Chapter 148.1
The group of disciples from the Beggar Sect were dumbfounded!
In the past, when they encountered other beggars who heard that they could join the Beggar Sect, they were overjoyed and extremely grateful, shedding tears of gratitude.
Because joining the Beggar Sect was akin to finding an organization and being part of a system. It wasnt so easy to be bullied by others.
Speaking frankly, with the support of our Beggar Sect brothers in the future, when we go out to compete for territory, we can seize better spots, obtain more food, and live a more comfortable life.
However, today we encountered someone who seemed to fear and avoid us as if we were the plague.
And the disdain in their tone was unmistakable
The Beggar Sect disciples looked at each other, then, as if by an unspoken agreement, turned their gaze towards the elder.
Even Elder Lais face struggled to maintain composure.
After all, this was the first time he had ever invited someone to join the sect!
To his surprise, he was rejected!
Ahem as the saying goes, to each their own; one cannot force their will upon another!
Elder Lai stroked his beard, putting on an air of dignity as he spoke, Since the young man does not wish to join our Beggar Sect, it can only mean that our paths were not meant to cross. So be it!
Yes, Elder! the crowd responded in unison.
Lets continue our search to see if there are any other beggar talents out there!
They carried on with their search and finally found someone who looked the part of a beggar.
Young man!
Elder Lai approached with a warm smile, cupping his hands in greeting, I have a matter I wish to discuss with you, may I take a moment of your time?
The man looked Elder Lai up and down. Despite the others tattered and ragged clothing, which gave him a somewhat unkempt appearance, there was a unique aura about him that made the man stop without hesitation.
Get to the point if you have any questions, I need to get back to rest!
Thank you, brother beggar
The man jumped up excitedly: Who are you calling a beggar? Youre the beggar, your whole family are beggars!
Elder Lai and the disciples of the Beggar Sect:
Damn, what a mouth on this guy!
That was so sharp!
Young man, youve misunderstood us, thats not what we meant!
Elder Lai, having weathered many storms, didnt take the matter to heart and continued with an elders gentle smile, warmly saying, Look at us, were beggars too, no one is looking down on anyone! We just thought, given your attire, that you might be one of our own, which is why we addressed you as such! If weve offended you in any way, please forgive us!
The man, seeing Elder Lais sincere expression and their shabby appearance, nodded, So thats how it is, its no big deal, I forgive you! To tell you the truth, I used to be a beggar myself!
Really? Elder Lai and the others exchanged glances.
Of course, why would I lie to you? Is it something to be proud of?
Elder Lai and the disciples of the Beggar Sect:
He always felt like the other person was insulting him, but there was no evidence!
Young man, you say you used to be a beggar, so now
Now, of course, Im not anymore. Ive long since stopped being one because theres no future in begging!
How can there be no future in begging?
A disciple of the Beggar Sect stood up to argue: If you beg well, you have the chance to join our Beggar Sect! Once you join our Beggar Sect, you become one of our disciples! All of us in the Beggar Sect are like brothers, and when youre out and about, you wont be bullied by others!
If youre exceptionally talented and contribute greatly to our Beggar Sect, you might even have the opportunity to become a One-Bag Disciple, a Two-Bag Disciple, climbing up the ranks! As your status rises, you might even have the chance to become an elder of our Beggar Sect, or even the leader, commanding millions of our followers!
Others also chimed in with their voices.
Yeah, we beggars do have a bright future!
Even though were despised by outsiders, we are united among ourselves! Once you join our Beggar Sect, youll have tens of thousands of brothers. Everyone is your family, supporting you and ensuring youre not bullied!
If you work hard enough, you can even become a One-Bag Disciple, a Two-Bag Disciple and if you become an elder, youll be in charge of millions of our members, wielding great power! Plus, youll have a high status and be respected in the rivers and lakes!
Being an elder is too far-fetched, lets not talk about that! As long as you join our Beggar Sect, youll at least be the leader of the local beggars, managing a few of them! When you go out to beg, you can get an extra half bowl of leftovers. Isnt that enticing?
And sometimes you even get to add some meat to your meal, chicken bones are especially delicious!
