48 Hours a Day

Chapter 846: You Are Not In Charge Here

“Are you threatening us?” The middle-aged Jew acted like he just heard a hilarious joke. “With your current patrol team and the gangs that currently side with you or are secretly controlled by you, how many people can you gather against us? Do you know how many members the Jewish Gang has? If we want, we can even turn the 30,000 Jews living here into our people. You have nothing you can use to threaten us.”

“The threat I’m talking about won’t be coming from us,” Zhang Heng said. “I believe that some of you have heard the fantastic news recently. Our young emperor has just returned from the battlefield and has claimed the throne. He is desperate to do anything that can win him the praise and support of the people. Holding a gladiatorial performance was only his first step. Next, he intends to turn his attention to public security. The emperor has noticed the southeast city’s extrajudicial status and is concerned about the people living in that place. No matter what you think, you are ultimately the citizens of this empire and to the emperor. And the conditions of this place have indeed affected the surrounding areas. Otherwise, why do you think I joined the patrol team?”

Zhang Heng paused.

“My arrival here is only the first step. If I fail to improve the security, then a thousand guards will be stationed here to take over the security and defense work. By that time, you will face the spears and daggers of the Imperial Guard. Are you sure you still want to drive me away?”

Zhang Heng’s words immediately caused an uproar.

None of them expected that this incident would involve the Imperial Guard, especially after hearing that the newly appointed emperor was preparing to take action on the southeast’s security problem. Everyone’s heart skipped a beat. Previously, they could bully the poor patrol team, but if one thousand imperial guards replaced them, all gangs in this area would surely suffer a great deal.

As for a powerful gang like the Jewish Gang, they could indeed mobilize 30,000 Jews. However, let’s not talk about whether these civilians could actually defeat the imperial guards. Even if they did, were they prepared to rebel against the emperor? Although they were all criminals and had engaged in multiple crimes in the city of Rome, their goal had always been to make more money and ensure that they wouldn’t go hungry. None of them wanted to commit treason. The Spartacus gang was a living example.

Currently, Roman national power was at its peak, and the war with the Germanic had ended. The group of veterans who had been at war had returned to Rome. It was not a problem for them to deal with the gang problem in this place.

However, everyone was skeptical about this matter. The southeast’s security problem had existed since the first group of Jews settled in Rome, way before even the history of the Jewish gang. None of the emperors could solve this problem. It was not because they could not, but that it was simply unworthy of their effort and attention.

Although the southeast was the worst part of Rome, it also provided a steady stream of cheap labor. Sometimes these desperate people were sold for prices lower than slaves. After all, when the slaves died, the masters would lose a fortune. In this part of the city, however, no one cared about the life and death of its residents. The people responsible for cleaning the sewers and the laborers who unloaded goods at the Tiber River were all from the southeastern urban area.

Most of those cheap laborers were controlled by the criminals like the Jewish gang. If they wiped out all the criminals here, forget whether it could be done or how many people were left, it was estimated that labor costs in the city of Rome would definitely skyrocket. This was something the businessmen and the nobles did not want to see.

Therefore, the problems that Rome’s southeastern part faced had been put on hold for a long time. But now that Commodus was on the throne, most people still could not figure out what he wanted to do to make Rome a better place. In other words, chances were he could decide to eliminate the criminal forces here once and for all.

The three major forces had conducted an investigation on Zhang Heng’s background. They knew that he was someone that Commodus valued. It was strange that the emperor would assign him to this place. If Commodus wanted to deal with the crime problem here, it did make sense that he appointed this job to Zhang Heng.

A thousand Imperial Guards? If there were a thousand Imperial Guards stationed here in the future, they might be unable to continue their businesses. Therefore, all the leaders in the tavern began talking about it when they heard this unexpected news.

When the middle-aged Jew saw how the crowd reacted, he coughed to signal them to shut their mouths. He then shook his head. “Do you really think that you can trick us with this kind of fake news? I have been through many storms. In the end, this place will always belong to us.”

“Whether I’m bluffing or not, you know better than anyone,” Zhang Heng responded calmly. “I believe you have spent a lot of money to build a good relationship with the Senate. This is the main reason why no one touches this place. In that case, your men must have already passed the news to you.”

“It’s not even a proposal. It’s just something the emperor spurted on a whim a few days ago. How could the Senate approve something so ridiculous? There’s an 80% chance that this will be intimidation. After being invited, didn’t you go to Clint’s house? This news popped up after you went to his house…” The middle-aged Jew was furious, but he soon after he blurted those words, he realized that he had made a mistake.

After he said that, he had basically helped Zhang Heng confirm that what he said. As expected, after he said that, everyone in the tavern had a worried look on their faces.

Although they had to deal with the recent troubles caused by the patrol team, they were undoubtedly more reluctant to see the Imperial Guards stationed. The very presence of those guards could be simply devastating.

After the young emperor sent the Imperial Guards to this place, he might realize that there was nothing to be gained after a while. By that time, he might consider bringing in the cheap labor again. By that time, how many of them would be left there?

Even if it was just a possibility, it was still worrying.

This was also the purpose of Zhang Heng’s visit to Clint some time ago. He proposed a plan to Clint where it could benefit both sides. Zhang Heng realized that after he caused all those troubles in the southeast, it was only a matter of time before the three major forces led by the Jewish gang paid attention to him. And Zhang Heng’s solution to this problem was very simple. All he needed to do was to apply pressure on them and make them focus on something that might cause them more devastation.

On the surface, it seemed difficult for the patrol team to grow in Rome’s southeast because they lacked manpower and money, and there could not afford to offend the big forces over there. However, the actual reason was that the patrol team and the criminal gangs did not share the same interest. That was why the patrol team would not fit well there.

If this problem were not resolved, they would not be able to grow and expand. So, Zhang Heng needed Clint’s help to create the news that a thousand guards would be stationed in the southeastern part of the city. And Zhang Heng did not mind giving Clint some of the credits. Heck, in the end, he gave most of the credit to Clint. All he wanted was to complete the test and return to Commodus’s side.

And Clint would receive a great political achievement without having to do anything. And the public would see that he worked with Zhang Heng to solve the overdue security problem of Rome’s southeast. Of course, he could also choose to stand aside and stab his potential competitors in the back, but as Clint said, he believed that people like Zhang Heng always had a backup plan. Zhang Heng knew that Balance Blade had something to do with Rome’s political situation as well. If Clint refused to help him, he could go and look for the priestess for help. But if that were the case, he might have to pay a hefty price. Hence, coming up with a mutual-benefit plan with Clint seemed the better option.

Zhang Heng looked at the middle-aged Jew, “You are not in charge of this matter. Why don’t you ask Mr. Lockeed and other powerful people to come down here and talk to me? Or should I bring my men to the second floor?”