Gangs mixed with all sorts, on paper, don't set any bars for entry. But in this massive Prefecture City, the big shots take the lion's share—the rest trickles down to the gangs and riffraff.
If you've got too many people, how are you gonna feed everyone?
So even if you get in the door, chances are you never come back out.
Lu Chang'sheng made up his mind to find Liang Hu, so he got Wang Heihou to go buy a small sack of buns from the street.
"What's with all the buns?"
"If you want someone's help, you gotta bleed a little for it," Lu Chang'sheng said.
"That guy might not even care about this stuff!" Wang Heihou replied.
Lu Chang'sheng brought Wang Heihou along with him—figured this way he'd learn to handle things solo one day.
Li Nangua was too soft, and Niu Dazhuang was too single-minded; neither of them fit for this kind of thing.
"If Liang Hu's living on Traveler Street, then his money situation can't be all that great."
"Doesn't feel like it," Wang Heihou remembered seeing Liang Hu and figured he wasn't any ordinary guy—probably looked down on stuff like this.
But when they got to the spot Niu Dazhuang mentioned, he was suddenly convinced Lu Chang'sheng knew his stuff.
Liang Hu's place was in a good area, but it was just a two-room courtyard.
"Who are you looking for?"
"We're here to see Mr. Liang Hu!"
By the door, a plainly dressed but curvy woman frowned at the two boys.
Once Lu Chang'sheng handed her the bag of buns, she softened up a bit.
But she didn't take them yet.
"You've got the wrong person. No Liang Hu here, only Zhao Hu!"
Lu Chang'sheng paused for a second, glanced at Wang Heihou, and seeing nothing amiss, said, "Then it's Mr. Zhao Hu we're looking for!"
The woman looked them both over, probably figured kids this age weren't much threat, then took the buns and led them inside.
"What are you still—" Liang Hu was in a side room on the left, wearing just a thin shirt. Hearing footsteps, his face flashed annoyed, until he saw Lu Chang'sheng and Wang Heihou.
Right away, whatever he was going to say got swallowed back down.
"I'll be going, then."
The woman glanced back, a little downcast, set the stuff on the table, and turned to leave.
When she'd left, Liang Hu finally looked at Lu Chang'sheng, clearly unhappy.
He didn't bother asking how the kids tracked him down.
This Traveler Street wasn't that big—walk around enough, and you'd bump into anyone.
"Work's not that easy to find. Wait a bit longer; if something comes up, I'll let you know," Liang Hu said.
Lu Chang'sheng could tell Liang Hu wasn't that interested. Maybe after coming back, he'd thought things through—or maybe just gave up. But this time, work wasn't what brought him here.
"Forget about work, then. I rushed you before—my bad. I'm not here now to push you, Mr. Liang Hu. Just need to ask you something."
Liang Hu looked a little surprised.
Work was something everyone was desperate for. What was with this kid, suddenly giving up on it?
He didn't answer right away, just said, "Alright, go on, let's hear it."
"I want to find that same teacher again—to keep learning how to read and write. I was hoping you might give me a hint, Mr. Liang Hu."
Liang Hu hesitated a moment, then said, "We can arrange that, but you need to remember: know what not to say, know what not to do. Things aren't like they were at the teacher's old place anymore."
The last part was a warning, plain as day.
"Don't worry, I know how to keep my head down."
Lu Chang'sheng knew he was worried about him getting near the scholar from that day and the news spreading, so he promised.
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The next day, Lu Chang'sheng didn't call the others—just headed straight into the Traveler's Inn.
"Are you here for a long stay or short? Looking for a drink, or a meal?"
The inn's attendant hustled over.
Weather was getting colder, fewer folks coming through the Prefecture City. Anyone with some cash was already in the city center—busy, packed, and everything handy. Unlike out here, where if you needed something, you had to head into town at dawn.
"I'm looking for someone."
Lu Chang'sheng hesitated, then pulled out a copper coin and handed it over.
The attendant beamed, asked who he was after, and then led him inside.
The room was cramped. A middle-aged man was by the window, hunched over a yellowed book, studying.
Hearing footsteps, he spun around. Seeing Lu Chang'sheng's face, he froze a second—probably thought the previous matter was exposed and tensed up a bit.
But once Lu Chang'sheng explained his real reason, Ma Xuncai relaxed.
"I'll teach you to read and write, but I need ten—uh, five copper coins per lesson!"
Lu Chang'sheng frowned slightly. Five copper coins wasn't too steep, but they barely had any money left. They still had to eat and drink, so every bit saved counted.
"That's not what Mr. Zhao told me! I'll have to ask him again to see if he remembered the price right."
With that, he turned to leave.
"Wait! Two copper coins! Just two! But understand, I've got my own studies, so each time, one lesson tops—one hour, no more."
"Deal."
An hour should be enough.
Lu Chang'sheng left satisfied.
At the inn door, something else popped into his head, so he asked the attendant about buying a bow and arrows.
The attendant still remembered his copper coin, so he answered without thinking.
After Lu Chang'sheng left, the guy realized the kid had gotten two bits of info for the price of one and just shook his head—could've squeezed another copper out of him.
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Seeing as there was still time left in the day, Lu Chang'sheng went into the city and bought an iron bow and a pack of bamboo arrows.
All told, it cost eighty copper coins.
"Man, money burns fast," he muttered.
He'd picked up a decent bit of money from the others before he left.
It was all on loan for now. Once they started making money, he'd pay everyone back for sure.
"It's just that Wang Heihou and the rest haven't started eyeing the cash yet. If they ever do, we wouldn't last long together."
He'd thought about buying something to hide the bow and arrows, but since everyone's money was nearly gone, there was no point wasting more. He just took off his outer coat, wrapped the bow and arrows inside, and left Prefecture City, shivering from the cold.
"A place this booming—there's gotta be room for me here."
Before heading out, he glanced back at the dense rows of roof tiles, white courtyards and red walls, making himself a silent promise.
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No one was mad that Lu Chang'sheng came back with a bow and arrows. If anything, the three were like kids with a new toy—passing it around, checking it out up close.
They all knew Lu Chang'sheng had learned some archery from that bullshitter Zhang Village back home, but—
"You really think this'll work? That guy Zhang Village hung out in Prefecture City for years, and if it were so easy, he wouldn't be where he is now," Wang Heihou said, eyeing Lu Chang'sheng skeptically.
"Gotta give it a shot," Lu Chang'sheng replied.
Buying the bow and arrows wasn't just about improving his own aim. What really mattered to Lu Chang'sheng was finding them all a way to make money.
So, he decided to teach them archery.
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