Luo Changqi and Dong Jianyong both looked at the group of children. The youngest were five or six years old, and the oldest were eleven or twelve years old. There were nine of them, plus the oldest child, a total of ten people. There were four boys and six girls.

Luo Changqi asked: "You don't have any family around you?"

The oldest beggar shook his head, "No."

Luo Changqi said: "Whether everyone can go with us or not depends on tomorrow. You guys spread the news first and wait here tomorrow. As I said before, not everyone who comes here can go with us."

After Luo Changqi finished speaking, he and Dong Jianyong turned and left.

The alley was noisy, and everyone was wondering if Luo Changqi's words were credible. What on earth were they going to do by taking them away? Were they really just going to farm?

The beggar who was thinking about living asked: "Should we spread the news? If more people come, won't our chances be smaller?"

Immediately, a beggar said, "You'd better spread the word honestly. If you don't tell others, what will they think of us when they come and see us again tomorrow?"

Some beggars discussed whether or not to pass on the message, while the older beggar led the other nine people out of the alley.

They followed Luo Changqi from a distance, and when they saw Luo Changqi and his companions enter the inn, they stood guard beside the inn.

A girl asked, "Brother Cong, what are we doing here?"

The "Cong Ge" the girl called was the oldest boy.

Liu Cong said: "Let's wait here. When the nobles come out tomorrow, we will go up and ask them to take us away."

"Oh!" the girl said.

Liu Cong then said, "Dashun, Mingying, you and the others should find a sheltered place to stay here. Huzi and I will go and pass on the message."

Dashun is the second oldest child. Mingying is a girl, the same age as Dashun, both are twelve years old.

Dashun nodded and said, "Okay, then you and Huzi should be careful."

Inside the inn, Luo Changqi and Dong Jianyong watched Liu Cong and Hu Zi leave. Dong Jianyong asked, "What are they going to do?"

There was a group of kids following them, how could they not notice it? They just ignored them and let them follow. They also wanted to see what they were up to.

Luo Changqi watched Dashun and Huzi lead the others to the corner next to the inn, and then huddled together to avoid the wind. He said, "It looks like they're going to stay here for the night. They're probably waiting for us at the door."

Dong Jianyong sighed, "Alas, they are all poor children..."

Luo Changqi also sighed and then walked downstairs.

Dong Jianyong asked: "What are you doing?"

"Let's go see if the store has any steamed buns left..." Luo Changqi said as he went downstairs.

Luo Changqi came to the counter downstairs and asked, "Boss, are there any steamed buns left in the kitchen?"

The shopkeeper nodded and said, "Yes, I'll ask the waiter to bring it to you, sir."

Luo Changqi said: "I want twenty. Also, can you find a bigger room here, a woodshed will do."

The shopkeeper asked, "What do you want to do with it, sir?"

Luo Changqi said, "There are a group of kids outside. Let them stay for one night. I'll pay for their room."

The shopkeeper looked at Luo Changqi who had lost an arm, and after a moment of silence, he said, "How about this, you don't have to pay for the room, and I'll just treat it as a charity. Your twenty steamed buns are also for those children to eat, right? But you have to pay the money, and I have to do the accounting."

Luo Changqi couldn't clasp his hands together, so he gave the shopkeeper a thumbs up, "The shopkeeper is also a kind-hearted person, and he will surely be blessed in the future."

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "Then sir, please bring the person in through the back door. I'll ask the waiter to clean up a room."

"Thank you!"

Luo Changqi walked out of the inn and came to the group of children. Dashun and Huzi immediately stood up.

Luo Changqi said, "You guys follow me."

Dashun asked, "Where are you going?"

"Go to the inn. I have made an appointment with the innkeeper. He has cleaned up a room for you to stay in tonight."

The children's eyes lit up. Mingying said, "Dashun, Congge and Huzi haven't come back yet."

Luo Changqi said, "Go into the inn and eat first, then send someone to guard here, and bring them in when they come back."

There was still food to eat, and the light in the children's eyes became brighter.

Besides, the inn was right next to them, so Dashun and Mingying were not too worried.

Luo Changqi led a few children into the back door of the inn. A waiter waved, "This way..."

The waiter pointed to a room with an open door and said, "This is the room. The steamed buns have been brought in, and the shopkeeper has also brought some old quilts."

Luo Changqi thanked again, "Thank you very much, shopkeeper!"

Luo Changqi brought Dashun and the others into the house. On a bench was a basket of steamed buns, with a kettle and bowls next to it.

Luo Changqi pointed at the steamed buns and said, "Eat them quickly, two each."

All the children gathered around, but no one wanted to grab the buns. Dashun gave the buns to each one of them one by one.

After getting the steamed buns, all the children started to devour them ravenously.

Hu Zi poured water into a bowl and the children shared it. You drink a sip and then I drink.

Dashun said, "Mingying, you stay here and watch. I'll go outside and wait for Congge and Huzi."

Mingying nodded, "Okay!"

Dashun left the house and came to where they had been before.

Luo Changqi also followed him out and asked, "You guys knew each other before?"

Dashun shook his head, "I don't know him. I met him when we were fighting for food."

"The Cong brother you guys are calling is your boss?"

Dashun nodded. "Yes, we were fighting for food and it was Cong who stopped us. Cong said we were all children and couldn't compete with the adults, so we should unite. Then he organized us to find food together and share the food we found equally."

Luo Changqi felt that these kids were all pretty good, especially the one they called Congge.

Luo Changqi patted Dashun on the shoulder and said, "Wait here. I'll go back first."

Dashun bowed to Luo Changqi and said, "Thank you!"

After Luo Changqi left, Dashun waited on the street. After about half an hour, Liu Cong and Huzi came back.

Liu Cong saw that Dashun was the only one there, so he asked hurriedly, "Where are the others?"

Dashun smiled widely, "Brother Cong, we really met a good person..."

…

Luo Changqi returned to the inn and told Zhang Hulan that he had arranged the little beggars to stay in the inn.

Although Luo Changqi and Zhang Hulan were not master and servant, Luo Changqi was very sensible in his actions. This was his personal behavior, but he still told Zhang Hulan about it.

In a dimly lit room in the city, Hu Sanlang pushed twenty taels of silver in front of the two people sitting opposite him and said, "Help me tie up three people. I will reward you handsomely after the job is done."

The two men were hooligans in the city, one was called Ma Er and the other was called Huang Saner.

They specialize in petty theft and other unethical activities. As long as they have money, they will do anything.

Ma Er asked: "Who do you want to kidnap?"

Hu Sanlang said, "With a woman and two children, it's not difficult to handle the matter."

Ma Er asked again: "When will we start?"

"They are not from the city. They should leave the city soon. We will take action after they leave the city..."