The heavy rain gradually subsided, and the accumulated water in the city gurgled toward the river. The front door of Tai'an Restaurant looked like a river.
Shopkeeper Hong yawned and sat behind the desk on the fake second floor with his chin in his hands.
This place was originally a place for storytellers, but it has stopped since the end of the Great Qian Dynasty.
Ten steps away from the desk is a handrail, with two large lanterns hanging on the left and right above the handrail. The wind blew them around, and shopkeeper Hong looked at them and felt sleepy.
There was the sound of footsteps upstairs.
Shopkeeper Hong cheered up, turned around and looked around. He thought he had made a mistake, so he stood up and walked over: "Sir, what are you..."
"Check out when the weather clears, didn't you say that?" Zhi Changle said.
"Ah? But it's late at night now. Where are the guests going at this late hour?"
"Thanks to shopkeeper Hong for taking care of me these past two days. If I have the chance to come back to Congxin again, I will definitely visit again." Xia Zhaoyi said with a smile.
"Look, I'm not in a hurry to drive you away. How about waiting for tomorrow? It's so late at night, it's a lot of inconvenience."
Xia Zhaoyi still smiled, raised his hand to make a fist, turned and left.
Zhi Changle also cupped his fists and said, "See you soon!"
The more these two people watched, the more strange Shopkeeper Hong felt. When he saw them walking downstairs slowly and crossing the lobby to go to the front door, Shopkeeper Hong suddenly slapped his head: "Hey, you two guests, I haven't refunded my rent to you yet." !etc!"
He made a show of chasing after him, but when he saw the man wave his hand and said no, they walked away without looking back.
When the people in black clothes outside the door saw someone coming out, they collectively took a few steps back into the darkness.
The heavy rain was pouring on the ground, and there was almost no place to stay. The people in black watched them walking along the gentle water under the eaves. Two figures, a man and a woman, soon entered the darkness.
"This couple is a little strange." A man in black said.
"Yeah, how can anyone run outside at night?"
"Isn't that what we are?"
"Yes, aren't we?"
"Right……"
"Could they have been kicked out of the restaurant?"
"It's possible."
"Wait a minute, today the boss said they were going to arrest a man and a woman. Do you remember? Is it possible that it's them?"
"Yes, it's very possible!"
"That's really not us." A clear female voice suddenly sounded from behind with a faint smile.
The people in black were frightened and turned around quickly. One of them even screamed in fear.
The girl was carrying a bag on her shoulders, with an upright posture and a sweet smile. Behind her was a tall man with a look of excitement written all over his face.
"I would like to advise you not to take action first," the girl said first. "If there is a slight movement and the people in the inn are disturbed, it will be hard to say what will happen to you."
"Who are you!" A man in black said warily.
"Passers-by," Xia Zhaoyi said with a smile, "I hear your Congxin accent, I want to ask you something."
"……What's up?"
"How many brothels are there in Firework Alley over Yangchuanfang?"
"ah?"
Xia Zhaoyi repeated: "How many brothels are there in Firework Alley over Yangchuanfang?"
"..."
People in black, you look at me, I look at you.
"Are there a hundred?" someone said.
"No, there are so many of them."
"About sixty families."
"so little?"
"Isn't this less?"
"Are there any restaurants near Mingyue Tower that haven't welcomed guests recently?" Xia Zhaoyi asked.
"Not welcoming guests?"
"Impossible, Congxin is so busy these days, who would be willing to close its doors?"
"And there are more girls now. Many of the new ones are specially picked from the refugees in Weiping Mansion, but they are all ladies! Not to mention how many people are waiting to snatch them!"
Xia Zhaoyi nodded: "Recently, Congxin has very strict control over wound medicine, right?"
"This is inevitable. Just like the horses, they are all confiscated."
"Can you please tell me again, how many medical clinics are there near Mingyue Tower? There are also walking doctors."
"I really know this. There are only about six medical clinics left within a five-mile radius, and the doctor is..."
As he spoke, the man in black suddenly paused.
He blinked and turned to look at his companions.
When his companions looked back at him, everyone was a little stunned.
It seemed that only now did they suddenly realize that this atmosphere was really weird and strange.
They came here to kill people, but now they are here asking questions about a girl of unknown origin...?
"It's strange," a man in black said coldly, "Why didn't you ask Shopkeeper Hong about this when you were at Tai'an Restaurant and why did you come to ask us?"
Xia Zhaoyi smiled and said: "Shopkeeper Hong's business is very cold. How can he know more than the officials?"
The word "official" made all the men in black feel numb for a moment, and then their murderous intent suddenly arose.
"You know who we are!" one person said angrily.
Zhi Changle pointed at the two people: "They haven't even changed into their official boots."
Everyone's eyes followed what he expected, and two men in black clothes wearing official boots suddenly drew their weapons.
Others also immediately drew their weapons.
The operation has been discovered tonight, and the operation is destined to fail. And now that the identity has been recognized, we have no choice but to kill and silence him, and then run away.
"Everyone, please speak up and stop taking action." Xia Zhaoyi said, looking at a black man who was rushing towards him.
The raised sword came forward in an instant and slashed towards her face.
Shopkeeper Hong was shaken awake by his waiter.
Shopkeeper Hong looked up with sleepy eyes. The waiter was so panicked that he couldn't speak. He desperately pointed to the lobby downstairs: "Look, look, look!"
"What?" Shopkeeper Hong climbed up and poked his head outside the railing. He paused for a moment, then opened his eyes wide, "Strong man, what are you..."
Zhi Changle grabbed a man in black and threw him into the lobby like a sack.
In the lobby, five of them were already lying down.
The people in black were hit in important joints. A group of people groaned in pain on the ground, completely lacking the strength to stand up.
Shopkeeper Hong hurriedly asked his waiter to call someone upstairs. He climbed downstairs and when he came running, he grabbed a broom for self-defense.
Zhi Changle left after throwing it away, and came back not long after and threw another one.
This time he didn't come back alone, Xia Zhaoyi was also there, holding one in his hand.
"The girl is so strong..." Shopkeeper Hong was shocked.
"I practiced," Xia Zhaoyi said with a smile, "My arms are really strong."
"……Did not see it."
"Shopkeepers, please practice more. It will be useful in critical moments."
"okay……"
"Farewell." Xia Zhaoyi said.
"ah?"
Xia Zhaoyi once again cupped his hands, turned around and left, even more chic and agile than before.
Zhi Changle waved his hand and left.
Shopkeeper Hong held the broom and looked at the empty door with a confused expression, then at the people in black on the ground.
There were many footsteps running from upstairs. Shopkeeper Hong turned around and met the follower's gaze. His eyes were blank.
The entourage slowed down and walked over, looking at the people in black in the lobby: "This is it?"
