MLIAM Chapter 57
by VolareChapter 57: So Unselective, You Can Even Kiss a Face Like That?…
Inside the courtyard.
Yu Shuli uncomfortably adjusted the coarse cloth clothes he was wearing and tugged at Wei Yan’s sleeve, “Hey, why did you make me dress like this?”
Wei Yan glanced at his delicate appearance, frowned slightly, and took out another handful of powder from the makeup box, patting it on Yu Shuli’s face.
Yu Shuli looked at the dark, chapped clump in Wei Yan’s hand and pushed it away with disgust, “What’s this for?”
“It’s face powder, put it on to darken your face, otherwise, you’re too pale.”
Yu Shuli hissed, “I don’t need this. I’m a grown man, why would I wear makeup?”
“Aren’t you going to beat up Chou Dongshuo?” Wei Yan raised an eyebrow. “How are you going to enjoy it if you get recognized?”
Yu Shuli’s eyes lit up, “You’re not tricking me, are you? You’re really letting me beat him up?”
Wei Yan nodded. “Of course.”
He pulled over Yu Shuli, who was no longer resisting, and carefully smoothed the black powder on his face, then took out makeup tools and gradually transformed him.
In his hands, Yu Shuli went from a handsome and well-behaved young master to a dark, chapped, and sinister-looking small merchant with slanted eyes.
Wei Yan nodded in satisfaction and gave Yu Shuli a light kiss on the temple. “Alright, go.”
Yu Shuli touched his face, feeling all kinds of tightness and discomfort. He said dubiously, “Is this a successful transformation? Is it for real?” He picked up a mirror and looked at himself, instantly brought to tears by his own ugliness.
Turning around, Yu Shuli faced Wei Yan with a bitter, pancake-like face, gritting his teeth, “Transform if you want to transform, put on makeup if you want to put on makeup, why did you make me look like this? I’m afraid I’ll scare myself to death if I go out at night.”
Wei Yan coughed lightly, as if to cover up his embarrassment. “How scary is it? I think it looks pretty good, with clear features.”
“How can you even say that!” Yu Shuli snorted. “You can even kiss a face like that? You really are unselective.”
Wei Yan chuckled softly, “Why care about the appearance? I naturally love your soul.”
“I don’t believe it. If you can get hard looking at this face, I’ll be convinced.”
Wei Yan raised an eyebrow, “Really want to try?” He curled his lips, pulled him closer, his gaze moved down, landing on Yu Shuli’s lips, “I don’t mind, but if we try, the day will be over, and if you want to beat someone up, you’ll have to wait two days. Aren’t you in a hurry to save someone?”
Seeing this, Yu Shuli’s ears turned red, and he pretended not to understand. “I don’t know what you’re talking about…”
However, seeing that Wei Yan was truly unyielding and unwilling to change the makeup, and he didn’t want to waste time, he had no choice but to push him away, “Move aside, I’m leaving.”
Wei Yan quickly stood up and made room for him.
“You really can beat him up, right?” Yu Shuli hesitated and looked back before leaving.
“Beat him up, don’t worry.” Wei Yan smiled. “It doesn’t matter if you beat him to death, I’ll cover for you.”
Yu Shuli waved his hand, “Hey, am I such an unreasonable person? Besides, if I beat him to death, who will tell me where Dong Siwen is?”
The smile on Wei Yan’s face faded. “Well, come back early, I’ll wait for you for dinner.”
Yu Shuli went out, and Shisan and Cang Xu were waiting outside.
Cang Xu stepped forward, “Little General, please. The Prime Minister asked me to take you there.”
Yu Shuli looked at Shisan, and Shisan nodded.
“Has Chou Dongshuo’s location been confirmed?”
Shisan grunted and began to speak while leading Yu Shuli along.
“Marquis Xunyang saw that the situation was not good and made a golden cicada escape. He clearly had time to notify Chou Dongshuo at the time, but he was afraid of exposing himself and stubbornly used Chou Dongshuo to attract the attention of our Northwest army. He himself made a show of leaving the city. Chou Dongshuo was indulging in pleasure and wealth in Brothels, and it was too late when he realized disaster was imminent.”
“But he is not easy to deal with, and he went the other way, hiding in the city’s beggar piles these days. No matter how resourceful our people are, we couldn’t have guessed that he could put down his dignity and identity and hide in the beggars to escape the search.”
Yu Shuli nodded, “Who found him?”
