I lowered my head slightly, feeling utterly ashamed. This Xiao Nuo, she had to make such a spectacle of it; now the whole of Baili Town probably knows that there are two of us here.
Upon arriving at the entrance of the Baili Inn, the innkeeper hurriedly greeted them with enthusiasm, "Welcome..." Before he could finish the word "welcome," he paused when he saw Xiao Nuo on the donkey's back, and awkwardly squeezed out the rest of the sentence, "Um... gentlemen, are you here for a meal or to stay the night?"
"Little Chenchen, tell him what we want to eat," Xiao Nuo said from the donkey's back.
Hearing that title, I felt goosebumps all over, but I still had to answer respectfully, "Yes. Waiter, our young master is very particular about his food. Listen carefully, he wants one stuffed dish, two fruit dishes, three fresh dishes, four vegetarian dishes, five delicacies, six fragrant dishes, seven treasures, eight rare delicacies, and nine leftovers."
The shop assistant gaped, and after a long pause, he finally managed to say, "What? What? Nine-year-old disability?"
Xiao Nuo rolled her eyes and said lazily, "Small places are small places, they've never seen the world. Xiao Chenchen, explain it to him."
I suppressed a laugh, coughed once, and said, "One brew refers to pepper and cypress wine. Pepper is the essence of the 'Jade Balance' star, and cypress is a divine medicine that can prolong life."
Tiny beads of sweat appeared on the shop assistant's forehead.
"The two fruits refer to golden pumpkin and plum; the three delicacies are the three delicacies of heaven, the three delicacies of earth, and the three delicacies of the sea; the four vegetarians refer to winter bamboo shoots, smoked tofu, mushrooms, and sweet peppers; the five delicacies refer to the five delicacies of Pantang, lotus root, water chestnut, water caltrop, water bamboo shoots, and arrowhead; the six fragrances are plum blossom fragrance, lotus fragrance, chrysanthemum fragrance, peach blossom fragrance, rose fragrance, and peony fragrance; the seven treasures are bird's nest, sea cucumber, shark fin, dried fish, sea weir, cuttlefish eggs, and croaker roe; the eight delicacies are dragon liver, phoenix marrow, leopard fetus, carp tail, roasted owl, orangutan lips, bear paw, and crispy cheese cicada; the nine remnants are even simpler, drunken shrimp, dried chicken, dragon beard and phoenix claws, live donkey, roasted duck feet, iron plate turtle, light donkey meat, three squeaks, and monkey head."
After I finished listing the dishes, the waiter was sweating profusely. He didn't say a word and turned back into the shop.
I looked up, and Xiao Nuo, on the donkey's back, gave me a thumbs-up. I rolled my eyes at him, and then Jin Yidou waddled out, his huge belly protruding. Actually, calling him "huge-bellied" was really an understatement, especially compared to Xiao Nuo at that moment…
Jin Yidou smiled broadly and said, "My apologies for the neglect, esteemed guests! Please come in. You've ordered too many dishes; it would take three to five days to prepare them all. Wouldn't that make you anxious and hungry? How about this, why don't you try one of our restaurant's signature dishes? Although it's simple, the taste is quite good..."
This Mr. Jin, instead of admitting that his shop couldn't make those dishes, said he didn't have enough time. He's a true businessman.
Xiao Nuo said impatiently, "Small place is small place, they've never seen the world. Fine, then just give me whatever you want." As he spoke, he stretched out a hand to him. Jin Yidou was taken aback, then understood and quickly stepped forward to help him.
Xiao Nuo slowly put his arm around his shoulder, slowly straddled his other leg, and then slowly got off the donkey's back... Then, tragedy struck—
"Bang—" A cloud of dust flew up as Xiao Nuo, with Jin Yidou on top of him, both fell to the ground. I couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing.
Jin Yidou, struggling to breathe under the weight, roared, "Are you all dead? Why aren't you coming over to help us up?"
