Just as Li Huowang was trying to figure out what was happening in the performance, the farmers in the audience began to stir. They pulled out a copper coin or two and tossed them onto the stage.
The audience consisted of farmers who toiled in the fields for their meals, so those throwing money were always in the minority. More often, it was ears of corn, potatoes, or other grains that were tossed up.
Families that were a bit better off might throw some salted fish or preserved meat at best.
However, Luo Juannhua accepted everything, bowing in thanks to everyone.
So this is how opera troupes earn their pay? Li Huowang thought, a wave of understanding washing over him.
He watched Luo Juannhua kneeling humbly on the stage, clutching her daughter, her song continuing in a tearful voice as she reached out to pick up the items on the ground. She placed them in her basket, pausing now and then to bow to those in the crowd who cheered.
He sighed inwardly. Earning a living this way really isn't easy.
Just as Luo Juannhua was busily gathering the scattered offerings, a small piece of silver flew onto the stage.
Her eyes lit up instantly. She snatched up the silver, weighed it gently in her palm, and realized it was at least five mace. Adopting an even more theatrical wail, she began singing and kowtowing repeatedly toward the only fat, old gentleman in the crowd wearing silk.
"Good, good, good!! A truly fine performance!" The old man, his face glowing, looked up and tossed another piece of silver, earning another flurry of thanks from Luo Juannhua.
Li Huowang grew tired of the spectacle. He yawned, flopped down onto a pile of straw, and said to the relatively level-headed Zhao Wu, "I'm going to catch a nap. Keep an eye out."
"Alright, Senior Brother."
When Li Huowang opened his eyes again, the sun was already high in the sky. The others were chatting idly nearby; it seemed everyone had made do in the straw heap for the night.
The distant stage had been dismantled, and the Lv Family was busy packing their props and costumes into a wagon.
"Zhao Wu, how many days of food do we have left?" Li Huowang asked suddenly.
"Not much. If we ration it, three days at most," Zhao Wu answered immediately.
Li Huowang fished out the dozens of Copper Coins and the small lump of dark silver he had pilfered from the storeroom, handing them to him. "Go to the village and trade these for some grain. We have a long road ahead."
There were more than a dozen of them, all strapping young men, and they went through food at an alarming rate. They had already consumed most of the numerous bags they had brought from Qingfeng Daoist Temple.
Zhao Wu, perched on the fool's back, was about to send him into the village. After a moment's thought, however, he called over one of the more presentable Daoist Boys. He placed the money in the boy's hand and began whispering instructions to him.
With a push of his hand, Li Huowang rose from the straw pile and walked toward the distant stage.
"Sir, when do we set out?" Li Huowang asked Top Scholar Lv.
Top Scholar Lv looked quite anxious. "Young Daoist Master, please forgive me, but we must wait a bit. My daughter-in-law took Xiu'er and disappeared early this morning. I have no idea where they've gone. We will leave the moment she returns."
Li Huowang was confused. "Hmm? She's missing? Wait, isn't that her over there?"
Following Li Huowang's finger toward the village entrance, Top Scholar Lv saw Luo Juannhua holding a few yards of fabric and carrying her daughter, walking toward them with a grin.
Seeing his flighty daughter-in-law, Top Scholar Lv's anger flared. He brandished his tobacco pipe and stormed over, giving her a sound scolding.
Faced with her father-in-law's fury, Luo Juannhua looked utterly innocent. "Pa, didn't you tell me to go to the village to get fabric? You said the cloth in town was too expensive..."
After venting his anger, Top Scholar Lv turned back to Li Huowang, a sheepish smile on his face. "It's all sorted, Young Daoist Master. Shall we be on our way?"
"Hey! Wait, Pa, don't go yet! When I went to buy the cloth, I managed to find us some business."
At these words, both Li Huowang and Top Scholar Lv turned to look at Luo Juannhua. "What business?"
"What other business could we do? It's an opera performance, of course. The patron is that master who gave us the most silver last night! You should go see him. He said he has some things to discuss with you in detail."
Hearing this, Top Scholar Lv stopped in his tracks. He slowly turned around, flashing an apologetic smile at Li Huowang.
Although the man said nothing, Li Huowang understood his meaning perfectly from his expression. "It's no trouble, Band Leader Lv. Business is important. We can wait another day."
"Oh, my deepest apologies. This old fool will be right back." With that, Top Scholar Lv tucked his pipe behind his neck and gleefully dragged his daughter-in-law toward the village.
Li Huowang returned to the straw pile. With nothing else to do, he took out the dented Daoist Bell and examined it closely.
If he could truly command Lord You, his own power would increase considerably.
Unfortunately, he couldn't summon anything with it now. He had to find a way to fix it.
He turned it over and over, inspecting it carefully. He found that nothing else seemed to be wrong; the dented wall of the bell was the only possible issue.
If I just knock it back into shape, will it work again?
Li Huowang pondered this for a moment. He placed the copper bell on a flat stone, picked up another rock, and brought it down hard on the bulging side.
The moment the rock struck, a piercing ring echoed out, and a splitting pain shot through Li Huowang's head. He almost dropped the rock he was holding.
This isn't working. I'll have to ask if there's a blacksmith in this village. Li Huowang shook his throbbing, muddled head.
Just then, he saw several of the Daoist Boys dragging two sacks toward them.
He put the Daoist Bell away and, along with Zhao Wu who was still on the fool's back, went to meet them.
"Senior Brother Li, this is all we could get," one of the boys said, his young face fraught with anxiety. Although they were children, they were exceptionally sensible and capable; Master Danyang had already killed off the ones who weren't.
Li Huowang pulled open one of the burlap sacks and saw it was full of dried sweet potatoes.
"Senior Brother, this stuff has no oil. It won't last us more than a few days. The fool alone can eat a pound and a half in one sitting, and too much of this gives you heartburn."
Zhao Wu's words made the big, simple-minded, bald man hang his head in shame. "You... you guys... don't... don't leave me behind... I... I'll eat less!"
Their food was running out. Li Huowang stared at the sacks, trying to think of a solution.
According to Top Scholar Lv, Jianye City was still a long way off. If they ran out of food on the road, the dozen or so of them couldn't very well start chewing on tree bark.
He reached into his robe again, pulling out a gold ring wrapped with a red string.
He considered it for a moment, then slipped it into the hand of Bai Lingmiao, who was clinging to his sleeve.
"Trade this for some food," Li Huowang said as he pulled out Xuan Yang's Jade Pendant and handed it to Zhao Wu.
"Senior Brother, how are we supposed to trade this? There's no pawn shop in the village, and no one can make change for it. Besides, these mud-legged farmers probably won't even recognize its value."
If we can't get grain for the Jade Pendant, then what do we do? Just as Li Huowang was wracking his brains over their food crisis, he saw Top Scholar Lv and his daughter-in-law walking toward them.
"Ah, Young Daoist Master, I've run into a bit of trouble with my business. Might I ask you for a little help?" Top Scholar Lv looked extremely embarrassed.
"Band Leader Lv, I can't sing opera. I doubt I can help you with your trouble," Li Huowang replied, finding the request ridiculous. Was the man going to ask him to go on stage and perform a sword dance?
"No, no, it's something you can help with. It's just..." As he spoke, Top Scholar Lv glanced around furtively, then leaned in close and lowered his voice. "That Master Hu... he wants me to perform a ghost opera."