CH 37

It's been some time since leaving Wuligang. The slender forest path gradually widens, and there are more than two groups of people, including carriages, carts, and farmers carrying loads, all rushing forward.

The dense footprints on the ground and animal feces make Li Huowang realize that Jianye Town should be nearby.

"Zhao Wu, are the identities of the actors like Lü Banzhu all low?" Li Huowang asked Zhao Wu, who was fully focused on learning to write.

Zhao Wu, who was copying with a tree branch, looked up unexpectedly at Li Huowang and then looked at Zhao Jia Ban in front of him. "Well, although they can be applauded by the audience during the performance, they are like the women in the brothel. Liking them is one thing, and status is another. Actors are the lowest among the nine streams."

"Really? What are the nine streams?" Li asked in surprise. He hadn't realized it until the previous incident.

"The first stream is emperors and ministers, the second stream is military commanders, the third stream is gentry and merchants, the fourth stream is sects and gangs, the fifth stream is craftsmen, the sixth stream is doctors, farmers and landowners, the seventh stream is shamans and beggars, the eighth stream is thieves and robbers, and the ninth stream is performers and prostitutes."

"Not only is their status low, but their treatment is also different. For example, people from the lower three streams cannot marry into respectable families, and their clothing and transportation are also restricted. They cannot ride horses or sedan chairs and cannot wear silk, satin, or brocade. Even when suing officials, they have to show weakness." Zhao Wu recited it fluently, surprising Li Huowang. "I didn't expect you to know so much."

"Li Senior Brother, you're too polite. After all, my family is in town, so I know these things. And most people should know about them. Where are you from? Why don't you know about this?" Zhao Wu had already noticed Li Huowang's difference, but only found an opportunity to ask today.

"Hehe, a very faraway place." Li Huowang was too lazy to explain his origin. Even if he tried, these people might not understand it.

Seeing that Li Huowang didn't answer, Zhao Wu continued to speak. "We're not too bad here. Regardless of which stream, the emperor still allows them to take the imperial examination. Although they may not succeed, at least they have the opportunity. I heard that in other places, people from the lower three streams are not even allowed to take the imperial examination. They and their ancestors can never turn their lives around, and actors can only be actors for their whole lives."

"I see." Li Huowang had a new understanding of this world.

"What about someone like me, a Taoist? What is our status here?" Li Huowang asked again.

"Taoists are one of the three teachings and not among the nine streams. Most people still respect them when they encounter Taoists, and even if they don't, they will keep their distance. After all, who can really explain the supernatural?" Zhao Wu's words made Li Huowang give up the idea of taking off his Taoist robe.

Since he was going to travel around, it would be more convenient to wear the robe than plain clothes.

"By the way, Zhao Wu, what about people like Danyang Zi? They should have a high status, right?" Li Huowang immediately asked the crucial question.

"Li Senior Brother, to be honest, I don't know. Before he caught me, I didn't know that there were really people in the world who were so powerful. I thought they were all made up by storytellers."

"Is that so..." Li Huowang pondered. It seemed that the information in these places was very closed. According to reason, there should be many people like Danyang Zi, but even locals like Zhao Wu didn't know about them.

However, Li guessed that people like Danyang Zi should have some restraints, otherwise, he wouldn't have to sneak into the deep mountains to cultivate in secret."Master Tao! Master Tao! Look, we've arrived at the city gate!" Li Huowang raised his head at Lv Zhuangyuan's shout and looked ahead.

At the end of this road they had been traveling for so many days was a row of low city walls covered in moss, and inside the walls was their destination, Jianye Town.

The Lv family troupe entered smoothly, but Li Huowang and the others were not so lucky because their appearance was too distinctive. Before long, the town's catchpoles came to cause trouble.

"Clang!" The catchpole held up his knife with a wary expression and asked Li Huowang, "Stop, stop, what's going on here? Who are you?"

"Master Yan, it's me, and these are all people I know. They don't have any bad intentions and came here specifically to see me off." Zhao Wu on the donkey cart greeted him.

Seeing Zhao Wu's face, the catchpole's hostility decreased significantly, and he put away his knife.

"Oh, it's Zhao Jia's fifth son. Where have you been lately? Tell these people who look like you to behave and buy some hanging cloth hats to cover themselves up so as not to scare the neighbors."

"Thank you, Master Yan. Is my family doing well?"

"Good, of course it's good. Oh, by the way, your second sister got married to a good family. Go back and take a look."

To avoid further trouble, Li Huowang followed Zhao Wu to a stall selling hats and bought several black-clothed hats. Although they were still very conspicuous, at least they wouldn't scare people.

After booking the next departure time with Lv Zhuangyuan, Li Huowang said to Zhao Wu, "Where's your home? Let's go to your place first."

Looking at everything familiar around him, Zhao Wu's emotions became a bit agitated. He didn't wear a hat because everyone in the city knew him.

With his limbs weak, Zhao Wu struggled to prop himself up with his hands and jumped down from the donkey cart.

Changjian, who was beside him, was about to reach out to help, but Li Huowang stopped him and handed Changjian to Zhao Wu.

Then Li Huowang reached into his pocket and took out several suicide notes, beginning to sort them out.

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".

Zhao Wu then stumbled towards his home with a long sword in his hand.

Jianye Town looked lively, with people coming and going on the streets, but it wasn't big. Zhao Wu soon found his home, a small rice shop. Seeing the busy family inside, Zhao Wu's eyes welled up. "Dad! I'm back!"

Zhao Wu's trembling shout made everyone in the rice shop look up.

"Little brother!" A strong young man with a bare upper body who was carrying rice on his shoulder threw the rice bag to the ground and rushed out excitedly, hugging him tightly.

Then a little girl with braids tied on top of her head also rushed out, excitedly circling around Zhao Wu.

At this point, Li Huowang, who was watching coldly from the side, noticed that something was wrong. Except for the two people who rushed out of the house, the expressions of the others inside were very flat, which was not like the behavior of ordinary family members.

"Senior Brother Li, what's wrong?" Bai Lingmiao, who keenly felt that the atmosphere was not right, gently pulled on Li Huowang's sleeve.

Li Huowang patted her hand on the back and said nothing.