191: Force me to kill someone?
Zhou City:
Many Noble families and influential households received carrier pigeons.
After reading the messages, they scoffed.
“Truly ruthless individuals never use killing to display their ferocity.”
“Chu Qing is a brainless brute.”
“Tell those below not to associate with him.”
“Also… if he causes trouble or asks us for favors, give him the cold shoulder.”
…On the carriage:
Chu Qing and Madam Shi sat cross-legged facing each other.
Madam Jin was brewing tea nearby.
After a sip of clear tea, Madam Shi said softly:
“Once you enter Zhou City, I will leave.”
Although Chu Qing had anticipated it, he still felt a sense of loss upon hearing Madam Shi was leaving.
Madam Shi possessed formidable strength.
While she couldn't guarantee she would always help, she was still a trump card.
Brought out at a critical moment, she could still kill people.
Alas… she was leaving.
Chu Qing thought for a moment and said, “Can’t you stay?”
Madam Shi shook her head and said, “There are too many enemies in Zhou City.”
“My staying with you would only cause more trouble.”
Chu Qing nodded.
Madam Shi continued, “Although you didn’t manage to achieve ten consecutive victories in the Prefecture City, with the recommendation letters from that Vice Dean and the Shiji County Dean, you can still enter the Zhou City Martial Academy.”
“Once you’re in the Martial Academy, everything will be fine.”
Chu Qing nodded.
Madam Jin, beside him, seemed to hesitate to speak.
Chu Qing’s heart stirred, and he asked, “What’s wrong?”
Madam Jin whispered, “The people of the Prosperous Land deal with us by going to Zhou City, the pressure will be even greater.”
“You should prepare yourself mentally in advance.”
“If Zhou City also uses this kind of suppression, you must prepare beforehand and absolutely not kill people casually.”
“After all, that is Zhou City.”
Chu Qing nodded.
The carriage rumbled, the horses whinnied.
At dusk, Chu Qing saw Zhou City.
Zhou City was vast.
The majestic city walls were over twenty meters high.
The walls were concave, making them easy to defend and difficult to attack.
The city gates were wide open.
Many pedestrians entered and exited.
Nearing the city gate, Madam Shi and Chu Qing parted ways.
Before parting, Madam Shi gave Chu Qing an address.
“If you encounter big trouble, come find me!”
“If there’s no big trouble, don’t come.”
“My troubles are no less than yours!”
Madam Shi cautioned again.
Chu Qing nodded.
Grumble!
Grumble!
Madam Shi’s convoy was the first to enter the city.
A moment later, Nangong came over and said:
“I also have to leave.”
Chu Qing feigned surprise, “Not going to the Martial Academy together?”
Nangong chuckled, “I am, but before that, I need to take care of some personal matters.”
Chu Qing nodded.
They set a time and then parted ways.
Soon:
The huge convoy was reduced by two-thirds.
Madam Jin tightly grasped his hand, staring at the massive city gate, and said tremblingly:
“Qing’er, I feel like this Zhou City is like a monster that can devour everything.”
Chu Qing comforted her, “That’s just an illusion.”
“This city is too big, and we are too small.”
Madam Jin looked thoughtful.
She was nervous inside.
Madam Shi had left, and Nangong had also left.
Besides Xiao Tao Hong, only Chu Qing remained by her side.
She worried that Chu Qing would also leave.
As for the Dean, who was engrossed in studying corpses, and Zhao Hongxiu, who acted as the housekeeper, she wasn't familiar with them.
After some comforting, the convoy majestically entered Zhou City.
Zhou City was vast, and the roads were wide.
Following Madam Shi’s suggestion, Chu Qing headed directly towards the vicinity of the Martial Academy.
The Martial Academy of Zhou City was located in the central district.
The further they went, the more prosperous it became.
Shops, Peddlers, sugar sculptors, roasted chestnut vendors, candied hawthorn sellers, and acrobats—everything was available.
In a daze, Chu Qing felt as if he had returned to his previous life.
“This place is more prosperous and lively than the big cities of my previous life.”
The Crowds surged.
The servants were captivated.
Even Madam Jin, who hailed from the Prefecture City, poked her head out to observe her surroundings.
Chu Qing crossed his arms, scanning his surroundings to prevent any mishaps.
What surprised him was:
There were many Sheriffs in Zhou City.
