Chapter 10, The Free Meal

The noodle shop often faces a shortage of tables, and sharing tables is a common occurrence

The young lady said with a smile. The fellow extended his hand and said: "Please grant me two coins of silver."

At that moment, a voice from behind interrupted: "Miss, wait a moment, you haven't paid for your meal yet, you can't just leave like this"

Although the noodle shop is not large, it has two or three assistants. The owner of the noodle shop has been behind the counter and just saw the assistant collecting debts without coming over. At this moment, seeing the assistant knocked to the ground, his expression slightly changed. He rushed out from behind the counter and angrily said: "In broad daylight, eating without paying and even resorting to violence, is there no law?"

The young lady said: "Whatever you say, I will give you that amount, I... I will give it all to you."

"Many. " Qin Xiao said seriously: "Let’s not talk about anything else, just in the gambling house, no matter who it is, if they dare to cause trouble inside, upon seeing you, they will be scared to the point of losing control. Tsk tsk, truly impressive."

The burly man was taken aback when he saw someone sit down. Upon realizing that Qin Xiao was just a young boy, his expression turned somewhat unpleasant. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a sound, Qin Xiao had already laughed and said: "Oh, isn't this the one from the Golden Hook Gambling House... that esteemed... um, I got too excited and momentarily forgot your name...!"

"Shopkeeper, please do not make things difficult for her." Seeing that the situation was not going to end well, Qin Xiao stood up, walked over, and said with a smile, "Isn't it just a few coins? There is no need to pressure her. She came from within the borders, and if you treat her this way, people from within will think we are unreasonable and overbearing." He took a piece of broken silver and handed it over, saying, "I have even settled her account; this should be enough. Please take it."

Qin Xiao did not respond immediately, but turned around and said: "Bring me a bowl of beef, two bowls of lamb offal, and by the way, bring a jar of wine as well." Only then did he address the man: "Uncle, I have heard of your story and have always held you in great esteem. Today, I am fortunate to meet you and would like to invite you for a drink. Please do not refuse."

The man displayed a slight hint of disdain, coughed once, and said: "You are still young, yet you possess some insight."

However, in the bustling city of Gui, where various schools of thought and talents converge, it is not uncommon for a young lady to possess some skills

The man's expression softened slightly as he said, "I don't even know what you're talking about. I prefer to sit alone, you can go to another table."

The burly man laughed twice and said to several of his subordinates, "You all keep a good watch, I am going to get something to eat." Without saying much more, he turned and walked towards the east street

Qin Xia did not pay much attention earlier, but upon hearing the shopkeeper's words, he indeed noticed that the young lady was wearing a bracelet on her wrist. The bracelet was a deep green color, and he could not discern how much silver it was worth, but it was certainly much more expensive than the cost of a meal.

"You haven't even paid for your meal, where would you get the money for compensation?" the shopkeeper sneered, "You must be someone from the prison, right? I don't care who you were inside; once you arrive in Turtle City, you cannot act recklessly here. If you can't produce the money, we will go see the authorities right now"

In the harsh and cold land of Xiling, where sandstorms sweep across the sky, the men born and raised here are undoubtedly robust and strong. Even the skin of the local women tends to be somewhat rough. Under the baptism of wind and sand, their skin takes on a slightly deeper hue, even carrying a hint of bronze. A girl with skin as snow-white and tender as the one before me is indeed a rare sight.

The young lady, somewhat annoyed, said: "It's just a couple of coins. I said I would send it back later, so step aside." She reached out to push the attendant, but instead of retreating, the attendant stepped forward and shouted: "If you don't pay for your meal, you cannot leave this door. Everyone, look here, someone is trying to dine and dash, is there any reason to reason with them?"

The person who was beaten got up from the ground, his face bruised and swollen, staggering several steps away. He turned back and cursed at the Golden Hook Gambling House a couple of times. Upon seeing several thugs from the gambling house about to chase after him, he hurriedly turned around and ran, disappearing in the blink of an eye

Qin Xiao did not hesitate, following the burly man. After turning down a street, the man entered a noodle shop and sat down at a table against the wall, calling out: "Bring me a bowl of lamb soup, and a few flatbreads."

