Chapter 60: Helping in times of need

Chapter 60: Helping in times of need

At night, the breeze was blowing.

The lights of Yunlai Restaurant were flickering, and the atmosphere was tense.

Outside the restaurant, there were many ferocious members of the Qingyi Gang.

The others didn't dare to pass by here, and they all avoided it with lanterns.

Inside the restaurant.

Facing the questioning of the Qingyi Gang, Qi Shun's mind moved slightly, and he put on a gentle smile and said, "That Chu Liang is a hunter, and he often provides fresh prey for my restaurant. Many people know this, and I am familiar with him."

"Oh? Just familiar? But I heard that you and Chu Liang are brothers!" The man from the Qingyi Gang said sternly.

"Sir, you misunderstood."

Qi Shun smiled and explained: "This is my habit. I call those of higher status 'Sir' and those of lower status 'Brother'. I am not only on good terms with Chu Liang, but also with hunters in other villages."

"Are you serious?"

"Really, there is no falsehood!"

Qi Shun said firmly, and said: "If you don't believe it, you can ask anyone at will. Everyone in this restaurant knows it."

"Really?"

The man in the green clothes turned his eyes and looked at the accountant behind the counter.

The accountant nodded hurriedly and said: "Yes, Manager Qi is like this to everyone. Not to mention the hunters in the mountain village, even the beggars on the roadside, he will call him 'brother'. He has always been so kind to people."

"Humph! If you lie, you know the consequences!"

"I dare not!"

The accountant shook his head repeatedly, with a look of fear on his face.

Qing Yi Gang waved his hand to the man, and his men understood and immediately dispersed to ask the rest of the people in the restaurant and the surrounding residents.

Soon, everyone came back and told the man the news they had found out.

"Master, this man did not lie."

"He really likes to call people brothers."

"The news from the market has also come in. This Qi shopkeeper has always been like this. He and those market stall owners are also brothers."

"Master, this person has a wide network of contacts. Someone from the Wumeng sent a message, asking us not to hurt him..."

"..."

The news was summarized one by one, proving that Qi Shun did not lie.

He smiled gently, stood in front of the counter, and said to everyone: "Please sit down, everyone. If you keep standing, it is inevitable that outsiders will say that my Yunlai Restaurant is not hospitable. Now that the weather is getting colder, I will ask the guys in the kitchen to cook a pot of brown sugar ginger soup to warm you up."

"No need!"

The master looked indifferent and waved his hand to stop.

The blue-clothed gang members behind him were somewhat tempted. The nights after the beginning of autumn were indeed very cold. They ran around to collect information, and everyone was sweating. At this moment, the cold wind blew, and the chill began to penetrate into their bodies.

It would be best if they could have a bowl of steaming brown sugar ginger soup.

When they thought of this, they looked at the shopkeeper Qi with a little more kindness, no longer as fierce as before.

"Qi Shun, I will ask you a few more questions." The hall master said.

"You say."

"When did Chu Liang start selling prey to you?"

"About five years ago..."

Qi Shun spoke slowly in a steady voice.

The next few questions were simple, all related to hunting.

Finally, the hall master asked Qi Shun in detail about the two recent meetings with Chu Liang.

Qi Shun's expression did not change, and his voice was as steady as before. He basically told the situation of the two people's meeting, but he omitted the things related to the black market.

"Sir, that's all."

"Very good!"

The hall master glanced at his subordinate beside him.

The subordinate held a notebook in his hand, and he nodded gently, indicating that he had written it down.

The hall master looked at Qi Shun again and said coldly: "Qi Shun, keep what happened tonight to yourself and don't mention it to others."

"Don't worry, sir, I know it in my heart."

Qi Shun smiled sincerely, suddenly took two steps forward, walked to the side of the hall master, and took out a silver note from his arms.

He whispered: "I'm sorry for being so slow tonight, please accept it, as Qi's apology."

The hall master glanced at the number on the silver note, his eyes moved slightly, and he said nothing. He reached out to take it and put it directly into his arms.

Then he waved his hand, turned around and walked out of the door of the restaurant.

"Follow me!"

"Yes!"

The rest of the Qingyi gang members in the restaurant responded and left with him.

The Qingyi gang members outside followed closely behind him, with rapid steps, and left the restaurant in a moment.

After they left, Yunlai Restaurant became quiet.

Qi Shun looked calm, and calmly closed the door of the restaurant, seemingly unaffected.

Behind the counter, the accountant couldn't help asking: "Boss, is this matter over?"

"Well, it's nothing for us to do."

Qi Shun chuckled.

The accountant was relieved immediately, holding the account book and said: "Boss, Chu Liang must have offended the Qingyi Gang. He is probably just a warrior with a lot of blood. If he offends the Qingyi Gang, he will definitely not have a good end. We... we should have less contact with him in the future."

"Don't worry, I know." Qi Shun said with a smile, "There are many hunters who provide food for the restaurant, and one less of him is not a small number."

"That's good, I'm afraid that you, the boss, want to help him."

"I dare not."

Qi Shun smiled and shook his head, and said: "The Qingyi Gang is powerful, and I am just a small restaurant owner, how dare I disobey them?"

"Yes, the Qingyi Gang is really too big." The accountant sighed,

"Okay, Lao Huang, it's getting late. You should go back and rest early. I'll go take a look at the kitchen."

After saying this, Qishun left the restaurant lobby.

He turned and walked to the kitchen in the back.

There are still some waiters and cooks in the kitchen.

They were all so frightened that they thought something had happened to the restaurant, and they were all worried about the future.

"The shopkeeper's!"

"Shopkeeper Qi, what happened?"

Seeing Qi Shun's arrival, they all spoke one after another, with anxious looks on their faces.

