Volume 1: Storm in the Western Region Chapter 127: Lotus Alley
"This is Lotus Lane?"
Zhao Rang asked, pointing to the sticker on the wall.
Zhang San turned his head and looked at the alley again, and found that it was true, so he said in surprise:
"Sir, we bumped into each other by mistake, and we missed the mark!"
Knowing that this was Lotus Lane, Zhao Rang was not surprised.
Although Beard told him that clues could be found in this place, it was only possible. Even he was not sure. Zhao Rang had not had high hopes since he left Taihe Residence.
Even if there are clues, Zhao Rang doesn't think he can see anything with just the eyes of a small vendor. Moreover, what happened among the Qingshan Guests is related to Haidiya. With such a big shot involved, even if the vendor saw it clearly, it's hard to think about it.
They also keep silent for fear of getting angry.
Regardless of these things, Zhao Rang found the name of this alley very strange.
Where did the lotus come from in the Western Regions?
Since there is no such thing, how can one name an alley after lotus?
Therefore, he stood at the entrance of the alley and did not go in for a long time.
After walking back and forth for a few steps, Zhao Rang asked:
"Zhang San, do you know the origin of Lotus Lane?"
Zhang San thought for a while and guessed that Zhao Rang was wondering about the origin of the name.
"Master, didn't I just tell you that there are many powerful eunuchs from the previous dynasty here?"
Zhao Rang nodded and motioned for him to continue.
"Among the eunuchs who came, it is said that there was also a steward who brought many strange things that were not found in the Western Regions, including lotus seeds."
Zhao Rang suddenly realized:
"This alley was used to grow lotus seeds at that time?"
Zhang San responded:
"I'm right. But it's no longer the case. Now this alley is a famous gathering place for shabby households in the Northwest Market, but it's still dominated by the descendants of those eunuchs."
Zhao Rang snorted coldly.
Zhang San thought he was dissatisfied with him, so he quickly added:
"But this alley is the deepest. It is said that the innermost part leads all the way to the wall of the palace."
"Have you finished walking?"
Zhang San shrank his neck and shook his head... He heard the following words from others. He didn't know the details. Although Zhang San was just a lower-class citizen and lived a tight life, he had not yet fallen to this level.
It's so depressing. It would be great to know about a place like Lotus Lane, let alone go in.
In addition, don’t look at his attentiveness to Zhao Rang, it’s because Zhao Rang has money in his pocket and is generous! If a person is poor, he will unconsciously stick to the corner when walking. But if he is rich, the confidence shown in his gestures will be
no the same!
They are both men, so Zhang San certainly admires Zhao Rang. After comparing him secretly, he can only blame himself for his lack of ability, and then he will become even more enthusiastic.
"Let's go in and take a look!"
The houses in Lotus Lane were very low, and Zhao Rang could see a magnificent city wall at the end from a distance, which should be where the palace was. What Zhang San heard from hearsay was somewhat credible.
Unlike the city wall, these houses are all built with old wooden boards and yellow mud mixed with splendens. In many places, dark holes are exposed, like the patched clothes worn by beggars.
After walking a few steps, Zhao Rang smelled a greasy smell and it was a small stall selling pancakes.
The shop owner put up a wooden board from the window of his house, narrowing the already narrow alley by half.
On the wooden board was placed a freshly spread green onion pancake, and at the moment the shopkeeper was frying eggs with his shirt off.
The iron pot placed on the stove can be used to pull out another pot. In terms of age, he must be much older than the shop owner. The oil used to fry the eggs in the pot is darker than his face.
Therefore, the fried eggs are also black, as if they were fished out of a soy sauce vat.
Zhao Rang certainly wouldn't have any appetite when looking at such fried eggs. But in Lotus Lane, it was a rare delicacy.
The oil used by the shopkeeper is collected from small restaurants in other places. Who knows what the oil has experienced before making eggs...
When the shop owner saw someone standing in front of the stall, he thought there was business, so he popped his head out to greet him. When he saw Zhao Rang's exquisite clothes and the servant-looking Zhang San, he immediately shrank back.
In just such a moment's delay, several of the eggs in his pot were already burnt.
The shopkeeper picked them out individually, put them on a plate, and shouted loudly.
Suddenly, many people came out from nowhere and scrambled to grab the dark eggs on the plate.
"Sir, what he just shouted was 'This plate is half price'."
Zhang San translated to Zhao Rang.
Those who grabbed it would swallow it in one bite, for fear that it would no longer be theirs the next second. Those who didn't grab it would numbly return to their shabby houses like walking zombies and continue to linger.
After the people dispersed, Zhao Rang was able to move forward. The people who had just looted completely blocked the alley, and even a needle could not be inserted.
There should be a refreshing morning breeze elsewhere, but here it is full of all kinds of stinks. Zhao Rang is very sure that there must be dead people in these broken houses, otherwise it would be difficult to produce such a stench!
