A New Dawn for the Whitlocks Chapter 8

It was already autumn, and it was dusk. The autumn wind was chilly, and there were few people on the street. The Xia family compound in Yuanbao Town was shining with dim lights. Xia Yuanzhang was changing his clothes, which were autumn clothes for guests. Yushu led Caleb Whitlock into the house. Caleb Whitlock asked, "Boss, did you call me?"

Xia Yuanzhang said, "Hurry up, change your clothes for going out." Caleb Whitlock said, "It's getting dark, why change clothes?" Xia Yuanzhang said, "Change when I tell you to. Today is Double Ninth Festival, I'll take you to a banquet tonight to see the world." Caleb Whitlock said, "Boss, I dare not, I dare not go to the wine table of the bosses." Xia Yuanzhang scolded, "What are you talking about? Go when I tell you to go! Hey, who said I told you to go to the wine table? I just want you to see a big banquet." Caleb Whitlock said, "Oh, that's fine, I really haven't seen a big banquet." Yushu pestered his father and said, "Dad, I want to go too!" Xia Yuanzhang said, "Wouldn't it be a joke for a girl to go to a banquet?" Yushu said, "Caleb Whitlock is still a clerk, if he can go, I can go too!" Xia Yuanzhang said helplessly, "Okay, I'll take you too. If a grasshopper falls into the pot, you can't lose a leg." Yushu said mischievously, "That depends on whether the grasshopper is fat. The grasshopper tonight must be fat!"

In the living room of the Mu family, there were delicacies from the mountains and the sea on the Eight Immortals Table. Several merchants had already sat down and exchanged greetings. Xia Yuanzhang brought Caleb Whitlock and Yushu into the living room. Lord Mu greeted him with a bow and said, "Brother Yuanzhang, why are you so late? I have been waiting for you for a long time." Xia Yuanzhang also bowed and said, "Lord Mu, I am ashamed. My daughter insisted on coming and refused to listen to my persuasion. I am late. Please forgive me." Lord Mu said, "Brother Yuanzhang, you are being too formal. Your daughter is not a stranger. What's wrong with bringing her? This is not the interior of the country. There are not so many etiquettes. Bringing your daughter here shows intimacy. Oh, the clerk is here too? Is this Caleb Whitlock?" Xia Yuanzhang said, "If it's not him, who else could it be? Bring him out to see for yourself." Lord Mu said, "He is indeed extraordinary! You are lucky to have a good disciple. Come on, come on, take a seat."

Caleb Whitlock presented the gift with both hands and said, "Master Mu, this is a small gift from our master. It is not a token of respect, but I hope you will accept it." Lord Mu smiled and said, "Yuanzhang, you are a sharp-tongued and courteous man, and you have trained him well. Please take a seat." Caleb Whitlock said, "We as servants dare not act rashly in front of the master. I will stand and serve the master, and you can sit down." Xia Yuanzhang and Yushu took their seats, and Caleb Whitlock stood behind them. Several merchants whispered to each other, praising Caleb Whitlock for knowing the rules and being a business man. Yushu secretly made faces at Caleb Whitlock. Caleb Whitlock smiled indifferently.

After three rounds of wine and five kinds of dishes, Duke Mu said, "Back then, Cao Mengde talked about heroes over wine. Today, the autumn chrysanthemums are in full bloom in the courtyard. Our Yuanbao Town is full of talents and merchants. Why don't we enjoy the chrysanthemums and talk about business?" Everyone clapped their hands in agreement. Duke Mu said, "I would like to ask you, every family has a god of wealth, which is none other than Guan Gong and Zhao Gongming, but who should be the best among the elderly in our business world? Can you explain it clearly?"

A guest said: "In my opinion, Tao Zhugong can be counted as one."

Another person said: "I think Lü Buwei is also one of them."

Then someone said: "Deng Tong of the Western Han Dynasty can also be counted?"

Duke Mu said, "Well, these three can be counted, are there any others?" Xia Yuanzhang smiled and said, "You are talking about merchants in the Spring and Autumn Period, Qin and Han Dynasties. Have you heard of Hu Xueyan in this dynasty? He is from Zhejiang Province. If we talk about real merchants, it must be him." Duke Mu said, "Oh, I have heard of this person. He is very good. He is called a red-topped businessman. His business is so big that it is almost all over the country. He is the richest man in the world. Even the court borrows money from him!" Everyone couldn't help but marvel and agree. After a heated discussion for a while, Xia Yuanzhang said, "The topic given by Duke Mu just now is to appreciate chrysanthemums and talk about business. I think we have gone off topic. Let's talk about the way of doing business. Everyone, who can tell me what is the most important thing in doing business?"

One customer said: "Why ask? It's just about making money."