Several shop assistants quickly gathered around, and it took the combined strength of four people to pull Xiao Nuo up first, and then Jin Yidou. Poor Boss Jin, while wiping his sweat, had to apologize to Xiao Nuo, saying, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, my hand slipped and I couldn't hold you properly..."
Xiao Nuo stomped his foot, kicking up another cloud of dust, and muttered angrily, "Small town is just a small town, they've never seen the world, they can't even help someone up!" He cursed as he went inside, only to get stuck in the doorway. The shop assistant quickly opened the other door and squeezed him in.
Xiao Nuo angrily cursed, "A small place is a small place..."
"Alright, young master, getting angry will make you lose weight. You've already lost a lot of weight recently. What will happen if you keep losing weight like this?" I comforted him while instructing the waiter to bring a sturdier chair. I overheard a waiter outside the door muttering, "That donkey is amazing. Such a big fat man rode on its back and it wasn't crushed to death. It's a miracle!"
That's right, Xiao Nuo was disguised as a fat man this time, to an outrageously obese degree. I put a lot of thought into his appearance. As everyone knows, the Ghostly Craftsman of the Yinshan Hundred Ghosts is an expert in disguise, and as Feng Qiansu's disciple, I naturally learned a lot from him from a young age. But the Ghostly Craftsman once told me that even the most exquisite human skin mask has flaws. So, this time, I not only put a human skin mask on Xiao Nuo, but also made him take a poison that would cause his whole body to swell, but wouldn't cause much harm to his body. As a result, even his fingers and toes were swollen, making him appear obese to others.
Judging from everyone's reactions along the way, the effect is quite good, and Jin Yidou is the first subject we will test. If even he cannot recognize Xiao Nuo, then it proves that this disguise is successful.
Xiao Nuo sighed sadly, "Little Chenchen, you've noticed too, haven't you? Sigh, I've had so many worries lately, how can I not lose weight? Putting everything else aside, that donkey alone fainted four times along the way. If it dies, how am I supposed to explain this to my ancestor, Grandpa Zhang Guolao..."
At this point, almost everyone in the inn was watching us. I played along with Xiao Nuo and confidently replied, "Don't worry, young master, as long as we continue to give it the elixir, the donkey will be fine."
As we spoke, the waiters brought out dishes one after another, filling the table to the brim. They were indeed a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.
Xiao Nuo glanced at it lazily, then looked at me and said, "Alright, the dishes are on the table. Let's start with something appetizing."
"Yes, young master." I took off the small bundle from my back and placed it flat on another empty table next to me. When I opened it, the exquisite bottles and jars inside immediately made everyone's eyes widen.
Excellent, this is exactly the response we need. I smiled slightly, and first took out a few pieces that looked like wood but weren't, from the sandalwood box, put them into the sapphire-blue inlaid jade censer, and lit them. An extremely pleasant fragrance immediately filled the entire hall.
Then, two green pills were poured out of the painted Jun porcelain bottle and placed in the wine. The wine was then slowly heated over a small flame on a jade stove, and the originally clear wine gradually turned turquoise.
"Young Master." I presented the white jade cup to Xiao Nuo with both hands. Xiao Nuo took it and took a small sip. Suddenly, he trembled, causing the onlookers to involuntarily twitch their eyelids.
Then I saw his eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth relax, and he was making "hmm" sounds, looking indescribably comfortable.
"Young master, would you like another drink?"
Xiao Nuo closed his eyes and shook his head, saying, "This kind of heavenly taste shouldn't be eaten too much; just a small taste is enough." After saying that, he picked up his chopsticks and started eating. While eating, he was picking and choosing, saying that this fish wasn't fresh, that melon was too old, that small places are small places, and so on. The faces of the surrounding waiters all became quite ugly.
I gathered my bundle back up and slung it on my back. I walked to the counter, took out a gold ingot, and said, "Shopkeeper, give us two quiet superior rooms. This is the deposit."
Jin Yidou withdrew his gaze from Xiao Nuo, glanced at me, and smiled, "No problem, no problem, rooms number two and three are still empty." He then leaned closer and lowered his voice, "Um... young man, if I'm not mistaken, was that the Cold Relief Powder you gave your young master just now?"
