Volume 1: Storm in the Western Regions Chapter 127: Lotus Alley

Style: Girl Author: Yi ChenchenWords: 3257Update Time: 24/01/12 03:08:57
"Is this Lotus Lane?"

Zhao Rang asked, pointing to the sticker on the wall.

Zhang San turned around and looked at the alley again, and found that it was true, so he said in surprise:

"Master, we hit each other by mistake, and we missed the mark!"

Knowing that this was Lotus Lane, Zhao Rang was not surprised.

Although Beard told him that clues could be found in this place, it was only possible. Even he wasn't sure. Zhao Rang didn't have high hopes since he left Taiheju.

Even if there were clues, Zhao Rang didn't think he could see anything with just the eyes of a small vendor. Moreover, what happened in Qingshan Guest was related to Haidiya. With such a big shot involved, even if the vendor saw it clearly, he would keep silent for fear of getting angry.

Regardless of these, Zhao Rang found the name of this alley very strange.

Where did the lotus come from in the Western Regions?

Since there is no such thing, how can one name an alley after lotus?

So he stood at the entrance of the alley and didn't go in.

After walking back and forth for a few steps, Zhao Rang asked:

"Zhang San, do you know the origin of Lotus Lane?"

Zhang San thought about it and guessed that Zhao Rang was wondering about the origin of the name.

"Sir, didn't I tell you just now that there are many eunuchs here who were very powerful from the previous dynasty?"

Zhao Rang nodded and motioned for him to continue.

"Among the eunuchs who came, it is said that there was also a steward who brought many strange things that are not found in the Western Regions, including lotus seeds."

Zhao Rang suddenly realized:

"This alley was used to grow lotus seeds at that time?"

Zhang San responded:

"You are right. But it is no longer the case. Now this alley is a famous gathering place for run-down households in the Northwest Market, but it is still dominated by the descendants of those eunuchs back then."

Zhao Rang snorted coldly.

Zhang San thought he was dissatisfied with him, so he quickly added:

"But this alley is the deepest. It is said that the innermost part leads all the way to the palace wall."

"Have you finished walking?"

Zhang San shrank his neck and shook his head... He heard the following words from others. He didn't know the details. Although Zhang San is just a low-class citizen and lives a tight life, he has not yet fallen into abjection. It would be great to know about a place like Lotus Lane, let alone go inside.

In addition, despite his attentiveness to Zhao Rang, it was because Zhao Rang had money in his pocket and was generous with his actions! If a person is poor, he will unconsciously stick to the corner when walking. As long as you are more generous, the confidence displayed in every gesture will be different!

They are both men, so Zhang San certainly admires Zhao Rang. After comparing him secretly, he can only blame himself for his lack of ability, and then he will become even more enthusiastic.

"Let's go in and take a look!"

The houses in Lotus Lane were very low. Zhao Rang could see a magnificent city wall at the end from a distance, which should be where the palace was. What Zhang San heard from hearsay was somewhat credible.

Unlike the city wall, these houses are all built with old wooden boards and yellow mud mixed with splendens. There are still dark holes exposed in many places, like the patched clothes worn by beggars.

After walking a few steps, Zhao Rang smelled a greasy smell. It was a small stall selling pancakes.

The shop owner put up a wooden board from the window of his house, narrowing the already narrow alley by half.

On the wooden board were placed green onion pancakes that had just been spread out. At the moment, the shop owner was frying eggs with his shirt off.

The iron pot placed on the stove can be used to take out another pot. In terms of age, he must be much older than the shop owner. The oil used to fry the eggs in the pan was darker than his face, so the fried eggs were also black, as if they were fished out of a soy sauce vat.

Looking at such fried eggs, Zhao Rang would certainly not have any appetite. But in Lotus Lane, it is a rare delicacy.

The oil used by the shopkeeper is collected from small restaurants in other places. Who knows what these oils have experienced before frying eggs...

The shop owner saw someone standing in front of the stall and thought there was business, so he put his head out to greet him. When he saw Zhao Rang's exquisite clothes and the servant-looking Zhang San, he immediately shrank back.

In just such a moment's delay, several of the eggs in his pot were already burnt.

The shopkeeper picked them out individually, put them on a plate, and shouted loudly.

Suddenly, many people came out of nowhere and scrambled to grab the dark eggs on the plate.

"Sir, what he shouted just now was 'This plate is half price'."

Zhang San translated to Zhao Rang.

Whatever you grab, you swallow it in one bite, for fear that it won’t be yours the next second. Those who didn't grab it returned numbly to their shabby houses like walking zombies and continued to linger.

After the people dispersed, Zhao Rang was able to move on. The people who had just looted completely blocked the alley, and even a needle couldn't be inserted.

There should be a refreshing morning breeze elsewhere, but here it is filled with all kinds of stench. Zhao Rang was very sure that there must be dead people in these broken houses, otherwise it would be difficult to produce such a stench!

