Chapter 8: Street Theater Drums, Not Songs (1)

This is the first task that the young girl Shishi undertook at the Zhou family, to keep a close watch on Zhou Quan and ensure that he is not incited by others to commit wrongdoing

Indeed, she looks down upon Zhou Quan; in her heart, she believes that singing names outside the Donghua Gate, with literary talent and charm flowing throughout the world, is what constitutes a true man and a true hero

Upon seeing Zhou Quan, the young man shot him a glare, ignored him, and directly walked away from his side

Wang Shishi also did not know the answer, but this young girl, being precocious, had already resigned herself to her situation. Therefore, she managed to delight Mother Zhou to the point of ecstasy, caring for her even more than for her own son

He had long realized that Li Bao was somewhat simple-minded and stubborn, and since there was no deep-seated enmity between them, it would be best to resolve the minor misunderstanding.

In recent years, the Three Immortal Aunts have relied on washing, mending, and performing tricks to raise their son Li Bao, among which performing tricks has become their main occupation

"Do you want to learn sumo?" Zhou Quan asked curiously

It turns out that Li Bao has been at the banks of the Bian River these past few days, unloading goods from the cargo ships. However, he is young and somewhat inept with words; although he possesses strength comparable to that of an adult, he broke the rules while trying to secure business, which angered the local leader. After the Three Immortals sent someone to plead for forgiveness on his behalf, he was finally able to extricate himself from the situation

He had an idea in his mind, but the current conditions were insufficient, so he could only temporarily keep Li Baoji in his thoughts

Thus, a small follower appeared behind Zhou Quan, who has been almost inseparable these past few days

"Regardless of what kind of trouble it is, are you not looking to earn some money to help with household expenses?" Zhou Quan asked again

If I don't do this, what else can I do? My mother wants me to go to school, saying that having a degree is good for securing a future, but I am not cut out for that. I am thinking of going to the brothel to learn sumo wrestling, but my mother does not allow it

"What are you doing?" Shishi, who was following Zhou Quan, hurriedly supported Zhou Quan and glared angrily at Li Bao.

With his hands behind his back, Zhou Quan walked around his home, murmuring to himself

"Watch the excitement." Zhou Quan smacked his lips and then turned to leave

This voice sounds somewhat familiar. Zhou Quan searched his memory and after a moment, he realized: San Xian Gu.

It turns out that the boy's name is Li Bao, and the Three Immortals' Aunt has been widowed for over ten years, raising such a boy on her own. It is indeed not easy in this capital city

Not only is there surprise, but also fear and a hint of hatred

"What are you doing here?" she said irritably

The Three Immortals' Aunt pointed at the mulberry tree and scolded the locust tree behind his back, but Zhou Quan pretended not to hear. However, when he turned the corner into the alley and left the sight of the Three Immortals' Aunt, he saw the stout Li Bao rushing out and pushing towards him.

However, after I exposed her two scams last time, she has had no business since then, and even some of the people she had previously deceived came to her door to argue with her

At this moment, it was the most prosperous time in the city of Bianliang, Tokyo. Zhou Quan emerged from the alley and arrived on the main street, where he saw a continuous flow of people coming and going. On both sides of the street, shops were lined up, and various sounds of vendors calling out and lively chatter rose and fell.

In addition to that young man, his father was also scolded. From the scolding of the Three Immortals, which resembled a singing tone, Zhou Quan still heard some things.

Zhou Quan waved his hand and said with a smile, "It's nothing, it's nothing, he was just a bit anxious... I did not bully your mother; your mother is angry because of you."

As for Zhou Quan, a mere street urchin, dull-witted and foolish, although he is not a scoundrel or a rogue, he is still a far cry from the hero in Shi Shi's heart.

Go to the South Corner Gate to carry the bag

Eat, eat, eat, all you know is to eat. Your one meal is equivalent to what ten of us would eat. Even a kid of your age cannot consume a third of what you do

At the innermost part of the narrowest and darkest alley, just as Zhou Quan was about to turn and leave, he suddenly heard a sharp voice cursing.

A door made of two broken wooden planks stood before Zhou Quan, yet it could not block the curses coming from inside. It was likely the Three Immortals' Wife scolding her short and stocky son. Zhou Quan had no interest in the household matters of others, but just as he was about to turn and leave, the door made of broken wooden planks swung open with a loud "bang," and the short and stocky boy walked out with a gloomy expression on his face

However, Zhao Ji is only thirty years old (in nominal age) at present, so it is likely that there is still some time before the humiliation of Jingkang.

"How much can one earn by going to the South Corner Gate to find a package?" Upon hearing this, Zhou Quan shook his head: "One can earn no more than 200 wen a day, and that is after deductions by the manager and the foreman. With your temperament, you are not suited for this job."

It is now the first year of the Zhenghe era of the Great Song Dynasty, and the current Emperor Zhao Ji has been in power for eleven years

As for his own family, they were residents of a household in the outer city of Bianjing, the capital of the Great Song Dynasty. His stepfather, Zhou Zhang, was a minor official in the Public Affairs Office of the Guild, with the title of "scribe," responsible for various miscellaneous tasks. However, tracing back further, the Zhou family originally belonged to the Imperial Guard, but it was only in Zhou Zhang's generation that they shed their military status and transitioned into civil service.

