However, once you've entered this line of work, you inevitably have to deal with your peers. After paying the price of losing two fingers on his right hand, Zuo Yidao successfully rose to become a notorious thief king in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei-Shandong region.
Not only in Beijing, but even big thieves who have fled to Shandong and Hebei need to come to Beijing to pay homage to the local lord in order to make a living here. As for petty thieves who haven't paid homage to Zuo Yidao, if they are caught, their fingers will be cut off.
Zuo Yidao's opportunities to steal are becoming fewer and fewer. The tributes from his disciples and followers alone are enough for him to eat and drink to his heart's content. This time, the reputation he has created is even more resounding than that of Jie Nian in Xishi.
For about five or six years, Zuo Yidao lived a very comfortable life. He not only bought several large houses, but also married a wife and had several children. He could even take his wife and son out to restaurants often. You should know that in those days, this was almost unimaginable.
However, his good fortune didn't last long. In the early 1980s, Zuo Yidao was arrested again because of his reputation. Although he hadn't done much work in recent years, his title as the "King of Thieves" kept him in jail for another twenty years.
When Zuo Yidao emerged at the beginning of this century, he was already nearly sixty years old.
Zuo Yidao still has quite a few disciples and followers from back then. Some have already gone down the right path, while others are still making a living through shady dealings. Some even want to learn Zuo Yidao's sharp tongue, which hides a knife in his mouth, and they often try to offer him gifts. However, Zuo Yidao is too afraid of staying in prison, so he has refused all of them.
Fortunately, his son and daughter have grown up and do not despise him, so Zuo Yidao's later years are not too miserable.
For a notorious thief like Zuo Yidao, who was also a key target of the local police station, Zuo Yidao, who often went to chat with the old man, ended up giving a lecture to the Beijing anti-pickpocketing team.
Despite his advanced age, this old man is still incredibly nimble. Even seasoned anti-pickpocketing officers often fall victim to him during training sessions. That's why the task force specially invited him to demonstrate his amazing pickpocketing skills once again.
Of course, Zuo Yidao's actions this time cannot be considered theft. Taking a gun to shoot someone is illegal, while a policeman taking a gun is law enforcement. The significance of these actions is naturally incomparable.
“Miao government, look, can this old man walk now?”
Although he has been out of prison for several years and has been dealing with the police frequently in the past two years, he still can't get rid of the nickname "Left One-Sword".
People may not know that in prison, you are not allowed to do anything. You must first shout "report" and get approval before you can do it. When people are addressed as guards or armed police, they are usually given a surname before the word "government".
Zuo Yidao had lived like this for nearly twenty years, and he was always afraid of people in uniform. So when he addressed Miao Feifei just now, he unconsciously used the prison term.
"Thank you for your help this time, Master Zuo, but please forget about it once you leave this place..."
The speaker was not Miao Feifei, but another middle-aged policeman. Although the starting point was righteous, the methods used were not exactly honorable, which is why he gave such an explanation.
"Please rest assured, government, this matter will definitely remain a secret I keep to myself..."
After repeatedly assuring Zuo Yidao, he cautiously left the police station. His legs trembled at the thought of going to such a place.
Chapter 682 What a good person!
"Brother Zhuang... I'm fine now. I just got a few too many drinks from Brother Da Niu. Tell me what you want me to do. Oh, by the way, that guy surnamed Ren called again earlier, saying he wants to borrow some money. Should we lend it to him?"
After Zhuang Rui hung up on him, Monkey was half sobered up. He ran to the bathroom, washed his face with cold water, and drank a lot of water. Once he felt his tongue was clear, he finally dialed Zhuang Rui's number again.
"Borrow money?"
Zhuang Rui was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. It seemed that Yu Zhenping was really at his wit's end and had nowhere else to turn, actually asking to borrow money from someone he had only ever done antique trading with once.
Zhuang Rui thought for a moment and then asked, "Monkey, how much money do you have left?"
