I

When they came to a shady alley, the brother and sister sat down against the wall.

Zhao Zhenfang held the remaining handful of steamed buns with her dirty hands: "Second brother, you eat, I'm already full."

Zhao Han did not refuse, but laughed happily. Divide the food that is not enough to fit between the teeth into two halves again, and hand back half to the younger sister: "Eat it separately."

"Ok."

Zhao Zhenfang tore the crumbs of steamed buns and put them in her mouth, reluctant to chew or swallow, and only used her tongue to taste the fragrance of the food.

Seeing Zhao Han looking at her, Zhao Zhenfang seemed to forget her grief, and said with a happy smile, "Second brother, the steamed buns are so delicious."

Zhao Han stroked the top of his sister's head and promised, "When the second brother earns money, I will let you have steamed buns every day."

"That's really good." Zhao Zhenfang said longingly.

After putting the little girl to sleep, the smile on Zhao Han's face disappeared, and he picked up the dog-beating stick and grinded it on the ground. He still didn't have much strength, and the speed of sharpening the weapon was very slow, but the end of the dog-beating stick was finally sharpened.

A simple bamboo spear is formed, and it can kill people at critical times.

The experience just now made Zhao Han deeply aware that besides the possibility of starving to death at any time, there are countless potential dangers waiting for him.

Caressing the bamboo spear, Zhao Han finally felt a little safe, and had the illusion that he could control his own destiny.

In the evening, Zhao Zhenfang woke up from hunger again.

Zhao Han leaned on a bamboo spear in one hand and supported his younger sister in the other as he walked along the streets.

After each eating half a steamed bun and resting for half a day, both brothers and sisters regained some physical strength, at least they didn't have to crawl like dogs when begging for food.

When he came to the back door of a certain house, Zhao Han patted on it for a while, and finally someone came to open the door. Before he could open his mouth to beg, the other party saw the appearance of the siblings, and slammed the door shut.

I knocked on four or five more houses along the way, and only one didn't close the door directly.

"Ma'am, please do me a favor and give me a stutter. The Bodhisattva blesses you with a long life." Zhao Han hurriedly said auspicious words.

The woman said: "There is really no food left at home, you can go beg elsewhere."

Small family and small family, in years of famine, I can’t even eat enough, how can I have food to help the poor and beggars?

Seeing that there was no food to beg for, Zhao Han said again, "Can you give me some water? I'm very thirsty."

The woman was kind-hearted and never refused: "You wait."

The door closes.

After a while, the woman opened the door again, scooped up a ladle of water, and asked with a frown, "Where's your begging bowl?"

Zhao Han said nonsense: "I was beaten to death by some beggars, they don't allow me to beg for food here."

The woman was even more sympathetic, and handed over the ladle and said, "Take it and drink."

Zhao Han first let the younger sister drink water to quench her thirst, and then poured the rest of the water into her stomach. Returning the water ladle, he bowed and said, "Thank you benefactor!"

"It's also a young master in distress. Alas!" The woman closed the door with a sigh.

At such a young age, you already know etiquette, how could you not be the young master in distress?

After Zhao Han drank the water, he finally regained some energy. Instead of continuing to beg in this back alley, he found all the way to Dock East Street, which is the most prosperous place in Tianjin.

Night has fallen, but the North Wharf East Street is brightly lit.

Since cargo ships ran aground in the canal, a large number of merchants stayed here. The inns were already full, and some wealthy businessmen couldn't find a place to stay, so they simply settled down in brothels outside the North City.

There are hungry people everywhere outside the canal, but the East Pier Street is full of flowers, and the aroma of wine and meat comes from the restaurants.

Zhao Han chose a restaurant and squatted at the door to wait for the big customers.

As soon as he stood still, a shop clerk came out and chased him away with a stick: "Little beggar, get out of here!"

Zhao Han hurriedly said, "My ancestor was an imperial cook, and he had an exclusive cooking secret recipe, only ten taels of silver..."

"Get out!" The shop assistant hit him with a stick.

Zhao Han held up his bamboo spear to block it, pulled his sister back and stood at a long distance, waiting for the big guests to enjoy the meal.

As a result, the food was not obtained, but a group of beggars were provoked.

The beggars that Zhao Han killed before were mainly active in Dock North Street. Dock East Street is the site of another group of beggars. They belong to the same gang of beggars, but they are managed by different little bosses.

These beggars are more powerful, and there are more than a dozen of them who come to make trouble.

Zhao Han protected his younger sister and stood against the wall, using a bamboo spear as if fighting a bayonet, and provocatively said, "Come on!"