Xia Yuanzhang said: "No, in my opinion, it should be honest, but not unprincipled honesty, but the skillful use of honesty, that is, to tell the truth to the right person at the right time and in the right way. Business people are inevitably slick, but if they are always slick and do not touch the truth, they are tantamount to abandoning themselves in the market. Why? Who would want to deal with a person who is always hypocritical and does not tell the truth? But blindly honesty is not advisable. For example, when Duke Mu asked my clerk to sit down just now, was it out of sincerity or courtesy? If it was sincere, he should have said: You are a clerk, you are not qualified to sit down, wouldn't it hurt the child's self-esteem? Duke Mu said it very appropriately. The first sentence of praise was the truth, and the second sentence of "please sit down" was a courtesy."

Everyone praised: "Manager Xia said it well!"

At this time, Yu Shu was eating at the banquet while looking at Chuan Jie with a glare.

After admiring chrysanthemums, discussing business, and toasting, everyone went home in high spirits. After returning home, Caleb Whitlock helped Xia Yuanzhang change his clothes. Xia Yuanzhang said: "Caleb Whitlock, let me test you, which seat is the upper seat at today's banquet?" Caleb Whitlock said: "This is similar to the rules in our Shandong family. The Mu family sits at the upper seat, facing the door." Xia Yuanzhang said: "What are the rules for sitting at the upper seat?" Caleb Whitlock said: "According to the rules in our hometown, dishes must be served to the upper seat first, and if there is fish, the fish head should face the upper seat." He laughed. Xia Yuanzhang asked: "Huh? What are you laughing at?" Caleb Whitlock said: "Today, there is something that would be impolite if it happened in our hometown." Xia Yuanzhang asked: "Oh? Which one is impolite?"

Caleb Whitlock said, "In our hometown, the wood grain of the table should face the upper seat, but today it faces Shopkeeper Mu horizontally. This is called incongruity, not disrespectful." Xia Yuanzhang sighed, "After all, you are from the hometown of Confucius and Mencius, and what you said makes sense. We should also establish this rule in the future." Caleb Whitlock said, "Shopkeeper, in our hometown, even in the countryside, there are more rules than here. For example, when guests come, women of higher generation cannot sit at the table. If there are guests in my family, my eldest brother always accompanies them, and my mother never sits at the table." Xia Yuanzhang was a little embarrassed and said, "Oh, so it's inappropriate for me to bring Yushu today? Alas, after all, it's outside the Great Wall, and there are fewer rules." Caleb Whitlock said, "Shopkeeper, today I saw Shopkeeper Mu picking up rice grains on the table and eating them. I thought it was something."

Xia Yuanzhang smiled and said, "Do you think it's stingy? You are wrong. Diligence and thrift are virtues. When you are rich, you should not forget your poverty. You should always remember these words. You haven't heard of them yet? The Concub!nes of the former Emperor Chongzhen still wore patched clothes, and no one laughed at them. You didn't eat tonight, and you watched from the sidelines. You can see some things more clearly. These are all insights that can't be bought even with money." Caleb Whitlock said, "Boss, what I learned most is what you said today. It's enough for me to benefit from for the rest of my life." Xia Yuanzhang smiled and said, "Are you telling the truth?" Caleb Whitlock said hurriedly, "Boss, I dare not be smooth with you." Xia Yuanzhang said, "Okay, let's go to the kitchen to have some food."

The atmosphere on the simple rural stage was very lively. Amid the sound of gongs, drums and suonas, Lily Summers performed a series of plays. Below the stage, seven or eight gentry sat around two square tables with melon seeds and tea on them. The surrounding area was crowded with audiences, all of whom were watching with great interest, cheering and clapping from time to time. Dozens of drama fans cheered and shouted, "Little Qiuyan, Little Qiuyan!" Lily Summers and the big machine performed passionately after hearing the cheers... At the side of the stage, Wang Laoyong watched with joy.

Lily Summers was talented and hardworking, and quickly became a mainstay of the stage. This was within Wang Banzhu's expectations, but he was still a little surprised that the audience was so obsessed with him. The only regret was that fame could not withstand the cold weather. Seeing that the weather was getting colder day by day, the invitations from the gentry and nobles to perform were gradually cut off, and the troupe gradually became idle. Wang Laoyong led the troupe to perform and travel, and came to a Taoist temple to rest for many days, but did not receive a single invitation to perform, and he could not help but feel worried. He closed the door, knelt on the old mat in front of the statue, clasped his hands together, and muttered to himself: "Dear gods and saints, the weather is getting colder and colder, and there are fewer and fewer invitations to perform. In this year of war and disaster, even the rich families have no mood to watch the show. We are a family of seven or eight, and life is hard. I pray that the gods and saints will bless us..."

Wang Laoyong was muttering to himself when his apprentice Xiao Mihu came running over excitedly. He came to the door of the main hall and said breathlessly, "Master, the performers are here." Wang Laoyong was startled when he heard this, and then kowtowed solemnly to the statue.

