There is a restaurant named "Eight Immortals" in the west of the capital, the name is magnificent, but the pattern is quite small, although it is also up and down two floors, but in fact the place is not very big, only two private rooms are barely separated from the upstairs, and the rest of the scattered seats are only seven or eight tables.

Business looks good, bustling with people, but if you enter the door and sit down to take a closer look, nine out of ten of the guests who come in are not good.

It's winter, and many low-level men are shirtless in summer, and you can see a house full of flower arms here.

The dragons and snakes in the capital are mixed, and the ruffians who collect protection money, the beggars who beg, the idlers who run errands, and even the kidnappers who steal children all form gangs and divide their own territory.

The west of the city is the territory of the Green Wolf Gang, and this restaurant is the private property of Du Laoba, the leader of the Green Wolf Gang, and it is also the gathering place of many ruffians and gangsters in the gang.

Although it is a bully to open a shop, it is not a black shop, the business is quite fair, the food is clean, and it is a good wine "monkey wine", which is also well-known in Beijing.

It's just that the people of several squares in Xicheng know the details here, and ordinary people who want to deal with ruffians will not come here to eat. Then the merchants who came in were either unaware of the newcomers from other places, or they were brothers on the same road.

Soon after the doors opened on this day, there were high rollers who came to the door.

Cui Sanbao, who often runs here, brought a few guests dressed as wealthy businessmen into the store, and several guests asked for the best banquet, and the reward guys were also quite large.

What is rare is that Cui Sanbao brought someone here, but he didn't quietly ask the shopkeeper for a reward, which made the shopkeeper inevitably interested in those people.

But soon, he had nothing to worry about, because Du Laoba, the leader of his proprietor's gang, came in with a yawn, waved his hand and told a few idlers who jumped up and shouted "Eighth Master" not to be polite, and yawned all the way into the private room.

Soon the room was filled with the characteristic loud laughter of Toshi.

The shopkeeper exhaled, it turned out to be a flattering scoop handle, and it was strange that Cui San'er didn't dare to ask for a reward.

While he instructed the man to be clever and serve carefully, he hurried to the back kitchen, telling the master to show his skills and not to embarrass the scoop.

The dishes were served one after another, and the man also went up to change the charcoal fire of the small tandoor oven for warm wine, and the shopkeeper was absent-mindedly fiddling with the abacus on the counter, while paying attention to the movement upstairs.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came from far and near, and when they reached the door of the shop, the horses neighed, and stopped after a few steps, and the riders dismounted.

The people in the store were curious, stretched their necks to look, only to hear a male duck unique to a teenager in the voice change period shouting: "This store is so broken, how can there be good food?" ”

Another teenager laughed and said, "You really don't know how to do it! It can be seen that it is not often played out! Tell you, good things are often hidden in shabby shops. ”

There was a broken shop on their left, and another broken shop, saying that the guys in the store were all dissatisfied, and they glared at the door angrily, and some people already felt that this was a provocation, and stood up and stretched their sleeves with their arms and sleeves ready to beat the bastard boy who insulted the Eight Immortals.

However, it was a group of young men in brocade clothes who walked into the store.

All the young men were well-dressed, and there were many sturdy attendants behind them, obviously out of the house.

The few men who stood up shrank their necks, sat down silently, buried their heads and continued to eat. The guys also piled up smiling faces and came over to say hello.

The shopkeeper was originally behind the counter, and he heard the young man talking outside the door, and he didn't raise his eyelids, and when a group of people entered the house, the shopkeeper raised his eyelids, and couldn't help but be startled, and ran out from behind the counter in a hurry. If there is anything, you can send someone to give an order, and the little one will send you to the house immediately. ”

The young man waved his hand and said, "I happened to pass by here." I think that there are no vegetables in the next family, and your family is vegetarian at the beginning of the eighth and fifteenth years, and there must be one. I don't have to worry about anything to get me a few baskets, and Xiao Basu often eats that tofu skin and tofu blocks, come and use them to warm the pot. Monkey wine also comes to three jars, and a small wild boar meat comes to one. ”

As he spoke, he turned his head and explained to the two plain-clothed young men on the side: "Their monkey wine is vegetarian wine, and it is made from fruits—how else to call it monkey wine." If there is no obstacle to vegetarian wine, you can taste it. ”

A few baskets of fresh vegetables at this time!

