Chapter 4: The Dominator in the Rogue (2)

Ren Tianqi heard the footsteps approaching and said: "Alright, when they chase in, we will charge out. Whoever retreats is a coward, and we will make sure everyone knows it"

Everyone achieved victory against the odds, turning defeat into triumph. After Zhu Rouqiang acknowledged Ren Tianqi as the leader, the West City youth truly won this battle decisively. As soon as Zhu Rouqiang left, they immediately surrounded him, lifting him into the air and cheering. In the past, when Ren Tianqi was the leader, people only thought he fought fiercely and had many ideas, with no other suitable candidates for leadership. However, due to his young age, there were still many who were unconvinced by him. But after this battle, everyone was completely in awe of him.

Everyone was lively for a while. Ren Tianqi remembered that he still had silver on him, and his brothers should enjoy themselves. He called out and led the group of young men to a roadside tavern in front to drink heartily.

The young boys do not understand the significance of stories in relation to fighting, yet indeed, the leader is the leader; his thoughts extend far beyond their own, earning him universal admiration that is hard to resist

The young boys immediately stopped what they were doing, and Yang Minggong said, "Boss, what is it?"

Before long, they arrived at a small tavern with only four rickety tables. Ren Tianqi raised his hand, instantly filling all four tables, while the rest of the people stood.

The young boys exclaimed, "Damn it, we won't let it happen, even if it means fighting to the death."

Li Yan's uncle was a constable, and he had some experience. He said, "Boys' urine can relieve fainting." He unbuckled his belt and splashed it all over the pork, covering it completely.

With a loud voice, he drank it all in one gulp, feeling a surge of exhilaration like clouds. He smashed the bowl onto the ground and said: "What a relief, truly a relief"

Ren Tianqi said with a smile: "Hey, Zhu Rouqiang, bring your brothers and come drink with me, it's on me."

Ren Tianqi did not mind this; he was instantly dumbfounded and heard the owner of the wine stall crying out: "My bowl! These are all borrowed from others, how am I to compensate?"

Ren Tianqi certainly would not refuse, merely smiling and saying: "Whatever, whatever"

Zhu Rou Qiang felt he had no face to stay any longer, and soon walked away with his head down

As he spoke these words, his nose throbbed with pain. Reflecting on how he had failed to defeat Ren Tianqi in their earlier confrontation, a wave of dejection washed over him. He said, "I can no longer bear the title of leader. Ren Tianqi, your mind is sharper than mine; you should take on this role instead." He was a straightforward person, and he genuinely meant what he said.

As they spoke, the youths from the East City and West City came together. In addition to over twenty who were injured and needed to see a doctor, there were nearly a hundred others, armed with wooden sticks and tree branches, marching forward in a grand procession, causing some small vendors to turn pale and hastily retreat.

At that moment, Ren Tianqi called out, "Wait a moment."

Ren Tianqi laughed heartily and said: "Do you think I don't want to give that fat pig a good beating? But think about it, there are more people in the East City than us. If a real fight breaks out, we would not stand a chance. Fortunately, I remembered the story that Second Mother told me today, which is why we didn't end up crying in defeat. If we had really beaten up Zhu Rouqiang, the consequences would have been severe. Next time we meet, I might not come up with another story, and it would mostly be us who suffer the misfortune"

At this moment, Zhu Rou felt somewhat unconvinced. He thought to himself that this kid looked thin and frail, and he had not been able to match him in strength, nor could he compete with him in wits. He thought he should at least regain some face by drinking, so he proposed to have a drinking contest with Ren Tianqi. The other young men, being fond of mischief, all cheered in agreement upon seeing this.

The young people admired him even more for his demeanor

Ren Tianqi listened to his trembling voice and couldn't help but feel a sense of disdain, secretly thinking: "This person is tall and strong, looks quite imposing, yet deep down he is nothing but a coward."