The young lady came to her senses and saw Qin Xiao smiling at her, so she hurriedly clasped her hands and said, "Thank you, brother!"

Qin Xiao furrowed his brows, yet did not step forward

"Wen Dongjia?" The man chuckled softly, "These days, the Golden Hook Gambling House is no longer under the Wen name."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of the man's lips as he said, "Do you really know me? What stories have you heard about me?"

The man disdainfully said: "So what if you come out? The Golden Hook Gambling House has replaced everyone from top to bottom. Those who once followed him have long been driven out. Now the owner of the gambling house is surnamed Qiao... I say, you really know how to boast. You claim to be well-informed, yet you haven't even inquired properly about the matters of the Golden Hook Gambling House, and here you are talking nonsense."

The other two associates also abandoned their tasks and rushed over, one of them already shouting: "Take her to the yamen."

The pleasure houses and gambling establishments are the two most favored activities among the merchants and travelers in Gui City, which is why there are quite a number of such venues in the city

It is quite common for disturbances to occur in gambling houses, and Qin Xiao has witnessed this many times, so he is not surprised

The young woman immediately covered the bracelet with her sleeve and said decisively: "No, the bracelet cannot be given to you."

The young lady glanced around and saw everyone pointing at her, and with the attendant blocking her way, she suddenly felt a bit flustered. Her beautiful face turned red instantly, and she lowered her head slightly, saying: "I... I did it by accident, I will compensate you with silver."

The woolen coat is the most common attire in Xiling. Just past February, the climate in Xiling is still quite cold, and many people on the streets are wearing woolen coats. The young lady wears a leather hat and has a black belt tied around her waist between her waist and her book. Although this is the attire of the people of Xiling, her face is fair and delicate, with clear brows and bright eyes, and her appearance is beautiful.

The Prefectural Office indeed bears the responsibility of maintaining order within the city, yet there are certain matters that are overlooked with a blind eye.

At this moment, the attendant had already brought over a jar of wine and set up the wine bowls. Qin Xiao promptly and skillfully poured wine for the man. Seeing Qin Xiao's attentiveness, the man suspiciously asked, "You little rascal, with both meat and wine, what are you up to? You wouldn't be planning to go work at the gambling house, would you?"

Qin Xiao turned around and saw a shop assistant at the door, stopping a young lady dressed in a wool coat.

Qin Xiao was somewhat surprised after just a glance

The man responded with a sound, and Qin Xiao walked into the shop. The noodle shop was quite crowded, with no empty tables available. However, he directly walked to the table of a burly man and sat down opposite him.

Qin Xiao observed closely and thought to himself that although the girl's movements were simple, they were executed with great skill and practicality, as if she had undergone training

The young lady's cheeks flushed slightly, and being stared at by a group of people only fueled her anger. She attempted to bypass the attendant to leave, but the attendant, being in the right, naturally would not let her go, shouting: "If you don't have money to pay for your meal, you will have to work here for a couple of days...!" Before he could finish his sentence, the young lady swiftly hooked her foot around the attendant's ankle. Almost simultaneously, her right hand pushed against the attendant's shoulder, her movements perfectly timed. The attendant, feeling the pressure on his shoulder, stepped back, but his ankle was caught. With a cry of "Ouch," he fell backward to the ground.

The fellow fell to the ground, extremely annoyed. The young lady was initially taken aback, but soon a hint of excitement appeared between her brows. Meanwhile, the fellow had already shouted: "They hit me, they hit me!"

"Hehe, you don't even keep your bracelet, it's obvious you're looking for an excuse to escape. If I let you go, I will never see you again," the shopkeeper said. "Don't say anything, let's go see the authorities." He reached out to grab the girl, but she stepped back and angrily said, "Don't touch me."

