They were like beasts, crawling on all fours, and once they erged from their cells, they surrounded Zhou Xuan.
They had not eaten for a long while, and Zhou Xuan, a living person, was the food they had dread of.
This was the instinct of beasts, to see a living creature and think of prey.
But they also had the keen senses of beasts — able to discern whether the opponent was powerful.
This determined whether they would hunt the prey or be hunted as prey.
In the end, they figured Zhou Xuan was not easy to provoke, and after growling a few tis, they continued to crawl westward.
They crawled into a big mountain to the west of Stadium Road.
The mountains and forests seed to be their true ho, and those bustling, brightly lit places were no longer suitable for them to survive.
"Phew!"
"Chirp chirp..."
They let out beastly howls and crawled into the deep mountains, where their main the of life would be eating raw at and drinking blood, preying on various small animals.
Zhou Xuan sat by the cell, lit a cigarette, looked up at the blood-tinged moon, and said, "All have left."
The Turtle Mountain Taoist returned to the Daoist Temple, the Shadowless Rat was ambushed and killed, the Mouse King’s billions of horseflies were obliterated by the Witch God in the "Gentle Breeze Great Dream," and the old won had also entered the vast mountain.
The St. Anne Cathedral on Stadium Road was now like a flock of birds returning to the woods, leaving a vast white ground truly clean.
But,
is it really clean?
Zhou Xuan murmured to himself, "In Jing Country, are there still clean gods among the deities, the halls, and even the Heavenly Venerates?"
"What makes a god?"
This question, seemingly without an answer, echoed again in Zhou Xuan’s heart.
...
At dawn, Zhou Xuan was awakened by the sound of drums and gongs.
"Stop it, stop it, our young master is sleeping."
Little Fuzi’s voice, stopping the loud noises, also reached Zhou Xuan’s ears.
He got dressed, got out of bed, and as he reached the staircase, he saw that the "Zhou Family’s Jingyi Shop" was crowded with people.
Fortunately, Little Fuzi and Lv Mingkun were blocking the stairs; otherwise, these waves of people would definitely flood up to the second floor.
"The great master is here, the great master is here."
"Great Master, we are here to thank you."
"Great Master, you rebuilt Mingjiang Prefecture. My gold shop was also restored, and that golden treasure has returned. This is a lucky charm bracelet I made overnight for you. You must wear it."
Zhou Xuan understood that this crowd was here to express their gratitude.
"Don’t make noise, it interferes with my listening to music."
From within the crowd ca a roar, and when Zhou Xuan followed the sound, he nearly laughed out loud.
Li Changxun was squatting beside the phonograph, listening to records, oblivious to the people around him.
"This addiction is really strong, much stronger than Lao Yun’s."
After laughing, Zhou Xuan clasped his fists toward the crowd and said, "Everyone, stay calm, and listen to ."
When he spoke, his words carried weight, and upon hearing him, everyone fell silent, leaving only the sound of music echoing from the phonograph.
"The river flows gently~ Youth is gone~ Only hope for a lover to co~ Don’t let the years go to waste~"
Li Changxun shook his head slowly, in tune with the rhythm of the songs from the phonograph, fully imrsed.
Zhou Xuan then said, "Everyone, the reconstruction of Mingjiang Prefecture is not solely my achievent. Without everyone’s faith and wish power, even with my greatest ability, I could not have rebuilt it.
However, now, with the strength of the entire city, we have revived the glory of Mingjiang Prefecture. This is a good thing. Everyone, return to your hos, live as we did before the disaster, and carry on as usual.
As for gifts, I will not accept anything too expensive. I’ll just sample a few of your local specialties."
The crowd imdiately applauded, mingled with a few inquiries: "Great Master, will you continue to tell the story of ’Mingjiang Fire Record’?"
"Yes, of course. The future reconstruction of Mingjiang Prefecture depends on this story."
Zhou Xuan said generously, and the crowd erupted in cheers once more.
Due to everyone’s high enthusiasm, it took repeated persuasion from Zhou Xuan, Little Fuzi, and others to finally disperse the crowd.
