Brothers in distress

  The old man in black robes slowly turned around, and indeed had an otherworldly air about him. He held two Emei daggers in his hand and said with a full voice: "Quickly put down the silver notes. Each of you cut off one arm, and I can spare your lives. If not, next year today will be your anniversary. My Iron Palm Water Floating isn't just an empty name."

  With such a big show, it's probably not the top figure in the martial arts world who can only watch the scene of the brothel. Liu Ziguang was about to speak sarcastically. The young man spoke first: "This predecessor, we have not made trouble, nor robbed, just took back our own won money, what's wrong? Convenient for others, convenient for ourselves, advise predecessors not to interfere with this trivial matter."

  The old man was furious: "You unknown little rascal, dare to argue strongly, if I don't let you two be buried at the bottom of Qinhuai River today, I am not Iron Palm Water Floating..."

  The old man hadn't even reported his name yet, when Liu Ziguang swiftly kicked him off the bow of the boat with a flying kick. "Float on the water, sink to the bottom!" Liu Ziguang had already seen from afar that an official boat was approaching, full of torches and gleaming knives and guns. "What's the point of talking nonsense with the old man, can't you see the government soldiers are coming?"

  "It's no good, they're from the Five Cities Garrison, let's run! Wait, how can we run without a boat?" The young man had just been showing off his eloquence like a Jianghu character, but now that he saw the soldiers coming, he was also panicked.

  "No boat, then we can only fly to the shore." Before the young man could react, Liu Ziguang stretched out his hand and wrapped it around his waist, pinning him under his armpit. With a fierce kick of his two legs, he flew towards the riverbank.

  If it were Liu Ziguo alone, he would still have the confidence to jump ashore, but with a hundred or so pounds added on, he wouldn't be able to jump that far. Fortunately, the Qinhuai River at night was still bustling with boats coming and going, and by stepping on several boat covers, they jumped onto the shore in two or three bounds.

  Just crawled out of the water, Tie Zhang floated on the surface, looking at Liu Ziguang's receding shadow and said with hatred: "I remember your appearance! Don't let me meet you again!"

  After landing, Liu Ziguang put the boy down, and the two of them ran out for a few more streets before stopping. Standing under someone's eaves to rest, the boy panted heavily and said: "Your kung fu is really good, what do you do at Ligu Iron Factory? Why not come with me instead?"

  "I brought several hundred brothers to help the Iron Factory fight, whoever pays me I'll do it for them, no more nonsense, here's your silver ticket." Liu Ziguang took out a silver ticket from his pocket and handed half of it to the young man. Whose child is this? He has quite an attitude, and he even wants to recruit me as a house servant, what a big ambition for such a young age.

  The young man took the silver ticket and still didn't give up: "Then I'll take your several hundred brothers together, this should be okay, right?" Liu Ziguang thought to himself that this kid must not have a fever, feeling the boy's forehead, "Not hot, my five hundred brothers' annual expenses are at least 500,000 taels of silver, can you afford it? Besides, what is a young child like you doing recruiting and buying horses for, do you want to rebel? It's getting late, hurry back home and wash up and go to sleep, don't run around outside anymore."

  The young man did not entangle himself in this topic anymore, and made a fist: "May I ask for your esteemed name?"

  "Liu Ziguang, what should I call you?"

  "My surname is Zhu, and Zhu rules under heaven." The young man replied.

  "It turned out to be Zhu Xiaodi, and we can be considered to have a fate. By the way, do you know how to get to Lianfeng Number? Liu Ziguang is now unknown where he was, tonight still have to go back to Lianfeng Number for overnight stay, tomorrow still have to go to the Ministry of War to handle official business."

  "Lianfeng number, it's that knife-selling shop, just in Xici Hutong, not far from here. Keep walking and turn left after three intersections."

  "So we'll part ways for now, and meet again someday." The two accomplices in crime bid each other farewell with a hug, like old friends from the underworld. Then they disappeared into the night, each going their separate way.

  The next morning, Liu Ziguo, dressed in a different attire, brought two deputy accountants, followed by Ding Libin and others, including Wei Dengken, to the Ministry of War to urge the payment of debts. The two misses were female relatives and it was inconvenient for them to take the lead, so they first let Liu Ziguo probe the situation and then make plans, either inviting guests or sending gifts, or relying on personal relationships.

  The Ministry of War in Nanjing has always existed, previously responsible for military affairs in the southern provinces, a smaller version of the Beijing Ministry of War. Later, after the imperial court moved south, a large number of northern officials came to fill the ranks, and the Ministry of War underwent expansion. Originally occupying only one corner of Ma Tai Street, it now occupies half of Ma Tai Street. Many horses are tied up in front of the gate, and many sedan chairs are parked, all belonging to officials and local merchants who have come to conduct official business.

  The wall of the Ministry of War is very high, the gate face is very large, and the huge plaque above it has two bold characters "Ministry of War" written on it, with a majestic atmosphere. Eight armed imperial guards stand in front of the main gate, with an air of arrogance.

  A deputy director who often came to the Ministry of War for negotiations walked over and slipped a silver ingot into the hands of the gatekeeper, and only then were the four men allowed to enter. Of course, they couldn't bring any weapons, and their guards weren't allowed in either.

