Di Ming

Chapter 108 Smiling Tiger

Zhu Yin used the seasonings Ning Caiwei brought and quickly finished the roasted pig, which weighed only two ounces.

It smells so good!

The taste of pork in the Ming Dynasty was quite different from that of pork in later generations.

Ning Qingchen watched everyone eat the sacrificial meat. Although she was very tempted, she couldn't eat it, so she could only reach out her small hand and touch Zhao Chan'er's face.

Zhao Chan'er immediately lifted her clothes and began breastfeeding.

The sacrificial meat was not only to be shared among people, but also to be given to crows.

Attracted by the aroma of meat, the crows gathered one by one, quickly forming a dense, black mass.

Wizards and witches threw sacrificial meat onto the roof of the temple to feed the crows.

"Huh?" Ning Caiwei couldn't help but open her mouth and whispered, "Do I have to feed you this?"

Ning Qingchen found it amusing and couldn't help but giggle in Zhao Chan'er's arms.

"Don't talk about that," Zhu Yin explained softly. "The crows near the shrine are called divine crows, but they're sacred birds..."

Ning Caiwei then understood.

Crows are the most common birds at shrines. They are called "divine crows" and are considered messengers of spirits. They also eat sacrificial meat.

Ancient poems often mention divine crows, such as "a flock of divine crows and the drums of the village temple", "the divine crows dancing as they welcome the boat", "scattering leftover food to feed the divine crows", and "the divine crows gathering after the shrine ceremony".

Two witches wearing feathered headdresses fed crows while dancing and chanting obscure and incomprehensible divine language.

The lead shaman looked up at the sky with his arms outstretched, as if praying to the heavens.

Ning Caiwei was surprised again.

She originally thought that witches and sorceresses were rare in the late Ming Dynasty, but she was surprised to find that they were not only widespread, but also had fixed rituals.

Zhu Yin was not surprised at all. In the south of the Ming Dynasty, the practice of witchcraft was extremely prevalent. Many people believed in witchcraft more than doctors, and would ask witches to perform exorcisms instead of taking medicine when they were sick.

This is why, among the nine schools of thought, the shamans held a higher status than the physicians. Because ordinary people trusted the shamans more.

During the Ming Dynasty, the temples and shrines that were scattered throughout the country were run by shamans and Taoist priests.

The temple keeper in the City God Temple in the city is a Taoist priest sent by various Taoist temples.

In the countryside, the various shrines and temples are mostly run by shamans.

The wizard and witch in front of us are the temple keeper of these temples.

These shamans, who acted as priests of shrines and temples, possessed divine authority in the villages and could be considered, to some extent, a ruling class.

However, the most paradoxical thing is that those who truly held divine power were not shamans, but the gentry who studied for the imperial examinations.

In Zhu Yin's view, shamanism is actually a remnant of the original Chinese shamanism.

The original Chinese shamanism branched into Taoism and Wu (巫) schools. Taoism and Wu share the same origin, and the two schools are often inseparable.

What would happen if Taoism and shamanism were merged and improved into a stronger religion?
After Zhu Yin returned to the Ming Dynasty, he often pondered how to support Taoism and counterbalance the other major religions.

at this time.

Large flocks of "divine crows" circled and flew above the shrine, cawing and pecking at the sacrificial meat, leaving wisps of feathers drifting down.

Every time a single black feather of the divine raven drifts down, someone tries to snatch it.

Especially the feathers on the tail of the divine raven are considered a good thing to ward off bad luck.

The square became even more lively in an instant.

Meanwhile, the seats of the local dignitaries were shaded by parasols, and in front of them were tables laden with fine wines, delicacies, seasonal fruits, pastries, and candied fruits, all for the enjoyment of the nobles.

Behind Zhang Shixun and the other two, there were even beautiful maids massaging and patting their backs.

After everyone finished eating the sacrificial meat, the drums of each temple sounded "dong dong," and the village opera finally began.

Behind the main stage, a curtain had long been hung, separating the stage from the temple gate behind it. The opera troupe and performers preparing for the performance were all inside the Earth God Temple.

At this point, the earth god temple was essentially a dressing room.

As soon as the curtain fell, the sounds of string and wind instruments, sheng, xiao, gongs and drums came from behind the curtain.

Immediately afterwards, a gaunt, blind man, dressed in blue and wearing a square turban, emerged from behind the curtain, supported by a woman playing the pipa.

On the grand stage, two drum stools had already been placed.

