Chapter 0003: Dead Man's Alley

"Half a year ago, I ended up in Huize City?" Yang Ning squinted his eyes. It is indeed strange; when the old tree bark mentioned it, some fragmented images flashed through his mind. They were somewhat vague, yet the outline of a little girl gradually emerged, and her appearance became somewhat clearer.

The old tree bark, however, believed that Yang Ning had seen through the thoughts of those few people, and said: "Little Weasel, as long as you understand their intentions, it's enough. They have made you the head of this land temple, but they do not have any good intentions."

Although he was mentally prepared, he was still somewhat surprised when he saw the face on the water's surface

"Xiao Die has saved my life, so I naturally must express my gratitude to her." Yang Ning was clear about his feelings; although his impression of Xiao Die was not very deep, he was still very grateful since the young lady had saved him. "By the way, where exactly is the residence of the county magistrate of Hua? Once the rain stops, I must go and meet Xiao Die."

As the saying goes, "A wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a mistress." Those who indulge in such affairs believe that being able to toy with the wives of wealthy officials is the ultimate pleasure. The monkey spoke passionately on this topic, his words flowing and his expression animated, chuckling as he said, "Moreover, those women have been cultivated in luxury; whether in appearance or temperament, they surpass ordinary courtesans by a third. They are knowledgeable and discerning, truly without any flaws. Furthermore, these fleeting marriages are not genuine courtesans, and their coyness and shyness only serve to stir the desires of men." At this point, the monkey's eyes also sparkled with a bright light.

Everything can only be reconsidered after the rain stops

Yang Ning smiled and said, "Do they still have such kindness?"

Dead Man's Alley? Yang Ning thought to himself that this name exuded a sense of eeriness. It couldn't possibly be an alley dedicated to the business of dealing with the dead, selling coffins and paper money, could it

Yang Ning was momentarily taken aback, forced a bitter smile and shook his head. He then washed his face; the cold water splashed on his face brought him some clarity. Only then did he ask: "The widow of the county magistrate of Hua? Is Xiao Die really a maid in the household of the county magistrate of Hua?"

"Fragmented marriage?" Yang Ning found this term very unfamiliar and inquired, "What exactly is this fragmented marriage?"

The monkey hurriedly said: "Mother Flower lives in Dead Man's Alley, which is a bit of a distance from here. Once the rain stops, I will take you there. However... we cannot go during the day; we can only sneak over at night.

Yang Ning sighed, not expecting that there would be such dealings in between

Do you still remember what happened after you arrived in Huize City?" The old tree bark, seeing Yang Ning's confused expression, couldn't help but feel worried

The monkey continued, "The county magistrate of Hua, though still young, fell gravely ill and passed away two years ago. When he was alive, there were more than ten servants in his household. After his death, with no income, the family could no longer sustain itself. Madam Hua secretly began to engage in small-scale matchmaking...!" With a lewd smile, he added, "This county town is not large, and although Madam Hua tried to keep her activities discreet, rumors inevitably spread. Everyone eventually learned the truth and secretly referred to her as 'Mama Hua.' That woman is over thirty, quite an age, and I heard she relies on the servants in the house to find clients...!"

"It is not a trivial matter, but rather something that should not be seen by others." The monkey revealed a strange smile, "The concubines of high-ranking officials and wealthy families have the audacity to secretly take on some work, or perhaps those widows with orphaned daughters and maidservants, struggling to make ends meet, come out to take on odd jobs... this is what we call piecemeal marriage."

Yang Ning rolled up his sleeves, feeling a bit uncomfortable due to the itch on his body. He approached the edge of the wooden tub, just about to reach in to wash his face, but before his hands could enter, he was already frozen in place

The old tree bark could not help but raise its palm and wave it in front of Yang Ning

He looked around and soon realized that this land temple was situated in a remote area, with very few houses nearby; however, not far in front of him was a pond.

The monkey said with some surprise: "Don't you remember where the Flower House is? You go there quite often."

The next day, Yang Ning was awakened from his slumber by the call of the old tree bark, only to realize that he had slept until midday. The wind and rain had long since ceased. Yang Ning got up and stepped outside, where the air after the rain carried a mixture of the scent of earth and fresh grass, penetrating his nostrils and refreshing his spirit. Yang Ning greedily took a few deep breaths of the air, feeling a wave of comfort wash over him.

Where is Xiao Die now? Yang Ning has already learned from the old tree bark that his ability to come back to life is certainly due to Xiao Die, and it is evident that the owner of this body has a deep connection with Xiao Die

In the dead of night, there were no signs that the wind and rain outside were letting up. Yang Ning already felt somewhat weary, knowing that in such weather, even if he were to worry about Xiao Die, it would be impossible to go out.

It was a face stained with dirt, not cleaner than those of the others, yet it was still possible to discern that this face was quite delicate. The individual appeared to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, with a somewhat gaunt visage. However, a pair of sword-like eyebrows arched upwards, lending an air of heroism amidst the handsome features.

In fact, that alley originally had no name, but since the Hua residence is located in that alley, no one dares to go there. The monkey, looking quite knowledgeable, said, "Last year, the loach from the East City made a bet with someone and boldly entered the alley in broad daylight, only to be thrown out by people, beaten black and blue, and had several ribs broken. It still hasn't healed properly to this day." A hint of resentment appeared in his eyes: "Since then, we have all called that alley the Dead Man's Alley."