Shisan scratched his head, feeling extremely ashamed, “It was Cang Xu who suggested that we investigate the streets and alleys and told us not to let go of the bottom circle.”
Yu Shuli looked over, and Cang Xu saluted, “This subordinate is only doing his duty, and I hope the Little General will not blame me for overstepping my bounds.”
Yu Shuli shook his head and thanked him sincerely, “I don’t blame you, I should thank you for the reminder.” While thanking Cang Xu on the surface, Yu Shuli knew very well who such a reminder could come from.
Wei Yan was always like this, secretly being good to him, never taking credit.
Yu Shuli felt an urge to write down all these favors and repay them one by one for the rest of his life.
Cang Xu led the way ahead, saying, “Chou Dongshuo’s anti-reconnaissance awareness is extremely strong. We tried to approach him several times, but he noticed it and then used the people and crowds to escape. After several back and forth, our faces have been known to him. Therefore, this time, we can only approach him alone as Little General.”
Yu Shuli nodded seriously with a pancake face that even his own parents wouldn’t recognize, “Don’t worry.”
“After catching this person…” Cang Xu paused, and then said, “Little General doesn’t need to care about his life or death. The Prime Minister said, he will find another way to find out where Dong Siwen is. If you accidentally beat him to death, he will clean up the mess for you.”
“Got it.” Yu Shuli’s face turned slightly red. “He’s said it many times, so long-winded.”
Cang Xu twitched the corner of his mouth awkwardly.
Shisan continued, “This time, Little General is playing the role of a black market peddler wandering around, but remember not to mention the Wushisan right away. This person is very alert and may become suspicious and run away directly.”
Yu Shuli nodded. “I know, don’t worry.”
When the three were about to walk into the alley, Cang Xu gave the final instructions, “If there is anything unusual, Little General, don’t act rashly. After giving the signal, hundreds of archers around will take action for you. Remember to protect your own safety.”
After a long pause, he coughed lightly, changed his voice, and added very embarrassedly, “The Prime Minister said, you are now a man with a family, and you must take care of his weak family member who cannot stand the stimulation.”
Yu Shuli rubbed his fingers on the coarse linen clothes, his face turned red, and he fled in panic. “Got it!”
Walking into the alley, he followed the rendezvous signal he had learned from others and lit a string of firecrackers on the alley.
After the “crackling” sound was over, Yu Shuli slowed down and walked in.
This alley was in a remote location, filled with the smell of urine and fish.
It was obviously a gathering place for the bottom-level beggars.
Yu Shuli took a breath and walked in, observing his surroundings.
The further he went, the more obvious the beggars’ “nests” became.
It was daytime, and there were not many beggars left in the gathering place. Occasionally, one or two would appear, either sitting or standing, looking at Yu Shuli, this “outsider,” with a wary look.
Yu Shuli remained calm, not trying to talk to them, but just walking all the way in.
When he was about to reach the handover point, a low male voice suddenly appeared in a simple wooden den by the wall and stopped him: “Stop.”
Yu Shuli turned his head and frowned, “What?”
“Who are you? I’ve never seen you before?” The person who spoke had a thick beard, lush hair, and even his eyebrows were almost covered by his beard. He was wearing a thick old jacket, coughing softly, and seemed to be sick.
“I have an appointment with someone, I’m here to find him.”
The beggars around him stood up one by one and moved towards him.
Yu Shuli pursed his lips, not knowing where he had said something wrong.
“The Zhenlei Gang never allows outsiders to enter. Who did you make an appointment with? And who is it with?” The low voice was pressing.
The beggars around him gathered around him, each holding a weapon, staring at Yu Shuli menacingly.
“What’s the panic?” Yu Shuli forced a smile. “It’s just earning some *goumi chu* (money), it’s not *toudao chu* (a new customer’s first payment), you guys are making too much fuss.”
The person who spoke earlier softened his expression a little, “Where did you get the *dian er* (willing customer)?”
Yu Shuli said, “The *jin dian* (fortune teller) said that there is a *huo zuo* (profitable business) here.”
The man waved his hand, signaling the surrounding beggars to put away their sticks, and looked Yu Shuli up and down, “What kind of business do you do during the day?”
Yu Shuli replied, “I’m a *tiao han er* (drug dealer).”
“Can you earn a lot? Why do you look up to our place?”
