At night the three families stayed up to see in the New Year together. There were many people in the Zhou Family, so as not to disturb them, after dinner they slipped into the side room of the main hall in the front courtyard and sat around the brazier chatting.
Bai Shan, curious, started asking about beggars and the Beggars' Guild.
Zhou SiLang said, "Beggars and the Beggars' Guild aren't the same. How should I put it… anyway, just remember this: wherever you go, don't provoke the local Beggars' Guild. As for beggars, lend a hand if you can. As for the Guild, keeping your distance is never wrong."
Bai Shan was intrigued and wanted to ask more, but Zhou Lixue and the other two came over with their assignments to consult him.
They were going to sit the Ming Classic exam in the second month, with just over a month left, so this period they were cramming in a flurry of revision.
