A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu wandered around the city for a long time. After making sure that no one was following him, he came to the Taiping Inn in the city.

Since Jinling Prefecture was one of the most prosperous places in the world, there were not only merchants from all industries but also overseas visitors. People from all over the world gathered here, so the Taiping Inn was open all hours every day.

When Qi Xuansu arrived at the Taiping Inn, the entire lobby was brightly lit. The innkeeper on the night shift stood behind the counter with a waiter next to him.

Qi Xuansu did not waste any time. He used his identity as the Black Robes Wei Wugui to get a room for a month, which cost 60 Taiping coins. This was because he would need a place to stay after he started to carry out the tasks assigned to him by Lei Xiaohuan. To avoid exposing his identity, he could not return to Zhenwu Temple unless necessary. Thus, The Taiping Inn, with its frequent flow of customers, was undoubtedly the best choice for accommodation.

After completing the check-in procedures, Qi Xuansu followed the waiter to the small independent courtyard he would call home for a month.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, Qi Xuansu instructed the waiter. “I will summon you if necessary, so you don’t need to come over unless I call for you.”

This kind of request was not unusual, so the waiter was not surprised and readily agreed to his request.

After the waiter left, Qi Xuansu looked around and marked the courtyard door, room door, and windows. That way, he would be able to detect it immediately if someone were to enter his room while he was away.

Then he put on his Jianghu attire and waited until dawn to leave through the side door of the Taiping Inn.

Qi Xuansu asked around and came to a breakfast stall, where he ordered a steam basket of soup dumplings and a bowl of duck blood vermicelli, both of which were famous delicacies in Jinling Prefecture. While eating, he placed his horizontal blade on the table.

After a while, a young man dressed as a scholar came over, looked around, and sat directly opposite Qi Xuansu. He ordered a bowl of chicken soup wontons and specifically asked to add some balsamic vinegar to it.

Qi Xuansu smiled in greeting. “Brother Tantai.”

This young man was none other than Zhang Yuelu in disguise as Tantai Chu, similar to how Qi Xuansu used the identity of Wei Wugui.

Since Pei Xiaolou mentioned that Qi Xuansu could speak frankly to Zhang Yuelu about the case and his tasks, he had no intention of hiding it from her. He actually dropped by Zhang Yuelu’s place before he went to Tianji Hall to collect his ammunition.

Zhang Yuelu was supportive when she learned about his new task. She then asked to meet him at this breakfast stall, where they could discuss this in more detail.

Qi Xuansu had been to Jinling Prefecture before, but he was not familiar with the roads and had to inquire about directions to this breakfast stall. Though the food here was delicious, Qi Xuansu was curious about how Zhang Yuelu, a person who practiced the Fasting Technique, found it.

While Qi Xuansu ate, Zhang Yuelu kept gawking at his face, as if she was not used to it.

Qi Xuansu coughed lightly and turned away.

Zhang Yuelu did not say anything. She merely picked up her spoon and drank the chicken soup in small sips.

Qi Xuansu also lowered his head to eat the soup dumplings.

Zhang Yuelu said out of the blue. “I once read a Western poem that says, ‘I hold not the ancient night nor music of the distant sphere, though both eternal, they elude my grasp, yet ever near.’”

Qi Xuansu frowned in thought before commenting, “I don’t like this poem. I think the night and music have to belong to us. After all, rainbows and sunshine always come after the rain.”

Zhang Yuelu could not help but laugh. She then said, “Let’s get down to business. Where do you plan to start?”

Qi Xuansu answered honestly, “I don’t have a clue yet, so I was hoping to ask you, mighty general, for advice.”

“Save the flattery.” Zhang Yuelu rolled her eyes. “I dare not say that I’m right, but I can give you a suggestion.”

“What is it?” Qi Xuansu looked eager to hear her out.

Zhang Yuelu pondered slightly. “I think we should start with the local Beggar Gang.”

There were many gangs and alliances in Jianghu that did not have unified teachings or beliefs. These gangs did not have unified teachings and were typically engaged in various means of livelihood.

For example, the Canal Gang relied on the Grand Canal for a living. Its members were primarily composed of millions of canal workers. Similarly, in every big city, there was bound to be a Beggar Gang.

As the name suggests, the members of the Beggar Gang were mainly beggars. The gang leader was called the King of Beggars. This Beggar King was considered a semi-authoritative figure whom the government relied on for many things.

