Anti-fraud manual for the cultivation world

Cai Xinzi was already somewhat tempted, but the gangs in Jiangzhou City were no joke. Each of them possessed formidable strength, easily dispatching several Foundation Establishment cultivators, and Golden Core cultivators were not uncommon. There might even be Nascent Soul stage monsters lurking in the shadows. Making any rash moves against the gang could cost her her own life.

He turned to Li Gu and glared at him, asking, "So, which gangs do you think we should target?"

Li Gu said mysteriously, "The Yangtze River Gang and the Hankou Gang have recently joined forces to deal in counterfeit medicine. We can use 'manufacturing and selling counterfeit medicine' as a pretext to bring them to justice and give the higher-ups an explanation."

"Hey, you know how to pick your opponents!" Cai Xinzi, who had also taken money from the Thirteen Gangs, understood immediately. Dealing with these two gangs would not only satisfy the imperial court but also please the Thirteen Gangs and gain some benefits from them. After rolling her eyes a few times, she said, "Although the Hankou Gang is an outsider and easier to deal with, the Yangtze River Gang has already established itself in the Yinglongmen area. After years of operation, it is very powerful. It won't be easy for us to win this battle."

Li Gu said in a low voice, "We don't need to wipe out the Yangtze River Gang, just give them a warning."

Cai Xinzi frowned: "A warning?"

Li Gu chuckled: "Just scare them, make them back out voluntarily and give up on the Hankou Gang..."

He was just about to say: I'll go talk to the Yangtze River Gang.

But then, remembering the customs of Jiangzhou City, he immediately changed his question, asking, "Which brother in our yamen is familiar with the Yangtze River Gang?"

Cai Xinzi pointed to an old constable sitting in the corner and whispered, "Old Ji, he has a good relationship with the Yangtze River Gang."

"Having a good relationship" is a euphemism. To put it bluntly, it means "If you take money from the Yangtze River Gang and want to make a move against them, you have to give them a heads-up."

Old Ji, whose full name is Ji Menghan, is of unknown age but appears to be around forty years old. He is a low-key and down-to-earth person who has been a constable in the Jiangzhou government office for more than ten years. His cultivation level is in the mid-to-late stage of Qi Refining, but no one knows exactly which level he is at, though he is definitely more powerful than the younger constables.

Li Gu was new to the area and hadn't spoken to Ji Menghan yet. When the constables bet that Li Gu and Zhang Yi wouldn't live more than a month, Ji Menghan hadn't participated in the wager. When the younger constables looked down on Li Gu for being a nepotism case, Ji Menghan didn't speak up for him. He seemed like an outsider, rarely interacting with the other constables.

Cai Xinzi turned up her voice and called out, "Old Ji, come here for a second."

Ji Menghan stood up from behind her desk and walked over: "Chief Constable, is there something you need?"

Cai Xinzi lowered her voice and said, "Brother Li is looking for you."

After saying that, Cai Xinzi distanced herself from the situation and stood by, letting Li Gu and Ji Menghan talk.

Li Gu clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Uncle Ji, I would like to ask you to arrange for Green-skinned Tiger, the leader of the Jiangzhou branch of the Yangtze River Gang, to come out and meet us in a secluded place."

Ji Menghan, who usually gave off a hunched and timid impression, instantly straightened up upon hearing these words. Her timid demeanor transformed into a somewhat aggressive one, and her voice became sharp: "What are you trying to do? I've always been in charge of the Yangtze River Gang's affairs. Why are you interfering?"

Li Gu pressed his hands down, making a reassuring gesture: "I know you're anxious, but don't worry! Uncle Ji will be in charge of the Yangtze River Gang from now on, I won't take your job... But this time, all the constables in our department need to get involved, it's not something I can handle by just stepping in."

Ji Menghan was taken aback, glanced at Chief Constable Cai Xinzi beside her, and seeing that the Chief Constable had no objections, she knew that what Li Gu said was true. Her eyes turned sharp: "What exactly do you want to do?"

