After entering the inner room, Manager Zhuang asked the teahouse attendant to bring two cups of tea.
Seeing this, Chen Changsheng spoke up, “The teahouse seems to lack a Storyteller.”
Manager Zhuang sighed deeply, then began to explain patiently.
In Qingshan City, there weren’t many people making a living telling stories to begin with. There were only two or three Teahouses and Opera Houses around, and thus only three or four Storytellers to serve them.
This was turbulent tis. A few years back, one Storyteller couldn’t pay all his fees and was beaten to death. Another, feeling deeply wronged, grumbled on stage about the Southern King and ended up in prison.
“And that left only one. We managed to keep him with great effort,” Manager Zhuang continued. “But one day, he perford a scene about ‘the tiger stranded in flatland’ on stage. We never found out who it offended, but after stepping down, he was invited away. Later inquiries revealed it wasn’t bad news; he was specifically hired to tell stories privately for soone, so he wasn’t coming back.”
“Without a Storyteller, fewer people co for tea. It feels like sothing’s missing, and business suffers. That’s why I’m desperate.”
“Sir, if you have real talent, I sincerely ask you to stay at my Tang Family Teahouse. The monthly pay will certainly not be little.”
After rambling all this, Manager Zhuang finally took a sip of tea to soothe his throat and exhaled a long breath. He was genuinely anxious. Regardless of whether the newcor had skill or not, he wanted to show proper courtesy first before discussing matters.
Having heard all this, Chen Changsheng said, “So that’s how it is. I wondered why the Manager was so anxious.”
Manager Zhuang nodded, “Exactly.”
Chen Changsheng asked further, “You said the monthly pay isn’t little. What exactly is the amount?”
Manager Zhuang stretched out one hand. “Three qian silver per month! And that’s not counting tips from the audience below!”
Chen Changsheng paused. Three qian a month was indeed generous. Four months would be one liang and two qian. A common family working a whole year might not necessarily earn one liang of silver. Plus, tips were extra.
“What do you think, sir?” Manager Zhuang inquired.
“I’m willing to try,” Chen Changsheng replied.
Manager Zhuang’s face lit up with joy. “That’s fantastic!”
But then his tone shifted. “However, Sir, Zhuang here still needs to see your skill. You can’t just get up on stage without knowing how, right?”
Chen Changsheng proposed, “Shall I tell a segnt?”
Manager Zhuang clasped his hands politely. “Sir, please.”
Chen Changsheng drained his teacup in one gulp. Holding the empty cup like a storytelling block, he flipped it in his hand.
“Let tell Chapter Seven of Journey to the West: ‘The Great Sage Freed from the Eight Trigrams Furnace, Immobilized Beneath the Mountain of Five Elents.'”
Chen Changsheng assud a serious expression and began.
“Wealth and fa co with fixed fate, Man must never tempt his state. Upright and honest he must be, So loyal reward will hold the key.”
“Heaven will punish much conceit, Its ti for fate he’ll have to et. Ask the Sun Lord why, Why afflictions now assail? For soaring aims against Heaven’s rail, Disrupting ranks beyond the pale.”
He rapped the makeshift storytelling block forcefully, jolting the listener.
Manager Zhuang’s eyes instantly sparkled. He imdiately understood the depth of this gentleman’s talent.
This passage… was not in the original text!
“That Great Sage Equalling Heaven, escorted by the heavenly soldiers to the Demon-Beheading Tower, was tied to the demon-subduing pillar. Knives hacked, axes chopped, spears jabbed, swords scraped—yet none could pierce his flesh…”
Chen Changsheng hadn’t told stories professionally before, but he had seen how it was done. So, he imitated the storyteller’s mannerisms as he continued.
As Manager Zhuang listened further, he felt a slight pang of regret.
The opening had been truly brilliant.
But clearly, this gentleman’s storytelling skills weren’t yet perfectly polished. There were monts where a pause was needed to create suspense, but he missed them.
It might be unfamiliarity with the original text or sothing else, but Manager Zhuang thought it wasn’t a major problem.
“The Four Heavenly Guardians, formless and vague. What a splendid Monkey-Spirit! As the poem went…”
The teacup slamd down again with a rap!
“His Primal Unity body true and pure, Through endless cycles naturally endured. Carefree immortal being, Serene Unmoved like primordial sphere.”
“Long tempered in the stove, no rcury or lead, Transcendent life outside lies in the Immortal’s tread. Changes myriad beyond all telling, Three obediences and five abstentions beyond compelling!”
“And another poem!”
“A glimr of insight cleaves the Infinite, His headband and staff the sa spirit emit: Long or short others might command, Rolled or unfurled extols his hand.”
“Yet another poem!”
“The ape’s form feigns the human heart, The heart as ape profound aning imparts. Great Sage Equalling Heaven—truest art! Title the Horse Minister—what man knew his part?”
“Hare and steed combined as thought and will, Bound tight, no outward seeking still. All forms return to the One True Rule, Tathagata’s pact in Double Forests’ pool!”
Hearing this, Manager Zhuang froze. He even stood up abruptly.
“Excellent!!”
He exclaid, startled.
Chen Changsheng stopped right there.
Manager Zhuang decided the gentleman’s minor flaws didn’t matter at all. The poems woven into the story were incredibly novel.
“Sir, you have great talent!”
Chen Changsheng clasped his hands politely. “Manager Zhuang overpraises .”
Manager Zhuang, filled with delight, asked, “When can you start, sir?”
Chen Changsheng replied, “It’s late today. Tomorrow is best.”
“Great, great, great.”
Manager Zhuang bead, “Tomorrow then, definitely tomorrow.”
Seeing the Manager’s excitent, Chen Changsheng reminded him, “Manager, you haven’t yet ntioned the starting and ending tis.”
Manager Zhuang slapped his forehead. “Look at ! Sir, please co at chen hour [7-9 AM] tomorrow. You can rest by si hour [9-11 AM]. It occasionally gets busy during wu hour [11 AM – 1 PM], but I won’t disturb your rest overly much.”
“And the contract, Manager. Don’t forget it.”
“I’ll go fetch it right away.”
Manager Zhuang was so overjoyed he could barely think straight. He hurriedly retrieved the contract for the gentleman to sign.
He finally let out a long sigh of relief, his mood significantly brighter.
Manager Zhuang inquired, “Where are you staying, sir? I’ll have soone fetch you tomorrow.”
Chen Changsheng said, “That would be appreciated. I, Chen, live at Chuanfeng Lane. It’s the second house on the right after entering the lane.”
“Good,” Manager Zhuang committed it to mory.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chen Changsheng got up to leave.
The new Storyteller satisfied Manager Zhuang imnsely, lifting a heavy burden from his mind.
Only then did he recall sothing important. “Ah, I should have told him what topics to avoid…”
“Hmm, it will be fine to ntion it tomorrow.”
After all, it was precisely such talk that landed the previous Storyteller in prison.
Having resolved his pressing worry, Manager Zhuang’s complexion improved markedly.
Seeing the Manager like this, the teahouse attendant imdiately understood.
“Boss, found a new Storyteller?”
Manager Zhuang smiled proudly. “Yes, indeed! This gentleman has great talent. He’s different from other Storytellers; he truly has ink in his belly—knowledge, that is.”
The attendant asked, “Is he really that good?”
“That is absolutely true.”
Manager Zhuang stroked his beard thoughtfully. “Well… there are areas where he lacks polish, but it doesn’t hinder at all.”
Compared to the brilliance of the poems within the tales, any minor lack of polish was insignificant.
This ti, they really had found a treasure!
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