Zhang Laifu was eager to learn a craft. Li Yunsheng could not stop him, yet he could not put his mind at ease either. "Those men from Hunlong Stronghold might still be searching everywhere for you. You must be extra careful. It would be best to find somewhere to rest for a few days first."
The reasoning was sound, but where could Zhang Laifu possibly rest right now? Even staying at an inn would keep him on edge!
He had now become a craftsman. Once he learned his craft, he would at least be able to strike back. He had truly had enough of living like a fugitive, scurrying from one hiding place to another.
"Brother Laifu, I've just packed up my stall. I'll go with you to Zhuyou Road." Li Yunsheng offered to accompany him, but Zhang Laifu refused.
Both times the bandits from Hunlong Stronghold had come to Zhuzi Street looking for Laifu, Li Yunsheng had been dragged into the mess.
If it happened a third time, the bandits would likely take the initiative to go after Li Yunsheng directly.
Since arriving in Wansheng Prefecture, Li Yunsheng had helped him far too much. Zhang Laifu could not bring harm to a friend like that.
"Back when I had no craft, I caused you plenty of trouble. Now I'm a craftsman. Brother Yunsheng, I'll handle this myself!"
Unable to dissuade him, Li Yunsheng could only offer a parting word of advice: "Once you reach Zhuyou Road, if you can find a suitable craft discipline, stay there and learn the trade. You must lay a solid foundation in your craft discipline before your skills can make real progress.
"Learning a craft isn't easy. You don't just have to study and practice diligently; you also have to discern the master's true skill. Only a master capable of running a shop can train someone to become a registered journeyman. You must judge carefully and make sure you aren't taken in by mediocre hacks."
Taking the advice to heart, Zhang Laifu set off alone for Zhuyou Road. As he turned into the entrance of the street, he first caught sight of a shop with an exceptionally large storefront. Lanterns hung beside its sign, and the name of the establishment was Yingyue Workshop.
Thinking it sold lanterns, he went inside to inquire, only to find that it was a chandlery—a place where candles were made.
Yingyue Workshop was the largest chandlery in Heishakou. They carried Dragon and Phoenix Blossom, Mandarin Duck Glow, and One-Heart Red candles for weddings; Soul-Guiding Candles, Third-Watch Glow, and Severed-Path Candles for funerals; and Peace Candles, Longevity Candles, and House-Guarding Candles for prayers and blessings.
There were also candles crafted for specialized uses, such as Courier-Path Candles used as dock signals, Yin-Yang Candles for warding off evil spirits and quelling ghosts, Fortune-Longevity Wax used in opium dens, and Spring Hall Candles intended for the private chambers of brothels.
Looking at so many kinds of candles, Zhang Laifu felt a series of tremors pulse through his heart. An overwhelming impulse surged within him to buy every single one of them and take them back to study at his leisure.
Was this fluttering in his heart the resonance?
Could his craft discipline truly be candlemaking?
A shop assistant stepped forward to greet him. "Honored guest, what can I get for you?"
Zhang Laifu did not answer. He strolled around the shop once, then shook his head slightly.
Candlemaking was not his line of work. The flame of a candle was far too sharp and clear, differing slightly from the glow of the fire he had seen in his dream.
"Do you sell lanterns here?"
The shop assistant waved a dismissive hand. "Honored guest, you've come to the wrong place. Follow Zhuyou Road eastward. There's a lantern shop just ahead."
Zhang Laifu figured he might as well check it out. If he felt no resonance in the lantern shop, he could always return to the chandlery. If he felt a resonance there too, he could compare which of the two produced a stronger reaction.
Walking eastward along the side of the street, he passed several chandleries in succession before finally locating the lantern shop.
The establishment was called Mingzhao Studio. Its wooden plaque was finished with gold lacquer and traced with cinnabar in bold, vigorous brushwork. The storefront was not overly large, and three lanterns hung beneath the eaves, radiating a soft, gentle glow under the sunlight.
*What are those lantern shades made of? Why do they look so hazy?*
It could not be glass, as its transparency was markedly lower than that of glass, nor did it look like plastic, lacking plastic's slick sheen. Faint, distinctive grain lines were visible across the shades.
Stepping inside, Zhang Laifu saw several rows of shelves completely filled with lanterns.
