I used the Mo Dao (a type of long-handled sword) to fight the Japanese.

"But how am I supposed to play this?... All I know is how to fluff cotton..." I've been forced into this situation, and I'm afraid I won't be able to get through this hurdle if I don't play, but I really don't know how to play!

"Just do it the way you normally would! Just rummage around a bit and get rid of the Japanese, that'll be fine!" the storyteller said hurriedly.

Who told you to perform properly? Can't you even fool a ghost? What do these little devils know about the things our ancestors made up?

"This...can this really work?..." The youngest brother's heart pounded. He had never told a lie before, and now he was trying to fool the Japanese soldiers while they were surrounded by guns! He could easily lose his life!

"Whether it works or not, we'll only know after we try! Hurry up, or the Japanese will really get angry!" the storyteller urged.

The die is cast! We have no choice but to go through with it, even if it's like being forced to do something against our will!

With no other option, the uncle and nephew stepped aside, one carrying the cotton bow and the other holding the wooden handle, ready to go on stage to perform.

"Alright! Leave one team outside on guard, the rest of you go inside and enjoy the music!" Sasaki Ichiro ordered.

He was originally a music teacher, and since the war began, he had rarely had the opportunity to appreciate real music! How could he miss such an opportunity?

"Hi!" The soldiers quickly arranged for personnel to be on duty, and the rest filed in.

"What are you two doing here?" Sasaki Ichiro asked sternly as soon as he entered and saw Li Dadi and Diezi standing there.

"This is……"

"We're waiters! We serve tea and water!" Li Dadi interrupted the storyteller before he could say anything. The two were quite young, and the woman was dressed as a man, so calling them waiters was the most reasonable explanation.

"Oh right! These two are the shop assistants, serving tea and water!" The storyteller, being shrewd, quickly chimed in, following Li Dadi's lead. "Why aren't you two going to boil water? Can't you see the Japanese soldiers want to hear some music? You have absolutely no sense of propriety!"

"Yes, yes, we'll go boil water and make tea right away!" Li Dadi quickly grabbed the saucer and bowed as he walked into the inner room.

Sasaki Ichiro glanced at the two men but paid them no mind, and walked to a seat near the front to wait for the performance to begin. Soon after, the Japanese soldiers also took their seats, as if they had truly come to listen to the music!

"Yoshi! Let's get started! Hurry up!" Sasaki urged as he saw the youngest brother tightening the bowstring.

Since things had come to this point, even if it was a forced situation, he had to bite the bullet and do it. The youngest brother hung the large bow horizontally in front of his chest, and began to pluck the strings with one hand.

"Dong~dongdong~"

A deep voice rang out, and the youngest brother, just like he always did when hawking his business, started shouting in his hoarse voice.

"Let's fluff the cotton!"

"Boom boom boom~"

"Let's fluff the cotton!"

"Boom boom boom~"

The voice was deep and the melody was long; upon closer listening, it really did have a singing quality.

"What is he shouting about?" Sasaki immediately sensed something was wrong. After all, he was a music teacher, and he could distinguish between shouting and chanting!

"This is the prelude. He stands on a high mountain and calls out to his beloved! The girl's surname is Tan, and her given name is Mianhua!" The storyteller's reaction was truly remarkable; he managed to force an explanation.

"Cotton fluffing? Yoho! Great name! Let him keep singing!" Sasaki Ichiro urged again.

The storyteller was having a really tough time! He had originally planned to just fool them and get them to take the cotton-fluffing bow away as if it were a treasure! But now, with the cotton fluffer's shout, how was he supposed to continue?

That's it! That's it! I'll have to take action myself!

Thinking of this, the storyteller picked up his sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument), stepped forward, and began to sing:

"Fluffing cotton! Fluffing half a pound of cotton into eight ounces and eight ounces, turning old cotton into new cotton, and once the cotton is fluffed well, that girl will get married!"

I must say, this storyteller is really something! He managed to improvise this whole thing in just a few breaths! The melody is cheerful and smooth, the lyrics are fitting, and the singing is melodious! It's practically flawless!

"Fluffing cotton! Fluffing half a pound of cotton into eight ounces and eight ounces, turning old cotton into new cotton, and once the cotton is fluffed well, that girl will get married!"

The youngest brother and Shunzi were both stunned! This storyteller's mind is too quick! Luckily this guy was there, otherwise the uncle and nephew would have been exposed!

Though still a bit dazed, this wasn't the time to be distracted. One held a large bow, the other tapped a wooden disc and began to sing. The melody was simple, the lyrics catchy, so it wasn't too difficult for them to sing, and they even felt a subtle sense of relief and joy!

"Fluffing cotton! Fluffing half a pound of cotton into eight ounces and eight ounces, turning old cotton into new cotton, and once the cotton is fluffed well, that girl will get married!"

The three of them sang "Cotton Fluffing" three times in various ways, and Sasaki Ichiro in the audience listened with rapt attention, nodding and swaying as if completely mesmerized! Don't let the simplicity of this song fool you, it's incredibly catchy! After just four lines repeated three times, everyone can hum along, and the joy and exhilaration it evokes is sure to sweep away any Japanese soldiers!

"Yosh! Great! You truly are worthy of being court musicians! This single-string harp is wonderful! You good citizens, great! Clap!" After the song was finished, Sasaki Ichiro was very happy and led the Japanese soldiers in clapping!

"I'm glad you enjoy it, Your Excellency! I'm glad you enjoy it!" The storyteller wiped the sweat from his brow and said respectfully, "If Your Excellency likes these two instruments, then they are a gift for you!"

The storyteller hadn't forgotten his purpose. It would be great to improvise a song, but getting the Japanese away as quickly as possible was the ultimate goal! Keeping these guys here was no good!

“No, no, no, as you Chinese say, a gentleman does not take what others love. Since these are your family heirlooms, it would be better if you kept them yourselves!” Sasaki Ichiro declined.

"Yoshi! Yoshi! The Japanese officer is truly a gentleman! A really good person!" The storyteller hadn't expected the Japanese soldiers to refuse their instruments! That's good, it saves him the trouble of losing money!

The youngest son and Shunzi also breathed a sigh of relief. It would be one thing if the family heirloom broke, but it would be a shame to give it away to the Japanese for nothing! It would be like selling out one's ancestors!

“However, I really enjoyed your performance, it was wonderful! Here’s what we’ll do, the three of you come with us! Go back to the barracks and perform for all the Imperial soldiers. Such a wonderful performance deserves even more applause!” Sasaki Ichiro said with a smile.

"Huh?..." The three were dumbfounded. They didn't want the goods, they wanted the people! They'd heard they were arresting miners and women, and now it was their turn to arrest entertainers! What was this? They'd lost both their possessions and their money!

The three men stared at each other, dumbfounded and at a loss for what to do. Even the usually eloquent storyteller was at a loss for words! What good would it do if they were captured by the Japanese?

"Baka! Grab your things and come back with us! Otherwise, you'll all die!" the Japanese soldier shouted sternly, gun in hand.