Chapter 16 Beggar

For a person who has been fasting for many years, eating is not a pleasure, but a kind of torture. Zhang Yuelu just drank a spoonful of chicken soup and pushed the whole bowl of wontons in front of Qi Xuansu. His meaning was obvious.

Master Zhang has something to do, and Taoist Qi will accept his help.

Naturally, Qi Xuansu would not refuse. For a returning warrior, this was not even an appetizer. It is said that the food intake of heavenly warriors is even more astonishing, one meal for ten days, nine oxen per meal.

Then Zhang Yuelu watched Qi Xuansu finish a bowl of chicken soup wontons, a bowl of duck blood vermicelli, and a basket of soup dumplings without saying a word.

After Qi Xuansu finished eating, he joked: "Brother Tantai, you look at me with such affection, it is inevitable that people will misunderstand that Long Yang is good."

Zhang Yuelu snorted lightly and turned away his eyes.

After being reminded by Qi Xuansu, Zhang Yuelu also remembered that she was now Mr. Tantai, not Miss Tantai. Of course she wouldn't make such a mistake normally, but in front of Qi Xuansu, she was always easily "distracted".

Qi Xuansu carefully looked at Zhang Yuelu after his disguise: "I remember when I met Li Qingnu in Shangqing Mansion, you looked like this."

Zhang Yuelu said: "Do you still remember what I looked like at that time?"

"It's been less than half a year, and I'm not a forgetful person." Qi Xuansu said.

Zhang Yuelu said: "I thought you had forgotten, that's why you didn't recognize me when you were in Jiangling Mansion."

Qi Xuansu coughed violently: "You never mentioned it, and I thought you had forgotten that you were waiting for me here."

"I forgot about it at first, but I remembered it again in my dream last night." Zhang Yuelu laughed, "It seems that I am not a forgetful person."

Qi Xuansu explained: "Actually, I underestimated you at the time. After you were hit by the 'Bliss Needle', I was afraid that you would lose your cultivation and be taken advantage of by those 'inn' killers, so I wanted to capture you and hand you over Mr. Pei, I didn’t expect that you were still capable of fighting. I couldn’t take you down, and I was afraid that you would turn around and take me down, so I had to fight with all my strength.”

There was a look of reminiscence on Zhang Yuelu's face: "At that time, I was surprised how we cooperated so well when we joined forces to deal with the Yuan family. It turned out to be you."

Qi Xuansu was about to speak when Zhang Yuelu changed the subject: "I'm leaving."

Qi Xuansu said: "If you want to find me, go to Taiping Inn and tell me Wei Wugui's name."

"I know." Zhang Yuelu had already stood up and left.

When Qi Xuansu got up to check out, he realized that Zhang Yuelu had already paid, and it was Zhang Yuelu who paid him to have breakfast. That was all. The key was that Zhang Yuelu just watched, which made Qi Xuansu feel a little embarrassed.

However, Qi Xuansu couldn't catch up anymore and returned the Ruyi money to Zhang Yuelu, so he calmed down a little and left the place.

There are generally two ways to find the local beggar king. The first is to find local snakes, just like Qi Xuansu was looking for the black market in Bohai Prefecture. As long as he is willing to spend Taiping money, he will definitely find it. Second, as the name suggests, beggars must be related to beggars. Just find local beggars, but you will also have to bleed.

No matter which way you go, peace money is indispensable to pave the way. Otherwise, money can make the world go round. This is why Qi Xuansu applied for "task funds".

Qi Xuansu thought about it and felt that the Beggar Clan was very cunning and had a bad reputation. Moreover, the Beggar Clan was not a true Jianghu person, not the "Hewu" in the slang. It might be a bit troublesome to deal with them directly, so it would be better to contact them. It's better to have a middleman.

In such a large Jinling Mansion, there are many such middlemen. After Qi Xuansu left the breakfast stall, he wandered aimlessly through the streets, but before he could find the middleman, he was stopped by a beggar.

This beggar was a middle-aged man, with no trace of cleanliness on his body, and his clothes were in tatters. He was clearly begging for money, but he said confidently: "Hero, please donate your money generously and reward me with a piece of peace money."

Qi Xuansu did not rush to give him money or drive him away, but asked: "Are you disabled?"

"Of course not." The beggar shook his head and said, "My hands are good and my legs are good. A few days ago, I killed a man."

Qi Xuansu raised his eyebrows: "With bare hands?"

"It's a wooden stick. It's also my fault that guy was unlucky. I hit him on the back of the head with a stick. He started bleeding from his ears and nose on the spot, and it disappeared that night." The beggar said in a calm tone, "But you can't blame me. In our line of work, we can't If you take someone else's money and help them fight, you have to be prepared. If he is beaten to death by me today, maybe I will be beaten to death by someone else tomorrow, and the outcome will be the same, being thrown into the gutter."

Qi Xuansu has understood that this is not an ordinary beggar, but a professional beggar, that is, a member of the beggar gang, who is often hired by others to participate in armed fights. Since someone came to the door, he didn't have to find a local snake.

Qi Xuansu took out a peace coin from his sleeve and flashed it in front of the beggar's eyes.

The beggar's eyes lit up and he reached out to take it, but Qi Xuansu dodged it.

