The Blade-Wielding Legend-Chapter 1337 - 693: East City Cargo Hold (Part 2)

In the Capital, aside from being divided into the Imperial City, inner city, and outer city, it is also split into the central, east, south, west, and north five cities.

In the East City area, the terrain is flat. From the Chongwen Gate to the east of Yonghe Palace, north to the inner city walls, and south connecting the line between Chongwen Gate and East Gate, it is the choke point of the Cao Yun.

On the Tonghui River, grain boats shuttle back and forth, and beside the Datong Bridge, warehouses are everywhere, epitomizing the bustling scene of "a thousand sails racing past the Paper Currency Office, ten thousand loads of grain entering the granaries."

Here are five wards: Mingshi, Huanghua, Si City, South Juxian, and Bei Juxian. Within the walls, banks and money shops stand side by side, and at Lantern Market, the night market never sleeps. The recitations from the Imperial College and the chants of the porters rise and fall, and the characters "Built in the fifteenth year of the Great Xuan Era" on the stone tablet carried by the tortoise at the Confucius Temple remain clear.

A Yin Yang master holds a long banner, walking through the street.

Several porters squatting under the eaves of a warehouse, eating flatbreads, catch sight of the banner fabric and quickly spit on the ground three times.

In this area, anyone who dares to dabble in the mystical is either a True Immortal or a short-lived ghost.

The Yin Yang master steps on the bluestone pavement, arriving at a blue brick warehouse.

Outside the warehouse, more than a dozen strong men either stand or squat, telling off-color jokes.

One with a gold tooth is mimicking a courtesan from the Eight Great Hutongs throwing a handkerchief, making the others laugh heartily.

The sleeves of their short black robes are rolled up, revealing the "iron anchor" tattoos on their left arms.

The tattoos are a bluish-purple, done with aged pigeon blood mixed with vermillion, a method that only old gangs adhere to, making the surrounding commoners dare not approach.

In the Capital, there are the Three Great Gangs: the "Iron Anchor Association," "Tiger Might Hall," and "Copper Camel Alliance."

This place is one of the halls of the "Iron Anchor Association."

They not only have connections with Cao Gang but also control the "Five Elements" of East City, with significant influence.

Seeing the Yin Yang master approach, several men immediately wore fierce expressions and surrounded him.

The one with the gold tooth glared, "Hey! Where did this old geezer crawl out from? What are you nosing around for!"

The Yin Yang master slightly cupped his hands and said, "Excuse me, gentlemen, Incense Master Wang invited this old man to help arrange Fengshui at his home, here to pay a visit."

"Oh?"

The man with the gold tooth looked at him from top to bottom, "Wait here!"

Saying that, he turned and went inside to report.

Shortly after, the man ran back, his attitude significantly improved, "The Incense Master invites you in."

The two entered the warehouse and saw it was a completely different world inside.

Piled high with crates, resembling walls, the warehouse was divided into different areas.

The front is a facade for goods collection, with sacks labeled "Suzong Grain Route" seals piled one on top of another, but inside, it's all contraband salt.

An elder leaned over the counter doing accounts, the sound of the abacus as dense as raindrops.

Men from the Carriage Shop came to collect bamboo tokens for transporting goods, with ingratiating faces.

A few bare-chested men were wrestling in the open space, causing those around to howl.

A thin man crouched on a bench was opening a betting game:

"Place your bets! If the black bear can withstand Old Liu, I'll return two qian of silver out of my own pocket!"

Passing through the front hall, the inside grew more complex.

There are several corridors, some narrow enough requiring one to pass sideways, plastered with mud for fireproofing.

Faint flickers of firelight could be seen inside, along with the sound of whips and screams.

Unlike the Cao Gang, the business of the "Iron Anchor Association" wasn't just transporting goods.

East City commerce was thriving, with many banks and money houses, and many secret lenders too.

The "Iron Anchor Association" not only offered high-interest loans but also collected debts.

On the surface, there are industries like "Shunfeng Boat Company" and "Tonghe Warehouse."

In the dark, they also run the "Water Ghost Hall," a business that takes money to take lives.

In short, the industry is complex, with even more complicated backing, otherwise it would have been swallowed by the Cao Gang long ago.

The Yin Yang master seemed indifferent, following the man through three iron-clad secret doors to the back of the warehouse.

There it was similarly divided by crates, but looked like a residence, with the floor paved in blue bricks, bonsai and trees planted, fish tanks keeping fish, even a small courtyard, all illuminated by surrounding torches, as if it was nighttime.

"Go in, the Incense Master is inside."

Before getting close, the man leading the way stopped.

The Yin Yang master nodded slightly and walked into the small courtyard.

Entering the door, he saw two people sitting inside, drinking tea.

One was bald with a white beard, a copper ring hung on the left earlobe, wearing a brocade robe, not only with an iron anchor tattoo on his arm but also a large, ferocious snake tattooed on his scalp. Despite being elderly, his appearance remained fierce and imposing.

This person was the Incense Master of the "Iron Anchor Association," Wang She.

The other was even taller, the second-in-command of the Jinghai Gang, nicknamed 'Iron-armed Dragon King' Zhang Tiankui.

At this moment, he no longer had his once arrogant demeanor, holding a cup of wine, looking thoroughly dejected.

Upon seeing the Yin Yang master arrive, he merely glanced briefly without acknowledging.

Wang She's expression also remained unchanged, downing his cup of wine in one go, he spoke: "Tiankui, old brother, with our relationship, naturally, we should help where we can, but you also know, the Capital is different from elsewhere. When it comes to court struggles, our Iron Anchor Association doesn't have such thick arms."

"But don't worry, this place is very secure. You can stay here; the court's hounds can't catch the scent."

"Alright, since the old brother has matters to attend to, I'll take my leave first."

Zhang Tiankui drained his cup of wine in one go and turned to leave.

After he left, Wang She's expression changed sharply, and he suddenly prostrated on the ground, kowtowing:

"This subordinate greets Immortal Master Kong!"

The Yin Yang master smiled slightly, with his facial features constantly twisting, his facial skin melting like wax, revealing a thin face.

Ordinary looking, with calm eyes, imbued with a certain elegance.

He was precisely Yu Wenhai's mentor, "Mr. Lan Du," Kong Hui!

Seeing this, Wang She quickly got up, fetching a Talisman from his bosom to shield from detection, carefully hanging it at the door.