Chapter 454: Chaos in Chongqing Prefecture

"That's right! If you don't explain clearly, we won't dare go!"

"Please don't take offense—it's just protocol."

Once someone spoke up, others began chiming in as well.

Li Yan's group was also drawn in, but they only cracked the door open a sliver, standing behind it to listen.

This kind of thing is indeed protocol.

Even a regular troupe performing opera can't just agree blindly—certain things must be clarified first.

This trade is after all among the lowest of the low; you must learn to protect yourself, especially when traveling the rivers and lakes, where taboos abound, and a single misstep brings trouble.

For instance, you must find out ahead of time what taboos the host family observes.

If the host is an official, you must avoid costumes matching his official robes, and no emperor may appear on stage…

If the host has a childhood name, you must skip any similar characters in the opera text; if you absolutely can't avoid them, you must cut that passage entirely. If a person has a bad reputation, don't perform "Judge Bao"…

Even the choice of opera must be confirmed.

For example, northwest of Yanggu County in Yanzhou, there's a tomb commonly called Ximen Zhong, said to be the grave of Ximen Qing—locals refuse to perform "Water Margin"…

In the hometown of Guan Sheng Di Jun, "The Defeat at Mai City" is banned; in Jinling, "The Taking of Jinling" is forbidden; in Danjiang, Ezhou, "The Execution of Chen Meizhen" is not performed…

If you dare perform "The Investiture of the Gods" when a household is opening a business and worshipping the God of Wealth—especially if you depict the "Ding Tou Qi Jian Shu" killing Zhao Gongming—you'll have your stage smashed, everyone in the troupe crippled, and the authorities won't even bother to intervene…

These are still common knowledge among ordinary people.

If you encounter something strange, you must be even more cautious.

Otherwise, you won't earn money—you'll lose your life.

The lead servant's face darkened, but seeing the crowd wouldn't budge, he bowed low and clasped his hands. "Forgive us, gentlemen—our master's cargo was attacked by river bandits; he perished, and today he was buried. The master said we must perform three days of opera, starting tonight."

"A violent death?"

Many in the opera troupe heard this and immediately paled.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Several households slammed their doors shut.

An old man, seeing the servant's helplessness, sighed and whispered, "Sir, don't blame us for being timid—operas for the violently dead are the most dangerous. Ordinary troupes won't touch them."

He then pinched his fingers in calculation, his face grim. "Today is the first of the tenth month."

"Don't say I warned you."

He seemed to realize he'd spoken too much, hurried back to his courtyard, slammed the door shut, and said not another word.

In an instant, the entire street fell silent.

The servants holding lanterns stared at each other in bewilderment.

"What do we do?"

"No wonder no major troupes would take it…"

"Brother Yao, could that master be trouble?"

"Don't talk nonsense—Master Lu is my master's old friend. He already warned us—today we must find someone!"

The lead servant's eyes were full of desperation.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He struck his gong and drum harder, shouting loudly: "Gentlemen! My lady says whoever takes this job gets double the pay—and the Zhou family will help your troupe settle and establish roots in Chongqing Prefecture!"

"Three hundred taels!"

"Four hundred taels!"

"Five hundred taels!"

"One thousand taels!"

Clearly, the servant had been given free rein—he raised the stakes with each strike of the gong.

When he reached one thousand taels, he finally despaired, slumped his shoulders, and turned to the others. "Let's go. We'll look elsewhere."

But as the saying goes: great rewards attract brave men.

When they shouted "one thousand taels" and promised to help them settle, the broken door on the left side of the lane creaked open once more.

A man strode out, bowed his fists, then said gravely: "Are you serious about what you said?"

"If you can help us establish roots in Chongqing Prefecture, my Wu Troupe will take the job—but the money must be paid upfront, and we need a written contract!"

"Pay the money!"

Without hesitation, the servant ordered servants to bring out silver.

"Good!"

The man nodded, turned back into the courtyard, and bowed solemnly to the troupe of elders and youths. "Gentlemen, since our master died, we've been wandering. Uncle San and the others are ill and need treatment."

"Going to Chengdu won't earn us much. Better to risk it here—maybe we'll find a place to settle."

"Alright, Brother! We follow you."

Clearly, the troupe was in dire straits. Even if this job broke taboos, they had to take the risk.

Seeing everyone nod, the man took a deep breath. "Good. Let the Ancestors guard us. Move out!"

At his command, the troupe sprang into action—packing boxes, setting up the stage, lighting incense and candles, and bowing before two ancestral statues.

Then two men were specially assigned to carry the statues respectfully, covered in red cloth, with others ahead holding incense burners, marching out like an army.

From other courtyards, heads peeked out.

Some were envious, some mocked, others waited for a spectacle.

Inside the courtyard, Sha Lifei asked curiously: "Aren't opera troupes supposed to worship Lao Lang Shen? Why are they carrying two statues?"

