Brother Is Just a Legend

As soon as they disembarked from the carriage, Li Wu Ya and Li Qi Lang heard the bustling and lively commotion coming from the North Market. Even without entering, they could imagine the vibrant scene inside.

Li Qi Lang took out his purse and paid for the carriage fare for all three of them. Then, unable to contain his excitement, he eagerly pulled Li Wu Ya and dashed into the North Market.

Without receiving the siblings' purses, Gan Fan Ren had no choice but to continue accompanying them on their tour.

Just a glance earlier had told him that the young lad's purse contained at least twenty taels of silver. Adding in the young girl's, he could live off that money without working for three to four months.

"Wow!"

Upon entering the North Market, the lively atmosphere of the bustling crowd engulfed them.

Observing the myriad merchants, bustling activity, vendor stalls, and the clamor of people on the street, the siblings were left in awe, their mouths agape.

So many people!

The streets were filled with pedestrians bustling about, their shoulders brushing against each other as they moved in a constant flow.

There were sedan chairs, mounted riders, donkeys laden with goods, single-wheeled carts being pushed, patrolling officials, street vendors hawking their wares, farmers carrying baskets on their backs, children listening to storytellers, wealthy young men drinking heartily in taverns, and beggars by the side of the road.

Storytellers, singers, acrobats, and actors all vied for attention, shouting and performing to attract a crowd.

"Sister, they're selling sugar figures there!"

"Sister, they're selling candied hawthorns there!"

Li Qi Lang pulled Li Wu Ya through the bustling crowd as they moved effortlessly. In no time, they had a sugar figure and a candied hawthorn in one hand, and a tinkling windmill in the other.

Gan Fan Ren trailed behind, panting to keep up. He finally caught up, but Li Qi Lang promptly pulled Li Wu Ya to watch a lion dance performance up ahead.

"These kids are so fast!"

They were quicker than even him, a street-savvy individual.

Li Wu Ya allowed Li Qi Lang to lead her around, her gaze continuously scanning the city's storefronts.

The capital was even more prosperous and bustling than she had imagined. According to Gan Fan Ren, the North Market was just an outer city marketplace, while the inner city housed a plethora of offerings like silk, jewels, spices, clinics, carriage repair shops, and even plastic surgery clinics.

She had even noticed several streets lined with entertainment establishments like taverns, teahouses, courtesan houses, and theaters.

This indicated that the people of the capital lived affluent lives, with a thriving economy.

After a quick stroll through a few streets, Li Qi Lang suddenly halted at a crossroads, sniffing the air as he turned left and then right. He then grabbed Li Wu Ya's hand and headed towards an eastern alley.

"Sister, I smell a distinct aroma of meat. There must be some delicious food there."

Before long, the siblings found themselves standing in front of a restaurant named "Shu Ji Braised Fragrance."

"Rumble~"

The tantalizing aroma wafting from the restaurant made Li Wu Ya and Li Qi Lang's mouths water uncontrollably.

"Should we go in and try it?"

"I think it's a good idea. Let's eat quickly and pack some for Mom and Dad."

Having made up their minds, the siblings were about to step inside when a restaurant employee stopped them at the entrance.

"Excuse me, young guests, you cannot enter."

"Why not?"

Li Qi Lang assumed the employee thought they couldn't afford it and immediately stood tall, patting his purse at his waist, "Money is not an issue for us."

The employee chuckled, "It's not about money. If you wish to dine here, you must make a reservation."

Li Qi Lang furrowed his brows, "We must make a reservation?"

The employee smiled and nodded, "Yes, you must make a reservation." He pointed to a wooden sign hanging at the entrance, which had ten sets of numbers written on it.

"You need to make a reservation first. Once you receive a number token, you can come in to enjoy our delicacies when you see your number displayed at the entrance."

Li Wu Ya furrowed her brows, "You only accommodate ten groups of guests per day?"

The employee smiled, "Of course not. Guests with our restaurant emblem don't need a reservation."

Li Wu Ya immediately suggested, "Then let's buy your emblem."

The employee shook his head with a smile, "Our restaurant emblem is not for sale."

Li Wu Ya was taken aback by the restaurant's unique approach to business.

Li Qi Lang's face was twisted in hunger as he said, "Sister, I just want to eat right now."

Li Wu Ya, who was a fan of spicy food, didn't want to leave upon smelling the authentic spicy aroma. Unable to help herself, she interjected, "Can't we find some compromise?"

