Rake's Progress (Part 2)

Gu Cangyue was very satisfied with what had just happened. It was obvious that Long Qianli had made the first move, and then, being outmatched, he was beaten half to death. That was what he deserved. What pleased him most was that he hadn't made a move himself. This way, even if there was a dispute at Cangfeng Fortress, Ouyang Zhizun wouldn't have to fear that old dog.

Li Feng chuckled a few times, clapped his hands, and gracefully followed Gu Cangyue into Chunyi Tower. They sat down in the best room on the second floor, which offered a view of the entire courtyard and a large part of the back garden. The madam, whose face was covered in a layer of powder at least an inch thick, greeted them with a smile, addressing them warmly as "Chief Constable" and "Deputy Hall Master Li." A bevy of beauties immediately surrounded the two men, and the strong scent of perfume made Li Feng sneeze twice, looking up at the sky.

Gu Cangyue chuckled, "Brother, you don't seem to be suited for this place?"

Li Feng nodded with a troubled expression, "It can't be helped. I'm practicing the Pure Boy Technique." This was an excuse Li Feng had come up with out of necessity to deal with A Zhu. His practice of the Pure Boy Technique required him to remain a virgin, which would prevent the girls from Chunyi Tower from bothering him too much. For some reason, as the True Essence within him deepened, Li Feng had developed a sense of disgust towards these common women.

"Of course, if there were beauties like Master's wife, I would still resolutely charge forward," Li Feng muttered to himself, grabbing the wine pot and taking a swig. The fine wine flowed down his throat, and a fiery sensation rose from his stomach. Li Feng exclaimed, "Good wine! This Chunyi Tower, damn it, truly lives up to its reputation as Suzhou Prefecture's best pleasure house. Although this wine doesn't quite compare to what I've collected, it's at least twenty years old."

As Li Feng was admiring the wine, Gu Cangyue finally managed to break free from the entanglement of seven or eight women. Wiping his face with his sleeve with a wry smile, Gu Cangyue said, "Brother, why did you have to practice such a wicked technique? The Pure Boy Technique, sigh... Next time, I'll have Hall Master Li come over. Otherwise, how can I handle this alone?"

Li Feng smiled and remained silent, scratching his chin. His attention had been drawn to several people in the courtyard below. Downstairs, seven or eight Chunyi Tower thugs had surrounded four or five men. The leading thug was speaking obsequiously, bowing and scraping, but the men they had surrounded didn't seem to appreciate it.

A middle-aged man, with a small mustache and a dignified appearance, clearly accustomed to giving orders, and looking to be in his early thirties, was waving a large folding fan decorated with gold-dusted patterns. He was loudly berating them, "You scoundrels, how dare you fight with me for girls? Little Li, beat them soundly." He dragged out the last word, his sharp voice piercing Li Feng's eardrums, making him jump in surprise.

Gu Cangyue moved closer to the window, glanced outside, and lightly spun the thumb ring on his finger, saying with a cold smile, "These bastards, they start fighting over girls as soon as they've had a few drinks. Hmph, let them beat each other until their heads are bloody, and then I'll clean up the mess. They have energy and strength to cause trouble? Throw them all in jail for a couple of days, make them pay a fine, and then let them get out of here."

Li Feng chuckled a few times, his shifty eyes landing on an oval jade pendant hanging from the middle-aged man's waist, and he couldn't help but be startled. The jade pendant was smooth and lustrous, emitting a faint milky glow under the lamplight, clearly a piece of top-quality Hetian jade. The quality of the jade aside, it was the carving on the pendant that truly captured Li Feng's attention. It depicted a ferocious, dancing Flying Dragon, its mouth holding a gleaming Ink-colored Treasure Pearl.

The laws of the Great Ming Dynasty were the most stringent, with strict regulations on the clothing of the common people. Many colors of clothing were forbidden for ordinary citizens. The patterns of dragons and phoenixes were exclusively for royalty. If anyone dared to wear such decorations without authorization, it was a crime punishable by the extermination of their entire family. Therefore, Li Feng was certain that this middle-aged man had a significant background.

