Chapter 40: Selling the Bottom Line

Luo San was a simple-minded fellow. Upon reaching the house, he paid little mind to the dwelling itself, instead devouring three large bowls of the house’s signature soup and six flatbreads. Patting his distended belly, he couldn't stop singing the praises of the broth.

"Brother, where is Li Er?"

Perhaps because they were of a similar age, whenever Luo San visited Li Po, he would usually exchange a few words with Li Chun—though, naturally, their interactions consisted mostly of bickering.

"She’s busy."

Luo San curled his lip and muttered, "She’s so thin and small, and doesn’t have much strength; what kind of work could she possibly do?"

Li Po sat in a chair like a wealthy landlord, watching the customers and shop assistants come and go with a nonchalant air. His color had mostly returned; his face was rosy and his cheeks had filled out, a stark contrast to his wretched appearance before. Even Luo San had stared at him for a long time, only confirming that this was indeed the former refugee Li Da once he heard his accent.

"What have you been up to all this time?" Li Po asked. "I haven't seen a shadow of you for months."

Luo San let out a mournful wail and began to pour out his grievances. However, likely having been warned, he kept his voice very low. "Brother, you wouldn't believe it, but something major happened over in the South City."

"I don't blame them, really. There was so little to eat and the weather was freezing; people were dying one after another. If it were me, I’d want to strike out for a chance at survival while I still had the strength..."

"So, some people beat the porridge-servers to death and threatened to storm the granaries. The brothers from the barracks were all dispatched to the South City... they killed quite a few... and then we were stationed there to keep watch."

As he spoke, the simple-hearted boy grew somber. "It was an entire winter, Brother. There were hardly any people left over there. Later, I couldn't bear to look anymore, so I followed that dark-skinned fellow to the East City. Damn it, it was about the same—people were dying there too, and I got so sick of burying them that I thought I’d vomit..."

"It’s better here with you, Brother. Fewer people dying. I wish I could just stay in the North. That fellow Yuchi is the same, always wandering around, and I’m the one who suffers for it."

As he talked on, his words began to slur together. Li Po understood: the refugees in the South City had rioted, and this lad had been sent to suppress them. Hearing the end of it, he couldn't help but think: whether in the North or South, refugees were just refugees, and their lives were worth nothing.

Luo San shook his head, sighing for a long while, but his low spirits didn't last long before he grew excited again.

"Brother, have you registered your status yet?"

"Yes, I have. A formal registration in Mayi."

Luo San clapped his hands in delight. "That’s wonderful news! We must drink to celebrate."

Li Po replied readily, "Agreed. One of these days, I’ll find a place with good wine and treat you to a proper drink."

Luo San was even more eager, completely forgetting that he himself had promised to treat Li Po several times before. "Yes, and we’ll bring Brother Cheng along. Oh, that’s right..."

He smacked his forehead, suddenly remembering the real purpose of his visit. He beamed at Li Po, saying, "I almost forgot, I have more good news. Brother Cheng says he can find you a position at the Commandery Office. He just doesn't know what your strengths are, so he said he’d come by in a few days to meet you."

As he spoke, his expression turned mischievous, and his eyes darted around. Li Po knew at once that the boy had certainly come ahead to tip him off; when it came to friends, this kid was truly open-hearted.

Li Po couldn't help but smile. "I keep hearing you talk about 'Brother Cheng,' but I don't even know his name or what kind of hero he is."

Whatever Li Po said always sounded particularly agreeable to Luo San. Otherwise, the boy wasn't exactly a fool; how else could he have become so intimate with Li Po in such a short time?

Luo San slapped the table and laughed. "Brother Cheng is named Cheng Yaojin. Back in Shandong, he was a hero of the highest order. He changed his name later to Cheng Zhijie. There was no helping it—we were trading some salt, the scheme was blown, and several of our brothers were arrested by the bailiffs."

"That’s why Brother Cheng changed his name... Personally, I think a real man should never change his name or surname. Why change it? We couldn't stay in Shandong anymore, so we came to the West."

"When we arrived in Mayi, there were only the two of us left. Back then, we were just like you and your sister, with nothing to eat or drink. But we were tougher than you two; we entered the city and fought our way from the West Gate all the way to the East Gate..."

"Haha, and that’s when someone took a liking to us. Brother Cheng went to the Commandery Office. I was supposed to go too, but he told me I had a loose tongue and that since it was an official place, he was afraid I’d get into trouble. That’s why he had me join the army instead."

"I say, no matter where you go, you have to rely on your fists. If I hadn't been unable to beat that dark-skinned Yuchi, I’d be a squad leader by now—no worse than Brother Cheng."

Good grief. With one question, Li Po had gotten this fellow to spill everything, revealing that they were essentially two fugitives wanted by the authorities.

Another famous figure, he thought. But Li Po only cursed inwardly: *Damn it, it really is infuriating how some people have all the luck.* These two reckless hotheads had gone on a rampage and were actually appreciated by others.

Meanwhile, he had entered Mayi City without any intention of breaking the law, and look at what happened: he was thrown into a refugee camp and nearly died there. Where was the justice in that?

Luo San was in high spirits, his voice growing louder—the boy truly had no filter.

Since Li Po didn't intend to report them to the authorities and have them thrown into jail, he wasn't about to just stand by. He reached out and gave Luo San a sharp tap on the head, making him sway.

"What are you saying? If someone hears you, do you still want to keep your head?"

Luo San rubbed his head and gave a silly grin. "I’m only saying it to you, Brother. Besides, if Brother Cheng comes and you two start a fight, wouldn't that ruin the friendship?"

"Be more careful with your tongue in the future."

Li Po gave a resigned warning, though he felt it was likely useless. That 'Brother Cheng' had probably warned him countless times already, but look at him now—boasting with such abandon.

"What does Brother Cheng look like? Tell me."

"He’s much taller than me." Luo San was always thorough when describing people; he stood up to gesture. "He has a thick beard. Ah, never mind—once you see him, you’ll definitely recognize him."

"And this job at the Commandery Office—what would I be doing?"

"I don't know about that. He didn't say. But Brother Cheng leads a dozen house guards at the Commandery Office; he’s quite imposing. You’ll surely do well there too."