Fu Jiuxin seemed oblivious to the flirtatious exchange between Dou Akou and Xu Liren, his expression remaining unchanged.
Dou Akou closed her eyes and concentrated on the plum blossom stakes, then stood on one foot. The clear sound of the zither soared straight to the ninth heaven. The Elephant Dance Platform was high up, and the gentle breeze accompanied the zither music, making people feel refreshed and relaxed.
Fifteen minutes later, Dou Akou was no longer so comfortable.
She drank the leftover Laba porridge from yesterday for lunch. It was mostly water with little rice, so it was like drinking a bowl of thin soup. Now she's starting to feel the urge to urinate.
She twisted her body on the plum blossom stakes and winked at Fu Jiuxin. Fu Jiuxin was so engrossed in Xu Liren's zither music that he didn't even notice Dou Akou's twitching eyes.
Dou Akou gritted her teeth and endured it.
As the song ended, Dou Akou was about to speak when she suddenly heard Fu Jiuxin say, "What a fine piece. Musician, why not play another piece, 'Flowing Water'?"
Xu Liren played as instructed. His zither skills were superb. He gently plucked the seven strings, and the sound of the zither was like flowing water and tinkling like a mountain spring, as if a clear stream was leaping between the mountains.
Dou Akou was sweating profusely as she listened, and she also longed to be like flowing water, cascading down for miles.
She was about to cry.
Fu Jiuxin then noticed Dou Akou's unusual behavior and raised an eyebrow in surprise: "Miss, practicing martial arts requires a calm mind. Being so restless is not good."
He took out a basket from the side, which contained a dozen or so black iron pellets, and scattered them around the plum blossom stakes where Dou Akou was standing.
That was a unique hidden weapon of the Jianghu Bangbo Hall. Bangbo Hall was skilled at making hidden weapons with gunpowder. There was a disciple of Bangbo Hall in Qingyong City who spent his days tinkering with flint and steel. He once blew up a bathhouse in Qingyong City.
These iron pellets are his latest invention; they explode upon impact.
Dou Akou stared at the dangerous objects at her feet, standing on the plum blossom stakes, not daring to move. She understood that her master was angry, although she did not understand why he was angry.
Fu Jiuxin stood under the plum blossom stakes and gently advised, "Miss, calm down."
This grueling standing on the plum blossom stakes ended after Xu Liren finished another "Flowing Water" melody. Fu Jiuxin nodded, "Miss, you can get down now."
Dou Akou swayed precariously on the plum blossom stakes, looking down at the iron bullets below, struggling to move forward.
Fu Jiuxin naturally reached out his arm to support her, and Dou Akou, like a piece of driftwood floating in the water, grabbed Fu Jiuxin's hand and jumped down.
She jumped down from the height and was caught in Fu Jiuxin's arms. Fu Jiuxin held her without making a sound, weighed her in his hand, and thought, "Hmm, she has indeed gained weight; she's all soft and fluffy."
Dou Akou quickly broke free from Fu Jiuxin's embrace and stumbled towards the outhouse. This time, Fu Jiuxin didn't remind her to pay attention to her appearance; he was still savoring the moment.
Dou Akou, squatting in the outhouse, was in tears. After that, she never asked Xu Liren to accompany her when she practiced martial arts again.
Dou Yacai
Once Laba Festival is over, the end of the year seems to be just around the corner.
As people gradually descended the mountain to return home for the New Year, Qingyong City became much quieter. With the weather freezing and everyone eager to go home, those remaining in Qingyong City lost their will to practice martial arts. People were falling off the plum blossom stakes on the Elephant Dance Platform every day, like dumplings being dropped into boiling water, one after another, plop, plop.
The two least willing to go home were Dou Akou and Tang Xunzhen. Dou Akou didn't want to go home for her coming-of-age ceremony and then be married off by Master Dou, while Tang Xunzhen didn't want to return to the patriarchal society and face the infighting among her clansmen. So, the closer the year-end approached, the lazier they became.
That morning, they went to see Gu Huaibi off.
Gu Huaibi is the eldest son of Xiliebao, the number one sect in the martial arts world. A few days ago, a message from Xiliebao arrived by carrier pigeon, urging the eldest son to return home to handle many matters. Therefore, Gu Huaibi packed his bags early in the morning and planned to set off today.
The three met at the mountain gate. Gu Huaibi, who was traveling light, looked at the two sullen girls and said with a smile, "I'm leaving now. See you after the New Year."
"Oh. Have a safe trip, senior brother." Dou Akou's voice was muffled because she had caught a chill recently and her nose was stuffy.
"Little Gu, get lost." Tang Xunzhen waved his hand impatiently, crossing his arms and looking at the distant horizon.
Gu Huaibi smiled, said nothing, and turned to descend the thousands of stone steps of Qingyong City. Only when his figure gradually disappeared into a black dot on the steps did Tang Xunzhen turn his gaze away.
"Senior sister, let's spar a bit later." After Dou Akou saw Gu Huaibi off, Tang Xunzhen was the only one left to talk to in Qingyong City.
Tang Xunzhen looked somewhat annoyed and waved his hand, "You play by yourself. I need to be alone for a while."