The stench of dead people, the odor of unwashed body, and the smell of oil from various stalls, mixed together, make the smell here indescribable. If Zhao Rang was not a martial artist, he would definitely smell bile.
Spit it out……
"Master, why don't you ask the store?"
Zhang San also heard what Bearded Beard said to Zhao Rang in the center of Taihe.
Someone in Lotus Alley saw what happened last night, and he was a vendor. But in this alley, according to a rough calculation, there are dozens or even nearly a hundred vendors.
Asking questions one by one, regardless of whether they are willing to say it or not, the time wasted is not something Zhao Rang can bear. Now he wishes he could break one hour into two hours, so that the day can be longer, and longer...
"Do you think anyone would buy such pancakes and eggs at the market near Qingshanke?"
Zhang San closed his mouth, and his face swelled up and turned a deep crimson color.
As a local and a guide, after listening to Zhao Rang's rhetorical question, I realized that the suggestion I just made was extremely stupid...
What kind of inn is Qingshanke?
Where is Qingshanke located in the royal city?
The people who live among Qingshan Guests are either wealthy businessmen or famous heroes.
The surrounding area is one of the most lively and prosperous places in the royal city.
The pancakes and omelettes sold at the stall just now would have been stopped by the soldiers patrolling the city before they got there, and they would have been thrown away together with the shop, and they would not have been allowed to come in and be an eyesore, so
There is no need to ask at all.
"But you can ask him what kind of vendors there are in Lotus Alley."
Zhao Rang continued.
Zhang San didn't understand, but he didn't dare to ask, so Zhao asked him to explain it again.
"It's just the type! He is a pancake vendor, so what else does he do? For example, he sells fried rice, noodle soup..."
"Ah, I understand!"
As soon as Zhang San slapped his forehead, he went to ask the shopkeeper.
After a cup of tea, Zhang San came back with a sad face and said to Zhao Rang:
"Sir... this shopkeeper seems to be deaf. No matter how I ask him, he won't even speak!"
Zhao Rang glanced at the shopkeeper who was still frying eggs and said to Zhang San:
"Did you ask directly?"
Zhang San nodded.
"Didn't you say you wanted to buy something?"
Zhang San still nodded.
"You ask a businessman for questioning. If you don't buy anything and don't use money, it's strange that someone can tell you!"
Zhang San's face swelled again.
For some reason today, his mind keeps spinning!
I couldn't help but feel nervous, fearing that Zhao Rang would take the money back and drive him away.
Tensing strength, Zhang San made up his mind to help Zhao Rang handle the affairs in Lotus Lane.
Zhang San considers himself a person with a wide range of friends, but it is a pity that he really doesn’t know anyone in Lotus Alley... In order to be a guide, you naturally have to know more and know more. But before that, no one really wanted to
When you come to Lotus Alley, the most you can do is take a stroll in the Northwest Market.
Returning to the stall, Zhang San slapped the five loose coins left in his pocket on the wooden board. After Zhao Rang gave him the one hundred taels of silver ingots, this was the only wealth he had.
According to the shop owner’s price, one dollar can buy two omelettes and four pancakes. Five pancakes, that’s ten omelettes!
When the shopkeeper saw five big coins, his eyes widened. The last time he sold ten fried eggs was the same as the last time. He couldn't remember how long it had been. Anyway, it was a long time ago!
He grabbed five big shiny coins with his greasy hands, and at the same time ten fried eggs were wrapped in paper and handed out.
When Zhang San took the egg, he asked again what he had just said. This time the shopkeeper pointed to his ear and waved his hand.
He is really deaf!
Zhang San tried to write something for him to read, but the shopkeeper pointed at the words and waved his hand again.
Not only is he deaf, he is also illiterate!
As a result, the possibility of communication was completely cut off, and Zhang San suddenly felt that it was meaningless... It was as if the sky had suddenly turned gloomy.
The setback here brought good luck to Zhao Rang.
There was a bold child who was chatting with him.
It stands to reason that eunuchs are infertile, but in fact most eunuchs have wives and children.
This child is the descendant of the eunuch who originally fled here, so his great authority speaks very well.
"Are you here to find someone?"
When Zhao Rang saw Zhang San bought ten fried eggs, he said to the child:
"I ask, you answer. If you know, tell the truth. If you don't know, just say you don't know. How about a question and an omelette?"
The child sucked the saliva that was about to overflow, widened his eyes and asked:
"Are you telling the truth?"
Zhao Rang waved to Zhang San, telling him to come quickly.
"I can buy you one first, then you will know whether what I said is true!"
"Well...you are...a man of your word!"
The child did not gobble it up, but ate it one bite at a time. After eating, he even put his fingers in his mouth and squeaked.
He understands the meaning of enjoyment better than the adults who grabbed it before. For something that is almost impossible to eat like an omelette, he chooses to finish it slowly so that he can enjoy it for a while longer.