Naturally, look at the sumo wrestlers on the street ahead, not only do they have plenty of food and drink, but they are also called upon wherever they go, which is quite impressive

Li Bao let out a grunt, his face clouded with displeasure

This young man still possesses some filial piety, and Zhou Quan strongly agrees with the view that "of all virtues, filial piety is the foremost." If a person has filial piety, then there is always a chance for redemption.

Originally, this family, situated in the city of Tokyo Bianliang, was relatively comfortable, neither lacking in comparison to others nor overly abundant. However, Zhou Zhang was a man of good character and loyalty, and he could not help but support his brothers, who were a group of unfortunate former imperial guards. He provided assistance whenever he could, which in turn strained the Zhou family's resources, forcing them to live in rented accommodations provided by the government.

He turned around a bit and found it rather boring, so he walked towards the street

Zhou Quan gazed ahead, and suddenly, the scenery before him began to change. A mass of flames engulfed the splendor in front of him, and in a daze, the shouts of vendors transformed into cries of anguish and despair

Fortunately, the affordable housing in the Song Dynasty is managed quite well, and the houses available for rent in this establishment are not bad, providing shelter for the Zhou family from the wind and rain

Zhou Quan was secretly pondering, and at that moment, the three fairy aunts had just finished wiping their tears and were chasing after their son. They collided head-on with Zhou Quan, and their expressions immediately changed.

Before I even stepped onto the street, I heard Wang Shishi's voice from behind: "Brother, do not go out and cause trouble!"

Zhou Quan found it very strange how his parents had completed this transaction with Aunt Li, abducting Shishi. There must be certain reasons behind this that he was still unaware of, and no matter how he inquired, he could not extract an answer from his parents.

In the eyes of future generations, such excitement may be deemed insignificant, but at this moment, it is undoubtedly a prime location in the world

His mother, Lady Zhou Wang, was also the daughter of a royal guard. She had been married to Zhou Tang for eighteen years and had two sons and one daughter, but the other two had died from illness, thus Zhou Quan had no siblings.

All of this came rushing at him, causing Zhou Quan's hair to stand on end, and he was engulfed in terror, almost wanting to turn around and flee

Letting you bully my mother

It turns out that this mysterious fairy, the Three Immortals, lives so close to home, right in the same alley.

Behind him, Shishi smiled with her lips pressed together and said, "Brother made a mistake, that is two characters!"

A single character, truly impoverished

"Is your mother angry because you ate too much?" Zhou Quan asked curiously again

I don't want to eat so much either... but if I don't eat more, I won't have the strength, and without strength, I won't be able to work!" he said in a muffled voice.

This area consists entirely of houses belonging to the court's official residences. The rent varies according to size and age, with each room costing between over 50 and over 100 wen per month.

Shishi raised her chin and said: "Although I do not know much, I do know that both father and mother have instructed me to keep an eye on elder brother, to prevent him from getting into trouble"

Flowing through the alleys and lanes is no longer water, but blood... The neighing of warhorses, the raucous laughter of barbarians, the mournful wails of women...

He has finally come to understand his situation

She spoke with her lips pursed, and there was a hint of anger in her eyes

Zhou Quan was pushed and stumbled, colliding against the wall. If it weren't for the fact that this body was still relatively strong, he would likely have been toppled over by this young man.

However, the public housing rented by the Three Immortals' Aunt is more dilapidated compared to Zhou Quan's home. Zhou Quan's house has at least two stories, while the Three Immortals' Aunt's house is merely a low single story, and it is situated at the deepest part of the alley

In recent days, Zhou Quan has not been idle; he has conducted a thorough investigation into the prices and labor conditions in Bianjing City at this time

I do not intend to deceive my mother by pretending to be a deity; if I can earn money, she can enjoy a life of comfort at home

The generation gap..." Zhou Quan said

Zhou Quan had some knowledge of history and knew that this emperor was the famous Song Huizong, a notorious tyrant in Chinese history, who was about to face the humiliation of Jingkang and then be taken to the northeast to sit in a well and gaze at the sky

Rest assured, I will not cause any trouble. I just want to take a stroll in the streets, as I have been feeling quite stifled at home these past few days. If you are still not at ease, why not come along with me!

Zhou Quan glanced back at her and said somewhat sullenly: "Little girl, what do you know!"

Although she is young, she possesses high aspirations. Originally, having fallen into the hands of Aunt Li, she felt a twinge of sorrow and indignation in her heart. Now, being treated like a commodity, she has been transferred to the Zhou family, and it just so happens that she is to serve that scoundrel Zhou Quan

"What work are you doing?" Looking at this kid who seemed to be about the same age as himself, Zhou Quan asked curiously

Zhou Quan was unaware that his affairs would be relayed to the Emperor through the treacherous Yang Jian.

This area is quite impoverished... After finishing his own neighborhood, Zhou Quan began to wander around the community.

Zhou Quan glanced into the room; it was completely empty. The emaciated Sanxian Gu was both weeping and cursing.

What, what kind of ditch? Li Bao asked

At this time, the popularity of sumo wrestling is on the rise, but learning sumo is not easy. Even if one achieves success, enjoying glory in youth, by the age of thirty or so, physical strength declines, and injuries abound, leaving one to languish on a sickbed. This young man, Li Bao, only sees the splendor of the sumo wrestlers, while the three fairies see the desolate twilight of their careers.

Zhou Quan spoke in agreement, not pausing in his steps, leaving Shi Shi with no choice but to follow along

In the eyes of Zhou Quan, who has experienced an era of extreme material abundance, the Zhou family is undoubtedly poor