Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Chapter 53 Let's serve the food first, I'm hungry.
On his escape, Chen Zhan changed his clothes, covered most of his face with a black cloth, and carried a black cloth bag.

Although his attire was strange and likely to attract attention, everyone in Tianjin recognized him, so wearing a mask actually made him safer.

This bustling area is called Xiaobailou (Little White Building) because after Tianjin opened as a treaty port in 1860, imperialist powers rushed to Tianjin to forcibly establish concessions.

A small white Western-style building was built near Kaifeng Road. At that time, the area did not have an official name, so people used the small white building as a landmark and called the area "Little White Building".

In 1902, the United States and Britain secretly agreed to merge the American concession into the British concession, and the British-owned Xianong Real Estate Company built houses and developed the area around Xiaobailou.

Later, a large number of buildings were constructed on Xuzhou Road, Dagu Road, Kaifeng Road and other places.

The Xiaobailou (Little White Building) was located next to the Haihe River shipping dock and adjacent to the British concession, a financial and trade center. As a result, it became a den of iniquity that catered to foreigners, bureaucrats, compradors, and retired politicians and warlords.

The area is lined with restaurants, bars, and dance halls, as well as businesses offering hairdressing, beauty, and tailoring services. There are also shops specializing in imported cosmetics, clothing, shoes, hats, canned liquor, pastries, and candies.

It is commonly known as the "foreign no-man's-land".

The word "foreign" here doesn't just mean there are many foreigners, but also that it signifies high-end and fashionable.

At that time, Tianjin was just as prosperous as Shanghai, and they were known as the two great pearls, a fact that people in later generations still take pride in.

Little did they know that beneath the glitz and glamour, the ruthless exploitation of foreigners was a brutal and predatory practice.

They ruthlessly exploited the Chinese, built bridges and roads, established concessions, and plundered resources.

But today, Xiaobailou Commercial Street is deserted. There are hardly any people on the street, and the various shops are scattered about. Most of them have already chosen to close down before nightfall.

Gunfire erupted everywhere as the manhunt for Chen Zhan was launched, with thousands of people mobilized to pursue him, turning several areas of Tianjin upside down.

The richer people are, the more afraid they are of death, and most shops close early and go home to hide.

This is his achievement.

It can also be described as cause and effect.

However, Jinlou is still open.

From the outside, it looks like a simple four-story wooden building with carved beams and painted rafters, exuding elegance and grace, with red lanterns hanging high.

Chen Zhan had no money on him, so he gave it all to Fire Fox, and used the remaining copper coins as projectiles.

Yes, there are also three bloodstained Shunzhi Tongbao coins.

They may not have money, but they walk with confidence.

I strolled to the entrance of the Golden Building.

The two servants at the door immediately became extremely wary upon seeing Chen Zhan's attire.

That's really... strange!

Chen Zhan was dressed in all black, covering all his wounds, and his face was also covered. His hair was messy and tangled, like a chicken coop, with a few weeds mixed in.

He looked like a disheveled homeless man.

He was dressed in black, his face was covered, and he carried a black cloth bag, making him look mysterious. The only thing worth mentioning about him was his pair of eyes, which were clear and bright, and looking into them would make you feel intimidated.

When you open the door to welcome guests, there's no reason not to let them in.

The two servants exchanged a glance, let Chen Zhan enter the building, and then one of them ran upstairs.

Golden Pavilion!

It's nominally a restaurant, but it's also a place where people eat, drink, and have drinks with you.

As for sleeping with someone, it all depends on their skills.

Of course, there were also those who showered the girls with money, moved them with sincerity, and eloquently expressed their feelings through poetry and prose. Once they won the girl's heart, the Golden Pavilion would take care of everything else.

Where there is literature, there is also martial arts.

Over the years, there have been many incidents of forceful actions. Tianjin is a melting pot of all sorts of people, from martial arts masters to江湖草莽 (jianghu caomang, meaning rough and tumble people from the martial arts world).

Some people, believing themselves to be powerful and accomplished, disregarded the rules of the Golden Pavilion.

Those who forced girls never met a good end.