The shopkeeper glanced at Qin Xiao, reached out to take the silver, and said to the young lady: "You are fortunate to encounter a good person; today, I shall not hold it against you." He signaled the attendant to get to work and returned to his position behind the counter

Upon hearing this, Qin Xiao found it amusing and thought to himself that although you were dressed in a sheepskin coat, wrapping your body, your beauty was evident, and your manner of walking was entirely that of a young lady. Anyone with a bit of discernment would recognize it at a glance

Immediately, many people in the noodle shop turned to look.

In fact, within the Turtle City, such places are governed by strict rules. Upon entering, one is considered a guest, and as long as one does not violate the established regulations, one will receive the most attentive service. However, once the rules are broken, there will be no tolerance within.

"If someone is injured, naturally compensation must be paid." The shopkeeper, seeing the young lady show weakness, immediately gained confidence: "Speak, how much do you want in compensation?"

If a fight or brawl were to occur between the entertainment venue and the gambling house, as long as there are no fatalities, they should be allowed to handle it themselves as much as possible, and the constables of the Duwei Prefecture would not intervene

I know. Qin Xiaodao said, "Wen Dongjia has committed a crime and has been imprisoned, but I heard that he will be released in about six months."

"Come out?" The man snorted coldly, "If he really could come out, then that would be a miracle." He picked up the wine bowl and took a big gulp. Just as he set the bowl down, Qin Xiao immediately refilled it with a smile, saying, "Uncle, I have very reliable news. In just a few more months, the Wen family will definitely come out."

Have all the people been replaced? Qin Xiao felt a slight shock in his heart

Qin Xiao chuckled and said, "No, no. The Golden Hook Gambling House is not a place that just anyone can enter. I have heard that the owner, Wen Dong, possesses exceptional gambling skills. In the entire Turtle City, few can match him. How could I possibly have the qualifications to work at the Golden Hook Gambling House"

"What do you want?" The man crossed his arms and looked her up and down a few times, saying: "Miss, this is a small business, and we do not offer credit. Where can you eat without paying for the food? Since you know you didn't bring any money, you shouldn't have walked through this door."

The shopkeeper scrutinized the young lady for a moment, then raised his hand to point at her wrist: "You may go to fetch the silver if you wish, but this bracelet will be kept as collateral. If you return with the silver, the bracelet will be returned to you immediately; otherwise..."

Some customers in the noodle shop observed coldly, while others whispered among themselves, and some even laughed, saying: "Paying for a meal is a matter of course; it is astonishing that there are still people in Turtle City who dare to dine and dash"

The young lady blinked her eyes and, with a hint of surprise, said: "You recognized me as a young lady?" It was clearly a voice from within the borders.

The young lady furrowed her brows and said, "I left in a hurry and did not bring any money with me. I will have someone send it to you later."

I will go to fetch the silver, and I will definitely deliver it to you within half an hour. The young lady looked at the shopkeeper and said, I do not have any silver on me right now

"If you have no money left, how dare you cause trouble here? I see you must not want to live anymore." A robust man wearing a blue belt waved his hand to signal the two big men to stop, spat on the person on the ground, and scolded, "Get out of here quickly. If you cause a ruckus at the Golden Hook Gambling House again, I will skin you alive."

"Nice to meet you. Many of my friends say that you are a person of integrity. The local ruffians in Gui City see you and are all respectful, not daring to provoke you." Qin Xiao put on a thoughtful expression and said, "What is the name of the uncle again? I'm so excited...!"

The man was taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "Do you know me?"

Qin Xiao observed her awkwardness and smiled, saying: "No need to be polite. When one is out, it is inevitable to encounter difficulties. However, paying for meals is a matter of principle. In the future, do not forget to bring money when you go out." He said no more, turned back to the table, and saw that the burly man from the Golden Hook Gambling House was enjoying his meal. Before he had even sat down, the young woman had already come over and said: "What is your esteemed surname? I will go back to get the money now. Please wait here, and within half an hour, I will bring the money back to you."