Chapter 37: Nine Schools of Thought

It had been some time since they left Wuli Ridge, the narrow path through the forest gradually widened, and now there were more than just two groups of people; there were horse-drawn carts, ox carts, and peasants striding forward with their burdens.

The ground was starting to be covered with dense footprints, along with the dung of animals, which made Li Huowang understand that Jianye Town must be close by.

"Zhao Wu, are the identities of actors like Band Leader Lv very low?" Li Huowang asked, turning to Zhao Wu, who was completely engrossed in practicing his writing.

Holding a twig to trace characters, Zhao Wu lifted his head with surprise, glanced at Li Huowang, and then looked toward Zhao Family Troupe up ahead.

"Hmm, although they get applauded by the audience when on stage, they are like the women in the brothels, being liked is one thing, but status is another. Actors are the lowest of the nine classes."

"Is that so? Which nine classes?" Li Huowang asked in surprise, not having perceived this distinction before the recent incident.

"The first class is emperors and ministers, the second class military officers, the third class scholars and merchants, the fourth class religious sects and societies, the fifth class craftsmen and teachers, the sixth class doctors and peasants, the seventh class witches and beggars, the eighth class thieves and swindlers, and the ninth class performers and prostitutes."

"Moreover, it's not just about disdain for their status, but also different treatment. For example, those below the third class can't marry into a respectable family; there are restrictions on their clothing and transportation—they can't ride horses or palanquins, nor can they wear silk or satin. Even when they go to court, they're at a disadvantage."

Listening to Zhao Wu recite this as if chanting a tongue-twister, Li Huowang was astonished. "I didn't expect you to know so much."

"You're too kind, Elder Brother Li, my family is from the town after all, these things are known, and most people would be aware of them. Where are you from, Elder Brother Li, to be unaware of things like this?"

Zhao Wu had long noticed that Elder Brother Li was different, but only now did he find the chance to ask.

"Heh, a place very, very far away." Regarding his origins, Li Huowang couldn't be bothered to explain; it would be hard to do so and these people might not even understand.

Seeing Li Huowang's non-response, Zhao Wu didn't pursue the matter and continued speaking.

"Things here are still better, no matter the class, the Emperor still allows one to take the imperial examinations. Although it's not certain whether one can succeed, at least there's hope. I've heard that in other places, people below the third class aren't even permitted to take the exams. Generation after generation, they can't change their situation; actors can only be actors for life."

"So that's how it is." Li Huowang gained new insights into this world.

"What about Daoists like me? What's their status here?" Li Huowang asked again.

"Daoists are one of the three teachings and not among the nine classes. Most people respect Daoists when they meet one, or at least they keep their distance if they don't respect them. After all, matters of deities and ghosts—who can speak clearly of such things?"

Zhao Wu's comments dissuaded Li Huowang from his intention to take off the Taoist robe he wore.

If he was going to travel to the south and venture to the north, wearing this Taoist robe would clearly be much more convenient than donning plain clothes.

"By the way, Zhao Wu, what about people like Master Danyang? Their status must be very high, right?" Li Huowang quickly asked the key question.

"Elder Brother Li, to tell the truth, I don't know. Before he took me away, I really didn't know there were people in the world who could be so powerful. I thought all those stories were made up by storytellers," Zhao Wu replied.

"Is that so?..." Li Huowang pondered. It seemed that news in these regions was quite isolated; logically, people like Master Danyang should be quite well known, but a local like Zhao Wu didn't even know of them.

However, he guessed that people like Master Danyang must have those who could restrain them; otherwise, he wouldn't have needed to go deep into the mountains and forests to practice immortal cultivation in secrecy.

"Little Taoist Master! Little Taoist Master! Look at that city gate, we've arrived!" Hearing Top Scholar Lv's shouts, Li Huowang lifted his head and looked forward.

At the end of this long journey, there appeared a row of low, moss-covered city walls, behind which lay their destination—Jianye Town.

Lv's Troupe made their way in smoothly, but Li Huowang and his people weren't so lucky, their distinctive appearances catching attention almost immediately. It wasn't long before the town's arrest officers, led by one in particular, came looking for trouble.

"Clang!" The arrest officer, brandishing a knife and looking highly wary, demanded of Li Huowang, "Stop, stop, what is the meaning of this! What are you doing!"

"Officer Yan, it's me, these are all people I know. They don't mean any harm; they've just come to escort me home," called Zhao Wu from atop the donkey cart.

At the sight of Zhao Wu's face, the officer's hostility lessened significantly, and he put his knife away.

"Oh, it's Zhao from the Zhao family, where have you been all this time? Tell these folks to behave themselves. Buy some cloth and bamboo hats to cover up, don't scare the neighbors."

"Thanks a lot, Officer Yan, how's my family been lately?"

"Good, of course, good. Oh, and your second sister got married to a decent family. You should hurry back and see for yourself."

To avoid further trouble, under Zhao Wu's guidance, Li Huowang approached a stall selling bamboo hats and bought several with black cloth covers.

While still conspicuous with their new hats, at least they were no longer frightening to the public.

After setting a departure time with Top Scholar Lv, Li Huowang asked Zhao Wu, "Where's your home? Let's go there first."

Looking around at everything familiar, Zhao Wu began to feel a surge of emotion; he didn't wear a bamboo hat because the townspeople all recognized him.

Feebly, Zhao Wu planted his hands on the side of the donkey cart and jumped down with difficulty.

The boy, Dongwa, was about to reach out to help, but Li Huowang intervened, drawing a longsword from behind and handing it to Zhao Wu.

Li Huowang then began to organize a collection of farewell letters pulled from his bosom.

With the longsword for support, Zhao Wu staggered toward his own home.

Although Jianye Town seemed bustling with people coming and going, it wasn't very large, so Zhao Wu quickly found his home.

It was a small rice shop; looking at his busy family, Zhao Wu's eyes brimmed with tears. "Dad! I'm back!"

The tremor in Zhao Wu's shout turned every head in the rice shop.

"Little brother!" A robust young man with his upper body bare and lugging sacks of rice, stopped to drop the bag he was shouldering onto the ground and rushed out in excitement, holding him tight in an embrace.

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

Caught up in his emotional reunion, Zhao Wu didn't notice anything amiss, but Li Huowang, who was observing from the side with a cold eye, did.

Apart from the two who rushed out of the house, the expressions of the others inside were far too composed, hardly typical of a family reunion.

"Brother Li, what is it?" Bai Lingmiao, sensing the tense atmosphere, gently tugged at Li Huowang's sleeve.

Li Huowang patted her hand and said nothing.