The spring breeze, carrying the scent of the *You* hour’s setting sun, brushed against his face. Chen Ji leaned against the railing on the second floor of the restaurant, quietly watching Robber Brother in the crowd below. He held his fists high and didn’t seem to breathe at all.

For some reason, Chen Ji also felt a sense of joy in his heart. When he saw Robber Brother as the spring breeze touched his face, it felt like the scent of his hometown was mixed in. An old friend winning was always better than a stranger winning.

At this moment, outside the wrestling ring, the stick-wielders from He Ji faced each other.

They simply couldn’t understand how one of their own could be casually choked and then fall unconscious in just a few breaths.

Fu Rui Xiang pointed at the figure on the ground. Tian Sheng said mockingly to He Ji: “He Ji, your ‘Li Pa Pi’ even gave himself the nickname ‘Conquer Fortune General.’ We’ve never seen a general lying on the ground.”

“Heavenly General, you’re cool on the ground. Don’t sleep anymore. It’s two wins out of three in the wrestling. You still need to get up and compete in another round.”

“Hahahaha, what a dog-fart general! The rest don’t need to be compared either.”

He Ji’s stick-wielders angrily drew the iron rulers from their waistbands. “What the hell are you saying? Have you forgotten how your grandpas beat you down all these years?”

Fu Rui Xiang was also unwilling to show weakness, drawing his own ruler and stepping forward. “A good man doesn’t boast about past bravery. He Ji, you have too many dirty tricks. The grandpas in the beating trade have all collectively abandoned you.”

Both sides were spoiling for a fight, their insults growing more and more intense. He Ji and Fu Rui Xiang’s stick-wielders were practically nose to nose, saliva flying!

Not far away, guests from the *Shi Ji* Meat Bun shop walked out holding their bowls, eating and watching the excitement. The steamed bun vendor rushed over with his shoulder pole, his straw shoes even getting stepped off!

And the miscellaneous folk craftsmen who loved to watch the excitement without fear of trouble stopped their own businesses and beat drums from afar, as if two armies were facing off!

Up in the restaurant, a waiter came to Chen Ji’s side and asked: “Guest officer, what tea would you like?”

Chen Ji didn’t turn his head back, politely refusing: “I don’t drink tea, I’m just here to watch the excitement!”

The waiter smiled, his eyes squinting: “Guest officer, the spot you’re standing in is the best position in our restaurant. If you’re not drinking tea, please make some room!”

Chen Ji turned his head to look at him: “One pot of tea, one dish of melon seeds, how many *wen*?”

The waiter, with a white cloth draped over his shoulder, answered with a smile: “Six hundred *wen*.”

Chen Ji’s peach-blossom eyebrows lifted: “Why don’t you go rob? Six hundred *wen* can buy over ten chickens.”

The waiter also raised his eyebrows: “Guest officer, that’s petty. This railing spot is specially for watching. There’s no reason to watch without drinking tea.”

Before the words could fully land, he heard someone not far away laugh and ask: “Little brother, which side are you supporting?”

Chen Ji looked over and saw a young man of twenty-eight or nine sitting steadily at a nearby Eight Immortals table. Beside him stood a burly man with a knife, guarding him, making the youth appear full of nobility!

He thought for a moment and answered: “Fu Rui Xiang!”

The youth laughed: “Then we’re friends! Waiter, bring this little brother a pot of *Longjing* tea, and four kinds of pastries and honey snacks. Put it on my tab!”

Chen Ji didn’t refuse, and cupped his hands across the two tables: “Many thanks!”

The youth paid him no further attention, turning his head to continue looking downstairs: “Fu Rui Xiang has been suppressed by He Ji for so many years, and finally, they’ve turned things around! The protection money collected from *Li Sha Mao Hutong* alone amounts to over a thousand *taels* of silver a month. Thinking about it, although He Ji lost the wrestling match, they won’t necessarily give up easily!”

Chen Ji’s heart stirred. Was business outside the city so profitable?

He turned his head to look again! Robber Brother was quite alert and had already withdrawn from the ring. Short and Sturdy, the two men, were helping him put on a black short jacket!

One tall and one short, they hid within the crowd watching the excitement. Chen Ji quietly thought. The last time he had just approached, the other side immediately ran away. If he appeared rashly again this time, he would likely scare the other side away again!

What to do?

While he was thinking, the quarrel inside the ring by *Tianqiao* became more and more intense. Hundreds of stick-wielders were packed together, and a major fight was about to break out!

The old man who had acted as the host earlier cleared his throat, and the two groups, He Ji and Fu Rui Xiang, suddenly separated!

A man among Fu Rui Xiang’s group cupped his fists and said: “Qi Gong, according to the previous agreement, the protection money from *Li Sha Mao Hutong* will belong to our Fu Rui Xiang!”

Qi Gong nodded and hummed in agreement: “That was said!”

“But no officials are allowed inside! If anyone finds an official, they might have to face three knives and six holes!”

“Qi Gong, please identify if this person is an official!”

