Xu Feng saw the whole thing clearly.
Shen Jicheng cared even more about nurturing the blade than Xu Feng, the person it actually concerned.
He was afraid Zhao San might fail to keep up with some part of the plan.
That would ruin everything he had arranged.
And from the strange tales Xu Feng had collected over his years as a clerk,
he knew Shen Jicheng was astonishingly good at getting things done.
He did what he said he would. So when Shen Jicheng said he could give Xu Feng a boost, he might really mean it!
Seeing that Shen Jicheng still had something to tell him, Xu Feng naturally agreed.
Once Xu Feng agreed, Shen Jicheng hurried off as though he had pressing business of his own.
After Shen Jicheng left, Xu Feng and his master exchanged a look.
But this was no place to talk.
Meanwhile, the County Magistrate offered incense to his late father.
Then the final day's performance began.
It was a grand affair.
Singing, martial combat, fire-breathing, and blade-ladder climbing—the experts appreciated the skill, while everyone else enjoyed the spectacle.
Many of those watching were seasoned theatergoers.
They could talk at length about the Mulian Opera, which blended Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism!
They cheered at all the right moments as the performance rose from one climax to another.
And when it came to the ritual props,
the troupe took precautions against offending ghosts and gods.
Xu Feng noticed what looked like Five Elements flags set around the stage that day.
The performers observed the rules carefully.
Whether sitting, lying down, or moving about, they followed the established customs to the letter.
Today, Xu Feng saw that the performers onstage were even more careful.
They had come to worship and welcome the gods before dawn.
The