Chapter 0005: The Lice

Zhao Han struck a pose, first adjusting his collar, then standing upright with his hands clasped in a formal greeting, and began to speak nonsensically: "Let it be known to you, esteemed sir, that my ancestors were the imperial chefs of the Yingzong. During the incident at Tumu Fort, my forebear accompanied the imperial entourage into battle and unfortunately perished amidst the chaos of the troops."

Zhao Han turned around and immediately burst into laughter, as his younger sister had actually broken the comb's teeth, which clearly indicated how much effort she had just exerted

Zhao Zhenfang immediately grasped the base of the comb and crushed all the lice that had fallen off.

The shopkeeper seemed to sense something and coldly spat out a word: "Get lost!"

Zhao Han endured in silence, not only refraining from speaking out to stop it, but rather enjoying the moment with his eyes closed.

I have searched for a few more shops, and regardless of how Zhao Han boasts or what kind of job Zhao Han wants to pursue, there is one essential prerequisite that must be met: the joint guarantee of three local individuals with unblemished backgrounds

Zhao Han glanced at the ragged cloth shoes on his younger sister's feet and took out two pairs of children's shoes that he had obtained last night: "Younger sister, try these on."

Zhao Han felt hungry again, braving the light rain to buy some food, and quickly returned to the eaves to take shelter from the rain

Thank you! Zhao Hanxi said

The ability to escape from the outskirts to the city relies solely on a strong will. Upon finding a place to take shelter from the rain, although drenched all over, Zhao Han collapsed and fell into a deep sleep.

Another day has passed, and the sun has finally emerged after the heavy rain that lasted for a full day and night

Oh no, it broke!" Zhao Zhengfang exclaimed

The houses of those high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants often cover dozens to hundreds of acres, with bracketed eaves and flying cornices resembling those of nobility and aristocrats

Zhao Han fell silent for a moment, choosing to speak the truth: "Anal fissure ... ... "

Zhao Han took out the comb and hairpin that were at hand, smiling as he said to his younger sister: "Little sister, second brother will comb your hair."

The dagger is concealed within the bosom, and the spearhead is also wrapped in cloth, temporarily keeping its sharpness hidden.

The scenery is picturesque, but unfortunately, Zhao Han lacks the leisure and inclination to appreciate it

That night, Zhao Han hummed nursery rhymes to lull his younger sister to sleep. Even in deep slumber, his little sister clung to him tightly, as if afraid of losing her last remaining family member

Zhao Han persevered and said: "Shopkeeper, I can also tell stories. How about I narrate a segment right now? Let me tell you about the late Southern Song Dynasty, in the Lin'an Prefecture, there was a village called Niu Family Village..."

It is truly impressive for a new recruit to be able to join the cooking team, as it signifies that their military skills are undoubtedly exceptional

Zhao Han moistened his palms with the fine rain and gently wiped them on his younger sister's hair, then picked up a comb and slowly began to comb through it. Some granular substances were scraped out, including congealed salt stains, a significant amount of dandruff, and several engorged lice.

Not knowing how far they had traveled, they found a sheltered eave, where Zhao Han held his younger sister to sleep while avoiding the rain

Then let us head south immediately, arriving in the relatively warm south before autumn arrives, to avoid being left in Tianjin to freeze to death during winter

Zhao Han, upon witnessing this scene, could not help but laugh and say: "Haha, delightful!"

Zhao Han took out some copper coins in advance to buy dry food to satisfy his hunger, and he did not dare to take out the stolen silver and jewelry

One half of the scissors was caught on the tip of the spear by Zhao Han, and then it was tightly bound with cloth strips repeatedly

Move aside, move aside

I do not dare to change clothes for the time being, as they are made of silk, and I am afraid of being robbed while wearing them

The remaining half of the scissors is also wrapped with cloth strips around the handle. In this way, it becomes a dagger, with the cloth strips increasing friction, making it less likely to slip when killing and blood splatters.

The shop assistant sized up Zhao Han and shook his head, saying: "I cannot make this decision; you should go find the shopkeeper yourself."

