BXBX NOVEL Chapter 61 - 61: Capital (Please Follow)
Chapter 61 - 61: Capital (Please Follow)
On the way, there were some bandits who had blocked the road, or the so-called notorious robbers hunted by the Three Prefectures and Five States. Would he not be considered as helping to eliminate the evil for the people?
Looking at the towering city walls that were dozens of feet high, Liang Sheng felt a surge of excitement at this moment. As expected of the Dayan Capital, it truly had an extraordinary atmosphere.
Under the scorching sun, Liang Sheng could even see the faint glimmers on the city walls. With his keen eyes, he could naturally see what they were.
Large crossbows.
Perhaps this was the legendary Town Martial Crossbow recorded in unofficial histories. Those below high-level martial arts would have no chance of surviving once targeted by the crossbows.
After undergoing the inspection at the city gate, Liang Sheng finally set foot in the Capital City, and was immediately greeted by a huge wave of sound.
In front of him, horses and carriages filled the street, with people crowding around as far as the eye could see. The bustling scene of the Capital City was just the tip of the iceberg.
Without any hesitation, Liang Sheng randomly chose a direction and walked forward. Since he had come to the Capital, he naturally wanted to explore and visit; he expected to stay in the capital for a long time.
Where would the clue to the Dust Immortal be?
Liang Sheng moved toward the city center. In less than half an hour, he had encountered more than a dozen high-level martial artists, and even a master at the peak of the Nine Levels of the Postnatal Realm.
As expected of the Capital, there were countless talented people. As he approached the city center, the number of people gradually decreased. In a short while, he caught sight of the awe-inspiring Imperial City.
He took a glance at the Imperial City and immediately lowered his head. The King's aura here was so strong that even he, an innate Grandmaster, felt some inexplicable pressure.
Of course, this was just a feeling. If he had to engage in actual combat, this would not affect his full strength.
He even faintly sensed that there was a breath within the Imperial City that was no weaker than his own. It seemed that there was also an Innate Grandmaster within the Royal Family.
At that moment, Liang Sheng took a deep look at the Imperial City, turned around, and continued in another direction. With his speed, he was able to familiarize himself with the entire Capital City before nightfall.
The layout of the Capital City also conformed to the principles of feng shui and geomancy, and the traditional arrangement of residential areas was no different from that of Jinzhou City. They were both rich in the north, noble in the east, poor in the south, and cheap in the west.
West City and South City were naturally not considered by Liang Sheng. He would be a fool to suffer in those two places.
East City was mostly inhabited by noble families, so going there would only draw attention to himself, which did not match his low-key and cautious temperament.
Therefore, only North City remained as an option. This area was a gathering place for wealthy merchants, and some refined scholars who could not afford to live in East City would choose to live here as well.
Over the years, Liang Sheng's wealth had far exceeded the description of "rich and noble." Thinking about this, he did not hesitate and headed straight to the North City.
The streets of North City were even more bustling. Teahouses and wine shops were in abundance, and there were even one or two nine-story brothels. This only made Liang Sheng more satisfied, as North City was indeed an ideal place to live.
Liang Sheng did not stop. As long as there was money, things could be easily settled. The agencies in Dayan were comparable to large companies in his previous life, integrating intermediary services, housekeeping, and real estate transactions.
Liang Sheng wouldn't waste his time on trivial matters of life. As long as there was enough money, the agency would take care of everything for him.
After explaining his requirements and paying a deposit, Liang Sheng no longer worried about the matter. He was not afraid that the agency would cheat him. Besides, the agency would not ruin its reputation for petty gains.
Later, Liang Sheng went straight to a pleasure quarter and saw the nine-story brothel. He could not help but exclaim, "As expected of the Capital City!".
Dusty Garden.
What a good name.
As soon as Liang Sheng appeared, the madame immediately ran out to greet him. After seeing various kinds of people, she knew Liang Sheng was no ordinary person at first glance.
A big spender!
Not being modest, Liang Sheng grabbed the madame's waist and without waiting for her to speak, he stuffed a silver note into her bosom.
The madame immediately smiled, "Girls, why don't you come out and greet our guest?" And so, they spent the night with wines and women, reveling in the pleasures of life.
The next morning, as Liang Sheng came out to eat breakfast, someone from the agency found him. He wasn't concerned about it, as an agency wouldn't be able to stay in business if it lacked such abilities.
At this moment, the agent was brimming with excitement, "Sir, you have great luck. There's a mansion that perfectly fits your requirements. Do you want to have a look?"
Liang Sheng wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and said calmly, "Let's go, have a look."
The agency had already prepared a horse carriage. In no time, they arrived at a mansion in North City. As soon as they got out of the carriage, Liang Sheng's eyes lit up.
Before entering the gate, a fragrance of osmanthus blossoms wafted from the courtyard. The courtyard was neither too large nor too small. Small courtyards had not only osmanthus trees, but even a wooden pavilion beneath which flowed a stream of water.
The front part of the courtyard housed the servants; the second section contained the bedrooms and study, and the backyard was where the kitchen was located. The three-section mansion was small but complete with all essential facilities.
Seeing Liang Sheng's expression, the agent knew that the deal was a success. Liang Sheng was decisive and paid one hundred thousand taels of silver on the spot, and the deed was in his hands.
Liang Sheng even liked the carriage he rode in that day, so he directly bought it as well. The agent smiled even wider, making another deal.
After that, aided by silver, the mansion was quickly cleaned up. Liang Sheng didn't worry about household affairs, and left everything to Old Wu, who had signed the death contract.