All the young men come from impoverished families, and such encounters are rare for them. They happily drink and eat together. The two groups are mostly acquaintances in the same city, and their usual fights are merely for fun and competition. However, the youths from the West City, having heeded Ren Tianqi's advice, are unwilling to hold grudges against those from the East City. They are all warm and courteous, quickly blending together, feeling a sense of joy and harmony that should have been there all along

Seeing this, Ren Tianqi walked over, and Li Yan, Yang Minggong, and others all said: "Boss, it's dangerous; it would be terrible if you let them catch you"

As soon as these words were spoken, all the young people were taken aback. This bully, who usually flaunted his power, was not easy to catch. They should have given him a good beating, but unexpectedly, the leader actually wanted to let him go

He is now the leader, and others naturally follow suit. One can only hear the crisp sound of "pī pī pā pā" for a while, as nearly a hundred porcelain bowls shatter into pieces on the ground. Everyone exclaims: "Delightful, truly delightful"

The Young Naturalists' Way: "Do not shout, do not shout"

In those years, even Han Xin, with his strategy of fighting with his back against the water, could face ten enemies alone and defeat the Zhao king's 200,000 elite troops. The young men in the East City mostly just gathered to make up numbers and create a commotion, lacking any military morale. As they witnessed the people from the West City becoming increasingly fierce, striking without regard for weight or consequence, and with the absence of Zhu Rouqiang as their backbone, where was their fighting spirit? Just like the young men from the West City moments ago, they turned and ran. However, the alley was narrow, and in the chaos, they jostled and collided, with people falling everywhere. Once the young men from the West City caught up, it would result in a severe beating. As they saw the people from the West City becoming increasingly fierce, striking without regard for weight or consequence, and with the absence of Zhu Rouqiang as their backbone, where was their fighting spirit? Just like the young men from the West City moments ago, they turned and ran. However, the alley was narrow, and in the chaos, they jostled and collided, with people falling everywhere. Once the young men from the West City caught up, it would result in a severe beating.

Zhu Rouqiang originally thought he would be severely beaten today, but unexpectedly passed through smoothly. Although he usually relies on his strength, today he was defeated by Ren Tianqi due to the overwhelming numbers. Seeing Ren Tianqi set aside past grievances and reconcile with him, he thought that since the disputes over territory were merely for fun and held no real benefits, there was no reason to refuse. He nodded gratefully and said, "Alright, Ren Tianqi, I will listen to you. From now on, we are friends."

His words were spoken without intention, yet they effectively established military law. It would be fine for the turtle to take a stand, but allowing everyone to be humiliated is unacceptable. It would be better to have a straightforward fight with the pork. At that moment, no young man in the West City had any thoughts of surrendering or admitting defeat

He was not afraid to take on four or five opponents by himself, but at this moment, the other side was gradually returning, and there were fully thirty to forty people. His courage to resist suddenly vanished, and he trembled as he asked, "What... what do you want to do?"

Stepping out of the dead end, I saw the young people of the East City gathered together, with Zhu Rouqiang speaking to them about something.

The effects of alcohol had worn off, and Ren Tianqi glanced at the sky, realizing it was getting late. If he returned home too late, Bai Fangfang would not be easy to deal with. Thus, he bid farewell to everyone and headed towards "Chun Manyuan," but along the way, the image of that pile of broken bowls kept swirling in his mind

Ren Tianqi was born from the union of a human and an immortal. Although his celestial power was completely sealed by the Nine Radiant Star Lord, his body was unlike that of ordinary people. After drinking a bellyful of alcohol, his mind remained exceptionally clear. However, that pork dish had already made his face flush and his ears burn. By the seventh bowl, he felt heavy-headed and light-footed, unable to hold the bowl for a moment, and spilled everything onto the table. Only then did he sincerely say: "Boss... I yield... I... yield."

Ren Tianqi, upon witnessing this scene, was also filled with satisfaction and exclaimed: "Good, it is rare for us brothers to gather together; let us all drink a bowl of wine together"

Ren Tianqi Dao: "The pork was forcibly placed."

