With virtue

The five people entered the shop. The interior was elegantly furnished, with shelves on all four walls displaying various white porcelain utensils, bowls, plates, cups, bottles, pots, jars, and stoves. The glaze was lustrous and smooth, gleaming ivory white in the sunlight streaming through the window.

Several shop assistants came forward, exchanged glances, and then the others withdrew. Only one shop assistant in blue stepped forward, beaming, and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Gentlemen, are you here to look at porcelain or to buy in bulk?"

Chen Wanchuan looked at Zhao Yunshu, seemingly seeking his opinion.

Zhao Yunshu didn't stand on ceremony and stepped forward directly, saying, "My surname is Zhao, and my given name is Yunshu. I have a long-standing relationship with Master Zhou Chengan of your esteemed establishment, and I have come to pay my respects today."

Upon hearing this, the waiter looked Zhao Yunshu up and down.

At first glance, he appeared somewhat shabby in his old Taoist robe, but upon seeing his face, one suddenly realized that even though his clothes were worn, he possessed a unique air about him, unlike ordinary wandering Taoists.

Therefore, he dared not be negligent and bowed, saying, "So you're looking for Master Zhou? Daoist, you're just here to find someone? May I ask which master you studied under?"

Zhao Yunshu bowed and said, "I am Zhao Yunshu, and my master's surname is Li. I had the honor of meeting Master Zhou a few years ago. Master Zhou gave me a pair of teacups, which my master often mentioned. Today, I am passing through Dingzhou and have come to pay my respects."

The man smiled and said, "So you're Master Li's disciple. How is your master?"

"My master passed away a few days ago," Zhao Yunshu said.

Upon hearing this, the waiter's smile vanished, and he patted his mouth: "The Daoist Master has passed away? I misspoke, I deserve a beating! The Daoist Master's cultivation was so advanced, he must have ascended to the ranks of immortals."

He finished speaking and sighed softly.

But they didn't mention Master Zhou's matter in their conversation.

The waiter sighed twice and exchanged a few pleasantries about Master Li, but he clearly didn't know anything about this Master Li and was just making things up.

After exchanging a few words, the conversation gradually turned back to the main topic.

Zhao Yunshu saw this but didn't point it out, waiting for him to continue.

The shop assistant coughed and said, "Master, please forgive my indiscretion, but things are not what they used to be at the kiln. The governor's office issues permits every few days, demanding this and that. They are also very picky about the products fired. If there is even the slightest flaw, they will be sent back for refiring. Master Zhou has been so busy these days that he rarely even comes to the shop."

As Zhao Yunshu listened to his roundabout way of avoiding the topic of introduction, she had already made up her mind.

He wasn't in a hurry, and just smiled and said, "Master Zhou is the mainstay of the kiln, so it's only right that he's busy."

"Who says otherwise?" the waiter replied quickly, then paused.

He glanced at Zhao Yunshu, and seeing no displeasure on his face, he spoke again, "Master, if I may be so bold as to say this, there have been quite a few people who have come looking for Master Zhou these past few days. Some claim to be his distant nephews, some to be his old friends, and one even claims to be his son's classmate. They all spoke with great conviction, but Master Zhou didn't even get to see them. He just told me to send them away. Please don't take offense, Master. This is my job. My employer instructed me to turn away anyone who comes looking for craftsmen. It's not that I look down on you, Master, but it's just the rule."

That's a fairly honest statement.

Zhao Yunshu nodded, about to speak, when he suddenly heard a whoosh of wind behind him. Chen Wanchuan had stepped forward, slipped a small piece of silver into the waiter's hand, and whispered with a smile, "Young man, you've worked hard. Here's a few coins to buy a bowl of tea. Our Taoist priest truly has a past with Master Zhou; he's not here to freeload. Could you do me a favor and pass a message inside?"

The waiter took the silver, weighed it in his hand, the dough twitched slightly, and then he handed the silver back with a wry smile, saying, "Sir, it's not that I don't like money, but I really dare not accept it. Last time, one of my waiters secretly brought people to the kiln, and when the manager found out, he fired him without saying a word. He's still carrying manure at the south gate. I have elderly parents and young children to support, I can't afford to take on that responsibility."

Having said all that, Chen Wanchuan couldn't press the matter further, so he awkwardly took back the silver and glanced back at Zhao Yunshu. Zhao Yunshu, however, showed no disappointment, only a slight smile, and said to the shop assistant, "Young man, you're an honest man, so I won't make things difficult for you. How about this, I won't look for Master Zhou—are all the porcelain sold in this shop fired at the Dingzhou kiln? Could I go to the kiln and have one fired?"

The waiter's face tightened slightly, but he quickly put on a smile again: "In that case, Daoist Master, your timing is rather unfortunate."

"How could it be such a bad coincidence?" Zhao Yunshu asked.

"The kiln is currently firing and has been sealed off. It will take at least three to five days to reopen it. Moreover, the kiln is dozens of miles away from the city, and it will take quite a while to make a round trip." As the shopkeeper spoke, he made a move to turn around, and added, "If you are not in a hurry, Daoist, you may leave a message. When Master Zhou returns to the city another day, I will pass on your message."

Zhao Yunshu laughed and said, "There's no need to change the date. I have nothing to do anyway, so I'll just go to the kiln to find him."

The shopkeeper was taken aback and waved his hand, saying, "Master, please forgive my bluntness. That kiln is not an ordinary place. There are many rules inside. The craftsmen who enter the kiln have to go through three procedures. As for unauthorized people, let alone entering, they will be chased away even if they stand outside the kiln. If you go there rashly, I'm afraid you won't even be able to get in."

Chen Wanchuan finally couldn't hold back any longer. He stepped forward, his voice not loud, but his tone hardening considerably: "This won't do, that won't do. Do you really think we're here to freeload? Do you even know how much you're capable of?"

He spoke in a low voice, clearly remembering that he was in someone else's shop and didn't want to make a scene.

The waiter quickly bowed, bending even lower than before, and said with a pained expression, "How could we dare? We know that Master Li is a highly accomplished disciple, but given the circumstances, we really have no say in the matter. Master Li, please understand, sir, please don't make things difficult for us!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yunshu frowned slightly but did not react.

He reached out and gently pressed Chen Wanchuan's arm, nodded to the shop assistant, and said, "Since that's the case, there's nothing we can do. Let's find another way."

Before he could even step out of the shop, he suddenly heard a crisp sound coming from deep inside the shop—followed by a second and a third sound, like ice cracking or jade shattering, clear and piercing, making one's teeth ache.

Upon hearing the commotion, the waiter's face immediately changed.

His previously impeccable smile vanished instantly, and a fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead. He couldn't even bother to greet Zhao Yunshu and his group anymore; he turned and ran into the inner room. After taking a few steps, he remembered something, turned back hastily, and bowed, his voice trembling: "Please wait a moment, I'll be right back!"

The three children were startled by the noise and became uneasy. Wang Haiting gripped Zhao Yunshu's clothes tightly and whispered, "Did someone break something?"

(This will later become a double update.)

(During the new book period, please read it every day, please!)