Chapter 94: Taking Beggars In (II)
Translator: Storm in a Teacup
“You stole his silver?” s.h.i.+ asked gently.
“No, no.” The beggar raised his head. Although his little face was dirty, it could still be seen that he was a good-looking boy.
s.h.i.+ raised his eyebrows. “If you didn’t steal, why did he say that you did?”
The beggar said, “I really didn’t steal his silver.”
The middle-aged man said angrily, “Dirty boy, you’re the only person who has been close to me. If you didn’t steal my silver, who else would that be?”
“I just wanted to beg for some food. I didn’t steal your silver!” The little beggar said anxiously. Then, he looked at s.h.i.+ and Long, hoping that they could save him.
“He’s just a little kid. Can’t you tell if your silver is hidden in his clothes?” s.h.i.+ said lightly. After he made a gesture, a Shadow Guardian appeared. He carried the child and searched his body. “No.”
His words caused uproar in the crowd.
The middle-aged man shouted. “Why would I believe in your words? I think you have hidden my silver! Otherwise, who would help a dirty beggar?”
As the Shadow Guardian’s eyes flashed with some cold light, he directly slapped that man across the face.
The middle-aged man didn’t expect that the Shadow Guardian would slap his face. He was slapped so hard that he staggered and almost fell over. “Ah…” The man gave a scream. Seeing that the Shadow Guardian was so fierce, the onlookers were afraid of being hurt, so they all ran away.
“You… You… I’ll report to the government!” The middle-aged man roared.
The Shadow Guardian sneered. He picked up the man and searched his body.
“What is this?” A bag of silver was thrown out.
That man rolled his eyes. “This is my silver! My silver!”
“I know it’s yours, but you always take two bags of silver with you?”
“What’s the problem?” The man shouted. “I just like to bring two bags of silver with me every day. What’s that to do with you?”
The Shadow Guardians didn’t want to waste time on him, so he turned his eyes to s.h.i.+ and Long.
Long narrowed his eyes and said lightly, “Since he wants to report to the government, just take him there.”
The middle-aged man was stunned.
The Shadow Guardian didn’t care what that man wanted to say at all. He directly took the man and flew away.
Long looked at the little beggar and suddenly came up with a plan.
“Do you have any relatives?”
The little beggar shook his head. “No, all my relatives have died. I’m the only one left.”
Long smiled. “Would you like to go with me?”
“You’re willing to take me in?” The little beggar’s eyes suddenly brightened.
Long smiled again. “Yes, come with me.”
The little beggar immediately agreed. Long said again, “Do you know how many children are like you in the town?”
The little beggar was stunned.
Long explained it in detail. “I mean, orphans without relatives who are about your age. I can take all of you with me.”
The little beggar’s eyes brightened when he heard the words. “Yes, I have several friends!”
Long said with a smile, “Then call them all over.”
“Sir… there are also some older people. Can they come with us?”
Long paused for a second and then nodded. “All right.”
The little beggar was very happy and hurried to call others.
Long sent a Shadow Guardian to follow him…
After the two of them left, s.h.i.+ asked Long, “What do you want to do?”
Long said gently, “Let’s go back first.”
s.h.i.+ squinted at Long and said nothing.
Soon, the two of them returned to the inn.
After entering the room, s.h.i.+ said, “Can you tell me now?”
Long smiled. “Those children are at the perfect age for learning martial arts.”
s.h.i.+ was stunned. He understood Long’s intention.
“You want to… train them?”
Long nodded. “Right. I’ll train them into Shadow Guardians.”
After thinking for a moment, s.h.i.+ nodded. “They are all orphans, so they won’t be burdened by their families. Their loyalty won’t be a problem, either. That’s really a good idea.”
Long smiled. “That’s right.”
s.h.i.+ thought about it and said again, “But old beggars will be useless, won’t they?”
“Although they’re not very useful, we can still keep them, because they can help us win popular support.”
s.h.i.+ paused and then nodded. “Right. All those beggars live together. If we only take away the children, but leave the old behind, others will say we’re too cold-hearted.”
“Right. We don’t lack food anyway. It’s good to bring all of them with us. We can set up some special buildings outside the imperial city to gather beggars from all over the nation. They are also labor force.”
s.h.i.+ puckered his lips. “It’s a good plan, but some beggars are no longer labor force.”
Otherwise, how could they have become beggars?
“Since some children are too young, those who have lost their labor capacity can help to look after them. Anyway, as long as a person is still alive, he must have his value. Don’t worry about that.”
s.h.i.+ stared at Long for a long time and then smiled.
“Your Majesty, I’m so glad that you think like this. It’s a blessing for all the people in our nation.”
Long’s eyes brightened slightly. “Really? Do you really think so, Qingzhou?”
“Of course.” s.h.i.+ smiled.
Long also smiled and held s.h.i.+ into his arms.
s.h.i.+ smiled and thought that this was really a blessing for the people.
The two of them enjoyed their sweet time for a while. After asking the Shadow Guardians to deal with those beggars, Long and s.h.i.+ left for Shuanghua City the next day.
“I wonder how things are going in Tianyin post,” s.h.i.+ said.
Long tilted his head. “Don’t worry. Xu You is not stupid and there are Shadow Guardians with him. There won’t be any big problems.”
s.h.i.+ turned to look at Long. “Seems that you aren’t worried at all?”
Long laughed. “It’s not that I’m not worried, but I don’t think we’ll run into some trouble since we have the initiative now.”
s.h.i.+ kept silent for a while, and then said, “That’s right.”
Long pulled s.h.i.+ and made s.h.i.+ sit on his lap. They were on their way to Shuanghua City. As a modern man, Long really didn’t like riding horses, so they were going there by carriage.
There were two horses pulling the carriage, so it was pretty fast. Moreover, the carriage was well decorated inside, so it was very comfortable. Long made s.h.i.+ sit on his lap and s.h.i.+ didn’t resist.
Long put one hand on s.h.i.+’s waist and couldn’t help stroking it.
s.h.i.+’s eyes twinkled. Thinking of what Long might do next, s.h.i.+ slightly pursed his lips.
This place might be a little inappropriate, but…
s.h.i.+ slightly lowered his head and didn’t stop Long.
Long just wanted to stroke s.h.i.+’s body for a while, but he didn’t expect s.h.i.+ would behave like that!
Long immediately got a burning desire.
Then, they couldn’t help but go further. Long turned s.h.i.+ around and then the two of them sat face to face on each other’s laps…
As the atmosphere in the carriage became intimate, Long began to kiss s.h.i.+’s lips pa.s.sionately…