“Don’t… don’t say anymore, I don’t want to hear it!” Zhang Lanlan covered her ears.
“Haha…” Lu Dagang laughed heartily. “Lu Ye dotes on his wife, he even calls her ‘baby,’ you think you’re nobler than Lu Ye’s wife, but in reality, you’re not even worth a fart! Lu Ye never even looked at you properly. When he was a child, he didn’t kill the wolves to save you, but to save his good brother Li Xuanyi. You’ve been daydreaming for so many years, it’s utterly ridiculous, haha…”
Zhang Lanlan curled up on the ground and sobbed. She could tolerate anything, but she couldn’t stand that Lu Ye’s lowly wife had a better life than her!
“Oh, right, you don’t need to put on an act anymore. Before they left, Lu Ye’s wife told me one last thing. She said, ‘Remember the other person’s ugly side, don’t be soft-hearted just because they say a few nice words.’ So, I’ve remembered your ugliest side. You might as well save your breath! Stop calling me Big Brother Dagang, it makes me sick!”
Lu Dagang kicked Zhang Lanlan and then limped out of the woodshed, locking the door.
Zhang Lanlan wailed hoarsely. She could never understand where she fell short compared to Lu Ye’s lowly wife! Why was heaven so unfair! If only that lowly person hadn’t appeared back then, she wouldn’t be facing this misfortune today. It was all that lowly person’s fault! It was all the fault of Lu Ye’s penniless parents for bringing this lowly person home! What fools they were! And Lu Ye! He was blind, not seeing that only she, Zhang Lanlan, deserved him in this world! She loved him so much, yet he was so cold-blooded and heartless towards her! Everyone who hurt her deserved to die! She cursed them to have a terrible end!
The Imperial Palace.
News of the Emperor punishing the Empress and the Crown Prince quickly reached Concubine Mei. She immediately sent someone to deliver a letter to Bai Sheng, sharing this good news.
However, Bai Sheng and Lu Ye didn’t believe that the Empress and the Crown Prince would let them off so easily. They still needed to be cautious. The two of them decided to strike first and would go to “shear the wool” from the Crown Prince and the Empress on a chosen date. Bai Sheng always found time to plan this matter, ensuring it was foolproof. She wanted to severely damage the Empress and the Crown Prince without anyone being able to trace it back to them.
The renovation of “Red Powder Beauty” was still in progress. Lu Tong, following his master’s instructions, meticulously oversaw every detail. The artisans in charge of the renovation were so intimidated by him that their backs prickled. To escape his nagging, they could only do their best to perfect the work at hand. They couldn’t understand how such a young boy, in his teens, could be so mature and fatherly, more so than their own fathers!
The renovation of the “Yao Sheng Gate” in Hongyun Street was also underway. Lu Ye sent two people to supervise the artisans, while the others underwent intensive training at the Wei Mansion daily, personally instructed by Lu Ye. All the disciples of the Yao Sheng Gate were incredibly excited. Being close to the Sect Leader’s residence had its advantages; the Sect Leader was personally training them! Moreover, they had the honor of witnessing the sparring sessions between the First Hall Master, the Third Hall Master, and the Sect Leader. The First and Third Hall Masters were already formidable, but in front of the Sect Leader, they were still significantly outmatched. The Sect Leader’s martial arts were truly unfathomable. According to the Hall Masters, speaking truthfully after drinking, the Sect Leader was a martial arts prodigy. He could remember any martial arts move after seeing it just once, and then completely internalize it into his own skills. This was practically the legendary “Star Absorbing Great Method,” absorbing others’ martial arts to make them his own. It was simply awesome!
Lu Ye became increasingly legendary in the eyes of the disciples. Some disciples speculated that he might be the reincarnation of a God of War, otherwise, how could he be so powerful? httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět However, when they remembered that the Sect Leader was extremely henpecked, always carrying the poorly made cloth bags sewn by the Sect Leader’s wife when going in and out, without any shame, the disciples felt he didn’t quite seem like a reincarnation of a God of War. Gods of War were high and mighty, detached from worldly desires, so how could they dote on their wives so much? Alas, the Sect Leader was truly difficult to understand. The disciples of the Yao Sheng Gate expressed that they could no longer comprehend him.
Lu Yun and his four younger brothers’ archery business was booming. Uncle Cripple’s small bows and arrows were particularly popular. A small bow and arrow set sold for one to three taels of silver, a three-stone bow for adults cost twelve taels of silver, a small slingshot sold for 800 wen, and a larger slingshot cost one tael of silver. Additionally, the small carvings made by Uncle Crazy sold for a few wen to several hundred wen. In the first month, they made a net profit of 180 taels of silver. Lu Yun kept thirty taels as capital, and after splitting the remaining 150 taels with Uncle Cripple, each of the five brothers received fifteen taels of silver. Lu Yu took out five taels and put it back into the capital as repayment of the principal. As a man who was just over five years old, he always kept his word. Looking at the pile of silver fragments and copper coins in front of him, the five brothers were quite shocked. Initially, they had only intended to try it out, but they never expected to end up creating a lucrative business.
Lu Yun’s group of young beggars, including Guanzi, were now all able to eat their fill. All the young beggars had two sets of clothes. Although they were made of the most ordinary linen, they were no longer in rags. After bathing in the Tu Niangniang River, they changed into their clothes and walked down the streets with confidence. No one shouted “little beggars” at them anymore. The number of young beggars living under Lu Yun and his five brothers had grown to over a dozen, and all of them had abandoned their life of begging. This gave the five brothers a great sense of accomplishment.
Lu Yun decided to establish a gang, which he named the Street Gang. The four younger brothers were all thrilled upon hearing this. They unanimously nominated Lu Yun as the gang leader, and the four of them would serve as the Four Great Protectors. Lu Yun did not shy away from the responsibility. He quickly gathered the young beggars and officially announced the establishment of the Street Gang. Joining the Street Gang was voluntary, but once a member joined, they had to be loyal to the gang and never betray it. To their surprise, the over a dozen young beggars were even more excited than the five brothers, vying to join the gang.
To secure a permanent base for the Street Gang, the five brothers pooled their money and rented a very small shop on Hongyun Street. The shop had a tiny backyard with two old rooms. The shop would be used for selling goods, and the backyard would house the young beggars. Even when winter arrived, they wouldn’t have to sleep in ruined temples or on the streets to endure the cold. The first day the young beggars moved into the backyard, they were all so moved that tears welled up in their eyes. They finally had a place to shelter from the wind and rain. From now on, they would no longer be driven away at any moment, nor would they have to suffer from wind and rain.
Lu Yun stood on a stool, looking at everyone, his gaze resolute and his tone resounding, “As of this moment, I declare that from now on, the people of our Street Gang will no longer be called little beggars. We are called the Street Gang! As long as we in the Street Gang work together diligently and do good business, before long, we will move to a larger base, perhaps even buy a large mansion so that all gang members can live in it!”
After Lu Yun finished speaking, all the disciples of the Street Gang cheered excitedly.