The Republic of China: From Storyteller to God

Liu Che met with Huang Feihong simply to make connections and become acquainted with him.

Huang Feihong was highly respected in the local area, and if he wanted to do business in Guangzhou, he would inevitably need the help of others.

However, he didn't expect that people would quickly trust him after meeting him.

In these chaotic times, the cost of trust is very high.

For complete strangers, thorough background checks are essential to build trust.

Huang Feihong would definitely investigate and verify the identity and background he claimed to have.

Fortunately, he had made preparations in advance, and even when Huang Feihong asked him directly, he couldn't find any problems.

Because he was telling the truth.

The only thing he concealed was that he had killed a high-ranking official and was being hunted down.

But this was also a backup plan he had prepared, so it wouldn't matter if Wong Fei-hung found out.

The investigation and evidence collection for Huang Feihong will take some time.

Liu Che wasn't idle either; he took the opportunity to busy himself with business.

Early the next morning, A-Wu left the inn to inquire about the oyster fields, as instructed.

Liu Che, on the other hand, found a broker and planned to rent a house in the city.

His identity was fabricated and could not withstand official verification.

He was unfamiliar with the area and couldn't find a guarantor, so he had to go through an intermediary.

The brokerage firm only looks at the money and doesn't check the tenant's identity.

Moreover, he added a 30% commission, and the real estate agent was very attentive, showing him three houses in just one morning.

After having a quick lunch, he watched three more shows in the afternoon.

But these houses were either too big and the rent was not right, or they were too dilapidated and dirty, so he didn't like any of them.

After showing him so many houses, the broker figured out his actual needs.

Therefore, after looking at the last house, the broker took the initiative to suggest to him: "Boss, I can tell that you are not short of money, but just want to find a quiet and tidy little house."

I do know of a house that would be perfect for you, but the owner is looking to sell quickly. Are you interested?

Upon hearing this, Liu Che immediately wanted to refuse.

His identity cannot withstand thorough investigation and there is still a risk of it being exposed.

That's why he chose to rent a house.

The rental agreement is a white contract, which is a contract signed directly between the tenant and the landlord. At most, a neighbor or acquaintance might be found to witness and sign it, and there will be no issue of identity verification.

However, if you are buying a house, you have to register it with the government.

The government signs official contracts (red deeds), which require the payment of deed tax, and identity verification may be conducted during the process.

Although the officials and clerks in Guangzhou were known for their greed, and money could easily settle things, he didn't want to put himself at risk.

The broker was good at reading people's expressions. Seeing that he wanted to refuse, he quickly said, "This house is really nice. It has a courtyard and was built in the first year of Guangxu."

The landlord is a storyteller who lives alone. He is very clean and keeps the yard tidy.

He's run into some trouble and urgently needs to sell his house to get money. The price he's offering is reasonable. Why don't you take a look first?

Talk about Mr. Gu?

Upon hearing the landlord's identity, Liu Che immediately swallowed his words of refusal.

A storyteller is the same as a storyteller. In the south, storytelling is called storytelling, and the two are essentially the same thing.

The profession he wants to cultivate deeply in this life is that of a storyteller.

This profession may seem ordinary, but in his hands, it can unleash the power to turn the rotten into the miraculous!

Therefore, he agreed to the broker's suggestion: "Alright, let's go and see."

"Okay! Please follow me."

The broker led Liu Che to Fuyuan Road.

The residence is located at the end of Fuyuan Road, just two streets away from Baozhilin.

The landlord wasn't home, but the broker had a key, so he opened the door and led Liu Che inside for a tour.

After looking around, Liu Che was very satisfied with the house.

Although the house was a bit old, it was kept very clean and didn't feel dilapidated.

In particular, there are some green bamboos planted along the courtyard wall, and the leaves rustle in the wind, creating a rather picturesque scene.

"Boss, what do you think?"

The broker looked at Liu Che with eager eyes.

Liu Che chuckled and joked, "What, you really want me to buy this house?"

The broker gave an awkward smile and quickly explained, "Boss, of course I hope to close this deal with you."

But don't worry, I have no ill intentions. I just want to help Mr. Chen.

Mr. Chen was an honest and kind man who never held grudges against anyone. Everyone in the neighborhood knew he was a good person.

He encountered some trouble this time and had no choice but to urgently spend money to avoid further trouble.

I've known him for many years, so I naturally wanted to help him if I could.

But don't worry, boss, whether you buy it or not is entirely up to you.

If you don't like it, I can show you other houses.

Mr. Chen is the storyteller the broker was referring to.

After thinking for a moment, Liu Che made a request: "I would like to meet Mr. Chen and talk to him in person."

"Sure! No problem!"

The broker readily agreed: "We should have met in person to discuss this in detail. Mr. Chen should be telling stories at the teahouse right now. I'll take you there to find him, and you can listen to his storytelling."

Mr. Chen's "The Complete Story of Yue Fei" is famous throughout Guangzhou Prefecture; you'll know once you listen to it.

The broker was very hospitable and led him across the street toward a teahouse diagonally opposite.

The culture of morning tea is prevalent in Guangzhou, and locals call it "danzaocha".

Thanks to the treaty port, local commerce flourished, and many businessmen liked to discuss business in teahouses.

However, the teahouse that the broker brought Liu Che to was not the kind of high-end teahouse that business people frequented, but rather a small teahouse that cost two cents.

The so-called "two-cent teahouse" means that it only charges two cents for a pot of tea upon entry.

Two li of silver was equivalent to only two copper coins, a price that ordinary people could afford.

Some idle neighbors would get up early in the morning, take out two coins to go to the teahouse, and sit there until closing time before going home.

These teahouses also sell a variety of snacks and desserts to accompany tea and fruit, which can help them make more money.

But just drinking tea and eating snacks can be a bit boring.

Therefore, some teahouse owners would hire entertainers to perform in order to attract customers, such as singing folk songs, performing acrobatics, or telling stories.

The most captivating element is the storyteller who recounts ancient tales.

Other performers often only have half an hour to perform before their skills are exhausted.

Even the most talented performers get tired of watching after ten days or half a month.

Therefore, artists often travel all over the country and tour everywhere in order to perform for new audiences and earn more money.

Only storytellers can earn money in the long run.

It would take at least a month to tell the whole story of a book from beginning to end.

If it's a long and complex story, it often takes two or three months to finish a book.

A skilled storyteller will leave a cliffhanger at the end of each performance, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats and unable to stop watching, which often attracts the most customers.

Therefore, a good storyteller has always been a sought-after star in teahouses and storytelling venues.

The teahouse that the broker brought Liu Che to was just across the street from the house, and it was called Miaoxiangming.

A couplet hangs at the entrance of the teahouse.

The first line is: Busy for fame, busy for profit, steal a moment of leisure in the midst of busyness, and have a cup of tea.

The second line is: "Mental labor is hard, physical labor is hard, but find joy in hardship, bring a pot of wine."

On either side of the pillars adorned with couplets, stood more than a dozen men with fierce appearances, leaning lazily against the doorway, sizing up passersby.

Upon seeing these people, the man with the tooth suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He looked at Liu Che with a troubled expression and said in a low voice, "Boss, it's not convenient today. Why don't we go back to the house and wait for Mr. Chen to return?"

"What's wrong?"

Liu Che understood perfectly. He raised his chin at the dozen or so thugs at the teahouse entrance and asked, "Who are those people?"

"Boss, don't look at them."

The broker pulled Liu Che aside in a panic and whispered, "Those are all members of the Shahe Gang. They're probably here to cause trouble for Mr. Chen."