Why say that Puppet Art and Threaded Leather Shadow Play had something in common? The matter was intricately connected to Qin Dengming, the Incense Master of the Tianxin Cult's branch altar.
From Qin Dengming's rise to prominence, Xu Qing learned that he had once been an unorthodox shadow-play craftsman in his youth. From childhood, he had followed his master traveling far and wide, honing shadow-play skills so exquisite they seemed supernatural.
Back then, the Incense Master Qin had not yet been called Qin Dengming. He had gone by the nickname Pizi Qin, and later everyone called him Little Leatherworker.
When Qin Xiaopi was seventeen or eighteen, he and his master arrived at Jiangning Prefecture. It was a wealthy place, located in the Yuque Ningtu of Jiangnan Circuit. Other famous places included Mengli Qiantang, Shuifu Gulou, and Fujia Baiyang.
All of them were among the most prosperous lands under heaven.
When had Qin Xiaopi and his master ever seen such a rich place?
They set up their shadow-play booth, and before they had even finished one performance, the silver and copper cash tossed over by the spectators could already fill a sack!
"Xiaopi, the two of us have to work hard these days. Once we save enough money, I'll buy you a property. At least then we'll have a foothold."
"Got it!"
The moment Qin Xiaopi heard this, endless energy surged through him. He felt that the days ahead were growing more and more promising.
But how could life ever go smoothly? There were always some bumps and pits waiting right in front of your feet.
That evening, Qin Xiaopi followed his master out to perform as usual. They set up the shadow-play booth on the ground and pulled up the curtain, and a three-foot-square stage took shape.
Today, they were