After a restless night, the others were also quite fatigued. Yang Ning signaled for them to rest first. The earth temple has a main hall and two side rooms. Yang Ning is currently in one of the side rooms. Yang Ning and the old tree bark stayed in the side room, while the others went to the outer room to rest.

Several old willow trees grow at an angle by the pond, their branches reaching towards the water's surface, allowing countless willow twigs to gently droop over the water. As a light breeze brushes by, the willow branches sway gracefully, dancing like a slender-waisted beauty in a slow and elegant movement

The old tree bark sighed and said helplessly: "You really can't remember, she has been at Flower Mama's all this time. Over the past six months, you have often gone to see her, and all the matters concerning her were also told to me by you."

The old tree bark sighed: "Monkeys are inherently restless beings. In the past, you kept a low profile, and they enjoyed causing trouble outside. Now that they know how formidable you are and have recognized you as their leader, they merely wish to use you as a banner to compete with the other brothers of the Beggar's Sect. Diao'er, heed my words: there are always greater powers beyond the heavens and more capable individuals beyond the human realm. Even if you possess great abilities, do not let the monkeys drag you down; it is better to remain honest and straightforward."

At this moment, the monkey had already entered, and behind it, a beggar was holding a broken wooden bucket filled with water, which he placed beside Yang Ning

The old tree bark wore a worried expression and said, "That night when Miss Xiaodie left, she mentioned that she would come to see you whenever she had the chance. However, several days have passed, and there has been no word from her. That night, she sneaked out of the flower residence, and I don't know if she was discovered after returning. It is truly concerning."

Upon hearing this, Yang Ning's heart sank immediately, thinking that if Xiao Die were in such a family, wouldn't it be a case of more misfortune than good fortune

His words were earnest and heartfelt, clearly indicating his concern for Yang Ning, which is why he offered a kind reminder

Bad intentions? The old tree bark shook its head, "It cannot be called bad intentions; it is simply that there is no good intention at all. In this city, there are several hundred disciples of the Beggar's Sect. Although they all belong to the Beggar's Sect, it is common for them to form factions and fight among themselves in this city."

After tossing and turning for quite some time, I finally fell into a vague sleep. Perhaps it is truly due to my body recovering from a serious illness and being overly fatigued. The latter half of the night was relatively peaceful.

What left him helpless was that this era was not like any historical period he remembered; otherwise, he could have anticipated events in advance and achieved great things with the advantage of a prophet.

"Hua County Magistrate used to be a prominent figure in Huize County. " The monkey said, "In the Dead Man's Alley, there is only his household; if it is not his family, who else could it be?" The monkey said irritably, "However, with a woman like Mama Hua who engages in clandestine marriages, one must act stealthily, naturally making it difficult for others to approach his residence easily"

Old Tree Bark Road: "I went out earlier, saying that you have just recovered from a serious illness and want to bring something back to celebrate."

Where did those guys go? There was no sign of the monkeys and others inside or outside the earth temple, and Yang Ning couldn't help but ask the old tree bark beside him

The old tree bark bitterly smiled and said: "Half a year ago, it was you who brought Miss Xiaodie to this city. You told me that you met each other while seeking refuge. She was humiliated by others, and you saved her once. Since then, you have relied on each other like siblings."

Yang Ning had merely spoken casually, yet unexpectedly, Old Tree Bark responded in such a manner. He felt there was something suspicious about it and asked, "Old Tree Bark, do you really think they harbor ill intentions?"

Yang Ning wanted to ponder, yet was uncertain if it was due to recovering from a serious illness. Whenever he engaged his mind, he felt a swelling sensation at the back of his head, accompanied by a sense of heaviness.

"Flower Mother?" Yang Ningqi inquired, "Who exactly is this Flower Mother?"

Yang Ning sneered and said, "Is it the people from Huazhai who did this?"

"Several hundred people?" Yang Ning did not expect the beggar gang in Huize City to be so powerful.

He previously thought that the Beatles hairstyles of the monkeys and others were very unique, but at this moment he also realized that he himself had unkempt hair, looking disheveled and, at least in appearance, truly resembled a genuine beggar

Yang Ning could only gently remind, "Old tree bark, I have forgotten some things, not that I am blind; my eyes can still see... Could you help me recall?"

Yang Ning felt that this honorable profession of a disciple of the Beggar's Sect was not suitable for him. Since coming to this world had already become a predetermined fact, it could no longer be changed. All he could do was adapt to the life in this world

Before his time travel, he ran a business and felt that with the business acumen he had accumulated, he could potentially achieve great success in this era. However, he is currently penniless, and even if he wanted to start a business, he has no capital to begin with. Moreover, he has no understanding of the current market conditions, making it impossible for him to embark on the path of commerce in the short term.

The old tree bark had not yet responded when the sound of a monkey came from behind: "Flower Mother is the widow of the county magistrate of Flower County, hee hee, in this city, very few people dare to provoke her"

Yang Ning was momentarily taken aback, "Are you referring to the job you mentioned...?" Yet, she had already come to an understanding in her heart

After Yang Ning lay down, he was contemplating his future prospects

Yang Ning shook his head and asked, "Do you know?"