Just when Li Huowang was clueless about which play was being performed, the farmers sitting watching the show began to stir. They each took out one or two copper coins and threw them toward the stage.
The audience was made up of farmers who toiled in the fields for their food, and those tossing coins were always in the minority. More common were items like corn cobs and potatoes.
Those from somewhat better-off households would at most throw some salted fish or cured meat.
However, Luo Juannhua was not one to refuse any of it and thanked them profusely.
"So this is how performers collect their dues, huh?" Li Huowang realized in his heart.
Watching Luo Juannhua humbly kneel on the stage, clutching her daughter and continuing to sing in a tearful voice while reaching out to pick up items from the ground and place them in a basket, bowing graciously to the cheering crowd from time to time, Li Huowang couldn't help but reflect on how hard it was to earn one's keep.
As Luo Juannhua was gleefully picking up items, a small piece of silver was thrown onto the stage.
Her eyes lit up, and she picked up the silver to weigh it in her hand. Realizing it was at least five coins' worth, she immediately sang in an operatic voice while kowtowing to the only person in the crowd wearing silk—an obese old man.
"Excellent, excellent! The singing is superb!" The old man's face was aflush with red as he looked up, and another piece of silver was launched onto the stage, bringing Luo Juannhua a series of thanks.
Li Huowang was getting tired of this charade before his eyes. He yawned, lay down in the pile of rice straw, and said to Zhao Wu, who seemed relatively steady, "I'm going to take a nap. Keep an eye on things."
"Sure, senior brother."
When Li Huowang opened his eyes again, he saw the sun was already high in the sky, and the others were chatting idly around him. It seemed that everyone had hunkered down in the pile of rice straw last night.
The stage in the distance had been taken down, and the Lv family was stuffing their props into the carriage.
"Zhao Wu, how much food do we have left?" Li Huowang suddenly asked.
"Not much, three days at most if we ration it," Zhao Wu replied promptly.
Li Huowang took out a few dozen copper coins and a small piece of black silver from his pouch and handed them to Zhao Wu. "Go exchange them for some grain in the village. Looks like we've got a ways to go."
Feeding more than a dozen people, and all of them young fellows, required a large supply of food. The many bags they had brought from Qingfeng Taoist Temple were almost depleted.
Zhao Wu, lying on the back of an idiot, was about to have the idiot enter the village, but upon further thought, he called over a better-looking little Taoist Boy, put the money in his hand, and softly instructed him on something.
Li Huowang propped himself up with one hand on the pile of rice straw and walked toward the distant stage.
"Old man, when do we depart?" Li Huowang asked Top Scholar Lv.
Top Scholar Lv looked anxious at the moment. "Young Taoist Master, please wait for a bit. My daughter-in-law took Xiu'er out early this morning, and I have no idea where they ran off to. Once she's back, we'll set off immediately."
Li Huowang felt puzzled. "Hmm? Missing? But isn't that her right there?"
As Top Scholar Lv looked in the direction Li Huowang was pointing, towards the edge of the village, he saw Luo Juannhua, holding a few yards of cloth and walking towards them with her daughter in her arms, smiling.
Seeing his misbehaving daughter-in-law, Band Leader Lv was instantly fuming with rage, rushing over while wielding his smoking pipe to scold her fiercely.
Facing her father-in-law's anger, Luo Juannhua appeared very innocent. "Dad, didn't you ask me to go to the village to get some cloth? You said the cloth is expensive in town..."
After venting his anger, Band Leader Lv turned around, smiling at Li Huowang, "Young Taoist Master, no problem now, let's get going."
"Ah! Dad, don't leave yet, I've just secured a business deal while I was out buying cloth," Luo Juannhua interjected.
Upon hearing this, both Li Huowang and Band Leader Lv looked towards Luo Juannhua. "What business?'
"What kind of business can we do? Naturally, it's the opera business. The patron is the very lord who gave out the most rewards last night! Go and see, he said there are some matters he wants to discuss with you in detail."
Upon hearing this, Top Scholar Lv suddenly couldn't move his feet anymore; he slowly turned around, smiling awkwardly at Li Huowang.
Although the other party didn't say anything, the expression was clear enough for Li Huowang to understand, "No worries, making money is crucial for Band Leader Lv. Waiting another day won't hurt."
"Oh dear, my apologies, I'll be right back." After saying this, Top Scholar Lv stuck the smoking pipe on his neck and cheerfully dragged his daughter-in-law towards the village.
Li Huowang returned to the pile of rice straw, and with nothing else to do, he picked up the shriveled Taoist Bell, examining it carefully.
If he could really summon the wandering lord, there was no doubt his power would greatly increase.
Unfortunately, the bell could no longer call anything forth; it had to be repaired somehow.
After looking it over carefully several times, he found that everything else was fine, except that the collapsed side of the bell was the only possibility.
"So if I straighten it back out, could it then be used?"
After pondering for a moment, Li Huowang placed a square stone under the bell and then took another stone to strike forcefully on the bulging side.
But as soon as he tapped it, a harsh bell sound immediately rang out, causing Li Huowang to feel a splitting headache, almost unable to steady the stone in his hand.
"This won't do. I need to ask if there's a blacksmith in the village," Li Huowang said, shaking his heavy head.
Just then, Li Huowang saw those few Taoist Boys, dragging a couple of bags toward him.
He stowed the Taoist Bell away and joined Zhao Wu, who was carrying the bag on his back, to meet them.
"Brother Li, we only managed to trade for these." The young Taoist Boy's face was full of unease. Though they were all children, they were incredibly sensible and capable because those who weren't had already been killed by Master Danyang.
Li Huowang pulled open the hemp sack and found it full of dried sweet potatoes.
"Brother, these dry food items won't last us many days; the idiot can eat a pound and a half in one sitting, and eating too much of this causes heartburn."
Zhao Wu's words made the simple and honest bald fool ashamed, dropping his head, "You... you... don't... leave me... I... I'll eat less!"
The food supply was running out, and Li Huowang looked at the sack before him, pondering a solution.
Top Scholar Lv mentioned that there was still quite a journey to Jianye City. Without food on the way, surely his group of more than ten people couldn't resort to eating tree bark.
He reached into his bosom again, digging around, and pulled out a golden ring tied with a red string.
Holding the item, Li Huowang thought for a moment and then handed it to Bai Lingmiao, who was trailing behind holding onto the hem of his shirt.
"Exchange this," Li Huowang said as he took out the Jade Pendant of Xuan Yang and handed it to Zhao Wu.
"Brother, how can we exchange this? There's no pawn shop in the village, others can't change it, and these farming folks might not even recognize its value."
"If the Jade Pendant can't be exchanged for food, what should we do?" Just as Li Huowang was troubled by the food crisis, he saw Top Scholar Lv approaching with his daughter-in-law.
"Um, Taoist Master, I've encountered some trouble with my business; could I trouble you to lend a hand?" Top Scholar Lv looked rather embarrassed.
"Band Leader Lv, I don't know how to perform opera either, so I'm afraid I can't help you with your problem," Li Huowang felt it was absurd. Did he really expect him to go on stage and perform a sword dance?
"No, no, you can help, it's just..." Top Scholar Lv began, glancing furtively around before leaning in and whispering at a lower volume: "That Lord Hu asked me to perform a ghost play..."