Chapter Seven, The Nine Lower Classes

Being so looked down upon, even with his deep scheming, Hao Laoda was filled with rage in his heart. This led his subordinates to buy groceries and drink in silence at the guesthouse.

If such a person were to appear in the town in the past, they would certainly stand out, as the transient population in this town is not large; essentially, the presence of a stranger would attract attention.

Brother, we are enjoying good food and drink at home, why bother to flatter this old man's stinky feet

The person known as Liuzi is specifically responsible for collecting the key figures of young children from various places, possessing an arrogant demeanor and a ruthless disposition

For thousands of years, the status in the martial world has been inherited from the three tiers of the twenty-seven trades. Of course, although there are only twenty-seven trades, in reality, the extensions far exceed this number.

The oldest man appeared to be in his early forties. With a swift motion, he downed a glass of Erguotou, smacked his lips, and said, "Liuzai, what did you go to see the Sun brothers for yesterday?"

Seeing that he had successfully provoked Old Hao's anger, Liuzi couldn't help but smile with satisfaction and said: "Elder brother, since you came all this way, why not bring back a couple of people? You have been keeping an eye on the market over by the Pearl River, and we are currently short on manpower."

The person speaking is named Qi Baoyu, originally from the Xiangxi region. Due to the turmoil of the decade during his youth, characterized by rampant violence and destruction, he could no longer stay in his hometown and subsequently moved to a coastal city, where he met Hao Laoda.

Elder brother, this is not the first time we have done business with Old Sun and his group. Since we are here, we should pay a visit; otherwise, others might find fault with us

Liu He raised his head and poured a cup of wine into his mouth, smacked his lips, and then said: "Isn't that promiscuous woman the public relations manager of our local tycoon? If she weren't from the Orchid Gate, Boss, you would have had Liu Zi's eyes gouged out!"

Suddenly, Liuzi slammed the table and said with red eyes: "Moreover, those worthless goods can be included in the Outer Eight Gates, yet we are actually excluded. What the hell does this mean?"

On the contrary, those women who perform in nightclubs are, in nine out of ten cases, not individuals from the underworld. The Orchid Gate also has its unique symbol, which is often an embroidered phoenix on the collar.

The middle-aged man, surnamed Hao, has a round face and big ears, appearing kind and benevolent. However, in reality, he is the leader of the beggars' gang in a southern city. When he stabs someone with a knife, he still wears a smile on his face, earning him the nickname "Smiling Tiger"

Although Master Hao was cursing, his face still appeared to be smiling. "Our sect is not something that can be openly discussed in the martial world, and we have certainly committed our fair share of misdeeds. This time, we seek nothing more than to establish some connections, which may prove useful in the future."

Of course, it is not to say that all women of pleasure are from the Orchid Gate.

Damn it, boss, I refuse to accept this. Why is it that those women from Orchid Gate can sit in the hall while we men have to drink in silence here

Indeed, elder brother, Sixth Brother is right

There are the upper nine streams, and naturally, there are also the middle nine streams and the lower nine streams

As a senior member of the Southern Beggars' Sect, Hao Laoda had already become a millionaire several years ago, and with the expansion of their business, they could be said to be raking in wealth daily, accumulating a substantial amount of illicit funds.

In a room of a railway guesthouse near the urban area, four men of varying ages are drinking alcohol, accompanied by simple snacks: a plate of fried peanuts and a pound of pig's head meat

The few individuals who are currently drinking appear to be well-dressed; however, they are actually beggars from a city in the south. In inconspicuous places on their clothing, there are patches, which, to a discerning eye, reveal their true identity at a glance

The middle-aged man was quite familiar with the disposition of his subordinate. Seeing his indifferent expression, he immediately said: "Old Master Liu holds a significant position in the underworld. If we truly provoke him, we will no longer be able to set foot in the territories north of the Yangtze River. You should refrain from entertaining any misguided notions."

However, during this period, the number of people who came from all over the country and abroad to attend Liu Yunjiao's funeral was no less than eight hundred, if not a thousand, and these four men were not particularly conspicuous.

Thus, Old Hao took the opportunity of Old Liu's passing to come and pay his respects, bringing along a considerable amount of paper money, all in hopes of establishing a good relationship with these martial artists

The Orchid Gate is one of the Eight Gates of the Jianghu, which we commonly understand as courtesans. These women rely on selling their beauty for a living. Although this profession is the most despised among the myriad trades in Jianghu, it is also one of the most indispensable.

Although he was engaged in the profession of begging with a group of people, Boss Hao looked down upon those women of the entertainment industry. Therefore, upon hearing Liuzi's words, his voice was also tinged with anger.

The young man known as Liuzi curled his lips and said irritably: "That old geezer has been gone for decades, yet he still holds such power even in death. Our gang has several hundred members now, right? Why is it that those sects treat us with such indifference?"