The more the person listened, the more disdainful he became: Enough with that, even if you brag about the sky, I wont listen! One-Bag Disciple, Two-Bag Disciple, elders, sect leaders you make it sound so grand, but in the end, arent you still just beggars? If I continue to be a beggar and mix with you lot, that really means my brain has been squashed by a door!
Elder Lai said, Young man, it seems you have quite a disdain for our Beggar Sect!
Its not just quite a disdain, but rather a significant one!
You The disciples of the Beggar Sect were getting a bit angry.
Young man, has our Beggar Sect offended you in any way? If so, please speak up, and on behalf of the Sect, I will apologize to you! Elder Lai said patiently.
Its not about being offended; I just think your Beggar Sect has no future. It would be better to disband sooner rather than later!
How can you say theres no future? Let me tell you
Enough, enough Ill do the talking, lest I lose my appetite for dinner tonight!
The man set down his hoe, lifted his head, and said, I ask you, if I join the Beggar Sect, will I have food to eat?
A disciple of the Beggar Sect spoke up loudly, In our Beggar Sect, we value self-reliance, working with our own hands for ample food and clothing! If youre hungry, you go out and beg for food. How much you get depends on your own skill!
I ask you, if I join your Beggar Sect, will I have a big house to live in?
It was the same disciple of the Beggar Sect who continued to speak loudly, In our Beggar Sect, we consider the whole world as our home, the sky as our roof, and the earth as our bed. Where cant we live? What do we need a big house for!
I ask you, if I join your Beggar Sect, will I get money?
The other party said in shock, We beggars are all brothers in adversity, thats why we gather together to keep each other warm. How can we talk about money? Talking about money hurts feelings. What we value is righteousness and brotherly bonds!
Ill ask you again, if I join your Beggar Sect, can I get a wife?
Well normally a beggar cant, after all, no woman would look up to a beggar! However, if you rise to the rank of an elder, there are indeed many women who would be willing to marry you!
The Beggar Sect disciple earnestly advised, After you join our Beggar Sect, with so many brothers like us, who needs a woman? So, young brother, forget about women. Women will only slow down the speed at which we draw our swords!
F*ck off!
The man cursed loudly. Joining your Beggar Sect, theres no food to beg for, no house to live in, no money to be had, and no women to be found and on top of that, Id be surrounded by a bunch of single dogs! If I join you, Id be a dog myself!
The disciples of the Beggar Sect were displeased.
Brother, your words are a bit too much!
We were only trying to comfort you with good intentions, how can you curse at us and call us dogs?
Can you really achieve all that without joining the Beggar Sect?
Of course I can!
The other party lifted their head proudly. Ill have you know, Im currently working on a road construction project for the imperial court. The court provides two meals a day, generous portions that fill you up, enough to eat until youre stuffed!
The disciples of the Beggar Sect looked at each other in surprise. The welfare provided by the Great Xia imperial court is that good?
Absolutely! And they often provide extra meals, even meat, which is delicious! When you bite into it, your mouth fills with the taste of fatits incredibly tasty! As he spoke, he subconsciously licked his lips.
These words made the disciples of the Beggar Sect green with envy!
Although they were now outstanding disciples of the Beggar Sect and no longer worried about food and drink, the prospect was still very tempting!
However, no one achieves success overnight. They too were once beggars who often went hungry and cold, and it was through their own efforts that they have everything they have today.
Yet it seems so easy for the other person, who has skipped over a decade of hardship, and they cant help but feel envious.
How wonderful it would have been if they had received such treatment back in the day!
One of them said bitterly, So what if you eat well, do you have a house to live in?
I dont have a house yet, but it wont be long before Ill have a big and sturdy concrete house!
How can you afford a house, you dont have any money!
Who says I dont have money?
The man exclaimed loudly. Let me tell you, I can now earn 300 wen a month! Ive been working for over half a year, and the money Ive saved is almost reaching two taels of silver. Impressive, right?
How did you manage to earn so much money? the disciples of the Beggar Sect were astonished.
For beggars, going out to beg each month and managing to earn 50 wen was already considered a bountiful harvest.
Having saved up one tael of silver was deemed a substantial amount of money.
Yet the person before them was able to earn 300 wen each month and, in half a year, had saved up two taels of silver.
Even in the great cities of the empire, only the more affluent commoners had such an income.
***
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