Qi Shun waved his hand and said with a smile: "The small matter has been solved, everyone can feel at ease."

"That's good."

"I was shocked. I thought our restaurant had offended the Tsing Yi Gang."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and the anxiety in their hearts disappeared.

As long as the restaurant is still there, it's a good thing.

"Go to rest early." Qi Shun said to everyone: "After the Tsing Yi Gang made such a fuss, there should be no customers in the restaurant tonight."

"Shopkeeper, you should go to bed early and don't strain your body."

"Um."

Qi Shun nodded with a smile, looked at one of the thin young men, and said to him: "Xiaoyu, come with me to the wine cellar. There are some old wines in the wine cellar that need to be counted. It may take some time."

"OK."

The boy named Xiaoyu immediately walked to Qi Shun's side.

The two left together.

The wine cellar is located underground in the restaurant and is filled with all kinds of wine.

Qi Shun carried an oil lamp and entered the wine cellar along the stone stairs. After the little fish behind him also came in, he immediately reached out and closed the door of the wine cellar.

He put away the smile on his face and his expression suddenly became serious.

"Xiaoyu, how have I treated you all these years?" Qi Shun looked at the thin young man and asked in a deep voice.

"Shopkeeper, you saved my life and gave me food and shelter. Without you, I would have gone underground to meet my parents."

The thin boy knelt in front of Qi Shun on the spot.

He was not stupid, and he guessed that Qi Shun must have something to ask him to do, and it was probably something that would make him lose his head.

"Shopkeeper, just give me your orders, Xiaoyu's life is yours!"

"good!"

Qi Shun took out a black market token from his arms, handed it to the young man, and said, "I took you through the road to the black market once before. Do you remember it?"

"Remember!"

"Take this token, go out from the secret passage of the wine cellar, go to the black market immediately, ask the black market manager for a good horse, then leave through the third hidden exit of the black market, and follow the ridge path to Qingshi Village. Remember?"

"Shopkeeper, I remember it."

"Okay, we must be quick!"

Qi Shun took a deep breath and helped the young man up.

He solemnly patted the young man on the shoulder and said to him: "Xiaoyu, this journey is full of dangers, because you are not taking the official road, and it is night now."

"I see."

"Just understand. If you can reach Qingshi Village, bring my words to Chu Liang. Remember..."

He spoke calmly and told the young man in front of him about the Tsing Yi Gang.

After listening, the young man's heart suddenly became heavy, and he understood why Qi Shun was so solemn.

He raised his head, his eyes bright, and asked Qi Shun: "Shopkeeper, Chu Liang and you are just acquaintances, is it worth it?"

"Xiaoyu, please remember, although the icing on the cake is good, it is far inferior to the friendship that provides help in times of need."

"I remember."

"Just remember and go!"

…

It's late at night.

Qingshi Village was quiet.

In Chu Liang's yard, three fluffy puppies huddled together and rested under the donkey cart.

If they don't show any hostility to outsiders, they look just like ordinary puppies, without any difference.

Chu Liang was lying in the bedroom, sleeping soundly.

Suddenly, a little mouse hurriedly squeezed in through the crack in the door and jumped onto Chu Liang's bed.

"Master! Wake up!"

He grabbed Chu Liang's sleeves with his two small paws with surprising strength and shook him several times.

Chu Liang was soon shaken awake.

He was still a little confused at first, but he glanced at the wooden window and found that it was still night outside. He realized something was wrong and suddenly woke up.

"Shu Da, what's the matter?"

"somebody is coming."

"how many people?"

"Only one, a young man covered in injuries, is approaching the village."

"Oh? I'll go take a look."

Chu Liang immediately stood up, put on his soft armor and hidden weapons, took the necessary poison and walked out of the house.

He jumped up to the big locust tree in the yard, stepped on the branches, narrowed his eyes slightly, and looked far away in the moonlight.

Not long after, a young man on horseback appeared in Chu Liang's field of vision.

"Huh……"

Chu Liang exclaimed, he had seen this young man before.

Previously, Moshi Village was attacked by monsters and many people died, so a banquet was needed.

Yunlai Restaurant took over the banquet of the dead from Moshi Village. The entire restaurant was busy that day, with many waiters running around in the lobby, including this young man.

"He is from Shopkeeper Qi. If he comes so late, he most likely comes to see me. Could something have happened in the county?"

Chu Liang jumped off the branch and jumped out of the yard.

He could see that the young man was exhausted and at the end of his strength, he might collapse at any time.

brush!

He jumped several feet and turned into an afterimage in the moonlight, heading straight for the young man.

In just a moment, he arrived in front of the young man.

Seeing his appearance, the young man's pale and tired face showed a hint of joy. He forced himself to cheer up and asked in a hoarse voice: "In front... Is it Master Chu Liang in front?"

"It's me, what's the matter?" Chu Liang asked him.

"My shopkeeper asked me to sue you. The Qingyi Gang suspected that you were the murderer of their 19th wife. They may come to deal with you in the next few days. The Qingyi Gang is extremely cruel. You must not take it lightly... cough cough..."

The young man was weak and coughed twice, and his voice became more hoarse: "They don't need evidence, even if they are just suspicious, they can..."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly shook and fell off the horse.

Chu Liang was quick and stepped forward to catch him.

He stretched out his hand and found that the young man's pulse was weak and his breath was weak. It was obvious that he had already reached his limit and had to rely on one breath to get here.

"It's not easy to rush all the way here so late and avoid the eyes of the Qingyi Gang."

Chu Liang looked deep in his eyes and looked in the direction of the county town.

He knew very well how much risk Manager Qi took by doing this.

"I accept this favor."