Just as I was contemplating how to obtain some money from Zheng Bao'er, I noticed that it was almost time for "Spring Full Garden." A small sedan chair carried by four people approached from across the street, accompanied by two or three others. Ren Tianqi recognized one of them, a woman with pig-like eyes and a blood-red mouth, her gray hair adorned with a red flower. The woman, with her eight-inch golden lotus feet, swayed as she walked, and the face powder she had applied was falling off in flakes. She was none other than Liu Pozi, the madam from "Juyanfang" who specializes in purchasing young prostitutes from various places.

However, this method was indeed effective. Before long, Zhu Rouqiang slowly regained consciousness. He first felt that his head and face were damp, and then he caught a whiff of a strong odor of urine. Just as he was about to lose his temper, he saw Ren Tianqi standing there with a smile, surrounded by people from the West City, and realized that his own team had already dispersed.

At that moment, the owner of the wine stall brought over three jars of wine, pouring them into the bowls of nearly one hundred people. He raised his bowl and said: "From now on, whether from the East City or the West City, we will embrace each other, laugh heartily, and be good brothers."

Ren Tianqi naturally accepted the challenge, with Li Yan pouring the wine. The two of them consecutively downed six bowls of wine, "gulu gulu," straight down their throats

The youth from the East City were taken aback upon seeing their leader fall to the ground. At that moment, the youth from the West City, witnessing the defeat of their commander, were instantly invigorated, shouting in unison as they charged out from the alley without any reservations, launching a chaotic assault on the enemy.

He has always feared articles like "之乎者也" as if they were evil spirits, yet he has a particular fondness for these war stories, able to remember them clearly after just one reading. He is truly unwilling to lose to Zhu Rouqiang in such a manner, which would leave him unable to hold his head high. Spotting an alley ahead, he suddenly had an idea and said, "Everyone follow me." With that, he darted into the alley.

Ren Tianqi, a person of small courage yet great ambition, shook his head and walked over, observing that the youths of the East City looked at him with a gaze that was both fearful and hostile

At this moment, the young men were filled with fervor, all exclaiming: "Whoever is a coward is a fool, let’s fight, let’s fight"

The youth from Xicheng was already in a state of extreme panic due to the pursuing soldiers. Upon hearing the words, he did not think much and just ran along with him. After covering several dozen zhang and turning a few corners, he suddenly realized that this was a dead end, and everyone’s face displayed expressions of shock and blame.

Ren Tianqi immediately raised his hand and said: "There is no road ahead, everyone cannot surrender and be cowards; we will fight to the end with the bastards of East City."

At this moment, Ren Tianqi climbed onto the wall of the alley using a human ladder and raised a wooden stick, waiting. Although he did not yet understand the principle of "shoot the horse before shooting the man" and "capture the king before capturing the thief," he believed that with his strong and robust physique, he could take on four opponents. If he could first knock him down, the others would be easier to deal with

As soon as he stood firm, the youth from the East City caught up, and that red-nosed Pork Qiang was indeed valiant and fierce, leading the charge, brandishing a large stick while shouting "Charge!" and "Kill!" in a chaotic manner

The few silver coins he had were not much, and the sour wine by the roadside was not expensive. At that moment, the owner joyfully brought out ten jars of wine, and each table was set with a plate of cooked beef, a plate of peanuts, a plate of broad beans, and a plate of green peas

Ren Tianqi is already prepared. The alley is not wide, and Zhu Rouqiang is right in front of him. With a loud shout, he leaps down and delivers a blow to the head. Zhu Rouqiang did not expect someone to jump down from the wall; caught off guard, the blow strikes him on the forehead, causing blood to spurt out. Stars dance before his eyes, and he collapses to the ground, already unconscious.

At this moment, Yang Minggong said: "Boss, I truly admire you; your tolerance is remarkable. You actually let that Pork Qiang go. If it were me, I would have beaten him up long ago. You have no idea how he used to insult you."