The blind man in blue robes sat down, and with a "clack-clack" sound from the clapper in his hand, the only orchestral sound behind the curtain was the erhu's mournful chirping.

Then, the pipa-playing girl in the green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) played a few notes with her jade-like hands, and the pipa's melodious notes, like pearls falling on a jade plate, rang out.

Zhu Yin and the others thought it was a traditional opera performance, but the first program was a storytelling and ballad singing performance.

The blind man in blue robes spoke in a clear, resonant voice with distinct intonation:

"The sky is a fleeting expanse of birds and rabbits, and the world is a tapestry of history. Reflecting on the past, one can count the talents and tragedies, the countless triumphs and failures. From opulent palaces and revelry to desolate tombs and ruined terraces..."

The voice was desolate and tragic, yet carried a sense of emptiness, instantly immersing everyone in a certain atmosphere.

Great teeth!
As the blind man in blue recited this passage, the pipa-playing woman's slender hands flew across the strings, playing and singing simultaneously:
"For love, the green hills stand against the sun, white clouds and red trees drift leisurely by. Autumn geese and swallows hasten old age, looking back on the Liang, Tang, Han, Jin, and Zhou dynasties..."

The woman's pipa music was like the tinkling of a spring, and her singing voice was like a nightingale singing in a valley. The lingering sound was melodious and pleasant to listen to, truly giving one a feeling of sighing three times and being deeply moved.

Even the illiterate villagers were somewhat mesmerized by what they heard.

Just then, a flock of wild geese flew overhead, their cries echoing through the autumn sky.

Zhu Yin nodded to himself as he listened, thinking to himself that these two would be considered artists in later generations, but in this era, they were just lowlifes making a living in the underworld.

Everyone listened with rapt attention, and even the abbot, Zen Master Shandeng, nodded repeatedly, clearly moved.

Only the Indian monk from overseas showed no respect for Chinese customs and products. At this moment, his expression was slightly disdainful, and his face clearly showed that it was nothing special.

Those who don't know might think that India is some kind of sacred place.

Not only did he ignore the ballad singing, but he also turned around and searched for women of all kinds with a gleaming gaze, and soon found Ning Caiwei.

This little girl is so beautiful, and she even has unbound feet. She is truly the perfect vessel for a holy maiden in the temple.

The high priest would be very pleased if we took her back.

At this moment, his mind was filled with images of how to train this Ming girl, and he couldn't help but feel hot all over. As for the beautiful music on the stage, he was completely oblivious to it.

Ning Caiwei sensed the burning gaze of the Indian monk and couldn't help but smile slightly, revealing a pair of shallow dimples.

Indian monks find it hardest to resist such innocent young girls. Upon seeing them, they are overcome with lust and their bodies go numb on one side.

Zhu Yin also saw Ning Caiwei's smile and couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

Since Ning Caiwei smiled, it meant she had murderous intent.

This foreign monk is really asking for death.

On the stage, after the two finished their performance of storytelling and ballad singing, they bowed to the audience.

"color!"

"it is good!"

"Well sung!"

Sitting in the middle, Zhang Shixun laughed heartily, drank a glass of wine, waved his hand, and said, "Reward!"

Immediately, a servant boy rushed onto the stage with five qian of silver in a red envelope, announcing, "Young Master Zhaoye, hereby bestows five qian of silver!"

The blind man in blue and the girl playing the pipa quickly expressed their gratitude.

Not to be outdone, Lord Wang Chaoque also offered a reward, and a servant immediately went to give him five qian of silver.

Young Master Liu, of course, was not stingy and also gave a red envelope containing five qian of silver.

The two received a red envelope containing one tael and five mace of silver, and thanked each other profusely with auspicious words.

The more than two thousand villagers watching the play all looked up to Zhang Shixun, Wang Chaoque, and Liu Yuanchu. The three sat high in the main seats, full of vigor and displaying the power and authority of the village leaders.

In this village, these three families are like local tyrants.

Zhu Yin looked at the three men and thought to himself, "When will I be able to surpass them and stand on equal footing with them in my hometown, becoming a fourth force?"
Zhang from Dongli has a granary full of gold. Wang from Xili has a granary full of silver. Liu from Nanli has a jar full of jade.

Of the four neighborhoods of Qingqiao, only the northern neighborhood is missing.

And he lived in Beili.

If he rises to prominence and becomes the fourth powerhouse, he will perfectly represent Kitasato.

At that time, it will be Kitari-ju.

At this moment, the sound of gongs and drums on the grand stage interrupted Zhu Yin's reverie once again.

