Chapter 64
"Maybe it's because I gave you money just now?" Bei Qiao crossed his arms and looked at the other person with a normal expression.
"Hey, isn't it just a little money? Who are you looking down on?" The burly man who spoke hesitated for a moment, took out a handful of copper coins from his arms, and stuffed them into Liu Ji's hand with a loud voice, as if the louder his voice, the more imposing he was: "Tell me quickly! What's next?" The burly man didn't think there was anything wrong with giving money. When wandering around in the world, it is inevitable to spend some money if you want to get the information you want as quickly as possible in an unfamiliar place.
"Why is it so lively over there?" Someone in the VIP seats noticed the group of people gathered to listen to gossip: "Jia Yi, go over and take a look."
"Yes, Master." A figure leaped down from behind the VIP seats and quickly returned a few minutes later: "Someone is there explaining the martial arts competition on the stage, occasionally mixing in some gossip to liven up the atmosphere."
"He didn't say anything he shouldn't have said, did he?"
"Master, no."
"Yeah." That's fine.
The Canghai Sect's leader didn't recognize Liu Ji, only knowing he was a reserve disciple because Liu Ji was wearing the uniform of a Canghai Sect reserve disciple. As the largest sect in the area, the Canghai Sect had thousands of reserve disciples, and it was impossible for the leader to remember them all.
Knowing that the reserve disciple hadn't caused any trouble or said anything he shouldn't have, the Sect Master simply let it go. As for the so-called love gossip, most of it was three-tenths true and seven-tenths false. Even if Liu Ji didn't spread it, someone in the teahouse would have spread it, and there was no way to stop the gossip.
The mortal world is like a mountain, and only a limited number of people can reach its summit. Those who can't reach the summit face constant pressure. If they're denied opportunities to watch the fun and vent their emotions, even the strongest mountain will eventually crumble. To guide the public's emotional release in the desired direction, which sect hasn't secretly sponsored a dozen or so eloquent and engaging storytellers? It's just that this can't be shared publicly, and it can't be overdone.
"By the way, let's check later. If there are more people joining Canghai Sect this year than in previous years, then we will promote him to a formal disciple." The Sect Leader waved his hand to signal the man to leave: it's just three meals a day, a casual thing after all.
Qin Huan in the VIP seat also noticed Bei Qiao. After all, the clothes looked somewhat familiar, although the style was slightly different.
"What's wrong?" Qin Yan noticed that his sister was a little distracted.
Qin Huan shook his head lightly and replied in a low voice: "It's okay." He just saw a familiar scenery in a low place.
The martial arts competition continued. Surrounded by the crowd, Liu Ji enthusiastically explained the people and events on the stage. When he was thirsty, someone offered him a pot of fine wine, but he didn't dare to accept it: "Thanks, I'm on duty and can't drink."
"You're such a coward! Why don't you just drink it secretly...hiss!" The sturdy man who failed to give the wine away took back the wine bag with a stern face, and glanced at the small arena. He didn't know what he saw, but he took a breath and squeezed his legs unconsciously.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" The others followed the man's gaze towards the small arena and hissed in unison: "Oh my goodness, that old Bao!" The old pervert was courting death, flirting with his opponent during a duel. Now everything is ruined, right? Hiss... That looks so painful.
Bao Laoliu, twitching in pain from the kick, was dragged away by Rong Guanshi's men, and the competition continued as usual. Perhaps the force of that kick caught the eye of some noble, but the woman who had knocked Bao Laoliu over was called to the side of the arena amid the envious and hateful gazes of others.
At noon, the last competition in the arena was over. The distinguished guests who had watched the competition left one after another and went to the hall to eat.
Seeing that the VIP had left, the people on the small arena stopped fighting, and the people who had surrounded Liu Ji to listen to gossip dispersed immediately, pushing and shoving their way to the newly built cafeteria of the Canghai Sect to eat: these days, the Canghai Party provides free food to those who receive invitations, with meat and wine for three meals a day, and it would be a waste not to eat!
"Liu boy, are you coming?"
"No, no, I can't eat with guests." Liu Ji waved his hands repeatedly with a hoarse voice: "You guys don't have to pay for meals, but I have to! If I go to eat meat and drink with you, I won't be able to pay for meals this month!"
"What a bummer, let's go!" Several warriors who had originally planned to listen to gossip while eating strode away with a sullen look on their faces.
"Mr. Qiao, I wonder if my explanation has satisfied you." Nodding and bowing to the warrior's back, Liu Ji apologized a few times, wiped the sweat from his forehead, turned around, and looked at Bei Qiao nervously. He had originally intended to explain the lesson to Bei Qiao alone, but after the other warriors gathered around, things got a little out of control.
"It's okay. You can take me to the place where we eat. No matter what happened before, it's all over... Will the number of days for this year's martial arts conference be the same as before?" Bei Qiao squinted his eyes and looked at the warriors who were leaving: This group of people might cause trouble if they stay together, so we can't eat with them.
