Eternal madness

Chapter 15 Steamed Buns
When Lao Zheng realized Zhang Laifu was missing, he quickly pushed through the crowd and searched everywhere.

Zheng Pipa's way of doing things is very different from Lao Yu's. He is not reckless or flamboyant. Song Yongchang admires his steadiness and patience the most.

He stood in the crowd doing nothing, intending to wait for the crowd to disperse before making his move against Zhang Laifu. But even such a simple matter was not handled properly.

What just happened? Why did I just want to watch the show?
Not only Lao Zheng, but many onlookers were still there.

Xiao Yang's toothache was cured, and he kept thanking Li Yunsheng.

Li Yunsheng sat back down in his chair, picked up his teacup, and adjusted the lid: "No need to thank me, the consultation fee is three silver dollars."

Xiao Yang works as a night watchman and can earn sixteen silver dollars a month. Three silver dollars is equivalent to six days' income for him.

Although it hurt a little, compared to the suffering he endured from the toothache, Li Yunsheng's request was not much.

Xiao Yang took out three silver dollars, and Li Yunsheng took the money and instructed him: "Go to the paper horse shop, buy some ingots and incense, and burn them by the ash pit at the street corner."

The night watchman was in a dilemma: "How dare I go?"

Li Yunsheng didn't try to persuade him further: "It's wrong to fool people, and it's not right to fool ghosts either. You still have to make a living as a night watchman. You can't change your territory. You still have to pass by this pit at night. The next time you meet him, it might not be because you have a toothache."

Xiao Yang listened to the advice and quickly went to the paper horse shop.

The onlookers praised, "This is a skilled person; he can earn three silver dollars in one transaction."

"The key is that the work is not tiring at all. It takes less than the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, and they don't even break a sweat."

He Yunxi took a puff from his pipe and blew the smoke onto the birdcage: "You all keep saying that their work isn't tiring, but do you know how tiring it was for them when they were learning the trade?"

Upon hearing this, Old Zheng sighed, "Yes, learning a craft is indeed not easy. Take me, for example, when I was learning to sing from my master..."

Why are you getting involved in this mess again? Go find someone quickly!

Old Zheng couldn't understand his situation, and neither could Li Yunsheng.

As a doctor specializing in incantation therapy, Li Yunsheng was often ridiculed, but he didn't really care about it.

But today his mindset has changed, and he used his skills a bit too flamboyantly. He felt relieved and gained some recognition, but this will bring him trouble afterward.

I'm usually so cautious, so why can't I control my temper today?

Li Yunsheng walked towards He Yunxi, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Sixth Master He, thank you for taking care of me just now."

He Yunxi put the birdcage aside and returned the greeting: "I should thank you. Let's have a cup of tea together another day."

Li Yunsheng didn't recognize He Yunxi, but he felt strangely familiar with her.

He Yunxi left, and Xiao Yang ran back from the paper horse shop, carrying a bundle of incense and candles and a bag of gold ingots: "Doctor, do you think these candles and gold ingots are enough?"

Li Yunsheng nodded: "That's enough. Was that Sixth Master He a friend of yours?"

Xiao Yang nodded: "Yes, a new friend I made today."

"today?"

"Yes!" Xiao Yang pointed to the intersection. "I had a toothache, and when I crossed the intersection, he said he could find someone to treat it, so he led me here."

These new friends are so new; Xiao Yang is someone He Yunxi just met.

What is He Yunxi's background?
Who is that person who was just causing trouble?
And where did the craftsman who secretly performs Pingtan come from?

……

"A scholar's nature is inherently noble; temporary hardship should not cause distress. As long as one studies diligently, one will not be idle during rest. Lofty ambitions can be realized in a single day!" Old Zheng sang as he walked along the street.

Even though he was empty-handed and singing a cappella, others could clearly hear the pipa accompaniment in his lyrics.

Whether it's the music or the singing, it's so captivating that you can't tear yourself away.

Zhang Laifu squeezed into an alley and stood close to the wall.

He knew that Lao Zheng was near the alley entrance. He heard Lao Zheng singing Pingtan. Although he couldn't understand the lyrics, the melody and singing style were very distinctive.

Old Zheng sang so well that Zhang Laifu really wanted to go closer and listen carefully.

His feet began to move involuntarily. Fortunately, the two sides were some distance apart. Zhang Laifu gritted his teeth, gripped the wall with his hands, and was barely able to control himself.

An old man also entered the alley. He was carrying a basket covered with a quilt, and it was unclear what was inside.

Old Zheng walked to the entrance of the alley.

The old man walked up to Zhang Laifu.

Zhang Laifu held his breath, hoping that the old man would not speak to him.

