Bully 05

"Going out this gate leads to the western suburbs, which reek to high heaven. Heading east takes you into the city, which is much cleaner, but..." He didn't finish the sentence. Everyone knew what he meant. After all, everyone living in the western suburbs had their own unavoidable reasons.

The girl holding the indenture contract gently put the paper in her hand back down.

Yes, where could she even go with this paper? The world was in such chaos. Where could a woman like her find shelter?

One, two, three... The previously agitated girls retreated, then looked at Fang Zhiyi with eager, pleading eyes.

An obviously older woman stepped forward. "Master Fang, just tell us. We sisters will listen to you. It's all about getting a bite to eat anywhere."

Someone chimed in, "That's right!"

"Master Fang isn't as bad as those thugs like Dezi, at least!"

"Exactly!"

Fang Zhiyi signaled for them to quiet down, then turned and pointed at the few people who had just entered.

"Starting today, you will undergo a complete transformation."

The girls looked bewildered. A transformation?

"This gentleman is a teacher I specially invited. His knowledge spans ancient and modern." He pointed at the old man, who held his head high with an air of arrogance. Fang Zhiyi didn't mind. One had to know that in these times, finding a teacher willing to give lessons to prostitutes was no easy task. Luckily, he had discovered this old man—a perpetual candidate who never passed the imperial exams. His learning was profound, but his temperament was odd. He kept failing precisely because his ideas were too unconventional.

But Fang Zhiyi rather liked this kind of nonconformist.

"This auntie will teach you dancing and playing the zither." The woman who had been covering her nose and mouth relaxed her brow, waved at the girls, then quickly covered her nose again. The smell here really wasn't pleasant.

Fang Zhiyi had found her in the city's most famous brothel. To redeem her freedom, he had employed some slightly underhanded methods. Also out of sympathy for these courtesans, the woman had agreed to Fang Zhiyi's request. After all, she had little resistance against Fang Zhiyi's persuasive talk.

"This gentleman will teach you painting and chess." The middle-aged man gave a slight nod.

His reason for being here was simple: Fang Zhiyi paid.

Then there was the peddler, who looked somewhat confused. Fang Zhiyi walked over to him and gestured for him to put down what he was carrying. When the cloth was lifted, it revealed neatly stacked books.

"Starting today, you will receive new training. Music, chess, calligraphy, painting, composing poetry and couplets." Fang Zhiyi's words made the girls' jaws drop. They never imagined that one day someone would tell them they could read and write like men.

Fang Zhiyi continued, "And also from today, Mianyue House will not receive clients. I will not allow any of you to sell your bodies to earn money."

"But..." the older woman from before hesitated, "I don't know how to do anything else."

"Right."

"If we don't receive clients, how will we earn money... how will we eat?"

Fang Zhiyi shook his head. "During your initial period of study, I will provide for your food and clothing. Afterwards, I will make career plans for you."

The girls looked at each other, but seeing Fang Zhiyi's earnest expression, they all agreed in the end. At the very least, they actually knew of Fang Zhiyi's good reputation.

After dealing with matters at Mianyue House, Fang Zhiyi left some people to guard the place to prevent troublemakers, then immediately hurried to the human market.

The human market was a place for buying and selling people. In ancient times, this kind of trade wasn't illegal. Fang Zhiyi just walked around a couple of times and left. He admitted to himself he didn't have the ability to solve this problem.

At the gambling den, Fang Zhiyi encountered Liu Acai and Chen Huaimin, who was panting heavily.

"What are you doing here?" Fang Zhiyi was somewhat surprised. Chen Huaimin rarely went out, so it was extraordinary for him to come all the way here today.

Liu Acai scratched his head somewhat sheepishly. "It's just that I don't really understand, so I begged him to come."

Fang Zhiyi sighed. He had forgotten to give these men lessons. They were practically all illiterate. But teaching them now wasn't really feasible, as he urgently needed manpower.

Seeing the uncertain look on Fang Zhiyi's face, Liu Acai asked cautiously, "Big brother, you told me yesterday to stop the gambling den business. Stopping for a day means losing a lot of business."

Fang Zhiyi waved his hand. "Starting today, we're not doing that business anymore."

"Ah?" Liu Acai stood up. "But if we don't do it, others will."

Fang Zhiyi motioned for him to sit down. Liu Acai obediently sat back.

"I have a bigger business for you to handle." He patted Liu Acai's shoulder.

Liu Acai felt inexplicably pressured.

"Lottery tickets."

"Lottery tickets?" Liu Acai looked confused.

"Simply put, it's a form of drawing lots." Fang Zhiyi explained. "We issue one hundred lottery tickets, numbered one to one hundred. Each ticket costs one copper coin. We draw the winning number that same day. For example, if number seventy-seven wins, then that person gets fifty copper coins! One coin for fifty! Would you buy it?"

Liu Acai was stunned for a moment. "If you lose, you're only out one coin, but if you win, you get fifty. Of course I'd buy it!"

Meanwhile, Chen Huaimin beside him had widened his eyes in shock, a trace of excitement on his face. "Big brother, if we issued a thousand tickets, ten thousand tickets... wouldn't that mean...?"

Fang Zhiyi looked at him approvingly. This kid was smart.

But Liu Acai also thought of a problem. "But what if someone tries to cheat us with fake tickets?"

"Hang them out front to dry."

Liu Acai felt that his big brother was becoming increasingly ruthless, and even he, who considered himself quite bad, thought that was a bit excessive.

"Just kidding. That's why I need to find a certain something." Fang Zhiyi put one arm around Liu Acai and the other around Chen Huaimin, whispering to them.

Over the next few days, Fang Zhiyi made a trip out of town, then shut himself in his room for several days.

Back in his university days, he had researched a method for making special imprints on paper. He believed that in ancient times, no one could replicate his technique.

"Knowledge is power!"

"In books, there are houses of gold!"

"Grow big and strong, create new glory!"

Chen Huaimin, who came to deliver meals, heard Fang Zhiyi's slogans and had a vague feeling that his big brother had gone mad. As for the reason, it must be because of that ungrateful white-eyed wolf.

Nian'an wasn't idle either. He had also discovered that his money couldn't be given away anymore. Some people even spat at him. Although he didn't know why, he figured these people were just born lowly.

It was then he realized that lately, no one seemed to be paying attention to him. Everyone was busy with something or other, and even his "foster father" hadn't greeted him for many days.

His meals had also gotten much worse recently. Before, someone would refill his bowl as soon as he reached out, but now he even had to heat his own food, sometimes eating the same stuff as the menial laborers.

Nian'an couldn't stand it. After some muttering to himself, he arrived at his final conclusion: these people had finally shown their true colors.