Chapter 338: The Bad Luck Star

At the Yaowang Hall branch of the Jiangxiang Gang, Hall Master Luo Zhennan sat on the rooftop listening to the radio, chuckling as he listened. "The world is vast, and truly full of wonders," he thought, "A man and two donkeys, in the street... and this actually happened in Yaowanggou!"

While Luo Zhennan was enjoying himself, his subordinate, Sun Xingbing, came to report: "Han Jinwei has arrived."

"Hall Master Han is here, please invite him in quickly!"

Sun Xingbing said, "Boss, Han Jinwei hasn't been a Hall Master for a long time. Why are you still so polite to him?"

Han Jinwei was formerly the Hall Master of the Huangtuqiao branch of the Jiangxiang Gang. Due to the sluggish economy in Huangtuqiao, Han Jinwei often took his subordinates to other prefectures for assignments. The last time he was in another prefecture, he happened to receive an order from Xiao Zhenggong to contend for "Long Spear Zhao Xiaowan" at Tiemen Fortress. However, he was outwitted by Li Banfeng, which resulted in the complete annihilation of the Huangtuqiao branch.

Later, "Long Spear Zhao Xiaowan" was bought back by Luo Zhennan. Xiao Zhenggong did not make Luo Zhennan a Vice-Gang Leader, but he did fulfill one promise: he gave the Huangtuqiao branch to Luo Zhennan. Now, Luo Zhennan is the Hall Master of two branches, and Han Jinwei has become Luo Zhennan's subordinate. Indeed, Luo Zhennan had no need to be polite to him.

However, Luo Zhennan was skilled in social etiquette. He lectured his subordinate: "You're just unreasonable. What's wrong with calling him 'Hall Master'? You never know when he might make a comeback. As the old saying goes, 'Excessive politeness offends no one.' Translated into a foreign language, this is called high emotional intelligence, do you know that? Hurry up and invite him in!"

Han Jinwei arrived, and after exchanging a few pleasantries, he stated his purpose: "Hall Master, I'd like to go back to Huangtuqiao to take a look, and also to manage the gang's business."

Luo Zhennan smiled, discerning Han Jinwei's true intentions. He didn't want to stay in Yaowanggou and be under Luo Zhennan's control.

"Hall Master Han, is there still business in Huangtuqiao?"

"Yes, there are three sub-branches, each managing a section. I've brought the roster for your review."

Luo Zhennan was too lazy to look. "I just went to Huangtuqiao last month. I walked over ten li and didn't see many households. That place is abandoned. What's the point of going there?"

"Hall Master, we still have hundreds of brothers there. This matter..."

"Discuss it with the brothers. Those willing to come to Yaowanggou, I'll take them in. Those who aren't, can pull out their incense sticks and go their separate ways."

"Hall Master, that won't do. They are all still contributing to the gang."

"Contributing what? Do you think I don't know? There's no viable business left in Huangtuqiao except for human trafficking."

Han Jinwei lowered his head and said, "That is also a business of our gang."

The Jiangxiang Gang engaged in all kinds of business, and human trafficking was one of them.

Luo Zhennan's face darkened, and his tone became less polite. "Old Han, I've told you some things before, and I'll say them again today. The gang has its businesses, and the branches have their rules. In Yaowang Hall, the human trafficking business is forbidden. Anyone who engages in it will be going against me, Luo Zhennan."

"Yes, yes," Han Jinwei said, not daring to contradict Luo Zhennan. After a brief chat, he quickly left.

Luo Zhennan continued listening to the radio, still hearing about the donkey incident in the street. He murmured to himself, "Why would that 'Corpse Repairer' come to Yaowanggou? Is this related to that person from Huangtuqiao? That scoundrel dared to provoke 'Monkey Qiu'; he can only blame himself for being blind. To be 'handled' by a donkey in the street, he probably has no face left to stay in Yaowanggou. It would be best if he would just scram, the sooner the better."

Luo Zhennan hoped this 'Corpse Repairer' would scram soon, but Yu Heshun hadn't left yet. Not only had he not left, but after two days of recuperation, he went back to Qiu's Pharmacy to cause trouble again. This was the 'Corpse Repairer's' consistent logic: whoever harmed him, he would cling to them.

"You've injured me like this! If you don't give me an explanation, you'll have to serve me for life!"

The pharmacy clerk, Ding Youming, got angry. "Who's serving you for life? What nonsense are you spouting?"

"What did I say? You injured me, and I've come to reason with you!" Yu Heshun resorted to his old trick, shouting loudly and attracting a crowd.

