Chapter 87: The Dual-Profession Beggar

Having recruited the wandering beggar Le Tian, Zhan Xiaobai felt a slight boost in his confidence regarding the recruitment of NPCs. He decided to continue wandering the city to see if he could sign on others. The little beggar trailed behind him with a fawning expression. Everywhere Zhan Xiaobai went, the boy followed. If it weren't for the fact that the beggar provided a small increase to his reputation—and that dismissing him would cause that point to be lost—Zhan Xiaobai would have truly considered "firing" him to stop wasting his food.

"My lord, my stomach is practically flattened with hunger. Won't you buy me something to eat?"

The beggar held out a tattered bowl and whined pitifully. He had been following Zhan Xiaobai through the streets and alleys for over an hour. Seeing Zhan Xiaobai constantly asking people strange questions, the boy couldn't fathom what he was doing, yet he foolishly tagged along, his legs aching from the exertion.

Seeing that the beggar was indeed famished, Zhan Xiaobai noticed a small shop selling steamed buns and went over to check the prices. A plain steamed bun cost one copper, and a meat bun cost two. Steamed bun: satisfies hunger, restores +2 stamina. Meat bun: satisfies hunger, restores +3 stamina (special effect: repels wild dogs). A bit expensive, he thought.

Zhan Xiaobai asked the beggar, "How many do you want?"

The beggar quickly replied, "I can be full with five steamed buns a meal." Two meals a day, five buns per meal—that was ten coppers a day, or three hundred a month. Supporting an NPC beggar was more expensive than supporting an NPC soldier. But there was no help for it; the money had to be spent.

Zhan Xiaobai fished out a few coins, bought five steaming buns, and handed them to Le Tian. "Eat up. Eat slowly, don't choke."

The beggar took them happily, placed them in his tattered bowl, and began to wolf them down. He grinned, "Many thanks, my lord! By the way, why aren't you buying any for yourself?"

"I am different from you. If you don't eat, you'll starve. I only need to rest to recover my stamina; I won't die of hunger."

Zhan Xiaobai replied, then suddenly remembered something. He asked the beggar, "Right, I forgot to ask—as far as I know, most NPCs don't have names. How does a lowly beggar like you have one?"

The beggar swallowed a mouthful of bun, his face lighting up with smug pride. "My lord, you don't know this, but I come from a respectable, wealthy family—not like those common folk. Don't look at the rich people on the street with their gold and silver; none of them have a better pedigree than I do."

Zhan Xiaobai was skeptical and chuckled, "Oh, a wealthy family, which one? If you were doing so well, why are you out here begging?"

The beggar shrugged with an air of nonchalance. "I was originally from a branch of the Le clan in Yuzhou—a wealthy family indeed. Unfortunately, my parents died early, leaving behind nearly a thousand strings of cash. I, an unfilial son, squandered it all in a few years, so naturally, I ended up a beggar."

Zhan Xiaobai finally started to believe him. "How did you manage to squander such a fortune?"

"Learning tailoring! When my old man was alive, he always wanted me to study and become an official, but I wouldn't do it. I only wanted to learn how to make clothes, which drove him to his grave. After he died, I sought out master tailors to apprentice under, wasting hundreds of strings of cash on over a dozen of them, but not one taught me any real skills. Later, I was swindled out of a huge pile of copper, my money dwindled, and nobody wanted the clothes I made. I didn't know any other way to earn a living, so I had to beg. Somehow, I wandered all the way from Yuzhou to this desolate place in Xiliang. It’s a good thing you were willing to take me in, my lord, so I don't have to suffer that fate anymore!"

Zhan Xiaobai stood with his mouth agape, staring at the beggar in disbelief. To squander a thousand strings of cash just to learn tailoring—Le Tian was truly talented! However, the beggar’s dual identity as a tailor made Zhan Xiaobai feel somewhat satisfied. At least this beggar wouldn't just be eating free meals in Xiaobai Village; he could contribute to the settlement through his craft.

"What level of tailoring skill did you actually learn?"

"Primary Tailor!" the beggar boasted proudly. "Don't underestimate me; I can handle simple measuring and cutting."

Zhan Xiaobai shook his head as they walked. "You spent hundreds of strings of cash and apprenticed under so many masters, only to reach the primary level? You must have been slacking off."

"I studied very hard! It's just that those masters didn't understand my design philosophy. They said the outfits I made were indecent and that I was a freak. In a fit of rage, I chased them away and began learning and making clothes on my own. It was a struggle to get from beginner to primary."

"Yes, a struggle indeed." Facing this beggar, Zhan Xiaobai felt helpless. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration hit him as he caught a key word in the beggar's rambling. He quickly said, "Wait, what did you just say? Design philosophy? You can design clothes?"

The little beggar widened his eyes, gestured to his own tattered hemp robes, and said with extreme seriousness, "Of course! See this unique outfit I'm wearing? I designed this 'Cooling Suit' myself. From head to toe, even the seat of the pants, I cut slits everywhere. There isn't a spot on my body that isn't breezy."

Zhan Xiaobai looked closely and shook his head. "I don't see what's so unique about it. Isn't this just a ragged beggar's outfit? Every beggar wears clothes like this."

The little beggar laughed triumphantly. "That is the brilliance of my design! If my clothes didn't look like every other beggar's, how would people know I'm a beggar?"

Zhan Xiaobai had lost count of how many times he had shaken his head by now. He stopped bickering with the boy and asked for his professional skills and attributes. Le Tian recited them:

Wandering Beggar, Le Tian: Level 18.
Profession: Intermediate Beggar, Primary Tailor.
Attributes: Politics 0, Command 0, Might 3, Wisdom 7, Charisma 10 (requirement for Beggar profession), Inspiration 15 (requirement for Tailor Design profession).
Skills:
1. Blending In: Low-level. Wanders everywhere, free entry and exit to cities, no travel permit required. Success rate for blending into a city is 1%–10%, depending on skill level and the wisdom of the city guards. Failure results in being beaten and driven off by guards.
2. Begging: Intermediate. Begs everywhere; success rate depends on the target's benevolence.
3. Primary Tailor: Crafts Level 10 male and female apparel (standard).
4. Apparel Design: Designs Level 10 male and female apparel (original). Already designed: Level 10 Beggar Set, can disguise the wearer as a professional beggar (vulnerable to: Yamen Runners).