The young gang leader, Zhou Yingjun, was not very tall.
Amid a whole group of burly men, he was hardly noticeable.
Yet all the disciples knew that he was far from comparable to ordinary people. He was a Bright Force martial artist who had already stepped into Ninth Grade Martial Arts.
Bright Force martial artists possessed the strength of a thousand jin, hides like oxhide, and were difficult to injure even with blades.
This young gang leader in particular had already reached the peak of Ninth Rank. His tendons, bones, skin, and flesh had been tempered to perfection. Not to mention ordinary swords and sabers, even the county yamen's musket squad likely could not harm him in the slightest.
In the entire Great River Gang, aside from the old gang leader Zhou Tianxiong, who was like a divine dragon that showed its head but never its tail, he was the ceiling of combat strength.
Su Xinghe had also seen this young gang leader fight several times. His refined iron spear weighed thirty or forty jin, and when swung, it was like a meat grinder.
Whether it was swords, spears, halberds, or iron-plated shields, anything that so much as scraped against it would immediately twist out of shape.
It could be said that ordinary gang disciples like Su Xinghe and the others would have almost no chance of escaping if they were targeted.
Fortunately, none of the opponents he had encountered so far had been Grade Martial Artists.
Zhou Yingjun entered the room, his sharp gaze sweeping across the crowd.
At once, the entire hall fell silent.
"You performed well today. The drinks tonight are on me."
He spoke concisely and clearly, his voice loud and forceful. Even the disciples at the very edge heard every word plainly.
At that, everyone could not help cheering in unison.
After all, today was unlike usual. Everyone had more or less pocketed some spoils, and practically each person had treated themselves to extra dishes and fine wine.
Su Xinghe was secretly delighted as well, and his smile toward the young gang leader became a few degrees more sincere. Even the platter of pig head meat on the table before him became rather adorable.
But that was not all. Zhou Yingjun whispered a few words to the men behind him, and Brother Blade, one of the chief enforcers, brought over a heavy wooden chest.
Everyone's eyes went straight. This was the main event of the evening.
"Li Tiebang, come up!"
"Your squad won the foremost merit today. Including twenty-two Military Merits, you are awarded a total of sixty-two taels of silver."
Zhou Yingjun still spoke rather cautiously. After all, they were inside the city. Even though he was a martial artist, matters like murder and arson could not be openly laid on the table before so many people.
On the left side of the hall, a bare-chested brute with his chest wrapped in thick bandages was helped forward, unable to wait any longer.
It looked as though he had received the news long ago. Even with severe injuries, he had insisted on showing his face at this merit-and-reward gathering.
"This lowly one, Li Tiebang, thanks the young gang leader for the reward!"
"Mm. You're a tough man!"
That single word of praise made the blood still seeping through the brute's bandages seem irrelevant as his mouth split into a crooked grin.
He had once worked hard too, hoping to become a martial artist like the young gang leader. But his talent was lacking, and he had no resources. His ability to secure his position as a minor leader now rested entirely on the fact that his life was tough enough.
Under the candlelight, the gleaming silver made everyone's hearts sway. They all breathed heavily, including Su Xinghe in the corner.
He needed silver far too badly.
One name after another was crossed off the list. Before long, a name Su Xinghe had been eagerly awaiting was called.
"Zhang Whiskers!"
"Your squad fought fiercely and slew the enemy bravely. Sixteen Military Merits, for a total reward of thirty-six taels of silver."
As he spoke, the young gang leader's gaze swept over their table and paused briefly on Su Xinghe.
Military Merit meant the number of enemies killed. The figures just reported had made even him, a Ninth-Rank Martial Warrior, take notice.
An eight-man squad had taken sixteen heads. This inconspicuous newcomer alone had claimed six.
"Gulp!"
Lu Kui swallowed hard. Minor leader Zhang Whiskers was his immediate superior. There were eight people in the squad, and he estimated he would receive three or four taels from the thirty-six taels of silver.
The Great River Gang handled matters efficiently, and this young gang leader Zhou Yingjun was a ruthless man of few words.
