Chapter 47

The narrow alleyway, even in broad daylight, seemed rather dim. Along the street, water flowed haphazardly, and the crooked buildings stood in stark contrast to the neatly aligned structures of the Bund. Large signs advertising alcohol and the faint sounds of music made the area extremely noisy. On the roadside, a few foreign women dressed provocatively were soliciting customers. Pedestrians, either walking quickly away or staggering drunkenly, were already inebriated well before nightfall.

Walking down the alley, Yang Yuanzhao avoided the streetwalkers and his gaze fell on the interior of a bar. The dim yellow lights barely allowed him to see the inside through the glass windows.

The short alley was home to over 30 bars, and the density of foreigners was much higher than in other areas. These foreigners, who usually appeared well-dressed and refined in other parts of China, were now disheveled and ragged. Occasionally, one could see someone lying drunk by the roadside, oblivious to the filth, looking utterly wretched.

After a round of observation, Yang Yuanzhao chose his target and entered one of the bars. This was the bar that met his criteria after his external observations. He placed a silver dollar on the table and called out, "Give me a German beer!"

"Hey, you're a fine-looking guy. Do you know how to drink, kid?"

"Sure, why don't you come over and show me!"

Reckless laughter echoed through the bar as the rough men teased everyone they could.

A bearded man, clearly of Bavarian descent, slapped the head of the loudest one and said, "Don't scare away my customer!"

The man, who looked tough and not particularly kind, obediently sat down and lowered his voice.

The bearded Bavarian walked over to Yang Yuanzhao and asked, "What kind of beer do you want?"

"What do you have?"

"Everything, including Bavarian black beer!"

"Bring me a glass!"

The owner weighed the silver dollar on the table and said, "That's not enough. It's three yuan per glass!"

The owner struggled to speak Chinese, but his heavy Bavarian accent made it hard for most Chinese to get used to.

Yang Yuanzhao, fluent in German, though it was from a century ago, understood without issue. He took out two more silver dollars, and the owner happily accepted them, whistling excitedly. Most of his customers were penniless, and the Bavarian black beer, though the best from Bavaria, had low sales.

A provocatively dressed, voluptuous woman brought over a full mug of beer. The rich foam had a slight bitterness. Yang Yuanzhao took a sip and found it indeed rich and flavorful. He sipped the beer slowly, his eyes scanning the small but crowded bar, which held at least a hundred people.

This was a Bavarian-owned bar, filled with Bavarian style, especially the beer, which had a strong German flavor. At the small bar counter, about fifty people sat, holding dark wooden mugs, which were quite different from his glass. The beer tasted good and at three yuan a glass, it wasn't expensive, at least not for Yang Yuanzhao.

The bar was chaotic, with shouts, music, and dim lighting, making it a haven for the disheartened. This was one of the cheaper places in the concession, where a few copper coins could buy a glass of beer.

Yang Yuanzhao slowly adapted to the bar's environment, observing his surroundings. However, he planned to leave after finishing his beer, not wanting to stay any longer.

Today was the third day Yang Yuanzhao had visited this bar called Mai Xiang. From Baotou, the journey, plus the time spent in Wuhan, had brought him closer to the cotton planting season. He was unwilling to take risks, and without a foreign trading company as a front, his sudden appearance with new products would attract too much attention, even from the Four Great Families. He needed to leverage their influence, not oppose them.

The穿越者 (time traveler) was not omnipotent, especially in late Qing, where opposing a class or the gentry would surely lead to his downfall. Time was pressing, but Yang Yuanzhao was still patiently searching.

In the afternoon, Yang Yuanzhao entered the bar. The sunset cast a mysterious glow on him, and almost everyone looked at him. He stood out too much.

In this bar, mostly frequented by the poor, he always ordered a genuine German black beer, costing about three silver dollars a day. His generosity and sudden appearance drew a lot of attention, especially from prostitutes. They wore heavy lipstick, sprayed cheap perfume, and spoke crudely, often getting straight to the point.

Yang Yuanzhao had no interest in these women. After rejecting them, they would leave, and he might buy them a drink, which cost only a few copper coins. His main focus was observing the bar patrons.

Time was tight, and he couldn't afford to be picky. He had to come here to find potential collaborators among the most destitute. With the help of the all-in-one machine, he had a wide range of choices.

In such a mixed crowd, conflicts often arose, and some even targeted Yang Yuanzhao. He simply knocked them out without using excessive force. Gradually, his reputation spread, and regular bar patrons knew he was a generous and formidable customer. The strongest men in the bar had been beaten black and blue, and when asked, they couldn't explain what happened, so the incidents gradually decreased.

The bar was indeed a good place to gather intelligence. Despite the chaotic environment, Yang Yuanzhao heard a lot of news, such as the recent activities of the British fleet, the new measures passed by the concession officials, and even some gossip about wealthy women.

Most of this information was irrelevant to him, and he often forgot it quickly. He was more focused on the patrons themselves. After careful selection and comparison, he finally identified his target.

He had been in Shanghai for a few days, and the cotton planting season was approaching. He was still unwilling to take risks, and without a foreign trading company as a front, his sudden appearance with new products would attract too much attention, even from the Four Great Families. He needed to leverage their influence, not oppose them.

The waiter brought him a glass of beer, and Yang Yuanzhao's gaze wandered, finally settling on a table a few seats away. This was the person he had carefully chosen over the past few days.

There, a big-nosed Jew held a large mug of three-copper-coin beer, the cheapest in the bar. It barely tasted like beer and had a strange, rotten smell. It was questionable whether it could even be called beer.

This cheap beer was the best-selling item in the bar. Few wealthy people came here; they preferred better cafes or high-end bars. This was a haven for the bankrupt and low-income, where a few copper coins could satisfy their craving. Almost every man who entered the bar would have a glass.

The Jew seemed to be having a tough time. Even with the cheap beer, he drank very slowly, his eyes becoming hazy before he finished the glass.

Yang Yuanzhao finished his beer in one gulp and walked over to the Jew.