The lower nine categories include first-class shamans, second-class prostitutes, third-class deities (spiritual shamans), fourth-class watchmen, fifth-class barbers, sixth-class street performers (drummers, trumpet players), seventh-class actors, eighth-class beggars, and ninth-class candy sellers (candy blowers)

Sitting opposite the middle-aged man is a young man in his late twenties, approximately 1.7 meters tall, very slender, with a sharp face and a pair of eyes that dart around incessantly, giving off a sense of great instability

Qi Baoyu appears to be a handsome and well-formed individual, yet he harbors a multitude of sinister thoughts. He is the second-in-command among this group of beggars and often acts as a strategist, frequently devising malicious and inhumane schemes.

Big brother, find two children, cut out their tongues and break their legs, then throw them at the entrance of the customs for entry and exit. You can earn at least a thousand or eight hundred a day; I think it can work

Oh? Second, do you think so too?" Hao Laoda turned his profile to look at that person

Realizing that their status in the Liu family's eyes was even lower than that of some prostitutes, Boss Hao could no longer suppress the anger in his heart. He slammed his wine glass heavily onto the table and said, "Liuzi, go buy the tickets. We are leaving today. Damn it, although our faces may not be particularly precious, we don't need to go and stick them to someone else's cold backside!"

This society has always been divided into various ranks, and the world of rivers and lakes is no exception. From the grand court to the humble porters and merchants, all can be categorized within this framework

However, what surprised Old Hao was that the Liu family, after receiving the money, showed them no respect at all. On the last day of the funeral, they were actually not informed at all, and naturally, they missed the final banquet.

Boss, I rely on these eyes to make a living, how could I possibly be mistaken

After pondering for a while, Boss Hao shook his head and said, "But the distance is too far; what if something happens on the way?"

Liuzi drank a glass of strong liquor, his face revealing an expression of indignation. They had traveled thousands of miles to pay their respects to Old Liu, only to find the Liu family indifferent and unwelcoming, leaving the young and impetuous Liuzi feeling unsettled.

You rascal, what schemes are you concocting? Why would you go looking for those two?

Damn it, the Liu family is being too overbearing!

"Hmm? Liuzi, keep your voice down and don't speak carelessly." Upon hearing this, Hao Laoda was taken aback and asked, "Did you see clearly? Are there really people from the Orchid Gate here?"

For example, in the lower nine classes, the fifth class, "barbers," includes those who provide foot care, waiters, rickshaw pullers, as well as those in the massage, shop assistant, dancer, and other service-oriented professions.

In society, it is acceptable to lose the corpse drivers of Xiangxi, or the artisans skilled in creating mechanisms for the sale of goods; the disappearance of these trades would not surprise anyone. However, the art of orchid cultivation must not be lost.

What about Old Master Liu? Isn't he the one who, after suffering defeat back in the day, fled to Taiwan?

The nine ranks are divided as follows: the first rank consists of scholars, the second rank includes physicians, the third rank pertains to geomancers (feng shui masters and yin-yang masters), the fourth rank involves diviners (those who interpret the eight characters and fortune tellers), the fifth rank is for painters and calligraphers, the sixth rank relates to physiognomists (those who read faces), and the seventh rank encompasses monks, the eighth rank includes Daoists, and the ninth rank pertains to literati who engage in the arts of qin and chess

From ancient times to the present, regardless of how the authorities suppress it or how the world evaluates it, the orchid industry has been thriving continuously, and since 1992, it has been particularly flourishing in southern cities

As part of the group that became wealthy alongside the reform and opening-up, Hao Laoda and others are naturally no strangers to the entertainment scene. The wealthy individual depicted by Liuzi is the owner of the most luxurious and extravagant nightclub in their city

After hearing Liuzi's words, a person beside him, around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, nodded and said, "There are many people from Hong Kong and Macau over by the Pearl River, and they are quite generous. If we can take that territory, it will be our domain in the Pearl River Delta."

Old Master Hao originally knew that public relations manager, but a few days ago during the mourning of the old gentleman, he was too busy getting close to others and did not pay attention to Liu Zi's true feelings

The beggars' gate and the brothel gate share some similarities; although their historical existence is the most ancient, they have always been marginalized and lack the deterrent power of force. In various conflicts, it is often they who ultimately suffer the most.

Don't, boss, since we've come, we should take something back with us

You know nothing. Although Old Liu has spent decades on the island, he has many former students and old friends. In the martial arts world across the vast expanse of the country, who would dare not give him some respect?

Do not be misled by the apparent lack of social status of beggars; society either looks down on them or feels pity for them. However, for individuals like Hao Laoda, they live more comfortably than the vast majority of people.

In the realm of the nine streams, there exists a hierarchy: the first stream is the Buddha, the second is the immortal, the third is the emperor, the fourth is the official, the fifth is the distiller (brewery), the sixth is the pawnbroker, the seventh is the merchant, the eighth is the landowner, and the ninth is the farmer.

It is not to say that Old Hao is some kind of devoted believer; the key issue is that Cangzhou is several thousand miles away from the city they are in, making it quite difficult to bring this person back.

Liuzi, we are here to attend Old Master Liu's funeral. Please be more restrained and do not cause any trouble here