Chapter 39 – 36: Ma Gu’s Thoughts
Lu Qing and his companion were making big purchases at the fair, which naturally attracted quite a bit of attention.
Therefore, when the two left, several people gathered outside the fair, whispering secretly.
“Boss, those two kids bought quite a lot of stuff, they look like easy targets, don’t they? Should we go and relieve them of some silver?”
A young man with shifty eyes was the first to suggest this.
But as soon as he spoke up, he was met with disdain from the others.
Especially the man known as the boss, who looked at him as if he were an idiot.
“Are you out of your mind? Didn’t you see even Ma Gu was polite to that kid, and you want me to rob them?”
The shifty-eyed young man felt a bit wronged after being scolded for no reason.
“I just saw that they were loaded, look at the stuff they’re carrying, it’s not less than a few hundred wen in value. Just snatching a little from those big fat sheep could keep us happy for days.”
Hearing this, the boss fell silent.
How could he not be tempted? Not to mention, the meat those young men carried was enough to make him drool.
Lately, they had been struggling a bit and hadn’t tasted meat for several days.
But the thought of Ma Gu in the fair made him hesitate.
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He was not someone to mess with, offending him would lead to trouble for all of them.
Yet, the thought of the load on Lu Qing’s back made the boss’s heart stir again.
Just as these men hesitated,
Inside the fair, Ma Gu was summoning one of his men.
“Xiao Tian, I remember, Old Doctor Chen lives in Jiuli Village, right?”
“Yes, the elder doctor resides on a hillside near Jiuli Village, and everyone from the neighboring villages knows it.”
The man known as Xiao Tian replied respectfully.
“Take some time to visit Jiuli Village and find out if that elder doctor has recently taken a disciple named Lu Qing.”
“Yes,” Xiao Tian answered respectfully.
Ma Gu wanted to check on the young man who had come to the fair to buy items with silver.
With this thought, Xiao Tian suddenly recalled something and hurriedly reported, “Ma Gu, when I came in just now, I seemed to have seen Chen San and his gang lurking outside. They seemed to have some designs on the young man named Lu Qing.”
“Chen San? What are those lowlifes doing in my territory?” Ma Gu’s eyes narrowed.
“I heard they stole some things from Damu Village a while ago, and the elders there have banned them from approaching the village, so now they hang around here.”
“Those fools, always up to no good, just skilled at petty thefts and bullying the locals,” he said. “Go out there and warn them. If they dare harass any guest from our fair, I’ll break their legs!”
“Yes, Ma Gu!”
Xiao Tian excitedly went out.
He had disliked Chen San and his small-time thugs for a while, always up to no good and causing trouble. His cousin, who lived in Damu Village, had even complained about them, claiming they had stolen several chickens from her home.
Previously, he had no chance to deal with them, but now with Ma Gu’s support, he could really teach them a lesson.
After Xiao Tian left, loud noises and cries for mercy soon echoed from outside.
Ma Gu ignored these trivial matters and settled into his chair, deep in thought.
The appearance of Lu Qing today was quite a surprise.
If this young man really was Old Doctor Chen’s disciple, it would be big news for him.
The local folk only knew the elder doctor’s extraordinary medical skills and his benevolent healing, considering him a divine doctor.
What they didn’t know was that in the city, the elder doctor had a tremendous influence as well.
Many influential people and wealthy merchants considered him an esteemed guest.
Not only was his medical skill extraordinary, but he himself was a martial arts master.
Even the County Lord had once praised his deep cultivation, almost reaching the Grandmaster Realm at the Postnatal Peak.
Such a character was someone he had wanted to connect with, but he had never found a good opportunity.
But now, the appearance of Lu Qing gave him a glimpse of hope.
If he could befriend Lu Qing and connect with Old Doctor Chen, maybe he might even find his way back to the city.
In this godforsaken marketplace, he had truly had enough.
If it weren’t for the trouble he had caused earlier, and the order his father had given him to stay here for five years, he would have left long ago!
Ma Gu was quietly making his calculations alone.
Lu Qing and Brother Da An, however, had no idea what had happened at the market after they left.
But Lu Qing was always vigilant; he knew their purchases at the market had attracted some attention.
But there was nothing he could do, he had many things to take care of next, and couldn’t afford to travel to the market every few days, so he had taken a risk.
Fortunately, nothing unexpected had happened by the time they returned to the entrance of the village.
The two men took down the red rope from the big tree and placed it back under the stone slab, continuing to carry their items toward Lu Qing’s house.
It was nearly noon by then, and most of the villagers were at home resting, with few people walking around the village.
So, by the time Lu Qing got home, he hadn’t run into anyone.
“Phew, finally back.”
Having put down the items, Brother Da An breathed heavily.
“Thank you, Brother Da An. Without your help, I couldn’t have carried back so much stuff,” said Lu Qing gratefully.
The heavier items, the grains and meat, were all carried by Brother Da An.
Lu Qing had carried the lighter daily necessities.
“Thanks for what? This is what I should do, and actually, I should thank you. Today was the first day I spoke with Ma Gu so closely, and he even remembered my name!”
Brother Da An got excited again mentioning this.
“Is Ma Gu really that impressive?” Lu Qing asked curiously.
“Of course!” Brother Da An said, “You know, he manages the entire market and has a bunch of subordinates. Around here, he is the most impressive person!”
This made Lu Qing even more puzzled.
He thought that, although the bustle of the market was beyond his expectations,
at the end of the day, it was just a not-so-large market.
The items sold there weren’t luxury goods; mostly, they were agricultural and sideline products.
Such a market surely wouldn’t make too much money.
And considering Ma Gu’s impressive setup, he didn’t seem like someone who would care about such a small amount of money.
So why would he stay in the large market?
Could there be some hidden secrets?
Lu Qing couldn’t figure it out.
“Brother Da An, has Ma Gu always been managing the market?”
“Not really. Before, it was managed by an old man whom everyone called Uncle Li. It has been about two years since Ma Gu took over.”
“I see…” Lu Qing pondered.
“Alright, I have to go back now. Take a rest, Ah Qing. You must be tired from carrying all this stuff back.”
Seeing that Brother Da An was leaving, Lu Qing quickly stopped him, “Wait a moment, Brother Da An!”
Then, from his basket, he took out a piece of pork that was half fatty and half lean.
“Take this piece of meat back and cook something tasty tonight. Let Grandpa Wang try some too.”
“You really shouldn’t!” Brother Da An immediately waved his hands, “This meat is not cheap; you should keep it for yourself and Little Yan!”
“I have plenty here, as you can see, and you’ve shown me the way plus carried so much stuff back for me. Think of this meat as a thank-you gift.”
“It’s too much, it’s worth more than ten wen!”
“Just take it!” Lu Qing forcibly stuffed the meat in Brother Da An’s hands, “If you don’t, I’ll feel embarrassed to ask for your help next time.”
“Well… alright then.”
Seeing that Lu Qing insisted so, Brother Da An had no choice but to accept the meat.
“Alright, don’t be embarrassed, hurry back. We’ve been out for so long, Grandpa Wang might be getting worried. You should go back and reassure him.”
After Brother Da An had taken the meat and still seemed a bit reluctant, Lu Qing pushed him out.
Once Brother Da An had left, Lu Qing cut another small piece of meat.
Then, holding the meat, he headed next door to Grandpa Zhang’s house to pick up Little Yan.