I am a temporary worker in Jinyiwei, how did I become a powerful official?

Chapter 48 Old Drunk Cat

Lin Shisan's pet master Zhang Bo was lying on a broken bed in the turtle nest of Yihong Building.

Men who serve food, serve tea, and pimp in brothels are collectively called turtle men. So the place where they sleep is called "turtle nest".

Zhang Bo has worked in Yihonglou for more than 40 years and is a veteran of Yihongyuan. Even the madam of Yihongyuan was taken care of by him when she was a popular girl.

The brothel owner was very kind to Zhang Bo, and gave him special care in terms of food, clothing, housing and transportation.

As for accommodation, Uncle Zhang has his own turtle nest, so he doesn't have to share a large bunk bed with other turtles.

In terms of food, Uncle Zhang was treated the same as the other “big lanterns” in the building. He could eat the small dishes cooked on the stove, and he could drink the leftover wine from the guests.

As for clothing, there are clean cloth clothes and cotton-padded jackets to wear all year round.

As for travel, if the girls were "called out of the house", Zhang Bo could ride a mule with them.

In addition to food, clothing, shelter and transportation, the brothel owner also gave Zhang Bo another great privilege.

Zhang Bo is sixty years old and still a bachelor. All men in the world, young and old, are the same and have normal needs.

As for the "fragile candles" under the "big lanterns" in the Yihong Tower, as long as there are no overnight guests and the sign is hung but no one takes it, Zhang Bo can call them to his own nest to sleep with him.

For an old man living alone, Yihonglou is simply a paradise.

At this moment, Lin Shisan stood beside Zhang Bo's broken bed. Zhang Bo was snoring loudly, with a tin wine pot beside him.

Lin Shisan picked up the tin wine jug and shook it. It was empty. He said to himself, "This old guy is drunk again."

He pushed Zhang Bo's shoulder: "Master."

Zhang Bo rubbed his eyes and said, "Who is it? Thirteen, why are you here?"

Lin Shisan smiled and said, "Hehe, I miss you, Master. I came to see you."

Zhang Bo stood up and sat on the edge of the bed. "Bullshit, you don't come here for no reason. Tell me, what's the matter?"

Lin Shisan asked: "Master, do you know the white-feathered bow-tailed pigeon?"

Zhang Bo stood up, picked up the teapot on the table, took a few sips, wiped his mouth and said, "I know. It's a good thing produced in Southeast Asia. It can be used for appreciation and for sending messages. The best ones are hard to come by. You can't find even one in the pigeon shops in Beijing."

Lin Shisan said, "A local official came to Beijing and brought a bird as a gift. It accidentally flew away and asked me to find it."

Uncle Zhang asked, "Oh? Where did you lose it?"

Lin Shisan replied: "Xianliang Temple."

Zhang Bo said, "Didn't it fly into the palace?"

Lin Shisan sat down beside Zhang Bo's broken bed, crossing his legs. He took a red bellyband from Zhang Bo's quilt and said, "Hey, Master, you are still strong. You are sixty years old and can still deal with the little goblins in the building."

Zhang Bo snorted coldly: "Some high-ranking officials in Beijing can get their concubines pregnant at the age of 70 and have children in their old age. What's so strange about this? Let's talk business."

Lin Shisan put down the red bellyband and said, "Yes. I have already inquired about the Hundred Birds House in the Imperial Palace. It didn't fly into the Imperial Palace."

Uncle Zhang asked again, "Have you also asked Pigeon Liu?"

Lin Shisan replied: "I have inquired. He was not taken away by the gang members or the gang members."

Zhang Bo said, "That's hard to find."

Lin Shisan walked up to Zhang Bo and squeezed his shoulders. "Master, if it were easier to find me, why would I come to you? You are knowledgeable and experienced. Give me some advice."

Zhang Bo laughed and said, "Little bastard, why don't you bring a pot of good wine when you ask your master to do something for you?"

Lin Shisan said quickly, "Oh my good master, the wine shop is not open this early in the morning. Isn't it too late?"

"I have been entrusted with a task by a bunch of nobles this time. If I can't find it, wouldn't that be a disgrace to those nobles? I'm afraid I'll lose my job."

"I was given three days to complete the task, but now there are only two days left."

Zhang Bo said, "The capital is so big. If you want to find a pigeon, there is only one way, that is to wrap it with a pigeon." Lin Shisan said, "Master, there are at least 200 thugs who wrap pigeons in the capital. None of them can wrap the white feather bow. How can I wrap it by myself?"