Daoists believed that everything in the world was divided into yin and yang, including the government. There was a saying that the imperial power did not reach the countryside. Thus, to govern the lower classes, the government needed two supports—the gentry, representing yang, and the beggars, representing yin.

The Beggar Gang’s daily activities extend far beyond mere begging. They consisted of a large number of able-bodied men who, besides begging, engaged in various side businesses that others avoided. Such activities included guarding morgues, patrolling streets, collecting unclaimed corpses, filling out crowds for weddings and funerals, and even organizing ghost markets to sell stolen goods or grave loot.

Out-of-town bandits, thieves, and kidnappers must also seek the local Beggar Gang’s protection before engaging in their “profession” in or around the city.

In addition, many human traffickers had close ties with the Beggar Gang. These traffickers were just intermediaries, while the “supply” was provided by the Beggar Gang. Many maids and servants who were sold by wealthy families were also resold by traffickers to the Beggar Gang, which would then dispose of them.

Some beggars served as thugs. Most beggars had no family or home, so their deaths in fights caused no repercussions, and compensation for their deaths was minimal. Thus, brawls often marked an opportunity for them to earn money.

The Beggar King wielded absolute power over the beggars—enjoying their tributes, living in luxury, commanding servants, and keeping multiple wives and concubines, much like the gentry.

The members of the Beggar Gang hardly traveled around the world. Instead, they were scattered across major towns in localized factions. They were not centrally organized, which meant, despite sharing the same name, the Beggar Gang in Jinling Prefecture and the Beggar Gang in Imperial Capital were not affiliated with one another.

The power of a local Beggar Gang was closely related to the local government. The stronger the government, the weaker the Beggar Gang; conversely, when the government was lax, the Beggar Gang flourished.

The Beggar Gang reached the height of its power during the late Wei Dynasty due to famine, war, and political chaos. However, after the Great Xuan Dynasty seized power, it launched a large-scale crackdown and rectified the Beggar Gangs. Numerous Beggar Gangs were disbanded, their Beggar Kings executed, and those involved in serious crimes eradicated. The remaining members were exiled to Liaozhou for military farming.

The Great Xuan Dynasty’s iron-fist rule nearly wiped out the Beggar Gang. However, over the past century, as the government became less effective than during its founding years, the Beggar Gang has gradually resurged and once again served as a pillar of support for the government.

Having spent years traveling the world, Qi Xuansu certainly knew about the existence of the Beggar Gang, but he rarely interacted with them.

“That’s a good idea,” Qi Xuansu remarked thoughtfully. “Compared to secret societies, the Beggar Gang’s influence is relatively limited, but they are true local powers and undoubtedly well-informed. However, the current situation is deeply entangled, with friend and foe indistinguishable. I can’t expose my identity recklessly, and as an outsider, how can I connect with these local powers?”

Zhang Yuelu hesitated for a moment. “The Cihang lineage is quite influential in Jinling Prefecture. I have a senior sister here who may have some connections.”

“Bai Yingqiong, the Chief Deputy Jiangnan Mansion Master?” Qi Xuansu asked.

Zhang Yuelu nodded. “Yes. However, my senior sister’s stance is still quite ambiguous. Although she is a member of the Zhengyi Sect and a disciple of Sage Cihang, she has been in Jiangnan Daoist Mansion for many years, so there will inevitably be some vested interests involved. I am working hard to win her over, and I believe there won’t be much of a problem, especially with my master still around.”

This was also reasonable. Unless Sage Cihang succeeded in becoming the Grand Master, Bai Yingqiong could already see the limits of her prospects.

No matter how much Bai Yingqiong prioritized the greater good, Zhang Yuelu would be the biggest beneficiary, leaving the former with little incentive to take risks. However, for now, the leader of the Cihang Lineage was Sage Cihang, not Zhang Yuelu. So Bai Yingqiong remained cautious and adopted a neutral stance.

Qi Xuansu thought for a while and muttered, “I suppose that will have to do.”

In fact, Qi Xuansu still had another lead—the Qingping Society. However, it was not something he could openly share with Zhang Yuelu.

The Qingping Society had fewer members compared to other secret societies, but each member had multiple identities and held key positions in various organizations. This was the fundamental reason why Lei Xiaohuan chose Qi Xuansu for this task.

However, since Madam Qi had yet to arrive in Jinling Prefecture, Qi Xuansu could not simply wait idly and decided to start with the Beggar Gang.

Finally, Zhang Yuelu said, “I will visit my senior sister again. I’ll have news for you in three days at most, one day at the earliest. Meanwhile, you can try to investigate on your end.”