Fortune Paste

"Twenty taels?"

Lin Qing felt a stir in his heart.

This was no small sum; it was enough to cover a common family's expenses for an entire year.

"Could you elaborate, Senior Brother?"

"It was commissioned by a young master surnamed Liu from the Inner City. This dried meat is the deposit he gave me."

Zhang Shun lowered his voice further: "Down at the docks, there's a White Horse Gang leader named Chen Bao who didn't know his place—he snatched a top courtesan that Young Master Liu had his eye on."

"Young Master Liu is furious, but since he can't openly use his family's influence, he's looking for people privately to teach that black-hearted leopard a harsh lesson."

"What kind of lesson?" Lin Qing asked.

"Burn down the cargo shed he manages. Let him suffer a silent loss and bleed some money!"

Zhang Shun paused, then added: "Young Master Liu said that regardless of whether we succeed or not, this ten-tael deposit is ours to keep."

"If the results satisfy him after the deed is done, there will be additional compensation."

"I've already contacted two other trustworthy junior brothers from the hall, both at the Skin Tempering Realm. With you and me, that makes four—more than enough to ensure success."

Lin Qing fell into deep thought.

If it were any other White Horse Gang leader, he would have had to weigh the risks carefully.

But that Chen Bao was no good bird to begin with.

He was more than happy to cause the man trouble.

Furthermore, twenty taels of silver was truly a significant amount.

The risk lay in setting a fire on White Horse Gang territory.

If caught on the spot, the consequences would be unimaginable.

However, since Zhang Shun dared to take the job, he must have a thorough plan, and there were two other senior brothers involved as well.

"Fine. Since you trust me, Senior Brother, I'm in!"

Lin Qing finally made up his mind.

If he wanted to practice martial arts, resources were indispensable.

An opportunity like this could not be missed.

"Splendid!"

Zhang Shun slapped his thigh and pushed the remaining dried meat toward Lin Qing.

"I'm in need of money lately, so I'll settle the remaining fifteen taels with you when the time comes."

"No problem." Lin Qing nodded and accepted the dried meat.

"Tomorrow at the third quarter of the Xu hour, meet at the entrance of the third alley west of the East Docks. Remember to wear inconspicuous clothing."

"Understood."

When it came time to pay the bill, Lin Qing stepped forward and paid first, his movements natural.

Zhang Shun saw this, and his smile widened.

He found this junior brother increasingly agreeable.

The bonds between people were often built in just such a way.

Leaving the tavern, the two parted ways.

Before departing, Zhang Shun patted him on the shoulder.

"Ah Qing, my brother in the Northern Frontier sent a letter saying the imperial army suffered a crushing defeat."

"If you trust me, start preparing to stockpile grain in advance."

After saying this, Zhang Shun strode away.

Hearing this, Lin Qing felt a chill in his heart. No wonder Zhang Shun was offloading his dried meat; could it be that he was already planning to stockpile supplies?

After a moment's thought, he detoured to a rice shop and a butcher, buying ten catties of fatty pork belly and nearly a hundred catties of brown rice in one go.

Because of this, there wasn't much money left on him.

Under the slightly envious gazes of the shopkeeper and the surrounding customers, he shouldered the heavy load of rice and meat and hurried along.

Many people on the road saw the rice and meat in Lin Qing's hands, their Adam's apples bobbing in hunger.

But fearing the robes Lin Qing wore, they dared not make a move.

Lin Qing returned to Yongning Street without incident.

Across the way, because business was dismal, Security Hall had already begun packing up, preparing to close for the day.

Seeing Lin Qing return carrying a large amount of supplies, Pan An's eyes flickered. He didn't know what he was pondering, but his expression turned somewhat gloomy.

Lin Qing couldn't be bothered to pay them any mind, heading straight back home.

"Ah Qing, what is this..."

Lin Wan was startled to see her younger brother carrying back so many things.

Especially those ten catties of pork belly; in these times, that was a major expenditure.

"They say there's going to be a war in the North, so I figured I should buy some extra grain."

Lin Qing set down the hundred-catty sack of rice from his shoulder with ease.

Lin Wan scrutinized Lin Qing carefully, only then realizing that in just over two months, her brother seemed to have grown a bit taller.

His frame had become more upright, his once slightly delicate face now possessed sharper angles, and his eyes were bright.

Standing there, he naturally exuded a vibrant, vigorous energy.

Compared to the frail youth who used to guard the desolate medicine shop with a worried frown, he was like a completely different person.

"Brother, you've changed so much," Lin Wan said in surprise.