Ding Youming was not afraid of him and spoke even louder: "Who injured you? You were injured by a donkey! Go reason with the donkey, and let the donkey serve you for life!"

As his words fell, the crowd burst into laughter.

Yu Heshun, his face red, said, "Don't talk nonsense..."

"Who's talking nonsense? Ask everyone here, who doesn't know you were 'handled' by a donkey in the street?"

"I, that was..." Yu Heshun wanted to explain that he had fallen victim to a technique.

Ding Youming gave him no chance to explain. "I don't care if you're sincere or feigning; the fact is, you were 'handled' by a donkey in the street!"

"I, I was..."

"You were 'handled' by a donkey!"

"Don't slander me!"

"I have proof! You were 'handled' by a donkey!" Ding Youming turned on the projector, the one Li Banfeng had specifically brought. The scene of the donkey incident in the street was projected onto the front of the pharmacy.

The crowd roared with laughter and cheers. Yu Heshun, half-dead with rage, turned and left.

In the back room of the pharmacy, Li Banfeng asked Qiu Zhiheng, "He won't spoil the pharmacy's feng shui, will he?"

Qiu Zhiheng shook his head. "We haven't been criticized by others, so the feng shui won't be ruined. He can't stay in Yaowanggou anymore."

Outside the pharmacy, waves of laughter continued. Li Banfeng didn't smile. Something was not right about this. The 'Corpse Repairer' was indeed difficult to deal with; Li Banfeng admitted that. Qiu Zhiheng certainly had his methods; Li Banfeng also admitted that. Shopkeeper Feng and Yu Nan didn't want to get involved with bad luck, so they went into hiding. That was reasonable. But why did the coachman hide? The coachman was a master of 'travel cultivation'. If it was just one 'Corpse Repairer', and if that was his only strength, the coachman would surely have had a way to deal with it. Things might not be that simple.

Two days later, Yu's Fabric Store opened. Seeing Li Banfeng, Yu Nan was delighted and invited him to drink at the fabric store. After a couple of drinks, Li Banfeng asked about hiding from disaster. Yu Nan replied, "Shopkeeper Feng told me something was going to happen in Yaowanggou and advised me to go hide for two days, so I went to Xindi." The information still came from Shopkeeper Feng.

A few more days passed, and Shopkeeper Feng also returned. Learning that Li Banfeng had returned, Shopkeeper Feng was both surprised and pleased. "Mr. Li, it's been a long time! I've been waiting for you for days. Let's settle the pill money first." All the pills Li Banfeng had consigned with Shopkeeper Feng had been sold. Shopkeeper Feng was meticulous in business, settling accounts clearly as agreed, without any ambiguity.

Li Banfeng waved his hand. "No rush about the pill money. First, tell me about this 'hiding from disaster' business. Where did you hear that news from?"

Shopkeeper Feng took a sip of tea and said, "I heard it from a friend." He was unwilling to talk about it, and Li Banfeng never pressed Shopkeeper Feng on matters he didn't wish to disclose.

"I came to you because I wanted to ask about someone: your elder brother, Feng Chongli."

Shopkeeper Feng slightly furrowed his brow, remaining silent for a long time before asking, "May I ask, what business do you have with him?"

"Business matters."

Shopkeeper Feng sighed. "I truly don't like to mention him. Though we are blood brothers, we are not on the same path. However, we had an agreement that in business matters, we should look out for each other. Since you've asked, I can't not tell you. Some time ago, he went to Huangtuqiao, and from there he came to Yaowanggou. He came to me and said that a 'Corpse Repairer' was coming to Yaowanggou and advised me to go into hiding. 'Corpse Repairers' are the bane of businessmen, so I told Boss Qiu and Shopkeeper Yu the news, and I also went back to my old home in the countryside to hide. I only dared to return these past two days after hearing the 'Corpse Repairer' had left. If you want to do business with my brother, as far as I know, he has gone to Huangtuqiao again. You can go there and check; he should still be there."

Huangtuqiao is a town situated between Lushui City and Heishi Slope. Li Banfeng had passed by Huangtuqiao several times on the train but had never visited.

The next day, Qiu Zhiheng helped Li Banfeng get his travel permit ready and escorted him to the station. At the station square, just as the two of them got out of the rickshaw, they suddenly heard an argument. Following the sound, they saw a group of people making trouble for a rickshaw puller.

A young man in his twenties said, "To Yuanzheng Street, it's only a few steps, and you're asking for eight yuan? Are you crazy poor?"

The rickshaw puller looked bewildered. "This, isn't this the standard price?"

