Wu Shen spat viciously in the direction where the Prince of Qin's servants had fled.
Then he turned around to inspect the condition of "his own people."
To his astonishment, not a single person from Dao Xuan Tianzun's side was injured.
They stood relaxed, breathing steady, expressions calm—as if they had just finished moving furniture rather than smashing fifty men into the street.
Wu Shen laughed out loud. "Not one injured! What incredible skill!"
Dao Xuan Tianzun replied mildly, "If they managed to get hurt fighting a group of household servants, they'd be crying all the way home once the punishment started."
Wu Shen blinked. "With subordinates this capable… you'd still punish them?"
Dao Xuan Tianzun only smiled.
Wu Shen didn't pursue the question. He turned his gaze outward.
The common folk, emboldened now, had begun creeping back onto the street. At first only a few. Then more. Soon, entire groups stood watching openly, faces lit with excitement as they stared at the empty road where the Prince of Qin's men had just been chased off.
Some sharper minds were already calculating silently.
Fifty men were sent—and defeated.
Sending more servants would cross a line.
Once things escalated beyond this, impeachment would be inevitable.
No matter how favored the Prince of Qin was, the Emperor would not tolerate him openly parading a private army through Xi'an's streets.
Which meant—
The open struggle was over.
From here on out, at most, it would be covert maneuvering.
And covert struggles were not something ordinary people needed to fear.
A bold farmer suddenly rushed into the fertilizer shop.
"I want to buy celestial fertilizer!"
That single shout was like striking flint.
"I want some too!"
"So do I!"
"Me as well!"
The crowd surged forward.
Wang Tang straightened his clothes—still slightly rumpled from the earlier fight—and calmly returned behind the counter.
He smiled. "Everyone, no need to rush. One by one. Please form a line."
He continued, "Everyone who buys fertilizer will receive a complimentary gift, as well as a receipt. Fair dealing—no cheating the old, no bullying the young."
Wu Shen frowned slightly. "A receipt?"
Wang Tang's eyes lit up immediately, and he launched into an enthusiastic explanation—what a receipt was, how it recorded transactions, how it protected both buyer and seller.
Wu Shen listened carefully.
Then he spread his hands. "Sounds… rather useless."
Wang Tang's expression dimmed.
If even an upright official found it pointless, what chance did the common people have of understanding its value?
Too early, he thought.
Just as Dao Xuan Tianzun said—still too early.
Wu Shen, however, was in excellent spirits.
In his mind, this confrontation with the Prince of Qin had already ended in a clear, staged victory.
Satisfied and triumphant, he returned home.
That night.
Dao Xuan Tianzun summoned Wang Tang, Flat Rabbit, and Zheng Gouzi.
"The enemy's overt attacks will most likely stop here," he said calmly. "What you must guard against next are methods far more extreme."
Flat Rabbit tensed. "Dao Xuan Tianzun… do you mean he'll raise troops and attack us?"
"No," Dao Xuan Tianzun replied. "He wouldn't dare."
He paused, then added, "As for covert moves—those require patience and planning. He won't rush."
Setting that aside, he turned to Flat Rabbit.
"News of today's clash—and our victory—will spread throughout the city in less than half a day. Our reputation will rise sharply."
He continued, "You should begin carrying out the task I assigned you last night."
Flat Rabbit straightened instantly. "Understood! I'll act immediately."
He turned to Wang Tang. "You're literate and good with numbers. Come with this Senior Rabbit."
Wang Tang was startled. He subconsciously glanced toward Dao Xuan Tianzun.
Seeing Dao Xuan Tianzun smile and nod, Wang Tang followed. "Alright. I'll go."
The two walked out of the fertilizer shop, turned two streets, and arrived at the large restaurant they had observed the previous night.
Flat Rabbit planted his hands on his hips. "Our mission is simple."
"We're buying this place."
Wang Tang gasped. "What?! Don't be reckless!"
Flat Rabbit snorted. "Reckless? Dao Xuan Tianzun personally approved this."
Then his grin widened. "And not just this one."
"We're going to buy, buy, buy."
"Every property we can get our hands on in Xi'an Prefecture."
"We can't occupy Xi'an openly…"
"But we can become its uncrowned kings."
He burst into laughter. "Wahahaha!"
Wang Tang froze.
Then—understanding hit him.
Xi'an was too important.
If Gao Family Village openly took it, that would be war.
But if they quietly controlled its businesses—
Food.
Clothing.
Housing.
Transport.
They would hold the lifeblood of both officials and civilians.
Wang Tang's blood surged.
"This… this is exactly what I was trained for!" he said excitedly. "All those years of reading and calculating—this is where it all matters!"
Two hours later.
Flat Rabbit swaggered out of the restaurant with Wang Tang at his side.
In his hands was a thick stack of documents.
Land deeds.
Property titles.
Even the indentures of several miscellaneous workers.
Under Dao Xuan Tianzun's terrifying funds, the restaurant had changed hands without resistance.
No one could withstand celestial gold.
If one sphere wasn't enough—
Two always were.
Flat Rabbit faced the assembled staff.
"From today onward," he announced, "this Senior Rabbit is your new boss."
He sneered. "And let me be clear—I am an autocratic, tyrannical, overbearing, uncultured, and unreasonable boss."
"Anyone who resists me—out."
Every employee thought the same thing:
He really does look like a villain.
Flat Rabbit pointed at the manager. "You. You're cursing me in your heart right now, aren't you?"
The manager's eyes flew open. "!!!"
"Scram," Flat Rabbit said flatly.
The manager panicked. "No! Master, I truly wasn't—"
Shing.
Flat Rabbit drew his sword halfway from its sheath.
"Scram."
A wave of killing intent washed over the manager.
He didn't argue again.
He packed his things and fled.
Once he was gone, Flat Rabbit sheathed his sword and pointed at a young waiter.
"You."
"I like the look of you."
"From today onward, you're the assistant manager."
The waiter stood frozen. "M-me? This humble one… I can't even write…"
Flat Rabbit thought to himself: Dao Xuan Tianzun was right. This fellow really can't write.
Good thing he'd been warned.
He smiled. "That's fine. You're only the assistant manager."
"I'll assign a chief manager later. He'll handle the writing, accounting, and coordination."
"You just help run the place."
The waiter nearly wept. "Thank you, Master!"
Flat Rabbit laughed. "Oh, one more thing."
"From now on, leftover food won't be fed to pigs."
"You decide how to handle it."
The waiter nodded furiously.
The covert struggle—
Had officially begun.