From a tuberculosis patient to a martial arts master

"I saw it with my own eyes!"

Zhao Gui patted his chest and exclaimed, as if afraid his elder brother wouldn't believe him: "He went into the mortuary alone, and he skinned the body himself."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Biao frowned even more deeply. "How could he have such abilities?" His tone still held doubt, but it was now tinged with seriousness.

"Absolutely! It's really weird!"

Seeing his elder brother's moved expression, Zhao Gui pressed on, saying, "What's even more despicable is that the constable rewarded him with ten taels of silver, which that brat pocketed entirely and refused to put in the store! Not only that, he also—" Before he could finish, his eyes reddened.

"I got a barrage of sarcastic remarks from my father, and I even got a good beating from him."

Now that things have come to this, how can it not be emotional?

Upon hearing this, Zhao Biao's aura instantly turned cold. "You're not lying?"

"Absolutely true!" Zhao Gui hurriedly swore, "Brother, how could I dare to lie to you? Besides," he changed the subject:

"This was sent by Father. He said that the boy is strange and has probably encountered some kind of fortune. He wants you to go back and take a look when you have time, to keep things in check."

Upon hearing that it was his father's request, Zhao Biao's expression became even more solemn.

Zhao Lai was a seasoned veteran with incredibly sharp eyes. Even he sensed something was amiss; Zhu Hong probably had something up his sleeve.

After a long pause, he slowly shook his head:

"Right now, I can't get away."

"Huh?" Zhao Gui was dumbfounded. He had tried so hard to explain, but this was all he got in return. He rubbed his hands together, stamping his feet in frustration, and pressed on with the question:

"Brother, why is that?"

"The eldest son of the martial arts school owner, Jiang Chengzhi, will soon be participating in the 'Martial Arts Student Selection'." Zhao Biao lowered his voice, glancing towards the depths of the martial arts school.

"These days, I've been giving him individual guidance every day, practicing with Young Master Chengzhi and feeding him moves, making sure he wins the competition."

He paused, his tone quite helpless:

"How can I leave at this critical juncture?"

The owner's son!

Zhao Gui opened his mouth. Although he didn't understand martial arts, he knew that his elder brother's "sparring partner" role was indeed too much of a waste.

"That, that kid Zhu Hong..."

"What's the panic?" Zhao Biao sneered. "He just got lucky and learned some rudimentary moves." A hint of confidence flashed in his eyes. "Even if he's really gotten close to the basics of martial arts, he's only just begun. What big waves can he possibly make?"

"You should be patient with him for a few days, play along, and avoid direct confrontation. Once the selection process is over, I will go back and take care of things immediately."

Having said that, he patted Zhao Gui on the shoulder and comforted him:

"How could he possibly rise to the top in just a few days?"

Martial arts are a process of honing and refining skills, requiring rigorous training in the coldest and hottest winters and summers. There are no shortcuts to instant success, unless a celestial being bestows upon you immortality.

but:

is it possible?

"Alright, then you go ahead and do your business, brother."

Zhao Gui felt somewhat relieved and nodded, saying, "Let's do as you say for the next few days and avoid him for now."

"Yes, go back and tell Dad not to worry, I'll take care of everything."

……

On the other side, the medicine shed in the east of the city.

After Zhu Hong had settled Aunt Liu and her family in comfortably and watched as the doctor treated their injuries and prepared the medicine, he got up to take his leave.

"Fortunately, it's all just superficial injuries, nothing serious." Walking back along the filthy path of Chicken and Goose Alley, he felt a little relieved.

"Uncle Liu and the others should be fine after some rest and recuperation."

There's only one problem left: although the feud with the charity has been temporarily resolved, they will not let it go and will definitely send people to investigate.

I'm afraid I can't hide my identity as a member of the public security police force for long.

in this way……

A few days later, during the "selection of martial arts actors," there was truly no way to retreat.

A serious expression crept onto Zhu Hong's brow. "No, we must know Jian Ba ​​inside and out." He paused briefly, looked up, and saw that the setting sun was still there.

"It's not too late, so I'll go to Fu'an Street again."