Bei Qiao had mixed feelings about the Canghai Sect. She felt like even if everyone else left, someone was still watching her. In such an environment, she couldn't even log off and eat in peace.
He was indeed watching someone, but he was watching Liu Ji's secret guard Eleven: Why didn't this person leave? If he didn't leave, how could I show up and inform Liu Ji that he might be promoted to a formal disciple?
"Alright! I'm glad you don't blame me, Master Qiao!" Liu Ji breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively straightened his back slightly. "The duration of the martial arts conference is the same as in previous years, three days. The same applies to the VIPs. They will leave after lunch. Master Qiao will surely find the cafeteria too noisy, right? I'll take you to eat at the back of our sect's main hall. There are individual tables there."
For the Canghai Sect, the dining hall was a place to attract ordinary warriors, the main hall was a place to entertain guests, and behind the hall was a place to invest in connections. Compared to the dining hall, the personnel behind the hall were actually more diverse, but the environment was much better than the dining hall, and the food was also more varied. It was a place that ordinary warriors would want to go to.
"Okay, then..." Seeing the other person's back bend down as he spoke, Bei Qiao suddenly felt a little bored: "Before I leave, there's something I want to tell you. I told my cousin your name, and she seems to be planning to find some time to inquire about your situation."
Liu Ji suddenly raised his head, so fast that he almost twisted his neck. His eyes widened and his expression was out of control for a moment: "Qin, the Qin family thanks Mr. Qiao! Thank you, Mr. Qiao..."
"...You're welcome." Bei Qiao waved his hand: Do I look like an unkind person, or has he been disappointed for so long that a single straw would make him ecstatic?
Secret Guard Eleven: Someone is trying to steal my girlfriend... Just pretend you didn't hear anything. It's better to have less trouble than more.
The person in charge of serving the food moved quickly. By the time Bei Qiao followed Liu Ji to the back of the hall, the people who had arrived earlier had already started eating. Liu Ji walked her to the entrance and then left. On the way back, the corners of his mouth kept twitching upwards, and he was almost crazy with joy.
Arriving in a new environment, Bei Qiao began to take in the layout. This place, though called the back of the hall, was actually nearly a hundred meters away from the main reception area, separated by a large kitchen. More precisely, behind the hall was a corridor extending from the kitchen wall, lined with single tables. On the side away from the kitchen was a half-person-high carved railing, through which one could see the large dining hall a hundred meters away.
Compared with the cafeteria, the environment here is more elegant. Although it cannot be compared with the hall in front, at least here, you don’t need to squeeze a table with others.
Of course, there are drawbacks. Because it's so close to the main kitchen, you can always hear the noise of cooking. It's quite noisy. Even more surprising is that, even though the distance is about the same, sitting in the corridor behind the hall, you can't hear the VIPs talking in the hall in front. Instead, you can easily hear the noises in the main dining hall on the other side.
"It's really noisy..." Bei Qiao turned his head to look at the cafeteria opposite where a fight had already started, and then looked back at the corridor behind the hall: Such a low railing, what can it block?
Even though it was a place with ventilation on three sides, it was not easy to get in. The railings that enclosed the corridor were very low, but no one would be stupid enough to step over them.
There was only one way to enter the corridor behind the hall, and that was to be looked at by the steward guarding the entrance. If he thought you were qualified, then you could go in. As for who was qualified... those who understood would understand.
The deputy manager who was temporarily pulled in to take over the shift: This year is also a day with a lot of people with connections, why can't there be one more... Oh, I am also a person with connections, then it's okay.
Entering the corridor from the entrance, Bei Qiao found an empty table and sat down. The tables in the corridor were not very high, and there was a futon at the back. Sitting there, eating, drinking, and looking at the scenery outside the corridor was quite artistic...if the background noise wasn't so loud.
"I probably can't be friends with someone with a bold personality." Bei Qiao picked up the wine glass and sniffed it, then eventually put it down and picked up her chopsticks, pretending to eat slowly. Although she could drink quite well, she didn't want to drink unless necessary.
There are quite a few people in the corridor behind the hall, but not many of them are focused on eating. Most of them come here to try their luck. After sitting down, they don't eat, but just hold their wine glasses and look outside, taking a sip of wine from time to time to calm their nervous mood, hoping that the VIPs in the hall will send someone to act as a Bole and take a fancy to their "thousand-mile horse".
This kind of thing really happened. After all, basically everyone who can sit here has a token from their family or sect. Those who can get the token are not ordinary people. Their character and development potential have been certified by someone, but certification does not mean that they will be fully invested in.
Everyone who comes here is ambitious. They're not satisfied with their current situation and hope to find opportunities for advancement, even if it means finding a new investor. Some investors also really enjoy poaching other investors, so to some extent, it's a two-way street.
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