chsdbacks Chapter 53 Liu Zhutao 1
Chapter 53 Liu Zhutao 1
Liu Sheng was carrying a brocade.
He carried an old ginseng wrapped in silk cloth in his bosom.
Bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun.
I walked all the way back to the commercial street in the west of the city, to the front of my family's grocery store.
The closer Liu Sheng got to his home, the less happy he felt.
The street was even more deserted than in the early morning, with only a few gambling dens, kilns, and taverns with lanterns bearing the words "Black Fox Gang" emitting some jarring noises that seemed out of place in the otherwise deathly silence.
Looking at the familiar streets.
It's turned into this horrible mess.
If he had a choice, Liu Sheng would really like to set fire to all of the Black Fox Gang's illegal operations.
Unfortunately, my father and the shop are still there, so I'm hesitant to act rashly.
Looking at his own shop.
Liu Sheng paused, his brow furrowing.
Even though it was after closing time, the store was still wide open.
Moreover, several unfamiliar men were busily carrying out the store's shelves, bags of goods, and boxes of bottles and jars.
Goods were loaded one after another, and a wide-board camel was parked at the entrance.
"It doesn't look like a restock... Were you robbed? That can't be right, would a thief be so brazen?"
Liu Sheng's heart tightened, but then he saw his long-lost father, Liu Zhutao, behind him, giving instructions: "Be careful, don't break that jar of pickles... This bag of dried dates, yes, put it on top..."
Seeing that his father looked much better than before, and that he was calm and composed, not like someone being held hostage by bandits, Liu Sheng stepped forward.
"Dad, what's going on?"
He asked, puzzled.
Upon hearing his son's voice, Liu Zhutao's face revealed a complex smile. He first instructed his assistant to come forward and continue watching the porters work.
Then, as was his habit, Liu Zhutao grabbed Liu Sheng's arm and, as they walked inside, whispered:
"Let's go talk in the courtyard."
Hearing the familiar voice, I arrived at the familiar backyard, where the stone table and benches were still there.
In the corner, there were only a few neatly packed luggage packages piled up, making the place look somewhat messy.
Liu Zhutao didn't rush to say anything.
He first rummaged in his pocket for a while, then pulled out a bulging money bag, pushed it in front of Liu Sheng, and slowly opened it with trembling hands.
Inside, several crumpled silver notes, a few silver ingots, and some loose silver were visible.
"Sheng'er, here is two hundred taels of silver."
The old man's voice carried a rare solemnity:
"Now that you're a rank-one martial artist, and you'll soon be taking the martial arts exam, there will be many places where you'll need money for martial arts training. This time, your father has earned some money, so take it and don't be stingy with it... Buy meat when you need it, use medicine when you need it, don't be stingy, your father will go and earn more."
Looking at the bag of silver that his father had painstakingly saved, Liu Sheng felt a surge of warmth in his heart.
But more than anything, it was bittersweet.
His father's earnings were far less lucrative than his own. He silently took out a few silver notes from his pocket and placed them on the stone table.
There was 300 taels of silver in advance from the eldest brother for the Wolf Ear military merits, and another 50 taels from the Yan family today.
In total, it amounted to a full 350 taels!
So Liu Sheng reached out and pushed his father's bag of silver back.
"Dad, keep your money for yourself... I can earn money now. Look, this is what I've earned recently, and I can earn even more in the future."
He moved his money forward a little more:
"This street isn't safe, and the new Black Fox Gang isn't any good either. I'm worried about your safety, so I'm planning to buy you a small house in the south of the city for now."
Liu Zhutao stared wide-eyed at the pile of silver on the table, which far exceeded his savings.
He stared at the silver in disbelief, then at his son, whose face, now devoid of youthful naiveté, was just as delicate as his own when he was young.
His lips trembled a few times, as if he wanted to say something.
Ultimately, it failed to make a sound.
Seeing that his father was speechless for a long time, Liu Sheng assumed that he was dissatisfied with something, so he added:
"Houses are expensive in the south of the city now. I don't have much money, so I can only afford a small one for now. I can still earn money and then I'll get you a bigger house later."
