Chapter 17: Good and Evil

At the Zhao residence, the scene was bustling with activity, the sounds of gongs and drums blending into a single point. On the stage, a secondary clown acted foolishly, while a secondary end man made jokes and jests, entertaining the crowd. Another person played an official, and four or five others performed skits, their antics causing the audience to laugh uncontrollably, with cheers and applause echoing throughout.

"Jianxi, what is this called?" Zhao Cheng, curious, asked, looking at the performance that resembled a modern-day sketch.

"Second Master, this is called a variety show. After they finish, there will be a shadow play, which is even better!" Jianxi, his eyes fixed on the stage, replied.

"Ah!" Zhao Cheng nodded. He still had trouble understanding the 'common language' of this era, much like a northerner in the south listening to pingtan. While others found it enjoyable, he could only guess at the plot and join in the laughter, finding it somewhat uninteresting after a while.

Suddenly, a burst of laughter erupted. Zhao Cheng turned his head, frowned, and saw a group of people laughing without restraint. The banquet in the afternoon had invited the heads of various estates, local security chiefs, elders, and local gentry. During lunch, Zhao Cheng had not heard them say much, as they were busy drinking and eating, the sound of slurping reducing his appetite. Now, the fruits and candied fruits on their table were all gone, and several pots of tea had been served.

"Second Master, they are just a bunch of country bumpkins, who have never seen the world or tasted good food!" Jianxi, seeing Zhao Cheng's displeasure, said with a look of disdain.

"Alas, whether this is a blessing or a curse, I do not know!" Zhao Cheng sighed. "Jianxi, come with me to the restroom!" He got up and left his seat. These people were all influential figures in the area, and it was impossible for them not to understand basic etiquette. However, what Zhao Cheng saw in their eyes was different from what Jianxi saw—greed and audacity. Seeing the vast estate and a young master, they might have thoughts of seizing control. The internal issues had just been resolved, but external troubles might be on the horizon!

Before Zhao Cheng finished his business, he heard a commotion and the shouts of the estate guards. He quickly finished and pulled up his pants, running out. "Jianxi, what's happening?" he asked the waiting Jianxi.

"Second Master, it seems that some children from the village are trying to climb the wall to watch the show, and the guards are trying to drive them away!" Jianxi replied.

"Go and see, and make sure the guards don't hurt them!" Zhao Cheng said, running over. Upon arrival, he saw a group of children playing 'guerrilla warfare' with the guards. When one side was driven away, they would climb up from another. The guards were running around, struggling to keep up, and some were already getting frustrated, ready to use their crossbows.

"Stop, don't hurt them!" Zhao Cheng shouted. In this era, without televisions or computers, a traveling theater troupe was a big event in the village. If not for fear, even the adults would have come to join the fun, let alone these energetic children.

"Second Master, these brats are too troublesome, deliberately causing chaos. If we don't show them a lesson, they'll treat our estate like their own vegetable garden!" Yang Feng, sweating and angry, said.

"Second Master, we're not causing trouble, we just want to watch the show!" A child on the wall shouted. Zhao Cheng recognized him as Leijia's Second Son. "Second Son, it's you! Get down quickly, don't fall!" Zhao Cheng said. "Jianxi, find a ladder to help them down!"

"Second Master, I can get down myself!" Second Son said, sliding down a nearby tree. The other children followed.

"Are there more outside?" Zhao Cheng asked.

"Second Master, there are some smaller ones who can't climb up. They're crying and fussing below!" Second Son, scratching his head, said sheepishly.

"Yang Master, open the side gate and let them in!" Zhao Cheng turned to Yang Feng.

"Second Master, that's not a good idea. They don't understand the rules. If they damage anything in the estate, we won't be able to take responsibility!" Yang Feng frowned, trying to dissuade him.

"It won't happen. I'll watch over them, and they won't touch anything!" Second Son, seeing Yang Feng's hesitation, quickly said.

"Let them in. Do you think I can't make decisions?" Zhao Cheng said sternly.

"Second Master, I'll go open the gate right away!" Jianxi, seeing Zhao Cheng's anger, nudged Yang Feng to act quickly.

