Qu She Alley.
The alley twisted and turned with nine curves and eighteen bends, housing hundreds of families in a cramped space.
Every morning, an old man would push his night soil cart here, leaving behind a scent that pervaded the entire alley and lingered for a long time.
Jiang Shu had been living here for over two months now and had grown accustomed to it all. With a calm expression and holding his breath slightly, he briskly walked out.
This place was located at the southernmost part of the outer city of Pingling County and was under the control of the Green Snake Gang. Anyone from the alley who wanted to go to the county town to set up a stall or work had to pay fifty Copper Coins to the Green Snake Gang each month.
For the lowest class of people, whose monthly wages were only about one or two hundred Copper Coins, handing over fifty Copper Coins was like being sliced with a blunt knife. It wasn't lethal, but the bleeding was incessant.
Yet, no one dared to resist.
Because the leader of the Green Snake Gang was a true Martial Artist!
A Martial Artist of the Skin Grinding Realm!
"Old Man Li, still going to the escort agency to sweep floors, huh? They only pay eighty Copper Coins a month. I think you're better off sweeping for our Green Snake Gang. We'll give you fifty Copper Coins a month, and you won't even have to pay the monthly fee. You could earn an extra twenty Copper Coins a month that way. What, you don't agree? Think we won't even give you the fifty Copper Coins? Speak up!"
At the entrance of Qu She Alley, the Green Snake Gang members, who came each month to collect the fees, cursed and swore.
Leading them was Zhao Tai. Two months earlier, his sister had caught the eye of a high-ranking gang leader and become his concubine, landing Zhao Tai this cushy position.
Old Man Li's legs trembled, and he stammered, not daring to say a word.
Jiang Shu frowned slightly and stepped forward, tossing half a mace of Silver into the bamboo basket filled with Copper Coins. The clear clinking sound of the Silver colliding with copper coins successfully grabbed the attention of several Green Snake Gang members.
"Oh, if it isn't Master Qin's esteemed pupil! Instead of studying your tattered books, you want to play hero? You bookworm, you probably don't even know that Master Qin has caught the eye of the Gao Family in the inner city. Next month, he's going to be a private tutor in their household. Right now, he's probably too busy packing his luggage every day to even think about teaching."
"I say, why don't you come empty chamber pots for our Green Snake Gang? Keep Old Man Li company. Empty enough chamber pots, and you might even pick up some manly air. Studying? What's the use of studying? Those girls in the brothels can't even read. You're sixteen or seventeen already—don't tell me you're still a virgin, HAHAHA!"
"Master Qin's departure is a future matter," Jiang Shu replied coolly, but his foot inadvertently nudged Old Man Li, signaling him to pay up and leave quickly. When he had first arrived, Old Man Li had been his source for all sorts of information. He had to remember that kindness.
Others might fear Zhao Tai, but he didn't. The man was given to drink and lechery, his steps unsteady. For someone like him, who could sense vitality and blood and possessed strength exceeding three hundred pounds, a man like Zhao Tai couldn't withstand a single punch.
"Studying? HAHAHA!" Zhao Tai laughed wildly. His original name was Zhao Da. After gaining some power, he'd found an old scholar to change it for him. Studying? Useful? If studying was so useful, why did that old scholar tremble, terrified he wouldn't be satisfied when changing my name?
"So what if you can write? Our Hall Master can't recognize a single character, but who dares say he's not a real man! I think you, kid, would be better off crawling under my crotch to feel some real manly air! Come on, crawl!"
Zhao Tai stood with his legs spread, his eyes on Jiang Shu like a jackal toying with a rabbit.
He'd been eyeing Jiang Shu for a long time; the boy's skin was so fair and tender. He himself didn't have such inclinations, but Hall Master Zheng did. If he could groom this tender-skinned lad properly and present him to Hall Master Zheng, he'd surely win the Hall Master's favor. Then, in this area, wouldn't he be able to walk sideways! Before, this 'rabbit' was Master Qin's student, wrapped in a good 'tiger skin,' so he hadn't dared to be too outrageous. But now, Master Qin was about to leave the outer city. This powerless, tender-skinned 'rabbit'—he could toy with him however he pleased!
"Lord Zhao, Lord Zhao! Young Jiang is just a boy, he doesn't understand things. Tomorrow, I'll go to the Green Snake Gang. I'll sweep the floors, and let him empty the chamber pots."
Old Man Li, who hadn't left, immediately sensed trouble upon hearing Zhao Tai's words. His rough, calloused hands quickly grasped Jiang Shu's hand, which was about to clench into a fist. He turned and pleaded, "Everyone's still waiting to go to work, Lord Zhao. You are a man of great magnanimity, truly generous. We'll report to the Hall tomorrow, definitely. We'll make sure you gain face, Lord Zhao."
"Pah! Who the hell do you think you are..."
"Lord Zhao, Lord Zhao, we're just nobodies, like a fart in the wind! Please, just let us go. Everyone's anxious to get to work. We can't afford any delays, truly, we can't!"
"Damn it! Bring the kid to report tomorrow. You don't need me to teach you how things are done, do you? Now, scram!"
Seeing the growing crowd at the entrance of Qu She Alley and hearing Old Man Li's desperate pleas, Zhao Tai swallowed his anger and delivered a swift kick. Work indeed couldn't be delayed. The monthly fees were already like slicing their flesh with a blunt knife. If he prevented them from working and incited public anger, he might not be able to control the situation.
Their Hall Master and the others were Martial Artists who had achieved the great circulation of vitality and blood; they could fight one against a hundred, even a thousand.
Zhao Tai was not one of them.
As for crawling under his crotch, well, he'd only told them to scram for today. What happened tomorrow was tomorrow's business.
"Lord Zhao is truly magnanimous, truly magnanimous."
Old Man Li dared not rub the spot where he was kicked, his expression one of deep gratitude as he pulled Jiang Shu quickly away from the crowd.
"Scholars? Worth shit! All that reading, and they're still useless weaklings anyone can bully. If it weren't for Old Man Li, I'd have made him crawl under my crotch today! Stuck in a dump like Qu She Alley and still dreaming of being a scholar? Pah!" Zhao Tai spat on the ground, kicked the bamboo basket, and sat down on a stool, declaring, "Put your Copper Coins in one by one yourselves! If anyone dares to be short even one, hmph!"