Notes on Longevity

Chapter 9 I am suffering but do not know my own suffering; I laugh at the heavens for not showing me joy.

Yumi helped Ping An up, looking helplessly at Xiuyi and the others.

As the troupe leader was cursing, Zhou Zhou finally couldn't hold back and retorted, "You old man, why don't you ask for the reason before you're being so aggressive? When my father was framed by thieves, he sent me away overnight to save my life. Later, I was saved by Grandpa Medicine."

"Furthermore, my father was the General of Shengjing, a first-rank military officer. Although he died unjustly, his reputation remains. If we were not his family members, how would we dare to use his name?"

As soon as Zhou Zhou finished speaking, the room fell silent, and the dozen or so young men outside the door, each holding a stick, looked at each other in bewilderment.

The handsome, scholar-like man also frowned as he looked at Zhou Zhou.

The scholar's name was Yang You'an, and he was twenty years old. He had originally ranked first in the provincial examination in Yunzhou, and he had come to Fuyang City to participate in the metropolitan examination again. He was already an old acquaintance of the head of the Pear Garden Troupe, and was engaged to the troupe leader's daughter.

When he heard what Zhou Zhou said, he frowned and looked at them. Although he was just a scholar, he knew the name of Zhou Chengzong, the former general of Shengjing.

Ten years ago, the Great Yan Dynasty was on the verge of defeat when it fought a major border war with the Wu Kingdom. However, the situation was reversed when General Zhou personally led a large army to press on the border.

General Zhou led his troops in a fierce attack, causing the Wu Kingdom to suffer repeated defeats. However, for some unknown reason, after returning to the capital, he was ordered by the emperor to kill all the male members of his family, and the women were all forced into prostitution.

As Zhou Zhou just said, although General Zhou is dead, his reputation remains. Both the common people and the imperial court hold General Zhou in high esteem.

"This……"

The troupe leader was speechless after Zhou Zhou's words. Yang You'an, who was standing at the door, immediately walked in, stood in front of the troupe leader, bowed to Zhou Zhou, and said, "Is the young master really General Zhou's son?"

Zhou Zhou looked at Yang Youan, who had the appearance of a handsome scholar, and replied disdainfully, "That's true."

"If that's the case, then may I ask what brings Young Master Zhou here today?"

Yang Youan shielded the troupe leader behind him and asked with a smile.

"Let's put that aside for now," Zhou Zhou straightened up, glared at Yang You'an, and shouted, "According to what the troupe leader just said, you are often harassed by thieves, which is why you treat us like this. But why can't you ask them first? What's the logic behind your insults at us right away?"

“Although we are down on our luck now, we would not stoop so low as to steal other people’s reputations and frame them.”

Yang Youan, still wearing a smile, repeatedly replied, "We were too impulsive. But please forgive us, Young Master Zhou, as we were also harassed by thieves and had no other choice."

"Alright, Xiao Zhou." Xiu Yi walked to Zhou Zhou's side and bowed to Yang You'an. "Young master, you're too kind. We've been the ones bothering you, so please forgive us."

"I dare not accept the title of 'young master,' I am just a poor, uneducated scholar."

"This is my future father-in-law. I am already engaged to Shuang'er, and we will marry after I pass the imperial examination with top honors."

Yang Youan took two steps to the side, and the troupe leader reappeared in everyone's sight. This time, he no longer had the imposing manner he had when he was cursing everyone. Now he looked like an ordinary old man from a common family, with a painted face and a face full of bitterness and resentment.

After Yang Youan finished speaking, he waved to the young men holding sticks at the door, signaling them to disperse.

The troupe leader then bowed to the crowd and apologized. His voice was clearly unsteady: "I am truly sorry, this old man was reckless."

"Uncle, please go change your clothes first. I'll take care of you."

Yang Youan supported the troupe leader, his voice tinged with worry.

The troupe leader nodded, and Yang Youan bowed to the group before helping the troupe leader out of the room.

The troupe leader patted Yang You'an's hand, which was supporting him, signaling him to let go. Yang You'an understood and released his hand.

He watched the troupe leader take small, hesitant steps, his expression revealing a hint of sadness.

After watching the troupe leader leave the residence of the Peking Opera disciples, Yang Youan turned around and greeted the group with a smile: "Please have a seat and some tea."

Yang Youan imitated the troupe leader and shouted towards the door.

His words caused the group of people who had just sat down to exchange glances. Although Yang Youan was a scholar, judging from the way he stood at the door and angrily scolded them with the troupe leader, anyone who didn't know him would think that Yang Youan was a martial arts figure from somewhere. Not only was he upright, but he also spoke with a strong voice, like a tiger's roar. He didn't look like a scholar at all.

Yang Youan turned around, saw this scene, smiled, and bowed to the group: "I am not talented. My family suffered a misfortune, and I studied with a hunter in my village. I also went to the capital twice, but I failed the imperial examination both times."