The shopkeeper listened to it with a straight toothache, but he had to bite his back molars and accompany the smiling face.

As he was talking, there was a sound of footsteps on the stairs, and I saw that Du Laoba hurriedly came downstairs, with a drunken flush on his face, but he was not drunk. Today, the second son is a noble ......"

The young man laughed, pointed at Du Laoba and said with a smile: "Xiaoba, you are here!" Come on, you have a fat belly, only oil and no ink, don't learn to drag the text. ”

The old man didn't dare to lift it, and said with a dry smile: "The small one shouldn't be showy, it should be beaten, it should be beaten!" ”

The young man laughed again: "What did you do!" But since you're here, I'm going to eat a lot, and I won't give you any money for today's vegetables, vegetables, and wine!" ”

That Du Laoba still had a flattered look, raised his head, and said with gratitude: "Where did the second son come from!" Small begging can't ask for the opportunity to honor the son! Where do you need to use the second son? The little one will send you ......"

When the young men saw that the man in front of them was also forty miles away, with a strong figure, a sideways face, and a full of gangsterism, but he was called "Little Eight", and he only responded with promises, and they couldn't help but feel funny.

A few of the older ones were quite tense, holding the shelves of the family, and the younger ones couldn't help but laugh and show smiling faces.

One of the young men in plain clothes with a more tender face said "haha" twice, looking the person up and down with a playful look in his eyes.

Suddenly, the stairs sounded again, but a wealthy businessman came downstairs, smiled and greeted the young man at the head: "Second son Zhang." He smiled at the older plain-clothed boy in the back: "Brother Rui went out today?" ”

The older plain-clothed young man had already stepped forward and saluted, "Fourth Uncle Lian is here to meet guests?" Second Brother Zhang and I went out of the city to play in our Zhuangzi. ”

The young man at the head also smiled and said hello, and then introduced to his friends: "This is the uncle of Second Brother Shen, Mr. Shen Si." ”

The little friend said hello a few times, and the young man also knew that his identity was valuable, and it was not good to talk about etiquette, so he rushed over and talked to Du Laoba, saying that he didn't want him to deliver the goods, but only needed to send out an ox cart to pull the goods and follow the team.

This line of brocade-clothed young men is Shen Rui, Brother Shou, Zhang Hui, You Xuan, Gao Wenhu and others.

Today, Brother Shou made a surprise attack again, and he didn't say hello before, so he suddenly took Zhang to appear in the Shen family, and told Shen Rui that he wanted to go to Zhuangzi on the outskirts of the Shen family to play, and then "discuss" about opening the West Garden.

Shen Rui naturally had to obey his fate. Because the Shen family Zhuangzi is not in the suburbs, if you want to return to the city before dark, you have to set off early, so you don't have time to prepare meat and vegetables, so you only send someone to the village to say hello to the village, and the ready-made things on the Zhuangzi are rectified.

Brother Shou was so happy and lively, he called the Cai brothers and others, gathered a large group, and rushed to the outskirts of the city.

Walking to the west of the city, Zhang Hui remembered this Eight Immortals Residence, saying that he could get fresh vegetables and wild boar.

It's winter, the grass is withering, the fresh vegetables are planted in the greenhouse, the gold is very expensive, the price of ordinary meat is several times higher, and it is very difficult to get, even the big family does not have two plates on the table, so everyone is happy to come.

And Shen Lian's side is the day keeper who has set up the line of the Green Wolf Gang, and the silver is almost scattered, and the other party asks to go to the Green Wolf Gang's territory to eat and drink according to the rules.

Before Shen Lian's matter was settled, he didn't have to tell Shen Rui every step of the way that since he had made an appointment today, he went out early.

When he met Shen Rui and his party here, Shen Lian was also extremely surprised, and even more surprised that the wolf-like ruffian scoop looked like a little lamb in front of Zhang Hui.

He couldn't help but smack his tongue secretly, and said in his heart, this British mansion is really extraordinary! I was thinking about what attitude I was going to take towards Na Du Lao Ba for a while.