Zhou Xuan had his clothes soaked with sweat, and as he wiped his face with a towel, he said to Little Fuzi, "Fuzi, go buy a few portions of lamb soup from Sister Cui’s place."
As he uttered the words, he realized sothing was amiss; Sister Cui was still with the Zhou Family’s Troupe.
The old shop, the sunshine, the bustling street, made Zhou Xuan feel dazed, almost thinking it was before the disaster, and Sister Cui was still busy across the street.
Zhou Xuan wrung the towel dry and walked to the street, where Sister Cui’s Restaurant, across the street, remained closed.
"When can she co back?" Zhou Xuan sighed.
...
At the dining hall of Zhou Family’s Troupe.
At this ti, Zhou Family’s Troupe was no longer what it was when Zhou Xuan left.
The Taiping Gentleman, one of the top conglorates in Ping Shui Prefecture, was backed by the Bone Elder Association of Mingjiang Prefecture.
With Zhou Xuan’s close ties to the Bone Elder Association, the Taiping Gentleman took great care of Zhou Family’s Troupe, giving them lucrative businesses.
Zhou Family’s Troupe was no longer just surviving on performing underworld plays.
As the business grew, so did the staff, and now the dining hall was bustling with noise.
"Master Yuan, what’s going on today? No at, just peanuts and dried tofu?"
The senior apprentice Yu Zhengyuan complained while holding his food tray, ladling food with one hand and addressing Yuan Buyu.
"You know nothing. Peanuts and five-spice dried tofu chewed together taste like ham." Yuan Buyu said smugly.
"Where did you hear such nonsense?" Yu Zhengyuan frowned.
"Xuanzi said it."
"Oh, the little junior brother said it? Then I’ll try it. Hmm, don’t say it, it really tastes like ham, authentic Jing Mountain ham. My little junior brother is truly talented, even in culinary arts. If he had my looks, he’d be the complete package."
Yu Zhengyuan shalessly praised himself.
"Get out of the way! Don’t hold up the line for others to get their food." Yuan Buyu couldn’t be bothered with Yu Zhengyuan’s nonsense.
Yu Zhengyuan stepped aside with his bowl and asked, "By the way, where’s Sister Cui? Sister Cui made lamb soup every morning, and I kind of miss it today."
"Sister Cui went to Mingjiang Prefecture. She heard that East Market Street had been repaired and wanted to go see it to fulfill her wishes."
Yuan Buyu replied.
"Then she should go back. But wait...Master Yuan, I heard Sister Cui went alone, which is dangerous. Sothing about having so law inside her?"
"Could she have gone alone? Lord Jian and Lord Jiu accompanied her to Mingjiang Prefecture."
Yuan Buyu spoke and beca sentintal again, as he stirred the food in his ladle, saying, "There are so many people alive again in Mingjiang Prefecture, why can’t Hua Zi co back too?"
"I am certain he will co back, Elder Yuan, I assure you." Yu Zhengyuan said with a determined look.
"What makes you so sure?" Yuan Buyu asked.
"It’s October."
"I have good luck, and everything I say in October cos true," Yu Zhengyuan said, patting his chest.
"..." Yuan Buyu.
Elder Yuan had an urge to hit Yu Zhengyuan hard on the head with the ladle — he really couldn’t hold back.
"Go fool around elsewhere, don’t hold up the line."
Yuan Buyu shooed Yu Zhengyuan away...
...
Sunrise to sunset, dusk fell,
By this ti, the painter entered Zhou Family’s Jingyi Shop and said to Zhou Xuan, who was sipping tea: "Great Master, the stage is set for you to tell the story."
Once Zhou Xuan and the painter settled in the car, soone knocked on the car window, the sound like tinkling bells penetrating inside.
"Master, I am here, Hu Yuncui."
Sister Cui now had protectors, so she wasn’t afraid to use her real na.
"Sister Cui, what brings you here?"
But before Zhou Xuan could finish his sentence, he realized that Sister Cui was still with the Zhou Family’s Troupe.
User Comments
0 comments from readers