Today is the first day that Song Tianyao has sent his Scribe Hui, to try bartering with the military camp. Song Tianyao has considered many possible details, including proper manners, simple English phrases, and even had Song Tianyao specifically contact the Gao Lao Cheng near the military camp to make things difficult for Scribe Hui.
Song Tianyao thought he had arranged everything properly, but he never expected that on the first day of the barter, his Scribe Hui, that good-for-nothing, would come to see him with his bruised and swollen eyes covered. He told Song Tianyao that he hadn't been beaten by the gangsters, but had instead argued and spat at each other with an old woman from the countryside. The cigarettes and alcohol he earned hadn't been stolen by the gangsters who were collecting protection money, but by a group of old women.
After hearing Scribe Hui's words, Song Tianyao rubbed his face vigorously, covering it with his hands. Scribe Hui and Meng Wanqing couldn't see Song Tianyao's facial expression; they could only hear his loud but clearly weak voice, uttered with anger:
"Damn you! I could predict the schemes of the four members of the Zhang Family, and I could guess what Golden-Tooth Lei, the 'mastermind' of Fuyixing, was thinking! But I never imagined that you, a pathetic bastard, could spit on a country bumpkin while delivering vegetables! You come to me blaming me for not realizing the old woman was more capable than you? Blame me for being stupid! Black-Hearted Wah died so young, most likely from your slow murder! I truly never guessed anything about you, you bastard! Get lost!"
The Scribe Hui, was silenced by Song Tianyao's scolding, but he stubbornly remained rooted to the spot, refusing to leave as ordered. After Song Tianyao finished scolding him, he cautiously spoke up, "Secretary Song, how about letting the guy I rescued come with me to deliver vegetables? He's much better now and has nothing to do. Although he's a bit lame, he keeps boasting about how good he is at fighting, and he looks quite intimidating. If he helps me deliver vegetables, I guarantee they won't be snatched away by the old ladies again."
"No problem, you can have whoever you want accompany you, but for now, get away from me, hurry up, I don't want to see you." Song Tianyao pointed to the stairs behind Scribe Hui, his voice weak and his expression numb as he spoke.
After obtaining Song Tianyao's consent, Scribe Hui, turned and ran downstairs. He'd barely rounded the corner of the stairs when his face was contorted into a wide grin. His fist clenched, he muttered to himself, "You damn Lame-Legged Dragon, always limping around catching eels, then coming back and fawning over Sister Fen! This time, I had Secretary Song transfer you to help me deliver vegetables! Secretary Song can't guess what I'm up to. I'm very sharp; I'll keep you tied to my side and watch you like a hawk!"
Who says ordinary people can't have great wisdom?
Chapter 197 Rejected at the Door
"Lame-Legged Dragon! Lame-Legged Dragon! Get up!" Before dawn, Scribe Hui was already standing outside Wu's General Store, banging on the door.
Deng Zhilong, a country boy from Guiping who once boasted of making a name for himself in Hong Kong and called himself "Nine-Tattooed Dragon," only opened the shop door, leaning on a single crutch, after his Scribe Hui, knocked for over thirty seconds. He greeted Scribe Hui sleepily, "Good morning, Brother Hui. Also, whether you call me Ah Long, Nine-Tattooed Dragon, or Long Zai, please don't call me Lame, okay? I'll stop being lame once my injury heals. Wow, your eye socket looks so badly bruised?"
That night, Nine-Tattooed Dragon was quickly defeated by Tsundere, the Red Stick Master with Double Red Pole Handkerchief Qing had made a name for himself alongside Wo Hung Shun at the Sai Kung Pier. He was struck on the shoulder and ankle with an iron whip and kicked heavily in the chest, collapsing to the ground groaning in pain. None of the members of the 14K Division were able to spare a hand to help him. Fortunately, he had practiced martial arts for many years and was physically strong. He managed to crawl out of the fray and hide in a corner of the pier. When the police arrived at the pier to clear the area, members of both gangs scattered and fled. Those who were seriously injured and on the ground were quickly taken to hospitals by the police or simply picked up by their respective gangs for treatment. Only Nine-Tattooed Dragon, who was foolish and did not know the rules, had broken away from the fray and crawled to a deserted corner. No one noticed him. After the wounded were cleared away, a plainclothes officer with two Uniformed Branch conducted a final search and finally found Nine-Tattooed Dragon behind a rope post near the pier pier.
"Hey, what's your name?" The plainclothes officer crouched down, examined Nine-Tattooed Dragon's injuries, patted the already weak Nine-Tattooed Dragon's cheek, and asked.
Nine-Tattooed Dragon was severely injured, but his aura remained strong. He stared steadily at the plainclothes officer who had asked the question and said, "I am Nine-Tattooed Dragon, 14K."
"14K? Damn you. I'm from Eastern Guangdong, and I'm mortal enemies with 14K. You're just unlucky. May you be reborn into a better family in your next life! Brother, help me throw him into the sea, so we don't have to carry this guy to the hospital." Hearing Nine-Tattooed Dragon introduce himself as one of 14K's men, the plainclothes officer stood up with a cold smile and gave orders to the two Uniformed Branch behind him.
Two Uniformed Branch lifted the helpless Nine-Tattooed Dragon -Nine-Tattooed Dragon and carried him to the pier. They simply threw him into the sea, not even bothering to tie a Nine-Tattooed Dragon around his waist.
In their view, this guy looked like he had a broken shoulder, was stabbed in the back, and had a broken leg; even without stones tied to him, he would surely die if thrown into the sea.
Unfortunately, Nine-Tattooed Dragon was lucky. A small piece of the boat plank was swept up by the tide and he managed to grab onto it with one hand. Although he couldn't swim to the shore, he wouldn't drown as he drifted with the current. Relying on the physique he had built up over the years of martial arts training and the indomitable spirit in his heart, Nine-Tattooed Dragon managed to stay afloat in the sea for half the night, clinging to the boat plank with one hand, until he was discovered and rescued by Scribe Hui and his daughter, Sister Fen, who were moving across the sea that morning.
When no one rescued him, Nine-Tattooed Dragon could hold on and struggle to survive in the seawater until midnight. But after being rescued and taken to the hospital, he began to have a high fever and fell into a coma. If it weren't for the settlement money sent by Song Tianyao, which Sister Fen's mother and daughter had, and the fact that they bought two doses of Penicillin at a high price on the black market to help Nine-Tattooed Dragon -Nine-Tattooed Dragon reduce his fever, the high fever might have made him stupid.
Nine-Tattooed Dragon, who had narrowly escaped death, was treated and bandaged by a bone-setting master at the clinic. He had a severe fracture in his shoulder, a minor fracture in his sternum, and a knife wound on his back—all minor injuries that the bone-setting master could handle. However, his right ankle was severely injured by the iron whip wielded by Handkerchief Qing, resulting in an almost comminuted fracture. Even after the bone-setting master set his bones and put on a splint, he couldn't guarantee that the bone would heal as perfectly as before.
Nine-Tattooed Dragon was naturally grateful to Scribe Hui and Sister Fen and her daughter for saving him and giving him food. After his shoulder and back injuries healed, Sister Fen opened Wu's General Store. Nine-Tattooed Dragon volunteered to watch over the store at night, since Kowloon was a place where all sorts of people mingled and grocery stores were easy targets for thieves at night. He slept on the floor inside the store and could handle ordinary petty thieves even with only one hand and one foot. He told Sister Fen go upstairs to live with her daughter, Wu Xiu'er, and that the store's safety at night was in his hands.