"Brother Zhuang, I just withdrew 2,000 yuan from the account. Should I go and withdraw some more?"
"That's what the monkey replied."
"No need to get it. We're not that close to him. Here's what we'll do: you give that person 1000 yuan later. Don't say anything else, just tell him to think of you if he gets anything good..."
1,000 yuan is neither a lot nor a little. Even if Yu Laoba takes this money, it won't last long. In the end, he will still come to me for the transaction.
"I understand, Brother Zhuang. I'll call him right now. How can he even ask to borrow 1,000 yuan..."
Monkey agreed on the phone. After spending a few months in Beijing, his horizons had broadened. He didn't seem to realize that when he was swindling people at the Pengcheng antique market, he might not even earn 1000 yuan a month. ...
"I'll fuck you!"
The Cantonese he learned from Yu Laoliu did nothing to alleviate Yu Zhenping's frustration at the moment. He had come to Beijing to sell antiques, risking his life.
But Yu Zhenping never expected that the money came quickly, but it went away even faster. In the blink of an eye, the 100,000 yuan was stolen by that old thief.
Yu Laoba's mind was blank. He felt like he was going crazy and wanted to take out his pistol and fire a few shots at the crowd. Damn it, do you think it's easy for me to make some money?
The thief was despicable, but he couldn't call the police. Looking at the uniformed security guards beside him, Yu Laoba still had to hide against the wall, feeling incredibly frustrated.
Left with no other choice, Yu Laoba remembered what the monkey had said before he left, so he took out his phone and called the monkey again.
Of course, such a shameful thing couldn't be talked about. Yu Laoba only said that he urgently needed the money and was a little short of cash, so he wanted to ask Monkey to lend him some money first.
Fortunately, after waiting for about 10 minutes, Monkey called again and told him a location to pick up the money. Yu Laoba didn't care about anything else at this point and rushed to the restaurant that Monkey had mentioned after receiving the call.
Yu Laoba had also suspected that this might be a trap set by the young man surnamed Zhuang, who might have traded the money to him first and then had someone steal it. However, after careful analysis, Yu Laoba dismissed this suspicion.
Firstly, Zhuang Rui has an extraordinary demeanor and doesn't seem like the type to do such trivial matters. Secondly, Zhuang Rui's shop in Panjiayuan is worth at least a million yuan, so he has no reason to hire a master-level thief to deal with him for a mere hundred thousand yuan.
After this incident, Yu Laoba could only swallow his anger and accept his bad luck. He blamed himself for holding onto his money so tightly, which made him a target for malicious individuals.
"Mr. Ren, come... come, sit down and have a few drinks..."
The monkey is quite adept at enjoying life now. When eating at a restaurant, it even knows to go to a private room. When it saw "Boss Ren" walk in, it stood up to greet him, even though it was disdainful in its heart.
However, if the monkey knew that "Ren" was filled with indignation and gripping the gun handle tightly, it would definitely be so scared that it would crawl under the table.
"Mr. Ren, did you borrow money from loan sharks and then it just disappeared? Hey, look at my mouth, pretend I didn't ask. Come on, let's drink..."
The monkey and the ox weren't drinking anything fancy, just 56-proof Beijing Erguotou. They picked up a teacup, poured a full cup, and handed it to "Boss Ren."
"Brother Hou, you see... I have something to do later, so let's skip the wine..."
Looking at the wine offered by the monkey, Yu Zhenping's throat bobbed. People who frequently dig up graves are all heavy drinkers, and the underground is full of yin energy, so they need wine to embolden themselves and protect themselves.
Ever since escaping from Shaanxi, Yu Zhenping has lived in constant fear. Even in Zhengzhou, he kept switching between three houses where he hid his antiques, and he dared not turn on the lights at night, let alone drink alcohol.
