On Baiwei Street, at Honglai Restaurant.
Jia Yanyong, Xie Jiang, and Lin Zheyu sat around a single table.
"Come, let me raise a bowl to Brother Lin to welcome you to the Feihong Gang," Xie Jiang said, raising his wine bowl.
Lin Zheyu picked up his bowl, clinked it against Xie Jiang's, and drained it in one gulp.
Refilling his bowl, he said to Jia Yanyong, "And let me raise one to Brother Yong. From now on, we're brothers, and any past grudges are wiped clean."
"Haha! It was my fault back then, so this bowl should be mine to you!" Jia Yanyong laughed heartily. When it came to treating people as brothers, he had no shortcomings.
The two bumped bowls and downed the wine in one breath.
With a few bowls in their bellies, the mood livened up considerably.
"After we finish eating, I'll take you to meet the other brothers," Jia Yanyong said.
"I still have to do my storytelling soon. Let's make it tonight," Lin Zheyu replied.
He could earn six or seven taels of silver a month from storytelling—hardly a small sum—and had no intention of giving it up for now.
"What a coincidence. Plenty of the brothers love listening to your stories too. We can all gather at Bidan Teahouse when the time comes," Xie Jiang said with a smile.
Once they had eaten and drunk their fill, Jia Yanyong covered the bill.
From his conversations with Jia Yanyong and Xie Jiang, Lin Zheyu gained a deeper understanding of the Feihong Gang.
There were many experts within the gang. Bone Tempering Realm martial artists like Lin Zheyu numbered fully in the thirties, with around twenty at peak Bone Tempering.
There were eight in the Viscera Tempering Realm, two of whom had reached peak Viscera Tempering.
Once one's strength reached the Viscera Tempering Realm, they were considered first-rate experts in Songyi City and could draw at least fifteen taels of silver each month.
Above the Viscera Tempering Realm stood a Qi and Blood Realm master: Chief Xu.
It was exceptionally difficult for ordinary people to practice martial arts; outstanding talent alone was not enough.
Not only did it demand vast amounts of time every day, but it also required ample silver to sustain. The expenses involved were staggering.
Consequently, most who succeeded in their cultivation came from well-off families.
And people from well-off families rarely joined gangs.
Because of this, men like Jia Yanyong, Xie Jiang, and Lin Zheyu were already considered quite formidable hands within the Feihong Gang.
***
Arriving at Bidan Teahouse, Lin Zheyu stepped onto the storytelling stage and scanned the audience, spotting many familiar faces.
His newest top patron was there as well—a wealthy young master passing through Songyi City who was remarkably generous with his money.
Unfortunately, after tipping a full tael of silver that first time to request an extra passage, he had not tipped that much again.
Each time since, he gave only around a hundred copper coins or so.
Still, that was not bad at all.
"Last time, we left off where Huang Rong used delicacies to tempt Hong Qigong, finally convincing him to instruct Guo Jing..."
Lin Zheyu spoke fluently from the stage, holding the audience spellbound.
As the plot unfolded, the tale grew more and more enthralling.
"He tells it so well!"
"Brother, let's stay a bit longer before leaving," Lu Zhenfang pleaded as she listened, reluctant to depart.
Compared to Baohe City, Songyi City was nowhere near as bustling.
Yet the stories told here were extraordinarily captivating!
While staying in Songyi City, Lu Zhenfang had fallen in love with the tales of scholars and fox spirits at Yixiang Teahouse, as well as the fiery martial world of warriors at Bidan Teahouse.
Back in Baohe City, where could she ever hear such brilliant and novel stories? Everything there was old and stale.
"Uncle's business is almost wrapped up. We'll have to leave in four days at most. Any further delay and he'll scold us," Lu Qihui said helplessly.
He did not want to set off so soon either and would have preferred to spend a few more days enjoying himself in Songyi City.
Once they hit the road, the journey would be long, requiring another month or so of travel.
Sleeping out in the open and eating in the wind and dust was a truly miserable experience.
"I'll invite Mister Lin in a moment and ask him to come with us. That way, the journey won't be too dull."
"Will he really agree?"
Lu Zhenfang was worried. In times like these, few people were willing to leave their homeland.
Their own departure from Baohe City had been forced upon them: rebel armies were not far away.
If the rebels took two more cities, they would march straight into Baohe City.
To be safe, the Lu family had already sent most of their clan ahead to scout the path; their group was the second wave.
"He will."
"I heard Mister Lin's hometown isn't Songyi City—he's a refugee from Jiunan City."
"He has no family or ties here. As long as we offer enough money, why wouldn't he tell stories wherever he goes?"
Lu Qihui was brimful of confidence.
He was not worried in the slightest about Lin Zheyu refusing to travel with them.
How much money could one earn telling stories in Songyi City?
Between daily wages and tips, at absolute most it was five hundred copper coins a day—barely ten taels of silver a month.
He refused to believe that if he offered twenty taels, the man would still be reluctant to leave Songyi City.
***
When the performance ended and Lin Zheyu stepped down from the stage, Manager Wu walked over.
"Mister Lin, a guest asked to see you."
"Not interested."
Lin Zheyu refused immediately.
More and more people had been asking to meet him lately, and it was growing tiresome.
"The other party showed great sincerity—they offered a full tael of silver."
Manager Wu pulled out a piece of silver and held it out. "I figured that for the silver's sake, you'd probably be willing to grant a meeting, so I agreed on your behalf."
"This fellow knows how things work, doesn't he?"
"All right, let's meet him then."
Lin Zheyu took the silver with a grin.
He liked people who were sharp and knew how to handle matters properly.
When it came to worldly wisdom, Jia Yanyong fell far short.
Back then, had Jia Yanyong spoken more politely and shown a little sincerity—explaining that while there was no base pay, Chief Xu would give even larger rewards if the performance went well—none of those subsequent troubles would have ever happened.
***
Led by Manager Wu, Lin Zheyu met the visitor: it was indeed the generous young master who had previously tipped a tael of silver.
"I am Lin Zheyu. Greetings, everyone,"
Lin Zheyu said, cupping his hands with a warm, beaming smile.
Whoever paid was the master.
So long as someone was generous with their silver, Lin Zheyu was always exceptionally warm and accommodating.
"I am Lu Qihui, and this is my younger sister, Lu Zhenfang."
"Mister Lin is truly a great talent, to write a work as thrilling and magnificent as The Legend of the Condor Heroes!" Lu Qihui praised.
"Not at all, not at all. You flatter me, Young Master."
Chapter 28