Outside the gate of the Taoist temple, a covered carriage stopped at the gate. Wang Laoyong led the crowd out to greet them. It turned out to be an old acquaintance, a local rich man named Chen Wuye who had taken care of the business of the opera troupe before. Wang Laoyong hurriedly bowed and said, "Hey, Chen Wuye, what brings you here?" Chen Wuye didn't answer, his eyes were fixed on Lily Summers standing behind Wang Laoyong, as if he had lost his soul. Wang Laoyong called out, "Wuye!" Chen Wuye came back to his senses and said, "Hey, Mr. Wang! I'm here to invite you to the opera. Hey, look at this little Qiuyan, a girl has changed a lot since she grew up, and she has changed again after not seeing her for a few days. She has become so pretty." As he said that, the group entered the Taoist temple.

Xiao Mihu put a chair on the ground. Wang Laoyong humbly said to Chen Wuye: "Wuye, please sit here for a while. The room is too messy." Chen Wuye laughed and said: "Isn't it? OK, today is a good day, let's talk here."

After taking two puffs from his water pipe, Chen Wuye said with some pride: "Boss Wang, it was very lively recently. Are there fewer people inviting actors these days? I won't compete with them. What is there to compete for? You have your free time and your time without opera. I will marry my third Concub!ne on the sixth day of next month and prepare to perform opera for three days. So I come to invite your troupe." He patted Wang Laoyong on the shoulder and said, "I'm here to give you some money."

Wang Laoyong said with a smile: "Oh, Master Wu is going to take another Concub!ne? This is a great joy, we really need to have a good time for a few days."

Master Chen Wu said, "Well, what are you so happy about! This little San looks pretty, with delicate skin and a pair of charming little feet, but she is nothing compared to Xiao Qiuyan. Boss Wang, you are so lucky. You must have kidney deficiency to have such a beauty by your side. Take it easy." He said with a sly smile. Wang Laoyong said, "Master Wu is really good at telling jokes." Master Chen Wu turned his head and said to Lily Summers, "Xiao Qiuyan, come here and let Master Wu take a closer look at you." Lily Summers just didn't move.

Wang Laoyong said, "Lily Summers, come here, Fifth Master likes you. Let Fifth Master see you. Fifth Master has no daughter, so he treats you as his daughter." Lily Summers reluctantly walked over. Fifth Master Chen touched Lily Summers and said, "Oh, you are a beautiful girl, a flower, so lovely." Then he touched Lily Summers's B*tt, "It's already autumn, and you are still wearing so thin. Aren't you cold? Fifth Master has a lot of fur coats, and I'll send you a few. Tsk tsk, you are freezing to death." Lily Summers dodged in a hurry. Wang Laoyong pretended to be angry and said, "You are so unruly, why don't you thank Fifth Master quickly! Why are you so cold? Go away, don't embarrass me here!" Lily Summers said "Ah" and walked out. Wang Laoyong said, "This child is unruly, please don't laugh at me, Fifth Master."

Chen Wuye said, "Don't laugh, don't laugh, I like her so much. I like this kind of woman, with lively eyebrows and big eyes, with bones and flesh. It would be better if she was a little fatter, so that I can feel comfortable when I hold a handful of flesh." Wang Laoyong said, "Then the play is settled?" Chen Wuye said, "It's settled, it's settled. Well, goodbye, see you on the sixth day."

As soon as Chen Wuye left the house, the big machine behind him cursed: "Bah, what the hell!"

Soon the day of the opera was approaching, Wang Laoyong brought Lily Summers and Dajiji to Chen Wuye's house to discuss how to sing the opera. Chen Wuye said: "I want this play "The West Chamber" to be performed in a certain way." Wang Laoyong said: "If you have any request, please tell me." Chen Wuye said: "That day is my wedding day, I want to see blood in the bridal chamber and on the stage."

Wang Laoyong frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

Master Chen Wu laughed lewdly and pulled out a piece of red silk cloth from his arms: "Tuck this into Xiao Qiuyan's crotch, and pull it out from her crotch when she sings about Zhang Sheng and Yingying's secret meeting. This is called seeing blood." Wang Laoyong looked embarrassed and said: "Master Wu, I'm afraid this won't work. Xiao Qiuyan is still a young girl and has never seen these things. Where will she put her face in the future!"

Master Chen Wu frowned and said, "What's wrong with that? It happens to all young girls and wives sooner or later. I want this kind of color in today's play. If there is no such color, don't perform the play." Lily Summers said seriously, "Master Wu, you are abusing people by doing this." Master Chen Wu said, "Have you said it clearly? Did I abuse you? Tell me, how did I abuse you? Do you know how to abuse? Isn't it just a play?"