Coupled with his lack of money, Yu Zhenping hadn't touched a drop of alcohol for more than half a year. Now, smelling the pungent aroma of alcohol, he was already a little dizzy.
"Hey Mr. Ren, that's not very nice of you. All that good talk I said to you in front of the boss was for nothing. Come on... let's drink this down in one gulp."
After making the call to Zhuang Rui, Monkey drank a few more cups with Da Niu. He was already six or seven parts drunk. Once the alcohol hit him, he forgot what Zhuang Rui had told him and grabbed "Boss Ren" and insisted that he drink this cup of wine.
Old Niu, standing to the side, joined in the jeering, since everyone knew his "boss" identity was fake anyway.
"Okay, I'll do it."
Encouraged by the monkey, Yu Laoba's stomach was itching for more alcohol. He took the cup, tilted his head back, and gulped down nearly four ounces of liquor in a few loud "glug-glug" sounds.
"Good...good capacity for alcohol, Mr. Ren is a straightforward man. Here, have some food to calm down, and then have another drink..."
Anyone who has drunk too much alcohol likes to urge others to drink more, and Monkey was no exception. He immediately filled Yu Laoba's cup again and asked the waiter to add another bowl and chopsticks.
Although Yu Zhenping intended not to drink, he had been eating instant noodles for more than half a year. Now, seeing the table full of dishes, not only did his craving for alcohol flare up, but his stomach also began to rumble with hunger.
However, Yu Zhenping's alcohol tolerance was far superior to that of Monkey and Da Niu. After downing another glass, he turned around and offered the two of them a drink. He was fine, but the two of them were practically sliding off the table.
"Hey, Brother Hou, about that matter I mentioned, what do you think..."
Although he had just been robbed, Yu Zhenping still had his code of honor. He didn't want to take advantage of Monkey's drunkenness to grope his pockets. While Monkey was still somewhat conscious, he quickly brought up the matter of borrowing money.
"What's up? Want to have another drink? Come on, who's afraid of who?"
If Zhuang Rui saw the monkey's appearance right now, he would definitely slap it across the face. This guy had completely forgotten the things he had told him to do.
"No, Brother Hou, what about the money..."
Yu Zhenping was also anxious. At this moment, he wished he could return the food and drinks on the table, exchange them for money, and run away. Even if he were to make another transaction with the other party, he couldn't choose Beijing as the location. This was the capital city, and there were so many thieves here.
"money?"
The monkey glanced at Yu Zhenping with his bleary, drunken eyes and said, "By the way, Lao Ren, let's not beat around the bush. Tell me, do you have any other good stuff?"
Upon hearing the monkey's words, Yu Zhenping's heart stirred, and he asked, "Of course there are a few more good things, but I wonder what you're buying them for, Brother Hou? Are you keeping them for yourself or reselling them? Also, Brother Hou, isn't your boss a bit too stingy?"
"Hey, Lao...Lao Ren, don't...don't think we're such good friends. If you...if you say that again, I'll...I'll turn against you! My boss isn't petty. This...this business has to be done by the rules, you...you agree...right? Why don't you try selling to someone else and see what price they're offering..."
Upon hearing this, the monkey was displeased. Who was Zhuang Rui? Zhuang Rui was none other than a talent scout who had brought him, this thoroughbred, out of Pengcheng. If anyone dared to speak ill of Zhuang Rui, the monkey would absolutely fight to the death.
Of course, this guy was really drunk; he was completely under the influence of alcohol, and you can see he couldn't even speak properly.
"I...I'm telling you, my boss is planning to open a museum, and antiques...this stuff, the more the better, Lao Ren...you...don't worry, my boss is definitely...a discerning person, he won't shortchange you on price. If you really have any, you...you have to tell me first, it'll...it'll make me look good in front of Brother Zhuang..."
To be honest, although Monkey's words were drunken ramblings, they did dispel the last trace of doubt in Yu Zhenping's mind. If Monkey could still act when he was this drunk, he could become an Oscar-winning actor in Hollywood.