The public security within the city seems to be better than that outside the city

After all, she is just a little girl, leaning against her brother's embrace, with the leisure to reach out and catch the fine rain from the eaves, seemingly forgetting her tragic circumstances for the moment

Zhao Han was momentarily stunned

They found a small eatery in the southeast of the city. A high-end restaurant would certainly refuse entry to those of unknown identity; it is likely that Zhao Han would have been turned away as soon as he reached the door

In the east of the city, a ancestral temple is built; in the west, a sacrificial altar is constructed; in the south, there is a marketplace; and in the north, there are government offices. As it has developed to the present, within Tianjin city, there are five districts and one market, while outside the city, there are the North Canal Wharf and the South Canal Wharf

"What kind of injury?" the shopkeeper retorted

Zhao Han suddenly pulled his younger sister away, and the two siblings were nearly struck dead in the street

The primary function of a comb is not to style hair, but to remove dandruff and lice from between the strands of hair

Zhao Zhengfang leaned out her head, using the puddle on the ground outside the eaves as a mirror, looking back and forth for a while, and happily said while touching her braid: "The braid that Second Brother styled is really beautiful"

Zhao Han said, "Once the rain stops, I will find a place to take a shower and get rid of the lice on my body"

Hehe

Both siblings are wearing new shoes, and their hair is neatly combed, yet they are still dressed in tattered clothes, resembling little beggars

The sky continues to drizzle lightly, creating a misty rain that envelops Tianjin in a veil of fog

It had not rained for several months, but once it started, it did not cease.

Zhao Zhenfang has not combed her hair for several days, and her beautiful locks have become matted and stuck together with sweat. Fortunately, last night’s rain has somewhat loosened them up.

The shopkeeper thought for a moment and said: "If you really have the ability, you might as well stay and help in the kitchen. When you grow a few more years, you will be able to take charge of the cooking."

Zhao Zhenfang happily took off her shoes and changed into another pair, but unfortunately, they were all too big and did not fit well. Instead, they suited Zhao Han better.

Zhao Han only braided two large braids for his sister, and only after finishing the braids did he realize that the parting in the middle was unevenly styled

The circumference of the city wall is 9 li, and within the city, there are 9 vertical and 9 horizontal streets

Earning money through labor seems to be hopeless; I can only seek alternative paths.

At this time, just before dawn, the siblings were both tired and sleepy

The shop assistant was taken aback and curiously asked, "Are you... going to have a meal?"

Zhao Zhengfang stood up, picked up the comb, and said: "I will also comb Second Brother's hair."

Many bricks have been picked up by the common people, but some are still left scattered

The bamboo spear has transformed into an iron spear

On the way back, Zhao Han secretly observed the situation in the city

Of course, there is one more matter that appears to be even more urgent at the moment

Bang

Zhao Han sighed and said, "I come from a family that has fallen on hard times and have come to Tianjin to seek refuge with relatives. Unfortunately, my relatives are also struggling to make ends meet. I possess skills in imperial cuisine and wish to be self-reliant. I wonder if it would be possible for me to work as a chef in your esteemed establishment"

Feeling her brother stop his movements, Zhao Zhengfang asked: "Second brother, are you done combing your hair?"

Zhao Hanxun brought a large blue brick, took out the scissors used in the murder two days prior, and swung the brick to strike fiercely at the riveted joint.

"To defend oneself with weapons." Zhao Han replied

After hammering for half a day, the rivet broke, and the scissors were smashed in two. Zhao Han was exhausted and panting.

Zhao Zhenfang leaned against her brother, feeling pain while he combed out the lice, yet finding comfort when he brushed her hair. She couldn't help but close her eyes in enjoyment, completely forgetting her worries, as if she had returned to the carefree days of her past

Looking at the well-dressed horses and riders before him, and recalling the emaciated famine victims outside the city, Zhao Han could not help but let out a cold laugh

"Is it true that your ancestors were imperial chefs?" the shopkeeper asked, maintaining a calm demeanor.

Wandering aimlessly to the South City Wall, where it has also collapsed for several dozen zhang.

Zhao Han still did not give up, saying: "Shopkeeper, why not let this young man cook a dish for you, and you can taste how it is first?"

The clothes on the siblings have been dried by body heat, quietly waiting for the heavens to clear up

After thoroughly removing the lice from his younger sister's head for a full half an hour, Zhao Han finally began to pick up the comb and truly comb her hair

Destroy them! Zhao Han commanded

What a remarkable individual; one can tell from their words and actions that they do not come from the lower strata of society. Ordinary people do not possess such upbringing and insight

Zhao Han lies without batting an eye, solemnly stating: "Absolutely true"

Zhao Han arrived at a pharmacy and inquired, "Shopkeeper, do you have any external injury medicine?"