Li Gu pointed to the official gazette on the table, specifically at the eight characters: "Catching thieves is neglected, official duties are ignored." "See for yourself!"

Those who work within the system will immediately understand these eight words. Ji Menghan immediately realized that the Six Doors needed to produce some respectable achievements, otherwise no one would have a good outcome. He was secretly alarmed: "We can't take action against the Yangtze River Gang! Although the Jiangzhou branch of the Yangtze River Gang is not strong, its other branches are. Its influence covers the entire Yangtze River basin, and there are many experts in the gang. If we anger the Yangtze River Gang, we may suffer a terrible retaliation."

"Our target is the Hankou Gang," Li Gu said. "As long as the Yangtze River Gang doesn't protect the Hankou Gang, that's fine."

Ji Menghan's expression was not good: "The Yangtze River Gang and the Hankou Gang have been secretly allied for many years. The Hankou Gang's medicinal herb transportation in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River is entirely handled by the Yangtze River Gang. What bargaining chips can you offer to threaten the Yangtze River Gang into abandoning its ally?"

Li Gu smiled: "Of course we have leverage! Didn't we already reveal it a few days ago? And we revealed it openly and honestly in front of all the gangs in Jiangzhou. Even if Green-skinned Tiger is hard to talk to, he will make a choice in the current situation."

Upon hearing this, Ji Menghan was slightly taken aback.

A few days ago?

Did we show our chips?

What the hell are these chips? I don't know anything about them.

Ji Menghan racked her brains, and after a dozen seconds, she suddenly realized that a few days ago, the Jinzhu Gang members had publicly beaten the night watchman's murderer. Afterwards, Green Tiger from the Yangtze Gang came out and mocked the Jinzhu Gang for violating the "Shenzhou Law". Tie Cangzhou from the Jinzhu Gang then publicly stated that the Jinzhu Gang was colluding with the government... Green Tiger's expression was very ugly at the time, and he retreated into the crowd.

Thinking of this, he suddenly realized why the chief constable had stepped aside, acting as if it wasn't his idea, and had absolved himself of responsibility by handing the matter over to Li Gu. It seemed he was using the hothead as cannon fodder. If this matter wasn't handled well, the Yangtze River Gang would only seek revenge on the hothead.

The chief constable truly lives up to his title; he's got a knack for it.

Ji Menghan shook her head: "Alright! I can help you contact Green-skinned Tiger, but I won't be there when you two talk. You'll have to take responsibility for this yourself. Young people are really audacious, daring to take on any kind of task."

Li Gu was well aware that he was playing with fire, but his life had always been threatened by Hua Qianfang. Now, countless people from the Demonic Sect were looking for him. If he didn't play with fire, where would he find a chance to survive? Even if it incurred the hatred of the Yangtze River Gang, he would still have to risk his life to make fake medicine.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Uncle Ji."

----

That night, a light drizzle fell, the river wind blowing from the east, pushing the raindrops westward.

On the riverbank near Yinglong Wharf, Li Gu kicked at the wild grass. Startled, a frog jumped out of a muddy puddle and fled in a sorry state to a distance.

A small boat rocked in the middle of the river. The figure on the boat flickered slightly and flew across dozens of feet of the river surface in an instant, landing in front of Li Gu. It was none other than the Jiangzhou Hall Master of the Yangtze River Gang, Green-skinned Tiger.

As soon as he landed, his aura was unleashed, and an immense pressure swept over him, almost knocking Li Gu to the ground.

The burly man, clearly already aware from Ji Menghan why Li Gu had summoned him, sneered and said, "Young man, you certainly have guts, aren't you? Are you trying to say that the imperial court has joined forces with the Golden Bamboo Gang, and if I don't obediently follow the court's orders, you'll help the Golden Bamboo Gang suppress my Yangtze River Gang? Believe me or not, I'll kill you right now and hang your corpse at the gate of the yamen, so the imperial court can see if they can catch me?"