Green Mountain
Chapter 397 - 319. Standing Stick 2

Chapter 397: 319. Standing Stick 2

The young man smiled, "Naturally, it’s a hot potato. Heji has been controlling the Eight Great Hutongs for seven years now, hasn’t it? Although Li Shamao Alley is among the Eight Great Hutongs, it’s just a place for the Lower Nine and can’t compare to Baishun Alley. But the Peace Money collected from there is much more than in Rouge Alley, Stone Alley, or Shanzhou Alley... How could Heji really spit out the fat it’s holding in its mouth just because of a wrestling match? But this has nothing to do with Brother Pao; he won’t survive the night."

The guard whispered, "Master, should I try to recruit this Brother Pao? Protect him a bit."

The young man shook his head, "No need, no need, we shouldn’t get involved. If we’re found out, the impeachment letters against me will flood the skies again."

At this moment, Chen Ji couldn’t hold back his curiosity and asked the young man, "May I ask why this Brother Pao won’t survive the night?"

The young man was raising a cup of wine to his lips, and upon hearing this, his hand suddenly stopped, and he said meaningfully, "Little brother, are you not from the Imperial Capital?"

Chen Ji replied politely, "I just arrived not long ago."

The young man laughed heartily, "Then let me tell you. The outskirt fighting guilds are divided into seven families, four of which belong to Heji, and three to Furui Xiang, and these guilds have their own rules."

Chen Ji asked for guidance, "What are the rules?"

The young man pointed to the seat next to him, "Come over for a drink and chat?"

Chen Ji walked over and sat down, but didn’t drink. Instead, he pushed the wine cup back, "Sorry, drinking causes trouble, I’ve quit."

The young man didn’t mind and drank another cup by himself, "The rules of the fighting guilds are more than those of the street ruffians. For example, outsiders from the Lower Nine must first seek an introduction through the Three Mountains Association before they can make a living at Tianqiao. You see those performers on Tianqiao, whether it’s knife throwing, smashing stones with their chests, or lifting large jars, they’ve all presented their introductions."

The young man poured himself another small cup of wine and said leisurely, "And then there’s the rule of establishing a stick. To establish a stick means to declare yourself to all the fighting guilds, saying that you want to set up your own sect here. From then on, you’re a person of status, no longer a mere ruffian. But once you establish a stick, all seven guilds can come to challenge you. Before they fight, they have to give you three moves, which is the air of Lord Jing... But you can’t resist their numbers, tonight Heji’s four guilds, hundreds of people, will definitely scour the city to trouble Brother Pao, taking turns, even an Executive Officer can’t withstand it."

Chen Ji frowned, "Then why does he still want to establish a stick? It’s unwise..."

But the problem is, Brother Pao is not an unwise person, so why make such a mistake?

The young man smiled mysteriously, "This is Zhu Guan setting up the pit for him, knowing this outsider doesn’t understand the rules. Zhu Guan is notoriously intolerant of others. He’s probably worried Brother Pao will steal his spotlight at Furui Xiang, so he deliberately established a stick in front of everyone, playing a trick of using others to do the dirty work. Little brother, these rules were established precisely to exclude outsiders."

Chen Ji lowered his gaze.

Rules, always rules.

Ever since entering the Imperial Capital, real swords and bullets are nowhere to be seen, but man-eating rules are everywhere.

Chen Ji asked in confusion, "But Brother Pao is from Furui Xiang, what good does Zhu Guan have in setting him up?"

The young man laughed, "You don’t understand, in this world, if you can’t keep your subordinates in check, you’ll be overturned within a couple of years. Do you think those Lower Nine people all talk about loyalty? What they think about are just making money and sleeping with their brothers’ wives. Zhu Guan has been the shopkeeper of Furui Xiang for fourteen years, and he relies on ’jealousy of talent’ to maintain his position. Of course, this is also why Furui Xiang has always been suppressed by Heji."

Chen Ji asked softly, "Since Zhu Guan is the shopkeeper, who is his boss? Why let him set up his own people?"

The young man shook his head, lifted a glass of wine indifferently, "That I don’t know."

Chen Ji then asked, "Please, what is the Three Mountains Association?"

