CHAPTER 1221: CHAPTER 1215: BEGGARS FIGHTING

But today, it seems he does not have his crutch, perhaps his legs have healed.

Lady Fang was getting angrier at the sight of the beggars ignoring her, ranting: "All lazy good-for-nothings who don’t want to work, with able hands and feet. If they weren’t lazy, how would they have become beggars? I think, they should be driven out of Jinxiu City."

Fights over scraps among the beggars were a common sight on the streets, and the passersby had become accustomed to it, treating it as entertainment before steering clear of the beggars.

Who would want to get their clothes dirtied by getting too close to them?

In the scramble, one of the beggars was kicked by another on the ground and rolled over to Lady Fang’s feet.

Lady Fang hopped about in distress, cursing as she moved aside.

"Such bad luck, move along, don’t you frighten my grandson."

Cuiya, pulled by Lady Fang, kept looking back while the beggar in the middle was pinned down by seven or eight others, who were trying to rob him of something he was holding on to tightly. Failing to snatch it away, they vented their frustration on him with punches and kicks, having to at least release their anger if they couldn’t get the item.

Before long, the beggar vomited blood, causing onlookers to shake their heads in pity, wondering what was so valuable that he clung to it at the risk of his own life.

Jie Yi in Cuiya’s arms started crying out loud, his gaze fixed on the beggar on the ground.

"Oh dear, come on Cuiya, move along quickly, look how scared the little master is," Lady Fang hurriedly said.

Cuiya froze for a moment, then hurriedly covered Jie Yi’s eyes to shield him from the sight.

But the more she tried to cover his eyes, the harder he cried, reaching out his little hands to grasp at Cuiya’s.

His fingernails weren’t trimmed properly, and immediately scratched a bloody mark onto the back of Cuiya’s hand.

Lady Fang continued to curse: "Such bad luck, went out to buy a dough figurine and stumbled upon a beggars’ brawl, even dirtying my shoes. Cuiya, stop dawdling, let’s go quickly."

Soon, Cuiya disappeared into the crowd with Lady Fang, and it was only then that the beggar on the ground slowly raised his head, looking in the direction where their figures had vanished.

The other beggars were still venting their anger on him, kicking him repeatedly.

He was as if completely devoid of sensation, motionless, letting them vent, allowing the blood to flow from the corner of his mouth.

The onlookers could no longer bear to watch, someone shouted: "Stop hitting him, or he’ll be killed! Everyone stop, or I’ll call the officials."

Seeing the official patrol approaching in their direction, the beggars scattered in all directions.

They might not be thrown into jail, but they could be banished from Jinxiu City.

There were so many wealthy people in Jinxiu City, being a beggar here was better than elsewhere; how could they bear to leave?

Yet this new beggar was really odd, always clutching something in his arms that they speculated must be valuable.

However, he was stubborn and endured the beating without ever yielding that supposed treasure.

Some sympathetic onlookers pitied the beggar on the ground and threw him a steamed bun; someone else gave him a broken bowl filled with some water.

He struggled to get up, dragged his injured body to a corner of the street, took the broken bowl, and started to devour the steamed bun hungrily.

Cuiya returned to Manxiu Building with Jie Yi in her arms, but the child kept crying incessantly, and nothing Cuiya did would console him.

Everyone gathered around, asking, "What’s wrong with the little master? Why is he crying so hard?"

Cuiya, also driven to tears, said, "Perhaps he was frightened just now."