Although Zhang Heng and Holmes got along quite happily during this period, they had only known each other for a few weeks after all, and there was no deep friendship. Zhang Heng tried to persuade the latter but didn't take it seriously and said nothing more. After all, everyone They are all adults and are qualified enough to take responsibility for their own actions.
Holmes let out a sigh of contentment before Zhang Heng left the house, and suggested, "It's rare for you to come to London. Go out and walk around more when you have time. Not only should you see with your eyes, but you should also observe the city carefully and record the details. , it will also be helpful to you in solving cases in the future."
Zhang Heng hummed, "I'll ask Mrs. Hudson to bring you lunch."
"Greatful."
…………
In fact, even without the reminder from Holmes, visiting London has always been in Zhang Heng's plan. Holmes undoubtedly knows this city very well, and he can travel to the balls and banquets of the upper class (although he is quite hypocritical about the red tape). (to sneer), you can also drink dark beer and talk and laugh with the coachmen and workers.
If Zhang Heng wants to win this competition and complete the main mission, he needs to narrow the gap between the two sides as much as possible.
Therefore, he also walked out of the house in the afternoon. Zhang Heng did not call a carriage, but walked directly onto the street.
He first went to the lively Queen's Market, where for just one shilling you could see the Royal Clarence Vase. This piece of glass, enamel and gold custom-made for George IV is said to have taken 15 skilled workers three years. It took time to produce. In addition, there are gadgets from all over the world in the market, cotton clothes from India, tea from China... Then Zhang Heng took a boat tour of the Thames River. There are factories and houses on both sides of the river bank. , dense chimneys are constantly emitting black smoke, and the shore is filled with countless ships, which are getting denser and denser, leaving only a narrow channel in the middle, with shirtless boatmen smoking cigarettes at the stern, which Dickens called " The fog of "Sliding Sin" enveloped the entire city.
Carriages speed by on the road, flower girls carry flower baskets and shuttle lightly among the crowd, and shoe brush boys squat on the ground and work hard waving shoe brushes, hoping to earn more tips.
To the west of Charing Cross is London's main commercial and entertainment center and the largest business center in England. The famous West End theater group is also located here. On the contrary, the East End east of Bishopsgate Street and north of the Thames River is a different scene.
In the Middle Ages, this area was still a rural area with a vast area and sparsely populated areas. However, with the rapid expansion of London, the population has become denser. The houses here are generally old and dilapidated, low and dense, and the roads in the middle are also narrow and winding. Originally home to sailors, shipbuilders and a large number of Jews, it is now home to all low-income groups.
The population here is very dense, with 30,000 people gathering in half a square mile of streets. Basically, a large family lives in every house. The lighting conditions are poor, and there is a lack of ventilation. The shared toilets are extremely dirty, and the air There is a stench permeating the air, and the result is frequent epidemics.
Typhus and typhoid are the most common epidemics. The first cholera outbreak in the early 19th century killed about 6,000 people, and subsequent cholera outbreaks killed tens of thousands more, the vast majority of whom were The poor people of the East End.
At the same time, the East End is also the most dangerous place with the highest crime rate in London.
There are 2 million people living here, but there are no important public facilities, no municipal authorities, no theaters and galleries, no soldiers... - nothing, just like a forgotten corner, with no history and no future.
The upper class in the West End will not come here unless absolutely necessary. They need to contact the Scotland Yard police and be accompanied by several people to ensure safety.
Zhang Heng also came here after changing into coarse clothes, but he was still targeted not long after.
The main reason is that his oriental face is more eye-catching, and as a modern person in the 21st century, his skin is better than many nobles of this era even if he doesn't take much care. Even if he changes his clothes, he still looks different from the poor people living in the East District.
Two little ghosts passed by him, playing with branches, and one of them slipped and fell on top of him.
"I'm sorry, sir," the kid rolled his eyes in a circle, stood up and was about to continue chasing his companion, but as soon as he took a step, someone grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up.
"What are you going to do? Don't touch me! I'm warning you, do you know who my brother is?! No one in this neighborhood dares to mess with him!" the kid yelled.
"Really?" Zhang Heng said, without stopping, he knocked the kid down one by one. Zhang Heng grabbed one of the kid's calves and shook it hard. As a result, three wallets fell out from the kid's body. There are also some bits and pieces of gadgets.
"Your harvest today is quite good." Zhang Heng threw the kid aside and then picked up his wallet.
"Wait for me, don't even think about leaving here today!" The kid felt insulted, blushed, and ran away without picking up the remaining loot.
Of course, Zhang Heng was not interested in dealing with any kid's fight. He patted the dust on his wallet and continued walking forward.
In fact, Zhang Heng has heard about the bad reputation of the East District for a long time, but he has been in the pirates' den, and he didn't think there was any place in the world more chaotic than there, until he came to the Whitechapel District of the East District in person. I have to admit that the situation here is worse than in Nassau.
Although the bottom pirates in Nassau are also very poor, at least they still have freedom and hope for the future. People can be heard everywhere in the taverns on the island talking about ancient and mysterious treasures and about wealth. Oily merchant ships, monsters in the sea, beautiful mermaids, even though they haven't found even a small boat, and no pirate group is willing to accept them, everyone's face is still filled with a kind of mysterious confidence.
It seems that everyone is the future Blackbeard. This is what Zhang Heng likes about Nassau. There is a vigorous vitality hidden under the chaos and disorder, and this is exactly what the East District lacks.
What is more terrible than poverty is numbness and despair.
This may also be the reason why people like Pearson want to leave here at all costs. What Zhang Heng saw along the way were hungry children, miserable fathers and daughters, and drunken villains. People only appeared when murders or epidemics occurred. I'll think of this place only when I'm here.
Zhang Heng walked for a while and suddenly heard a quarrel coming from the front.