A young man in his early twenties darted out from beside the middle-aged man, shouting in an extremely sharp voice, "Got it, Master! Just watch how I deal with them." With that, his figure suddenly split into two. As graceful as a slender willow in the wind, he struck out with nine extremely Yin and feminine palms. Li Feng could feel the fluctuations of the external world's Qi, and as the young man's palm strikes landed, the temperature in the vicinity dropped significantly.

Li Feng clicked his tongue, "Good heavens, is this guy a woman? Why is he practicing such Extreme Yin and Cold palm strikes? Damn it, what a vicious palm technique. Fortunately, this kid's cultivation is terrible. Otherwise, if he had my level of power, one palm strike would freeze a person solid! How could a grown man practice such martial arts? Unless he's an eunuch?" Li Feng glanced strangely at the young man's waist and abdomen, but naturally, he couldn't see anything.

Among the three men opposite the young man, a proud, slick-haired young master sneered, "Watch this," and struck out with a palm, meeting Little Li's palm strike.

With a soft 'poof,' Little Li's body was sent reeling back five or six feet, and he yelped, "What a fierce bastard! Master, this kid looks like a Rabbit Lord, but his claws actually have some strength, hehe." After speaking, he gently rubbed his hands. His left palm was loosely held in front of his chest, while his right palm was mysteriously hidden behind his back.

The young master, however, shivered all over, feeling a surge of chilling energy that traveled through his meridians straight into his internal organs. The discomfort was indescribable. He yelled in fury, "He dares to insult me? Kill him, kill him, kill him... Including his master, kill him!" The two middle-aged men behind him, who were clearly twins, rushed out without a word, unleashing four glowing palm strikes that stirred up a scorching gale.

Little Li screamed, "Crimson Spirit Palm! Master, dodge quickly!" He unleashed a flurry of palm shadows, meeting the palm shadows of the two men. The middle-aged man behind him yelled in exasperation, "Rebellion, rebellion! How dare they..." He seemed to realize something, quickly shut his mouth, and rapidly retreated a few steps, looking at Little Li with some concern.

With a loud 'bang,' Little Li spat out a black clot of blood and was sent flying backward, three inches off the ground. The young master shouted excitedly, "Kill this brat! Castrate that bastard for me! How dare he fight with me for girls? Doesn't he know who I am?" As he shouted, the two middle-aged men kicked away the Chunyi Tower thugs, one kick each, and lunged forward with sinister grins.

Li Feng's smooth voice rang out, "Oh my, who is this little brat? I don't recognize you. Fly for me!" Li Feng delivered a kick to the young master's backside. A tremendous force sent the young master howling as he flew more than thirty feet into the air, falling miserably onto the ground about fifty feet away, his head nearly smashing against a rockery. Li Feng grinned sinisterly, spread his hands, and sneakily pressed his palms into the backs of the two middle-aged men who hadn't turned around yet.

The two middle-aged men, who were using the 'Crimson Spirit Palm,' felt their hair stand on end as they heard the fierce wind behind them. They turned around quickly, but Li Feng's speed was too great, especially since it was a pure sneak attack. These two palm strikes landed squarely on the chests and abdomens of the two middle-aged men, sending them staggering back seventeen or eighteen steps, spitting blood, and collapsing on the ground.

Little Li shakily got to his feet, looked at his furious master, and quickly walked over. With his usual humble demeanor, he cupped his hands towards Li Feng and bowed, saying, "Brother, we truly must thank you. If you hadn't intervened in time, our master would have truly been harmed by them. It's truly fortunate that you saw injustice and acted."

The middle-aged man slowly walked over, fanning himself, gritted his teeth, and coldly ordered, "Little Li, why are you still talking nonsense? Go report to the authorities! These three scoundrels dared to kill people in broad daylight. Is there no law anymore? ... Hmm, hmm." He abruptly closed his fan, placed it on Little Li's shoulder, and pushed him aside. He smiled as he sized up Li Feng, then very casually smoothed his mustache with his left thumb and nodded, saying, "Little brother's martial arts are good, much more effective than my Little Li's. Hmm, follow me from now on, and I guarantee you wealth and prosperity, and endless food and drink."

