Chapter 17: The Rich Young Man Points Out the Way

"Oh." Hearing this, Cheng Su secretly praised his niece for being sensible, smart and considerate. His hands moved faster and faster, and he sighed while eating, "Now I can eat with confidence."

"Well, uncle, don't worry about taking it. Also, this is medicine, uncle, please take it. The largest white bottle is the medicinal wine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, the black bottle is for removing heat and toxins and relieving inflammation, and the small white bottle is the medicine for wounds. Usage..."

Li Yaoguang handed them over one by one and gave instructions in great detail, even reminding her uncle twice about the order in which to apply the medicines. After she was done, she even asked if her uncle had remembered it.

After receiving her uncle's "hmm", Li Yaoguang felt relieved.

He originally wanted to collect the lunch box and leave directly, but suddenly he remembered his previous plan. He thought that no matter what, his uncle was born and raised here, and he must know Kyoto better than he does. So Li Yaoguang stopped jumping on the stones, and lay back on the window, holding on to the blue bricks that separated the window with both hands, and tried to peek at the person inside who was concentrating on eating the roasted chicken.

"By the way, uncle, there is something I want to ask you."

Do you have anything to ask him?

Cheng Su was curious, and he rarely looked up from the roast chicken, looking at the little guy with only half of his head sticking out of the window, and responded generously, "What's the matter, tell me."

"Uncle, I just want to ask, based on your knowledge of Kyoto, do you know which places in the inner and outer cities of Kyoto are lively? Where are the places with the most storytelling, acrobatics, and operas? In short, where are the places where both dignitaries and ordinary people like to go for entertainment?"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Su suddenly became serious, staring at the little head outside without blinking and asked suspiciously: "Sister Guang, why are you asking this?"

Li Yaoguang felt uncomfortable being stared at by his uncle and complained in his heart that he was obviously supposed to be doing something serious, so why did he act like he was doing something bad in front of his parents?

No, she must not feel guilty. Li Yaoguang leaned against the window, trying to look at her uncle seriously and innocently.

"Haha, uncle, I'm just curious. I've been in Kyoto for such a long time, but I haven't been out to play. I just want to learn more."

Cheng Su was suspicious, "Are you really just curious and want to know more?"

Li Yaoguang shrugged, "What else? Don't worry, uncle, I'm very good and I won't do anything rash. Even if I'm curious and want to go out and play, I don't dare to go alone. When the time comes, I will definitely ask you to take me along to broaden my horizons."

"you sure?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, then when I am released, your uncle will take you there, and bring your aunt and Yang Ge'er with you."

"Okay, okay, I'll listen to you, uncle. But uncle, you should tell me now. I'm really curious and want to know. You have nothing to do anyway, right?"

Cheng Su… “Okay, then I’ll tell you.”

Speaking of this, Cheng Su became excited. He lowered his head and bit off the head of the roasted chicken. He chewed it with a crunching sound and started talking.

"Where should I start? If we talk about places to have fun in Kyoto... if you want to talk about the best ones, just go to the East Outer City. There are restaurants, theaters, brothels, teahouses, art galleries, and acrobatics. It can be said that there is nothing you can't think of to have fun in there."

"Oh." After listening to her uncle's clear and logical explanation, it was obvious that he had been there for entertainment many times. Li Yaoguang expressed her gratitude, but... what she cared about was: "East Outer City, what about the Inner City, Uncle? Isn't there a place like this in the Inner City?"

Li Yaoguang thought that although it was located in Kyoto, the security in the inner city was definitely better than that in the outer city. He had a child and needed to work and earn money. If possible, he would choose the safe inner city. Besides, didn't he know that a registration card was required to enter and leave the inner city? It was so troublesome, so he might as well look at the inner city first.

So, Li Yaoguang asked. When Cheng Su heard Li Yaoguang asking about Neicheng, he was obviously stuck for a moment, then looked embarrassed and thought about it.

Seeing this, Li Yaoguang said inexplicably: "Uncle, you don't know the situation in the inner city, do you?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the certain person immediately became like a cat with its fur standing on end, jumping up and down while holding his roast chicken.

"How is that possible! I am from a rich and powerful family. I am a well-off boy in a wealthy family and a well-known troublemaker in Kyoto, right?"

He is the elder after all. Doesn't he have any dignity when a little girl says that?

Of course, although Cheng Su spoke in a firm tone, he was actually sweating and nervous inside.

He really didn't know much about the places in the inner city that his niece wanted to know about. How should I put it? He had never been to those real circles of the rich and powerful, and they never took him to play.

It's so hard to find someone smart enough or willing to take him out to play for some other reason, but he, ahem, he can't afford to play!
There is no way, he has no subsidies, he can't get involved in the affairs of the palace, and his monthly salary is always deducted. He is poor! Poor!!!
But in front of children, a real man can lose his head and bleed but he must not lose face.

"That Sister Guang, please let me think about it, let me think about it..."

In order to save face for his elders, Cheng Su tried hard to pretend to be thinking, and then spoke haltingly.

"If you're asking about the fun places in the inner city, well, if you want to go to the inner city, you have to go to the east, and then the south. These two places are also lively, and they're not worse than Waxiang in the outer city. In fact, they have better public security than Waxiang, and there aren't any ignorant ruffians. In the east city, there's Yayuan, where all kinds of talented people gather, and you can listen to stories and watch plays. There are also theaters, teahouses, and restaurants, which are all more upscale than those in the outer city. There are storytellers and singers to liven up the atmosphere. Even the people in Youlian Pavilion are all elegant prostitutes..."

Li Yaoguang's eyes widened, "Qingguaner?"

"Cough cough cough..."

After hearing Li Yaoguang's voice, Cheng Su realized what he had said. He thought it was not good and started coughing rapidly.

Seeing that his niece had no further words, Cheng Su secretly felt lucky and was very grateful for the goodness of his child.
The child was just peeing and didn't know what was going on. If the wife at home knew that he knew about the Youlian Pavilion, the prostitutes and whores, she would cry her eyes out!

Thank goodness, Cheng Su quickly tried to make amends, "Well, Guang Jie, those places are not good places to go. You are young, don't go there just because you are curious. I tell you, your uncle and I don't even want to go there! Really!"

Li Yaoguang laughed in her heart, but nodded seriously to her uncle, "Well, uncle, I will be obedient and I won't go."

It sounded very perfunctory at first, Cheng Su became anxious and could not help but give a serious warning.

"Really, Guangjie, your uncle is telling you something serious. That place is really not a good place. Be good and don't go there. And don't tell your aunt about this when you go back, lest she worry."

Li Yaoguang chuckled: Your warning to me was fake, but your warning not to tell my aunt was real, right? You are a complete henpecked bastard who pretends to be tough on the outside but is actually soft on the inside!

Li Yaoguang nodded, and it was obvious that he was not taking it seriously, but the people inside were worried. In the end, he had no choice but to coax his niece.

"Oh, Sister Guang, here's what you do. Be good. If you are really curious and want to go, wait until your uncle lifts the ban. I will take you, your aunt and your cousin with me, and we will go for a stroll together." Then he would take everyone to the theater and teahouse.

(End of this chapter)