From a humble farmer to a great martial arts master

18. Ambition

With his hands bound, Li Xiaohu's heart sank when he heard the man's words behind him.

Looking for my family member?

broken!

They were actually heading to see the Buddha!

"Sir, sir, spare my life!"

"I have an elderly mother in her fifties, a bedridden father, a gambling addict, and a sister who sold herself into prostitution. We were so desperate for food that we thought of stealing some money to buy rice..."

"Sir, please let me go. I won't do it again, I'll never do it again."

The Buddha repeatedly instructed his disciples that if they encountered a situation like the one before them, they should adhere to the principle of "softness" in order to evoke the other party's compassion.

In short, we absolutely must not let them find our way home.

It doesn't matter if you get arrested, beaten up, or even thrown into jail by the yamen runners.

If the Buddha were to be exposed, his two tendons would be severed immediately.

Li Xiaohu cried terribly, tears and snot streaming down his face, his wailing drawing the attention of passersby on the street.

"shut up!"

Ren Qingshan twisted his arm.

He hardened his heart, his shouts grew louder, his cries more pitiful, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans dripped from his forehead, while a layer of white sweat broke out on his back.

These petty thieves who roam the streets are like tough nut to crack, making them exceptionally difficult to deal with.

Ren Qingshan stared coldly at his back, roughly guessing his thoughts. Even a petty thief has his own rules of survival.

He dragged him to a nearby alley, and Ren Qingshan loosened his grip slightly, looking at him with a half-smile.

Li Xiaohu immediately realized that there was a chance for things to turn around. His eyes darted around, and he immediately knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy.

"Alright, I'm asking you, what kinds of lucrative side businesses are there in Huaiyin County?"

Ren Qingshan asked in a deep voice.

ha?

A thought flashed through Li Xiaohu's mind: Could this guy be trying to make money?

However, this question wasn't difficult to answer. Slightly raising his head, Li Xiaohu quickly said, "Jin... Jin Yulou, brothels are the most profitable!"

"Go to hell! How the hell am I supposed to make money at a brothel? I'm not some top courtesan!"

"I'm asking about businesses that require no investment!"

Ren Qingshan feigned a crude and vulgar laugh and curse.

Li Xiaohu instinctively covered his head, bracing himself for a beating, but the fist didn't fall. He felt a slight sense of relief and began to ponder deeply.

"This...stealing from wealthy people? Doing one big heist and then running away?"

He cautiously probed.

This thought has crossed my mind countless times; just thinking about it is wonderful.

However, they didn't have the ability, since which wealthy family didn't have guards?

They wouldn't dare, not even the Buddha.

"Think about it again."

"Thief-like and rat-like, I wouldn't stoop to that."

"Are there any professions where you can make a fortune through fighting and killing, with virtually no regulations?"

Ren Qingshan asked again.

Li Xiaohu's mind raced. He took a deep breath, and a sudden flash of inspiration struck him: "Flying...Flying Dragon Gang?"

"The Flying Dragon Gang is the biggest gang at the docks. They collect protection money from all the shops in the entire South City. I don't even dare to go to the South City!"

"If you go there, you'll be recognized, beaten up, and kicked out."

"The Flying Dragon Gang's leaders are all incredibly wealthy. Even a minor leader earns at least a hundred taels a month, sometimes more! I've seen their banquets; the scale and the swagger... it's worth it to be dragged to the execution ground and beheaded right after that meal!"

Li Xiaohu's Adam's apple bobbed, he dared not look up, but his eyes were full of envy.

Flying Dragon Gang...

Ren Qingshan frowned slightly.

Where there are docks, there are gangs.

They all existed in Lujiazhuang, and were known as the Five Tigers Gang.

Every year, the Lu family would pay money to the Five Tigers Gang as a matter of routine, spending money to buy peace, and there had never been any disputes.

To be fair...

Given his current situation, joining a gang might actually bring him a lot of money.

However, once you've been involved in a gang, you can no longer take the martial arts exam.

They won't get past the verification of their identity.

To become a martial arts scholar, one must first be from a respectable family, with a clean background and a spotless resume.

Two ways.

Taking the right path means having no money, having to persevere step by step, having no background, no benefactors, and only one in ten thousand will succeed.

Making money through illegal means may seem quick, but it's a dangerous business, risking your life.

"Anything else? Keep thinking!"

Thinking about these things, Ren Qingshan continued to ask questions.

My current situation is similar to that of someone looking for a job.

First, gather information from multiple sources, then find a way that satisfies both sides.

"besides……"

"Then there are martial arts schools, but they're ruthless and predatory; forget about making money there, you can only spend money."

"And then there are the escort agencies. Being an escort isn't easy. You have to get an escort certificate from the government office, which costs at least a hundred taels of silver. In the last two years, you also have to own property in the city."

Li Xiaohu knew all of these things like the back of his hand.

The martial arts school makes its money by taking on apprentices; you can spend money, but don't even think about making money.

Escorts had to register with the government office, and the regulations were extremely strict to prevent bad people from sneaking in and running away with their employers' valuable goods.

"What about the Demon Suppression Division?"

Ren Qingshan asked again.

Li Xiaohu gasped. The Demon Suppression Division was truly a life-or-death profession, not something an ordinary person could do.

"Demon Suppression Division..."

"The Demon Suppression Division is extremely prestigious, but I don't know much about it. I've only heard that it's only open to martial arts scholars."

"There are some scattered demon hunters outside, assisting the officials of the Demon Suppression Bureau, but they don't receive a salary, only some odds and ends. The main problem is... nine out of ten die within a year."

Ren Qingshan remained silent, then shook his head and smiled.

Wherever there is wealth, there will be people.

The more wealth you have, the more people you have, and the higher the threshold becomes.

There are generally no opportunities to find bargains; you have to be deeply involved to have any chance of making a decisive move.

……

The Huaiyin County Government Office was located in the inner city.

To enter the city, you either need a "monthly pass".

Monthly pass: After verifying one's identity at the government office, one can obtain a pass by paying a monthly fee of one tael of silver. It is a pass that allows unlimited entry and exit from the inner city each month.

Alternatively... it would cost thirty coins per trip, and you would have to explain the reason, what you wanted to do in the inner city, and who you were looking for.

Ren Qingshan, despite the pain in his heart, said he would go to his nephew Ren Yaokang, who worked as a yamen runner in the same clan, and pay him thirty copper coins before he was allowed to enter.

Upon entering the inner city.

The air seemed fresher, the roads were spotless, and decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, making it much more refined than the outer city.

The streets were eight horses wide, and almost every household had a horse-drawn carriage parked in front of their door.

Some exceptionally wealthy families even had servants standing guard in front of their doors.

There were indeed many more ladies, young women, maids, and pretty girls on the streets than in the outer city.

And... I have to say, the women in the city are fair-skinned.

Ren Qingshan, like a tourist, glanced around at the sights.

Along the way, we saw the Golden Jade Pavilion, its golden exterior walls gleaming in the midday sun, resplendent like a palace.

In short...wealth and prosperity!

The business in this building is incredibly lucrative; the daily income could probably buy hundreds of acres of land.

I need to make money!

I want to get rich!

I want to make a name for myself and achieve great things!

Thirty-five years old is the perfect age to start a career!

Looking at these...

Ren Qingshan's ambition was greatly aroused.

I felt brimming with confidence.

In both my past and present lives, I belong to the upper-lower class, but not quite middle class. Although I have enough to eat and wear, I am not wealthy or powerful.

But the biggest difference now is... force!

Ground book!

……

……