Chapter 109

  Here is Yangzhou, where three-tenths of the world's moonlit nights and two-tenths of the world's scoundrels are in Yangzhou.

  Yangzhou is a good place, with beautiful mountains and rivers. It has produced famous writings that have been passed down for thousands of years, as well as women who are as gentle as water.

  Of course, there are others...

  The dock was moored with countless large and small boats, merchants and sailors came and went like shuttles, and even a single porter carrying a sack of hemp had an air that was different from Youzhou.

  On the bustling dock, there was a group of people who were particularly noticeable. The people on the dock saw them and hastily made way, those who couldn't avoid them could only force themselves to greet them with a stiff face.

  "Master Lu, you've been working hard, how have you been lately?"

  "Xiao Liu, stop making excuses, you haven't paid this month's share yet. How much did you earn today? Hand it over."

  "Master Lu, have mercy on me, this is for my mother's medical expenses, I'll make it up to you next time and send it over."

  "Cut the crap, bring it over."

  A group of people rushed up and kicked the man to the ground, searching his pockets for money. Lu Ziye weighed the purse in his hand, cursed his bad luck, waved his hand and said: "Get out, get out, don't block my sight."

  Lu Ziyu is a member of the boatmen's gang, which not only exists in Yangzhou but also has an extremely important economic status in water transportation. The dock will always gather such a group of people who make a living by water. Everyone uses short knives and sticks to fight for territory, and what comes out of it is the boatmen's gang.

  Lu Ziye is the person in charge of this dock, and all cargo ships that enter the port have to pay him a fee. Even beggars who come to the dock to ask for food have to give some money to the Lu's gang.

  Cheng Dali looked down from the deck, and the prosperous scene here also broadened his horizons. He was eager to experience the customs and people of Yangzhou. Xu Shenji, Gao Feibao, Zhang Fei, Zhao Zilong, Liu Qi, Su Qing, Xiao Bai Lang followed him off the boat, while others remained on board.

  "After disembarking, remember to call me Young Master. We are a noble family from the North, don't bring that mountain bandit nonsense out here. Yangzhou is a place of refinement and elegance." Before disembarking, Cheng Dalai was giving his final instructions. He wasn't worried about anyone else, but rather Zhang Fei and Gao Feibao, those two fools.

  Several people are eagerly awaiting, with a kind of rustic old hat for the first time entering the city's expectation.

  However, several people were stopped before they could get off the boat.

  "How come it's all your first time in Yangzhou, and no one even understands the rules of Yangzhou city?"

  Seven or eight people were crowded at the bow of the boat, Lu Ziye slanting his face and speaking in Yangzhou dialect.

  Xu Shenji and several others looked at each other in dismay, not because they were blocked by someone, but because they couldn't quite understand what these people were saying. The Yangzhou dialect and the Youzhou accent were vastly different, and although the crowd could barely make out a few words, they couldn't string together a coherent sentence.

  Cheng Darui could hear and understand, and he could also speak, but at this moment he didn't open his mouth.

  Lu Ziyu frowned and said with a look of impatience: "Not one of them can speak human language, a bunch of bumpkins."

  It can be roughly guessed what it means, and for a moment, everyone feels a little inferior, their eyes flashing as they look for someone to take charge, all of them looking towards Su Qing.

  Su Ying also couldn't speak Yangzhou dialect, and her expression was a bit awkward.

  At this moment, a man wearing a small hat came out and said: "Gentlemen, gentlemen, I am the local dentist, you can call me Fu Gui."

  Lu Ziyu: "You rich and powerful, you little brat, go teach these country bumpkins some discipline, don't make us take action."

  Fugui's face was full of smiles as he hastily said: "Gentlemen, this is Lu Ye from the Boatman's Guild. This is his territory."

  Xu Shenji knew about the Boatmen's Guild and understood their influence on the docks. He cupped his hands in respect and said, "So you're brothers from the Boatmen's Guild. You've all worked hard..."

  "Who is your brother." Lu Ziyue didn't even lift an eyebrow.

  "...the mysterious Xu Shenji."

  "Gentlemen, if you want to do business on our turf, you must follow the rules of Yangzhou."

  "What's going on here?"

  "We are the ones who take a tenth of the goods. The workers who transport the goods must be from our gang. You can sell to whoever you want, but it's up to us to decide who you can and cannot sell to," said Fu Gui.

  "One in ten, does that mean one out of every ten goods is from the Chao Bang?" Xu Shenji knew that the Chao Bang had a strong influence at the docks, but he didn't realize it was to this extent.

  "What if I don't want to follow this rule?" At this time, Cheng Dairen walked away from the crowd and went to the bow of the boat.

  Cheng Dalai spoke in Yangzhou Mandarin, with a crisp tone. Luzi Ye looked him up and down several times, seeing that he was wearing brocade robes, with sable fur wrapped around his neck, and a large gemstone on his waistband.

  Lu Ziyuan almost burst out laughing at a glance. A group of people chattered and whispered to each other.

  "Where did this savage come from? Doesn't he know the weather in Yangzhou?"

  "I guess it's all well-dressed over there."

  "Haha, country bumpkin."

  Cheng Dalai was covered in black threads, and he knew that Yangzhou's aesthetic view was different from Youzhou. Now, he is considered a Northeastern big brother who wears sable and carries honey.

  Lu Ziyexi waved his hand, signaling the surroundings to quiet down. He said: "This rule was set by our boatman's guild, and it is also for everyone's business to prosper. If you don't want to follow it, that's fine, but then the people and goods on the ship cannot disembark. What if there are hidden thieves or pirates among them? Our boatman's guild must also maintain peace and stability."

  "Huh? How did he know we're mountain bandits?"

  "Is that so......" Cheng Dalai smiled and beckoned with his hand: "Come, come closer, I'll tell you about the rules."

  "What rules?"

  "What am I working for? Isn't it just for the money? Let me tell you, even if I only have three coins and two dates in my fingers, it's enough for you to eat and drink for a lifetime."

  Lu Ziyu glanced at Cheng Dalai, this man looked uncouth but was probably very rich and a nouveau riche from the northern country.

  He smiled and rubbed his hands together as he approached: "You're a clever kid, you know the rules. What have you got?"

  "Take a closer look." Cheng Dairen pressed the hilt, and with a clang, the treasure sword was unsheathed. He swung it in an arc, sweeping it across Lu Ziyue's neck.

  One sword seals the throat.

  Blood gushed out, Lu Ziye's body swayed three times, and with a thud, he fell to the ground.

  Cheng Dairen swung his sword, and the blood dripped in mid-air, but not a single drop stained the black iron blade. It could be said that the sword Li Xingzhe left for Cheng Dairen was quite good - it killed without staining with blood. Sometimes, one couldn't underestimate the world's forging techniques.

  The whole audience was shocked, Zhang Fei and Gao Fei stared at Cheng Dairen with wide eyes, thinking: Didn't they say to be civilized and courteous, but why did Cheng Dairen...

  Even when he was a mountain bandit in Gadao Village, he had never been like this before.

  Fu Gui stumbled and stuttered: "Y-you..."

  Cheng Dairen sheathed his sword, covered his mouth with a handkerchief and said impatiently: "Tell everyone that I, Ouba Ouba Gongzi, have arrived. From today on, this place will be ruled by me."