Fu'an Street is one of the four main streets in Jinyang and is located in the bustling eastern part of the city.

The streets were bustling with carriages and pedestrians, filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, laughter, and the faint strains of traditional music. It was a world apart from the low, dilapidated streets of Chicken and Goose Alley.

"Pith paper piled with silk flowers! Wool thread tied into lotus branches! A young lady wearing one will attract bees and butterflies to its fragrance!" In the bustling crowd, a peddler shouted out his wares at exorbitant prices, his shoulder pole adorned with an apricot-yellow sign that read "Li Xianhua'er" (meaning "Fresh Flowers of Li").

This attracted several maids and women who gathered around, picking and choosing.

Outside the Embroidered Spring Pavilion, a group of mischievous children wearing open-crotch pants crowded together, drooling.

An old man who used to make sugar figurines was taking a break from his work here. As he puffed out his cheeks and sucked on his pipe, the maltose syrup transformed into the shape of a monkey stealing a peach, causing the toddlers in their open-crotch pants to swallow hard, clap their hands, and sing a folk song in unison:

"Sticky candy makes the Kitchen God's spirit sweet; eating candy makes for a happy New Year!"

"Okay, let's celebrate the New Year."

Now look to the left side of the street:

Across the street, a wine flag fluttered in the wind, and beneath the five characters "Three Bowls Upside Down," a bustling crowd gathered. At the entrance of the tavern, a waiter deftly carried wine jars, the red cloth sealing the jars being lifted slightly by the wind, releasing a rich aroma of wine mixed with the vendors' cries that wafted through the street.

"Tingfeng Restaurant is large, famous for its food and wine—it truly lives up to its reputation!"

"Let's see today whether... it lives up to its reputation." Zhu Hong walked straight through the crowd and turned into Tingfeng Restaurant.

"Young man, are you here for a meal or to stay the night?"

As soon as he lifted the curtain, a sharp-eyed waiter spotted him, quickly put down the rag he was holding, and greeted him with a beaming smile: "If you'd like a snack, our shop has braised pork knuckle, roast duck, and freshly stewed pork belly today, paired with our excellent 'Three Bowls Down' wine. I guarantee you'll have a very satisfying meal."

"If you stay at the hotel, the bedding in the private rooms upstairs is all freshly aired."

Zhu Hong nodded, glanced around, and then said to the waiter following him, "I'm looking for Bao Dawen."

"He was a distinguished guest who came to inquire about something."

The waiter, Zhang Lu'er, brightened up, his smile becoming even more ingratiating. He quickly stepped closer and lowered his voice, saying, "What would you like to know, young man? Please speak freely!" He patted his not-so-thick chest.

"In this Jinyang City, there are all sorts of anecdotes in the streets and alleys, details of the shops, and grudges between families. I dare not say I know everything, but I do know a little about eight or nine out of ten."

Zhu Hong frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the man's face, and repeated, "I'm looking for a gossipmonger."

"This must be your first time here, sir."

Zhang Lu'er slapped his thigh, a hint of smugness on his face: "To be honest, in this Tingfeng Tower, every waiter, from top to bottom, also has the job of gathering information. To put it bluntly—" He lowered his voice and chuckled:

"We are the gossips, and we are the gossips."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Hong's eyes flashed with surprise. He had not expected that the reputation of Tingfeng Tower as a "know-it-all" would have such an origin.

He hesitated for a moment, then stopped beating around the bush:

"What I want to inquire about are two matters concerning the selection of martial arts actors."

"no problem!"

Zhang Lu'er immediately smiled and replied, "Young man, come with me."

Passing through the moon gate in the back hall, we turned into a secluded side room, where there was a small table and two chairs.

Zhang Lu'er quickly brewed a bowl of coarse tea and handed it over: "Young man, feel free to ask me anything. But as for the price..." He rubbed his hands together and smiled:

"We need to agree beforehand that we will be honest and fair to everyone, young and old."

"Straight to the point, that suits me perfectly." Zhu Hong nodded and asked directly, "How do we calculate it?"

Upon hearing this, the waiter's face immediately broke into an even more familiar smile:

"Ninth grade."

"One tael, one question."