The stench of dead bodies, the odor of unwashed body, and the smell of oil from various stalls all mixed together to make the smell here indescribable. If Zhao Rang was not a martial artist, he would definitely vomit out bile...

"Master, why don't you ask the store?"

Zhang San also heard what Bearded Beard said to Zhao Rang in the center of Taihe.

Someone in Lotus Alley saw what happened last night, and he was a vendor. But in this alley, a rough calculation shows that there are dozens or even nearly a hundred vendors.

Asking questions one by one, regardless of whether they want to say it or not, the time wasted is more than Zhao Rang can bear. Now he wishes he could break one hour into two hours, so that the day can be longer, and longer...

"Do you think anyone would buy such pancakes and eggs at the market near Qingshanke?"

Zhang San closed his mouth, his face swollen and turned crimson.

As a local and a guide, after listening to Zhao Rang's rhetorical question, I realized that the suggestion I just made was extremely stupid...

What kind of inn is Qingshanke?

Where is Qingshan Ke located in the royal city?

The people who live among Qingshan Guests are either wealthy businessmen or famous heroes.

The surrounding area is one of the most lively and prosperous places in the royal city.

The pancakes and omelettes sold at the stall just now would have been stopped by the soldiers patrolling the city before they even got there, and they would have been thrown away together with the shop and they would not be allowed to come in and be an eyesore, so There is no need to ask at all.

"But you can ask him what kind of vendors there are in Lotus Alley."

Zhao Rang continued.

Zhang San didn't understand, but he didn't dare to ask. He waited until Zhao asked him to explain it again.

"It's just the type! He is a pancake vendor, so what else does he do? For example, he sells fried rice, sells noodle soup..."

"Ah, I understand!"

As soon as Zhang San slapped his forehead, he went to ask the shop owner.

After a cup of tea, Zhang San came back with a sad face and said to Zhao Rang:

"Sir... this shopkeeper seems to be deaf. No matter how I ask him, he won't even speak!"

Zhao Rang glanced at the shopkeeper who was still frying eggs and said to Zhang San:

"Did you ask directly?"

Zhang San nodded.

"Didn't you say you wanted to buy something?"

Zhang San still nodded.

"You ask a businessman to ask questions. If you don't buy anything and don't use money, it's strange that someone can tell you!"

Zhang San’s face bulged again.

For some reason today, his mind keeps spinning!

She couldn't help but feel nervous, fearing that Zhao Rang would take the money back and drive him away.

Tensing up, Zhang San made up his mind to help Zhao Rang handle the affairs in Lotus Lane.

Zhang San considers himself a person with a wide range of friends, but unfortunately he really doesn’t know anyone in Lotus Lane... To be a guide, you naturally have to know more and know more. But before that, no one really wanted to come to Lotus Alley. At most, they just visited the Northwest Market.

Returning to the stall, Zhang San slapped the five loose coins left in his pocket on the wooden board. The one hundred taels of silver ingots that Zhao Rang gave him was the only wealth he had.

According to the shopkeeper's price, one dollar can buy two fried eggs and four pancakes. Five pieces, that’s ten fried eggs!

When the shopkeeper saw five big coins, his eyes widened. The last time he sold ten fried eggs at a time was the same as the last time. He couldn't remember exactly how long it had been, but it was a long time anyway!

He grabbed five large shiny coins with his greasy hands, and at the same time ten fried eggs were wrapped in paper and handed out.

When Zhang San took the egg, he asked again what he had just said. This time the shopkeeper pointed to his ear and waved his hand.

He is really deaf!

Zhang San tried to write something for him to read, but the shopkeeper pointed at the words and waved his hand again.

Not only was he deaf, he was also illiterate!

As a result, the possibility of communication was completely cut off, and Zhang San suddenly felt boring... It was as if the sky suddenly became gloomy.

The setback here brought good luck to Zhao Rang.

There was a bold child who was chatting with him.

It stands to reason that eunuchs are infertile, but in fact most eunuchs have wives and children.

This child is the descendant of the eunuch who originally fled here, so his words of great authority are very good.

"Are you here to find someone?"

When Zhao Rang saw Zhang San bought ten fried eggs, he said to the child:

"I ask, you answer. If you know, tell the truth. If you don't know, just say you don't know. How about a question and an omelette?"

The child took a sip of the saliva that was about to overflow, widened his eyes and asked:

"Are you telling the truth?"

Zhao Rang waved to Zhang San, telling him to come quickly.

"I can buy you one first, and then you will know whether what I said is true!"

"Well...you are...a man of your word!"

The child did not gobble it up, but ate it bite by bite. After eating, he put all his fingers in his mouth and whispered.

He understands the meaning of enjoyment better than the previous adults who robbed. For something that was almost impossible to eat like an omelette, he chose to finish it slowly so that he could enjoy it for a while longer.

"Okay, just ask! I won't lie!"