In the dilapidated house, Luosai Huzi’s eyes glazed over. “Brother, what do you plan to do from now on?”

Originally, he thought that seeking refuge with his good brother would lead to a life of free meals and lodging. He never expected that Brother Lu’s situation was barely better than theirs.

Living in the capital was truly difficult.

Zhuang Han’s expression turned fierce. “I’m planning to return to our old trade, and it just so happens I have brothers to help me!”

“Return to our old trade? Brother, you mean—” Luosai Huzi’s heart pounded with a long-lost excitement.

To be honest, he was reluctant to abandon their ancestral profession.

Zhuang Han unconsciously lowered his voice. “I’m planning to rob that tavern.”

Luosai Huzi’s mouth twitched. “Brother, how about we change targets? Like a silver shop or something?”

Zhuang Han shook his head. “Silver shops require scouting first. We don’t even have rice to cook at home—we really can’t wait. Besides, I’ve already thought about what to rob—”

“Rob what?” Luosai Huzi grew more confused.

Weren’t they robbing money? Could it be they were robbing people instead?

“Rob a pot of braised beef—that’ll be enough!” Zhuang Han thought of the price for that thin plate of braised beef and spoke viciously.

“Wait.” Luosai Huzi couldn’t hold back. “Brother, since we’re already robbing, why rob a pot of braised beef? Wouldn’t it be better to just grab money?”

Were bandits in the capital this euphemistic?

Brother Lu had changed!

Zhuang Han shook his head repeatedly. “We can’t rob money. That tavern is ridiculously expensive—the customers all keep tabs.”

“But one pot of braised beef is only enough for us three to eat one meal. Isn’t that a bit not worth it?” For one pot of braised beef, Luosai Huzi really couldn’t muster the determination to return to their old trade.

Even bandits had their dignity.

Zhuang Han looked deeply at Luosai Huzi and gestured with both hands. “A plate this size, at most twenty-some thin slices of braised beef. Brother, do you know how much one plate costs?”

“How much?”

“Twenty taels!”

“How much??”

Zhuang Han held up two fingers and emphasized heavily, “Twenty taels, not a penny less! I figure one pot of braised beef should be enough to cut into thirty to fifty plates. Brother, calculate how much money that is!”

Luosai Huzi hastily counted on his fingers.

Twenty taels per plate, thirty to fifty plates in one pot—this, this was worth at least six hundred taels of silver!

“Brother, do you think this job is worth doing?”

Luosai Huzi’s eyes lit up. “Let’s do it!”

Six hundred taels of silver—split half and half with Brother Lu, he’d still get three hundred taels. With those three hundred taels, he could buy a small residence in the capital and even pay for Xiao Qi’s education.

Luosai Huzi immediately fell into beautiful visions of his future life.

“Let me tell you, brother—there’s a waiter at that tavern with pretty good skills. He’s the biggest obstacle to our robbery. Here’s my plan: we’ll disguise ourselves as customers and go drink wine just before closing time. Once the other customers leave, the two of us will tie up that waiter, then Xiao Hei will rush to the back kitchen…”

Zhuang Han dipped his hand in water and drew a simple layout of the tavern on the dust-covered table.

Soon the sky darkened, and a light drizzle began to fall.

Watching the gradually decreasing pedestrians on the street, Zhuang Han was in a good mood.

“Heaven is truly helping us.”

Rain was good—with rain, there would be fewer people.

“Brother, is this the tavern?” Standing at the tavern entrance, Luosai Huzi asked.

“That’s right, this is it. I could find it with my eyes closed just by following the aroma.”

The dark-faced youth following behind the two sniffed. “It does smell wonderful.”

It reminded him of the aroma of beggar’s pork knuckle he’d smelled while lying in ambush in the bushes.

Unfortunately, that robbery had failed. To this day, he still didn’t know what such fragrant beggar’s pork knuckle tasted like.

“Customer, you’re back again.” A charming and cute waiter poked her head out and greeted him with a smile.

Zhuang Han hesitated slightly.