Da Jijian said, "Master Wu, my junior sister is still a girl. How can she live her life after this?" Master Wu Chen roared, "Listen, I paid for the show, you have to sing the way I tell you to sing. If you don't want to sing, leave. You have to compensate me for my loss, one thousand dollars in cash!" Everyone fell silent.

Master Chen Wu said, "Why are you silent? I'm telling you, I not only want this lottery, but also want you to perform "Eighteen Guess" for me today. You can just guess on stage, and I'll do it for real when I get home, it's exciting." Wang Laoyong begged, "Master Wu, I'll do "Eighteen Guess" as you like, and "The West Chamber" can be sung according to the old score, just give me some face."

Chen Wuye looked like a scoundrel and said sternly, "No, definitely not. I'm happy to marry my third Concub!ne, but how can you not help me to have fun? Where will I get the energy to sing at night? If you don't sing for nothing, guess one dollar, do the math, is it worth it?"

On the way back, Wang Laoyong advised Lily Summers: "Lily Summers, Master knows that it is difficult for you, but we have to live. I have told you long ago that we are the lowest class who eat the open meal. People do not regard us as human beings. We are their toys, but you just don't listen. Do you regret it now? If you had known this would happen, why did you do it in the first place! If we don't sing, where can we get a thousand dollars in cash?" Lily Summers hesitated for a long time, gritted his teeth and said: "Master, I accept it. The worst that can happen is death. I will sing!"

The Chen family courtyard was decorated with lanterns. Under the stage, Master Chen Wu and his wives, including his third Concub!ne, sat at a square table, eating melon seeds, drinking tea and listening to the opera. A servant named Xiao Shuanzi waited on them. The guests sat around three tables in turn, and the Chen family guards stood in various places in the courtyard. On the stage, Da Ji was singing the Errenzhuan "Eighteen Guessings": Guess the braid of my sister's hair,

My sister has braided hair.

Dark clouds covered the sky.

Where are the Qiqilongdong and Balongdong stores?

Guess further.

I won't let you guess.

I'd rather guess...

In the side room, Lily Summers was busy putting makeup on everyone. Wang Laoyong followed Lily Summers with a guilty look on his face and said, "Lily Summers, it's hard for you. Master can't do anything. It's not easy to get a play, and the reward is high... Alas, I'm incompetent. I feel bad for letting my apprentice suffer such a great injustice!" Lily Summers turned around and said coldly, "Master, don't say anything. I accept it. For the troupe, I can give up anything."

Under the stage, Chen Wuye's face was distorted with excitement, and he shouted wildly: "Okay, guess the next one, six dollars." The other audience members also followed suit. On the stage, the big machine continued to sing: Guess the sister's belly button,

My sister's belly button,

Right up there.

Where is the Qiqilongdong and Baqilongdong store?

After Da Ji Ji finished the "Eighteen Guessings", the tune of "The West Chamber" suddenly started, and Xian Er and Da La Hua danced with handkerchiefs to the rhythm of the instrumental music and came on stage. As soon as the two appeared, the audience burst into applause and cheers. Chen Wuye said: "This girl, without makeup, can be so charming, but with makeup, it's really irresistible, a real vixen." The third Concub!ne said: "You are evil." Chen Wuye said: "You still call this evil? Look at me tonight." The third Concub!ne said: "Virtue!"

Master Chen Wu stood up and said to the visitor: "Everyone, there will be something exciting in a while, and it will definitely open everyone's eyes." The visitor said: "Master Wu, what is the exciting thing? Tell me something." Master Chen Wu said: "I won't reveal the pot until the time comes, so you just hold it!"

When the play reached the part where Zhang Sheng and Yingying met, Wang Laoyong, Da Jiji and other members of the troupe stared at Lily Summers nervously. Under the stage, Chen Wuye stood up again and said, "Everyone, pay attention, it's time to see blood---'Xiao Qiuyan', stop talking!"

On the stage, Lily Summers heard the roar of Master Chen Wu and obediently pulled out a piece of silk from her waist. But it was a large piece of white silk! It was very conspicuous on the red stage. The audience below was stunned with a wow, and the musicians on the stage were at a loss. They stopped what they were doing and the music stopped abruptly!

Wang Laoyong and Da Jiji were horrified. Offstage, Chen Wuye was furious and said, "Xiao Qiuyan, you are not worthy of being beaten. You ruined my good deeds. I will never let you go! Not tonight!" He flipped the table. On the stage, Lily Summers looked at Chen Wuye sternly, which made Chen Wuye even more furious. He pointed at Lily Summers and said angrily, "How dare you, a little guy, to compete with me! Catch her!"

The Chen family guards ran onto the stage from all directions, and the stage was in chaos in an instant! On one side of the stage, Wang Laoyong said in despair: "It's ruined, the troupe's job is ruined, completely ruined!"

