Buns

Old Zheng realized Zhang Laifu was gone. He hurriedly pushed through the crowd and searched everywhere.

Zheng the Pipa handled things very differently from Old Yu. He was neither reckless nor showy, and Song Yongchang admired his steadiness and patience most of all.

He had done nothing but stand in the crowd, planning to wait until it dispersed before making his move on Zhang Laifu. Yet he had failed to manage even that simple task.

What had just happened? Why had he wanted to watch the commotion?

Old Zheng was not the only one. Plenty of onlookers still had not left.

Little Yang's toothache was gone, and he thanked Li Yunsheng over and over.

Li Yunsheng sat back down, picked up his tea bowl, and nudged the lid. "No need to thank me. The fee is three silver dollars."

As a Night Watchman, Little Yang earned sixteen Silver Dollars a month. Three Silver Dollars amounted to six days' pay.

It stung a little, but compared with the misery of his toothache, Li Yunsheng was not asking much.

Little Yang took out a silver dollar. Li Yunsheng accepted it and instructed him, "Go to the Paper Horse Shop and buy some paper ingots, incense, and candles. Burn them beside the ash pit at the street corner."

The Night Watchman looked troubled. "How would I dare go there?"

Li Yunsheng did not press him. "It's wrong to fool people, and it's no better to fool ghosts. You still have to work as a night watchman, and you can't change your patrol route. You'll pass that pit again tonight. If you run into him next time, it might not be just a toothache."

Little Yang took the advice and hurried to the Paper Horse Shop.

The onlookers praised Li Yunsheng in a chorus. "That's what having a skill gets you. Three Silver Dollars for one job."

"And the work barely takes any effort. Start to finish, it took less time than smoking a pipe of tobacco. He didn't even break a sweat."

He Yunxi took a puff from his pipe and blew smoke over the birdcage. "You only see how easy the work is. Do you know how hard he had to work to learn the skill?"

Old Zheng sighed at that. "True. Learning a skill certainly isn't easy. Back when I studied singing under my master..."

Why am I watching the commotion again? Find him!

Old Zheng could not make sense of what was happening to him. Neither could Li Yunsheng.

As a practitioner of Zhu You Practice, Li Yunsheng had been mocked plenty of times. Ordinarily, he paid it little mind.

But something about his state of mind had changed today. He had used his skill a little too conspicuously. It had felt good to strike back and show what he could do, but it would bring trouble later.

He was usually so cautious. Why had he been unable to keep his temper in check today?

Li Yunsheng walked up to He Yunxi and cupped his hands. "Sixth Master He, thank you for looking out for me just now."

He Yunxi set the birdcage aside and returned the gesture. "I should be thanking you. Let's have tea together sometime."

Li Yunsheng did not know He Yunxi, yet the man seemed inexplicably familiar.

He Yunxi left. Little Yang came running back from the Paper Horse Shop with a bundle of incense and candles and a bag of paper ingots. "Doctor, are these enough?"

Li Yunsheng nodded. "They are. Is that Sixth Master He a friend of yours?"

Little Yang nodded. "Yes. We became friends today."

"Today?"

"Mm!" Little Yang pointed toward the street corner. "I had a toothache. When I passed the corner, he said he knew where to find someone who could treat it, so he brought me here."

That was a very new friendship indeed. Little Yang had only just met He Yunxi.

Who was He Yunxi, really?

And who was the man who had picked a fight just now?

Then there was the performer singing Pingtan from the shadows. Where had he come from?

"A scholar's nature is lofty and pure; let present hardship bring no grief. Study diligently, let the classics never fall to neglect. One day, your ambition will soar beyond the clouds!" Old Zheng sang as he walked along the street.

His hands were empty, and he was singing without accompaniment. Yet in his song, listeners could distinctly hear a pipa playing along.

Both the strings and the singing were so captivating that no one could tear their ears away.

Zhang Laifu slipped into an alley and pressed himself tightly against the foot of a wall.

He knew Old Zheng was somewhere near the alley entrance. He could hear him singing Pingtan. Though he could not understand the words, the melody and singing style were unmistakable.

Old Zheng sang so beautifully that Zhang Laifu wanted to step closer and listen properly.

His feet began moving of their own accord. Fortunately, there was still some distance between them. Zhang Laifu gritted his teeth and dug his fingers into the wall, barely managing to hold himself in place.

An old man entered the alley too. He carried a basket covered with a quilt, and there was no telling what was inside.

Old Zheng reached the alley entrance.

The old man came up beside Zhang Laifu.