Gu Cangyue, standing behind Li Feng, found it amusing. Who did this man think he was to make such promises? Moreover, he felt that this middle-aged man was utterly despicable. The man he had just saved hadn't even said thank you. Was he even human? What was even more infuriating was that he wanted to recruit someone upon meeting them, wasn't that too arrogant? Gu Cangyue was already preparing to watch the show with a cold smile, waiting to see how Li Feng would toy with this middle-aged man.

However, Li Feng appeared to be in deep thought. He slowly said, "Thank you for your kind offer. Heh heh, wealth and prosperity, I certainly want that. But, I have some things here that I can't get away from. Brother, I appreciate your kindness."

The middle-aged man's brows furrowed, and he looked sinister. He said with a cold smile, "What, you think I'm not qualified to invite you? Hmph, what future do you have in Suzhou Prefecture? I saw your skills were good, and I happen to be short of a capable bodyguard... Hmph." He pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Fine, everyone has their own aspirations, I won't force you. However, I... hmm, how about I hire you as my personal bodyguard? As soon as we return to my manor, you'll be well rewarded."

After speaking, the middle-aged man snorted at Little Li and reprimanded him in a low voice, "Still think your martial arts are so great? Turns out you can't even defeat a few lowly ruffians. Go back and practice more, don't embarrass us again... What is it? Aren't you going to report to the authorities and have these three ruffians beaten to death?"

Gu Cangyue could no longer hold back and stepped forward, sighing, "Brother, I am Gu Cangyue, the Chief Constable of Suzhou Prefecture. This was merely a drunken brawl. If it truly escalates to official matters, it will be difficult for both sides. Why don't we all stop here, go up for a drink of warm wine, and have a good time together?" Gu Cangyue leaned into his ear and whispered, "Those martial artists are all fierce. If you push them too hard, I'm afraid even I won't be able to handle them."

Gu Cangyue had a slight realization. Seeing the middle-aged man's overbearing demeanor, he was definitely someone of high standing. Perhaps Li Feng had discovered some clues, which was why he was deliberately being difficult.

The middle-aged man cast a resentful glance at the three men defeated by Li Feng and nodded, ordering, "Little Li, throw them all out, hmph." After speaking, he gave Gu Cangyue a deep look and said, "Certainly, certainly... Little brother, what is your name? I assume you two are together? Then let's go up for a drink together... Hey, you old fellow, if you don't find me your most popular girls, I'll have someone burn down your establishment."

Li Feng frowned, and together with Gu Cangyue, he accompanied this extremely hot-tempered and arrogant middle-aged man upstairs. Little Li, meanwhile, under everyone's watchful eyes, sinisterly placed a palm on the bellies of the two middle-aged men lying on the ground. After dropping a gold ingot, he shook his head and swaggered upstairs. His sharp voice left behind a sentence, "You guys figure it out. You don't want to cause trouble for the establishment, so see how you handle it... Hmph, listen up, you three scoundrels. If you want revenge, come find us in Yanjing if you dare... Your master is called Little Li, remember that."

The Chunyi Tower thugs and bodyguards quickly surrounded them. Since the middle-aged man had connected with Gu Cangyue and Li Feng, what else did they have to fear? The gold fell into their pockets, and they picked up the three men and threw them out the back door. Then, several buckets of cold water were poured over them. The thugs laughed and closed the courtyard gate, going inside. Only the young master, looking at his two subordinates who were completely incapacitated, roared in frustration, "You wait! How dare you treat me like this? I, I, our Netherworld Palace will not let you go."