I glanced at him and said, "You're quite knowledgeable, shopkeeper. But that's no ordinary cold-relieving powder; it's a secret formula improved by our Zhang family, making it easier to take and more effective. We came to Baili Town to promote this formula. I heard..."
Just then, Xiao Nuo called out from the other end, "Little Chenchen!"
I immediately fell silent, returned to his side, and bowed my head, saying, "Young Master..."
"You're at it again, talking too much. Don't forget us..." The voice trailed off, and I couldn't even hear it anymore. I could only nod repeatedly, pretending to be humble and receptive to instruction.
The meal lasted all afternoon, until the sun was setting. Xiao Nuo finally finished all the dishes on the table, patted his stomach, and stood up, saying, "Little Chenchen, I heard there's a Spring Night Pavilion around here?"
"Yes, it's a notorious den of iniquity and a place where money is spent."
Xiao Nuo raised his head and said disdainfully, "This kind of small place can't be that great, but we're just killing time anyway, might as well go and take a look. Let's go."
After another round of fussing, when Xiao Nuo mounted the skinny donkey again, they all wore relieved expressions, as if to say, "Finally, we've gotten rid of this 'goddess'!" But their joy was short-lived, as their faces soon fell again, because Xiao Nuo turned to them with an air of superiority and said, "I'll be back tonight, remember to leave the door open for me!"
A coin worth a thousand gold
Stepping out of the Baili Inn and mounting the poor donkey that had been ravaged once again, Xiao Nuo was panting heavily. She kept wiping the sweat from her forehead with her chubby little white hand and said, "Little Chenchen, I overdid it today. Go and find out how to get to Chunxiao Pavilion so I can rest."
As soon as Feng Chenxi said "yes", the many vendors on the roadside replied one after another: "Just walk straight along this street, then turn left, and you'll get there."
Xiao Nuo didn't even glance at those people, and slowly said, "The people in this small place are quite hospitable. Little Chenchen, give them a treat—"
"Hey." Feng Chenxi took out a handful of loose silver coins and tossed them into the air. The crowd immediately panicked and rushed to grab them.
Seeing this, Xiao Nuo naturally couldn't help but sigh again, "A small place is just a small place," and shook his head as he rode his donkey forward.
Reaching the end of the long street, they turned left and found themselves on the brothel street they had visited the day before. Upon seeing Xiao Nuo and Feng Chenxi, the young women who had been standing at the entrances of the various brothels swarmed around them. One said, "Young master, this way please," another said, "Young master, please come in quickly." For a moment, the air was filled with the sweet whispers of young women, and the strong scent of perfume was so overpowering that even the donkey couldn't stand it and kept sneezing.
Feng Chenxi finally found a moment to ask Xiao Nuo, "Young Master, which restaurant should we go to?"
Xiao Nuo rolled his small eyes, which were embedded in his fat, and said irritably, "I have no interest in these vulgar beauties. Let's go to the Spring Night Pavilion instead."
Upon hearing this, the women all pouted and grumbled as they retreated.
Feng Chenxi led the tormented donkey onward, only to see countless brothels on both sides of the long street. In front of each door stood two or three prostitutes, their smiles waving. But at the very end, there was a large door that was deserted and cold. Only two lanterns hung from the eaves, and there was not a single person to greet customers. When she went over to look, she found that the door was tightly closed, and the plaque above it read "Spring Night Pavilion".
Seeing the desolate scene, Feng Chenxi couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but Xiao Nuo's eyes lit up and he nodded repeatedly, saying, "Good, good, little Chenchen, it seems we really didn't come to the wrong place."
Feng Chenxi said, "But young master, judging from this setup, this famous Chunxiao Pavilion is not as impressive as the places we just visited!"
“You don’t understand…” Xiao Nuo revealed a lecherous expression, “Good wine needs no bush. The quieter this place looks on the surface, the more it means there’s ‘good stuff’ inside.”