Just yesterday, that tall waiter had thrown him out. Though he’d been caught off guard, he still felt a bit nervous.

Hong Dou quickly reassured him. “Don’t worry, customer. All who come to drink are honored guests. The waiter who threw you out yesterday has already been punished.”

Zhuang Han’s heart eased, and he walked in with his head held high.

Luosai Huzi followed inside but was pulled hard by the dark-faced youth.

“Big Brother, why do I feel like this young lady looks familiar?”

Luosai Huzi looked carefully at Hong Dou and nodded. “She does look familiar, like we’ve seen her somewhere—”

His heart skipped a beat as he suddenly remembered.

Wasn’t this the maid who’d kicked one of their brothers so hard during that robbery that he’d sworn off women ever since!

Zhuang Han, walking ahead, turned back. “Why aren’t you coming in?”

Hong Dou also recognized Luosai Huzi and the dark-faced youth.

No way could she forget—they’d dared to rob the beggar’s pork knuckle her young lady made.

However, her young lady had said yesterday that when running a tavern, one couldn’t just do as one pleased.

So the little maid’s expression remained unchanged as she smiled warmly at the two. “That’s right, why aren’t you two customers coming in?”

The dark-faced youth blinked and couldn’t help looking at Luosai Huzi.

Luosai Huzi felt uncertain, but seeing the little maid show no unusual reaction, his heart relaxed.

Seemed like she hadn’t recognized them!

Come to think of it, it was just a brief encounter—not recognizing them was normal. After all, not everyone had the sharp eyes of bandits like them.

Luosai Huzi patted the dark-faced youth’s hand to signal him to stay calm, then strode inside.

Entering the main hall, Luosai Huzi immediately spotted Sheng Sanlang.

First reaction: nothing to worry about.

At a second glance, he saw the plainly dressed young woman sitting lazily by the counter.

A chill instantly crept up Luosai Huzi’s spine.

Heavens, wasn’t this the demon woman who’d taken Xiao Qi hostage and then turned around and robbed them instead!

The dark-faced youth was also too frightened to walk, staring straight at Luo Sheng.

Zhuang Han, who’d already sat down, was quite puzzled. “What are you two spacing out for?”

How could they be so unable to keep their composure?

Luo Sheng’s gaze swept briefly over the two and she recognized them.

Could it be that the bandit hideout had been raided by officers and these escaped fish had come to the capital to make a living?

For such incompetent bandits, Luo Sheng paid no mind, giving them a faint glance before withdrawing her gaze.

Luosai Huzi was bewildered.

The demon woman also hadn’t recognized them?

That shouldn’t be right. Neither he nor Xiao Hei had common faces—how could two people in a row fail to recognize them?

Luosai Huzi couldn’t help observing Sheng Sanlang’s reaction.

Of course Sheng Sanlang had recognized them—they’d robbed his pork knuckle.

However, thinking of how Shi Yan had eaten one less portion of oil-drizzled chicken yesterday because of an impulsive moment, he didn’t want to be impulsive at all.

Those who entered were guests—he wouldn’t meddle in others’ business.

Luosai Huzi sat down with a mixture of secret delight and confusion.

Hong Dou asked with a smile, “What would you gentlemen like to eat? Today we have a new dish, crystal pork, only ten taels of silver per serving.”

“Then bring ten plates of crystal pork, ten plates of braised beef, eight servings of oil-drizzled chicken…”

Hearing Zhuang Han rattle off a string of items, Hong Dou raised her eyebrows. “Customer, you’re a regular—you know the prices, right?”

She shouldn’t normally say such things, but birds of a feather flock together. This man had brought two mountain bandits to dine—surely he wasn’t planning to dine and dash?

“Of course I know. Today I’m treating my friends—just bring it all out.” Zhuang Han spoke with magnificent generosity.

After all, they were about to rob the place anyway, so no need to pay the bill.

“Wait… wait a moment!” Luosai Huzi quickly stopped Hong Dou, who was about to relay the order.