Sure enough, as Shen Lian expected, this group of teenagers hurried out of the city, and they were in a hurry to leave after asking for everything, and when Du Laoba turned around and asked him to go upstairs again, his attitude was completely different.

Contrary to the cold and arrogant words at the beginning, Du Laoba changed as if he was a different person, piled up a smiling face, and shouted to the shopkeeper to reorganize a table of seats, and said politely: "It's not the water that washed the Dragon King Temple!" The fourth master didn't mention the relationship between the government and the government. Hurry back, let's have a good drink and chat. ”

Shen Lian also smiled and said politely, and his heart was happy, he thought that he would have to drink a few more meals of wine and add a sum of money to do it, but it seems that it can be decided today, presumably with the face of the British government, Du Laoba will be much more dedicated than simply taking silver.

I just don't know what his relationship is with the British government, and he wants to talk about his family being closer to the British government for a while, Shen Lian couldn't help but think.

*

The teenagers over there were also curious about the relationship between Zhang Hui and the ruffians.

"Zhang Xiaoer, you still know the ruffian, it's affectionate!"

"Look at him so big, full of beard, and the second brother still calls him 'little' eight, hahaha, it's ridiculous to me!"

Not long after leaving the Eight Immortals Residence, the teenagers started asking.

Brother Shou even asked: "Have you seen that when the man stretched out his hand, he was missing two fingers on his hand." ”

Some of the people said that it seemed to be less, and some shook their heads and said that they had not paid attention to the man's hand at all.

Shen Rui couldn't help but nodded secretly, Brother Shou was really keen.

Unexpectedly, Brother Shou turned around and asked him, "How did your clan uncle get mixed up with such a person?" ”

Shen Rui smiled bitterly in his heart, how could he have thought that he would meet by such a coincidence, and he had to say: "My clan uncle also has an industry in Beijing, so there must be something business." ”

However, the honest Gao Wenhu was anxious, and said, "Brother Shen, was your family forcibly collected money by that person?" Originally, there were often such people in my shop, but no one came to collect them until I entered the Jinyi Guard, and their leaders came to my house to deliver a wine. ”

The young men from the princess's mansion squeezed their eyebrows again and said, "Second Brother Shen, don't be afraid, that person saw Zhang Xiaoer and you together today, but I am afraid that I will not dare to accept your silver, and I am afraid that I will not give you silver!" ”

"It's not, if there is such a forcible seizure, you will talk to Zhang Er!"

Zhang Hui also said arrogantly: "That's a bastard, if there is anything to snub Mr. Liansi, Second Brother Shen just tell me." ”

Shen Rui didn't expect them to be brought here, so he breathed a sigh of relief, and said with a smile on his face: "I don't know about Uncle Clan's business. When I go back and ask, if there is any misunderstanding, I will ask Second Brother Zhang for help. But what Cai Liuge said is also true, now that he sees us in one place, he is afraid that he will not dare. ”

Everyone applauded again, and asked about Zhang Hui's ruffian.

Zhang Huidao: "You also know that there are such people in the market, who form a small gang in private and make a nickname. This one surnamed Du pulled up a group of people, called the Green Wolf Gang, and he was the leader. The road calls him Du Laoba, but this Laoba is not from the ranks, it is because of his eight fingers. He himself is quite proud, and the tavern is also named Eight Immortals. ”

Seeing that Brother Shou's eyes were shining and his face was full of curiosity, Zhang Hui spoke more and more energetically, and he also sold a pass, quite a storyteller's demeanor, and said in a long voice: "It is said that this person was a good gambler when he was young, and he loved to make thousands, and he was clever in his methods, everyone knew that his hands and feet were not clean, but no one could catch a shape." ”

Brother Shou often walks around the market, and he has heard some jokes, so he laughed and said: "In the end, when a horse stumbles, he asks someone to grab and chop two fingers!" ”

Zhang Hui shook his head and said, "No, he is very capable, and no one has caught him." Later, when he became capable, he brought two apprentices, and the apprentices naturally made thousands, but he didn't have the master's ability, and he was pressed and wanted to be chopped off. ”

Zhang Hui even said, "That Du Laoba was also a character at that time, and he went to the casino to ask for someone." How to be willing to give in the casino, it is difficult to lose money. And guess what, without saying a word, he took out a wrist-unwielding knife, clicked twice, one at a time, and chopped off two fingers! ”

All the teenagers listened attentively, and they all let out an "ah".

