Zhou Shoushan and Wu Hui exchanged a glance, amusement in both their eyes.
He was only an apprentice escort, earning no more than three qian of silver a month, yet he wanted to point them toward a way to make money.
They had fallen on hard times, but they had once lived in glory. Did he really take them for beggars?
They had merely flattered Kong Bin a few times. He was young, after all—just a few polite words, and he had already lost his bearings!
Though the two paid it no mind, Kong Bin continued earnestly.
"There's an apprentice escort from the same batch as me, named Duan Rong."
"He sells paintings on West Avenue and takes in a hundred taels of silver a day. I made a rough calculation—this kid has at least several thousand taels of silver in his hands!"
Zhou Shoushan was slightly startled. Several thousand taels was no small sum even to him. He turned to glance at Wu Hui, his eyes now asking a question.
Wu Hui fell silent for a moment, then said, "A while back, I seem to have heard something happened on West Avenue... Something about... two women nearly causing a death over paintings!"
"That's right!" Kong Bin looked up at Wu Hui. "That was it. The painter I was talking about was Duan Rong!"
"Does this man have any backing?" Zhou Shoushan grew interested. Stroking his chin, he asked.
"Both his parents are dead. He's an orphan! Just like me, selected from the menial disciples!"
"Are you sure he has several thousand taels of silver?"
"Gang Leader Zhou, you don't often stroll around West Avenue. You don't know—his paintings sell for ten taels apiece, and people line up for them every day!"
Zhou Shoushan was mildly astonished. He knew nothing