Qi Gong shook his head: “Whether someone is an official is known the moment they make a move. This Robber Brother, a wanderer from outside the capital, indeed has superb wrestling skills and won by skill!”

Having said that, the thin Qi Gong said loudly: “Today, I, from the *San Shan Hui*, are entrusted by Zhu Guan, the head of Fu Rui Xiang, and Huan, the head of He Ji, to come here and host this justice! Since Fu Rui Xiang won, then starting from tonight, the protection money from *Li Sha Mao Hutong* will be collected by Fu Rui Xiang!”

The Fu Rui Xiang side burst into cheers. The middle-aged head named Zhu Guan searched for Robber Brother’s figure in the crowd: “Son, come over.”

Robber Brother put on his clothes, buttoned them up properly, and cupped his fists: “Head!”

Zhu Guan smiled and said: “I promised you earlier, if you can hold down *Li Sha Mao Hutong*, you will collect the protection money from this alley. Seventy percent will be returned to the hall, and the remaining thirty percent will be profit for you to reward the brothers!”

Robber Brother said steadily: “Thanks, Head!”

The youth upstairs sighed with regret: “This Robber Brother is steady like an old hand in the *jianghu*, but ultimately, he’s still from outside! The guard beside the youth whispered: “Young master, the money from *Li Sha Mao Hutong* might be a bit hot to handle!”

The youth smiled: “It is indeed hot to handle! He Ji has held eight major alleys for seven years, hasn’t it? Although *Li Sha Mao Hutong* is just a lower-tier place among the eight major alleys, not comparable to *Bai Shun Hutong*, the protection money it collects is quite a bit more than *Yanzhi Hutong*, *You Tou Hutong*, and *Shan Zhou Alley*… How could He Ji really spit out the fat meat in its mouth just because of one match? However, all of this has nothing to do with that Robber Brother. He won’t live past tonight!”

The guard said in a low voice: “Young master, should I recruit that Robber Brother to protect him a bit!”

The youth shook his head: “No need, no need. We won’t interfere. If we are discovered, impeachments against me will fly all over the sky again!”

At this time, Chen Ji didn’t care about anything else and asked the youth curiously: “Excuse me, why won’t this Robber Brother live past tonight?”

The youth had just raised his wine cup to his mouth. Hearing these words, the hand holding the wine cup suddenly stopped. He said meaningfully: “Little brother is not from the capital.”

Chen Ji politely said: “Just arrived not long ago!”

The youth laughed: “Then I’ll tell you! The beating trade in the outer city is divided into seven families. Four families are in He Ji, and three families are in Fu Rui Xiang. And this beating trade has its rules!”

Chen Ji asked: “What rules?”

The youth pointed to the seat beside him: “Come over, drink wine and chat.”

Chen Ji went and sat down, but he didn’t drink the wine, instead pushing the wine cup back: “Sorry, drinking wine delays matters. I’ve quit drinking!”

The youth didn’t mind and drank another cup himself: “The rules of the beating trade are more numerous than those of street idlers. For example, those from the lower tiers outside who come to the capital must first find the *San Shan Hui* to deliver a worship card before they can make a living at this *Tianqiao*! Look at the performers on *Tianqiao*, whether they are throwing flying knives, breaking large stones on their chests, or holding large jars, they have all delivered worship cards!”

The youth poured another small cup of wine and said slowly and methodically: “Then there are the rules of ‘standing stick.’ So-called ‘standing stick’ is to announce to all in the beating trade that you want to establish a sect and faction here today. After that, you will also be a figure with a head and face, no longer just a stick-wielder!”

“But once you ‘stand stick,’ all seven families of the beating trade can come to challenge you. Before they fight, they must first let you have three moves. This is called the demeanor of the capital’s lords… But you can’t withstand their large numbers! Tonight, the several hundred people from He Ji’s four families in the beating trade will surely go all over the city to find trouble with Robber Brother, attacking in turns. Even an official couldn’t withstand that!”

Chen Ji frowned: “Then why does he still want to ‘stand stick’? It’s really unwise…”

But the problem was that Robber Brother wasn’t an unwise person. How could he make this kind of mistake?

The youth smiled mysteriously: “This is Zhu Guan pitting him, this foreigner who doesn’t understand the rules! This Zhu Guan is known for his intolerance. He’s probably worried that this Robber Brother will stay in Fu Rui Xiang and steal his spotlight, so he deliberately made him ‘stand stick’ in front of everyone, playing a trick of killing the donkey after it has served its purpose, borrowing a knife to kill!”

“Little brother, this is a rule originally set to exclude outsiders!” Chen Ji lowered his eyes.

Rules, again rules!

Since he entered the capital, he hadn’t seen real knives and real guns, but man-eating rules were everywhere!

Chen Ji didn’t understand: “But this Robber Brother is from Fu Rui Xiang. What good does it do Zhu Guan to pit him?”

