Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

Just kidding. In the world I used to live in, who didn't know that there was no future in being a gangster?

In some movies and TV dramas, even undercover agents planted by the underworld in the police force will try to clear their names and get rid of their undercover identity whenever they have the chance.

Moreover, after entering the new century, those once-glorious gangsters also transformed themselves.

If one's soul were to transmigrate to this world, and the original owner of the body was a member of a gang, then lying low in the gang for a while wouldn't be a bad idea.

But given the chance, they would try to escape.

Unlike the modern legal society before my time travel, in the Ming Dynasty, where the legal system was not sound, it was indeed much easier to join a gang.

Even so, it cannot conceal the fact that gangs are ultimately just underground forces that cannot be brought to the surface, with very limited potential.

Throughout history, gangs have primarily relied on gray or even black market income sources.

Brothels and gambling dens are now industries that can be brought into the open.

In places unseen by ordinary people, who knows how many crimes and shady dealings are still taking place.

The original owner of this body left no memory, making it much more difficult for him to integrate into the civilized society of this plane.

But at the same time, it didn't leave itself with any historical baggage!

After waking up, I walked in the mountains for three days and then took a boat for a whole day, still going downstream.

The distance between where we were when we first crossed the river is now at least two hundred kilometers.

In an era when ordinary people without official titles needed a travel permit to leave their registered county or prefecture, this was already a considerable distance.

Regardless of the original owner of this body's identity or social connections, those ties should now be completely severed.

Her original plan was to use the two or three months that Lu Chen's travel permit was still valid to complete the reconstruction of her identity in the four prefectures of Xiangyang, Nanyang, Kaifeng and Daming, which were permitted to be traveled through by the travel permit.

What you need to do in Gucheng County is to quickly obtain a sum of money and then leave as soon as possible.

After passing Xiangyang Prefecture, they continued north using Lu Chen's travel permit.

Once you arrive in Nanyang Prefecture or Kaifeng Prefecture, find a small county town, spend money to bribe the clerk in charge of household registration, and get a clean identity.

Find another excuse, use a new identity to obtain a travel permit to travel to another province, stay away from the route from Chengtian Prefecture to the capital, and completely sever the original cause and effect.

Once I have a clean new identity and settle down in a wealthy city in another province, I will have many more career options to choose from.

With their own abilities, whether they want to enter officialdom through the imperial examinations or make some highly profitable products and become extremely wealthy merchants, it is not difficult at all.

Joining a gang or getting involved in organized crime? How much water must be in your brain?!

Lu Chen glanced at Ma San Kui across from him.

This guy probably thinks that the pie in the sky he's painting is very tempting to him!

Unfortunately, in his eyes, this pancake wasn't even worth mentioning.

Should we directly refuse?

If this Mr. Ma wants to take advantage of me, why can't I take advantage of him?!

As the head of a large gang in Gucheng County, he inevitably had to deal with the clerks and runners of the local government.

Without protection from the government, it would be very difficult for gangs to establish themselves in the county.

The process of registering an unregistered person as a registered resident is very troublesome to handle on my own, but if I leave it to this guy, he might be able to get it done easily.

In his eyes, he was a highly gifted "gambling" expert, a rare commodity.

You don't need to use any special methods; this guy will keep his mouth shut.

"Thank you very much for the kind invitation, Mr. Ma."

After making his decision, Lu Chen cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Ma San Kui.

"Being able to go all out in a casino and dominate the game is certainly one of the most enjoyable things in life."

Unfortunately, given my status, if I were to join the Chang Le Society, not only would I be in trouble, but it might not be a good thing for the Chang Le Society either.

"Young Master Lu, please speak freely if you have any concerns."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Ma San Kui's eyes lit up.

"Our Chang Le Society is very powerful and has many connections with the government. What Young Master Lu sees as trouble may not actually be trouble."

"Since Mr. Ma is so sincere, then I will speak frankly."

Seeing the look in Ma San Kui's eyes, Lu Chen knew that his plan was already halfway to success.

"I'm sure Master Ma has already inquired about my identity from the post station official. My father is seriously ill, and I'm on my way to the capital to provide him with medicine."

"I have naturally inquired about Young Master Lu's family background."

Ma Sankui stood up.

"I just heard from Young Master Lu that you have never left Chengtian Prefecture before."

In other words, your father, Lord Lu, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, has been keeping you in your hometown of Chengtian Prefecture for many years.

Forgive my bluntness, but Young Master Lu is merely a son of a concubine in the family. Having not seen him for many years, your father and stepmother may not value him much.

The sudden dispatch of a letter from afar requesting Young Master Lu to come to the capital to attend to your father's medical needs suggests that your father's condition is likely not optimistic.

It would take at least two months for Young Master Lu to send a letter from the capital to Chengtian Prefecture and then travel to the capital.

To be frank, it's uncertain whether your father is still alive.

If your father has already passed away, what good will it do for Young Master Lu to go to the capital?

The family business in the capital will be inherited by the legitimate son. Young Master Lu, a son of a concubine who has never been to the capital, will probably not be well received by his stepmother.

Rather than living under someone else's roof, wouldn't it be better to join the Chang Le Society with me? Wouldn't that be more enjoyable?

"To be honest, Mr. Ma, I have thought about these things too."

Lu Chen deliberately remained silent for a moment before speaking.

"My father is seriously ill. As his son, how can I ignore him?"

Even though my father has passed away, I still want to go to the capital to pay my respects at his funeral.

My stepmother wrote in her letter that in the past two years, in order to treat my father's illness, the family had already incurred a debt of over a thousand taels of silver. She asked me to sell the fields and houses in our old home in Chengtian Prefecture and take the money to the capital.

Selling land and houses can take quite some time.

Master Ma also knows that I have the ability to listen to the dice.

After receiving the letter, I did not sell my land and house, but instead set off with the only dozen or so taels of silver I had at home.

Originally, I planned to find a few gambling dens on the way to the capital, win a thousand or so taels of silver, and then pay off the debts left by my father in the capital.

"Today at Rong Sheng Casino, I got a sudden urge to gamble and accidentally won a bit too much."

"If it weren't for this, I, Ma, would not have had the good fortune to meet Young Master Lu."

After hearing Lu Chen's explanation, Ma San Kui seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"It's alright, the money is easy to handle. I'll send someone to deliver it to the capital for Young Master Lu."

"The money issue isn't really a big problem."

Seeing that the other party was beginning to relax, Lu Chen gently shook his head.

"Although I am a son of a concubine, my father found a way for me to fill a vacancy as a guard in the Imperial Guard in the capital."

Family matters are one thing, but after my father passed away, I didn't want to live under someone else's roof with my stepmother.

However, if one fails to report to the Imperial Guard headquarters in the capital for an extended period, the Imperial Guard will inevitably investigate.

Throughout the journey, I showed my travel permit at every checkpoint and inn, so my whereabouts could not be hidden from the Imperial Guards.

What would happen if the Embroidered Uniform Guard found out that I hadn't reported for duty and had instead joined the Chang Le Society?

Not only me, but the Chang Le Society will probably also be in considerable trouble!