After several months of drought, there were two consecutive days of heavy rain, which had thoroughly frustrated the young aristocrats. Now, they have made plans to come out together and revel in the joy.

Zhao Han, accompanied by his sister, quickly found the shopkeeper and reiterated what he had just said.

The shopkeeper has completely regarded Zhao Han as a fraud, shouting: "Throw him out!"

A bun hairstyle? I can't do it!

In ancient times, all professions placed great importance on endorsements. Even candidates for the title of Xiucai had to be endorsed by three senior Xiucai to prevent examinees from falsifying personal information

Even to take on an apprentice, it is necessary to have three guarantors present, and these guarantors must be reputable local families

Especially Zhao Han, although he regained some energy by eating meat buns, he was ultimately suffering from long-term malnutrition. The nighttime ambush and murder seemed effortless, but the brief struggle nearly left him completely exhausted

The shopkeeper added, "You say you are coming to Tianjin to visit relatives, and you want your relatives to act as guarantors. Guarantors from outside the city do not count; they must be from within the city."

Do you want to stay and be a cook

The shop assistant immediately came over to drive him away, and Zhao Han had no choice but to leave quickly

Satisfying one's hunger, with nothing else to attend to

An unidentified migrant worker from another region wishes to apply for a labor position in Tianjin

Because during his time in the military, he was successfully selected as a new recruit for our army's strongest unit—the cooks!

There is a curfew in the city, but due to the heavy rain, it is all but meaningless, especially since large sections of the north and south city walls have long since collapsed

Why did Zhao Han choose to make a living as a chef

Zhao Zhengfang squatted beside and asked, "Second brother, what are you doing?"

Perhaps it was because the siblings no longer appeared disheveled, that even though their clothing was tattered, the shopkeeper allowed them to enter

Zhao Han wandered aimlessly through the city of Tianjin with his younger sister

He picked out the lice, crushing them one by one, and soon the ground was covered with their corpses. As he surveyed the dead lice, Zhao Han surprisingly felt a sense of accomplishment, akin to that of a perfectionist tidying up the trash in their home

Upon waking the next day, it was already noon

Yesterday I experienced constipation, which exacerbated an old wound, causing blood to flow profusely as if a relative were visiting.

The night is dark and the wind is fierce, with a heavy thunderstorm raging.

The little girl was unaware of the consequences, and Zhao Han's hair had become severely matted, causing sharp pain in his scalp as it was being combed through.

The court is unable to provide funds for repairs, allowing the military stronghold of Tianjin to have significant gaps in its north and south city walls for twenty years

Zhao Han still had his sister put on a good pair of shoes, and then tied them securely with a cloth rope, which was at least better than the worn-out shoes with broken soles.

Several strong horses galloped wildly, while the young nobles rode their steeds at full speed, with dozens of household servants running after them.

"It has been combed." Zhao Han replied

Before formally heading south, Zhao Han was not prepared to leave the city and even considered trying to find a job

"Do you have money on you? Where are your elders?" the shop assistant inquired

"Good, good!" Zhao Zhengfang said with great delight

Similarly, the store recruitment also requires a guarantor

The residents of the city are predominantly hereditary military officers and military households, along with numerous wealthy merchants and tycoons settling down.

The city of Tianjin during the Ming Dynasty, also known as "Abacus City," resembles an abacus in its overall layout. It is said to have been designed by Liu Bowen based on feng shui principles; however, this city was actually constructed after Zhu Di ascended to the throne.

By the afternoon, the light drizzle had turned into a heavy rain once again, and the siblings could only take shelter under the eaves, combing each other's hair and playing at catching lice.

Styling? No way!

Dream on

In the southern part of the city, there are two ponds, which are large water pits left over from the time of the city's construction, allowing direct access to the moat outside the city. Nowadays, they have been enclosed and transformed into gardens and lakes for the wealthy, where young masters and ladies can indulge in leisurely activities and merriment

Ah, Zhao Han sighed softly

Giggling!

Zhao Zhenfang also clapped her small hands and laughed along with her brother