Chapter 196
Chapter 196
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 196
>Chapter Title: The Play
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With Li Huowang’s explanation, aided by the others, Jinshan Zhao’s anger finally subsided.
As for the excuses Li Huowang had made up out of thin air, only Jinshan Zhao himself knew whether he believed them or not.
“Old sir, since we’re heading the same way, why not travel together? If we run into trouble on the road, we can watch each other’s backs, right?”
Hearing Li Huowang’s words, and recalling the bandits’ corpses from before, Jinshan Zhao hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.
“Alright then. This old man traveling alone is always worried about getting dragged off by a tiger someday. More people means safer travels.”
“But, Daoist, you know what they say—treat the elderly as you would your own. This old man’s already past his prime. If you pull that stunt again, I’ll be heading straight to my coffin.”
“Of course not. I was indeed too rash just now.”
Seeing the man agree at last, Li Huowang let out a breath of relief.
It wasn’t that he was deliberately sticking to this stranger, but he feared the man had recognized him and might report him to the authorities along the way.
As long as he stayed close, Li Huowang could keep an eye on everything.
The town bustled with people coming and going. Walking among them, their painted faces immediately drew attention.
Many stopped in their tracks, pointing curiously at Li Huowang and the others.
“They wouldn’t have pegged us as from Si Qi too, would they?”
The thought had barely formed in Li Huowang’s mind before he dismissed it.
Lv Zhuangyuan and his troupe weren’t from Si Qi to begin with, and they weren’t performing Si Qi opera either, so no one would suspect that.
Still, these onlookers reminded Li Huowang of something.
Compared to suspicions of them being Si Qi soldiers, a theater troupe that didn’t perform would draw even more suspicion.
After pondering for a moment, Li Huowang came up with a solution.
“Master Lv, since we’re a theater troupe, let’s set up a stage and perform. Look at all these people waiting.”
If they were going to put on a play, they’d do it right.
Hearing Li Huowang, the hunchbacked Lv Zhuangyuan nodded eagerly.
“Quick, quick! Didn’t you hear the young Daoist? Find a spot and set up the stage.”
He said this to the rest of the Lv family troupe.
“Ah… Dad, I’m exhausted. We just escaped those bandits, and we performed plenty in there. Can’t we rest before singing again…?”
Lv Zhuangyuan snuck a glance at Li Huowang nearby, then smacked his son’s head hard with his pipe.
“Sing when I tell you to sing! Quit your yapping! You can talk back when you’re my dad!”
There were no trees or bamboo poles around, so they couldn’t build a proper stage.
They settled for draping a large red cloth over a crumbling wall and calling it done.
The cart was pulled behind the wall to serve as backstage.
It was makeshift, but the townsfolk weren’t picky. The moment they saw a show starting, they crowded around.
Li Huowang wasn’t about to sit idle.
“Everyone, go help out. Remember our cover—we’re a theater troupe now.”
“Once the show’s over, we’ll head to the inn and rest properly.”
His words spurred everyone except Jinshan Zhao into action.
Amateurs like them couldn’t help with the music, but they could lend a hand, which lightened the load for the Lv troupe considerably.
Lv Juren, clad in black and wielding a blade, stepped onto the stage, and the buzzing crowd gradually fell silent.
No one clapped, but their eyes brimmed with curiosity.
Hou Shu favored Nuo opera, but this showed they weren’t averse to other styles.
“Dong qiang~ Dong qiang qiang~”
With the Lv troupe’s accompaniment, Lv Juren began to sing.
“On orders~ I descend~ the mountain pass~ Dong qiang~ to right~ a wrong~ I draw my blade to aid!!”
Li Huowang scanned the audience, using his sharp senses to search for any potential threats.
Fortunately, after a thorough look, the only thing noteworthy was a pickpocket working the crowd.
He even spotted Jinshan Zhao watching intently among them.
“Senior Brother Li, earlier I didn’t mean to withhold that bamboo scroll from you. I just…”
That hesitant voice came from behind—Chun Xiaoman. Li Huowang raised a hand to cut her off.
“I know being sold by your family left you feeling unsettled, but the Great Thousand Record won’t do. That thing’s too sinister.”
“If you misuse it, you’ll lose your life.”
“Then how can you use it, Senior Brother Li?”
“I…” Li Huowang’s hand brushed the smooth surface of the Great Thousand Record, a bitter smile crossing his face. “I’m used to it.”
“I was a bit harsh earlier. Don’t hold it against me—I’ve got a rotten temper. Bear with me.”
Li Huowang pulled out the ritual bell and handed it to Chun Xiaoman.
“Take this. It costs lifespan each time, but at least it’s safer than the Great Thousand Record.”
Chun Xiaoman took it, staring at the bell in surprise before looking up at Li Huowang.
After all this time together, she knew its power well. For him to give it to her…
Any lingering resentment vanished in an instant.
She wanted to say more, but it boiled down to one sentence.
“Thank you, Senior Brother Li.”
Li Huowang sighed. Truth be told, he didn’t want to give her any of it.
Not out of selfishness—these things were dangerous, each more than the last.
In this mad world, you always paid a price for power.
As Li Huowang instructed Chun Xiaoman on the bell, trouble stirred outside.
Not enemies, but something off with Lv Juren on stage—he was way too worked up, clearly lost in the role.
Even Li Huowang, no opera expert, could tell his lines were all wrong.
“Rouge and powder are like alluring drugs!!”
“Lotus face is the charm that hooks souls to death!”
“Little golden lotus is a venomous demon!”
“Willow waist like a tripwire for horses!”
“Flirtatious eyes force a green hat on my head!”
“A pair of jade arms pillowed by a thousand men!”
“Half a red lip chewed by ten thousand guests!”
“Be they Zhang, Wang, Li, or Zhao!”
“On the mandarin duck pillow~ she calls~ darling!!”
As he belted the final line, Luo Jinhua—Lv Juren’s wife banging the gong—smashed it down in fury and stormed backstage in tears.
“Clang~”
Stage and audience fell deathly silent.
After a stunned pause, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
“Good~ That was good!!”
“One more, one more!!”
“This beats Nuo opera by miles! What style is this?”
“Get that gong girl back on stage, and this young master will reward her handsomely!”
Copper coins, silver scraps, and snacks rained down, carpeting the ground.
It was the most reward the Lv troupe had ever earned.
(End of chapter)