This time it wasn't a traditional opera performance, but a duet of the xiao and zheng.

The young man playing the xiao (vertical flute) played a mournful and plaintive tune, its melody melodious and gentle. The young woman playing the zither played a piece of music as clear as jade beads falling from a plate, a harmonious blend of phoenix and luan, yet it was a piece titled "Beside the Dressing Table."

"reward!"

Zhang Shixun put down his wine glass, snapped open his fan, and casually composed two lines of poetry:
"The folk songs and drums of the village are vulgar and lack the rustic charm of the Zhengshi era."

The poem means that although the singing girls in Zhang's household were of "pure and elegant" Zhengshi style, they lacked the rustic charm of the "village songs and drums" before him.

The implication is that after eating fancy meals all the time, wild vegetables are quite delicious.

His pride was self-evident.

In reality, the private troupe kept in Zhang's mansion mostly performed decadent music from the Zheng and Wei dynasties, so how could it be considered the music of the Zhengshi era?
Liu Yuanchu, also a scholar, stroked his short beard and smiled as he recited two new poems:
"The flute stirs the water, a thousand carp leap; the zither falls on the green bridge, a cloud drifts down. With music and wine, we gather beneath the shrine; why seek fame and fortune?"

He was a junior scholar who almost passed the imperial examination and became a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations), and his poetry was of a higher standard than Zhang Shixun's.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin couldn't help but mutter a sarcastic remark about Versailles.

You have fame and fortune, you're already a figure of great stature in the eyes of ordinary people, so why do you say 'Why bother seeking fame and fortune'?
Several important figures each gave a red envelope containing five qian of silver, and the young man playing the flute and the young woman playing the zither on the stage, of course, expressed their gratitude profusely.

Next came another round of three-beat drumming, somewhat like northern drum ballads, which involved singing and reciting amidst the drumbeats.

The female performer, with her unbound feet, walked gracefully around the stage, singing as she played the drum:
“Brother Liang, do you know who Ninth Sister is? She is my younger sister, Zhu Yingtai… Brother Liang, I have a sad story to tell, but I can’t bring myself to say it.”

Zhu Yin discovered that all the female performers on stage, whether they were pipa girls, zither girls, or this drum girl, had unbound feet.

They were either entertainers or musicians, and they all shared one identity: of low social status.

This shows that women of low social status, often not bound their feet.

The opera performance only began after the three drumbeats.

The first play is the Kunqu Opera "Dragon and Tiger Fight".

Next up are "The Rice-Threshing Play" and "The Brocade-Passing Play." These are old plays, educational plays that even the emperor in the palace would watch.

After midnight, a series of wonderful performances took place, with several puppet shows being staged in succession.

First was "Seven Captures of Meng Huo".

“Isn’t this just a puppet show?” Ning Caiwei said.

Zhu Yin nodded, "Puppet theater is actually a puppet show, with a history of two thousand years."

Puppet theater has long since declined in mainland China. However, it flourished on a certain island, becoming a cultural icon.

At this moment, on the grand stage, the puppets and cloth figures, which were actually life-sized, were being manipulated by strings and were coming onto the stage one by one.

Those puppet characters, dressed in real clothes, have a strange and mysterious beauty about them.

Although they are manipulated by strings, those strings are concealed by clothing and are not easily seen.

First to appear was the puppet character of Zhuge Liang. The "Zhuge Liang," adorned with a feather fan and a silk turban, looked remarkably like a real person. He strode confidently across the stage, stroking his beard, and said (voiceover):

"Wei Yan, listen to my command!"

This voiceover, with its ancient and resonant tone, shook the stage and possessed a powerful penetrating quality.

The previously noisy scene immediately quieted down.

"The general is here!"

As another voiceover began, the sound of footsteps echoed, and a puppet figure resembling a military general emerged from behind the curtain, approaching the Marquis of Wu and bowing with exaggerated gestures.
"Wei Yan, please give your instructions, Prime Minister!"

The puppet of the Marquis of Wu made an exaggerated turn, shook its head, mechanically and forcefully raised its hand and pointed, shouting:

"I hereby appoint you as the vanguard commander, leading ten thousand troops to lure Meng Huo into the canyon!"

"Understood!" Wei Yan's puppet swayed as it left the stage.

What followed were a series of fight scenes. The fight scenes in puppet shows are very unique, like robots, both interesting and bizarre.

In the eyes of Zhu Yin and the Ning sisters, puppet shows are a real-life version of animation.