Lily Summers was imprisoned in the wing room of Chen's house. Wang Laoyong went to Chen Wuye to plead for mercy. Chen Wuye said to Wang Laoyong who was standing with his hands down: "It's useless to say anything. I am being polite. If you bother me again, not only will you have to pay me money, but you will also be sent to the government to stay in prison!" Wang Laoyong said: "Wuye, if you insist on doing this, you may kill someone. I know Xiao Qiuyan's temper. She is very strong." Chen Wuye said: "Okay, if you want to ride a horse, you have to ride a strong horse. If you want to play with a woman, you have to play with a strong woman. That's exciting." Wang Laoyong wanted to argue, but Chen Wuye suddenly laughed and said: "I'm sorry for your boss Wang. Let me let you taste the power first!"

Master Chen Wu waved his hand, rushed into the courtyard with several guards, and tied up Wang Laoyong and took him out of the house without saying anything. The wooden frame had been prepared outside the house. Everyone took Wang Laoyong and hung him on the wooden frame, with his body in the shape of a "big" character. A servant with a face full of flesh was waiting on the side with a long whip in his hand. Master Chen Wu sat down in front of the wooden frame, sipped his tea, and ordered: "Call the people from the troupe, and ask Miss Lily Summers to come out. Usually they perform operas for people to watch, let them watch the opera today." Several servants brought Lily Summers to the yard, and Da Jiji and others were also brought in. Master Chen Wu did not look up, but raised his finger, and the big man with the whip swung the whip and whipped Wang Laoyong. At first, Wang Laoyong was still hard, but after a while, his screams resounded in the yard, and his jacket had already been torn into pieces of cloth, and bloodstains were clearly visible. Lily Summers looked at Wang Laoyong with grief and indignation. Da Ji Ji cried and persuaded Xian Er, "Xian Er, just agree! If you continue like this, Master will die, and the troupe will survive! It's useless to say anything else now." Xian Er shed tears silently, speechless for a moment. Da Ji Ji sighed and said, "Oh my God, can you really not open your eyes?"

Big wax flower walked up to Lily Summers and said, "Lily Summers, now that things have gotten out of hand, can you bear to watch everyone go to the classroom? Please, I'm kneeling down for you."

Wang Laoyong, who was hanging on the rack, suddenly raised his head and said sternly: "What are you doing? You are forcing Lily Summers to death! As senior brothers, how can you do this? Big Machine, take your junior brother and Lily Summers away! The worst that can happen to me is death! Even if I die, I can't let Chen get what he wants! Go! Go! Go now---"

Da Ji and the others, with tears in their eyes, crawled to Wang Laoyong and cried, "Master---"

Lily Summers, who had been crying and speechless, approached Wang Laoyong and choked up, "Master, we all have to live well!"

She walked straight to Master Chen Wu and whispered, "Put my master down." Master Chen Wu made a gesture to the guard next to him to let him go, stared at Lily Summers and asked, "Miss Lily Summers, you have to show some expression." Lily Summers stopped talking and lowered her head to enter Master Chen Wu's room. Wang Laoyong, who was hanging on the rack, cried with tears in his eyes, "Lily Summers, you can't go!"

Xian Er turned away, as if she didn't hear anything...

Da Ji Ji, Da La Hua, Xiao Mi Hu and other members of the troupe knelt on the ground and looked at Xian Er's back. Da Ji Ji burst into tears and suddenly became like a madman, knocking his head hard and crying loudly! Wang Lao Yong, who had been let go, burst into tears...

All the members of the Wang Family Opera Troupe knelt in front of the tablet of the ancestor. Wang Laoyong murmured a prayer, "Ancestor, bless us, bless Lily Summers to come back safely! We are so sorry for Lily Summers, but there is really nothing we can do. The knife handle is in his hand, and we are just a piece of meat on the chopping board!"

Suddenly the door was pushed open, and a guard from the Chen family walked in and said, "The person has been brought back to you. Master Chen Wu said that the matter is over. You can go now! Carry him in!"

Four guards carried Lily Summers, who was lying on the door panel, into the house. Lily Summers's hair was disheveled, his clothes were untidy, and his eyes were closed. Everyone stared at him blankly. Wang Laoyong leaned over and called softly, "Lily Summers..." Lily Summers slowly opened his eyes, looked at his master and said weakly, "Master, let's go."

The cold wind howled, and the grass and trees withered. Amid the mournful sound of suona, the carriage of the Wang Family Opera Troupe was on the road again. Lily Summers was lying in the carriage and said to Da Lahua: "Brother, call the master, I want to ask a question." Da Lahua ran to Wang Laoyong and said: "Master, Lily Summers wants to talk to you." Wang Laoyong hurried to the side of the carriage and said: "Lily Summers, what do you want to say to the master?" Lily Summers said weakly: "Master, should we go north again?" Wang Laoyong said: "Yes, if we go further, we will reach Heilongjiang." Lily Summers sighed: "Why is Guandong so big?" Wang Laoyong said: "Let's stop and go, sing as we go, and the road will seem far away."