Zhang Hui took the tone like a storyteller, and said in a low voice: "Ten fingers and heart, how painful, this Du Lao is a horizontal practice, don't say anything about self-cutting fingers, don't even frown, while saying that he won't gamble in the future, and he won't let the apprentice come out to gamble, and at the same time ask the casino for the fine salt noodles......"

This time, it was Cai Yu who hurriedly spoke: "But you want to sprinkle salt on the wound?" I've heard that the edict has this trick! It hurts! ”

Several young people who were also in charge of the Jinyi Guard's post all scolded him, and he also felt speechless, and he was also the Jinyi Guard's false position, how could it be said that the edict was not! And the emperor is still on the side!

He scratched his head in embarrassment and laughed twice.

His brother Cai Liang hurriedly laughed and said: "He has read a lot of books, and he said it smoothly, and said it smoothly." Let's listen to Second Brother Zhang quickly. ”

Zhang Hui was so clever that he also interrupted and said: "You guys, you guessed wrong, that Du Laoba said to the people in the casino at that time that he would eat his fingers with fine salt noodles." ”

All the teenagers said "ah" again, and then someone shouted: "Don't say it, don't say it, it's unappetizing!" We're going to eat wild boar meat called flower chicken in a while! ”

Brother Shou also laughed and said: "Zhang Hui, you make it up again, see if they don't beat you!" ”

Zhang Hui covered his mouth in fright, and then laughed too, "You are cowardly! Don't worry, that Du Laoba is also a scare, and he didn't really eat his fingers. You must know that these people are hard and afraid of the horizontal, and the horizontal are afraid of death. When the casino people saw him like this, they were all afraid, so they let him go as an apprentice. He really won't gamble in the future, and will take his apprentices to mix on the streets. But after this incident, his arrogance and righteousness spread. ”

Brother Shou thoughtfully, nodded, and said, "It's a man." ”

Shen Rui also said in his heart, regardless of whether this matter is true or not, whether this person is acting or not, he can have such a means, and it is not easy to get along, he should talk to the fourth uncle of Lian, so as not to suffer a loss in dealing with him.

Hearing this, Zhang Hui said again: "That year, when my eldest brother was on duty, there were few helpers, and someone recommended him, and the eldest brother inquired about him and said that he was a hero, so he used him." He is indeed neat and tidy. Later, he resigned himself, opened a mountain and established a faction, but he also knew how to repay his kindness, and always respected my family. ”

When everyone heard this, they all laughed and said, "Who in Beijing dares to disrespect your British government?" Lend him guts! If you are a little disrespectful, you will take the nursing home to level him! ”

Zhang Hui immediately clenched his fists and said with a wicked smile: "Accept and concede." ”

was teased by everyone again.

Shen Rui also laughed, but he wanted to say hello to Zhang Hui in private, and the people of the time were also quite particular about the relationship between the proprietors, and with the relationship between the British government, they didn't dare to play any tricks when they wanted to come to Du Laoba's side.

Everyone talked and laughed all the way, and soon arrived at the outskirts of the city, but not far from Zhuangzi, they were stopped by the person sent by Shen Rui to report the news earlier.

This person's name is Li Chang, and he is the grandson of the first great housekeeper of the Shen Mansion, and his father is Li Sheng, the second housekeeper picked up by Shen Ruiti.

Li Sheng was in charge of the Zhuangzi outside the Shen family before, and was later transferred back to the mansion by Shen Rui, although Li Chang also followed back to the mansion, he was very familiar with the Zhuangshang, so he was sent to run errands whenever there was any contact with the Zhuangzi. The same is true this time.

Shen Rui couldn't help frowning, although this Li Chang was not usually a first-class person around him, he was also steady, and he didn't know what made him so rude. He confessed to everyone, brought a horse to the side, and beckoned Li Chang to come and talk back.