Ren Tianqi knocked over the pork with a stick, also feeling fear. He checked his breathing, which was quite steady. Upon looking at the wound on his head, it was gradually coagulating, which reassured him. He just didn't know how to wake him up.

Ren Tianqi said to Zhu Rouqiang: "Zhu Rouqiang, today I will let you go back. From now on, let us be good friends who laugh together, rather than enemies who glare at each other. What do you think?"

At the beginning of the fight, the tall Yang Minggong was quite timid, but now that he has achieved victory, he straightened his back and loudly declared: "Boss, don't worry about him, let's first give his grandmother a beating." As soon as he said this, those around him responded in unison, brandishing their clubs and preparing to take action

Ren Tianqi was taken aback upon seeing the sedan chair, thinking to himself: "Women bought for marriage typically enter the brothel either bound or escorted. Even those who are compliant usually just ride in a horse-drawn carriage. This is the first time I've encountered a sedan chair carried by four people. I must see what this young woman looks like"

Ren Tianqi further stated: "From now on, those bastards in the East City will be able to urinate on our heads. Shall we allow them to do so?"

With teachers like Bai Fangfang and Zheng Bao'er, Ren Tianqi would certainly possess eloquence. Upon entering, he had already prepared a stirring speech, loudly proclaiming: "Brothers, we have no way out. That brat Zhu Rouqi has chased us in here, demanding that we call him 'Grandpa.' Shall we shout or not?"

The owner of the wine stall was a thin middle-aged man. Upon witnessing the situation, he silently lamented that most of the wine bill would likely be on credit, and in the end, it would naturally turn to nothing. These young men were not particularly formidable, but if one were to offend them, they could secretly cause trouble, breaking a few jars of wine each day, rendering the business unviable.

The youth of Dongcheng had actually witnessed the moment when Zhu Rouqiang was knocked to the ground by Ren Tianqi at the Chenghuang Temple. Although this person was young and not very tall, he was superior to Zhu Rouqiang in every aspect. His character was also generous and straightforward, earning the admiration of others. It was unclear who led the call, but someone shouted "Boss," and the other youths respectfully followed suit.

At that moment, there weren't enough bowls, so I went to borrow some from other shops, running to three different places before I was finally ready

Ren Tianqi is not the kind of person who is afraid of the strong and bullies the weak. At this moment, the word "快" (quick) in the phrase "痛快" (satisfying) has been smashed along with the bowl, leaving only the word "痛" (pain). He could only shout at the owner of the wine stall: "Why are you crying? It's just a bunch of broken bowls. I'll compensate you in a couple of days. Damn it, why don't you bring out wooden bowls instead?"

Although Ren Tianqi was running forward with the youths from Xicheng, he still did not concede defeat at that moment. He pondered what other methods he could employ to turn the tide. Just then, he suddenly recalled the story that Erniang had once told him about Han Xin, the great general of Liu Bang, the Han Emperor, who fought against the Zhao army at Jingxingkou. He had placed himself in a situation of life and death, leading his remaining 20,000 troops to decisively defeat the elite forces of Zhao, which numbered 200,000.

Ren Tianqi is quite the clever one. Upon seeing the distressed expression of the tavern owner, he laughed heartily and took out all the remaining silver from his pocket, tossing it to him, saying: "This silver is all for buying wine, and also a few appetizers to go with it."

Zhu Rou strongly recounted what had just happened, but out of concern for face, he had not mentioned that Ren Tianqi was to be the leader. Seeing Ren Tianqi come over and noticing that everyone did not seem particularly unwilling to go, he thought that since it was someone else's treat, it would be unwise not to attend. He nodded and said: "Alright, if we're drinking, then let's drink"

Zhu Rouqiang could hardly believe his ears when Ren Tianqi said such a thing. However, at that moment, he saw Ren Tianqi extend his hand towards him, and he pulled him up to stand. The two stood side by side; Ren Tianqi's head only reached Zhu Rouqiang's lips, yet one was full of spirit while the other was dejected.