The restaurant employee smiled and remained silent.

Despite being located in the North Market, their establishment catered to high-ranking officials and nobility. Accepting reservations from ten ordinary citizens each day was already a gesture of leniency.

Just as Li Qi Lang was about to say something, Gan Fan Ren caught up with them, panting heavily.

Seeing the longing looks on the siblings' faces, he knew something had happened.

Hastily approaching, he bowed slightly to the restaurant employee before ushering the siblings away from the entrance. "Shu Ji Braised Fragrance isn't a place for ordinary folks to enter."

Both Li Wu Ya and Li Qi Lang widened their eyes, "Why?"

Gan Fan Ren explained, "Shu Ji Braised Fragrance caters to high-ranking officials and nobility. If ordinary people want to dine there, they might have to wait in line for months. Plus, there are other options available. Why waste your time on this?"

Li Qi Lang countered, "But their meat dishes are so fragrant."

Gan Fan Ren was somewhat speechless. Could he not smell the aroma? "Let me put it this way. In the capital, not every place can be accessed with money alone. You need to have a certain social status for them to accommodate you."

"Take the emblem of Shu Ji Braised Fragrance, for example. It's given only to officials and wealthy individuals favored by the court. We commoners can only enjoy the aroma."

"Alright, let's not linger here. You wanted to eat delicious food, right? I'll take you to another braised meat restaurant. Their braised meat is just as good as here."

Li Wu Ya and Li Qi Lang felt frustrated. "Why make such a fuss? It's just a meal. Now they're even checking our status!"

Frustrated as they were, they couldn't change the situation. Reluctantly, they followed Gan Fan Ren as he led them away.

The other restaurant he mentioned wasn't far, just diagonally across from Shu Ji Braised Fragrance.

"Chuan Ji Braised Fragrance!"

Li Wu Ya chuckled at the name. It seemed even people in ancient times knew how to capitalize on reputation!

If Shu Ji Braised Fragrance embodied an upscale club atmosphere, Chuan Ji Braised Fragrance embraced a more down-to-earth style. In order to accommodate more customers, they had set up tables outside as well.

At the street corner, muscular men with their sleeves rolled up were loudly playing dice games and enjoying meat, adding to the lively scene.

Li Qi Lang sniffed the aroma emanating from the restaurant and wrinkled his nose. "The smell isn't as good as the one across the street."

Gan Fan Ren sighed, "Let's make do. Oh, there's a table available over there. Let's hurry."

Clearly an expert in maneuvering crowds, Gan Fan Ren adeptly pushed his way through the crowd, securing the empty table.

Seeing this, Li Wu Ya's eyes sparkled.

This guy would make an excellent sidekick!

"Come sit quickly!"

Gan Fan Ren waved Li Wu Ya and Li Qi Lang over.

Once they were seated, they were unsure about ordering and turned to Gan Fan Ren for guidance.

Gan Fan Ren just chuckled without saying anything.

Seeing his reaction, Li Wu Ya suggested, "We'll treat you."

Upon hearing this, Gan Fan Ren laughed and promptly raised his hand to call the restaurant employee.

Though not as exquisite as Shu Ji Braised Fragrance, Chuan Ji Braised Fragrance was still a braised meat restaurant. Dining here was quite pricey, and unless he was really craving it, Gan Fan Ren seldom ate here.

The siblings' purses were a bit tricky to handle. Treating them to a meal first meant that he wouldn't have worked in vain today.

"The braised pig's trotters, braised pig's head, and braised duck neck at Chuan Ji Braised Fragrance are all excellent choices." Gan Fan Ren quickly recommended.

Li Qi Lang immediately asked the employee to bring two catties of each dish.

"When eating braised meat, do you prefer to eat it as is or dip it in sauce?"

"We want both."

Li Qi Lang was quite generous when it came to food. Observing his lavishness, Gan Fan Ren felt a secret delight; he could indulge in a hearty meal today.

Soon enough, the restaurant employee arrived carrying the braised meat.

Seeing this, Li Qi Lang immediately stood up, ready to take the plate.

However, a sudden turn of events occurred.

Three burly men suddenly appeared on the street, causing a commotion among the pedestrians. Cries and shouts filled the air as people stumbled and fell.

The three men were followed by a dozen soldiers. It was evident that the soldiers were chasing the trio.