The play "Seven Captures of Meng Huo" has a long plot, so of course it couldn't be performed in its entirety. Only the most exciting part was performed, and the play ended after a quarter of an hour.

Although the performance is only 45 minutes long, dozens of puppet characters take the stage one after another. The puppeteers behind the scenes operate and provide voiceovers, which is actually very hard work.

Next up is the Taige Opera "The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea".

The so-called "Taige Opera" was a popular theatrical genre in the country. It featured children playing adults.

The little boy playing Lü Dongbin, with a mustache pasted on his face and dressed in a venerable, otherworldly manner, sang in a half-white, half-singing voice:

"I roam the North Sea in the morning and the Cangwu Mountains in the evening, a green snake hidden in my sleeve, my courage boundless. I passed Yueyang thrice, yet no one recognized me, as I recited aloud as I flew over Dongting Lake!"

"color!"

"Bravo!" The audience roared with applause and cheers.

Because the boy was at most ten years old, but his voice was deep and ethereal, with a touch of otherworldly grace. His appearance was also excellent.

Zhang Shixun stared at the young actor on stage, squinted for a while, and then whispered to the servant beside him:
"After the performance, tell the troupe leader that the goods will be delivered to his residence that night, and returned to the troupe intact three days later, with the troupe leader receiving two taels of silver as a thank-you gift."

"Yes," the servant nodded. "Young Master, if the troupe leader refuses..."

Zhang Shixun smiled and said, "Does he dare to refuse? If he refuses, then you shouldn't come back."

The servant trembled and quickly obeyed the order.

A moment later, the servant returned with a troubled expression and whispered in Shi Xun's ear:

"Please forgive me, young master. It's not that I'm incompetent, but Master Wang beat me to it and has already spoken to the troupe leader."

"The troupe leader said that he had already received the money from Master Wang and would send his apprentice to the Wang family that night."

Zhang Shixun's smile immediately faded, and he cursed inwardly that Wang Chaoque, that old lecher, was too quick to act, even when eating shit, he would go for the best.

"The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" was performed only once, followed by "Eunuch Sanbao's Voyages to the West" and "Sun Wukong's Havoc in the Dragon Palace," which drew cheers from the audience and numerous rewards from several important figures.

After singing opera for a while, they started performing acrobatics and magic tricks.

One after another, itinerant performers appeared on stage, like a revolving lantern, performing stilt walking, pole climbing, tightrope walking, sword swallowing, turning into pigeons, twirling on ropes, flipping tables and ladders, somersaulting like dragonflies, jumping on ropes and hoops, leaping through fire and swords... a dazzling array of performances.

The cheers from the audience never stopped; the whole place was buzzing with excitement and joy.

The Indian monk Kama always wore a look of disdain and mockery on his face.

But deep down, he was actually very insecure.

Soon, the sun began to set.

The grand show is about to begin.

The village opera is divided into three parts: the opening performance, the opening performance, and the main performance.

The main plays were performed at night, and supernatural plays like Mulian rescuing his mother were a must.

There are also shadow puppet shows performed only at night.

The stage fell silent again. It was time for the intermission. Many people took this opportunity to go to the nearby outhouse.

Soon, the sun finally set.

As lanterns were lit one by one, fireworks began to be set off.

Fireworks such as the Overlord Whip, Skyrocket, Fire Pear Blossom, and Purple Jar were also set off, turning the entire sky into a dazzling display of fire and silver flowers.

The crowd erupted in a deafening roar. As the fireworks in the night sky gradually faded, the crowd fell silent.

On the stage, the curtain slowly rose, and the soft sounds of string and wind instruments began to rise.

The grand spectacle of entertainment has officially begun.

Indeed, the grand performance at night is the real way to thank the gods.

They are all watching.

A mysterious and solemn atmosphere began to permeate the surrounding space.

At this time, one can only accompany the ghosts and gods to watch the show and cheer, or go home to sleep, but one must never laugh, joke, gamble, or have fun at the scene.

The first major entertainment show was the shadow puppet play "Three Battles with the White Bone Demon".

As soon as the gongs and drums sounded, the shadow puppet show began behind the illuminated paper.

On a small, ten-foot-long paper screen, Tang Sanzang's pedantry, the Monkey King's heroism, and the monsters' terror are all vividly portrayed.

The children, in particular, cheered enthusiastically.

Even Ning Qingchen couldn't help but giggle, laughing uncontrollably, not at all like a time traveler.

After the shadow puppet show "Three Battles with the White Bone Demon", the main event "Mulian Saves His Mother" was staged.