From the station to Paifang Street was eight yuan; that was the going rate. Yuanzheng Street was slightly further than Paifang Street, so eight yuan was really not much. But this group wouldn't let it go. An old woman said, "What 'going rate'? You see an elder and still overcharge? With your behavior, you deserve to be poor for generations! We'll give you seven yuan, are you taking us or not?"

The rickshaw puller was intimidated and nodded. "Alright, let's go then."

The old woman called out, "Get on the rickshaw!"

Over a dozen people started getting onto the rickshaw, which terrified the puller. "Ladies and gentlemen, my rickshaw can only carry two people at most. What are you trying to do?"

The old woman snorted, "Who says only two people can ride? Can't we just squeeze in?"

The rickshaw puller stopped them. "No, you'll break my rickshaw!"

"What? You take our money but won't let us ride? Are you bullying us outsiders? Is this the common practice in Yaowanggou? Can this place still be saved?"

The crowd pushed and shoved, and the rickshaw puller, pulling his rickshaw, ran off. Li Banfeng roughly counted; there were fifteen people ganging up on the rickshaw puller.

Qiu Zhiheng was also stunned. He said to Li Banfeng, "Brother, hurry and leave! Don't get involved in bad luck."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "I can't leave just yet. I need to see an old friend."

Qiu Zhiheng was taken aback. "I also need to find an old friend. We're not looking for the same person, are we?" Indeed, they were looking for the same person.

Qiu Zhiheng took Li Banfeng to Baixiang Village. From the village, they walked over seventy li southeast, reaching a barren mountain. Deep within the barren mountain, past two layers of mass graves, they spotted a small courtyard in the distance. Entering the courtyard, they were hit by a strong smell of alcohol. Old Yao lay on a recliner, clutching a wine pot, singing opera: "This letter came at an opportune time, Heaven helped Huang Zhong achieve success, Standing at the camp gate, proclaiming the camp's call, All lads listen closely..." It was *Dingjun Mountain*! It had to be said, Old Yao's singing was quite good, very methodical.

Seeing Li Banfeng, Old Yao stood up from his recliner, grabbed Li Banfeng's hand, and chuckled, "How did you get here, young man?"

Li Banfeng politely replied, "I specifically came to visit you, elder."

"Is business going well?"

"Thanks to your blessing, business is quite good."

"Why didn't you bring your wife and children with you?"

"I, uh..." Li Banfeng didn't know how to respond.

Old Yao frowned and said, "Little Qiu, I'm not criticizing you, but look at your beard, you never bother to tidy it up properly." Li Banfeng looked at Qiu Zhiheng, his expression somewhat awkward. Old Yao glanced at Qiu Zhiheng, then rubbed his forehead. "Had a few too many drinks, I misidentified you. That one is Little Qiu!" He then looked at Li Banfeng again and said, "Why did you come with Little Qiu?"

"Brother Qiu and I already knew each other."

"I know you know each other, lass. I must warn you, Little Qiu is a married man; he's not suitable for you. Haven't you always liked Li Qi? Actually, that Li Qi isn't anything good either!"

"That Li Qi, he's pretty good," Li Banfeng said, looking at Old Yao. "Just how much have you had to drink?"

"Not much!" Old Yao held up two fingers. "Eight and a half jin, and half a jin is still in the pot."

Qiu Zhiheng said, "Old Yao, we came to tell you that 'Corpse Repairers' have arrived in Yaowanggou."

"I heard about that!" Old Yao said nonchalantly. "Isn't it just one 'Corpse Repairer'? Can't you handle that? Do you really need to come find me for such a small matter?"

Qiu Zhiheng shook his head. "It's not just one 'Corpse Repairer'; a total of fifteen have arrived."

"Fifteen?" Old Yao was startled, and his drunkenness cleared. "How could fifteen have come?" Old Yao mumbled to himself. "How many people are there in that sect in total? How could fifteen have come?"

After a moment of silence, Old Yao looked up and asked, "Which of you has been to Huangtuqiao recently?"

Li Banfeng shook his head repeatedly; he hadn't been there.

Qiu Zhiheng said, "I went once at the beginning of the year."

"What was the situation like there?"

"Not very good, very desolate. There's hardly anyone left."

Old Yao blinked. "I remember that place produces coal and has iron mines. It shouldn't have fallen to this state."

Qiu Zhiheng said, "Doing business there is too troublesome. Merchants have all gone to Heishi Slope, and ordinary families have also moved away."

Old Yao put down his wine pot, his expression astonished. "So, that harbinger of doom is targeting me?"