Almost every intersection had a Sheriff.
Although the Sheriffs didn’t seem very dedicated, they still provided a sense of security to ordinary people.
After passing through several long streets, as they got closer to the Martial Academy, they were stopped by a constable at an intersection:
“Where’s your pass?”
Chu Qing cupped his fists and smiled, “We just arrived, so we don’t have a pass yet.”
“Brother, how do we get a pass?”
He took out a fifty-tael silver note and handed it over.
The constable’s face lit up with joy and he said, “If you have a residence, you can get a pass directly with the deed.”
“If you don’t have a residence, you can find a real estate agent to buy one.”
Chu Qing’s heart stirred, and he asked, “Can I rent one?”
The constable shook his head and said, “No!”
“Ahead is the Inner City.”
“You must own your own residence to enter.”
Chu Qing thanked him.
He had the carriage stop to the side and asked Zhao Hongxiu to look after Madam Jin.
Then, he went to find a real estate agent.
Initially, he thought he could easily arrange a residence by simply finding any real estate agent.
At most, it would cost a little more money.
However:
After visiting several real estate agencies, his expression became solemn.
Because:
The people at these agencies all insisted that there were no residences for sale in the Inner City.
“If you want a residence, you can put your name on a waiting list first.”
Chu Qing frowned and asked, “How long will I have to wait?”
The real estate agent said indifferently, “Quickly, one day; slowly, one year.”
“It depends on luck!”
Chu Qing fell silent, then, after a moment, he turned and left.
And just as he stepped out the door, he heard the agent behind him chuckle, “Is that Chu Qing?”
“He looks pretty ordinary!”
“Why isn’t he arrogant anymore?”
“Heh heh… a country bumpkin can be arrogant in a backwater place, but this is Zhou City; does he dare to be arrogant?”
The Crowd chuckled softly.
Outside the door, Chu Qing stopped.
He turned and looked at the real estate agency’s sign.
Coincidentally, an agent came out.
Seeing Chu Qing’s action, he immediately said disdainfully, “What’s wrong?”
“Is there a problem?”
Chu Qing smiled, said nothing, and left.
Pah!
The real estate agent spat, his face full of disdain.
This was Zhou City.
A wild boy from the countryside had offended some Big Shot.
He wouldn’t live long.
They simply didn’t want to bother with Chu Qing.
Chu Qing went to several more real estate agencies.
The result was the same:
No residences in the Inner City.
“Since there are no Inner City residences, then I’ll look for Outer City residences!”
The sky was getting dark.
Chu Qing didn’t want to waste time, so he just wanted to find any house to stay in.
However:
The people at these real estate agencies still said there were no rooms available.
Chu Qing stared at the various property listings hanging on the wall inside the agency and suddenly smiled:
“Are you trying to trick me because I’m illiterate?”
“There are clearly listings on here!”
However, the agents all shook their heads and said, “Those have all been sold.”
“None left!”
After saying that, they actually took down the listings.
Chu Qing fell silent.
“Using this method against me?”
“Are they forcing me to kill?”
“Or… what do they mean?”
A trace of killing intent rose in Chu Qing’s heart.
But now was not the time to act.
He remembered what Madam Shi had said:
“Jianghu isn’t about fighting and killing; it’s about human relations and social etiquette.”
“But I’ve found that Jianghu has always been about fighting and killing.”
“If these people understood human relations and social etiquette, they wouldn’t make things difficult for me.”
Chu Qing was very angry.
Since he couldn’t get a house in the main urban area, he would go elsewhere.
He went to the East District, West District, and North-South Districts.
The result:
All the agents recognized him.
They all said there were no available properties.
As night fell:
Chu Qing realized that in the vast Zhou City, there was no place for him to stand.
“They won’t sell me a house today.”
“Tomorrow they’ll dare not sell me food!”
“Do they intend to starve me to death?”
Chu Qing sensed that an invisible, powerful hand was suppressing him through a network of connections.
Making it impossible for him to move an inch in Zhou City.
Chu Qing was a bit annoyed.
If he were alone, he could just find a place to rest for the night.
But he also had Madam Jin and others with him.
“Are they forcing me to—break the situation with violence?”
“And then, using official power, kill me?”
“The method is crude, but effective.”
“This opponent—is interesting!”