Hard to Join a Gang

Lu Shaolin turned and cupped his hands to the old man, then headed for the Blackwater Gang headquarters.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a Water Fortress appeared before him, standing on one-third of the riverway. A wooden-planked road connected the shore to the fortress.

The entire Water Fortress was built of wood. Four burly men stood at the entrance by the shore, dressed in identical black martial outfits with long sabers at their waists, their wary gazes sweeping the surroundings.

Lu Shaolin did not slow his steps and walked toward the entrance.

"Kid, this is the Blackwater Gang headquarters. Idlers are forbidden from approaching!" one of the leading burly men warned Lu Shaolin.

"Brother, I wanted to ask—aside from waiting until next spring, is there any other way to join the Blackwater Gang early?" Lu Shaolin asked with a smile, cupping his hands.

"You want to join early? If you know one of the hall masters or stewards in the gang, a word from them will do. If you don't know anyone, you'd better honestly wait until next spring!" the burly man said.

"Uh... is there any other way?" Lu Shaolin froze for a moment, then asked again.

Sure enough! Every world runs on connections!

"There isn't! Kid, hurry up and leave!" The burly man waved his hand, urging him away.

"Alright! Thank you for letting me know!" Lu Shaolin cupped his hands, turned, and left.

Since the Blackwater Gang would not work, he would go take a look at the Little Knife Society.

When he passed the tea stall, the old man even asked whether he had joined a gang. Lu Shaolin shook his head, bade the old man farewell, and headed toward the county town again.

Looking at the sky, he saw that it was nearly noon. No wonder his stomach was a little hungry.

Lu Shaolin quickened his pace. Heaven and earth might be vast, but eating came first!

He hurried to the county town and found a roadside stall. He wolfed down three large bowls of noodles with gravy in one go, astonishing even the stall owner.

The owner's noodles with gravy came in generous portions, mainly meant for laborers. An ordinary man would be stuffed after one large bowl, yet this youth, though sturdily built, had eaten a full three large bowls. It was truly startling!

"Boss, the bill!" Lu Shaolin rubbed his slightly bulging belly and called out contentedly.

"Coming! Young sir, that was three large bowls, fifteen copper coins altogether," the stall owner said with a smile.

"Here you go." Lu Shaolin took out the coins and handed them over.

"Much obliged, young sir," the owner said, accepting them with a smile.

He rose, rubbed his slightly bulging belly, and slowly wandered along the street.

He could not be bothered to return home, so he planned to find an inn to rest in and check out the Little Knife Society's territory that night.

After making a round, he spotted an inn.

"Fortune-Bringing Inn." Lu Shaolin muttered as he looked at the signboard, then stepped inside.

More than a dozen tables and chairs stood in the main hall, with guests seated at four or five tables. A waiter was wiping down a tabletop.

Seeing Lu Shaolin enter, the waiter set down his rag and came forward. "Will you be dining or staying the night, sir?"

"I'm staying the night," Lu Shaolin said with a smile.

"A shared bunkroom is ten copper coins, a standard room is thirty, and a superior room is fifty. Which would you like, sir?" the waiter rattled off.

"A standard room will do!" Lu Shaolin touched his pocket. His funds were rather meager!

"Right away! Shopkeeper, one standard room!" the waiter called toward the counter. Then he gestured politely and smiled at Lu Shaolin. "Please pay over here."

"Mm." Lu Shaolin nodded, followed the waiter to the counter, and paid.

"Sir, please follow me. Your room is on the second floor." The waiter led Lu Shaolin upstairs.

After climbing to the second floor, the waiter brought Lu Shaolin to his room.

Pushing open the door, Lu Shaolin found the furnishings extremely simple: two chairs and one table, with a bathing tub and bed behind a screen.

"Would you like to bathe, sir?" the waiter asked.

"No. I'll talk about it when I return tonight." Lu Shaolin shook his head.

"Very well. If you need anything, pull this rope, and I'll come right over." The waiter pointed to a hemp rope by the door.

"Mm, thank you." Lu Shaolin replied with a smile.

"Then please rest well, sir. I still need to go downstairs and work."

"Go ahead!"

The waiter withdrew from the room and gently shut the door.

Lu Shaolin bolted the door, walked to the bed, leaned his long spear against its side, and lay down on his back.

"Mm, lying down really is more comfortable." Lu Shaolin stretched and closed his eyes.

Before long, faint snores sounded as he drifted into dreamland.

It was not until dinnertime that Lu Shaolin opened his eyes. He sprang to his feet, rubbed his cheeks, picked up his long spear, and left the room.

Downstairs, the main hall was bustling. Nearly all the dozen or so tables were occupied, and voices of conversation and drinking rose and fell one after another.

"Sir, would you like to dine in the inn?" Seeing Lu Shaolin come downstairs, the shopkeeper asked with a smile.

"No." Lu Shaolin shook his head and walked straight out of the inn.

By now, night had fallen. Every shop had lit the lanterns outside its door, giving the place the distinct feel of a night market.

Lu Shaolin headed for Spring Blossom Street, the most prosperous street in the county town.

Spring Blossom Street was packed with brothels and gambling houses. In terms from Lu Shaolin's previous life, this was Ping County's entertainment district!

Upon arriving at Spring Blossom Street, he found it as lively as expected, blazing with lights!

Lu Shaolin first found a small stall and settled his dinner, then got up and walked deeper into the street.

Looking at the gaudily dressed girls on the second floor, Lu Shaolin wore an extremely strange expression. It was not for any other reason, but because every one of those girls was voluptuous, some of them even extraordinarily so!

After searching through the memories of the original owner of this body, Lu Shaolin understood.

The Great Xia Dynasty's standard of beauty for women resembled that of a dynasty from Lu Shaolin's previous life: plumpness was considered beautiful!

From the very founding of the Great Xia Dynasty, great importance had been placed on childbirth. Women who bore and raised many children could even receive commendations from the authorities.

Perhaps due to the subtle influence of the dynasty's policies, common folk favored women who were plump and robust. After all, being fat meant having a strong constitution and being better able to bear descendants! Those of the upper class preferred slightly plump women with curves in all the right places. In short, they could not be too thin or frail!

Withdrawing his gaze, Lu Shaolin walked toward the largest brothel.

The moment he reached the entrance, a pimp stopped him with a smile. "Young sir, you look rather young, don't you? The cheapest girl here costs at least two taels of silver. Have you brought enough money?"

"I'm here to find someone from the Little Knife Society," Lu Shaolin said.

"You're looking for someone from our gang? May I ask what business you have with us, young sir?" The pimp froze for a moment, but continued asking with a smile.

"I want to join your gang!" Lu Shaolin said directly.

"If you wish to join our gang, young sir, you can wait until next spring. We aren't taking in members now. But if you have enough silver, it isn't impossible to make an exception." The pimp's eyes rolled as he leaned closer and lowered his voice.

"Oh? How much silver would that take?" Lu Shaolin quickly asked.

"My cousin is a minor leader in the gang. He can recommend you for admission. The recommendation fee is only twenty taels of silver." The smile on the pimp's face grew even broader.