Chapter 65: Keke Tells A Story
Shangyang City has many fun places, but they are basically for adults.
There are some places Qin Wanwan cannot go.
The people in the City Lord’s Mansion specifically created a small amusement park for her.
This amusement park was designed with Keke’s participation.
There are beautiful and safe swings, slides, treehouses, and a carousel…
Although the carousel was manually rotated, this did not stop Qin Wanwan from having a good time.
She even dragged Yin Yuanli to play.
Although Yin Yuanli was not interested in these things, he still very gracefully played with her for quite a while.
Shang Wuyang stood not far away and said, seeing Qin Wanwan happily playing, “Do children all like these?”
Butler: “These playthings are a first for me to see, and judging by Miss Wanwan’s appearance, she should like them.”
Shang Wuyang nodded: “Find a relatively desolate and uninhabited place in Shangyang City to plan out and expand upon this to create a place exclusively for children to play. Let’s try it in Shangyang City first. If children like it, then we will build amusement parks in other places too.”
After just a glance, Shang Wuyang thought of much more.
He was never afraid to try boldly, even if it meant losing money.
After all, he had plenty of money.
Butler: “I will immediately have someone go find a place.”
Qin Wanwan did not know that because of her, similar amusement parks exclusively for children to play in would soon be built in many places.
When she got tired from playing, she moved a small stool, pulled Lang Ya and Yin Yuanli to sit down, and began listening to a story.
Keke stood on the opposite table, cleared his throat, and began to narrate the story of 《Journey to the West》 with great emotion.
There were picture books in this era, but because of the slow spread and the fact that most literate people aimed for the Imperial Examinations, there were very few people who wrote and illustrated picture books.
Moreover, the picture books currently in the bookstores were the fantasies of poor scholars.
Beautiful wives and concubines, daughters of wealthy merchants, or daughters of powerful officials – whatever they could imagine, they could bring into their backyards, and they all lived harmoniously, loving the scholar and paving the way for him.
For more bizarre tales, it was encountering a demon who repaid kindness on the way to an examination.
Keke dared not show Qin Wanwan these storybooks; what if it corrupted the young lady’s values?
Many well-bred young ladies who never left their homes, after reading too many such storybooks, had their minds poisoned, leading them to elope with poor scholars, abandoning their comfortable lives, and ultimately meeting tragic ends.
Therefore, when the cub wanted to hear stories, Keke would be the storyteller.
Don’t look at it being a bird; it had a quick tongue and was full of emotion.
Most importantly, it knew many novels.
Masterpiece stories like 《Journey to the West《 were naturally indispensable.
Qin Wanwan listened very attentively.
Even Yin Yuanli couldn’t help but listen attentively.
After all, she was a child and it was her first time encountering such a fantastical novel.
Not only children, but adults also enjoyed the stories Keke told.
For a moment, everyone quieted down, and some on duty even lingered around several times while busy.
“The Jade Emperor summoned the Tathagata from the West for help, and in the end, the Monkey King, who wreaked havoc in Heaven, was suppressed under the Five-Finger Mountain… Cough cough, for the rest of the story, please listen to the next installment.”
Everyone: (⊙?⊙)
That’s it?!!
“What happened next? Just as I was getting into it, it ended. Isn’t that annoying?”
“Was that Great Sage Monkey rescued? Keke, continue, there’s still time.”
With the story interrupted at its most engaging point, everyone present, who had been listening with great interest, was extremely anxious to know the continuation.
Keke rolled his eyes.
“Bird Lord’s throat is about to go hoarse. You all enjoy yourselves, but consider the bird’s feelings! As long as this story isn’t finished, no matter where it’s cut off, you won’t be satisfied!”
Everyone was silenced by Keke’s retort.
But the story was indeed very good.
They never expected a story about a monkey jumping out of a stone.
“Then when will you tell this 《Journey to the West《 next time?”
Keke: “You adults are shameless, I’m telling this to the cub!”
“Well, we can listen too.” The story was perfect for adults to hear.
One person even picked up paper and pen: “Keke, could you tell it again? I’ll record it and tell my brothers to broaden their horizons.”
There were few entertainment options at this time. For soldiers, a group of rough men living together, besides training and guard duty, there was little other entertainment in the military camp.
They had to go outside to drink on days when they were not on duty.
Even more unfortunate, Shahe City had just experienced war, so there wasn’t a single brothel.
A group of hot-blooded men with nowhere to vent their frustrations and no entertainment could only resort to fighting.
So, there were always people who got angry, fought, and ended up being punished with military rods.
The story of 《Journey to the West《 was suitable for all ages and would definitely be popular if told in the army.
Of course, at this time, Ning Erhu’s intention was simple; he just wanted to record it to tell his good brothers later and show off a bit.
Ning Erhu was one of the few soldiers who could write.
However, he failed the Xiucai exam for two years. Coupled with his family’s poverty and the conscription, his father was also getting old. Ning Erhu was quite filial and, without consulting his family, directly enlisted in the army, eventually ending up here.
His physical strength was not good in the Border Army, even mediocre.
But he was literate and had good talent in archery, which caught the General’s attention and led to him being taken under his command.
This time, he participated in the mission to protect the Crown Prince and Miss Wanwan.
“Get lost, Bird Lord doesn’t want to say anymore!”
They were all quite bold, wanting him to repeat it.
Although Keke, this tiny bird, had a temper, he was still very popular because he could tell stories.
The Border Army had been freeloading food and drinks at the City Lord’s Mansion under the guise of protecting Miss Wanwan.
The butler’s eyes hurt when he saw these soldier ruffians.
In the end, he found them something to do.
“Train this new batch of guards for the City Lord’s Mansion.”
Soldier ruffians: “Why? We’re not people of the City Lord’s Mansion!”
Butler said sarcastically: “So you know you’re not people of the City Lord’s Mansion. You’ve been eating and drinking for days for free. Do you really think our City Lord’s Mansion is a charity? General Xie’s men don’t know this either, so it wouldn’t hurt to teach a few people some combat skills, right?”
Although they knew it was a provocation.
They still fell for it.
“Teach them, we’ll show you the strength of our Border Army today!”
Butler: “Very good, then it’s up to you.”
After teaching for a while, these people realized something was wrong: “Where’s Wanwan?”
Qin Wanwan had been taken out to play by Daddy again.
Not unexpectedly, they encountered an assassination during this outing.
Wanwan finally had some experience and continued what she was doing without the slightest worry.
Shang Wuyang was also very leisurely, only taking action when they were close.
Not only was the carriage full of mechanisms, but Shang Wuyang was also armed with various mechanisms from head to toe.
Some were poisonous, making them truly hard to guard against.
“City Lord Shang’s life is truly exciting.”
Yin Yuanli was also in the carriage.
Lang Ya and Yin Yuanli’s guard armies had gone out to kill the enemy.
They had all received excellent equipment from the City Lord’s Mansion.
Yin Yuanli and Shang Wuyang were playing chess.
Qin Wanwan, with her silly little head, couldn’t understand and was braiding the Great Lion’s hair on the side.
The deliberately perky little braids sticking up were particularly conspicuous.