Zhang Bo laughed and said, "That's because their method is wrong. These people cage pigeons during the day. They release the pigeons in the morning and close the cages at night. But they don't know that the white-feathered bowtails go out to look for food at night."

"Also, the White Feather Bowtail is a rebellious pigeon by nature. It doesn't want to associate with ordinary pigeons."

Lin Shisan's eyes lit up: "So, you have a way to wrap the tail of the white feather bow?"

Zhang Bo said, "You have to promise to help me do something before I can tell you the method."

Lin Shisan smiled and said, "Isn't it the apprentice's responsibility to help the master?"

Zhang Bo said, "There is a girl named Xiaohong in the building. Her father is a loser, so he borrowed ten taels of silver from Wang Baozi, a thief in Dazhalan, to gamble. Now the interest has increased to eighty taels."

"He can't pay back the money, and he gets beaten almost every day. You should find someone to talk to Wang Baozi and get rid of the interest, so that he can only pay back the principal of ten taels. The money Xiaohong has saved in the past two years is enough to pay back the principal."

Lin Shisan said with a smile, "You must have slept with that little red girl. As the saying goes, one should be grateful to someone who has given you what you have received, and one should be soft-hearted when one has slept with someone. Are you soft-hearted?"

Zhang Bo blew out his beard and said, "Nonsense. I have slept under every brittle candle in Yihonglou. I have slept under dozens of large lanterns. Just tell me whether you can help me or not."

Lin Shisan nodded: "This is not a big deal. What is the name of Xiaohong's father?"

Zhang Bo replied: "My nickname is Xu Da Dice."

Lin Shisan agreed: "I've got it in mind. I'll take care of it once the matter leaves Yihonglou."

Zhang Bo said, "Okay. I'll tell you how to wrap the white-feathered bow-tailed pigeon. It's native to Southeast Asia, and when it's not caught, it feeds on peas."

"It likes the smell of peas the most. Go buy some pea cakes, boil them into paste, and brush them on the pigeon's tail. Release the pigeon in the evening. If the pigeon encounters a white-feathered bow tail, it will definitely be able to be wrapped back."

Lin Shisan said, "You have two days to wrap the white feather bow tail in this way. The more pigeons you wrap, the better."

Zhang Bo laughed and said, "You have a lot of respect with Pigeon Liu. The hundreds of hooligans who wrap pigeons in the capital all follow his lead."

"If you can get all the pigeon-wrapping hooligans in the city to help you, you should be able to find the White Feather Bowtail within two days."

Uncle Zhang took a sip of tea and said, "I'm afraid that the white feather bow tail has been eaten by cats, dogs and foxes."

Lin Shisan stood up and said, "For now, we can only try your method. Master, I will leave first."

Zhang Bo stared at Lin Shisan's back, smiled and murmured to himself: "This kid."

Zhang Bo’s identity is far more than just a big teapot in a brothel.

His father was the Minister of Personnel during the Zhengde period, Zhang Cai.

When he was young, Zhang Bo was well-dressed and well-fed, and was a famous playboy in the capital. He had developed a lot of skills in raising pets.

Later, Zhang Cai attached himself to the powerful eunuch Liu Jin, who "established the emperor". When Liu Jin lost power, Zhang Cai was implicated and beheaded.

Chang Feng, the chief treasurer of the Imperial Guard at the time, had known Zhang Cai for many years. Chang Feng pleaded for Zhang Cai's family in front of Emperor Zhengde, and Zhang Bo was saved from exile.

Yihonglou is the largest brothel in South City. The people who come here are a mixed bunch, making it a good place for the Jinyiwei to collect intelligence.

Chang Da, the shopkeeper, asked Zhang Bo to come to Yihonglou to work as a teapot. Zhang Bo worked there for more than 40 years.

Zhang Bo was also from Wei, belonging to the Northern Pacification Division. Over the past forty years, although he had not made any great achievements, he had managed to become a centurion by virtue of his seniority.

This old drunkard in the turtle nest of Yihong Tower is actually an old secret agent of the Northern Pacification Office who is wearing a flying fish uniform.

The Northern Pacification Office asked him to reveal his identity many times and return to the office to serve as an official.

However, Zhang Bo was used to the life in Yihonglou, so he chose to stay here and collect intelligence for Beisi.

Lin Shisan had no idea that his drunken master was actually his superior.

(End of this chapter)