Period drama: Old Cao's carefree life

Chapter 20 Times Change

Cao Weida waved his hand dismissively, saying, "Forget it. Shishahai has always been under the control of the Japanese army. Be careful not to get caught. If you do, who will take care of your family?"

"I've already given you the things, you should focus on taking good care of your wife during her postpartum period first."

That stingy old man Yan is really falling for a scheme.

Normally things are fine, but now the Japanese are searching everywhere, especially waterways like Shishahai, which have been blocked by the Japanese, for fear that the resistance fighters might escape by water.

If you were to go to Shishahai at this time, wouldn't you be asking for trouble?

Yan Bugui shrank back, gave an awkward laugh, and couldn't help but shiver as he looked at the pitiful Jia Zhangshi beside him.

Yes, yes, let's wait a while longer. If we get caught, we're doomed.

However, he kept the idea of ​​fishing in mind and decided to buy a fishing rod and go fishing as soon as the Japanese blockade was lifted.

After Cao Weida finished speaking, he didn't bother with him anymore and said to Jia Zhangshi, "Jia Zhangshi, let's go. We're going to the Matsui Special Service Agency now. Let's get your man out first."

"Xiangzi, I'll have to trouble you a bit more. I reckon her husband will need the rickshaw later, so could you help him with another trip?"

"Alright, sir, please get in the car, I'll take you there."

"No need, let's just walk there. You must be exhausted from going back and forth, and it's not comfortable for the three of us to sit together."

Xiangzi felt a warmth in his heart and was extremely happy. He had met such a kind-hearted master, and it seemed that his life would be much better from now on.

Little Ears saw all of this and became even more determined to curry favor with Cao Wei.

For no other reason than that Cao Wei Da's character is not the kind of person who would discard someone after they have served their purpose!
He feels at ease working with someone like that!

They arrived at the Matsui Special Service Agency and explained their purpose.

Clearly, Koji Matsui had already made the arrangements and even completed the formalities.

A short while later, a person covered in tattered clothes and covered in wounds was dragged out.

Who else could this person be but Jia Guangzheng?
At this moment, Jia Guangzheng looked utterly miserable. His face was pale, his lips were white and peeling, and his clothes were torn in patches, almost completely stained red with blood.

It's obvious without even looking that he suffered a lot inside.

Upon seeing this, Jia Zhangshi let out a howl and rushed over, tears streaming down her face, wailing, "Husband, how could you have been beaten like this? Is there no justice in this world?"

"Ahem!" Cao Weida immediately coughed to stop Jia Zhangshi's wailing, then winked and growled in a stern voice:

"Jia Zhangshi, what nonsense are you talking about! Don't you know where you are?! Hurry up and help your husband into the car and take him to the hospital!"

"Xiangzi, go up and help."

Xiangzi obediently ran up, and Jia Zhangshi, after being scolded, realized what was happening. Although she still secretly resented the Japanese for being so ruthless, she dared not shout anymore. Sobbing, she and Xiangzi helped their husbands into the car.

Cao Weida pulled out several packs of cigarettes and stuffed them into the hands of the Japanese spy whose face had darkened after being scolded. At the same time, he also handed two packs to the translator standing beside him.
"Madam, women are often naive and don't know how to speak properly, please don't take it to heart."

"Thank you for your help today. Please take these packs of cigarettes; they're just a small token of my appreciation. By the way, what are your surnames? I'm having dinner with Mr. Matsui tonight, so I can thank you to him as well."

As soon as the translator finished speaking, upon hearing that Cao Weida was going to have dinner with Matsui Koji that evening, the two spies' expressions immediately changed. Their previously gloomy looks instantly warmed up, and their attitude became much more friendly.

"Oh, Mr. Cao, you're too kind. I'm so sorry to have caused your friend such distress. I am your humble servant."

After exchanging a few pleasantries with the Japanese soldiers, Cao Weida made an excuse and left.

First, I went to the military police headquarters to deliver a small yellow croaker to Matsui Koji and arranged to go to Yutoi that evening.

Afterwards, at lunchtime, I had a big meal at the restaurant that I had booked with Little Ear and the brothers who had worked the night before.

After a hearty meal and drinks, Xiao Erduo led his brothers to the Eight Great Hutongs, where each of them was assigned a girl to accompany them. They were all laughing and having a great time.

After making the arrangements, Cao Weida returned first. He still had to accompany Ono Oda and the others that night. Compared to the girls in the Eight Great Hutongs, he preferred to go to Yutao Well to win glory for the country. He needed to conserve his energy.

After Xiangzi pulled him back to the courtyard, Cao Weida gave him one hundred and twenty silver dollars.

"This is the money for a rickshaw. Any overpayment will be refunded, and any underpayment will be collected. Let's buy a better one, and get a soft cushion too, because a man's butt can't stand a hard one."

Camel Xiangzi's rickshaw was rented from a rickshaw company. Since it was a monthly rental, the company naturally had to provide the rickshaw.

This small sum of money was no longer of any concern to Cao Weida; he had over 70,000 silver dollars lying in his storage space. Xiangzi obediently took the money, feeling incredibly warm inside thanks to his master's trust.

