As the sun set, the Drum Tower finished playing the sunset bells and drums, and the Dusk City fell into silence as its name suggests.
Teng Liang led Tang Zhao through the second city wall and entered the outermost outer city.
As soon as I walked out of the outer city gate, there was a "zaza" sound behind me, and the city gate was raised. No one was allowed to enter or exit. Three complete circles of city walls separated the inside and outside into four worlds.
Although Tang Zhao is a local, he has never been to the outer city at night.
When he was a child, his parents strictly prohibited him from going out at night, especially the outer city. They described the outer city as being like a scourge, as if he would be picked up by some night owl if he went to the outer city.
Of course, that's right. Tang Zhao now knows that in the dark corners of the city, there are many beasts more terrifying than night owls - humans.
In Tang Zhao's memory, he had only been to the Outer City at night once, and not only went there, but traveled across the entire Twilight City.
It was one night after his parents passed away. He took his luggage with him and the children of the Sui family and carefully walked through the city walls at night, first to the outer city, and then to the last city wall, waiting for the second one.
When the Tiancheng gate is opened, he flees out of the city and never comes back.
That night, they arrived at the city gate at the second watch. The gate was closed and there was no one there. They had nowhere to go, so they sat in the cold wind all night.
Tang Zhao remembered that he had not slept all night, leaning in a corner, curling up his hands and feet, staring at the winding and narrow streets in the outer city with his eyes open.
He only felt that the outer city was very dark, every house was dark, and there were almost no lights on every house.
It was also very depressing there, and the sky seemed to be two floors lower than other places.
And it is very quiet, as if the eardrums are covered with thick paste, and you can't hear anything. However, it is so quiet, but loud noises will suddenly burst out, such as the sound of wind, inexplicable footsteps, and the chirping of night crows on the trees.
, exploded suddenly, like thunder in the quiet night, shaking from the eardrums to the bottom of the heart.
The mood I felt that night could only be compared to that day when I passed through a deserted village and was frightened by the shadows of crows in the sky by human traffickers and fled in the mountains. Just thinking about it, after all, I felt more at ease that night. After all, there were still students from the Sui family class at that time.
The young and old sat together with him. Brother Sui took the initiative to sit in front of the wind vent to protect the children from the wind. Ayun secretly stuffed him with dried chestnuts to eat, and Liangzi could even tell jokes secretly.
He forgot what the joke was about, but it was probably quite funny. He remembered that it was rare for him to laugh out loud.
At that time, Liangzi was articulate and had a lively personality. She was never downcast and laughed loudly. She was the kind of little sun that could inspire people. Tang Zhao was a homeless orphan who didn't understand anything and needed to be close to the sun to keep warm.
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It wasn't until he left the light source and fell into the long night alone that Tang Zhao inspired himself to learn to shine. He even wanted others to get warmth from him.
Now, he has begun to shine his own light. The outer city is already covered with shadows in the dusk, and darkness is sweeping in from the horizon, trying to swallow the whole world into its belly.
He was no longer afraid at this time.
…
Not that I'm not afraid at all.
Even now, he still doesn't like walking at night. Not only is he scared, but... he's just getting scared.
"I said, why are you coming to the outer city so late? All the shops here are closed, what else can you eat? How can you go back after eating?" Tang Zhao asked.
Occasionally, the smell of fireworks and stoves could be heard in the air outside the city, but it didn't smell fragrant. Instead, it had a burning and spicy smell.
Tang Zhao remembered that on his way to Zhuoyu Villa, he had followed Xing Ji to the rural homes of ordinary people. At dusk, he would often smell the smell of food coming from the smoke, including the smell of big fish and meat, and the smell of simple meals.
There are so many, he can even tell whose house he wants to have dinner with.
The food in the outer city doesn't smell as good as the earthen stoves in the countryside, and it's also filled with more impurities.
If you look carefully, the crooked streets and alleys of the outer city, the crowded low-rise houses, and the ditches with sewage flowing across them all look much more dilapidated than the ordinary countryside.
Teng Liang smiled and said: "Don't you understand? The smell of wine is not afraid of deep alleys. If we want to find delicious food, we can find it in other people's alleys. Others usually can't find it. I know you are afraid of the dark and will not let you walk at night.
On the way back. I'll buy two kilograms of wine later, and we'll have a drink together. When we're drunk, we'll go to my kennel and take a nap. I'll take you back when you get up tomorrow morning. By the way, are you good at martial arts?"
Tang Zhao said: "It's not bad."
Teng Liang clapped his hands and said: "That's okay. I know your temper, so I need to listen to your words. If it's okay, then it's amazing. You must be very strong. That Jiao Guard has such a good relationship with you, he has one eye.
Everyone looks down on you. If I look down on you, how can I be friends with you? I know you are good at martial arts. Then you should be more careful. Although this area is my territory and I can help you, I am afraid.
What if there is a blind person who takes advantage of me and takes advantage of me? If you are not good at martial arts, don't leave me, I will protect you."
Tang Zhao said with a smile: "Okay, then you can protect me. If you can protect the guests as they please, how can there be any reason to let the guests take action?" He glanced at the surrounding alleys and found that the place was getting more and more dilapidated.
The night was getting darker and I couldn't see the end of the alley at a glance, so I asked, "Do you live here?"