Yu Shuli shook his head, “It’s just *ling mao sui qin* (small change), this thing is not much in the first place, and the inspections are tight.”
The two never mentioned Wushisan from beginning to end, and exchanged information using underworld slang for a long time.
When the man finally let his guard down against Yu Shuli, he dismissed the beggars.
Looking back at Yu Shuli, “Come with me.”
Yu Shuli nodded and was about to follow when he heard him ask, “Do you have medicine with you?”
Yu Shuli was about to answer, “I brought it.” But on second thought, he suddenly changed his mind, “No. I’m wandering the streets, and it’s not an ordinary thing, how can I carry it with me?”
The man then seemed to finally let go of his vigilance, glanced at him, “Let’s go.”
Yu Shuli caught a glimpse of the blade hidden in his palm.
He thought it was good that he had a brain, otherwise, if something went wrong, he wouldn’t see Chou Dongshuo, he would be exposed again, provoke this beggar gang, and cause a series of troubles.
He darkened his face, but then breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he often hangs out in the streets and knows a lot about the slang of the gangsters, so he can easily get away with it. If Wei Yan were to come, it would be difficult to get out unscathed.
After returning, he must send people to rectify these streets. As Wei Yan said, Wushisan has long spread among the masses. Merchants are not profitable, and if the Dong family had no customers, their business would not be so widespread.
Where there are cockroaches spreading outside… the dark has long been everywhere.
Yu Shuli followed the man all the way and walked to a thatched hut.
“The *dian er* is inside, you go in.” The man who brought him over turned around and wanted to leave.
Yu Shuli frowned, vaguely feeling something was wrong.
After suffering the loss of Jiangning that time, he always had a thousand points of vigilance for unfamiliar houses.
“Wait.” He stretched out his hand and pulled, just pulling on the old jacket of the bearded man, pulling the neckline open, and the cold wind poured in, causing the bearded man to shiver.
He glared at him angrily, “What are you doing?!”
Yu Shuli had sharp eyes and saw a touch of white between his neck.
A perennial beggar’s skin would not be so clean.
Yu Shuli’s eyelashes moved.
“You don’t want to do this business?”
This so-called Zhenlei Gang is so vigilant against outsiders, who would believe that they have no secrets? I’m afraid everyone inside is an addict.
But this bearded man has no intention of trading with Yu Shuli at all, which is obviously very unusual.
Either he is too vigilant and has not let down his guard against Yu Shuli; or, this house is not a real “*dian er*” at all, but hides something that wants to harm Yu Shuli.
“I don’t want to.” The bearded man turned around and took two steps faster, about to leave in a hurry.
Yu Shuli curled his lips, his fingers flying, and a delicate sleeve sword slipped out of his sleeve, flew two steps, and rested on the bearded man’s neck.
The bearded man’s expression changed, his voice sharp, “What are you going to do?!”
“Don’t worry, I think I have a fate with you, I want to chat with you more.” Yu Shuli poked the sword and threatened, “You accompany me into the house?”
“Get out! I don’t have time for that!”
The bearded man tried to struggle, but Yu Shuli kicked him to the ground.
He raised his head, carefully looked Yu Shuli up and down, his eyes full of sharp hatred, gritting his teeth: “You, you are not a *tiao han er* at all!”
Yu Shuli didn’t want to pretend anymore, so he simply raised his eyebrows, “Is that so? I thought I was pretending to be very similar.”
The bearded man chuckled lightly, “Clumsy acting, I found out a long time ago.”
Yu Shuli said “Oh” with some regret.
Learned, it seems that I have to improve my acting skills in this area in the future.
“However, compared to you, I should be better?” Yu Shuli lowered his eyes and looked at the person on the ground, and said in a low voice:
“Right? Chou Dongshuo?”
The pupils of the person on the ground suddenly dilated, looking at Yu Shuli in disbelief.
Almost subconsciously, he moved the blade in his palm and wanted to slash it at Yu Shuli’s leg, but Yu Shuli kicked it away with quick eyes and quick hands.
“Embarrassed into anger?” Yu Shuli looked him up and down: “No wonder I can’t find you outside, you are also willing to go out and make yourself look like this, it should be unrecognizable.”
“Who are you?!” Chou Dongshuo’s eyes showed fear, his palms propped on the ground, constantly retreating, wiping out blood stains like this.
“Ha.” Yu Shuli got closer and deliberately threatened him, “The King of Hell sent to take your life.”