He talks as if he's so experienced! Feng Chenxi glanced at him, wanting to say something more, but he had already jumped off the donkey, completely losing his previous bulky appearance. He lightly and deftly pushed open the door, and saw a brick screen wall in front of him. The form was extremely formal, with a Sumeru pedestal at the bottom and a barrel tile roof on top. The roof ridge and scorpion tail were all complete. The center of the screen wall was carved with patterns of pavilions and towers. The entire screen wall looked like a brick building.
This type of screen wall has always been used only by officials and wealthy families. This Spring Night Pavilion is clearly a brothel, yet it has set up a screen wall that only respectable families would have. I don't know if it's trying to deceive the world or itself. It's really both infuriating and laughable.
Upon seeing this, Xiao Nuo beamed with joy and exclaimed "Wonderful!" several times.
"Who's making such a racket here!" a shrill voice rang out, followed by a middle-aged man in a brocade robe with slicked-back hair emerging from behind the screen wall. He sternly scolded, "What time is it? Can't you wait any longer? If you want to relieve your pent-up desires, go somewhere else. Our young ladies are still asleep... Oh!"
He suddenly fell silent, looked Xiao Nuo up and down, and then suddenly put on a very frightening big smile, and stepped forward and said: "This young master is very wealthy, you must be the distinguished person who has just arrived in our town? Please come in, please come in."
Feng Chenxi and Xiao Nuo exchanged a smile, knowing that their exaggerated behavior had successfully made them "famous" in Baili Town. No wonder all the prostitutes surrounded him as soon as they saw him; they must have known that a big spender was coming and no one wanted to let him go.
After handing the donkey to a servant and instructing him to take good care of it, Xiao Nuo, supported by Feng Chenxi, followed the man in brocade robes into the gate. Before even turning past the screen wall, a fragrant aroma filled the air. Upon turning the corner, a large, concave building came into view. In the front was a large house with glazed tiles neatly arranged on the roof ridge, and mythical beasts at both ends. The beams and pillars were decorated with colorful patterns. On both sides were two-story buildings, and winding corridors extended into the depths of the backyard... It was truly magnificent, with carved beams, painted rafters, green tiles, and vermilion railings.
The source of that refreshing fragrance was the hundreds and thousands of chrysanthemums in the central open space of the concave building. There were pure white chrysanthemums, large and pure white chrysanthemums, enchanting peach blossom chrysanthemums, opulent golden chrysanthemums, emerald green chrysanthemums, and jade-carved wax chrysanthemums. Some were as large as ice plates, some as small as teacups, some dignified, some simple and elegant. Some were as vigorous as dragons soaring into the sky, and some were as graceful as fairies. Each plant was beautiful on its own, let alone so many plants placed together and carefully arranged. They were even more beautiful in color, fragrance, posture and charm, with a thousand different shapes and endless variations.
The scene is beautiful, but chrysanthemums have always been known as the "gentleman among flowers," and now they are being displayed in large numbers in a brothel, which makes one feel a little uncomfortable. Like the screen wall, both have the connotation of putting up a virtuous facade in front of a prostitute.
It seems that the owner of this brothel not only enjoys being smug but also dares to defy public opinion, clearly a very influential figure in Baili Town.
A thought suddenly popped into Feng Chenxi's mind: Seventh Brother's ability to elevate Black Tiger to a local tyrant within three months was truly remarkable. And as the saying goes, "Two tigers cannot share one mountain," could this small town of Baili possibly harbor two powerful figures? Could it be that the mastermind behind this brothel is none other than Seventh Brother?
Just then, Xiao Nuo beside me softly recited: "In the morning I drink the dew that falls from the magnolia, in the evening I eat the fallen petals of the autumn chrysanthemum... Seeing these chrysanthemums, I am reminded of that imperial chef who came home last time. Little Chenchen, do you remember that chrysanthemum banquet he made? I wonder if the chefs in this small place can make it."
