Nine Classes

After leaving Wu Li Gang for some time, the narrow Forest Path gradually widened. By now, there were more than just two groups on the road—horse carriages, ox carts, and farming families carrying shoulder poles all hurried forward together.

The increasingly dense footprints on the ground, along with the droppings of livestock, told Li Huowang that Jianye Town should be close.

"Zhao Wu, are people like Master Lu Ban and his troupe, who perform plays, considered very low-status?" Li Huowang asked Zhao Wu, who was intently practicing writing.

Zhao Wu, holding a branch and copying characters, looked up. He gave Li Huowang a surprised glance, then looked toward the Lu Family Troupe ahead.

"Yes. Though they can earn cheers from the audience while singing opera, they are like the women of pleasure quarters. Being liked is one thing; status is another. Performers are the lowest class among the Nine Classes."

"Is that so? What Nine Classes?" Li Huowang asked in surprise. Had it not been for what happened before, he truly would not have noticed.

"First-Class Emperor, Second-Class Official General, Third-Class Gentry Merchant, Fourth-Class Sectarian Gang, Fifth-Class Artisan, Sixth-Class Doctor Farmer, Seventh-Class Witch Beggar Slave, Eighth-Class Thief Swindler Robber, Ninth-Class Performer Prostitute."

"And it is not merely a matter of being looked down upon. Their treatment differs too. For example, people of the lower three classes cannot marry into respectable households. Their clothing and transportation are restricted—they cannot ride horses or sit in sedan chairs, nor can they wear brocade, damask, or silk. Even when bringing a case before an official, they are three parts weaker."

Hearing Zhao Wu recite it so fluently, as though rattling off a tongue twister, Li Huowang was deeply surprised. "I didn't expect you to know so much."

"You flatter me, Senior Brother Li. My family lives in town, after all, so I know these things. Besides, most people should know them. Where did you come from, Senior Brother Li? Why do you not even know this?"

Zhao Wu had long noticed that this Senior Brother Li was different. Only today had he found a chance to ask.

"Heh heh, a very, very distant place." Li Huowang could not be bothered to explain his origins. It would be troublesome, and these people might not even understand.

Seeing that Li Huowang did not answer, Zhao Wu did not press him and continued.

"We have it fairly good here. No matter which class someone belongs to, the Emperor still permits them to take the imperial examinations. They might not succeed, but at least there is something to hope for. I heard that in other places, those of the lower three classes are not even allowed to take the examinations. Their families can never turn their fortunes around, generation after generation. A performer can only remain a performer for life."

"So that was how it was." Li Huowang gained a new understanding of this world.

"Then what about Daoists like me? What status do we have here?" Li Huowang asked again.

"Daoists are one of the Three Teachings and do not fall within the Nine Classes. Most people are quite respectful when they encounter Daoists. Even if they do not respect them, they will keep their distance. After all, when it comes to gods, ghosts, and such things, who can truly explain them?"

Zhao Wu's words made Li Huowang abandon his intention of taking off his Daoist Robe.

Since he would be roaming far and wide from now on, wearing this Daoist Robe would clearly be much more convenient than plain cloth clothing.

"By the way, Zhao Wu, what about people like Danyangzi? Their status should be very high, right?" Li Huowang immediately asked the crucial question.

"Senior Brother Li, to tell the truth, I do not know either. Before he captured me, I truly did not know there were people in this world who could be so powerful. I thought those things were all nonsense made up by storytellers."

"Is that so..." Li Huowang fell into thought. It seemed news was very blocked off in these places. Logically, there should be quite a few people like Danyangzi, yet even a local like Zhao Wu had never known about them.

Still, Li Huowang guessed that people like Danyangzi should have someone capable of restraining them. Otherwise, Danyangzi would not have needed to hide in the deep mountains and old forests to cultivate immortality in secret.

"Little Daoist Master! Little Daoist Master! Look at that city gate—we're here!" Hearing Lu Zhuangyuan's shout, Li Huowang raised his head and looked ahead.

At the end of the road they had traveled for so many days stood a row of low City Walls covered in moss. Beyond them lay their destination: Jianye Town.

The Lu Family Troupe entered without incident, but Li Huowang and the others were not so fortunate. Their appearances were simply too unusual. Before they had even been inside for long, the town constable arrived with several men to make trouble.

"Clang!" The constable raised his saber in both hands and asked Li Huowang with an extremely wary expression, "Stop! Stop! What is going on here? You are...!"

"Yán Constable, it's me. These are all people I know. They mean no harm—they specifically brought me home." Zhao Wu called out from the donkey cart.

The instant the constable saw Zhao Wu's face, his hostility greatly diminished, and he sheathed his saber.

"Oh, it's Fifth Brother Zhao. Where have you been these days? Tell these people who look like you to behave themselves. Buy a few conical hats with hanging cloth veils and cover up. Don't frighten the neighbors."

"Thank you, Yán Constable. Has my family been well lately?"

"Fine, of course they're fine. Oh, right—your second sister got married. It is a good household. Hurry home and take a look."

To avoid further trouble, Li Huowang followed Zhao Wu to a stall selling conical hats and bought several with black cloth veils.

After the Medicinal Guides put them on, they were still quite conspicuous, but at least they would not scare anyone.

After arranging the time for their next departure with Lu Zhuangyuan, Li Huowang said to Zhao Wu, "Where is your home? Let's go there first."

Looking at everything familiar around him, Zhao Wu grew somewhat emotional. He did not wear a conical hat, since everyone in town knew him.

With no strength in his limbs, Zhao Wu braced himself on the cart with both hands and jumped down with difficulty.

Gouwa at his side was about to reach out and help him, but Li Huowang stopped him. He drew the longsword from his back and handed it to Zhao Wu.

Then he reached into his robes and took out slips of last words one after another, beginning to sort through them.

Leaning on the longsword with both hands, Zhao Wu staggered toward his home.

Jianye Town looked bustling, with people streaming through its streets, but it was not large. Zhao Wu quickly found his home.

It was a small rice shop. Seeing his busy family inside, Zhao Wu's eyes immediately filled with tears. "Father! I'm back!"

Zhao Wu's trembling cry made everyone in the rice shop look up.

"Fifth Brother!" A sturdy young man, bare from the waist up and carrying rice, threw the sack from his shoulder onto the ground. He rushed out excitedly and hugged Zhao Wu tightly.

Then a little girl with horn braids tied atop her head rushed out as well, circling Zhao Wu in excitement.

Just as Zhao Wu was so overwhelmed that he forgot himself, Li Huowang, watching coldly from the side, noticed something was wrong.

Other than the two people who had rushed outside, everyone else in the shop wore very indifferent expressions. That was not how ordinary family members should react.

"Senior Brother Li, what is it?" Bai Lingmiao, keenly sensing that something was wrong with the atmosphere, gently tugged at the hem of Li Huowang's clothes.

Li Huowang patted the back of her hand without saying a word.