Monk Jiyan

"Dates?" Ma Sanniang popped one into her mouth. "Not bad. Did you grow these in your own courtyard?"

Li Ping'an took a sip of tea. "This is the very first basket from my courtyard."

Ma Sanniang raised an eyebrow. "At least you have some conscience, brat. All the care I've shown you hasn't gone to waste."

"What's the commission this time?"

"Have you heard of Monk Jiyan?"

Rather than answer Li Ping'an's question, Ma Sanniang lit her pipe and spoke at a leisurely pace.

Li Ping'an shook his head.

Ma Sanniang said, "He was an eminent monk from the Western Regions, deeply versed in Buddhist teachings. Rumor has it he was a cultivator, too.

"He traveled through the various kingdoms, spreading his ideas.

"He was last seen deep in the great desert. They say that at the place where he passed into nirvana,

"you can find enough gold, silver, and treasures to last a lifetime, along with peerless cultivation techniques.

"They also say the Sharira formed after his death can 'restore the broken and replace the missing.'

"In other words, it can restore sight to the blind and regrow missing limbs. You get the idea."

At that, Li Ping'an raised his eyebrows slightly.

Ma Sanniang smiled. "Well? Interested now, aren't you? Don't say I never look out for you.

"Several people were falling over themselves to grab this commission. I insisted on holding it back for you."

Ma Sanniang blew a cloud of smoke toward him and continued.

"Over the years, plenty of people tried to find the place where Jiyan passed into nirvana, but they all failed.

"Until five years ago, when a group found this mysterious treasure deep in the great desert.

"Then they turned on each other. Every one of them wanted the treasure for themselves, and they ended up slaughtering one another.

"Only one survived and claimed the treasure.

"After that, he concealed his identity and vanished without a trace.

"But... we still found him.

"A eunuch from the palace commissioned us to obtain this miraculous Sharira."

Li Ping'an said, "You want me to pocket the Sharira while carrying out the commission?"

"How could I allow that? It wasn't easy building the Spring Beauty Courtyard's reputation. I have no intention of ruining it."

Ma Sanniang leaned back. She was already wearing little enough, and her breasts threatened to spill out.

"So... for your sake, brat, I didn't accept this commission.

"That way, we aren't breaking the rules. Get your hand fixed, then come back and keep working for me."

Li Ping'an fell silent for a while before saying, "Thank you."

Ma Sanniang made it sound easy, but he could guess the complications involved without even thinking.

"That old eunuch won't let it go. After I turned him down, I heard he went looking for assassins from the Wind Listening Pavilion.

"Be careful. Those people aren't harmless vegetarians."

The streets were as lively as ever.

The sounds of trading, hawking, and haggling... all blended together.

Inside a roadside tavern, a waiter darted back and forth carrying food and wine.

From the brothel came the sounds of finger-guessing games, laughter, conversation, and clinking cups.

Li Ping'an led Old Ox along at an unhurried pace.

As he passed the entrance to the market, he sensed a familiar presence.

It was his neighbor Duha, Aliya's elder sister.

Like other women from the Western Regions, Duha wore a short-sleeved, open-front blouse.

It had no fastenings, only ties on the lapels knotted over her chest.

A hairpin adorned her long hair, Jet-Black as a flowing spring.

But now, a rare trace of anger had appeared on her pretty face.

Several young louts surrounded Duha's stall, joking around and shoving one another.

"Get lost!"

Ever since her father had vanished five years ago, Duha had been making a living here with her younger sister in tow.

She had encountered this sort of thing more times than she could count.

A girl who looked so gentle and refined had been forced to act like a shrew, trading curses with people in the street.

"Go home and suck your mothers' milk!" Duha slammed the curved saber in her hand down onto the table.

Rather than being frightened, the young louts laughed.

"Not our mothers'. How about yours?"

Duha shielded her younger sister with her body, but the youths refused to leave her alone.

They shoved Duha roughly, letting out brazen laughter every so often.

"Hey! Let me give you a hug."

The youth at the front suddenly stiffened. A large hand had clamped down on his arm.

He looked at the muscles on the other man's arm, then at his own, as scrawny as a little chick's.

The youth froze for a moment, then looked up and found himself facing a rather frightening face.

"Our master says he doesn't want to see you in the Anbei Four Garrisons again."

The youth swallowed and turned his head.

An ornate, lavish carriage stood beside the street, with several guards following behind it.

South City Master Meng-a man who killed without batting an eye.

The other youths were too frightened to utter a word and promptly scurried away.

"Thank you," Duha said, thanking him stiffly.

The guard said little. He simply picked a few things at random from the stall, tossed down some money, and left.

Li Ping'an stood a short distance away. Only after South City Master Meng had left did he approach.

"Uncle! Niu Niu!"

Aliya brightened and ran over to Niu Niu.

"Perfect timing. Go home with Uncle. Don't forget to heat up yesterday's food. It'll spoil if we don't finish it soon."

Her elder sister, Duha, quickly packed up the stall.

Every day after closing her stall, Duha would spend an hour near their old house.

A little over six months after their father left, someone had taken their old house away.

Afraid her father wouldn't be able to find their new home if he returned, Duha wandered around the old house whenever she had time, hoping to run into him as he made his way home.

For five years, she had never missed a single day or night.

"Uncle, Uncle, we made lots of money today!"

On the way home, Aliya guarded the money tucked against her chest with her little hands, her face brimming with excitement.

"Aliya can buy lots and lots of candied hawthorn skewers."

Li Ping'an smiled. "Can you eat that many all by yourself?"

"Some are for my sister, and for Uncle and Niu Niu, too. If Daddy comes back..."

Aliya hesitated. "Mm... none for Daddy."

"Why?"

"Because Daddy's a bad man. He hasn't come back to see my sister in so long. She cries every night."

Li Ping'an wanted to say something, but no words came out.

He merely stroked Aliya's head.

When he arrived home, he found several young men in short tunics sitting outside his courtyard gate.

"You're back? This month's dues are due."

These young men were all members of the Fire Bear Gang.

There were plenty of gangs like the Fire Bear Gang in the Anbei Four Garrisons. The larger ones controlled whole districts, while the smaller ones controlled individual streets.

A complete system had already taken shape in the Anbei Four Garrisons.

The authorities managed the gangs, and the gangs kept Public Order.

Of course, it wasn't free. There were monthly dues.

And the customary payments during festivals and holidays were unavoidable as well.

Li Ping'an paid that month's dues, then took out some extra money.

"Sorry for the trouble, Brother Er. Treat the boys to some tea with this."

Liu Er nodded. "No problem. How have your earnings been lately?"

"Thanks to you, Brother Er, they've been pretty good."

Liu Er patted Li Ping'an on the shoulder. "Good. If anyone gives you trouble, mention my name."

Then he left with his men. They still had to collect dues from the next household.

This sort of thing generally went without a hitch.

In the Anbei Four Garrisons, compared with the authorities,

the common people were more willing to trust these gangs.

Because most of the time, the gangs were far more reliable than the authorities.

They might be looking out for their own profits, but they also understood that a thin stream flowed for a long time.