In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the merits had been assessed and the rewards distributed.
After sharing a cup of wine with the crowd, Zhou Yingjun swiftly departed with the two chief enforcers.
Today's gains were not limited to the small sum of silver from the Qian Family Merchant Association. At the Brokerage Guild, an entire shipload of spoils still awaited his inspection.
In a corner of the hall, the seven squad members waited eagerly.
There had long been an unspoken rule for internal squad distribution. Captain Zhang Whiskers took sixteen taels, and the remaining twenty taels were divided among them.
The six "old hands" each received three taels of silver. A certain new disciple, despite fighting fiercely and taking the most heads, received only two taels.
Su Xinghe could not help feeling disappointed, but quickly adjusted himself.
Once one mixed with the underworld, where could fairness possibly be found?
Only one's own strength was truly dependable.
So, once the silver reached his hands, he used the excuse of taking a piss to slip away.
Lu Kui put away his silver, still not satisfied, and again suggested going to Two-Chi Alley for some fun. Everyone loudly agreed, only to turn around and find that little brother Blackie had vanished without a trace.
"Ahem, ahem!"
"The wife at home is urging me hard. This brother will be leaving first."
"Ah, guests happen to have come to my house. You all have fun."
"It's no fun with too few people. How about we stay here and drink and play cards instead?"
By then, Su Xinghe had already left Eight-Zhang Street.
He stood before an alley and studied it carefully for a moment.
At last, he pointed toward the corner of the wall on the right.
"Uncle, I want that one!"
"Young brother, you have a good eye!"
"Naturally. I'm an expert. That one has a full chest and a perky rump. You can tell at a glance it's healthy."
The uncle gave him a thumbs-up.
"Want me to kill it for you?"
"Kill it!"
The uncle raised his knife and brought it down, beginning to drain the blood and scald off the feathers while calling out as he worked.
"Alright, exactly five jin. Forty copper coins."
Across his two lives, Su Xinghe was already forty or fifty years old altogether.
Naturally, he would not be pushed into something against his will just because he was thin-skinned.
His family was impoverished, and his future uncertain. Rather than waste this money, he might as well buy something to eat and improve the meals for himself and his family.
As for whether he would be given a hard time tomorrow, he was already cannon fodder. Was he supposed to fear being given a hard time?
The next morning, the sky had only just begun to brighten.
"Mother, I'm heading to the docks. The chicken soup is stewing in the heated bed. Don't forget to eat it at noon."
After receiving the reward silver last night, Su Xinghe had bought a hen from the night market in the south of the city on his way home. He had buried it in grass ash in the heated bed overnight, letting it slowly stew.
He took a sip of the soup that morning. It was damn delicious!
"Oh..."
"Cough, cough..."
"Why did you spend that money..."
The rest of her voice was almost inaudible. He had already gone out and left the alley.
"Morning, Boss! Have you eaten?"
At the mouth of the alley, a thin, small figure was squatting against the wall. Seeing him emerge, a pair of large, clear black-and-white eyes rolled busily around.
"What is it?"
Su Xinghe stopped and looked down sidelong at the youth.
The other had run off so quickly yesterday that it had made him, the boss, lose face. Besides, he had only just given him living expenses. Was the boy here to mooch food and drink again today?
The thin youth had wanted to play mysterious, but when he caught sight of his boss's less-than-pleasant expression, he realized his approach might have been a little rash. He hurriedly sped up and explained his purpose.
"I just got two pieces of news."
"The iron escort chief of the Qingshan Escort Agency in the east of the city let word slip at his banquet last night that they plan to recruit ten escorts. Anyone hired will be taught genuine martial arts."
"But they didn't say whether there would be a monthly stipend."
"And about the Old Madman you told me to keep an eye on—he may not be able to hold on much longer. The medicine boy who fetches prescriptions at Huichun Hall sent word that his original injury treatment prescription has been withdrawn. The doctor is prescribing strong medicines to calm the mind and ease pain now."
"I think he may have run out of silver."
Before you continue