The important figures, however, got up and left one after another.

Because "Mulian Saves His Mother" is performed every year, these worldly people are already tired of it. They might as well go back to their residence and find some entertainment.

Before leaving, Wang Chaoque smiled and cupped his hands in farewell to everyone.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief after Zhang Shixun and other important figures left.

"Mulian Saves His Mother" is a ghost story with many eerie scenes. Many children were so scared that they held onto their parents' hands tightly, and some even cried.

The music on the stage turned eerie and terrifying, and one bizarre scene after another appeared: gods and deities, ox-headed and horse-faced demons, ghost mothers and mourning gods, yakshas and rakshasas, saws, millstones, cauldrons, mountains of knives and ice, a forest of swords, and a blood-soaked iron city...

In a daze, everyone felt as if they had arrived in the underworld.

Chinese people are not used to staying up late. When the play "Mulian Saves His Mother" was performed, many audience members left and went home by 7:45 PM.

Seeing that there were fewer and fewer people, Zhu Yin and the others also left and went home.

Even after walking a long distance, the midnight folk opera in the direction of the shrine continues to depict loyalty and treachery, good and evil, love and hate.

The village opera was to be performed all night long. Even if there wasn't a single audience member, the performance would continue as scheduled.

Because the real audience is: ghosts and gods!
They are watching.

……

The village opera lasted for three whole days before it ended.

Three days after the village opera ended, Li Jiayi, who had been sent by Zhu Yin to the city to spy on Tianyu Pavilion, finally returned to the village.

Li Jiayi looked confident, and Zhu Yin knew as soon as he saw him that he had completed his mission.

“My lord,” Li Jiayi reported, “following your instructions, I went to the brothel twice under the guise of seeking a job, and we became acquainted with the manager…”

"The money wasn't wasted after all. He ate and drank for free for several days, and even called me brother. In the end, he was so embarrassed that he finally said that Tianyu Pavilion wasn't hiring..."

The subordinate feigned disappointment but did not blame him, saying only that their friendship remained, and although he didn't know why he wasn't hiring, there must be some reason...

"Finally, after drinking, he revealed the secrets of the Tianyu Pavilion to me..."

After listening, Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei finally understood.

Ning Caiwei's judgment was wrong; the operation of Tianyu Pavilion indeed faced a major crisis.

It turns out that the Dong family, the owners of Tianyu Pavilion, are very wealthy, but they have only had one son for three generations.

The late great-grandfather, the current Master Dong, and Young Master Dong—three generations of male descendants, only one of them has reached adulthood.

More than three months ago, in order to familiarize his only son with the jade merchants of the Western Regions and to give his young master some experience, Master Dong took him to the Western Regions to buy Hetian jade.

They were murdered in Gansu. Neither father nor son were ever found.

When the news reached her, Madam Cai was thunderstruck.

Because she only gave birth to one daughter. Her two concubines also both gave birth to daughters.

However, many members of the Dong family coveted the direct line's property and power.

They forced the Cai family to hand over the account books and keys of Tianyu Pavilion, handing over the management of this renowned old jewelry store in Nanjing to them.

They want to eat the blood of the childless.

Cai was a weak woman with no sons; how could she possibly fight against a group of clansmen?
She knew very well that she couldn't protect Tianyu Pavilion at all, and if she refused, she might not even be able to save her life.

Her father-in-law died, her husband died, and her mother-in-law passed away several years ago. The large Dong family has no one to rely on.

In wealthy and powerful families, it's not easy to kill someone.

To save her young daughter and unborn child, she only had one option left: sell Tianyu Pavilion and get out of there with the money!

Once she sells Tianyu Pavilion and gets the cash, she can run away with the money.

This is the best way.

But it must be done secretly, and those despicable clansmen who want to exploit the entire clan must never find out.

Before selling, delaying tactics should be used to postpone the sale as much as possible.

However, she could only sell Tianyu Pavilion at a low price.

If she didn't sell it cheaply, firstly, she wouldn't have time to find a wealthy buyer, and secondly, any transaction involving a large sum of money would have to go through the government, which she couldn't possibly keep secret.

For transactions involving small amounts, the transfer can be done directly through a brokerage firm.

Selling her off cheaply would allow her to get a sum of money and leave. If she didn't sell her off cheaply, not only would she be left with nothing, but she might even lose her life.

Moreover, to maintain secrecy, even the buyers had to be very reliable so that they wouldn't betray her and let the Dong family find out.

The price she offered was... three thousand taels!