  Passing by a huge screen wall, two rows of houses are presented in front of you. They are the offices of Langzhong and Zhushi of the Ministry of War. Although they are officials of the fifth or sixth rank, they cannot sit on the public platform like the governor and county magistrate, showing off their power and earning a lot of silver. They can only deal with official documents and files. These officials feel somewhat unfulfilled in their roles.

  So, there are very few officials in the Ministry of War who go to work on time. The lower yamen and local merchants waiting in the courtyard all whisper to each other with a careless attitude, as if waiting is a matter of course.

  "Master Wang might have gotten drunk again on Qinhuai River yesterday. He probably won't be able to make it this afternoon."

  "Li Yuanwai said it wouldn't be a problem, yesterday he promised to give us feedback today, but now he still hasn't come."

  "That's also got to wait, who let them have power in their hands."

  "Then just wait, even if it's until afternoon, we have to wait. We spent money to get in, how can we leave without seeing anyone?"

  It seems that being late has become a habit for the Ministry of War personnel.

  According to the direction of handling affairs, visitors lined up in long queues at the gates of various departments of the Ministry of War. Liu Ziguang and others lined up at the gate of the Military Equipment Department. Fortunately, it was spring now and not summer, otherwise the scorching heat of Nanjing would have steamed everyone to death.

  "What did the people from the Ordnance Department say when you came to demand payment last time?" Liu Ziguang asked the two deputy accountants.

  "Your Excellency, last time we came to do business, we paid a lot of silver, but these officials only know how to collect money and don't actually do anything. They just make us wait and wait, without seeing any results. One million taels is enough to live off the interest alone!"

  "How arrogant! I'll see the face of this corrupt official soon." Liu Ziguang disliked corrupt officials. When he was looking for a job, his father had asked a favor from someone in the factory to let him take over, preferably in the finance department. However, the head of the finance department had accepted many cigarettes and liquor, saying he needed to "study" it, but ultimately did nothing. He took the money but didn't do the job, I'll make him spit out the money with interest, if not, I'll beat him until he's willing to do it. Liu Ziguang thought to himself.

  Until the sun was high in the sky, Zheng, the deputy director of the Military Equipment Bureau, had not yet arrived at the appointed hour, and Liu Ziguang was getting a bit impatient. Time is money, time is life, wasting other people's time is equivalent to stealing their wealth and harming their lives.

  "Do you know where Zheng Yuanwai's mansion is? I'll go invite him over," said Liu Ziguang. The two deputy managers knew that this accountant general was a rough man, and he must be thinking of using force, so they hastily dissuaded him: "General manager, the capital city is not like our factory, you absolutely cannot afford to make a mistake again. Besides, Zheng Daren will definitely not be resting in his mansion, there are so many painted boats on Qinhuai River, and so many river houses, and Zheng Daren has many lovers, who knows which one he's sleeping with today?"

  "It seems that there's no other way but to wait." Liu Ziguang said with a huff, his stomach had already started growling. With high energy consumption and high metabolism, his appetite was much bigger than before. His high-tech body required high-energy nutrient-rich food, which ancient times could not provide, so he could only eat large amounts of meat, fat, and protein to sustain himself.

  "You wait first, I'll go out to eat something, do you want me to bring some back for you?" Liu Ziguang was preparing to go outside to the street to eat and then come back to wait. The two deputy directors hastily said they didn't dare trouble Director-General, they had long anticipated having to wait a long time and had brought their own dry rations.

  Then Liu Ziguo took Ding Libin out of the Ministry of War, looked around and searched for a restaurant. There was no restaurant, but in the distance there was a small stall selling duck blood and vermicelli soup, which was great, Nanjing specialty.

  "Come, taste the authentic duck blood fan soup!" Liu Ziguo invited Ding Libin. He had eaten duck blood fan soup several times at Fuzimiao Temple in Nanjing when he traveled there before, two yuan and fifty cents per bowl, and it was still quite tasty. Now he could try the original flavor from hundreds of years ago during the Ming Dynasty, to compare and see if the craftsmanship has been lost.

  The stall for duck blood fan soup is located at the north end of Ma Tai Street, connected to a small alley. The stall is not big, with several small tables and stools that can seat seven or eight customers. Underneath the steaming large pot, dry firewood is burning. Duck blood, duck liver, duck intestines, fans, scallions are placed in small frames, while chili oil, salt, vinegar and other seasonings are placed in a row of jars. An old man and a young boy are busy with the business, with a sign on a stick that reads "Xiliuwan Old Wang's Duck Blood Fan Soup".

  "Very brand-conscious," Liu Ziguo praised, walking over to sit down. "Two bowls of duck blood noodle soup, extra duck liver and scallions."

  "Do you want chili oil?" asked the young man who was stirring the noodles in a large pot with his back to them.

  "I want more chili oil." Liu Ziguo replied.

  "Two bowls of duck blood noodle soup, extra chili oil, and the duck liver with scallions together cost fifty cents." The young man turned around, and both of them laughed. It was an old acquaintance: Zhu Tianxia, a.k.a. the Science Flying Man, gambler, and thief.