He had just eaten at Baili Inn and was already hungry again. Had he gotten fatter, even his belly had grown bigger? Feng Chenxi rolled her eyes at him, but before she could speak, the man in the brocade robe interrupted, "I can make it, I can make it. Young master, you don't know this, but not only in Baili Town, but in the entire Yunnan border region, our family's chef is the most skilled. I'm not bragging, but as long as it's a famous dish you mentioned, he can definitely make it for you."
He immediately gave instructions to the kitchen and then led Xiao Nuo to the main hall. The main hall was decorated with glass hanging lanterns and mica screens. The doors and windows were all painted crimson and gilded, creating an atmosphere of richness and prosperity.
Xiao Nuo took a seat, and soon the dishes were served one after another, all featuring chrysanthemums: chrysanthemum tofu, chrysanthemum pork rolls, chrysanthemum pork tenderloin, chrysanthemum lotus root soup, and so on. There were even two famous dishes from Huaiyang and Cantonese cuisines, "Chrysanthemum Crab Stew" and "Chrysanthemum Snake Soup," served with a side dish called "Pickled Chrysanthemum Fragrance" made from chrysanthemums, celery, cucumber, and kelp.
Xiao Nuo only took a small bite of each dish before putting down her chopsticks and saying to the man in the brocade robe, "You weren't lying after all; the chef's skills are indeed quite good. However..."
The man in the brocade robe hurriedly asked, "What is it that you find unsatisfactory, young master?"
Xiao Nuo glanced at him and said, "It's just that this place is a bit too deserted."
The man in the brocade robe was taken aback at first, but then he understood and said with a smile, "I understand. Please sit for a moment, I'll go and wake the girls up right away." He then ran off.
Seeing him walk away out of the corner of her eye, Xiao Nuo immediately grabbed Feng Chenxi's hand and whispered, "Sister, sit down! It's been almost half a day, and you haven't eaten anything. Are you hungry?" As she spoke, she stuffed a pair of chopsticks into her hand and urged her repeatedly, "Eat quickly, eat quickly!"
Overwhelmed with emotion, Feng Chenxi was momentarily speechless: he had deliberately ordered so many dishes and sent the others away, all because he was afraid she would go hungry! How thoughtful and touching Xiao Nuo was... In her daze, Xiao Nuo picked up the small wine bottle on the table, poured her a glass of wine, and said, "The 'Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital' records: When chrysanthemums bloom, the stems and leaves are picked and mixed with millet to brew wine. It is ready to drink on the ninth day of the ninth month of the following year, hence the name chrysanthemum wine... Their wine is made with Sichuan chrysanthemums. Although it is not as good as white chrysanthemums, Hangzhou white chrysanthemums, and Huangshan tribute chrysanthemums, it still has the same effects of clearing heat, calming the liver, and improving eyesight. Moreover, it tastes quite good. Sister, have some."
Feng Chenxi had been well-versed in medical books since childhood. She had read in the "Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica" that chrysanthemum, when added to wine or dishes, could treat "various wind-related ailments, dizziness, and swelling," and that "long-term consumption benefits qi and blood, lightens the body, and prolongs life." However, she had never tried it before. Unable to resist, she took a sip. At first, it tasted bittersweet, but after swallowing, it was incredibly sweet—truly delicious. The other dishes, however, were fragrant and delicious, whether steamed, boiled, stir-fried, braised, or mixed. She immediately began to feast.
Xiao Nuo sat to the side, watching her eat so heartily, seemingly even happier than when she herself was enjoying the delicious food. Intrigued, she said, "Sister, while you're enjoying this chrysanthemum feast, how about I tell you a story about chrysanthemums? Ahem..."
He cleared his throat and said, "After Su Dongpo finished his term in Huzhou, he went to the capital to await a new appointment. One day, he visited the residence of the Prime Minister Wang Anshi. While waiting to be received in the study, he saw a draft of a poem entitled 'Ode to Chrysanthemums,' which only contained the two lines, 'The west wind passed through the garden last night, blowing down yellow flowers that covered the ground like gold.' The handwriting was Wang Anshi's, and the poem was not yet finished. Su Dongpo found this very strange..."
