Chapter 155: Black Market (3)

Walking forward for about another ten minutes or so, the lanterns gradually grew more numerous, the warm color of the candlelight wrapping the shadows of a street alley. Luo Qi took one look and felt it had a bit of the feel of Van Gogh's *Café Terrace at Night*; the street was bustling with shadows of people, stalls were set up along the roadside, and people were constantly stopping. However, the picture before his eyes was of a thoroughly Chinese style; perhaps it should be counted as an Impressionist version of *Along the River During the Qingming Festival*.

"Is it always night here?" Luo Qi asked in a low voice.

"The original name of this place was the Zhouqiao Night Market," Du Zhengyi said. "Although it was inside the human city, it happened to be outside the Mage city at the time, so later the name changed to the Grass Market."

"It looks like a film and television base; if you hadn't brought me here, I would definitely have thought I was being played," Luo Qi said in a low voice.

"The street market here has existed since the Song Dynasty; of course, it's not a modern forgery," Du Zhengyi said.

"I'm too excited," Luo Qi said, watching the street market draw closer. "If I can't talk to you the whole time, I'll definitely suffocate. Can you lower the barrier just a little bit? I can talk to you with my Yajian."

"Impossible," Du Zhengyi said.

Luo Qi said irritably, "I bet the people here are very alert, with heavy defenses."

"What else would you expect?" Du Zhengyi said indifferently, as if what Luo Qi had said was obvious nonsense.

"Then how exactly are we supposed to huddle together and whisper without attracting suspicion?" Luo Qi said, giving up on himself.

"You don't need to do anything; just hold it in and don't talk too much," Du Zhengyi said leisurely. "We are here to buy things, not for you to share your observations and reflections."

Luo Qi dissatisfiedly wrapped his lower lip over his upper lip, then futilely thought that it was too dark here, and even if he made a weird face, Du Zhengyi wouldn't see it, so he said with half-genuine, half-fake resentment, "Fine, you are heartless, so I will be unrighteous. Just you wait, Du Zhengyi!"

Du Zhengyi made a "tsk" sound. "Are you asking for a beating?"

While they were talking, the last stretch of the journey was finished. At the entrance of the street market, there was a person wearing a cross-collar long robe, holding a lantern, receiving people at the street corner.

Luo Qi suddenly realized that Du Zhengyi was wrong; he shouldn't have bought a new suit to come here, he should have gone to sew a decent robe.

The person welcoming guests seemed to recognize Du Zhengyi; he was a tall, well-proportioned middle-aged man with elegant manners and a pair of very bright eyes. He signaled his respects to Du Zhengyi, then his gaze fell upon Luo Qi, looking him up and down slightly within the bounds of politeness, and revealed a gentle smile toward him.

He shifted his gaze back to Du Zhengyi, and this time he looked Du Zhengyi over carefully. "Mr. Du, long time no see. How have you been lately?"

This was a most ordinary greeting, which could also count as common business parlance, but there was a certain tone in this man's voice, and a weight of solemnity in his manners, so the words he spoke no longer had the clamor of a Watson's salesgirl. Luo Qi could feel that more words, more power, and more profound meaning were covered beneath this simple greeting.

Du Zhengyi's reply was equally solemn. "Thanks to the care of friends, I am doing quite well."

Luo Qi caught on from Du Zhengyi's words that this man was perhaps one of the nineteen managers of the Grass Market.

"Is this your friend?" the man asked, looking politely at Luo Qi.

"Yes. Perhaps he will come here by himself in the future; I hope Mu Xiansheng can look after him," Du Zhengyi said.

"Of course," the man called Mu Xiansheng said modestly. "Friends introduced by Mr. Du are always excellent customers and also excellent sellers."

Du Zhengyi turned his head to look at Luo Qi. "His name is Limao."

Luo Qi immediately bristled and jumped in his heart, secretly slandering Du Zhengyi for not keeping his word, casually omitting the "Great" and "King" from his name. Limao! What the hell is a Limao? It sounds like a lackey doing odd jobs; what difference is there between that and a slipper or a mop?

Mu Xiansheng looked at Luo Qi and revealed a matter-of-fact smile. "Of course."

Du Zhengyi couldn't help but stare at Luo Qi suspiciously, but he couldn't see any flaws, and Luo Qi was also standing quietly. What slightly surprised Du Zhengyi was Mu Xiansheng's attitude toward Luo Qi, a stranger; it was truly rare friendliness.

Du Zhengyi pondered, then asked casually, "Is Shi Xiansheng well?"

"Still quite robust; Mr. Shi often mentions you," Mr. Mu said with a smile, then suddenly looked at Luo Qi thoughtfully. "There have been some rumors in the Grass Market recently. Limao, could it be the Great Limao King that some people have been mentioning lately?"

Luo Qi was startled. "Someone has mentioned me?"

"I heard that the young man from Qionglin has been close to a Mind Archmage who appeared out of nowhere recently, and this Mage has always called himself the Great Limao King," Mr. Mu said with a smile, gazing into Luo Qi's eyes. "Although I know I shouldn't harbor the delusion that I could see the true face of a Mind Archmage, I still feel you must be very young. Our world has already grown old; it has been a long time since there was an opportunity for the new generation to push the old. With the existence of you two, I think the business at Mr. Yun's casino will be booming for a while."

Du Zhengyi smiled. "Betting on how long we can escape?"

Mu Xiansheng smiled slightly. "Mr. Du, you are too modest. Believe me, they will bet on something bigger than that."

Luo Qi was slightly uneasy; he hadn't thought that he already had a reputation. He had always considered himself a nobody, with no reputation, no traces, and able to return to his previous life at any time. After all, he still had four years of school to finish. Four years was long enough to make him forget this adventure that might last no more than three months.

Du Zhengyi also glanced at him, warningly; he knew he might appear a bit nervous, and this was not the behavior one should have when entering a high-level map.

"Mu Xiansheng, is the jewelry store still run by the old owner?" Du Zhengyi asked.

"Of course," Mu Xiansheng laughed, making a joke. "The eighth generation of the Wanshi Shop is still very robust; I'm afraid the ninth-generation successor will have to wait a while. Ah, I cannot delay you two any longer. Please, go ahead."

After Mr. Mu finished speaking, he cleared the main path and respectfully invited them to enter the street market. He carried the lantern, leading the way half a step ahead, while calmly saying, "Mr. Limao is a new guest; if you take a fancy to anything, I, on behalf of the Zhouqiao Grass Market, will give you a ten percent discount."

"Thank you." Hearing there was a discount, Luo Qi immediately became interested, and that trace of worry from just now was thrown to the nine heavens.

They walked to the place illuminated by the first street lamp; Mu Xiansheng stopped, bowed, and left.

Luo Qi immediately tugged at Du Zhengyi's arm. "Mu Xiansheng, Shi Xiansheng—is this the 'Alliance of Wood and Stone'?"

"Don't talk nonsense. Shi Xiansheng is an old woman over one hundred and ninety years old; if you happen to meet her, remember to call her Nainai," Du Zhengyi said in a low voice.

"Oh," Luo Qi said. "Their aliases are better than the one I picked."

"Mr. Li, your name isn't bad either," Du Zhengyi suppressed a laugh. "With the single name 'Mao', I will give you a courtesy name: Chujun."