"Sister, I've broken through to the Skin Tempering Realm," Lin Qing explained with a smile.

"Our lives will only get better from here on out. You should process this meat and turn it into smoked meat so it lasts longer."

"You've reached the same level as Father? That's wonderful!"

A smile instantly bloomed on Lin Wan's face: "Alright, alright, I'll get to it right away!"

Lin Wan felt a sense of immense relief, and as she worked, the corners of her mouth curled upward involuntarily.

Now that her brother had become a martial artist, he could be considered someone of standing here on Yongning Street.

Life was finally moving in a better direction, step by step.

The night was as dark as ink, with the waning moon occasionally obscured by drifting clouds, casting a faint glimmer through the gaps.

A damp, cold river breeze blew in from the Ping River, whipping up discarded reed fluff and emitting a mournful sound that added to the chill.

Four dark shadows merged into the night, silently sneaking toward the perimeter of the western dock area.

They were all dressed in sleek black night-traveling clothes, their faces covered by black cloth, leaving only their sharp, gleaming eyes exposed.

Leading them was the agile Zhang Shun; he made a gesture, and the four immediately crouched low, hiding behind a pile of discarded cables and wooden crates.

Not far ahead, two members of the White Horse Gang, wearing motley-colored short jackets, were leaning against a crude earthen wall, clutching their blades and clubs.

They chatted in low voices, occasionally letting out lewd chuckles, clearly unaware of the approaching danger.

Zhang Shun's gaze was sharp; after observing for a moment, he gave a few concise hand signals to the three men beside him.

Lin Qing and the other two martial arts hall disciples understood; like arrows released from a bow, the three of them lunged out from different directions, using the shadows as cover!

Lin Qing's target was the slightly taller gang member on the left.

His footwork was light and swift; the body control granted by the Skin Tempering Realm allowed him to move almost without a sound.

When he was three feet behind his target, the gang member seemed to sense something and was just about to turn around, but Lin Qing had already closed in like a ghost. His left hand covered the man's mouth and nose like lightning, while his right arm clamped around his neck like an iron hoop, exerting sudden force!

"Ugh!"

The gang member only managed a short, muffled grunt before a massive force struck him; his vision went black, and he instantly lost consciousness.

Lin Qing carefully laid him down, his movements clean and efficient.

For a martial artist, dealing with ordinary gang lackeys on guard duty was effortless.

On the other side, Zhang Shun and the other two had also succeeded almost simultaneously, taking down the other gang member and a nearby sentry.

The entire process took no more than a few breaths, without making any significant noise.

"Move!"

Zhang Shun whispered, and the four sped forward, quickly crossing the outer perimeter and slipping into the warehouse area.

According to the intelligence they had gathered, they soon found the target area: several old warehouses guarded by Chen Bao's men.

"Split up and finish this quickly. Once the incendiaries are lit, retreat along the original path immediately. We'll regroup under the willow tree by the river!"

Zhang Shun quickly assigned the tasks, distributing the kerosene and flammable materials he had brought to the three of them.

Lin Qing took a small jar of kerosene and a bundle of oil-soaked hemp, nodding. He chose the warehouse furthest inside.

He crept to a ventilation window on the side of the warehouse, carefully pried open the rotting wooden frame with his short blade, and squeezed his body through.

The interior of the warehouse was pitch black, filled with the stifling scent of dust and accumulated cargo.

Through the extremely faint moonlight filtering in from the window, one could see piles of goods covered in burlap or straw mats.

Lin Qing dared not delay, quickly finding a corner piled with dry debris to pour the kerosene.

However, just before he acted, his heart stirred. On a whim, he walked over to a pile of goods covered by a black cloth and used his short blade to gently slice open a corner of the burlap.

He had intended to confirm whether it was just ordinary clutter, so as not to burn something he shouldn't and invite unnecessary trouble.

But when the burlap was sliced open, revealing square blocks wrapped tightly in oil paper, an extremely unique scent suddenly pierced his nostrils.

This smell...

Lin Qing shuddered.

Although he had never seen it with his own eyes in his past life, based on his pharmacological expertise, he deduced that this must be the Fortune Paste of this era.

It was also a substance strictly prohibited for sale by the authorities.

Following this, he used the tip of his blade to pry open another piece of oil paper.

Under the dim light, the viscous, dark brown, paste-like substance confirmed his suspicions beyond a doubt.

Cold sweat instantly poured down Lin Qing's body, soaking the clothes beneath his outer garments.

The White Horse Gang was actually hoarding and transporting Fortune Paste in secret.