CHAPTER 36: CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX FOUR IDIOTS

Liang Run took Zhao Yao around the West Market. After a while, they saw a crowd gathered not far ahead, seemingly watching some commotion.

Zhao Yao loved a spectacle, and as soon as he saw one, he dashed forward. With his small frame, he slipped through the crowd like an eel, squeezing right to the front. It was then he saw several teenagers in their teens beating up a frail young man.

Each of these teenagers was dressed in brocade clothes, their expressions fierce, with smirks of glee on their lips. The man under their feet wore gray linen, and his face was bruised beyond recognition. Curled up on the ground, his eyes were full of fear, and he continuously begged for mercy.

Yet the more he pleaded, the happier the teenagers became. They kicked him occasionally and sometimes whipped him with a horsewhip.

Seeing this, Zhao Yao frowned. However, he didn’t rush to judge; instead, he asked an elder beside him.

"Sir, why are they beating him?"

The elder, finding Zhao Yao charming, couldn’t help but feel affection and kindly replied, "That man is a thief, daring to steal from these young noblemen, and he got caught on the spot, so they beat him."

Another elder nearby said, "This person is a habitual thief; this isn’t the first time he’s stolen. Today he was unlucky to steal from these ones," lowering his voice, he added, "to steal from these bullies."

Someone else chimed in, "This fellow must be crazy to provoke them; if he wasn’t beaten half to death, these bullies wouldn’t let him go."

Hearing the elders call the teenagers "bullies," Zhao Yao curiously asked, "Who are they, and why call them bullies?"

The first elder, surprised that Zhao Yao didn’t recognize these bullies, replied, "You really don’t know them?"

Zhao Yao shook his head, "I don’t. Are they famous?" Judging by their clothes and actions, they seemed like infamous playboys of the capital.

"Everyone in the West Market knows them," the elder said, eyeing the bullies, who continued to harass the thief, and cautiously told Zhao Yao, "Their fathers are high officials in the court."

"How high?"

"I heard they’re all sons of the Great Generals."

"Great Generals, what’s their surname?" There were many Great Generals at court, heroes who once fought alongside the emperor to build the kingdom.

"Song, Zhang, Shen, and Chu," replied the elder.

Zhao Yao appeared surprised, "They’re all sons of Great Generals?"

"Indeed, or how else could they be so arrogant," continued the elder, "Don’t be fooled by their young age; they dare do anything, beating people in broad daylight and fearlessly hitting anyone."

"Are they really that brazen, and doesn’t the Capital Governor intervene?"

"Their fathers being Great Generals, the Capital Governor wouldn’t dare intervene," the elder kindly advised Zhao Yao, "You shouldn’t mess with these bullies; stay clear if you see them."

Zhao Yao nodded, "I understand." He further asked, "Have they ever beaten anyone to death?"

"Not killed, but they often beat people half to death, like now," the elder shook his head, his face filled with fear, saying, "Offending them leads to no good end."

"They don’t take things without paying, do they?" Zhao Yao softly inquired, "Do they snatch people’s belongings or abduct women?"

"No."

"Really?" Aren’t all playboys like that?

"Though they often cause trouble, they don’t steal or abduct women."

"Then why are they bullies?"

"Because they’re domineering and unreasonable, often beating people," added the elder, "They also frequently engage in cockfights and dogfights."

"So that’s how it is."

"Even the street dogs and cats fear them and keep their distance."

Zhao Yao thought: So they’re hated by both cats and dogs.

Seeing the thief wet his pants under the beating, the teenagers burst into laughter. The tallest, strongest among them lifted the thief’s chin with his whip, viciously warning, "If we catch you stealing next time, watch your life."

The thief cried, "I won’t dare again, never."

The tall, strong youth snorted disdainfully, straightened up, and said to the others, "Let’s go."

"Where to?"

"To the teahouse to listen to stories."

"The teahouse again?"

"Where else do you want to go, to the brothel?"

"Are we really going to the brothel?"

"Do you dare?"

"No way."

