Chapter 2, Enlightenment (Part 2)

Looking at this scene, Zhang Xuanning was originally smiling, thinking that Sister Zhen was truly soft-hearted, but a trace of warmth surged in her heart. At that moment, she intentionally or unintentionally blocked the view from inside.

Many people lament, saying: "In the past, during the Kaihuang era, it was much more peaceful than now"

Pulling the vegetable cart, I returned to the store. Although it is close to the New Year, there are still some customers. Without saying much, I simply brought the vegetables back and hurried to help.

After a while of being busy, when there was no one left in the store and the break time had arrived, he finally allowed his emotions to surface. He walked out into the snowy ground, where the snowflakes appeared to be neither large nor dense, drifting lightly like willow catkins in the wind. As the wind picked up, the snow fell heavier and thicker, with the snowflakes growing larger, resembling a woven white net, rendering everything beyond a few meters invisible. It was as if an unending curtain was falling straight to the ground, slowly merging the dark sky with the sea of snow, obscuring all visibility.

The two young men suddenly noticed that someone was watching them. When they looked over, they saw it was a shop assistant, and they quickly retreated, blending into the crowd

I am old and cannot take you in, but I can introduce you to the gang and even arrange for you to meet the gang leader. The gang leader will still give me this much face. In the future, let's not talk about anything else; within the city of Yangzhou, securing a position as a deputy incense master is more than sufficient. However, we currently do not have any formal standing.

When Sister Zhen saw the young man, she first turned back with concern to glance at Old Feng and the matron who were busy inside. Noticing that they could not see what was happening over here, she finally felt relieved

"Sister Zhen, you are truly kind." When he mentioned the words 'Sister Zhen', he couldn't help but emphasize them: "Do you know what their names are?"

Zhang Xuanning did not disturb him, listening carefully. The more he listened, the more surprised he became, and a possibility increasingly emerged in his mind—if it were the real world, he would utterly despise organizations like gangs, as they could never rise to prominence. However, the gang mentioned by Master Su was not inferior to the historically renowned societies like the Tiandihui and Hongbang, and might even surpass them. This Zhu Hua Gang, as described, was merely a regional organization, yet it was extremely well-organized. Under the gang leader, there was a military advisor, followed by the four halls of 'Wind, Clear, Rain, and Dew,' which commanded the stewards, incense masters, and numerous gang members. The gang members were almost spread across the nearby counties, with a total number exceeding ten thousand. The organization was tightly structured, with strict hierarchies, and it controlled vast wealth and industries. Therefore, it would be more accurate to describe it as a quasi-military organization rather than a gang.

Once Zhang Xuanning rose, the relationship between the two immediately changed. In ancient times, the bond between a godfather and godson was certainly extraordinary

Like a flash of lightning, Zhang Xuanning immediately recalled the intentions of this Master Su. Regardless of how many old acquaintances he had, once he partially withdrew from the gang, his influence would inevitably decline. Moreover, his son had his legs cut off early on, leaving him with no prospects. Therefore, within the gang, there was no suitable successor. Thus, it was only natural for him to entertain such thoughts in order to preserve his influence and leave a way out for his descendants.

While attending to other customers, she feigned a pout and said, "How can I buy buns like others without money?"

Do not be misled by my old age and perceived uselessness. In my prime, I was a veteran who ventured the world alongside the leader. Later, I sustained injuries and became disabled, yet the leader still showed compassion and reserved a position for me within the hall. However, I have grown old and returned home to work—yet in the vicinity, who would not give me a bit of face for Master Su? When Master Su spoke of this, he naturally exuded a long-lost authority: "Not to mention anything else, your boss, Old Feng, is also under my care; otherwise, would he be living such a peaceful life? I have long been aware of your situation and have been keeping an eye on you for quite some time. You possess good character and are a person of potential. You do not belong in the shop for long; there are some idle talks, and it is somewhat unfair to you. Being literate and having practiced martial arts, it is too humiliating to be engaged in this work."

Is that so? Zhang Xuanning replied calmly, but her hands were trembling

After some thought, Master Su said: "Ah, my son, this time when you return, just resign from your job and hurry back to my house for the New Year's Eve dinner. Although you have lost your memory, judging by your background, you are certainly not ordinary. I dare not change your surname, so let us consider you an adopted son with a different surname!"