"Second Master, the head steward said it's getting cold, and the warm pavilion is ready. The theater troupe has moved there, and he's waiting for you to start the shadow play!" A servant ran over to say.

"Good, tell Zheng Da that I have a group of friends coming, and no one else should go upstairs. Also, tell the kitchen to prepare more fruits and candied fruits to be sent up."

"Yes, I'll go do that right away!" The servant immediately went to give the orders. As he spoke, a group of children, about a dozen in total, rushed in. Second Son quickly gathered them and introduced his friends to Zhao Cheng, names like Big Egg, Second Dog, Third Hair, and Fourth Tiger. Zhao Cheng led them up to the warm pavilion.

The warm pavilion was filled with fire basins, much warmer than outside. The room was decorated with flowers and silk curtains, and the furniture was exquisitely crafted. Even the local security chiefs and gentry, who had just taken their seats, found it luxurious. The children, who had never seen such things, were awestruck, not knowing where to put their hands and feet.

"Don't move, show some manners!" A four- or five-year-old child, apparently hungry, reached for the candied fruits on the table and was slapped by Second Son, pouting and about to cry.

"Second Son, the food is for everyone. Why did you hit him?" Zhao Cheng quickly grabbed a few candied dates and gave them to the child. "Jianxi, Fengxi, distribute the food to everyone!" At first, the children were hesitant, but the temptation of the food soon overcame their reservations.

"Second Master, this fruit is really delicious!" Second Son, his mouth full, said indistinctly.

"Of course, it's made by chefs from the capital using the finest ingredients, so it's naturally delicious!" Jianxi smiled. "This is chrysanthemum cake made from this year's chrysanthemums, even better than the others!"

"Thank you, Master Jianxi. My mother has never tasted chrysanthemum cake. Can I take some home for her?" Second Son, seemingly forgetting their past 'disputes,' asked with a hopeful look.

"Sure, it's good to think of your mother. You're a good child!" Jianxi, taken aback, quickly said. He noticed that some of the older children were holding their share of the food, clearly intending to take it home for their parents and younger siblings.

The performance began with the sound of clappers, and the venue fell silent. To ensure a clear view, the servants dimmed some of the lanterns. The head steward had thoughtfully arranged for children's programs, and the children's attention was fully captured, making the upper floor quiet. Zhao Cheng noticed that, despite being from the countryside, these children were more well-mannered than the people downstairs. Perhaps feeling their clothes were dirty, they all sat on the floor, not a single one on the chairs. He quietly instructed the servants to bring some cushions for the children to sit on, to prevent them from getting cold.

The performance continued until the moon was high in the sky. After seeing off the guests, Zhao Cheng invited Second Son and his friends to come back the next day to watch more shows. After several days of fasting, he had ended his retreat and moved back to the summer courtyard. He was exhausted and, lying in the bathtub, was already yawning.

"Second Master, I took the liberty of doing something today. Please punish me!" Jianxi, seeing Zhao Cheng come out, poured him a cup of water and stepped aside to apologize.

"What happened? What did you do?" Zhao Cheng, sitting cross-legged on the bed, asked with a smile.

"Second Master, I gave the leftover fruits from the kitchen to Second Son and his friends without telling you!" Jianxi, hanging his head, said.

"Why did you do that?" Zhao Cheng, having seen the children leave with paper-wrapped food, drank some water and asked calmly.

"Second Master, when I was young, my family was poor. My parents died, leaving my sister and me. We had no food. One night, she cried from hunger, and I told her to wait until morning to find something to eat. The next morning, I got two steamed buns from the street, but when I returned home, my sister had already starved to death!" He couldn't help but cry. "Today, I saw the children secretly hiding food for their younger siblings and Second Son thinking of his mother. I was reminded of my sister and couldn't help but give them the food!" Jianxi sobbed.

"Ha ha, just for that? You gave it, you gave it. You don't need to ask me about such things in the future. Do what you think is right. Remember, doing good deeds will always bring good rewards!" Zhao Cheng said with a smile.

"Second Master, I will remember!" Jianxi nodded vigorously. He suddenly had a strange thought. The prince was so young, and he should be the one cajoling him, but now he found himself receiving 'lessons' from the prince every day. Who was the older one, and who was the younger one?

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