Glorious Tales

Chapter 0003: Dead Man's Alley

Old Tree Bark couldn't help but wave his hand in front of Yang Ning's eyes.

Yang Ning gently reminded him, "Old Tree Bark, I may have forgotten some things, but I’m not blind—my eyes still work... Could you help me recall some things?"

Old Tree Bark gave a bitter smile. "Half a year ago, you and Xiao Die were stranded in this city. You told me that you met her while fleeing, and she was mistreated by others. You saved her once, and since then, you two have relied on each other like siblings."

"Half a year ago... Stranded in Huize City?" Yang Ning squinted. Oddly enough, as Old Tree Bark mentioned it, fragmented images began to flash through his mind. They were vague, but he could make out a young girl's outline, and her appearance was becoming clearer.

"Do you remember what happened after you arrived in Huize?" Old Tree Bark asked, noticing Yang Ning's confused expression and growing concerned.

Yang Ning wanted to think, but the headache that came with thinking was making him dizzy, as though he was still recovering from a serious illness.

"Where is Xiao Die now?" Yang Ning had already learned from Old Tree Skin that he was alive thanks to Xiao Die's help, and it seemed his body’s original owner had a deep connection with her.

Old Tree Skin sighed. "You really don't remember? She has been staying with Madam Hua. You've gone to see her often over the past six months, and everything I know about her, you told me."

"Madam Hua?" Yang Ning asked curiously. "Who is she?"

Before Old Tree Bark could answer, Monkey's voice came from behind. "Madam Hua is the widow of the former County Magistrate Hua. Heh, not many people in this city dare to mess with her."

At this point, Monkey entered with a beggar carrying a broken wooden bucket of water, setting it down beside Yang Ning.

Yang Ning rolled up his sleeves. His body was itching, so he leaned over to wash his face, but when he peered into the water, he froze.

He had prepared himself mentally, but seeing the face in the water still shocked him. It was a dirty face, not much cleaner than the others, but it was still discernible as youthful, perhaps fifteen or sixteen years old. The face was a bit gaunt, with sharp brows raised on either side, exuding an air of both elegance and vigor.

He had previously thought the beggars like Monkey with their messy hair looked unique. Now, looking at himself, he too was disheveled, truly a beggar in appearance.

Yang Ning paused, then sighed and shook his head, before washing his face. The cold water helped him feel a little clearer. He then asked, "Is Xiao Die really working as a maid at Madam Hua's place?"

Old Tree Bark looked worried. "The night Xiao Die left, she said she would come back to see you if she had the chance. But it's been several days now, and there’s been no news from her. That night, she snuck out of the Hua residence. We don’t know if she was caught when she went back. It’s worrying."

"Xiao Die saved my life, I must thank her properly," Yang Ning said, distinguishing between gratitude and confusion. Although his memory of Xiao Die was faint, he was still deeply grateful to her for saving his life. "By the way, where is Madam Hua’s residence? Once the rain stops, I must go see Xiao Die."

Monkey was surprised. "You don’t remember where Madam Hua’s place is? You’ve been there many times."

Yang Ning shook his head. "Do you know?"

Monkey quickly responded, "Madam Hua lives in Dead Man's Alley, a bit far from here. Once the rain stops, I’ll take you there, but... we can’t go during the day. We’ll have to sneak in at night."

"Dead Man's Alley?" Yang Ning thought to himself. The name sounded eerie. It couldn’t possibly be a place for buying coffins and grave goods, could it?

"It didn’t originally have a name," Monkey explained with a knowledgeable tone. "But because Madam Hua lives there, no one dares to go near it. A year ago, a man from the east side, named Mudfish, bet someone he could walk through the alley in broad daylight. He ended up being thrown out, badly beaten, with several broken ribs. He’s still recovering."

Yang Ning sneered. "So, it was Madam Hua’s people who did it?"

"County Magistrate Hua was once a powerful figure in Huize," Monkey explained. "And he was the only one living in that alley. If anyone else did it, it must’ve been his family. After he died, Madam Hua started doing things secretly, and people don’t dare get too close to her place."

"Secretly?" Yang Ning asked, unfamiliar with the term. "What does that mean?"

Monkey grinned. "It’s not exactly a secret business, but it’s a shady one. It’s when concubines of wealthy families or widows with daughters start accepting jobs on the side to make ends meet. That’s what we call ‘secret work.’"

Yang Ning paused, realizing what Monkey meant. He could guess that Xiao Die might have been involved in something dangerous.

Monkey went on, "County Magistrate Hua was young but got a serious illness and died two years ago. When he was alive, his household had more than a dozen servants. After his death, with no income, Madam Hua had no choice but to start ‘secret work’ to support herself and the household. People began calling her 'Madam Hua' after that."

Hearing this, Yang Ning’s heart sank. If Xiao Die was living with someone like Madam Hua, she could be in grave danger.

The wind and rain outside hadn’t shown signs of letting up, and Yang Ning felt unusually tired. He knew that despite his concerns for Xiao Die, he wouldn’t be able to go out in this weather. There was nothing to do but wait for the rain to stop and then take action.

After a restless night, the others were exhausted as well. Yang Ning told them to rest while he stayed in the side room with Old Tree Bark. The others slept in the main hall.

When Yang Ning lay down, he couldn’t help but think about his future. The "honorable" position of being a beggar’s disciple didn’t seem right for him. He was stuck in this world, but he had no choice but to adapt to it.

What frustrated him was that this era didn’t resemble any historical period he knew. Had it been a time he was familiar with, he could have taken advantage of his knowledge. Before he crossed over, he had been managing a business and thought he could use his experience to do well in this world. But with no money and no understanding of the market, he couldn’t even begin a business.

He tossed and turned for a long time before falling into a deep sleep, probably from his body’s exhaustion after recovering from illness.

The next day, Old Tree Bark woke him up. He realized he had slept until noon, and the rain had already stopped. Stepping outside, the fresh, earthy scent of the post-rain air filled his lungs, and Yang Ning took a deep breath, feeling refreshed.

He looked around and saw that the earth temple was quite secluded, with only a few houses nearby. Not far in front, there was a pond, surrounded by several old willow trees whose branches drooped toward the water, creating a serene and picturesque scene.

"Where did the others go?" Yang Ning asked Old Tree Bark, noticing that Monkey and the others were nowhere to be found.

Old Tree Bark replied, "They went out earlier. They said they were going to get something to celebrate your recovery."

Yang Ning smiled. "They still have a heart for me?"

Old Tree Bark, thinking Yang Ning understood their intentions, said, "Xiao Die, just know what their intentions are. They made you the leader of this land temple, but they didn’t mean anything good by it."

Yang Ning casually mentioned it, but Old Tree Bark’s serious tone made him pause. Was there something off about their intentions? He asked, "Old Tree Bark, are they really planning something bad?"

Old Tree Bark shook his head. "It’s not exactly bad, but it’s not good either. There are hundreds of beggars in this city. Even though they belong to the same group, they often form cliques and fight each other."

"Hundreds?" Yang Ning was surprised by the size of the beggars' network in Huize.

Old Tree Skin sighed. "Monkey’s not one to stay quiet. He used to cause trouble outside, but now that he knows you’re strong, he wants to use you as a figurehead to fight against the other beggars. Kid, listen to me—there’s always someone stronger. Even if you’re capable, don’t let Monkey and the others drag you into their schemes. It’s better to be honest and straightforward."

His tone was sincere, clearly concerned for Yang Ning’s well-being.