Chapter 35: Suzhou Black Market

  He and Xue Hai chatted for a while longer, then Song Kai went downstairs.

  Taking advantage of the fact that there were not many guests, Song Kai got some food from the kitchen. He and Ah Fu, Nie Lingdang sat together to eat lunch.

  "This afternoon I'll go to the black market," Song Kai said in a low voice, at this time there were only three of them, and Song Kai was very relieved. "I'll get your ID done for you, Lingdang."

  A Fu stopped eating fish meat and looked at Song Kai, then glanced at Nie Ling Tong, saying in a low voice: "Big brother, you can't go to the black market, it's too chaotic there. You're just a scholar, if you go there...".

  Nie Lingdang thought for a moment and said: "Is it reliable? If not, I'll go. I'm good at martial arts."

  "Halt!"

  Song Kai raised an arm, "You two stop talking, I'll go alone. And another thing, Miss Lingdang, your Three-legged Cat skill is only good for bullying me, don't show it off."

  "I...alright, then be careful, if it's too dangerous, don't do it, I can just leave when I get the chance, besides, wasn't everything peaceful recently? Maybe it'll continue to be peaceful," Nie Lingdang was also worried about Song Kai's safety.

  Song Kai shook his head and ate his meal casually, "It's not that simple. That Yang Huaiyan is a vengeful person who will definitely vent all his anger on our shop once he finds out Liu Jiqian and Liu Yuxiu have left."

  Nie Lingdang also knew the situation was severe.

  "A Fu then whispered and asked: "Dà Láng, tell me the truth, what is Niè Zhǎng Guì's background?"

  "Fu Bo, don't ask any more questions, and whatever you do, don't tell Zhao Tieshan about this. I'll go to the black market and see what I can do. If possible, I'll also take care of Zhao Tieshan's ID card issue. As long as these problems are solved, humph, Yang Huaiyan is no match for me in running a hotel," Song Kai said with a smile, then grabbed some gold and silver and left after finishing his meal.

  Every era and every city has its black market.

  As long as it has value in existence, it will not perish.

  The government explicitly prohibits eating beef, but it can be bought on the black market. The government does not allow the sale of private salt or privately brewed wine, but they can also be bought on the black market. Anyway, as long as there is a profit to be made, someone will always take the risk and the black market will always exist.

  The black market in Suzhou is hidden under the gold and silver utensils market.

  Song Kai had planned to ride a horse over, but riding a horse was too showy, maybe as soon as he entered the market he would be targeted by the black hand, it's better to be low-key.

  The market for gold, silver and jade trinkets was a bit far from the Red Dust Inn. After walking for about an hour, Song Kai finally saw a narrow alleyway with a few small words written at the entrance: Curio Market.

  "It's here," Song said with a sigh of relief, fortunately, after more than ten days of hard training, he didn't feel tired at all now.

  After entering the alley, about ten meters later, shops began to appear. The shops were decorated with exquisitely crafted gold and silver jewelry, Suzhou silk, and famous calligraphy and paintings, such as poems personally written by Li Taibai.

  As you walk further in, the alleys become wider, with shops on both sides and vendors setting up stalls in the middle of the road. The stalls have all sorts of things, but most are illegal burial goods.

  These days, grave robbing is too easy, and you can find burial objects just by digging a random tomb. Of course, in these times, grave robbing is a capital offense, it's digging up people's ancestors' graves after all.

  There were many people on the road, all sorts of characters, everything was there.

  "Haha, this place isn't bad at all!" Song Kai said with his hands behind his back, looking around like a big merchant of the Tang Dynasty.

  From time to time, someone would invite Song Kai to take a look at the gold and silver utensils in his store. Of course, there were also some obvious fake brass products. It seems that some people have not only been able to smelt bronze but also forge brass.

  Song Kai walked around and took a look, then stopped in front of a stall selling swords, sabers, and guns.

  The owner of the stall was a young man in his early twenties, strong and sturdy, with a ruddy complexion, clearly a long-time apprentice in an ironwork shop.

  Song Kai's eyes flashed from the long spear and bow and arrow, then his gaze stopped on several Tang knives.

  The Tang knife is not wide and has a small arc, which is quite different from the Song Dynasty waist knife. It looks more like the prototype of the Eastern Ocean knife.

  At a glance, Song Kai took a liking to one of the broad knives.

  The front end of this knife has a blade, and there are several grooves on the body of the knife. The back of the knife is very thick, so it's easy to exert force when using it, and it can also be used for straight stabbing.

  Song Kai nodded and took it over, weighing about 5 or 6 kilograms, which was just right for him to handle.

  The owner of the stall looked up at Song Kai, nodded and said, "It seems that you are also a connoisseur of knives."

  "Heh heh, you can forge a weapon like this, it means you understand knives better," Song Kai smiled slightly.

  That young man just shook his head, "But I occasionally heard a knife master's complaint, so I tried to improve the current knife shape structure. I don't understand, I only know forging."

  "Hmm, how much is this knife?" Song Kai asked, he was really a bit moved.

  "Ten taels of gold, no haggling," the young man said directly.

  Song Kai almost shouted out loud, he stared blankly for a moment, "So expensive?"

  "It's this price," the young man said expressionlessly. "This knife may not be able to cut through iron like mud, but it is absolutely solid. I folded and forged it seven times before completing it. You won't be able to buy a knife as sturdy as this in any of Suzhou's iron shops."

  "Oh?" Song Kai was really moved, wasn't this the legendary hundred-refined steel? This young man's forging skills were very impressive, it seemed that he must have learned from his family.

  "Alright, I'll take it, but I don't have that much money on me. You can... tomorrow..." Song Kai hesitated a bit.

  "I may not necessarily come tomorrow, Lang Jun lives where, I can bring a knife to the government," the man said.

  "Oh, well, I'm at the Red Dust Inn in Anlefang, northwest of the city, you can go there."

  "Is this the Red Dust Inn? Are you... are you the owner of that inn?" The young man stood up, looking at Song Kai, and then grinned foolishly. "My family's iron shop is not far from your inn. My dad and I have had your braised pork belly before, it was delicious!"

  "That's great," Song Kai rubbed his hands together.

  The young man handed the slightly wider Tang knife to Song Kai, "You take it, Lang Jun. When I have time, I'll come to your store to collect the money. It's not far anyway."

  Song Kai didn't stand on ceremony and agreed directly.

  Just as I was about to say some polite words, a sudden shout came from the front, followed by a "crash", and a shed that had been set up collapsed to the ground.

  Song Kai held the Tang knife and looked over there.

  "Shopkeeper Lang Jun, don't join in the fun, this place often...often takes lives, you're a scholar, be careful," said the young man from the ironwork shop, who recognized Song Kai and was quite friendly to him.

  Song Kai nodded slightly, but still leaned in, because he seemed to have spotted a familiar face.