Bai Huan shook his head. "This is a Sichuan opera troupe—they worship two ancestral masters. One is painted with a white face, black three-strand beard, and dragon robe—that's Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Lao Lang Shen."

"The other is painted with a white face, no beard, and a dragon robe—that's Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang, Li Cunxu."

"Li Cunxu, soon after ascending the throne, became obsessed with Sichuan opera, pushed it to its peak, and even took the stage name 'Li Tianxia,' frequently performing with actors. Hence, he's also revered as an ancestral master."

Wang Daoxuan also stroked his beard and nodded. "Both statues have been infused with yin spirits, and have received years of incense offerings. They can suppress most venues—no wonder they dared take this job."

"Even for a violently deceased person, they should hold up—but there's still risk. In the rivers and lakes, one has no control over one's fate…"

After watching the spectacle, everyone returned to their rooms.

After days of travel, having just escaped danger, and eaten a warm meal, exhaustion swept over them, and they soon fell fast asleep.

But Li Yan and his group still took turns keeping watch.

The little white fox, Chu Qi, finally began her duties—lying on the roof, breathing in the night air, observing her surroundings.

This little creature's schedule was increasingly opposite to everyone else's—usually sleeping soundly in Lu San's satchel during the day, active only at night.

As for Li Yan, he sat by the bonfire, meditating and cultivating his spirit.

Within the spirit cultivation space, the yin sea churned; Mount Luo Feng grew ever taller, and a palace, three divine halls, under the influence of yin-yang qi, steadily solidified…

…………

Dong! Dong! Dong!

As dawn broke, knocking came at the door.

The bonfire in the courtyard had already been lit. Li Yan had returned to his room to catch up on sleep after his watch; the Bai women bustled about, simmering porridge in a large iron pot.

Sha Lifei opened the door—it was the beggar Liu San.

The boy still wore tattered clothes, but underneath he'd changed into a warm cotton-padded undergarment; his outer garments had clearly been washed, the stench of yesterday gone, replaced by a faint scent of powder.

"Good morning, esteemed sirs," Liu San said, holding two large food boxes, neatly stacked and clean, emitting fragrant aromas.

He grinned broadly. "I thought you'd just settled in, so I brought some breakfast—tofu pudding, duck blood soup, some triangular cakes and white steamed buns. Not much, but please taste."

"If you like them, I'll go buy more."

"Why are you dressed like that? Why not change clothes?"

Sha Lifei took the boxes, curious.

Liu San bowed respectfully. "I didn't change because it's my duty—I still need to work for you and gather news. Also, I fear some in my gang might grow jealous and cause trouble for you."

"I changed the cotton-padded undergarment for warmth, washed up so I wouldn't offend you sirs…"

"Heh, you've got a way with words."

Sha Lifei chuckled. "But you're not honest—you probably spent all that money on brothels, didn't you?"

Liu San didn't mind, grinning. "To be honest, I do have a few favorites. Earn money, isn't it just for comfort and ease?"

"Hahaha, fair enough."

!.

Sha Lifei still wore his Nuo mask, concealing his face, but his smile was plainly visible even through it.

Since joining Li Yan, he'd met many powerful figures—some ambitious, some refined—but compared to them, Sha Lifei preferred mingling with the lower rungs of the rivers and lakes.

The others ignored him; such matters were always handled by Sha Lifei.

He placed the food boxes beside the bonfire, then led Liu San into a side room. "Sit, sit, sit—let's clarify a few things first."

"Yes, yes, sir, please speak."

Liu San sat down carefully, using only half his buttocks.

This boy isn't simple…

Sha Lifei saw this and immediately understood.

He was a seasoned veteran of the rivers and lakes, having seen much on the road, and now saw things more clearly.

People of the rivers and lakes claim righteousness first, but in the end, they're just trying to eat. Some truly treat it as a creed, scowling and glaring, thinking themselves superior.

Yet even the abbot of Wudang, a semi-immortal, will bow his head and offer wine in the capital when necessary.

Not everyone can be as reckless as Li Yan.

Knowing when to advance and when to retreat, understanding the rules—that is the way to survive in the Jianghu.

Thinking of this, Sha Li Fei cut straight to the point and said in a low voice: "Brother, you must have noticed—we have many matters we can't handle openly; we're merely passing through Chongqing, have no intention of stirring up trouble here, yet we still need to accomplish certain tasks, and we'll surely need the help of fellow Jianghu companions."

"Indeed, indeed."

Liu San nodded hastily. "Traveling the Jianghu always brings inconveniences. Rest assured, I may be lowly, but my lips are sealed—I won't ask what I shouldn't, won't speak what I shouldn't. I'll just run errands for you."

"Too kind."