The young man laughed heartily, "The Three Mountains Association over the last ten years or so emerged as over-river dragons. They themselves don’t collect ’Peace Money’, they just operate their own escort agency, tavern, brothel, and inn. As for why they can preside over such matters... naturally, it’s because they have the biggest fists, and they have some former soldiers from the army under them."

As he spoke, the young man pointed downstairs at Qigong, "Look, that’s Du Qigong, the shopkeeper of the Three Mountains Association, who served early on in the Longevity Army. After becoming deaf in one ear and losing two fingers, he retired from the Longevity Army. With a background like that, he naturally has some prestige in the Imperial City."

Chen Ji nodded.

The young man looked at him with interest, "I sense a murderous air about you, little brother. Have you just left the army as well? If you’re looking for a place to rely on, Three Mountains Association is most suitable. You can find a Qingyin Small Class called ’White Jade Garden’ in Baishun Alley, where Du Qigong usually stays."

As they talked, the wrestling match ended, and Brother Pao and Er Dao headed north. Chen Ji bid farewell to the young man and went downstairs to chase after them.

The young man finished his cup of clear wine in one gulp, and the guard beside him bent down and said, "Master, this lad should be an Executive Officer."

The young man placed his cup down with a smile, "There are plenty of Executive Officers in this central land of the world, one more isn’t too many, and one less isn’t too few, don’t make a fuss."

...

...

Chen Ji walked along Zhengyang Gate Street, occasionally avoiding incoming pedestrians, his gaze passing through the crowd to fix on the figures of Brother Pao and Er Dao ahead.

Brother Pao had a black tunic casually draped over his shoulder, while Er Dao was carrying a white pouch, bulging with unknown contents.

The two first sat at a wonton stand by the road and ate no less than twelve bowls of wontons before getting up again to head towards the Eight Great Hutongs as dusk approached.

Outside Zhengyang Gate, carriages were coming out of the inner city, heading straight for the Eight Great Hutongs. Going to Baishun Alley to listen to the ’official’ song, or to Hanjiatan Alley to watch a play by ’gentlemen’, is the favorite pastime of the inner city’s officials.

As for Li Shamao Alley, it was infamous for its ’secretive doors’, specifically doing Lower Nine’s business, full of poor prostitutes.

Brother Pao led Er Dao, swaying into Li Shamao Alley.

He looked at the narrow alley, only wide enough for three people to walk side by side, with his ears listening to the charming sounds coming from the second-floor buildings, and suddenly sighed, "Er Dao, I finally managed to carve out a place for us brothers to live and stand."

Er Dao looked around at the blue bricks and grey tiles on both sides and the street full of red lanterns, "Live here?"

Brother Pao grumpily said, "Of course not living here, this is our money-making place. Once we’ve saved enough money, brother will take you to Panjia Garden or the Glass Factory to look for two official gateways. Then we’ll be officials that everyone respects."

Er Dao made a sound of understanding.

Brother Pao squinted at him, "Such good times need celebrating, take some money out, I’m going to the alley to enjoy myself."

Er Dao shook his head, "No."

Brother Pao’s face darkened, "Not even today?"

Er Dao said resolutely, "Brother, you said it yourself, unless you get a terminal illness, never spend money on women again. Terminal illnesses like cancer, AIDS, Ebola, rabies, ALS... none of which you have."

Brother Pao scratched his head with his pinky, "You sure know a lot..."

At this moment, a hurried sound of footsteps came from the end of Li Shamao Alley, and four or five men holding axes pointed distantly, "There they are!"

Brother Pao’s expression turned cold, and he looked behind them, seeing another four or five armed men blocking the way.

He threw the black tunic in his hand to the ground, stretching his shoulders and neck, "Can’t stand losing? According to the rules, this Li Shamao Alley belongs to my Furui Xiang now."

The man with the axe sneered, "Who cares who Li Shamao Alley belongs to, but since you declared establishing a stick, tonight you must die! By the rules of our Imperial Capital’s fighting guilds, we’ll give you the first three moves!"

Brother Pao strode toward the man, "Like I need your pity?"

Before the words were finished, dozens more men emerged from behind the Heji fighters, so densely packed it made one’s scalp tingle.

Brother Pao turned and ran, "Er Dao, run!"