As these individuals flooded the street, everyone hurried to evade them. In an instant, chaos erupted as people were knocked down, carts overturned, and stalls along the street were upended.

The three men moved with astonishing speed. One ran along the left side of the street, another on the right, and the third down the middle. As they ran, they collided with pedestrians and destroyed stalls, creating obstacles to impede their pursuers.

Gan Fan Ren recognized the faces of the three men. His expression changed dramatically. Weren't they the notorious river pirates that the Ministry of Justice had issued a capture warrant for?

In the blink of an eye, one of the burly men arrived in front of the Chuan Ji Braised Fragrance shop.

Li Wu Ya and Li Qi Lang were seated at the first table outside the shop. When the man approached, he crashed into the unsuspecting restaurant employee.

In an instant, the food plates went flying, and the braised meat and dipping sauce splattered in the air. Then, on the opposite side, Li Qi Lang was splattered with sauce and pushed by the burly man.

However, he wasn't pushed far.

The burly man hesitated for a moment, then continued running without stopping, leaving the scene.

"Ahh!"

"My meat, my clothes!"

The clothes Li Qi Lang was wearing were newly made for his visit home. They were still brand new. Seeing the stains on his clothes, he felt a pang of heartache.

Although life at home had improved compared to before, in his mindset, new clothes were precious and should be cherished!

What frustrated him the most was that all the braised meat he ordered had fallen on the ground.

"I can't eat it now."

Li Qi Lang's heart felt shattered. He turned around abruptly, pointing at the man who had collided with him and shouted, "Stop right there! In broad daylight, you knocked over my food and dirtied my new clothes. You must compensate me!"

This meat was bought with his money, and he hadn't even taken a bite yet.

Gan Fan Ren and the surrounding people were left stunned. Then, in a flash, Li Qi Lang dashed outside. By the time they looked in that direction, Li Qi Lang had already caught up with the burly man.

"Compensate me for my meat and my clothes!"

Li Qi Lang raised his arms and intercepted the man indignantly. "You can run if you want, but why did you crash into my meat and soil my new clothes? You need to pay!"

The burly man was taken aback, noticing that the people around them were also stunned.

Gan Fan Ren was even more shocked. Li Qi Lang was incredibly fast!

The burly man quickly regained his senses, his expression turning hostile. His hands transformed into claws, and he attacked Li Qi Lang fiercely.

Li Qi Lang swiftly evaded the attack with a deft movement. His close combat skills were lacking, so he could only dodge left and right to avoid the strikes.

The two engaged in a back-and-forth battle, inadvertently buying time for pedestrians to find safety.

Watching this scene, Gan Fan Ren's heart raced, and a thin layer of sweat formed on his forehead. He felt a deep sense of relief. Thankfully, he hadn't had the chance to steal their purses.

Before he could fully process Li Qi Lang's astonishing speed, a shrill scream jolted his thoughts.

Turning toward the sound, his eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

Just across from them, a burly man had knocked over a iron pot containing sizzling fried pastries. A whole pot of boiling hot oil spilled out.

In front of the oil pot, a five or six-year-old boy was crying loudly.

Seeing the scalding hot oil rush toward the little boy, Gan Fan Ren and the surrounding people felt their hearts sink. If that whole pot of hot oil landed on him, the boy would surely be severely burned.

Due to his close proximity to the pot, even if people wanted to save him, there wasn't enough time.

At the critical moment, a gray cloth shot through the air and deflected the hot oil.

Simultaneously, a straw hat landed on the boy, knocking him aside and into the arms of a tall man nearby.

"A crash!"

The boy was instantly moved away from the danger. The oil pot hit the ground, creating a heavy thud that made everyone's scalp tingle.

But the ordeal wasn't over yet. The stove beneath the oil pot tipped over, sparks igniting the hot oil. With a loud 'boom,' a scorching flame erupted into the air.

Another piece of blue cloth flew in, smothering the flames.

Silently and swiftly, the fire was extinguished, preventing its spread.

"Gurgle~"

Gan Fan Ren swallowed another gulp of saliva, watching nervously as Li Wu Ya sat calmly at the table, sipping tea. He couldn't help but take a step back.

Even if he lacked common sense, he knew that a thin piece of cloth wouldn't be able to stop hot oil or extinguish flames.

But against all odds, it did stop them, and it did extinguish them.