Sha Li Fei asked in a whisper: "I've heard Chongqing has been unsettled lately. Just how unsettled? Tell us—so we can have some sense of the situation…"

As he spoke, Li Yan had already entered the room, said nothing unnecessary, and sat down beside them to listen.

Though both wore Nuo masks, Liu San was sharp—he could tell Li Yan was the one in charge, and his speech grew even more cautious.

"Chongqing has indeed been unsettled lately."

Liu San whispered: "Originally, the Chongqing Provincial Governor was appointed by the court and had a strained relationship with Chengdu. I heard the Shu Prince's mansion invited him to several grand banquets, but he always claimed illness and refused to attend."

"Above, the officials are like this; on the Jianghu ground, it's the Gelaohui's territory. The two sides have kept to their own domains, yet maintain secret contacts."

"Then problems arose. The Sichuan Salt Guild's main headquarters, located near Zigong and Luzhou, first saw the Chongqing Provincial Governor accused of corruption by the Chengdu Provincial Governor. Several officials in the court also lodged complaints—it's been going on for months."

"The people of Chongqing all know these matters. As for more details, I don't know—I only know the court issued a reprimand but imposed no punishment. The Provincial Governor has remained at home claiming illness and rarely appears to manage affairs…"

"Then, the Salt Guild began flooding into Chongqing, courting officials and clashing with the Gelaohui. The two sides have been locked in fierce conflict."

"The Gelaohui fell into disadvantage. Then, the Sichuan Merchants' Guild suddenly arrived and allied with them, finally halting their decline—but the Canal Guild followed suit, clashing with the Paijiao over territory."

"The Canal Guild stands with the Sichuan Merchants' Guild; the Paijiao has good relations with the Gelaohui. Caught in the middle, the Gelaohui finds itself in a terrible position and has resorted to pretending deafness and dumbness."

"Now even the Paijiao has grown estranged from the Gelaohui, accusing them of colluding with outsiders and disrupting the stability of the southwestern Jianghu. Yet the Paijiao, facing the Salt Guild's overtures, doesn't want to pick a side either."

"In short, the Salt Guild, Gelaohui, Sichuan Merchants' Guild, Canal Guild, and Paijiao—these factions are now entangled, creating the current chaos."

"Right now, everyone is secretly negotiating and courting alliances. Once sides are chosen, it'll be a major upheaval."

"To be honest, I'm watching too. If I sense anything wrong, I'll flee Chongqing immediately—don't want to get caught in the crossfire…"

Hearing his account, Li Yan and Sha Li Fei immediately understood.

The Jianghu and the court have always been inseparable.

Many must realize that although the Emperor and the Shu Prince are on good terms, the court still watches the Shu Prince's mansion closely.

The Chengdu Provincial Governor has fully taken a side; the Chongqing Provincial Governor feigns illness to avoid suspicion.

The war in the southwest is at a critical moment. The court doesn't want to stir up trouble, so it merely reprimanded the Chongqing Provincial Governor without sending investigators—this is itself a warning to Chengdu.

Many are surely watching the court's moves.

Hearing this, the two felt somewhat reassured.

At least in Sichuan, neither the Shu Prince's mansion nor the Salt Guild holds absolute power—there's still room for maneuver.

Sha Li Fei's eyes darted. "What about your Beggar's Sect?"

Liu San smiled apologetically. "You sirs are joking—we're just beggars, eating scraps others reject. We wouldn't dare meddle in such affairs."

Seeing the two fall silent, he gave an awkward laugh and whispered: "We're the Western Traveling Beggar's Sect. Our boss was killed. Now everyone's terrified, each looking out for themselves—no one wants to step forward right now."

"Rest assured, sirs—I have decent connections and know my limits. I'm just trying to make a living—I won't cause you trouble."

"Hmm."

Sha Li Fei nodded. "Best if that's true. Go to Fengwen Inn and get us a report on the Sichuan Jianghu scene. Also pick up some supplies."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Liu San was delighted. "Running errands? That's my specialty."

He could tell these people didn't want trouble—they were just passing through, finishing their business and leaving, still respecting Jianghu rules.

Such patrons were perfect.

"Wu—!"

"Hurry, hurry!"

At that moment, cries and a flurry of footsteps echoed from the street outside—total chaos.

Li Yan and Sha Li Fei exchanged glances and rushed out to investigate.

There, the opera troupe from last night had returned in haste, carrying stretchers covered with white cloth—clearly corpses.

Their faces were grim, eyes hollow, as if terrified beyond measure, filled with despair.

Li Yan frowned slightly. "Looks like they've run into trouble."

The beggar Liu San glanced sidelong and muttered: "Ah, it's them. I heard on the road—they really overreached."

Sha Li Fei asked curiously: "What exactly happened?"

Liu San whispered: "These people angered the Dragon King!"

(End of Chapter)