Chapter 53: Nest

Why say that the Puppet Technique has commonalities with the string-pulling shadow play? This matter has a thousand threads of connection with the Heavenly Heart Sect branch section chief, Qin Dengming.

Xu Qing saw in Qin Dengming's history that when he was young, he was a shadow play craftsman of the side-door left-handed path. Since he was a child, he followed his master to walk north and south, practicing a superb shadow play skill.

At that time, Qin Section Chief wasn't called Qin Dengming; he had a nickname called "Leather Qin," and later everyone called him "Little Cobbler."

At the age of seventeen or eighteen, Little Cobbler and his master came to Jiangning Prefecture. This was a wealthy place, belonging to the Yuque Ningtu in the Jiangnan Dao. Other famous places included the "Dream-in-Front-Tang," "Water Mansion Ancient Building," "Wealthy Baiyang," etc.

Those were all prosperous places.

Little Cobbler and his master had never seen such wealth!

Setting up the shadow play shed, they hadn't finished performing a show, and the silver and money rewarded by the audience could be packed in cloth bags!

"Little Cobbler, these days our master and apprentice must work hard. When we save enough money, we will set up a family business for you, which can be considered as settling down."

"Got it!"

When Little Cobbler heard this, he had endless energy, feeling that the days ahead were getting better and better.

But people, where is there such a smooth sailing? It's inevitable that there are some pits and traps waiting for you at your heels.

This evening, Little Cobbler followed his master to set up the stall as usual. The shadow play shed was set up on the ground, the curtain was pulled, and the three-foot-square stage took shape.

Today, they weren't performing the shadow play for passersby, but a solo show specifically for a wealthy merchant in Jiangning Prefecture.

Although the wealthy merchant was knowledgeable, he had never seen a shadow play before. He was curious, so he let his family and servants turn off all the lights, not allowing any light, just to watch a proper shadow play!

Without light, everyone's attention was focused on the shadow shed of Little Cobbler and his master.

Little Cobbler pressed his singing voice and pulled the silk threads in his hands, clearly enjoying this feeling.

At this time, the surroundings were dim, and the silk threads pulled the sorrow, joy, and joy.

All around was silent, and a curtain interpreted love, hate, and separation.

On and off the stage, the audience and craftsmen were all immersed in their hearts.

After one play, the candles in the courtyard lit up, causing a burst of exclamations from the audience.

However, it wasn't because the shadow play was performed well, but because the wealthy merchant's chest was now pierced by a knife, which had been killed by someone at some point!

The government office came to pursue the murderer and arrest people. Little Cobbler and his master, these two outsiders, became the biggest suspects.

The official in charge of the case said: "If you weren't performing shadow plays, turning off lights and extinguishing fires, how could there be no witnesses to the murder?"

"In my opinion, this case must be you two colluding with the murderer, conspiring to do it!"

Little Cobbler and his master naturally refused to admit guilt.

After a round of torture and forced confession, Little Cobbler's master was the first to fail to hold on and died under the killing stick.

Little Cobbler refused to admit it and was finally put into prison, where he lived for three full years.

Three years later, the real murderer was arrested for other cases, and when confessing and drawing his fingerprints, he brought out the old cases he had committed before.

Only then did the government office know that the shadow play craftsmen from out of town three years ago were not the murderers...

Little Cobbler was released from prison, but he always held a breath in his heart, thinking: my master was wrongly killed, I lived in prison for a few years for no reason, this matter must have an explanation!

So he hired a knife-pen gentleman, that is, a litigation lawyer, to go to the government office to ask for an explanation.

The official in charge of the case was still the same one from back then. Hearing that the old master was coming to flip the account, that was a disaster!

In the public court, the official didn't even look at the complaint submitted by the lawyer, and opened his mouth to say: "You ask me for an explanation, but I haven't asked you for compensation! Since that's the case, you settle the account first, and then I'll give you an explanation."

Little Cobbler was stunned. This talk—he was the victim, what compensation was there?

Next, he heard the official say: "You lived in prison for so many years for no reason, which one of the food and clothing expenses inside doesn't need money?"

"That's all snowy silver allocated by the imperial court, you have to compensate!"

Little Cobbler was dumbfounded. This was not a local official, this was clearly a local bully!

What is a corrupt official, today he finally saw it.

The official who acted arbitrarily and made his own laws gave an order, and Little Cobbler was sent to the quarry to work as a stone carrier to pay off the prison debt he owed!