In the afternoon, Cao Weida was lying in the courtyard sunbathing when he saw Duomen walk in.

"Master Duo, why have you been gone for so long?"

"Hey, don't even mention it, I've been busy until now." Duomen walked over and sat down on the stool next to him, picked up a spoon, scooped up some spring water from the vat, and gulped it down.

After catching her breath, she continued, "It's a good thing you had someone take her to the hospital. He Daqing's wife suffered a postpartum hemorrhage, but she was saved at the hospital. If she had been left at home to be delivered by a midwife, she might have died on the spot."

"So, they were saved?"

"Of course she was saved. Later, her husband came over and, when he found out what had happened, he immediately knelt down before me. No matter how much I pleaded, he couldn't stop him from kowtowing to me several times."

"It's good that the person was saved, Master Duo. As the saying goes, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. You have accumulated a great virtue."

"If we're talking about saving someone, you deserve the most credit. Anyway, we managed to save them. As for the next life, we'll talk about that in the next life."

Cao Wei Da said with a smile, "If there is an afterlife, for this one good deed, you will definitely be reborn into a good family."

I must say, quite a lot happened during this trip to the courtyard house.

Leaving aside Yan Bugui, just consider the two main characters in "Full House of Love". Two people who should have died were saved by his arrival. After that, is "Full House of Love" still the same "Full House of Love"?
Will the story continue in the future?

It's actually quite interesting to think about.

He pulled a cloth bag from his pocket, making a crisp clinking sound. Inside were silver dollars. He handed it over, saying, "This is your share. We'll split it 50/50 as agreed. Please count it."

"Aren't you just slapping me in the face? What do you mean by 'point' or 'no point'?" Duomen rolled his eyes and unceremoniously reached out to take it.

The silver dollars were originally ice-cold, but when held in their hands, Duomen felt a sudden warmth.

"It's settled then, we're going to Quanjude for lunch tomorrow. I've been craving their duck for ages. I'm really lucky to have you here; I can enjoy it from time to time from now on."

"Since Master Duo is treating, how can I refuse? Okay, let's have it tomorrow at noon."

"I must say, Master Duo, your recliner is really comfortable. Where did you buy it? I want to buy one too."

"I had someone specially make one. You want it? I'll give it to you, and I'll have someone else make another one."

"Then I won't be polite to you."

"Why are you being so polite with me, since it's just the two of us?"

Just then, Third Sister-in-law stepped over the threshold and came in with a vegetable basket slung over her elbow: "Oh, Master Duo, Cao'er, you're back so early."

Duomen replied with a smile, "Third Sister went to buy groceries? She did go out early today; she just got back from an official business trip."

"I didn't just go grocery shopping, I also ran errands for someone." Third Sister-in-law glanced at Cao Weida out of the corner of her eye, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Oh, this is good news!" Duomen looked at Cao Weida with a teasing expression. He knew that his third daughter-in-law was going to introduce a woman to Cao Weida.

"Isn't that a good thing? Cao'er, Du Shiniang has agreed, but Cao'er has to spend some money first." Third Sister-in-law spread out her hand and said helplessly, "Du Shiniang has agreed, but the troupe leader of this theater is a little unwilling to release people. He said that if you want to redeem people, you have to pay fifty silver dollars."

Du Shiniang was a singer in a theater, but the idea of ​​learning to sing opera required a contract of servitude!
Many children from poor families are sent to opera troupes due to poverty. Their parents sign contracts with the troupe leader, which are essentially indentured servitude contracts.

For example, when Tan Fuying entered the Fu Lian Cheng Opera School in the early years of the Republic of China, there was a similar contract that stipulated that the apprenticeship was for six years at a time. During this period, the master could handle all business matters on his behalf, and all the money earned would go to the master. He was not allowed to go home, etc.

In the opera troupe of "Zhou Gu Zi Xi" in Zhangqiu, children learn opera after "three years of apprenticeship and one year of gratitude to the master," and do not receive wages for four years.

The class rules stipulate that the class leader is not responsible for any beatings, illnesses, or even deaths; and parents are liable for compensation if a student runs away or goes missing.

Although since the Republic of China, some enlightened Peking Opera actors and progressive scholars have established societies and opera schools to train Peking Opera actors, gradually eliminating this old problem and reducing the phenomenon of contracts that resemble indentured servitude, it still exists.

Especially for actresses like Du Shiniang who were already adults, it was practically a certainty that they had signed a contract of servitude.

Although he has passed childhood, he wants to be free to leave the theater.
None of the doors!
Du Shiniang's theater was already considered to be fair, only charging fifty silver dollars. If it were a black-hearted one, or one with huge commercial value, they might not even be willing to pay one hundred silver dollars!
"No, wait, Third Sister, the woman you're talking about, is she the actress named Du Shiniang?"

"Look at what you're saying, Master Duo. You were here when I was talking to Cao'er about this before. Why are you asking this now when you already know the answer?"

"How can that be the same? Times have changed!" Upon hearing that it really was that actor, Duan Nian immediately became somewhat displeased.

(End of this chapter)