A beggar was beaten with a stick, but without any rules, the dog-beating stick was swung high above his head.

Zhao Han didn't move his feet, he just leaned forward, and a stab pierced the opponent's thigh.

The beggar held his wound and screamed, the other beggars attacked one after another, and Zhao Han stabbed several of them in succession. It's a pity that he didn't have much strength, and he had to protect his sister, so he himself was beaten a few times.

"He's a Lianjiazi, go back and report to 'Master Hou'!"

The beggars exclaimed one after another and fled in a blink of an eye. Zhao Han used force to obtain temporary begging rights on Dock East Street.

It happened that a rich businessman was full of wine and food, and when he left the restaurant, he witnessed a good scene of beggars fighting. Immediately clapped and applauded, and said drunkenly: "It's a lively fight, give it to grandpa!"

The servant next to the rich merchant grabbed a handful of copper coins and threw them in front of Zhao Han.

"Thank you for the reward, master." Zhao Han was very happy, and took advantage of the twilight from the restaurant to pick up money on the ground with his sister.

There are good and bad copper coins, and this time I got good money.

The siblings were so hungry that they panicked, and hurried to buy food, big Tianjin steamed stuffed buns with meat fillings!

Zhao Zhenfang's cheeks puffed up after eating, like a little hamster protecting food, she chewed and said, "It's delicious, even better than steamed buns!"

Zhao Han was quite happy to finally be able to eat a full meal, and immediately smiled and said, "If you get the money some other day, Second Brother will buy you a more delicious roast duck."

Zhao Zhenfang said with a look of admiration: "Second brother is really amazing, Daddy always says you are smart..." The voice stopped abruptly, and the little girl said with a sad expression: "Second brother, are father and mother dead? I know what death is." Just like big brother, he fell asleep and couldn't wake up."

Zhao Han hugged his younger sister's thin body and said comfortingly, "Don't be afraid, the second brother is here."

"Well, I'm not afraid." Zhao Zhenfang nodded and sobbed, the sound of sobbing gradually turned into sobs, and the tears left two white marks on her muddy little face.

After crying for an unknown amount of time, Zhao Zhenfang finally fell asleep.

Zhao Han's mind was very confused. He didn't know how to make a career. Could it be that he has been begging for food?

...

Wharf Street West.

A beggar knocked open the house, went straight to the main room, knelt down and kowtowed: "Master Hou, there is already news that those two bastards have entered Maliu Lane."

"Hou Ye" is a nickname in Jianghu, whose real name is Deng Gui, who was born in a military family, and became a beggar after fleeing disaster.

While robbing land in Tianjin Docklands, someone poked and blinded him in one eye. At first it was called "One-eyed Dragon", but later it was changed to "Xiao Xiahou". Now beggars in the wharf area respectfully call him "Hou Ye".

Zhao Han encountered two groups of beggars one after the other, all of them were subordinates of Lord Hou Deng Gui. This guy controlled all the begging business outside Beicheng, and by the way, he also took part-time job as a petty thief.

Deng Gui is eating with his family, one wife, two concubines, and five children.

He put down his chopsticks and said, "Send a few people first to block the alleys and alleys, and don't let him run away. If he is caught, he will break his leg immediately!"

In one day, one subordinate was bitten to death, and more than a dozen were beaten away, and the troublemaker was actually a child. Where does this put the face of the "beggar gang leader"?

Rumble!

Suddenly there was a muffled thunder, and everyone in the house was happy.

Deng Gui walked into the small courtyard himself, and said with a smile, "It's been a few months of drought, God is finally going to rain."

The beggar under his command asked, "Master Hou, why don't we do it tomorrow?"

Deng Gui nodded and said, "Tomorrow is okay, but I have to send someone to follow, I'm afraid that little bastard will run away."

They're just a bunch of beggars, they really don't dare to do things in the rain, and they have no money to treat them when they get sick.

"Boom!"

Lightning illuminated the courtyard, thunder came from far and near, and a strong wind suddenly blew.

...

Zhao Zhenfang was awakened by the thunder, enjoying the cool breeze, and said joyfully, "Second brother, it's going to rain."

Zhao Han stood up and said, "Let's go, first find a place to shelter from the rain."

The brother and sister had a hearty meal and rested for a long time, and now they were no longer weak. They immediately held hands and searched in the dark for a place that could shelter them from the wind and rain.

Ma Wu is a beggar who has just joined the gang and has to pay tribute to the organization every day.