"Want to eat for free?" Qi Xuansu said coldly, "Or do you want to rob openly?"

The beggar glanced at the fire gun and horizontal knife on Qi Xuansu's waist, and swallowed: "Don't dare, don't dare."

Generally speaking, the beggar gang will not take the initiative to provoke the Jianghu Rangers. Everyone does not offend the river. After all, the knights use force to suppress the ban. Sometimes these Rangers do not even look down on the people of the government, let alone the government's thugs. Take it seriously.

Qi Xuansu softened his tone: "I want to meet the local Beggar King."

"This..." The beggar pretended to hesitate, his eyes rolling around.

Qi Xuansu said: "As long as you see the Beggar King, I will promise you ten peace coins."

The beggar shook his head and said, "That won't work. I can't see the Beggar King with my status. I need to ask for permission from my superiors and spend money to build relationships."

Qi Xuansu asked, "How much money do you think is appropriate?"

"Fifty money." The beggar stretched out five dirty fingers.

Qi Xuansu said, "I can only give you forty money. I don't care how much you keep or spend, as long as I can see the Beggar King."

The beggar thought for a moment and nodded, "Deal."

Qi Xuansu put away the money and took out two receipts: "This is the deposit. I will give you the rest after the matter is settled."

The beggar reached out to take it.

Then Qi Xuansu said, "I'll remind you, if you use your tricks on me, I'll use the money I earned to buy you a coffin, which is better than living in the gutter."

"I dare not, please rest assured." The beggar said hurriedly, "I know the difference between the important and the unimportant, and I won't do the things that are blinded by greed."

Qi Xuansu waved his hand and said, "Lead the way."

Under the guidance of the beggar, the two of them passed eight intersections in one breath, and it took them nearly an hour to arrive at a place of fireworks.

There are also differences in the quality of fireworks and places of love.

I won't say much about the upper-class brothels. The courtyards are deep, quiet and elegant. The women are beautiful and proficient in literature and music. In addition to a group of prostitutes, there are also musicians, tailors, craftsmen, and servants, so that people can stay in the house without leaving, but they have everything they need.

There is also a special case, such as the famous Shili Qinhuai in Jinling Prefecture, which is mostly in the form of private houses or pleasure boats. Many famous prostitutes do not want to be controlled by the madam, so they set up their own business and usually only receive familiar customers. To put it bluntly, they rely on their lovers and patrons economically, and they do not sell their smiles publicly, and usually they have to put on a dignified and serious appearance.

As for the lower-class brothels, they are far worse. Whether it is background or capital, there is a world of difference. Although there are also means of accompanying guests such as singing, accompanying wine, playing chess, and playing tea, it is a small business that cannot afford a woman of the first level of the courtesan, nor does it have so many servants to serve, and it occupies a small area. It is a place that the upper class disdains to go, and it is a place that small gentry and small businessmen like to patronize.

There is also a most inferior business, called "half-closed door", which has no sentiment. It does that thing as soon as you enter the door. The fee is not high, and it is a place for ordinary people.

This place of fireworks is where the lower-class brothel is located. Looking up, there are dozens of high and low colorful buildings arranged in a mess. It was far worse than the Wutong Courtyard that Qi Xuansu had been to before, but it was much better than those half-closed business. Because it was still early, it was very quiet. If it was night, I'm afraid the sound of stringed instruments would linger in the air, and the laughter of men and women would rise and fall.

As a beggar, he naturally couldn't walk the right way. He led Qi Xuansu into a dark alley. There were only some simple sheds on both sides, connected in a dark mass. The eaves were next to each other, leaving only a ray of skylight. The gaps between the houses were filled with debris. Such alleys naturally had no drainage ditches, and sewage was everywhere, with a strong smell.

The beggar stole a glance at Qi Xuansu, only to see that he had no expression on his face and did not cover his nose, which made him feel a chill in his heart.

He had good eyesight. People who didn't care about the bad environment at all were probably real desperados and were not easy to provoke.

The beggar took Qi Xuansu to an inconspicuous shack and knocked on the door.

The man guarding the door blocked the door frame, revealing his dark fur, and looked at Qi Xuansu with unfriendly eyes.

The beggar took out a handful of Ruyi money and stuffed it into the man's hand.

The man then moved aside.

There was another world behind the door. It was not the cramped and narrow house as imagined, but a passage similar to a mine tunnel, with dim light and no one knowing where it led.

The beggar led Qi Xuansu into the passage, about half a mile, and when he came out, he was already in a city within a city.

To put it bluntly, it was a shantytown and slum area located in the city. Countless shanties were connected together, extending in all directions, like a maze, and clearly separated from the prosperous urban area outside. It was cramped, chaotic, and dark.

Some people called it another Jinling Prefecture. Although it was located on the ground, it was like an underground city that could not see the light. It was a real mixed bag, without laws or morality. Although there were rules, they were not the rules of the court. Even the Qingluan Guards were unwilling to set foot here.

As for the Dao Sect, there was no willingness or unwillingness, only necessity or non-necessity. If necessary, let alone these lower-class people, even the upper-class gentry could be destroyed at will.

The beggar turned his head again and looked at Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu still had no expression, but gently stroked the horizontal sword at his waist.

7017k