For over a decade, Jinlou (a type of entertainment venue) operated across the north and south, from Tianjin and Beijing in the north to Foshan and Shanghai in the south, and even Nanjing. These were all major cities, occupying prime locations, providing shelter for homeless and widowed girls who sang and performed, earning a fortune daily. To have managed to thrive for over a decade without powerful connections—who would believe they didn't have influential backers?
The interior of the building also embodies the word "elegance".

Chen Zhan didn't even lift his eyelids and walked straight inside until someone called out to him, "Hey, sir, what brings you here?"

A woman walked straight down from the second floor. She was in her thirties or forties and did not look old, but her demeanor clearly indicated that she was a woman.

A mature charm cannot be hidden, and the woman has no intention of hiding it. A cheongsam accentuates her graceful waist as she sways as she walks.

Chen Zhan's gaze was unwavering as he looked at her, as if she were a beautiful but crimson skeleton: "Isn't Jinlou a restaurant?"

The woman nodded and said, "Of course."

She immediately understood Chen Zhan's meaning and said, "This way, please."

The woman led the way, swaying her hips as she went up the spiral staircase to the second floor, then turned left into the elegant room.

Chen Zhan threw down the black bag, which landed with a "clang" and made a metallic clanging sound.

The woman, with her sharp eyes, raised an eyebrow and became even more curious, thinking to herself: This bag is quite heavy, but this person carries it with such ease that its weight is almost imperceptible.

And look at her outfit, it's so weird!

The world in Tianjin is in chaos now. A madman has appeared, killing people everywhere and causing unrest. He's no less ruthless than Wang Zibin back then.

I don't know if I caught it or not.
Chen Zhan entered the house, put down his bundle and rested, without removing his face towel. He was wrapped tightly in a long black robe, but she could still see a touch of crimson on the back of his hand.

Something flashed through my mind, and my heart skipped a few beats.
Could it be that gentleman?
Jinlou had powerful connections, but it didn't dare to confront the entire five foreign concessions in Tianjin.

The woman snapped out of her reverie and asked casually, "What would you like, sir?"

Chen Zhan sat on the solid wood bench and let out a long sigh, saying, "Eat, drink, good wine and good food."

"Alright, please wait a moment, sir. I'll make the arrangements right away."

"Wait!"

Just as the woman turned to leave, Chen Zhan called out softly to stop her.

"Chen is not here to cause trouble, so there's no need to be nervous, and don't do anything you shouldn't do."

The woman turned her head, her eyebrows and eyes trembling beneath her delicate makeup, she was extremely nervous.

Chen Zhan was too ruthless; a nobody like her, who frequented the brothel, couldn't help but be afraid.

Let's not even talk about how tragically Ichiro Itagaki, the Japanese ambassador to Tsu, died.

The Green Gang was the largest gang in Tianjin; its leader and second-in-command could be killed at will.

The entire headquarters was in complete chaos, with countless people dying, and the seven-character bloodstains left behind were truly chilling.

"Mr. Chen, what can I do for you? Please, just tell me what you need."

She could only force herself to control her emotions; if she broke down and ran away at this moment, she would die the fastest.

"Serve the food first, I'm hungry," Chen Zhan said casually.

"Yes, yes, Mengniang understands."

Mengniang felt as if she had been granted a pardon and hurriedly left, walking quickly towards the backyard. After entering the backyard, she turned back and headed towards the kitchen.

He gave a few instructions in the kitchen, sweating profusely with anxiety.

Before leaving, he said, "Bring on your best dishes, don't skimp on them, bring them all out, and hurry up!"

The kitchen staff had never seen Mengniang like this before, so they immediately perked up and worked hard to cook.

Mengniang turned and headed straight for the backyard. The Golden Pavilion had four floors and was considered a semi-brothel, but the person in charge did not live in the building.

The first floor connects to the backyard. Take a few quick steps to enter a three-courtyard house and call someone to announce your arrival.

Mengniang, breathless from running, hurriedly said, "Quickly inform the second and third leaders that the ruthless Chen Zhan has arrived."

The young boy at the door naturally knew who Chen Zhan was, and upon hearing this, he quickly ran inside.

(End of this chapter)