After finally serving the corvée and paying off the prison debt, Little Cobbler pondered in his heart: the temples in Jiangnan are too high to accommodate a small person like him. He might as well go home and farm!

Tossing and turning, learning art for a few years, sitting in prison for a few years, serving corvée for a few years, Little Cobbler honestly returned to his hometown, rented a few acres of land from wealthy families and squires, and became an old farmer.

But is farming really that easy?

Little Cobbler planted a grain of millet in spring and harvested ten thousand seeds in autumn. He had no idle month in the four seas, but in the end, he was reduced to eating bran and vegetables to survive.

Under pressure, Little Cobbler suddenly felt that he had opened his mind!

The older generation often says eat what you want to make up for.

So eating bitterness cannot make you a person above others, but eating people can.

Those corrupt officials, evil officials, horizontal officials, and those squires, nobles, and aristocrats—which one of them isn't eating people?

At this time, the Heavenly Heart Sect was recruiting members. Little Cobbler looked at the brochure and felt he had met a soulmate!

Kill corrupt officials! Kill corrupt officials! Overthrow this corrupt dynasty, and go be the one holding the knife yourself!

Only with a knife in hand can we help us poor people pour out the bitterness in our stomachs, and can we earn the human feelings and reason!

The Heavenly Heart Sect's propaganda was very much in place, almost every sentence knocked on Little Cobbler's heart. He suddenly felt that life had hope again.

That is rebellion!

Rebel against the Great Yong Dynasty, kill the dog emperor, and let the brilliance of the Heavenly Heart Holy Lord shine on all mankind!

Good! Even after death, they don't forget to promote their rebellion business.

Xu Qing continued to read. After Little Cobbler joined the Heavenly Heart Sect, he worked diligently and conscientiously, and in just a few years, he went from a lackey to a leader of one side.

The Heavenly Heart Sect believes in the Holy Lords of past dynasties, and the disciples under the sect "Sheng, Miao, Luo, Jue" from low to high, each performing their duties.

Little Cobbler's performance was outstanding, and he entered the eyes of the Jue-character gate missionary elder. The other party tailored it for him, sent capable people, and learned a hand of Puppet Technique.

With the ability to protect himself, Little Cobbler's status was promoted again, becoming the new branch section chief of Linhe, only one step away from the altar master.

And at this time, he also changed his new name to Qin Dengming.

In the morgue, Xu Qing finished transcending, and the harvest was fruitful.

This trip, he not only obtained Earth-grade techniques like Parasitic Stake Method and Puppet Technique, but also learned some secret information.

For example, Shuohuang Pavilion is actually a nest of the Heavenly Heart Sect.

Most of the talented women inside are family members of officials who fell into poverty after their homes were raided. Even Miss Shuyu, whom Zhang Jun in the government office likes, is a loyal believer of the Heavenly Heart Sect.

Zhang Jun thought that chasing fame and fortune could win the beauty's heart, but he didn't know that his move was going against the grain. What Miss Shuyu pursued was not fame and fortune, but revenge for her father.

As for why those family members of officials who should have been assigned to the Teaching Division were in Shuohuang Pavilion, this had to be mentioned about Emperor Longping's pettiness.

Ten years ago, Emperor Longping issued a new order prohibiting prostitution in the capital. The Teaching Division in Luojing existed in name only, but he didn't say it prohibited male actors.

So the male halls and male halls in the capital sprang up like mushrooms after rain, radiating vitality.

Rumors in the streets say that Emperor Longping prohibited prostitution in the capital because he was old and his purse was empty, so he was angry in his heart and couldn't bear to see others seeking pleasure.

Those family members of officials were therefore assigned to flower houses outside the capital, while in the capital, only those male halls were still standing.

This is why the Heavenly Heart Sect could predict the Crown Prince's whereabouts in Shuohuang Pavilion and prepare for the assassination.

Not to mention the Crown Prince, officials in the capital these days can only play with the rabbits in the male halls, but that is not the right way, how can it be as real as the powdered flowers here?

Eating radishes and farting every day, even if you change your taste, you should taste seafood and meat.

This is not it, Miss Hanmeng, whom the Crown Prince loves, is the orphan of an official in the capital whose home was raided and executed.

Xu Qing saw this and knew that the assassination matter was not over yet.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 54 =====