Madmen don't keep diaries

Chapter 69 Parade
He tried to make amends again, but Feng Xiuhu didn't believe him.

He became increasingly certain he had taken on a difficult situation. "Those four streets were voluntarily allocated to us by the temple. If they come and cause trouble while I'm preaching there, that's unacceptable."

"cough."

Guard Officer Morgan coughed lightly and gently reminded him, "When you killed Diao Haisheng, it seems you didn't even inform the church."

Feng Xiuhu suddenly understood.

Personal actions are personal consequences.

If someone really comes to deal with him, the temple can just say it was unaware of it afterwards.

Feng Xiuhu figured out the clue: "So, the temple has found a new tax collector?"

Officer Morgan nodded: "Yes."

"This man's name is Ni Shicai, and he has a certain reputation and prestige in the port area."

Feng Xiuhu propped up his cheek with one hand and asked, "Which gang is he from?"

Officer Morgan shook his head. "He's not a gang. He's just an honest businessman."

Feng Xiuhu raised an eyebrow: "What business?"

Guard Officer Morgan replied, "Half of the street is occupied by strangers."

Feng Xiuhu smiled. It seemed that in their eyes, the businesses on Shengren Street were all legitimate businesses.

What kind of businesses are going on on Stranger Street?
The name Shengren Street is a homonym. Its original name should be Shengren Street, which means that the business on this street is about buying and selling livestock and people who are like livestock.

It turns out that Ni Shicai is the head of a human trafficking gang.

Guard Officer Morgan didn't notice the hint in Feng Xiuhu's smile and continued, "Ni Shicai is different from Diao Haisheng. He doesn't have much of a bandit streak, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have people under his wing. He also has many connections, many of whom are government officials. Furthermore, his son is a temple clerk, serving in the Port District Temple—perhaps this is one of the reasons the temple chose him as a tax collector."

"What other reason could there be?"

Feng Xiuhu asked.

Officer Morgan looked at it and said, "Of course."

"The four streets designated by the temple for the church—Fish Market Street, Strangers Street, Clam Pearl Street, and Silver Shuttle Street—are two residential districts and two commercial districts, respectively."

There is no need to think about it, the commercial districts are of course Fish Market Street and Strangers Street, and the remaining two streets are where people live.

The residents of the port area only believe in the Goddess of Wind and Rain. Feng Xiuhu has long experienced how difficult it is to preach to her, so it is probably difficult to collect much silver offerings from the two residential streets of Bangzhu and Yinsuo.

But the remaining two trading streets, which occupied the bulk of the silver offerings, were simply the temple's deliberate attempt to disgust people.

After the night of the "shopping spree", people on Yushi Street's favorable impression of the church plummeted to the freezing point, and it was a blessing that they did not gather together to boycott the choir.

Besides, half of the remaining street is occupied by Ni Shicai's business. How could he, a tax collector working for the temple, give face to Feng Xiuhu?

I'm afraid I can't give you anything.

After all, there is not much difference between giving these four streets and not giving them.

Feng Xiuhu thought for a moment and asked, "Can I kill Ni Shicai?"

Guard Officer Morgan laughed dryly, "I'm afraid not. The relationship between us and the temple is like a powder keg right now. You're just lighting the fuse."

This matter is difficult to handle, Feng Xiuhu decided to wait and see.

……

After leaving the church, Feng Xiuhu returned to his house and changed out of his deacon's robe.

After Shunzi came back, the two had lunch at home, and Feng Xiuhu took him to the port area again.

It is better to be safe than sorry. When the situation is unclear, you should investigate first.

Except for Shangcheng District, Shunzi is quite familiar with every place in Fancheng. With this good brother around, Feng Xiuhu saves a lot of trouble.

The two came to the port area and hurriedly passed by Yushi Street - Feng Xiuhu kept his head down the whole time, for he was afraid of being recognized.

After walking a short while, we arrived at Strangers Street.

This place was more lively than Feng Xiuhu had imagined.

There were crowds of people on both sides of the street, forming a tight human wall, and it was impossible to see what was going on inside.

This scene made Feng Xiuhu particularly excited. He patted Shunzi vigorously and said, "Is it so lively here every day?"

Shunzi grabbed the back of his head, also confused: "No." Shunzi led the way and squeezed to the front of the crowd with Feng Xiuhu.

Now I can finally see it clearly - on the street, the workers are marching in a mighty manner!

Shunzi suddenly realized: "Wow! Here it comes again!"

"What's coming again?"

Feng Xiuhu asked.

Shunzi pointed at the parade and said, "It's a workers' parade. It happens once every month."

“Why the parade?”

Feng Xiuhu asked again.

Shunzi shrugged. "I don't know. It's different every time, and every person is different."

Feng Xiuhu didn't understand, so Shunzi asked him to look carefully.

Feng Xiuhu looked at the parade.

There were both men and women in the team, and their work clothes were also different. Those with black marks on their bodies looked like they were from a coal mine, and those wearing aprons and headscarves looked like they were from a textile factory. They were of all kinds but all equally excited and angry.

They don't even have a unified slogan.

Someone on this side shouted "processing fee", and someone on the other side followed up with "I want to take a break".

One side says “dinner is provided”, and the other side follows up with “no fish is eaten”.

Everyone has different demands, and Feng Xiuhu couldn't help but laugh.

This didn't feel like a parade, but more like an unrehearsed farce.

The parade continued to move forward, and Feng Xiuhu followed.

At this moment, one of the female workers suddenly shouted, "Why are the male workers paid more than us?"

One of the male workers immediately responded with a curse: "Which bitch brought this up again? We work harder, so why shouldn't we be paid more than you?"

After these words were spoken, the momentum of shouting became even more heated.

One of the women workers shouted, "You've put in 100% of your effort, and we've put in 100% of our effort, so what's the difference?"

Some of the male workers sneered, "How strange! Our 10% strength can lift 100 kilograms of coal. Can your 10% strength be used?"

The female worker yelled back, "How shameless! You are naturally stronger than us, so it's your duty to carry whatever weight you have."

One of the male workers grumbled, "If you ask me, just be happy you're getting paid! Going back a few decades, have you women ever had the luxury of being seen in public?"

The crowd was excited and the onlookers also joined the discussion.

Feng Xiuhu, however, noticed something was wrong——

The one who always responded to the calls from the female workers was a sturdy woman in a floral dress, with thick long hair and heavy makeup; the one who took over the call from the male workers was the same person every time, judging from the voice, but he was elusive and could not be found.

Feng Xiuhu was deeply puzzled. He couldn't help but walk out of the crowd, squeeze into the parade, and come to the strong woman with heavy makeup.

The woman continued to shout at the top of her voice: "Sisters! Those who work harder should work harder, and those who earn more should earn more! The men's wages should be divided into half for us!"

"The Duke of Da said that we female workers are the most valuable people in the factory!"

She didn't notice that Feng Xiuhu had come over.

Feng Xiuhu looked at her carefully, then suddenly bent down and put his head under her skirt.

"oops--"

The sturdy woman howled and jumped away, covering her crotch and glaring at Feng Xiuhu: "Who are you?"

Feng Xiuhu was shocked: "You are a man!"

The "woman" pinched her orchid fingers and angrily shouted at Feng Xiuhu: "Don't talk nonsense! I'm not! You are the man! Your whole family is men!"

Feng Xiuhu was a little bewildered: "But you haven't even shaved clean."

He looked at the female workers around him: "Can't you see?"

PS: The clown who is trying to sow discord is so obvious, how can you not see it? Hurry up and get your monthly ticket to keep your eyes open.

(End of this chapter)