Eternal madness

Chapter 10 Black Sand Pass

Lin Shao Cong and Zhang Lai Fu arrived at Heishakou in the afternoon.

Lin Shao Cong sent Zhang Laifu to Qingxiang Garden and gave him sixteen copper coins and about twenty copper coins.

Don't blame Lin Shao Cong for being stingy; he only had this much money on him. The bandits had taken all the rest of his money, and he had managed to hide these few copper coins with great difficulty.

The copper coin was a type of coin, several times larger than the one-yuan coin that Zhang Laifu was familiar with. The obverse of the copper coin read "Wan Sheng Guo Bang" (meaning "Ten Thousand Lives, Nation and State"), while the reverse featured a portrait of a person wearing a military cap and uniform, seemingly a high-ranking general.

The copper coin was a round coin with a square hole, which Zhang Laifu was familiar with. The obverse read "Wansheng Tongbao" and the reverse read "Shenfu Casting".

Zhang Laifu didn't know how to spend the two kinds of money, and Lin Shaocong didn't have time to explain, so he quickly rode away.

Upon reaching the Hunlang River, Lin Shao Cong abandoned his horse and crawled all the way back to the Lin family compound.

Yang Qingbo, the gatekeeper of the Lin family, saw someone lying at the door and only realized after looking for a while that it was the third young master, Lin Shaocong.

Recognizing that it was the Third Young Master, Yang Qingbo did not bring Lin Shaocong home, but left him to dry at the door. He went to tell the head steward, Guo Song'an, about the matter.

Looking at Lin Shao Cong, who was covered in mud and had disheveled hair, Guo Song'an turned to the gatekeeper and asked, "Is this the Third Young Master?"

Yang Qingbo walked up to Lin Shao Cong and wanted to help the Third Young Master wipe his face: "It's the Third Young Master. You can tell just by looking at his face and his legs."

Guo Song'an adjusted his reading glasses, not looking at Lin Shao Cong, but staring intently at Yang Qingbo: "Is this really the Third Young Master?"

“Right…” Yang Qingbo stopped wiping Lin Shao Cong’s face and slowly distanced himself from Lin Shao Cong.

Guo Song'an adjusted his reading glasses and said to Yang Qingbo, "I don't think this person looks like it."

"Looking at it, it doesn't seem too much like it..." Yang Qingbo's voice trailed off as he finally understood what Guo Song'an meant.

Guo Song'an said to Yang Qingbo, "Go ask the eldest young master and have him send someone to check if this is the third young master."

Yang Qingbo turned and left.

Lin Shao Cong realized that the situation was not good, but he could not lose his temper or take the initiative to prove his identity.

Before Yang Qingbo returned, Lin Shaocong had two choices: one was to stay there and see how his older brother would handle the situation.

Secondly, they could simply crawl away and not go home for the time being.

If he stays, his older brother might go along with it and portray him as an imposter, making the real one appear fake.

He couldn't defend himself because he was a fool.

If he didn't go home, he might die at the hands of the bandits. He and Zhang Laifu had killed so many bandits, Hunlong Village wouldn't let him off easily, and those bandits would come looking for him soon.

Just then, the guard He Shengjun appeared.

Lin Shao Cong immediately calmed down, raised his head, and looked at He Shengjun with teary eyes.

He Shengjun stepped forward and helped Lin Shao Cong up: "Young Master, you're back!"

Butler Guo Song'an said, "Look carefully, which young master is this?"

He Shengjun glared at Guo Song'an: "Are you blind? This is the Third Young Master, can't you recognize him!"

"How dare you!" Guo Song'an pointed at He Shengjun, holding his cane, and said, "Who are you talking to?"

He Shengjun retorted angrily, "Can't you hear me? You're not only blind, I think you're deaf too!"

Guo Song'an was so angry that he trembled. He Shengjun helped Lin Shaocong into the mansion through the side gate.

Lin Shao Cong gritted his teeth as he recalled the ugly faces of Guo Song'an and Yang Qingbo.

……

Zhang Laifu arrived at the theater's ticket booth, wanting to buy a ticket, but upon inquiring, he learned that the cheapest ticket cost eight taels of silver.

He took out eight copper coins and gave them to the ticket seller, who, seeing Zhang Laifu covered in mud, assumed he was there to cause trouble.

"I said eight big coins, don't you understand?"

Eight?

There are eight!

Zhang Laifu counted again, and the ticket seller frowned and said, "Are you trying to cause trouble? It'll cost eighty copper coins. I don't have time to count them. Go exchange them somewhere else."

Zhang Laifu realized that he had given the wrong amount of money; ten copper coins should have been exchanged for a large coin.

He took the copper coins back, gave eight copper coins, and received the ticket.

In a recent scene, which started at 3:30, Zhang Laifu took out his phone to check the time, only to find that the phone had been dropped and was deformed, with the screen shattered.

After waiting for more than half an hour, Zhang Laifu entered the theater.

His ticket didn't have a designated seat, so he could only find a place to sit in the back row, and if the place was full, he would have to stand.

That didn't matter. Zhang Laifu wasn't there to watch the opera. He wandered back and forth along the wall, trying to find the door he had used to enter the theater.