Three thousand taels is a large sum of money. Very few people can actually afford it.

However, for the century-old shop with an excellent reputation, Tianyuge was really sold off at a bargain price.

Because the signboard of Tianyu Pavilion is worth at least 20,000 taels of silver, or even more!

Isn't this a fire sale?

In a normal transaction, the transfer of property worth 20,000 taels of silver would have to go through the Jiangning County government office before the shop owner could be changed.

It can't be hidden at all.

She only has half a month left; if she can't find a suitable buyer within that time, her chances are slim. She currently has several potential buyers, but hasn't officially started contacting them yet.

"Three thousand taels! If we can get Tianyu Pavilion, we'll make a fortune!" Ning Caiwei said. "We must try our best to acquire it!"

……

The Wang family compound in Xili is a large, well-walled, and vermilion-clad estate with pavilions, towers, and ancient trees, covering nearly a hundred acres.

What a magnificent mansion!

At this moment, in the eastern garden of the front courtyard, the head of the family, Wang Chaoque, with a chrysanthemum in his hair, was watching dog fighting.

The two dogs were covered in blood, but Wang Chaoque showed no sign of stopping; instead, he was all smiles.

"Master, that Kong Jiulang is coming over again."

A servant reported this.

Wang Chaoque waved his hand, "Tell him to come see me."

"Yes!"

Soon, Kong Jiulang, the local thug leader of Qingqiao, walked in bowing and scraping. He jogged a few steps, staggered over to Wang Chaoque, and knelt down.

"This humble servant greets Lord Centurion. May you be well."

Kong Jiulang, who had been a fierce and menacing figure in front of the villagers, was now like a dog wagging its tail and begging for mercy, even less than the bloody fighting dog in front of him.

"Get up." Wang Chaoque nodded, grinning. "Little Kong, you rascal, what brings you here today?"

Seeing Wang Chaoque's smiling face, Kong Jiulang suddenly recalled the legend of the smiling tiger and couldn't help but shudder. He forced a smile and said:
"Reporting to the centurion, I wish to see that green-headed monk and ask him to take action to eliminate Zhu Xiaogui and Ning Dajiao."

Wang Chaoque laughed, "You dog! You're so damn unreasonable, even targeting children! You're incredibly vicious. Be careful you don't go to hell after you die!"

"Besides, what does this matter have to do with me? Why did you come here to tell me this?"

Kong Jiulang rubbed his hands together. "Without Master's approval, how could I dare to invite him? Besides, didn't Master already have his eye on the land where the Zhou family's villa is located?"

“If it were attacked by bandits, many people would die, and the houses would be burned down. That would be an ominous place, and the Zhou family would definitely sell it. Anyway, the Zhou family isn’t from this village.”

“If the Zhou family sells that piece of land, the master can buy it.”

Kong Jiulang isn't stupid.

Why was he so confident that he could persuade Wang Chaoque to help him take revenge?
Because Wang Chaoque wanted the land belonging to the Zhou family's villa.

Anyway, it was Green-Headed Monk who did the work, and Kong Jiulang who hired him. Wang Chaoque, that old fox, only needed to nod in agreement; he didn't have to contribute any money or effort.

Even if something goes wrong by accident, Wang Chaoque bears no responsibility whatsoever and can completely absolve himself of any blame.

How could this smiling tiger refuse such a good deal?

As for Zhu Xiaogui and Ning Dajiao, although they have backgrounds, the one who killed them was the Green-Headed Monk who had committed evil for many years and was still at large. What does that have to do with me?
Even if Magistrate Zhuang were to cause trouble, he wouldn't be able to find fault with himself.

Go find the Green-Headed Monk.

Wang Chaoque laughed and said, "I know nothing about your affairs, nor do I want to interfere. Get lost."

Kong Jiulang smiled and said, "I'll be going now. Master, please rest well."

As Wang Chaoque watched Kong Jiulang's retreating figure, the smile on his face vanished abruptly.

That bastard is getting bolder and bolder, and his temper is getting more and more ruthless.

But that’s fine.

This makes it even more useful.

His eyes were fixed on the direction of the Zhou family's villa, his gaze expectant.

The clairvoyant said that the land where the Zhou family's villa was located was a rare feng shui treasure, capable of producing great figures.

A truly important person!

P.S.: The village opera is finally over. It's hard for the author to write, and the readers don't seem to enjoy it. Writing this feels so lonely. Goodnight, thank you. A three-character title was too difficult to come up with, I regret it…

(End of this chapter)