Feng Chenxi said, "Why is it strange? There's nothing wrong with the parallelism in these two lines of poetry."
“How could there be no problem? That’s simply illogical!” Xiao Nuo blinked and said, “In Su Dongpo’s view, chrysanthemums bloom in late autumn, their nature is fire, they dare to fight against the autumn frost, and they are the most durable. Even if they wither and rot in old age, they will not lose their petals. But Wang Anshi said that it ‘blown away yellow flowers and covered the ground with gold,’ isn’t that completely wrong?”
Feng Chenxi listened intently, forgetting even to drink the chrysanthemum and lotus root soup she had just scooped up, and asked, "And then what happened?"
"Later, Su Dongpo picked up his pen and added two lines of poetry in the same rhyme scheme: 'Autumn flowers do not fall like spring flowers, tell the poet to ponder this carefully.' After writing it, fearing Wang Anshi's wrath, he simply left without waiting to meet him. Later, when Wang Anshi saw the poem Su Dongpo had written, he decided to curb his arrogance. Not long after, through Wang Anshi's arrangement, Su Dongpo was appointed as the deputy military commissioner of Huangzhou... Sister, do you know why?"
Feng Chenxi thought for a moment and said, "I think it's inseparable from Huangzhou, isn't it?"
"Excellent, sister, you're so clever!" Xiao Nuo praised, patting the table. She continued, "Actually, the chrysanthemum Wang Anshi wrote about was a special variety, only found in Huangzhou. Not long after Su Dongpo took office in Huangzhou, the Double Ninth Festival arrived. He and a visiting friend went to the back garden to admire the chrysanthemums, only to find them covered in petals blown down by the recent strong winds. Su Dongpo was stunned, realizing that Huangzhou chrysanthemums indeed shed their petals. Wang Anshi had moved him to Huangzhou precisely so he could see the chrysanthemums. This shows how easily people are blinded by what they already know, forgetting that there are many things in the world we don't know, and many mistakes are made in this way."
Feng Chenxi's heart skipped a beat. She slowly swallowed the spoonful of chrysanthemum and lotus root soup, unaware that the soup had gone cold. After a long while, she pondered, "Could we have made the same mistake as Su Dongpo—how many secrets are still hidden in this case that we don't know about, and have we been misled by the known clues?"
Xiao Nuo suppressed her smile and slowly said, "I don't know... I... I'm also very worried. Maybe that Seventh Brother has no direct connection to this case at all, maybe the real murderer is still hiding somewhere we haven't even noticed yet..."
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly stopped abruptly. Feng Chenxi also heard the chaotic footsteps outside the door. Just as she stood up, the door was pushed open, and the man in the brocade robe led seventeen or eighteen young women into the room in a lively manner. He stood next to Xiao Nuo and said, "Hurry up and call him Young Master!"
"Young Master—" the women called out in a coquettish voice, crowding around him and pushing Feng Chenxi aside.
Xiao Nuo had now put on his lecherous act again, embracing women on both sides, calling them his darlings and calling them his precious babies, while ordering some to play the piano and others to dance, keeping himself very busy.
Soon, the sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air, and several women in flowing robes began to dance gracefully, holding small fans. They had barely moved a few steps when Xiao Nuo suddenly slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "Stop! Stop! Stop it all!"
Now, not only were the women confused about what was going on, but even Feng Chenxi was stunned.
Xiao Nuo forcefully pushed away the woman in his arms, his face trembling with anger, and shouted, "What kind of dance is this? Huh? It's so weak and listless, you don't even move your waist or wiggle your butt. Did I pay a lot of money just to watch you dress up as zombies? This is too much!"
"This..." The man in the brocade robe was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly leaned forward and lowered his voice, "Young master, please calm down. They... they have their reasons."
"What's the reason?" Xiao Nuo said angrily. "Could it be that you're all talk and no action, just trying to swindle money from us new customers?"