The youth laughed: “You don’t understand this. If you’re in this line of work and can’t suppress your subordinates, in less than two years, people below you will turn things upside down. Do you think those lower-tier people are all loyal? All they think about in their hearts is how to make money and how to sleep with their sisters-in-law! Zhu Guan has been able to sit steadily as the shopkeeper in Fu Rui Xiang for fourteen years precisely because he is jealous of talent! Of course, this is also why Fu Rui Xiang has been beaten down by He Ji!”

Chen Ji asked in a low voice: “Since Zhu Guan is the shopkeeper, then who is the boss behind him and why would they allow him to pit his own people?”

The youth shook his head and said as if it were nothing: “That, I don’t know!”

Chen Ji turned and asked: “Then, excuse me, what is the *San Shan Hui*?”

The youth laughed: “The *San Shan Hui* is an ‘over-the-river dragon’ that has emerged in the last ten years or so. They don’t collect protection money themselves, they only operate their own escort agency, wine shops, brothels, and inns! As for why they can host this kind of matter, it’s naturally because their fists are the biggest, and they have some soldiers from military backgrounds under their command!”

Saying this, the youth pointed to Qi Gong downstairs: “Here, this is Du Qi Gong, the shopkeeper of the *San Shan Hui*. In his early years, he served in the Fang Sui army, but later went deaf in one ear and broke two fingers, and then left the Emperor’s army! With a background in the Emperor’s army, his roots in this imperial city are naturally the strongest!”

Chen Ji nodded!

The youth sized him up with interest: “I see a bloody aura on little brother’s body. It’s difficult to say you just came out of the army. If you want to find a place to rely on, the *San Shan Hui* is the most suitable! Go to *Bai Shun Hutong* and find a small class named ‘White Jade Garden.’ Du Qi Gong is there every day!”

While they were speaking, the crowd dispersed, and Robber Brother and Two Knives walked towards the north side!

Chen Ji and the youth cupped their hands in farewell, went downstairs, and chased after them!

The youth raised his wine cup and drank the clear wine liquid in one gulp. The guard beside him bent down and said: “Young master, this kid should be an official!”

The youth smiled and put down the wine cup: “There are many officials in this capital city. One more or one less of him doesn’t make a difference. Don’t be surprised!”

Chen Ji walked along the main street of *Zhengyang Men*, occasionally avoiding the oncoming pedestrians. He stared lightly from a distance through the crowd at Robber Brother and Two Knives in front!

Robber Brother draped the black short jacket over his shoulder. Two Knives carried a white bundle, bulging inside with who knows what! These two first sat at a roadside wonton stall and ate a full twelve bowls of wonton. They waited until the sky was dark before getting up and walking towards the direction of the eight major alleys!

Outside *Zhengyang Men*, there were just carriages driving out of the inner city, rushing straight towards the eight major alleys!

To find “clear faith people” to listen to music in *Bai Shun Hutong*, and to find “young men” to watch opera in *Han Jia Tan Hutong*, this was the favorite pastime of officials and nobles from the inner city!

And *Li Sha Mao Hutong* was famous for its “dark door” specializing in lower-tier business, all with some poor prostitutes. Robber Brother led Two Knives swaggeringly into *Li Sha Mao Hutong*!

He looked at the narrow alley that only allowed three people to pass side by side, hearing the mandarin duck voices transmitted from the two-story buildings, and suddenly sighed: “Two Knives, I’ve also managed to fight out a place for our brothers to settle down and make a living!”

Two Knives looked left and right at the blue bricks and gray tiles on both sides and the red lanterns all over the street: “Live here.”

Robber Brother said impatiently: “Naturally, we don’t live here. This is where our brothers make money! When we’ve saved enough money from here, brother will take you to *Pan Jia Yuan* or *Liuli Chang* to find two official doors. At that time, we will also be official masters that everyone looks up to!”

Two Knives said “Oh!”

Robber Brother glanced at him: “These good days need to be celebrated a bit. Hold on to some money, I’m going to have a thorough good time in the alley!”

Two Knives shook his head: “No way.”

Robber Brother’s face fell: “Not even today?”

Two Knives said with certainty: “Brother, you said it yourself, unless you have a terminal illness, you will absolutely not spend money on women anymore! Terminal illnesses include cancer, AIDS, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, rabies, ALS… you don’t have any of them!”

Robber Brother scratched his scalp with his little finger: “You know quite a lot…”

Just at this moment, urgent footsteps came from the end of *Li Sha Mao Hutong*. Four or five men holding axes pointed from afar “Over there.”

Robber Brother’s face gradually turned cold. He turned his head again to look behind him, where four or five armed men were also blocking the road. He threw the black short jacket in his hand onto the ground and moved his shoulders and neck: “Willing to gamble but unwilling to admit defeat? According to the rules, this season’s *Sha Mao Hutong* belongs to our Fu Rui Xiang!”

The ax-wielding men sneered: “*Li Sha Mao Hutong* belonging to whom is irrelevant, but since you shouted ‘stand stick,’ you must die tonight. According to the rules of our capital’s beating trade, we’ll let you have three moves first.”

Robber Brother strode towards the men: “Dad needs you to let him?”