The girl, who appeared naive, used internal energy to throw the cloth!

Could anyone tell him who exactly these siblings were?!

The man at the adjacent table was also bewildered, looking weakly at Li Wu Ya and muttering, "My cloth..."

Before he could finish, his companion stopped him.

Li Wu Ya paid no attention to Gan Fan Ren or the people around her. Her gaze was fixed on Li Qi Lang.

Li Qi Lang, still evading and shouting, yelled, "Listen, mister! This could've been settled with some silver for compensation. But now that you're attacking me, the situation has changed. You're forcing me to retaliate!"

The burly man hesitated as the pursuing soldiers closed in. After a moment, he took out a purse from his pocket and threw it directly to Li Qi Lang.

Li Qi Lang caught the purse and quickly stepped aside, clearing a path.

Seeing his readiness to accept, the burly man was taken aback.

He would have gladly given money if he had known this kid was after silver. Why did he have to fight him just now? It was such a waste of time!

The Ministry of Justice officers chasing after them shouted loudly as they closed in, "Capture that criminal! Don't let him escape!"

As the officers pointed at Li Qi Lang and the people around him stared, Li Qi Lang spread his arms and shrugged. "This has nothing to do with me."

The Ministry of Justice officers were so infuriated that they almost spewed blood. Seeing that the kid had only let them pass because the bandits gave him silver, they shouted, "Catch that man, we'll give you silver."

Li Qi Lang's eyes lit up, "Silver? Why didn't you say so earlier?" he exclaimed and extended his hand. "Give me the silver, and I'll help you catch them right away."

The officer, realizing that the kid was relentless like a hawk, begrudgingly pulled out his purse and tossed it over.

Li Qi Lang lunged forward, accurately catching the purse, and then he weighed it in his hands. With a satisfied smile, he tucked it into his embrace, and in a flash, he darted towards the burly man.

In a matter of moments, he caught up with the burly man again.

The burly man furiously exclaimed, "I gave you the silver!"

Li Qi Lang retorted, "That was compensation. Now someone's given me silver to catch you." With this declaration, he abandoned his previous evasive maneuvers, grabbing a bamboo pole from a nearby stall, and started swiping it towards the burly man's legs.

The burly man couldn't outrun him and after being hit by the bamboo pole several times, he had no choice but to turn around and engage in a fight with Li Qi Lang.

"You guys better run faster! I've got this one under control for you!" Li Qi Lang shouted to the pursuing Ministry of Justice officers.

Seeing that Li Qi Lang had indeed managed to detain the burly man and was engaging in an easy fight, the officers realized that Li Qi Lang wasn't using his full strength.

"Capture the other two as well!"

"But you've only paid us for catching one person. The other two aren't my concern," Li Qi Lang retorted.

The officer at the forefront was about to explode with frustration. He quickly turned to his subordinates behind him and ordered, "Take out the silver you have and give it to them later."

And so, another purse flew toward Li Qi Lang.

As Li Qi Lang received the purse, he didn't bother with the burly man anymore. Activating his internal energy, he swiped the bamboo pole at the burly man's legs. With a thud, the burly man stumbled and knelt on the ground.

Seeing that the burly man couldn't stand up, Li Qi Lang immediately darted towards the other two burly men.

A loud "bang!"

The slowest one was caught by Li Qi Lang, who struck him on the back with a bamboo pole, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Just as Li Qi Lang was about to chase after the third burly man, a group of people dressed in black flying fish attire appeared at the intersection ahead.

"Special Investigations Bureau!"

Seeing the newcomers, the last burly man stopped running. Instead, he quickly turned around and retraced his steps. Soon, he found himself face-to-face with Li Qi Lang, who held a bamboo pole.

"You brat, you're asking for death!"

Having said that, the burly man disregarded all consequences and attacked Li Qi Lang.

"Bang!"

Li Qi Lang knew he wasn't good at close combat, so he leaped onto a stall and jumped into the air. From there, he swung the bamboo pole at the burly man.

The first strike missed, but he tried again, and again.

With Li Qi Lang hopping around the stall, the eighth strike finally hit the burly man's head, sending him to the ground.

"Phew, that was exhausting!"

Li Qi Lang hopped down from the stall, discarded the bamboo pole, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and patted the purse in his pocket. Then, he grinned and walked briskly towards Li Wu Ya.