In his memory, the door was near the sixth row of seats. He walked around several times, but all he could see was that the wall was very smooth and there wasn't even a crack.

Is there any special button or mechanism?
Zhang Laifu felt around on the wall inch by inch when a waiter approached and asked, "Sir, would you like some tea?"

Zhang Laifu waved his hand: "No!"

He continued to feel around, and another waiter approached: "Sir, would you like some melon seeds?"

"do not want!"

As he was still fumbling around, another waiter approached: "Sir, would you like a handkerchief?"

"No..." Zhang Laifu stopped groping. The three men surrounded him.

"Sir, please leave if you don't need anything."

"I paid to come and see the opera."

"If you're going to listen to the opera, just sit properly on the bench and leave as soon as it's over."

Zhang Laifu pointed to the wall: "There used to be a door here. I was going to go out through this door. There's someone else here. I told him the lock was quite heavy..."

"Sir, I think you should go home!"

Zhang Laifu was escorted out of the theater by three employees.

This is clearly a train station, so why can't I get there?

Where can we go now?

Zhang Laifu knew nothing about Wansheng Prefecture, but since they spoke the same language, they should still be in China.

Since this is within the country, and the same laws apply, is it permissible to report this to the police?

Zhang Laifu asked a rickshaw driver, "Where should I go to report a crime?"

The rickshaw driver stared at Zhang Laifu, stunned for a long time: "What do you mean by reporting a crime?"

"I've run into bad people, and I need help..." Zhang Laifu explained for a long time, and the driver seemed to understand some of it.

"Are you looking for the police station? It's quite a distance. I'll take you there. I won't ask for much, just five coins will do." The driver lifted the rickshaw handle.

Patrol room.

The name sounded quite different from the organization Zhang Laifu was familiar with.

It seems this isn't in China.

Is this place friendly to foreigners?
On Fangpai Mountain, Zhang Laifu killed many people. If this were not China, would his actions be considered legitimate self-defense under local laws?
If it doesn't count as self-defense, and I tell them I just thought I was acting, will they believe me?

I didn't kill Lao Liang; the blame lies with Lin Shao Cong.

I didn't kill the others either; you can blame it all on Lin Shao Cong.

But what if Lin Shaocong denies it?
Many questions lingered in Zhang Laifu's mind, while the driver continued to ramble on, "Sir, please take my rickshaw, it's really not expensive at five dollars."

Zhang Laifu had a total of sixteen copper coins. He spent eight on watching the play, leaving him with eight. If he spent five more, he would have three left.

This amount of money is his livelihood in Wansheng Prefecture; he can't afford to squander it like this.

"Just give me directions, tell me where the police station is."

The driver advised, "Sir, if you don't know the way, even if I tell you, you still won't find it. It won't cost me much to take you there."

"How about this, I'll give you a discount of one dollar, four dollars, is that alright?"

"Just give me directions."

"Three and a half, that's the most I can give you. Please have pity on me, my wife and kids are waiting to eat..."

No matter how the driver tried to persuade him, Zhang Laifu refused to get in the car.

The driver was a little angry, but he still gave Zhang Laifu directions, explaining each step in great detail: "Go north from here, cross two streets and one alley, and you'll reach the Black Sand River. Cross the river at the Lotus Bridge and go to Bamboo Raft Road. It's the second intersection from the east. Let me tell you, this is really not a short distance. You'll have to walk slowly on your own!"

Fearing that Zhang Laifu wouldn't be able to find the place, the driver even drew on the ground for quite a while.

Zhang Laifu took out five copper coins and handed them to the driver.

Five copper coins, barely half a cent, not much money, but the driver didn't dare take it: "What do you mean? I'm not taking a ride, why are you giving me money?"

Zhang Laifu said thank you and stuffed the money into the driver's hand.

It's not easy to get work. After talking for a long time, I didn't close a deal, but I even gave Zhang Laifu directions. I should get some reward.

Zhang Laifu walked north, pondering how to explain the situation to the police.

Describe the journey to Wansheng Prefecture in as much detail as possible, and briefly mention your experience at Fangpaishan. Don't mention any other requests for now; it would be a blessing to be able to return to Huan State!
Having made up his mind, Zhang Laifu walked faster and faster, but then he heard a bell ring behind him.

Ding Ding!

The coachman, ringing his bell, pulled the cart and caught up.

"Sir, please wait a moment, I have something to tell you."

Zhang Laifu stopped, thinking the driver was going to pester him for another ride.

The driver didn't mention taking a ride. He put down the cart handle and asked, panting, "You mentioned reporting a crime earlier, but you don't sound like a local. Are you from out of state?"

Zhang Laifu remained silent.

The driver looked around and then said, "Sir, if you're from a legitimate background, I won't stop you. Go ahead and do what you need to do! But if you're not from a legitimate background, you absolutely mustn't go to the police station."

We've recruited quite a few out-of-state people at the theater, and we know some things. Any out-of-state person whose origins are unclear, once arrested by the police, is dead. Sir, you'd better think this through.”

P.S.: Wan Sheng State is not very friendly to other states.

Some authors never read the comments section. I don't understand it, I really don't understand it.

I really can't live without the comments section. I have to check it every minute. Talk to me, I'll do anything you ask.

(End of this chapter)