Viewing them up close this time, Zhang Laifu inspected them carefully. The material of these lanterns was exceedingly unusual. They looked as though they had been ground from jade and coated with a layer of wax; beneath their light, any person's silhouette softened considerably.
The shades were polished to a translucent finish, allowing the outline of the wick inside to be seen, and some were framed with inlaid borders carved with intricate cloud patterns.
The longer Zhang Laifu gazed at them, the faster his heart beat.
These lanterns were mesmerizing!
Staring at lantern after lantern, Zhang Laifu felt as though he were gazing upon the goddesses of his fantasies.
Some were real-life celebrities; others were characters from the two-dimensional world. They were so beautiful that he dared look upon them, yet never dared to touch them.
Looking at them too directly even stirred a pang of sheepish shame in his heart.
Behind the counter sat the shopkeeper. His temples were lightly touched with gray, and he wore a plain gray gown. Holding a small knife in his hand, he was scraping and polishing a lantern shade. The blade moved with delicate precision, leaving the surface beneath it glistening like water.
Only after Zhang Laifu had stood in the shop for a long while did the shopkeeper finally step forward to greet him. "Sir, looking to buy a lantern?"
The shopkeeper possessed a keen sense of propriety, allowing customers to wander and look around on their own before broaching business.
"I'd like to ask what these lanterns are made of," Zhang Laifu said, a hint of nervousness edging his voice.
An apprentice standing nearby glanced over at him. "You came to Mingzhao Studio to buy a lantern, yet you're asking about the material?"
Zhang Laifu paused, taken aback. Was one not allowed to ask about the material?
The shopkeeper glared at the apprentice before turning to explain to Zhang Laifu, "The young lad lacks manners. Please don't take offense, sir. The lanterns at Mingzhao Studio are all crafted from ox horn."
*Ox horn?*
Could ox horn truly produce such translucent lantern shades?
Zhang Laifu had studied civil engineering, yet he could not fathom the craft behind this.
"How is ox horn made into a lantern?"
The moment those words left his mouth, the shopkeeper froze.
The apprentice stepped forward. "Is that the sort of thing you can just ask willy-nilly? Are you trying to learn the craft or something?"
Put that way, it was not entirely inaccurate. Zhang Laifu nodded. "I do want to learn a bit of the craft."
The apprentice looked at Zhang Laifu with utter disdain. "What do you mean, 'learn a bit'? Are you here to seek an apprenticeship or not?
"If you want to apprentice, there are rules to follow. The way you charge in blabbering nonsense—where in that is the decorum of someone seeking a master?"
"Then explain the rules of apprenticeship to me." Zhang Laifu truly wanted to know how these things worked.
The shopkeeper also found Zhang Laifu somewhat peculiar. "Mingzhao Studio has no plans to take on more apprentices before the New Year. If you are genuinely sincere about learning the trade, come back early next year."
"I can't wait until next year. I'm in a hurry. Could you give me a pointer or two first so I can see if it suits me...?"
The shopkeeper turned toward the apprentice. "A'qiang, see our guest out!"
The apprentice stepped forward to drive him away, but Zhang Laifu called out, "Hold on! I'll buy a lantern. How much is this one?"
Zhang Laifu picked up a lantern with bronze trim.
It was not large, and its craftsmanship appeared rather rustic. The bronze rim was not newly minted metal, but old bronze that had been repolished, with faint traces of verdigris still visible around the edges.
By rights, such a lantern should not have been very expensive, but the shopkeeper's quote gave Zhang Laifu quite a jolt.
"That lantern is eight silver dollars."
"Eight dollars?" Zhang Laifu exclaimed in shock. "Why don't you just go rob someone?"
The shopkeeper smiled faintly. "That is the price at Mingzhao Studio."
Zhang Laifu held up the lantern and examined it from every angle, putting on the air of a seasoned connoisseur. "The craftsmanship is a bit rough, yet you charge so much. Is this truly Mingzhao Studio, or are you just imitating their brand?"
The shopkeeper looked Zhang Laifu up and down. "Are you truly buying this lantern?"
"I'm buying it!" Zhang Laifu slapped eight silver dollars down on the spot.
The shopkeeper nodded. "A'qiang, take this gentleman to the workshop so he can see for himself whether we are the genuine Mingzhao Studio or not."
Chapter 36