Inside Chunyi Tower, the middle-aged man and Gu Cangyue chatted casually. Li Feng sat slumped to the side, his fingers restlessly fiddling with the arm of a woman playing the pipa, causing her to produce a series of almost noisy melodies. Little Li stood behind the middle-aged man like a phantom, moving lightly and quietly. It seemed as if the internal injuries he had just sustained had no effect on him at all. It was evident that he must have undergone rigorous training. The way he stood there casually meant that anyone who rushed in through the door or window intending to attack the middle-aged man would have to face his full might.

Li Feng downed another large pot of wine and said in a low voice, "This kid is very loyal, a shame his cultivation is a bit lacking. I bet a penny that this guy will vomit blood and collapse when he gets back to the inn. Damn it, still pretending, huh? Keep pretending... He's not my son, why should I care about him?" Li Feng casually propped his legs up on the Grand Tutor's Chair beside him, resting his right hand on the table to support himself, and lazily looked at the middle-aged man who called himself Zhao, Zhao Xi.

Zhao Xi felt Li Feng's gaze and turned his head, smiling, "Little brother Li, I'm serious. I know many important officials in the imperial court. Aren't you seeking wealth and status? Wealth and status are easily attainable if you follow me. Heh heh, you're so young and already have such good martial arts, it's truly unexpected... What do you say? Consider it. I, Zhao Xi, never speak empty words. What I promise, I will deliver. A mere Golden Dragon Gang cannot accommodate a great Bodhisattva like you." Zhao Xi looked at Li Feng with a face full of anticipation.

Li Feng was silent for a moment, pondering for a long time, and finally nodded slowly, "Of course, Master Zhao, you've said so many good things, why wouldn't I agree? However, I, Li Feng, am not someone who can be ordered around casually. Hmm, if you want me to work for you, that's fine, but I must have a few requests, right?"

Little Li exclaimed, "How dare you..."

Zhao Xi glared at Little Li, scaring him into taking a step back. Zhao Xi looked at Li Feng with a smile and nodded, "Naturally. I'm hiring you as a subordinate. How much silver do you want, what kind of official position, just say it."

Li Feng grabbed the head of a roasted suckling pig, bit down on its nose, shook his head from side to side for a long time, tore off a piece of meat, and after chewing and swallowing it, said, "Ah, first, I like money. As for the money, you, Master, can decide if it satisfies me. Second, I like romance and pleasure, so entertainment is the most important thing, and there must be many fun things. Third, I don't like doing proper business, and those proper businesses aren't suitable for me, so don't assign me any messy major tasks. Other requests can be added later, how about that?"

Zhao Xi was overjoyed and clapped his hands, saying, "Wonderful! I, I, I love romance and pleasure, poetry and songs, drinking and reveling are the most beautiful things. As long as you follow me, there will always be plenty of entertainment. As for those major matters, hehe, what major matters do I have to do? As long as you accompany me to Hangzhou, just like Little Li, then we can go back. If we hurry, we can still make it back to Yanjing for the New Year."

Gu Cangyue carefully glanced at Zhao Xi, then secretly glanced at Li Feng, and suddenly felt puzzled. This Zhao Xi was purely a dissolute man who frequented brothels and pleasure houses, so why was Li Feng so interested in him? Was it truly for wealth and status? But if that were the case, wouldn't his own desire to recruit Li Feng be in vain?

However, Gu Cangyue soon felt relieved. "That's fine. If you, Li Feng, leave Suzhou Prefecture, who in Suzhou Prefecture will be my opponent? The Golden Dragon Gang will only become my subordinate, and the entire Suzhou Prefecture will be my domain... Hmm, a man of honor, why should he share with others? So be it. Your departure, Li Feng, is also a good thing... Don't blame your brother for being too heartless, it's just that I can't figure you out, boy. Perhaps if you entered Cangfeng Fortress, your status would be above mine, and wouldn't I be paving the way for others?"

Once Gu Cangyue figured this out, he became elated and kept toasting with the wine pot. Zhao Xi had already fallen into the arms of a popular courtesan, his hands roaming over her body. As for Li Feng, he drank wine and babbled nonsense, appearing drunk, yet his eyes were clear as water. Gu Cangyue, caught by the periphery of his gaze, couldn't help but shiver.

The night grew deep