If you can't ask for food, not only will you be hungry, but you will also be severely beaten by the boss.

The organizational structure of the beggar gang is loose, and it is obviously going to rain tonight, and the orders from the superiors have been passed down to the bottom, which has completely changed.

One pushes the other, and only Ma Wu is left to work alone. He needs to keep an eye on the Zhao Han brothers and sisters all night long.

All I know is that the target has entered Maliu Lane, where can I find someone?

Ma Wu walked around the streets and alleys for a while. He has slight night blindness, and it is impossible to find people at night, which is equivalent to letting a blind man serve as a sentry.

"Damn it, come to bully me, I'm not that stupid!"

Ma Wu sat under the eaves of a door, which could barely shelter from the rain, and planned to get a full sleep first.

Just as he was dreaming of big fish and big meat, Ma Wu suddenly heard footsteps, and he quickly opened his eyes and wiped his saliva.

The footsteps were getting closer, but Ma Wu couldn't see clearly at all.

A bolt of lightning pierced the night sky.

Zhao Han caught a glimpse of a person curled up under the eaves of the door, and he stepped forward and asked, "Uncle, is there any ruined temple nearby?"

Ma Wu replied subconsciously: "It's far away, the Temple of the City God is in the southeast."

Zhao Han looked at the place carefully, and found that the eaves of the door were not wide, and the heavy rain must have been blown in by the wind, so he took his sister to find a better place.

Ma Wu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized, and quietly followed behind the siblings.

This guy obviously doesn't understand what stalking is, and night blindness affects his eyesight, so even a fool would know the noise is wrong.

After walking for a while, Zhao Han suddenly turned around, walked quickly to Ma Wu, and asked, "Why are you following me?"

"No...no." Ma Wu denied it.

Zhao Han immediately raised his bamboo spear, pointing the tip of the spear at the opponent's throat, and shouted, "Say!"

Ma Wu instantly remembered the rumors that at noon today, a leader was killed on the side of North Street, and this kid in front of him really knew how to kill. He was so frightened that his legs became weak, and he knelt down and said, "Little ancestor, spare me!"

"Say it!" Zhao Han said with a stern expression.

He said everything he knew: "You killed Lord Hou's people, and Lord Hou sent people to look for you everywhere, saying that if they caught you, they would break your legs. You are all children, and it would be better if you broke your legs." Lord Hou will not kill you for begging."

Break the legs of yourself and your sister to beg?

Zhao Han suppressed his anger and asked, "Who is Lord Hou?"

Ma Wu replied: "Master Hou is Lord Hou, and all the beggars near the North Wharf are under his care."

Zhao Han asked, "The leader of the beggar gang?"

"The beggar gang?" Ma Wu shook his head and corrected, "We belong to the Lotus Society."

Zhao Han continued to ask: "That Lord Hou, is he just a beggar leader? Or does he have some other identity?"

Ma Wu said: "It's the beggar leader, and now he won't beg for food by himself."

Zhao Han asked: "You said that the vicinity of the dock is Lord Hou's territory, what about other places in Tianjin?"

Ma Wu replied: "It's not other places. Lord Hou is in charge of the area from the north city wall to the north pier."

The thunder became more urgent, and the rain began to fall.

Zhao Han suddenly became silent, his hands holding the spear loosened and tightened, and he was analyzing his current situation.

First of all, troubled times are coming.

Secondly, I and my sister are young.

Two immature children must think about how to survive in troubled times.

Zhao Han couldn't remember exactly which year it was.

Anyway, if it wasn't next year, it would be the year after, maybe the year after, the Jurchen army would break through the pass and enter the city like a broken bamboo.

When the time comes, there will be chaos, and Tianjin may not be safe.

If Zhao Han is twenty years old, he actually has many ways out, and he can even go to Shaanxi to participate in the peasant uprising.

But he is only ten years old now, and he is dragging a six-year-old sister with him.

The only choice is to look for opportunities to go south, and grow up in the stable Jiangnan first.

Moreover, during the Little Ice Age, the winter in the north was too cold, and it was not easy to freeze to death if you went to the south.

Leaving aside the matter of going south, someone is going to break his legs right now and use him as a begging tool!

Zhao Han straightened his back, his confused eyes gradually became firm. He asked sharply, "Tell me, where does that Lord Hou live?"

(PS: Three updates on the first day, and two updates every day thereafter, regularly updated at 12:00 noon and 8:00 pm. In addition, high-roller masters who are interested in tipping can save the reward next Monday, and then they will be on the list. )