Lily Summers's cheeks were wet with tears again: "Master, I can't stay in the troupe. Staying here will only cause you trouble. Leave me behind. I won't leave." Wang Laoyong wiped his tears and said: "Lily Summers, you saved everyone's lives. Let's go to where you want to go and find your man. I will carry you to Yuanbao Town even if I have to carry you on my back!" Lily Summers said: "Master, no, we can't cut off everyone's livelihood for me. Who in our troupe doesn't have family concerns? Everyone's job is here!" Wang Laoyong said: "Lily Summers, don't say anything. You can have a meal anywhere. We must send you to Yuanbao Town!" Lily Summers said: "Master, I won't leave. If I leave again, I will die on the road. I won't look for him. I don't have the face to see him." Wang Laoyong said: "You want to go back to your hometown?" Lily Summers said: "No." Wang Laoyong: "Then where are you going?" Lily Summers said: "Find a place to stay first and think about it carefully."

Wang Laoyong pondered for a while and said, "Lily Summers, let's do this. I have an acquaintance in a nearby village. I'll leave you some money. You can go to him to recuperate first. When you are well, go straight to Chimney Mountain, where there is a logging camp, and find my friend Lao Dubi. He is my lifelong friend and will definitely take you in." Lily Summers said, "Thank you, Master." Wang Laoyong said emotionally, "Lily Summers, no matter what difficulties we encounter, we must live well!" Lily Summers smiled and said, "Master, Lily Summers remembers."

Wang Laoyong said with tears in his eyes and a smile: "Lily Summers, we were master and apprentice, and we were as close as father and daughter. Now we are about to part ways, so don't blame me, your master, for being incompetent---" Lily Summers saw that her master was very sad, and interrupted her master intentionally and said: "Master, from the time I met you until now, Lily Summers has never heard you sing an opera." Wang Laoyong understood what Lily Summers meant, and hurriedly said: "Child, the master will sing "The Ghost Array" for you today. Everyone, smack your tongue!"

The Wang family troupe sang as they walked, twisting and shouting in the autumn wind, and their desolate tones echoed in the vast expanse of heaven and earth:

I can't see Yangguan Road ahead.

The White Horse General could not be seen behind.

Tell Gao Lang to go back.

Meet the master in the Golden Palace.

If your uncle approves your proposal,

The general gave the order to send out the army.

The army was sent to Shouzhou.

In order to break this array of ghosts.

Now I am pregnant with my wife,

I don't know if it's a boy or a girl...

The autumn wind was bleak, and the trees were withered. The gold diggers were still panning for gold in the river, shivering with cold. Jin Baotou came over with a wooden stick, shouting, "Guys, Cui Laowu from Xigou wants to play with us. We have spent a lot of money and lost many lives to occupy these pits. We can't just give them away, or we will have worked for nothing for a year! We have prepared all the tools, and we will cut them one by one if they come. Whoever retreats is a coward!" Little Jinli shouted, "They are coming!" Sure enough, a group of men in the distance waved wooden sticks and ran while shouting, "Take back our pits, and fight them!"

The leader of the gold gangs held a short stick and shouted, "Guys, come on, the gold pit is our life!" The goldmen rushed towards the invaders. Niu Dejin jumped up, and Connor Whitlock couldn't hold him back. The two gangs of goldmen started a big fight for the gold field, and the fight was so bloody that the sun and the moon were dark.

At this time, Jin Baotou quietly slipped and hid behind a big rock, and Connor Whitlock followed closely behind him, dragging Xiao Jinli.

Jin Baotou said in surprise: "You..." Connor Whitlock sneered and asked: "What about you?" Jin Baotou said: "I..." Connor Whitlock said: "Don't be afraid, I will protect you." Jin Baotou glared at Connor Whitlock fiercely. Connor Whitlock chuckled.

The soldiers and cavalry arrived to suppress the bandits on both sides. There was chaos in the Hetao area, and rows of Shandong gold diggers fell... Connor Whitlock watched silently.

After the fight, the river was filled with the smell of blood and the groans of the injured made people tremble. Connor Whitlock helped the dying Niu Dejin up. Niu Dejin said intermittently: "Old Zhu, I can't do it anymore. I regret coming here. My gold nuggets are buried under the walnut tree in the forest. If I can take them out, I can exchange them for some money to send to my wife. They need money to survive..." He died before he finished speaking.