Li Chang looked sad and replied in a low voice: "Second master, there are a lot of homeless people begging in the village now. ”

Shen Rui was surprised: "I haven't heard of any disaster in the vicinity, where did the displaced people come from?!" ”

Li Chang said: "Zhuangtou said that it sounded like a Shanxi accent, and they all said that the hometown Dilong turned over and suffered a disaster, and he refused to say where his hometown was, for fear of being sent back." ”

Because he explained in detail: "I heard that the first few days have been blocked in the far Zhuangzi for a few days, and I begged for rations and went all the way to the capital. I heard that those Zhuangzi gave them some food, but it was not enough for them to chew and refused to leave. If they go to report to the officer, they will disperse when the officer comes, and when the officer is gone, they will come again. ”

Shen Rui's brows tightened more and more, first of all, if it was the victims of Hebei, how could the victims of Shanxi or even Shaanxi come all the way to the capital? !

If it is not a catastrophic year, how many victims can there be? And the victims of the disaster can't go far at all if they don't gather in a crowd, and they usually stop when they come to a place where they can get by, where will they keep walking?

If it is a disaster in spring and summer, it is reasonable to come to the best place at the foot of the Son of Heaven, and now that it is winter, it is not to go to the relatively warm and rich south, but to the capital, but to die of cold and hunger on the road! How can the victims of the disaster not consider these things if they are trying to survive?

How many states and counties along the way, the uneasy victims are just that, why don't they report it? If there is news from the imperial court, how can it not respond at all, so that people arrive at the outskirts of Beijing?

Ordinary disaster victims are not like this, they are grateful when they have a full meal, how can they beg for it repeatedly around Zhuangzi? In this way, I am afraid that someone is organizing and manipulating behind it......

The more Shen Rui thought about it, the more suspicious he felt, and even more, if it was someone in the palace or someone who came with him, these people were disguised outcasts, but in fact they came to Brother Shou, this should have three long and two short on the Shen family's Zhuangzi, not to mention that he Shen Rui was going to be cut by a thousand knives, and the entire Shen family had to be filled in.

I still heard Li Changxu say in my ears: "...... Although I don't rob it, I always surround it like this, and I don't look good, so that the guests of the second master can see it, and if it collides with the guests, the little ones will have to die to atone......"

Shen Rui waved his hand and said, "Needless to say, I'll go talk to them, and I'll go back to the city." ”

As he was talking, Zhang Hui had already come over and asked what was going on.

This matter could no longer be hidden, so Shen Rui told the truth and said his thoughts again.

Zhang Hui also became serious, he was on duty in the palace, and he was always by the little emperor's side, and he had heard of some major events in the court, but he had never heard of the homeless people at all. And Shen Rui's analysis is also what he is worried about.

"How many people are there?" Zhang Hui asked Li Changdao.

Suddenly, a voice interjected from the side and asked, "How many people?" ”

The three of them turned their heads to look, and saw that it was Brother Shou who also drove his horse over. He only listened to this sentence from afar, so he asked.

Shen Rui and Zhang Hui glanced at each other, Zhang Hui nodded, Shen Rui looked helpless, said the matter, and said in a low voice: "I think this matter is quite strange, why don't we turn it back, and when this matter is handled neatly, I will invite you to come over." ”

Brother Shou didn't say anything after hearing this, his eyebrows were locked, he touched his chin and thought for a moment, and said: "In September, many dragons turned over, Shaanxi and Shanxi reported earthquakes like thunder, Shaanxi is okay, several counties in Pingyang Prefecture in Shanxi reported disasters, and there was a newspaper where more than a dozen people died. However, at that time, the cabinet planned to let the household department provide disaster relief, borrow the official warehouse grain, rice, wheat, and beans to help it, and return the official in the next autumn. ”

Shen Rui couldn't help but look at Brother Shou with admiration, where is this little emperor who only knows how to play and ignores government affairs, he clearly knows everything!

Who knew that the next sentence of this ancestor was: "Let's go over and have a look." ”

Shen Rui was shocked and hurriedly stopped: "Absolutely not!" If you meet Diao Min, you collide with ......"

Brother Shou smiled and pointed at Zhang Hui and said: "They also practice battle formations, if they meet Diao Min, they just train soldiers." Shen Rui smiled again and said: "You are very good, escort you." ”

Shen Rui couldn't help but smile bitterly, how could he forget that this ancestor was the most fond of fun and the temperament that loved to fight......

(End of chapter)