The Prodigal Son Himself

There are eight trades in the jianghu: gold, leather, color, magic, commentary, performance, storytelling, and willows.

But these are only the Eight Open Trades known to the public. There are also the hidden Eight Trades, unknown to outsiders.

They are bees, hemp, swallows, sparrows, crosswise, blue, glory, and Ge.

Besides the Eight Open and Eight Hidden Trades, the jianghu is also home to countless gangs.

The most renowned among them are the Hongmen, the Green Gang, and the Gelaohui.

There is also the Beggars’ Gang, which has the most members.

The Beggars’ Gang is now plagued by infighting, split into two factions along the Yellow River.

They are the Poor Family Sect and the Begging Sect.

And I, a schoolteacher, was dragged by a twist of fate into the struggle between the Poor Family Sect and the Begging Sect.

See how I survive one perilous situation after another in this treacherous jianghu,

and how I carve out a place of my own.

This is a tale of love, hate, and tangled loyalties among jianghu folk in the 1990s.