The autumn wind howled, and the mountains and rivers were filled with sorrow. The men buried the brothers who died in the fight, and there were more than a dozen Shandong graves on the hillside. Connor Whitlock said to everyone in grief and indignation: "Brothers, I think we should all use our brains to think about how to get out alive. Otherwise, we may have to be buried here one day. For the sake of our parents, wives and children, we can't just stay here in a muddle. But then again, it's not a good idea to get out right now. During this period of time, everyone should use their brains and think of ways. Of course, what's more important is that we can all live in peace and find the best opportunity to get out!" The men listened with different expressions.

The mountain farm that Boss Wang mentioned was deep in the forest. A heavy snow had just fallen, and the whole mountain was covered in white, adding a sense of silence to the mountain farm.

The leader of the wood gang, Lao Dubi, was drinking with a woman. The woman was tall and strong, and spoke in a rough voice, which was quite manly. Because she had a red scarf on her head, the men in the mountain area called her Red Scarf. Lao Dubi took a sip of Shaodao and said, "It's snowing heavily, and I really can't keep away the cold without this." Red Scarf laughed. Lao Dubi was stunned and asked, "What are you laughing at?" Red Scarf said, "I have another way to keep away the cold." Lao Dubi understood and laughed and scolded, "How can you handle so many people in the mountain area? You are a fool." Red Scarf smiled and said, "If you want to open a restaurant, you are not afraid of big-bellied men."

The door opened, and with a thud, a snowman fell in. The old one-armed man said without looking back: "Another one is knocking on the mountain gate!" The red headscarf quickly jumped off the kang and went forward to check, exclaiming: "Boss, it's a woman! As soon as the mountain farm opened, here comes the flesh trade again." The old one-armed man said indifferently: "Dead or alive? If she is dead, throw her down the mountain to feed the wolves. If she is still breathing, give her some hot soup and hot rice, and send her down the mountain. I had a dream yesterday, in which the old boss said that no one can stay alive in the mountain farm recently." The red headscarf ran out of the door and grabbed a handful of snow, rubbed the woman with the snow to wake her up, and then stretched out his hands and patted her all over her body red, so that her blood flowed. The red headscarf said: "Oh, what a pretty face!" This snowman is Lily Summers who came to seek refuge with the old one-armed man. Lily Summers looked around the room and said weakly: "Where am I?"

The red headscarf said rudely: "No need to ask, you are just a playboy, what are you doing here?" Lily Summers said weakly: "Sister, I came from Shandong, and I came here by going beyond the Great Wall." The red headscarf said: "Going beyond the Great Wall? Then what are you doing in the mountains?" Lily Summers said: "Alas, I got separated from my son-in-law who is not yet married to the family, and I have nowhere to go. Sister, please, give me something to eat, and I will tell you in detail." The red headscarf broke off a piece of cake, poured a bowl of water, and said: "Here! Eat while you talk." Lily Summers gnawed the cake and said: "Sister, I ran away from my hometown with my son-in-law who is not yet married to the family, and came all the way to the Great Wall. Who knew that he had an accident on the way and was about to die. In order to save his life, I had no choice but to sell myself..."

Lily Summers finished telling about the hardships she had experienced along the way with tears and snot, but the red-headed scarf sneered: "Come on, I don't believe there is another woman as infatuated as you in the world." Lily Summers said: "Sister, believe it or not, I'm telling the truth." The red-headed scarf said: "Anyway, I've told you the truth. I'll take you down the mountain after we're full. Let's go." Then he went out, put on the snow sled, went back to the house and said: "Let's go, don't waste time!" He dragged Lily Summers onto the snow sled.

Lily Summers held on to the sled and refused to move, begging, "Sister, I really have nowhere to go. Please, just let me stay. I'll do anything you want me to do!" The two people were in a stalemate, and the old one-armed man came out.

Lily Summers hugged the old one-armed man and said, "Grandpa, please have pity on me and leave me here." She suddenly found that the old sheepskin coat was just an empty sleeve, and said in surprise and joy, "Grandpa, are you the old one-armed man?" The old one-armed man said angrily, "You called me the old one-armed man!" Lily Summers said, "Grandpa, do you know Wang Laoyong?" The old one-armed man said, "You mean Wang Laoyong from the Wang Family Opera Troupe? How could I not know him? He is my sworn brother, and we are friends for life and death." Lily Summers said in surprise, "Grandpa, I am his apprentice Xiao Qiuyan!" The old one-armed man was shocked and said, "Ah? You are Xiao Qiuyan? I've heard of him, so why are you here? Let's talk in the house."

Lily Summers was already in tears. The old man with one arm looked up to the sky and sighed, "Oh, I never thought that Wang Laoyong would have such a disaster. Did he send you to me?" Lily Summers said, "Master saw that I really had nowhere to go, so he sent me to you. Now it's good, I have found my home, Grandpa, please keep me." The old man with one arm remained silent.

Lily Summers said: "Grandpa, do you agree?"

