Storytellers are often found in tea shops on the streets and alleys. Most of them are literate people who have read a few story books or heard rumors from elsewhere. Wandering around, telling stories to the people with great emotion, and earning a living.
Being literate and being a scholar are not the same thing.
Scholars are those who have gone to school and been taught by specialized teachers. They must not only be able to read and write, but also be able to read through the Four Books and Five Classics. The most important characteristic is that he can pass the imperial examination and become an official step by step.
Literacy and hyphenation are just literacy and hyphenation. Just like monks and Taoist priests, they also need to be literate in order to learn their own classics. But who can say that monks and Taoist priests are scholars?
There are also those noble ladies who have teachers who carefully teach them how to read and write, but because they cannot take the imperial examination, they are not considered scholars.
Moreover, there is no question of who is superior to those who are literate and who is inferior. It's like there are many learned monks who, after familiarizing themselves with Buddhist scriptures, will dabble in Confucianism. Some of them are even more knowledgeable than orthodox literati.
Of course, storytellers don't just hang out in teahouses on the streets. Some restaurants also have storytellers. However, such places have high requirements for storytellers, so there are very few storytellers who can stay in restaurants permanently.
Chang Hao is such a storyteller.
His family was poor since he was a child and there was no money for him to study. He just listened to some outside the window while herding cattle.
Not everyone will be so lucky. Just by listening to a class outside the window, they will be noticed by their teacher and be kindly invited to study for free.
Chang Hao was not so lucky. Although he was born smart and could understand and listen to what his teacher said, he did not have the opportunity to formally enter school. Of course, the husband had already discovered him eavesdropping, but he had no intention of driving him away and allowed him to continue listening.
Years later, Chang Hao has grown up and no longer makes a living by herding cattle. After many twists and turns, I came to the capital and assumed the identity of a storyteller, and I started to make a living by making a living. Not to mention, Chang Hao is particularly popular because of his youth, good looks, and his humorous way of talking and winking. Now he is a regular storyteller in a small restaurant. The owner of the restaurant specially arranged a small room for him and let him live for free. It also allowed him to gain a foothold in the capital.
Chang Hao is not dissatisfied at all with his current life. He is from a farmer's family, and now he can gain a foothold in the capital based on his own preferences. What else is there to be dissatisfied about.
On this day, Chang Hao appeared with the air of a scholar, holding a fan.
"Everyone, you are being polite now." Chang Hao held the fan in both hands and turned it around towards the diners in the lobby.
"What else will Mr. Chang talk about today? Is it still a story about the former Tang Dynasty?"
Some guests who were familiar with Chang Hao laughed and asked when they saw Chang Hao coming out. The entire lobby burst into laughter and the atmosphere was very happy.
Chang Hao didn't mind and laughed. He knows that these diners like to joke with him the most, and he also likes such a lively atmosphere, and he can still make money to make ends meet, so why not?
"I won't tell you any stories about the former Tang Dynasty today."
"Oh?" Suddenly a diner said in surprise.
"Mr. Chang, does he have a new trick? Tell me quickly."
The new diners here didn't understand what was going on, but the regular patrons slowed down their chopsticks and focused their attention on Chang Hao.
Chang Hao did not show off, opened the fan with a bang, fanned himself a few times gracefully, and then said: "Let's not talk about the past today, let's talk about today's things."
He looked around at everyone and saw that everyone was looking at him. The fan in Chang Hao's hand suddenly closed, clapped it in the palm of his hand, and said in a deep voice: "Jiaofang Si!"
As soon as the words fell, the whole place was naturally silent.
But soon someone burst into laughter and joked with Chang Hao: "Mr. Chang, if you talk about other things, we all like to hear it. But if you talk about Jiaofangsi... I dare to ask, Chang Hao My husband, have you ever been in there? Hahaha..."
"Jiaofangsi is a place where dignitaries can enter. How could Mr. Chang have ever been there? But with Mr. Chang's handsome appearance, you can still go to an ordinary brothel. Maybe there are girls who are willing to pay for it after meeting Mr. Chang. What about?"
Although this person was teasing Chang Hao, his words were also serious. If it were another person, he might have a conflict with the diners.
But Chang Hao is different from other people. He is a lively person. He is very curious about all kinds of things, so he doesn't take this kind of half-joking teasing to heart at all.
"Of course I have never been there, but the younger son of Uncle Wang's third son in the village next to me is working as a handyman there. I met him a few days ago and got some news about the Jiaofang Division. Do you want to hear it?"
Chang Hao looked at everyone with a smile.
"I want to hear it, why don't you want to hear it?" Someone immediately responded impatiently.
"If you really have any information about the Jiaofang Department, tell it so that we young and old men can see it. Don't worry, it will be of great benefit to you."
"Okay!" Chang Hao immediately became excited when he heard this, clapped his hands and said: "The first thing is that the rules for entry into the Jiaofang Division have been changed. From now on, only high-ranking officials can go to the Jiaofang Division. Only big guys can go to the Jiaofang Division." If you have money, you can go.”
As soon as he finished speaking, there was an uproar in the lobby!
The news that Jiaofangsi is no longer a place where only dignitaries can enter, although it is something that people in Jiaofangsi have known for a long time. But among the people, little is known about this matter. When they came to the Jiaofang Division, no one, including Grandma Li, had any idea of publicity. They had no idea how much of a stir this news would cause among the people. Secondly, the Jiaofang Division is still closed and no outsiders are allowed to enter. Naturally, the news spread extremely slowly.
"This is true! Mr. Chang, please don't lie to everyone."
Can you go if you have money? Doesn't that mean that as long as you are willing to spend money, you can enjoy the treatment of an official like going to a brothel? Thinking of this, some people couldn't help but look salivating on their faces.
The four major brothels in the capital have always been famous, but everyone knows that compared with Jiaofangsi, they are not even the slightest bit worse.