"I do have the items. If your boss is interested, Brother Hou, we can get in touch again when I get back. Don't worry, whenever I'm selling, I'll definitely give you priority..."
This wine really does bring people closer together. At this moment, Yu Zhenping also found the monkey more agreeable and, unusually, spoke his mind: "In our line of work, it's better to do things with familiar clients than strangers. It's always more reassuring to do business with old customers."
"Alright, Lao...Lao Ren, you're really generous. I only have 2,000 yuan on me today, you...you can take it all. If...if it's not enough, just let me know, and I'll...I'll get you some more..."
Monkey's brain was practically mush from drinking. He probably wouldn't even hesitate if Yu Zhenping asked to borrow his wife right now. He readily pulled out the two thousand yuan from his pocket and slammed it heavily on the table.
"What a kind person!" Yu Zhenping was deeply moved. Who says there is no true kindness in the world? Yu Zhenping immediately put away the money, helped the monkey who had slid off the chair to the floor, and then turned and left the private room.
When he reached the door, Yu Zhenping asked about the price of the food and drinks on the table. Upon hearing that it cost more than 900 yuan, Yu Zhenping immediately abandoned his idea of paying for the monkey's meal, slipped out of the hotel, and disappeared without a trace.
Chapter 683 Schadenfreude
"Zhuang... Brother Zhuang, I... I think I did something wrong..."
Zhuang Rui had just returned to the courtyard house from the real estate company when he received a call from Monkey. Ignoring his playful antics with the white lion that pounced on him, Zhuang Rui asked, "What happened? Did you not lend the money to that person?"
"No...no, Brother Zhuang, you said you only wanted to lend him 1,000 yuan, but I think I lent him 2,000..."
The monkey slept for more than three hours in the restaurant and had just woken up. He reached into his pocket and found that he had no money left. He vaguely remembered that he had given all his money to the man surnamed Ren.
If Da Niu hadn't had the 10,000 yuan Zhuang Rui had given him, Monkey wouldn't have been able to leave the restaurant today. After paying the bill, Monkey found an ATM, withdrew 2,000 yuan, gave it to Da Niu, and then dialed Zhuang Rui's number.
"2000 it is, Monkey. You can take the money from the shop and just tell Old Zhao. By the way, read more books during this time. When the museum opens, you might be transferred to work there..."
When Zhuang Rui heard that the monkey had given Yu Zhenping 2,000 yuan, he didn't pay much attention. These days, everything costs money, from eating and drinking to sleeping. Even if you're frugal, 2,000 yuan isn't enough to cover much of your time.
On the other hand, the police have been keeping an eye on Yu Laoba, and they might just track him down to his hideout without him having to make a second transaction.
Hearing that Zhuang Rui didn't blame him, Monkey felt relieved and said, "I understand, Brother Zhuang, don't worry, we're just like bricks in the revolution, ready to be moved wherever needed..."
"You brat, is that brick from the latrine?"
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this, teased the monkey, and hung up the phone.
Although the monkey's role hasn't been fully realized yet, Da Xiong has been a great help at Xuanrui Zhai. Even if Zhao Hanxuan leaves now, the business of the Four Treasures of the Study can continue...
Zhuang Rui and Bai Shi were playing around when they entered the courtyard. They saw their mother pruning the flowerbeds, and Zhang Ma and Li Sao picking vegetables at the kitchen door. They couldn't help but ask, "Mom, where are Xuan Bing and Sister-in-law?"
When Ouyang Wan saw her son come in, she stopped what she was doing and replied, "She said she was going to get some kind of beauty treatment and wanted me to come with her. I'm so old, what's the point of getting beauty treatments? Xiao Rui, your brother-in-law and the others will be arriving tonight, go pick them up at the station..."
Zhuang Rui said with a smile, "Mom, you're not old at all. If you dress up a little, people would believe you're my older sister..."