The old one-armed man pointed at the red scarf and said, "Xiaohong, there is a half-roe deer buried in the snow cave at the door. Give it to Lily Summers. You should send her down the mountain." Lily Summers was shocked and said, "Grandpa, you won't take me in?" The old one-armed man said, "Child, it's not that I won't take you in. This old forest is not a place for women to stay. Even a man will be skinned alive if he stays here for a year. This is not a place for you to make a living. You should find another way to make a living." Lily Summers said, "Grandpa, I have nowhere else to go. Please keep me." The old one-armed man said mercilessly, "Don't say anything extra. Get out of here!"

The red scarf got angry and said, "You old one-armed man, you old idiot, how can you be so rude? She came from far away to seek refuge with you, and she is your brother's apprentice, why can't you give her a bowl of rice to eat?" The old one-armed man slammed the table and shouted, "You know Sh!t! Is she the same as you? She is the daughter of a good family! Where is this place? What kind of people are here? If she learns bad things here, how can I be worthy of my brother? Huh?"

The red scarf said: "How do you know she can learn bad things? I am lonely in the mountains, and a younger sister happened to come. You can keep her as a companion. I will sell my kang, and she can sing to support herself. Then our mountain place will be lively. Today, I will go beyond the stove and kang. You have to stay, whether you want to or not! Lily Summers, come with me, and see what he can do to you!" After that, he took Lily Summers to the inner room. The old one-armed man looked at the backs of the two and said to himself: "Stay, it will be troublesome to stay, and the days of suffering are in the future! You can't get white cloth out of the dye vat!"

Lily Summers said gratefully: "Hongjie, thank you." The red scarf said: "What are you thanking me for? You are such a waste. Lily Summers, you are staying, but you really want to make a living by singing opera?" Lily Summers said: "Yes." The red scarf said: "Do you plan to stay for a long time or leave after two days?" Lily Summers said: "I don't have a definite idea." The red scarf said: "Don't you plan to find your man?" Lily Summers shook her head. The red scarf said: "Are you afraid that he doesn't want you anymore?" Lily Summers nodded. The red scarf said angrily: "All the stinky men in the world are the same. They play with women everywhere, and if others touch their women, it's like digging up their ancestors' graves." As she said that, her face became gloomy. Lily Summers said: "Hongjie, what's wrong with you?"

The red scarf said angrily, "I feel angry when I think of what the old man said just now. Am I not the daughter of a good family? Back then, I was also a virgin girl, promised to be the daughter-in-law of a wealthy family in the neighboring village. A few nights before my wedding, I went to watch an opera, and some bloody ghost touched my B*tt. I screamed, and my son-in-law didn't want me anymore. How wronged I am!"

Lily Summers asked, "What happened next?" The red scarf said, "I became a nobody at home, and no one, not even the blind or the lame, wanted me." Lily Summers asked, "You never got married again?" The red scarf said bitterly, "No. I didn't get married, but I was never idle. After that, I stole men everywhere, and every time I stole a house, I made a mess of it. Later, I was caught, tied up and thrown into the river. It was my fate, as the old one-armed man saved me, and since then I followed him to the mountains." Lily Summers said, "Sister Hong, I didn't expect your life to be so miserable."

The red scarf said, "Lily Summers, if you ask me, you can't find your man no matter what. You are not a virgin anymore, so he will definitely not want you. Even if he wants you, you will never be able to hold your head up in front of him. As a woman, how can you not live a lifetime? I am living a happy life now. What are you still doing? Be like me, sell yourself to whoever pays, what's wrong with being happy? What do you think?"

Lily Summers said, "Sister Hong, I won't sell myself. I only sell my art and not my body. As long as I can have a meal in the mountain, I can sing for Mubazi, cook, and wash clothes." The red headscarf said, "Are you stupid? You are young and handsome, so you can get a good price. Save some money while you are young, and go down the mountain when you have enough. Why can't you find a man who suits you?" Lily Summers shook her head and said, "Sister Hong, I can't do that. Even if you kill me, I can't do it!" The red headscarf said, "Huh, it's still not the time to force you. If you force yourself, you will do it even if you give me a piece of cake."

As they were talking, the voice of the wood gang worker came from outside the door: "Red Scarf, open the door, we are here to warm your bed." Red Scarf said: "My customer is here, you hide first." Lily Summers hurriedly hid in the dark of the outer room. Red Scarf shouted happily: "Here we are, have you lined up? Don't fight like last time!" He opened the door and led the men to the inner room and said, "Come in, the big kang is warm, we won't compensate you if you burn your B*tt." After a while, the sound of flirting came from the inner room.

Lily Summers was so scared that she opened the door and ran out of the house. The old one-armed man was sitting by the fire and drinking wine. Lily Summers ran into the house carefully, leaned against the door, and touched his chest, still frightened. The old one-armed man kicked a wooden stool and sat down without saying a word. The two of them sat by the fire without saying a word.