The old man was unaffected by the storytelling performance; he simply walked slowly through the alley and glanced at Zhang Laifu as he passed by.

Zhang Laifu broke out in a cold sweat.

If the old man said something to Zhang Laifu, Zhang Laifu would be exposed.

Zhang Laifu lowered his head, his heart pounding in his throat, a lump forming in his throat, a tingling sensation spreading from his skin to his bones. The old man walked past, ignoring Zhang Laifu.

Old Zheng also walked past the alley entrance, unaware that the alley was there.

Zhang Laifu let out a long breath, turned around and left, when he suddenly heard the old man carrying the basket shout, "What are you doing here!"

The old man had a heavy accent and a loud voice, which startled Zhang Laifu.

He was afraid that Lao Zheng would chase after him, so he quickly lowered his head and walked away. As a result, Lao Zheng did not chase after him, but the old man did.

"I'm asking you a question, what do you do!"

Zhang Laifu looked back and said dismissively, "I'm not doing anything."

"If you're not doing anything, why were you staring at me like that?"

"I didn't mean to do anything, I just..."

"What exactly do you want?"

It's still hard to say.

Zhang Laifu was scared. The old man's voice was too loud. If he said a few more words, he might attract Old Zheng's attention.

In a moment of panic, not knowing how to respond, I suddenly heard the old man ask, "Do you want to buy steamed buns?"

Zhang Laifu was taken aback: "How did you know?"

The old man lifted the quilt on the basket and took out a steamed bun: "One big coin for one, two big coins for three!"

It took Zhang Laifu a while to finally speak: "Grandpa, are you really selling steamed buns?"

The old man held his head high, raising the bun high: "Good dough, good filling, good buns, do you want to buy some?"

"purchase."

The old man shouted, "Give me the money!"

If you want money, just give it to me! Why does this old man have to make such a big fuss?

Zhang Laifu took out a large coin and counted out ten copper coins, which he then handed to the old man.

The old man counted twice, gave Zhang Laifu three steamed buns, covered the basket with a quilt, and walked on without shouting or showing off the buns.

Zhang Laifu glanced at the old man's back. With the way he does business, who would know he sells steamed buns?
Now that we have steamed buns, all we need to do is find that Master He Liu and we can exchange them for five coins.

But Zhang Laifu dared not return to Zhuzi Street, nor did he dare to go to see Master He.

With the steamed buns in his hand, Zhang Laifu ran as far as possible along the alley, from Zhuzi Street to Bailun Alley, past Yutou Road and then to Lianhua Bridge.

When they reached the Lotus Bridge, it was late at night, and Zhang Laifu could walk no more.

Having not slept a wink last night and running around all day, Zhang Laifu's legs were too sore to move and his eyes were too heavy to open.

He wanted to find a place to sleep and asked at two inns. The cheapest one, a dormitory-style room, cost ten coins a night.

He only had about ten copper coins left, not even enough to make two large coins, so he could forget about staying at an inn. Zhang Laifu looked at the Lotus Bridge and decided to spend the night squatting under the bridge arch.

Lotus Bridge is an arched bridge with seven arches. The main arch spans the Heisha River, and there are three smaller arches on each side.

The other arches were too crowded, and many beggars huddled together for warmth.

The archway near the river was relatively quiet, with only one beggar who had lit a fire there and was cooking in a clay pot.

Zhang Laifu, covered in mud, walked into the bridge archway. The beggar looked disgusted and used his body to block the pot, afraid that Zhang Laifu would come and steal his food.

Zhang Laifu leaned against the bridge pier, took out a steamed bun, and took a bite.

While eating his steamed buns, Zhang Laifu raised an eyebrow at the beggar and said, "Looking down on me? I have food to eat too!"

The beggar snorted and ate the stew from the pot, slurping it down with great relish.

Zhang Laifu, holding a steamed bun, wanted to slurp it up, but ended up inhaling a mouthful of cold air.

The wind was cool, and the steamed buns were a bit salty. Zhang Laifu wanted to go to the river to fetch some water to drink, but suddenly he heard someone shout from the riverbank: "There are bugs in this water. You have to boil it before you can drink it."

The voice sounded familiar. Zhang Laifu looked along the riverbank and saw a man squatting by the river washing his face.

He looked like he had just been in a fight; his clothes were tattered and his face was covered in blood, making him unrecognizable at first glance.

But when he turned his head to look again, he saw a plaster on his forehead that covered half of one eye, and Zhang Laifu recognized him.

"Sixth Master He?"

He Yunxi chuckled and wiped his face: "You still recognize me, kid?"

Zhang Laifu nodded: "I know him!"

PS: Who beat up Master He like this?
(End of this chapter)