Yang Youan laughed as he talked about himself. After Yumi put Ping An down, she raised her eyebrows and teased Yang Youan, "I heard before that you were engaged to the shopkeeper's daughter. I'm curious, how did you two, an actress and a scholar, meet?" Yumi acted as if nothing had happened and was as carefree as ever.

"I still don't know your honorable name, young master." Xiuyi glanced at Yumi and asked Yang Youan softly.

Yang Youan smiled and said, "My surname is Yang, my given name is Youan, and my courtesy name is Zhenghe."

"Young master, you have come to the capital twice, presumably to participate in the imperial examinations. But I see that you are still quite young. May I ask, if I may be so bold as to ask, how old were you when you first took the preliminary examinations?"

Grandpa Yao frowned and stared at Yang Youan as he asked.

"I am not talented. I took the preliminary examination at the age of eleven and then went on to take the imperial examination in the capital. Unfortunately, I failed the metropolitan examination at the age of 27."

Yang Youan, adopting the air of a scholar, bowed to Grandpa Medicine.

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked and their faces were filled with disbelief. To pass the preliminary examination without any obstacles and go straight to the metropolitan examination on the first try, even if one failed, would still be a rare prodigy.

"By the way, what brings you here?" Yang Youan changed the subject upon seeing this and looked at Ping An, who was slumped on the tea table.

"This child is a Taoist priest, and it seems he has some connection with Master Qingshui of Zouma Temple."

Grandpa Yao stood up, walked to Ping An's side, shook his head and sighed, "This child was probably kidnapped by thieves, and then when they found out he was a Taoist priest, they threw him to the side of the road, and we found him."

“We originally planned to send him to Zoumaguan, but the heavy snow the previous two nights blocked the mountain, and the road up the mountain was probably difficult to travel. We discussed that we would send someone to Zoumaguan to report the news first, and then he would stay at the foot of the mountain. However, Xiuyi and I are a courtesan and a down-on-his-luck beggar, respectively; one of us dared not take him in, and the other was afraid that he would be mistreated. It just so happened that Yumi said she knew you, so we came here.”

After listening to Grandpa Yao's words, Yang Youan understood the general situation. Soon, the troupe leader changed his clothes and reappeared in front of everyone. However, the troupe leader looked like a middle-aged man, but his walking posture was old and frail, giving people the feeling that he was about to die. He was completely different from the person he had just been.

After Yang Youan briefly explained what had happened to the troupe leader, the leader arranged for someone to take Ping An to an empty room. After settling him in, the leader sat down at the tea table and slowly said, "So that's how it is. This is my fault, my fault. I didn't ask clearly beforehand."

"It's alright, it's alright." Corn waved his hand at the class leader and said in an unladylike posture, "As the saying goes, no fight, no friendship."

"Little Four!" Grandpa Medicine scolded Yumi as soon as she finished speaking, but then turned to the troupe leader and smiled, "Teacher leader, please forgive me. It's all my fault for not disciplining this child properly."

"It's alright, it's alright." The troupe leader waved his hand at him, mimicking Yumi's gesture, and said, "After all, he's still just a child."

Yumi glanced at the class leader, then turned to look at the scenery outside the door.

Scattered snowflakes drifted down from the sky and landed on the open ground outside the house.

"In that case, we won't bother you any longer. We estimate that someone from Zoumaguan will be here in a few days. In the meantime, we'll ask the troupe leader to take care of the child."

Xiuyi stood up and bowed to the troupe leader.

Seeing this, the others, without even taking a sip of tea, all stood up and bowed to the troupe leader.

The same applies to the troupe leader and Yang Youan.

"Please wait a moment," the troupe leader called out to them as everyone turned to leave. He looked at Grandpa Yao and Qingyou, who had been standing beside Xiuyi without saying a word, and said, "I know these people. I don't know how to address these two. Since we have met, why not leave a name for each other and use this matter to make a good connection?"

With a smile on her face, Qingyou bowed slightly, bending her knees, and greeted the troupe leader, saying, "Qingyou from Zuihualou."

The troupe leader returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

"Ye Chengqian originally ran a pharmacy, but later he got into some trouble and became a beggar. The children usually call me Grandpa Medicine."

Grandpa Medicine also bowed with his hands clasped, his words carrying a hint of helplessness.

The troupe leader returned the greeting with a cupped-hand salute: "Jie Ancheng."

"Actually, I have another question." The troupe leader straightened up, looked at the group in front of him, and said, "Although His Majesty values ​​morality, and this is your first meeting with him, I don't quite understand why you are helping him so much. Even if you abandoned him in the wilderness, no one would know."

"Master, you jest," Grandpa Medicine opened his arms and laughed heartily at the master. "We are both unfortunate souls, and the world no longer matters to us. We are suffering without knowing our own suffering, and I laugh at the heavens for not showing any joy. Life is unpredictable, so why did the master agree to keep this child temporarily?"

After Grandpa Yao finished speaking, he led everyone into the snow, and under the guidance of the people waiting outside, they slowly walked out of the Five-Mile Pear Garden.

(End of this chapter)