Chapter 792: Human Emperor, Red Dust (1)

South of Sui Du, three thousand six hundred li away, there is a market.

The market has no city walls, no moat; over ten major roads crisscross, extending from the market into the surrounding wilderness, connecting the whole world.

In the market, all trades prosper; every day, people come and go.

Blacksmiths, brewers, butchers, oil pressers, coopers, well-diggers, and even tofu makers, soy milk grinders, cured pork makers, fried dough sellers, as well as restaurants, eateries, gambling houses, brothels — everything is included, nothing is excluded.

Though called a hundred trades, in reality the types of professions number not just thousands but tens of thousands. In this market, the number of workers of all kinds is not just in the millions but tens of millions.

The setting sun in the west, a half-red chubby face dyed heaven and earth crimson; vast red clouds in the west unfurl freely, tomorrow will be clear.

Inside the market, within the vegetable market, in a fish stall reeking of fishy odor, Feng Shang, bare-chested, wearing calfskin underpants, barefoot, left hand holding a large water bucket, right hand a rag, kneels on the ground, wiping clean the floor stained with blood, fish scales, and fish entrails, bit by bit.

He rinses the floor with clean water, flushing away the congealed blood, picks up fish scales and entrails, and throws them into the nearby trash bin.

Then, using the rag, he slowly wipes the floor that has been rinsed with clean water until it is dry.

When wastewater mixed with congealed blood seeped back, soiling the rag, Feng Shang slowly rose, vigorously scrubbed the floor a few times with the big bucket, then took the wooden bucket to the large well not far from the fish stall, drew a bucket of water, and rinsed the rag clean in the ditch beside the well.

After repeating this several times, the fish stall's floor became spotless; the granite-polished floor was so clean it could reflect a person's silhouette.

Feng Shang stood up, exhaled satisfied, and with a smiling face looked at the fish stall, now completely renewed.

"Boss, boss, can this fish be cheaper?" A burly man, half a body taller than Feng Shang, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with a huge belly covered in black hair, stood before the fish stall, pointing at a large yellow-scaled carp in the water tank.

Feng Shang smiled at the big man and quickly shook his head: "How could it be cheaper? Look, it's still very fresh. Sir, our fish is different from pork or mutton—if pork or mutton sits a day, the meat spoils, but our fish stays fresh, alive and jumping… very fresh, very fresh."

The big man reached out, grabbed the carp over two feet long, and with a 'slap' threw it onto the floor beside the water tank.

The fish head smashed to pieces, blood spurted out, soiling the floor that had just been cleaned.

The big man looked triumphantly at Feng Shang: "Boss, boss, look, this fish is dead… where's the freshness?"

Feng Shang stared blankly.

The big man laughed, crossed his arms, and looked proudly at Feng Shang. At the alley corner nearby, seven or eight shirtless men with small daggers at their waists, having 'thievish eyebrows and mouse eyes', shuffled out in quick steps and lined up behind him.

"Big Brother, this fish stall boss who just arrived is dishonest… trying to fool you with a dead fish."

A man with a large eagle-hooked nose chuckled 'hehe' and criticized Feng Shang's faults to the burly big man.

"Indeed, look at this fish—it's completely dead, yet they want to charge the price of a lively big fish for you, Big Brother; this is bullying our Black Tiger Hall, simply pushing their luck, bullying us to the extreme."

A triangle-eyed man grimaced and gestured at Feng Shang.

"Big Brother, we can't break the rules… in this vegetable market, only our Black Tiger Hall bullies others; no one has ever bullied us."

A man with a large black mole on his face played with a small dagger, deliberately scraping the stone platform at the fish stall's entrance with it, making a 'creak-creak' sound.

"However, Big Brother, this kid is also a newcomer; he probably doesn't know the rules." A man with a triangular face, goat beard, straining to look shrewd, shook his arm like a hemp rod and chuckled: "Make him pay you a sum of silver, then from now on pay according to the rules, and that'll settle it."

After a light cough, the goat-bearded man laughed: "Of course, these few fish are to compensate you, Big Brother, perfect for tonight's drinks."

The burly big man crossed his arms over his chest, chuckled 'hehehe' a few times, then glanced sideways at Feng Shang and said word by word: "Kid, do you understand? This vegetable market is the turf of our Black Tiger Hall; you're new here, not knowing the rules is okay…… but you must learn!"

Feng Shang smiled, bowed slightly, nodded to the burly big man: "Yes, yes, I understand…… following the rules, following the rules…… I'll get this fish ready for you; when you get home, just put it in the pot."

Feng Shang took out a fish-gutting knife, squatted beside the water tank, and began in earnest to gut the dead carp, scrape off its scales, and tidy it up clean and neat.

Not only this large carp, but also the seven or eight other plump grass carp, carp, and similar fish in the tank were cleaned by him and carefully wrapped in cowhide paper.

Feng Shang's movements were swift and clean; within a short tea's time he had several large fish spotless.

The burly big man couldn't help but widen his eyes: "Hey, your handiwork is not bad… hey, and you, kid, you also have a fine appearance… why sell fish? I'll introduce you to Jin-qiang lou; with your good looks and figure, countless noblewomen will be driven mad by you."

Those noblewomen reward tens of thousands of silver or gold in a single night, while your fish-selling earns you only a few coins a day?

The burly big man grew happier looking at Feng Shang, and burst out laughing: "Hey kid, why not seriously consider my words? Follow my advice and I'll guarantee you fine food and spicy drink—I won't let you suffer!"

Feng Shang raised his head, straightened his body, smiled, then bowed deeply to the burly big man.

"Grandfather, my father said, a man makes a living by his skill."

After straightening up again, Feng Shang smiled: "As a craftsman, one can never eat enough in a lifetime, nor can descendants ever finish eating. As long as there's work in your hands, you need not fear starvation."

Feng Shang spoke very sincerely.

The burly big man was extremely resentful.

He tilted his head, looked at Feng Shang, and said in a dark tone, word by word: "Brother, this isn't just about one or two fish. You won't give me face?"

Feng Shang remained silent for a moment, then smiled: "Grandfather, I'm merely advising you to walk the proper path."

The burly big man and the several men behind him all burst into hysterical laughter.

The man with the large eagle-hooked nose laughed maniacally: "Proper path? Heh, hehe, hehehe, you little—what do you know about the 'Dao'? Bah, enough said—seize him and throw him into Jin-qiang lou."