It seems that one is named Kou Zhong and the other Xu Ziling. It is truly pitiful; both of their parents were killed by the chaotic soldiers, and they have now become orphans

"Master Liu, do you wish to take me in?"

Casually listening and doing things at hand, I inadvertently turned my gaze towards the outside of the shop and saw a young boy, probably around fourteen or fifteen years old, who was smiling broadly and said: "Hello, Sister Zhen, I would like to buy eight vegetable and meat buns"

"Yes, godfather, but I should finish my work from this morning, as it is the duty of a subordinate to be loyal to their superior!" Zhang Xuanning said this with a smile in her heart, wondering if she would really covet such a small fortune from you. She then responded with respect, looked around, saw that there was nothing more to discuss, exchanged a few words, and took her leave

This decisive resolution left Master Su momentarily stunned. He had originally intended to take on a disciple or pursue some other endeavor, but this title took him by surprise for a few seconds before he burst into hearty laughter: "Good, good, my son, please rise, please rise."

The young boy let out a cheer, stepping out of the crowd. He straightened his waist, immediately appearing more spirited. Before he had taken a few steps, another boy rushed out, reached out to grab a bun, and began to stuff it into his mouth, eating it voraciously.

However, upon closer attention, a sudden clarity illuminated my mind; the scene before me, like a flash of lightning, illuminated the tangled thoughts that had been clouding my heart for several months.

The one who eats buns with a big mouth has broad shoulders and a sturdy build, with a square face and large ears. The other one, slightly taller, has a very pleasing appearance, with long, bright eyes, a straight and high nose, a wide forehead, and a hint of a sunny smile at the corners of his mouth

Changing one's surname or not was entirely different in ancient times. Not changing one's surname meant being a godfather, which pertained to personal kinship and was unrelated to the clan. Changing one's surname, however, transformed an individual into a member of the clan, allowing for registration in the family genealogy and conferring inheritance rights

Despite the cold wind, Sister Zhen was still busy, sweating profusely. As she brushed past, she whispered, "Just now, the two were the leaders of the little orphans who cannot afford to eat. They are gathered in the dilapidated houses outside the city. If they weren't starving, they wouldn't have come to find me."

Suddenly, I was greatly shocked and unconsciously stepped forward to carefully scrutinize the two young boys in front of me

Zhang Xuanning stood motionless in the snow, as if countless thunderclaps were echoing in his mind, and the only four words that kept swirling in his heart were: "Great Tang Shuanglong, Great Tang Shuanglong..."

"Oh? You have arrived." Zhang Xuanning was taken aback, regained her composure, and stepped forward to offer assistance

Sister Zhen quickly took four buns, hesitated for a moment, and then took two more, wrapped them in paper, stuffed them into his hands, and scolded softly, "This is the last round, sigh! Look at you, frozen like this"

The young man smiled and said, "There are no debts, I will definitely return it to you tomorrow"

As Zhang Xuanning looked at them, Sister Zhen called out, "Come, lend a hand."

While listening, Zhang Xuanning was already contemplating. Once Master Su finished speaking, he tentatively asked: "Master Su, what do you mean by this?"

The world is in turmoil... After a few drinks, some guests from various places began to chat again. Compared to the locals, they were much less restrained: "Isn't that right... Chen Tian, Liang Huishang, Li Saner, Zhu Xie, Guan Chong, and Lü Mingxing have all rebelled. The bandits in the nearby mountains are increasing, and the situation is not looking optimistic!"

I understand the good intentions of Master Su, and I pay my respects to my godfather. Zhang Xuanning felt a stir in his heart and immediately knelt down, deeply bowing his head to the ground

Indeed, the world is filled with troubles as numerous as the hairs on a cow. Alas, when war breaks out, we will suffer greatly... It is better to be a peaceful dog than to be a person in chaotic times

Originally, this was nothing significant, but upon seeing his clothes, his face smeared with grease, his tattered garments, and his face frozen in a bluish hue, he couldn't help but take a second glance