Upon hearing this, Liu Zhutao felt a surge of heat well up in his eyes.
He quickly lowered his head, wiped his face with his rough hands, and his shoulders shrugged slightly.
Liu Zhutao waved his hand, signaling Liu Shengxian to be quiet.
He recalled how, over the past six months, his son had transformed from a lazy, good-for-nothing boy who caused him endless worry into the person he was now.
He suddenly became determined to improve himself, endured countless hardships and toil at the martial arts school, and finally became a rank-one martial artist, and even managed to earn a large sum of money.
On the contrary, they even want to buy him a house...
Actually, he didn't want Liu Sheng to be very successful; he was just worried about whether his son could support himself.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The courtyard was quiet, with only the occasional shouts of people carrying goods coming from afar.
A while later.
Liu Zhutao finally calmed down and raised his head.
Her eyes were still a little red, but a smile of relief, even pride, had appeared on her face.
He took Liu Sheng's several silver notes.
He firmly pushed it back.
"Good job, kid!"
He patted Liu Sheng on the shoulder: "There's no need to spend money to buy another house. Dad won't be living in Crescent Moon County anymore."
Liu Sheng was taken aback, then pointed to the goods being moved outside: "Not living in Crescent Moon County? Then what are you doing here...?"
Liu Zhutao sighed and explained:
"I've already sold this shop, along with the small courtyard behind it, to a big shot from Shazhou City. The price... well, it was a low price, just to build a good relationship. And your Uncle Song next door, it's the same. My brother and I have decided to go to Yejia'ao together and open another shop there!"
Upon hearing the word "Yejia'ao," Liu Sheng instinctively thought of the time when the bandits surrounded them.
He then thought that this time when he went out with the Yan family caravan, he also encountered a mutinous army, which was much more troublesome than bandits.
So he subconsciously asked, "Dad, why did you suddenly make this decision? Is Yejia'ao... safe?"
"Safe! Much safer than here, and we don't have to pay any taxes to the imperial court, or any of those damn gang fees!" Liu Zhutao exclaimed excitedly.
It turns out that Yejia'ao has now been renamed Yejia Town.
Since the last time the rebel army lifted the siege, almost all the villagers from the surrounding dozen or so mountain gullies have moved there.
Even in Crescent Moon County, many people have moved there.
The population had multiplied several times over, and Mayor Ye Yong led his men to further raise and thicken the stockade walls, dig deeper moats, and build arrow towers.
Most importantly, the number of martial artists in Ye Family Town has also increased.
Before the rebels left, they left a small group of men to be stationed in Yejia Town and patrol the nearby trade routes.
Now, merchants from all over the country know that Yejia Town is safe and are willing to trade there.
"Yejia Town is bustling with activity now! It's much more prosperous than the lifeless Crescent Moon County!" Liu Zhutao concluded with a comparison.
As Liu Sheng listened to his father's description, images immediately came to mind.
Especially in contrast to the dilapidated state of the county town I saw when I returned home.
Hearing this, he too felt a surge of longing.
"Keep your money for yourself and practice your martial arts diligently. The world is getting more and more turbulent. Having a knife in hand and martial arts skills is much more reassuring than having a lot of money to buy a house!"
Liu Zhutao said earnestly, "When you finish your studies, take advantage of your youth and go out and explore the world. If you ever get tired, come back to Yejia'ao and visit your father."
Seeing the unwavering determination in his father's eyes, Liu Sheng knew that his father had made up his mind.
And what he said does make sense.
Liu Sheng has gradually adapted to his identity as a martial artist and knows that martial arts strength is the only true measure of success in chaotic times. Moreover, his father is indeed safer and has a better chance of survival in Yejia'ao than in Yueya County.
From now on, I won't have to worry about my father's and the shop's safety all the time when I want to do something.
My father's decision was, I must say, very wise.
It is indeed the best choice at present.