Since that was the case, Liang Sheng didn't make a fuss about any secondary issues. He selected a few honest and loyal servants at the agency and brought them back home. All of them had signed a death contract, with their lives and deaths fully in Liang Sheng's hands.
After that, aided by silver, the mansion was quickly cleaned up. Liang Sheng didn't worry about household affairs, and left everything to Old Wu, who had signed the death contract.
"There are not many rules in the Liang family, but I'm telling you upfront, obey and understand what is going on, and don't gossip. If anyone is disloyal, they will be executed and thrown to the Mass Burial Mound outside the city."
Old Wu immediately accepted the order, and then Liang Sheng no longer bothered with these trivial matters. Starting today, he considered himself settled in the capital.
That being the case, the capital is a mix of all sorts of people, and he needed an identity to stay in the capital quietly and wait for the opportunity to find clues about the Dust Immortal.
He knew that this period would be very long, so Liang Sheng decided to go to the agency again to see if there was a suitable business for him to take over.
He asked the coachman to harness the horse carriage, and sat in the carriage on his way to the agency. But not long after he left the alley, he opened the carriage curtain to casually look at the roadside scenery, when he suddenly stopped.
"Stop the carriage."
Liang Sheng got off the carriage, and after two steps, he was in front of a bookstore at the street corner. There was a wooden sign hanging above it.
It was a notice of closure:
"Today, I am approaching sixty, weak and worried, but my child does not inherit the business, so the shop is closed and I will live out my remaining years in peace.
With the help of books and readers, I have benefited greatly from more than thirty years. As a common person, being able to rely on books for sustenance and life early on was a great blessing in my life.
As the bookstore fades away, the memories will last forever. May Dayan prosper and everyone live in harmony."
At this time, Liang Sheng looked at the shop, and there was an old man with white hair, cleaning the bookshelves and sorting books.
Liang Sheng thought about it and walked in. The old man didn't turn around, but when he heard the sound, he said, "Guest, I'm sorry, but the bookstore is closed. You can go to the one next door."
However, seeing that the guest did not leave but approached instead, he turned his head and saw a handsome young man walking towards him.
"Is there something you need, sir?"
The old man looked puzzled, and Liang Sheng didn't play coy. "Old sir, since you are going to close the bookstore, would you be willing to transfer the bookstore to me?"
The old man looked up and down at Liang Sheng. As he did so, Liang Sheng wiped his hands and carefully picked up a book nearby.
"I didn't expect the old sir to have this ten-year-old illustrated edition of 'Xu Ke's Travels.' It's truly a pleasant surprise."
Seeing Liang Sheng's sincere expression and that he recognized the ten-year-old illustrated edition at a glance, the old man knew that the young man was also an avid bookworm.
"What does the guest need this bookstore for?"
Liang Sheng carefully put the book back in its place, and only then replied, "Old sir, I was never successful in martial arts, but I love reading. Now that I am alone in the capital and happen to see the notice in front of your shop, I think it's a destined opportunity. I would like to take over this bookstore and use it as a comfort."
Liang Sheng was still thinking about how to convince the old man, but he didn't expect the old man to nod his head. "Sure, it's lucky to meet a young friend who loves books. I can leave all these books to you."
"Ah?"
Delighted, Liang Sheng immediately asked the coachman to gallop quickly to invite the people from the agency. The old man's son also hurried over, and the transfer contract was quickly signed, with Liang Sheng becoming the owner of the bookstore.
Finally, the old man looked at the bookstore one last time and patted Liang Sheng's shoulder. "Young friend, it's up to you from now on. I am fortunate to be able to leave these books to you before returning to my hometown."
With that said, the old man did not wait for Liang Sheng's reply. It was as if he was bidding farewell to an old friend; he turned around and left without looking back, leaving behind a thin silhouette. With his son's support, he boarded the carriage and disappeared into the crowd.
Liang Sheng didn't understand why the old man had so easily transferred the bookstore to him. He looked at the plaque of the bookstore, and the name seemed to announce his future life. He couldn't help but smile slightly before entering the bookstore.
The store's name: Peaceful Mind Studio.
The next day, the neighboring merchants found out that the bookstore had changed hands, and they all came over to say hello and familiarize themselves with one another.
Since Liang Sheng's bookstore had no competitive relationship with neighboring shops and his amiable nature, it didn't take long for him to get along well with the surrounding merchants.
A few more days passed, and one early morning when Liang Sheng opened the bookstore, he saw Old Zhang from the neighboring steamed bun shop walking over with a mysterious look on his face.
"Little Liang, there's a good show going on today."
"What?"
Old Zhang didn't answer, but smiled slyly. Not long after, a group of Jingzhao Mansion constables followed the city defense army and barged into a grain store not far away.
It was at this moment that Old Zhang spoke up, "Old Xu is in for a broken family and ruined life. Little Liang, I can tell you're an outsider, so I'll tell you this, don't even think about climbing high branches. The water in the capital is too deep, and we should live our lives in peace."
After saying that, he didn't wait for Liang Sheng to say anything. Old Zhang took a book off the shelf conveniently; his steamed bun shop had run out of paper recently due to good business.
If it weren't for this, why would he come to sell Liang Sheng a favor instead of selling steamed buns early in the morning?
Seeing this, Liang Sheng didn't say anything, but looked thoughtfully at the grain shop not far away that had now been sealed off.
Before, Old Xu seemed to have mentioned that he had a marital relationship with the Prince of Ping'an's Mansion, right? Judging from Old Zhang's meaning, he was defeated because of this?