By this time, the chief Ministry of Justice officer had arrived, rushing towards the burly man and quickly binding him.

Seeing the arrival of the Ministry of Justice officers, the bystanders sighed in relief. Luckily, the Special Investigations Bureau had apprehended the criminals in time. Otherwise, the credit might have been snatched away again.

"Big sister, it's so easy to earn silver in the capital city. Haha, just catching these three small bandits, I've made dozens of taels of silver."

Li Qi Lang gleefully approached Li Wu Ya.

Li Wu Ya smiled and complimented, "My brother is quite capable."

Gan Fan Ren, on the other hand, felt his eyelids twitching. These notorious river bandits were being referred to as "small bandits"?!

In high spirits due to his newfound wealth, Li Qi Lang told the waiter, "Bring us another serving of the braised meat we ordered earlier."

Li Wu Ya added, "Pack it to go."

Li Qi Lang was puzzled, "We're not eating here?"

Li Wu Ya replied, "Do you want to be the center of attention?"

Only now did Li Qi Lang notice that people on the street were all staring at them. He straightened his posture and suddenly said, "Don't idolize me too much. I'm just a legend. Everyone, get back to what you were doing!"

A burst of suppressed laughter came from the chief Ministry of Justice officer who had just arrived with the captured criminals.

The Special Investigations Bureau officers, who had arrived a step later, exchanged bemused glances.

"Who's this lively one?"

"A half-grown kid daring to call others 'brother'!"

As the Ministry of Justice officer and the Special Investigations Bureau officers approached, Li Qi Lang worried they might change their minds and held tightly onto the purses he'd just earned.

The captain of the Ministry of Justice officers looked at Li Qi Lang, then at Li Wu Ya, who was sitting with her back to them. He asked, "Who are you guys?"

Li Qi Lang's eyes darted around, and he replied, "We just arrived in the capital today. We don't have any reputation yet, nothing worth mentioning."

Both captains raised their eyebrows.

"Your accent suggests you're from the north?"

Li Qi Lang thought that the northwest was also in the northern region, so he nodded, "Yes, we're from the north."

The two captains exchanged glances and decided not to inquire further. They were aware that the Governor of Huaiyuan, Zhao Zhiwen, who was returning to the capital today, was known for his military prowess. His offspring were not ordinary people.

"Thank you, young master, for your help today. We'll visit to express our gratitude another day."

Huh?

Li Qi Lang was confused. Express their gratitude? Did they know who he was?

The Ministry of Justice officers had captured the criminals and were eager to return, so they left quickly.

Following their departure, the Special Investigations Bureau officers left as well.

At this point, the onlookers on the street finally relaxed and began to clean up the chaotic scene.

The waiter brought the packaged braised meat over, saying, "Young master, your braised meat is ready."

"How much silver?"

"No need for silver. Young master helped catch the criminals, so this braised meat is on the house."

"I'm sorry for the trouble then."

Li Qi Lang accepted the braised meat with a smile.

Li Wu Ya stood up and took the handful of fragmented silver that Li Qi Lang had prepared to pay with. She put it on the adjacent table and said, "Sorry for the inconvenience. We need to ask you to buy new cloth and a hat."

When the oil pot overturned earlier, she couldn't find anything suitable to shield herself. So, she had used the cloth and hat of the people at this table.

"No need."

After putting down the silver, Li Wu Ya led Li Qi Lang away. After walking a few steps, she threw a piece of fragmented silver at Gan Fan Ren, who was hiding in a corner, saying, "Here's your guide fee."

Soon, the two of them merged into the crowd and disappeared.

On the second floor of Shu Ji Braised Fragrance, every street-facing window was open, and those occupying the private rooms witnessed the scene unfolding below.

"Governor Zhao Zhiwen of Huaiyuan is returning to the capital today. Are those two kids from the Zhao family?"

"Most likely. Zhao Zhiwen is famous for his military prowess, and his offspring are no ordinary people."

At the entrance of Chuan Ji Braised Fragrance, Gan Fan Ren held the fragmented silver, still finding it hard to come to his senses.

From the north, yet so skillful. Who else could they be if not from the Zhao family?

Oh heavens, he nearly pickpocketed the young master and miss of the Governor's family!

"Sis, we're being followed."

"Do you remember the routes we took when we first arrived in the northern market?"

"Of course."

"Good, let's go back the same way and shake off the tail."