objective will be achieved."
This idea was good. Hu Zhenghua was not from the underworld and did not have such a hardened heart. He would not agree to actually harm Gao Daqiang and his wife.