Teng Liang said: "I live on Waisan Street, two doors away. This area is our territory, and the area beyond is not. My home is close to the territory, which is convenient for collecting protection fees, but it cannot be right inside the territory. You know,
Rabbits don't eat grass beside their nests, so they can't really collect money from the neighbors on the street. I wanted to go to Zhongcheng to collect protection fees, but unfortunately it wasn't our turn, so the government just collected them."
Tang Zhaodao: "The government has taken over..."
Teng Liang said: "Yes, once you enter the city wall, it is the territory of the government. They take money every year and send three groups of government officials, big and small, to take care of it. It's not like the outer city, no one takes care of it. So we take care of it."
Tang Zhao laughed, stopped smiling, and said: "Sooner or later, someone has to take care of it."
In recent years, the Yunzhou government has made some achievements, but for the people, their actions have been too slow. The government can take its time and pace, but the people's lives are suffering every day.
Teng Liang said: "No, leave some room for us. The outer city won't give it to us? Can't we all be wiped out by the great master? We are fighting for the land and are bleeding badly. We have killed and injured so many brothers. It's so easy."
If we occupy a piece of land, they can't just take it away, right?"
He smiled and said: "So I said it would be great if you became a high official. When the time comes, you occupy the territory, I will take care of it for you, collect the money and share it with you. We brothers will eat well and drink spicy food together."
Tang Zhao sighed silently and said: "If this were the case, I would not be a high official even if I could."
Teng Liang said with a smile: "You can't do it in the first place, why are you talking cheaply here?"
The two of them were talking and turned into an alley. The alley was so narrow that it was difficult for them to turn around even if they were side by side.
After walking a few steps, a burst of fragrance came out of the alley.
It is very thick and mellow, as if it can dispel the cold air, and makes people move their index fingers when smelling it.
Tang Zhao moved his nose and praised: "It smells really good."
Teng Liang smiled and said: "You know Xiang? Can I introduce the wrong place? Come with me."
The two of them went in again, and saw that a small house next to the alley had a window facing the street. Half of the window was opened, and the window was filled with mist, white smoke and fragrance.
Faintly, shouting and shouting sounds came from the hut.
Teng Liang took a step forward and shouted: "Old cripple, what's good to eat today?"
There was a slight commotion on the other side of the window, and the head of a little old man came out. When he saw Liangzi, his wrinkles opened and he smiled: "Hey, Mr. Liang, you are here again. This...is your friend?"
Teng Liang said: "My best buddy. When you see him from now on, it will be the same as when you see me. Bring out your best skills. What kind of soup are you having today?"
The old man smiled and said: "There are good soups, top-quality beef soup, frog soup, and all kinds of broth."
Tang Zhao thought to himself, there are all kinds of meat? This small shop sells all kinds of meat.
Teng Liang suddenly turned around, showed a narrow smile, and said: "Zhaozi, do you want to try various broths?"
Tang Zhao said: "Various kinds of broth? How many kinds of meat? Is it a hodgepodge?"
Teng Liang laughed loudly and said, "Where have you ever eaten this? All kinds of meat, including rat meat."
Tang Zhao choked for a moment, and the old man showed a flattering smile and said: "Exactly, rat meat is a specialty of our store. We kill it and sell it now. One soup pot can hold fifty."
The corner of Tang Zhao's mouth twitched, and a "squeak" sound seemed to be heard in his ears. Teng Liang smiled and said: "Go away all kinds of meat. It tastes good, but there is no meat to stuff your teeth. First, let's have two bowls of beef soup.
Mat, we brothers still have something to talk about, and I will taste all of your soup pot when the time comes. If you serve me well, you will be rewarded, and it will depend on whether my brother drinks enough."
After saying that, the two opened the curtain and entered the store. They saw a small front door with three or four tables filled with people.
As soon as Teng Liang came in, he coughed first. Several people stood up from the two tables inside and said one after another: "Brother Teng - yo, Brother Teng is here. Sit down quickly."
Teng Liang looked at Tang Zhao proudly, and Tang Zhao understood what he meant: It's not that we're not doing well, but haven't we already become "Brother Teng"?
Tang Zhao gave him an encouraging smile.
The gangster next to him is not necessarily younger than Teng Liang. There are also some who are a few years old. He calls him Brother Teng because of his low status. He said with a flattering smile: "Brother Teng, sit here. Quickly move a chair for Brother Teng."
.”
Teng Liang laughed and scolded: "What are you trying to do to free up chairs? You guys go aside and move a table for me."
Several gangsters were startled. Although Teng Liang was "Brother Teng", he was not their real boss. It seemed that he was not enough to make room for him. In the past, Teng Liang would not be so open-minded. What happened today?
Tang Zhao said: "It's not necessary..."
Teng Liang said: "Don't come here, can you squeeze in with them? Go, go, make room for my brother, get out of here!" After saying this, he patted the table.
Seeing him going crazy, several gangsters thought that he had taken the wrong medicine, but Teng Liang had been in the limelight recently. Seeing that he was going to take another step forward, they didn't want to confront him head-on, so they got up one after another. There was another look.
Thinking that Tang Zhao was having a good life, I thought to myself: Where did this man named Teng find a child, and he is about to show off in front of him? Don't hinder his good deeds, because if word spreads, it will be thought that we are jealous of our husband.
But the room was only so big, and once a table was vacant, the crowd became even more crowded. At that moment, a few gangsters, Da Ma Jin Dao, sat next to them and squeezed out the last few honest diners.
Tang Zhao sat down and formally entered the gangster room.
Teng Liang snorted at the table twice and said: "Come on, go and invite the string player in the back to come over and serve my brother a drink."