Zhang Laifu held his breath and prayed the old man would not speak to him.

The old man did not seem affected by the Pingtan. He simply walked slowly through the alley, giving Zhang Laifu a glance as he passed.

Cold sweat broke out all over Zhang Laifu.

If the old man said even one word to him, Zhang Laifu would be exposed.

Zhang Laifu lowered his head, his heart lodged in his throat and his breath trapped in his chest. His flesh and bones tingled all over.

The old man walked past without paying him any mind.

Old Zheng passed the alley entrance too, without noticing the alley.

Zhang Laifu let out a long breath and turned to leave. Then the old man with the basket suddenly shouted, "What're you up to?"

His accent was thick and his voice thunderous. Zhang Laifu jumped.

Afraid Old Zheng would come after him, he lowered his head and hurried on. Old Zheng did not follow, but the old man did.

"I asked you a question! What're you up to?"

Zhang Laifu looked back and gave a perfunctory answer. "Nothing."

"Nothing? Then why were you staring at me just now?"

"I wasn't trying to do anything. I just..."

"What are you up to?"

There was no explaining himself to this man.

Zhang Laifu grew frightened. The old man was far too loud. A few more words, and he might draw Old Zheng back.

At a loss for what to do, Zhang Laifu suddenly heard the old man ask, "You looking to buy buns?"

Zhang Laifu froze. "How did you know?"

The old man lifted the quilt off his basket and took out a bun. "One big coin for one, two big coins for three!"

It took Zhang Laifu a while to find his voice. "Sir, you really are selling buns?"

The old man raised his chin and held the bun high. "Good dough, good filling, good buns! You buying or not?"

"I'll buy."

"Then pay up!" the old man bellowed.

If he wanted payment, he could just ask. Why did he have to make such a racket?

Zhang Laifu took out one big coin, counted out another ten copper coins, and handed them to the old man.

The old man counted the money twice and gave Zhang Laifu three buns. Then he covered the basket with the quilt again. Without calling out his wares or displaying a single bun, he carried the basket onward.

Zhang Laifu watched him go. With the old man selling them like that, how was anyone supposed to know he had buns?

Now that he had the buns, all he had to do was find Sixth Master He to trade them for five big coins.

But Zhang Laifu did not dare return to Pearl Street, nor did he dare look for Sixth Master He.

With the buns tucked away, Zhang Laifu ran as far as he could through the lanes. He went from Pearl Street to Bailun Alley, crossed Fish Head Road, and reached Lotus Bridge.

By the time he reached Lotus Bridge, night had fallen deep, and Zhang Laifu could go no farther.

He had not slept a wink the night before, and he had spent the whole day running. His legs would not carry him, and he could barely keep his eyes open.

He wanted somewhere to sleep and asked at two inns, but even the cheapest space in a shared room cost ten big coins for the night.

He had only a dozen or so copper coins left, not even enough to make two big coins. An inn was out of the question. Zhang Laifu looked at Lotus Bridge and decided to spend the night beneath it.

Lotus Bridge was an arched bridge with seven arches beneath it. The main arch spanned the Black Sand River, with three smaller arches on either side.

The other arches were too crowded. Many beggars huddled together there for warmth.

The arch near the river was quieter. Only one beggar was there, cooking a stew in a clay pot over a fire.

Zhang Laifu entered the space beneath the arch, caked in mud. The beggar looked at him with disgust and used his body to shield the pot, afraid Zhang Laifu would steal his food.

Zhang Laifu leaned against a bridge pier, took out a bun, and bit into it.

As he ate, Zhang Laifu raised his eyebrows at the beggar. "Looking down on me? I've got food too!"

The beggar snorted and cradled his pot as he ate his stew, slurping away with obvious relish.

Zhang Laifu held his bun and tried to slurp too, but only sucked in a mouthful of cold air.

The wind was chilly, and the bun was a little salty. Zhang Laifu was about to get some water from the river when someone on the bank called out, "There are bugs in that water. You have to boil it before you drink it."

The voice sounded familiar. Zhang Laifu looked along the riverbank and saw a man crouching there, washing his face.

The man looked as though he had just been in a fight. His clothes were torn, and his face was spattered with blood. Zhang Laifu could not recognize him at first.

But when the man turned his face, Zhang Laifu saw a medicinal patch on his forehead, covering half an eye. Then he recognized him.

"Sixth Master He?"

He Yunxi chuckled and wiped his face. "So you still recognize me, kid?"

Zhang Laifu nodded. "I do!"

PS: Who beat Sixth Master He up this badly?