"But even if we really controlled all of Dongying again like we did hundreds of years ago, would Xu Hao really not dare to ss with us?" Tokugawa Ryōji suddenly asked a question that struck at the heart.
Everyone from the Tokugawa Family was stunned.
What he said was very unpleasant to hear, but if you thought about it carefully, it did seem to make sense.
Even the Tokugawa Family back in its heyday, when it was at the peak of its power, was only surviving under the shelter of Yamata no Orochi; compared to Yamata no Orochi, they were still far, far inferior.
Yet Xu Hao actually had the courage to challenge Yamata no Orochi!
If he had been facing the Tokugawa Family from back then, wouldn't Xu Hao still have flipped them over just the sa?
Tokugawa Kona said helplessly, "Forget it, drop it. Just give Xu Hao what he wants, and from now on don't get into conflict with him again. As for how powerful he really is, how arrogant he can beco, that's no longer sothing our Tokugawa Family can decide. Who knows, maybe one day he'll actually clash with the current Number One Family."
Everyone nodded one after another. If Xu Hao really could get into a conflict with the current Number One Family in Dongying, that would be too satisfying; maybe they could even pick up so scraps from it.
But before they had the strength, they had to tuck their tails between their legs and live like grandsons.
The next day.
When huge banners reading "Ten Thousand Victories to Master Xu" were hung all over the northern part of Shizuoka City, many people imdiately understood.
This place had beco the turf of the Huaya man Xu Hao.
No matter what the reason was, from now on, everything here would be under the control of the Huaya man Xu Hao.
Right now, Xu Hao was standing on the high platform at the entrance of what used to be the Shizuoka City main store of Universal Vitality Hall, overlooking the crowd below.
"From this mont on, North district three of Shizuoka City is the turf of my Xu Liu Group. From now on, anyone in North district three doesn't need to pay any extra money," Xu Hao slowly announced.
The extra money was the protection fee they used to pay to the Tokugawa Family.
As the local Number One Family, the Tokugawa Family's Control over Shizuoka City was unmatched; every business in Shizuoka City had to pay protection fees to the Tokugawa Family.
Otherwise, the Tokugawa Family would send people to cause trouble and make sure you couldn't keep your doors open.
The Tokugawa Family also had its own enterprises, and they were unimaginably huge in scale, but in Shizuoka City, which was their own one‑voice domain, they were naturally even more overbearing.
But now, Xu Hao publicly announced that they didn't need to pay protection fees anymore, which instantly shocked everyone. The rchants who had co to join the spectacle were even more stunned beyond words.
After paying protection fees for so long, they had already gotten used to it.
Tokugawa Ryōji imdiately asked in so confusion, "Master Xu, are you really going to turn down this money?"
"Why should I take this ill‑gotten wealth?"
Xu Hao said coldly, "I know many family powers in Dongying charge this kind of money, but I now announce this: as long as it's my Xu Hao's turf, I absolutely will not collect this money!"
"This…" Tokugawa Ryōji was instantly dumbfounded. Was Xu Hao really going to do this?
The look Hodoka Moyo cast at Xu Hao instantly changed; there was a faint hint of worship in her eyes.
She had long felt that she probably wouldn't live long, so she basically didn't socialize, spending most of her ti reading and studying.
She knew exactly what Xu Hao's intention was in doing this: to win people's hearts.
He was a man from Huaya. Even though his martial arts strength was overwhelming, a rule built purely on force was never stable enough; only by winning people's hearts and building a power system on that foundation could it be truly solid.
However, she also knew that families like the Tokugawa Family and those other big clans, though they understood this principle as well, preferred using crude thods to rule ordinary people, because it was simple and rough, and it could bring them enormous profits.
The people instantly broke into cheers.
"Master Xu is benevolent and righteous! Master Xu is truly kind!"
"Master Xu really is different from those family powers. You're so good to us!"
Xu Hao smiled slightly. "But although I won't take your money anymore, you also need to do things that benefit our Xu Liu Group. From now on, whenever it's the business of our Xu Liu Group, as long as it doesn't harm your interests, you must give us priority!"
"Of course, of course…" Everyone agreed at once. As long as their normal business wasn't affected and no one ca asking them for money, they were more than satisfied.
When Xu Hao's strategy reached the ears of the Tokugawa Family, Tokugawa Kona said disdainfully, "Xu Hao is thinking far too idealistically. Yes, giving them preferential treatnt for a while will indeed make them lean toward Xu Hao.
But those people are nothing but lowly commoners. Their greed can never be satisfied; so‑called benevolent rule can't solve that at all. Only violence can resolve conflicts, only by squeezing them can you make them truly fearful!"
"So Father, your view is that Xu Hao is bound to fail?" Tokugawa Ryōji imdiately asked.
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