The anti-Qing movement began with the looting of the Eight-Nation Alliance.

"I've inquired about it; it would take at least ten days to get these. How did you manage to get them?" Nie Shuping asked in surprise when she saw Shen Lian come out with the receipts and slips of paper.

"Didn't you say that with enough money, everything is easy to handle?" Shen Lian smiled slightly.

It seems my brother-in-law has spent quite a bit again; he's incredibly generous!

Nie Shuping shook her head. "Generosity is good, though. That means I won't be short of money anymore! Hehe!"

The two left the Ministry of Personnel and went directly to the treasury to pay eight thousand taels of silver as a donation. Then they returned to the Ministry of Personnel with the stamped receipt. The donation was now complete, and they just had to wait a few days to pick up their "license."

Shen Lian was already considered a fourth-rank official. In later generations, that would be at least a department-level cadre. He was secretly delighted that becoming an official was so easy. The only official he had ever seen in his life was a village head.

"The business is done, come on, brother-in-law! I'll treat you to a drink today, wishing you all the best in your future endeavors." Nie Shuping pulled Shen Lian to the south entrance of the meat market outside Qianmen.

“Brother-in-law, this Zhengyanglou restaurant specializes in Shandong cuisine. Their hot pot is also exceptional, comparable to Donglaishun!” Nie Shuping said, pointing to the grand restaurant after getting off the carriage.

"Oh! Third Master is here! Please come in! It's been a long time since I've seen you, sir!" A waiter immediately came forward to greet him.

Nie Shuping swaggered in, putting on airs. "Hey! Third Master Nie!" "Greetings, Third Master!" People kept greeting him along the way. Nie Shuping was indeed quite famous in the capital.

"Third Master is here! We've been saving a private room for you on the third floor! Just the two of you today?" the shopkeeper behind the counter said obsequiously, craning his neck.

"Okay! Lead the way!" Nie Shuping nodded arrogantly. He was usually short of money and didn't dare to come to these big restaurants often. Now that his wallet was fuller, he naturally felt more confident.

"Two people in a private room on the third floor!" a waiter called out. The echo came from upstairs, "Two people in a private room on the third floor!"

Amidst the envious glances of the crowd downstairs, Shen Lian and his companion headed upstairs. Upon reaching the third floor, a quick-witted waiter immediately approached and led them to a room.

It was a suite, with a small living room outside and the dining table inside. The decor was antique, with walls adorned with calligraphy and paintings by famous artists. Antique shelves displayed porcelain and jade artifacts. Flowers and plants decorated the room. The restaurant had clearly put a lot of thought into it.

The two sat down in the armchairs, and a maid immediately brought tea. Shen Lian picked up the teacup and took a sip; it was West Lake Longjing tea. Judging from the color, it should be this year's new tea.

"This is my brother-in-law's first time at your house, could you tell him the names of the dishes?" Nie Shuping imitated Shen Lian, taking out a cigarette and offering one to Shen Lian before lighting one for himself. He then spoke to the waiter serving nearby.

Shen Lian only knew about this feature of ancient restaurants from listening to Guo Degang's crosstalk performances, but he had never experienced it himself. He watched the waiter with great interest.

"Alright! Listen up, you two. Zhengyanglou has a total of 188 dishes, prepared by frying, boiling, steaming, stir-frying, braising, roasting, blanching, and so on. They are Eight Treasure Duck, Pearl Chicken, Steamed Shad with Bear Paw in Broth, Shredded Chicken with Bird's Nest and Shark Fin, Sea Cucumber and Tendon with Young Chicken..."

The waiter spoke fluently and naturally, his speech neither too fast nor too slow, and even quite elegant. Shen Lian was greatly impressed; it was even better than Guo Degang's crosstalk.

"Great!" Shen Lian couldn't help but clap his hands and shout after he finished reciting it in one breath.

"Great! This is a reward for you!" Shen Lian exclaimed, and Nie Shuping casually tossed out a silver coin.

"Thank you for the reward, Third Master!" The shop assistant happily accepted the silver dollar.

"Brother-in-law, what would you like to eat?"

"Third Brother, you decide what to do! It's just the two of us, so we don't need too many dishes, just something simple will do."

"Okay, then let's have steamed shad, sea cucumber and tendon. Stir-fried deer tongue, sliced ​​pork tripe, and..."

"Alright, Third Brother! That's enough!" Shen Lian quickly stopped him when he saw that he was about to order more food. There was no need for such extravagance, as the two of them couldn't possibly finish all the dishes.

"That's settled then! And bring us a few side dishes to go with our drinks!" Seeing Shen Lian's insistence, Nie Shuping had no choice but to give up.

"Third Master, would you two like to have someone come up and sing a song?" the waiter asked again before leaving.

Shen Lian quickly waved his hand; he wasn't used to having strangers around while he ate.

Soon, all sorts of dishes arrived. Even though they only ordered a few, the table was overflowing with various side dishes and cold appetizers.

"Tan Ya, come and sit down too!" Shen Lian beckoned.

"Young Master, no need!" Tan Ya quickly waved his hand, naturally not daring to sit at the table in this situation.

"Come when I tell you to. Stop talking nonsense!"

Seeing Tan Ya cautiously sit down on the table, Nie Shuping frowned but remained silent.

"Third Brother, he is one of my trusted confidants. He will be stationed in the capital from now on to help me manage my business and gather information. I hope you will take good care of me in the future."

"What else is there to say! Tan Ya, right? If you ever need anything, just come to me. If any fool dares to mess with you, just mention my name, Third Master Nie. Who in the capital wouldn't give me some face?" Nie Shuping said, patting his chest.

"Then thank you, Third Brother! Tan Ya, quickly pour Third Brother some wine."

The meal was a pleasant affair for both host and guests. Nie Shuping staggered downstairs, grabbed Shen Lian's hand, and said, "Brother-in-law, come on, I'll take you to relax, relax!"

Relax? Does he intend to take me to a brothel to test my weaknesses? It's not right for a brother-in-law to take his brother-in-law to a brothel!

Under Nie Shuping's direction, the carriage arrived at Yandaixie Street in the western part of the city. It soon stopped in front of a building.

"Brother-in-law, this Xinyuan Bathhouse is run by Steward Li's godson." After getting out of the car, Nie Shuping whispered in Shen Lian's ear.

So, she brought me here to take a bath! I thought... Shen Lian breathed a sigh of relief.

Nie Shuping led Shen Lian and the other man inside, and the scene was the same. People kept greeting him.

“Tan Ya, relax. This is life in the capital. You’ll be coming to these kinds of places a lot in the future. The more people there are, the easier it is to gather information,” Shen Lian said, comforting Tan Ya as he looked timid.

"Yes, young master!" Tan Ya puffed out his chest upon hearing this, though he was clearly trying to appear calm. Shen Lian didn't say anything more; he'd get used to it with experience.

"Old Qi, is your manager here today?" Nie Shuping knocked on the counter.

"Oh, Third Master! Sorry, I was so busy just now that I didn't see you come in. The manager is here today," the gaunt accountant behind the counter said, bowing and scraping.

"Okay! Tell him to come over when he's free, I need to talk to him about something." Nie Shuping said before leading Shen Lian inside.