"I wouldn’t either."

If their fathers knew they went to the brothel, they’d be done for.

"If not the teahouse, then let’s go cockfighting."

As soon as the bullies left, the crowd dared to start discussing. No one cared about the thief being heavily beaten by the youths.

Zhao Yao asked Liang Run, "Uncle, do you know those people just now?"

"I do, they’re very well-known in the West Market; they belong to the Song, Zhang, Shen, and Chu families," Liang Run explained, "They’re the youngest sons of these families, likely spoiled, which makes them so arrogant. Nevertheless, since they haven’t caused any deaths, the Capital Governor turns a blind eye."

"I heard the eldest sons of these families are famous and serve in the military, but I didn’t expect their youngest sons to cause trouble in the market."

"Youngest sons tend to be spoiled."

"I’m also the youngest, but I’m not spoiled," Zhao Yao quietly sighed, "Alas, even as the youngest, I’m punished to copy the ’Analects’ a hundred times."

Liang Run felt sorry hearing this, rubbing Zhao Yao’s head, "Uncle spoils you." Zhao Yao and his sister weren’t favored, likely because of their Liang family’s humble status.

"Even if Father doesn’t spoil me, I have my loving consort mother, and uncles who do."

"Do you want to eat something? Uncle will buy it for you."

"I still want pastries."

"Then let’s buy some more."

The uncle and nephew headed to the most popular pastry store in the capital, unexpectedly encountering the same teenagers again. Three stood outside the pastry shop, while one seemed to be inside buying pastries.

Seeing them standing at the pastry shop’s entrance, passersby appeared frightened and steered clear, as if they were man-eaters, approaching them only meant being eaten.

The three were pleased by the passersby’s fearful reactions, putting on even meaner faces, making passersby quicken their pace past the shop.

Zhao Yao remained unafraid of them, treating them as if they were invisible.

The three teenagers, spotting a pretty little kid approaching, thought he would be scared of them but were surprised by his boldness as he walked right past them into the shop.

Liang Run, naturally unfazed by these immature youths, followed Zhao Yao into the pastry shop.

The trio eyed Zhao Yao all the way. As Zhao Yao entered the shop, they exchanged looks.

"Who was that little fellow just now, not afraid of us?"

"Doesn’t he know who we are?"

"Were we just underestimated?"

"When he comes out, we’ll scare him, show him how frightening we are."

Zhao Yao entered the shop, noticing the shop assistant speaking nervously to a richly dressed youth.

The rich youth relished the assistant’s fear, though he had a chubby, cute face, he pretended to put on a fierce expression.

Seeing the youth pull out money, the assistant quickly waved it off, saying it wasn’t needed.

The youth angrily said, "What, looking down on me?"

The assistant, terrified, shook his head vehemently, "No, I wouldn’t dare."

The youth, chin raised, exuded an air of dominance, "I’m not short of money." With that, he forcefully placed the money on the counter.

The assistant quickly thanked him, "Thank you, young master."

Only then did the rich youth leave contently.

After he left, the assistant breathed a long sigh of relief, wearing a look of having escaped a calamity.

"Are you alright?" Zhao Yao asked with concern.

Seeing the adorable child at the counter, the assistant’s heart softened, his expression turning gentle.

"Young master, what pastries would you like?"

"Are you okay?"

"I’m fine, thank you for asking," the assistant bent down to ask Zhao Yao, "What would you like to buy?"

Zhao Yao replied crisply, "I want peach blossom cakes, walnut date cakes, lotus cakes..." These were his favorites. Naturally, they were also his mother’s favorites.

"Please wait a moment."

The youth, having exited the shop, learned from his friends that a little guy wasn’t afraid of them, naturally got angry. He and the other three waited outside the shop, intending to teach the little guy a lesson once he finished buying pastries and emerged.

Zhao Yao came out with his pastries, seeing the four richly dressed youths glaring fiercely at him like malicious fiends.

Convinced their formidable expressions would surely scare the little guy to tears, the richly dressed youths stood ready.