Dou Akou actually understood that Tang Xunzhen was reluctant to let Gu Huaibi go down the mountain. She was also sullen when she saw Fu Jiuxin off a few days ago. With the end of the year approaching, Master Dou was busy collecting and calculating accounts and was in a state of panic. An urgent letter was sent to Qingyong City, asking Fu Jiuxin to go down the mountain to help deal with family affairs. So Fu Jiuxin also left a few days ago.
Before leaving, he said he would pick up Dou Akou and take her home on the 27th of the twelfth lunar month.
As soon as her husband left, Dou Akou missed him.
She walked back alone, listlessly. When she passed the Purple Bamboo Grove in Qingyong City, she heard the sound of rushing water.
Dou Akou peeked out and saw a man in white clothes struggling to wash dishes by a well in the middle of the bamboo grove.
Dou Akou, with her sharp eyes, recognized the person as Xu Liren and was immediately startled.
She skipped and hopped across the grass and stones in the bamboo forest, lifting her skirt, and walked to Xu Liren's side: "Xu Li, what are you doing here?"
Xu Liren stretched lazily: "Wash the dishes."
His voice was cool, and combined with his movements, it was so alluring that it was impossible not to be moved.
Dou Akou took a closer look and saw that Xu Liren's fingers were red and swollen, and the back of his hand was cracked with several cuts.
She felt that someone like Xu Liren should have hands for playing the zither, writing, and grinding ink. It would be a waste to use such beautiful hands to wash dishes. So she said, "Xu Liren, let me help you."
Xu Liren showed no gratitude or guilt whatsoever, and threw down the bowl, saying, "Fine, you do it."
He dried his hands, put them behind his head, crossed his legs, and looked at Dou Akou: "What's your name?"
As soon as Dou Akou put her hand into the water, the water was freezing cold in the twelfth lunar month. She shivered and said in a trembling voice, "Dou Akou."
"Oh." Xu Liren nodded. "Dou Yacai."
Dou Akou's hand slipped, and she almost broke a bowl: "It's not Dou Yacai."
Xu Liren's gaze swept around her waist: "Hmm, Fatty Dou Sprout."
Dou Akou was speechless. She hesitated for a while and then fell silent.
Xu Liren ignored her. They silently finished washing the dishes, and Dou Akou, carrying a stack of bowls and plates, shakily got up.
Xu Liren had no intention of helping her, and nodded towards the kitchen: "Here, put it over there."
Dou Akou was unaware that Qingyong City did not tolerate idlers, and that no one in Qingyong City was kind. Xu Liren, a musician who had been bought and brought back, was a servant in Qingyong City. He was made to be used to his fullest potential; besides playing the zither, he was made to do all the chores imaginable, including washing dishes, doing laundry, mopping the floor, and wiping tables. She had only happened to stumble upon him this time.
Dou Akou watched Xu Liren's disappearing figure, somewhat puzzled by his aloofness.
When she returned to her room, she ran into Tang Xunzhen, who immediately noticed her red hands: "Where have you been?"
Dou Akou explained everything clearly in detail.
"Hey, you idiot!" Tang Xunzhen pounded his chest and stamped his feet. "Stay away from him. I don't think he's a good person. He's neither obsequious nor humble, he's born knowing how to boss people around. He's definitely not a simple character. Stay away from him, understand?"
Dou Akou didn't think too much about it: "I just like listening to him play the piano."
Tang Xunzhen really wanted to say, your husband protects you so well, washing dishes and doing laundry for you, not so you can use your hands to wash dishes for others, how can you let your husband feel like this!
But seeing Dou Akou's expression, she swallowed her words: "Oh well, never mind, just don't mess with him."
Dou Akou was telling the truth; she genuinely enjoyed listening to Xu Liren play the zither. Since Xu Liren was bought by her master, it was only natural for him to play for her. However, thinking of Xu Liren's frostbitten, cracked hands, Dou Akou didn't make the request.
That's what Dou Akou thought, but the others in Qingyong City weren't so easily fooled.
When Dou Akou heard that familiar zither music drifting over, she was stunned for a moment, then jumped out of bed and ran wildly towards the sound.
She arrived at the Dance Stage, panting, and saw a man and a woman standing by the weapon rack, joking around, with Xu Liren playing the zither next to them.
Dou Akou recognized the man; he was the third young master of the Li family in Jiangnan. Tang Xunzhen had told her that because he was born out of wedlock and not favored in his own family, he was sent to Qingyong City. However, the Li family was a prominent family in the martial arts world, and even an unfavored son of a concubine had plenty of people in Qingyong City who would fawn over and flatter him.
The woman, Dou Akou, looked somewhat familiar, but I didn't know which school she came from.
Li San said, "Miss Yin, I have long heard that your dance with a single silk ribbon is absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring. I dare to ask you to dance for me, to fulfill my long-cherished wish. I have invited a musician to play the zither, and I believe that your beauty will be even more captivating under the music."
Miss Yin blushed and was about to strike a pose when Dou Akou interrupted her rudely.
"Xu Li, don't listen to them."
Upon hearing this, the two men's faces fell. They looked in the direction of the voice and saw Dou Akou standing beside Xu Liren, looking at his hand with concern: "You're bleeding, don't play the zither anymore."
Li San was very angry: "Junior Sister Dou, she's just a servant we bought, there's no need to be so arrogant."
Miss Yin also took the opportunity to sarcastically remark, "Indeed. Junior Sister Dou's family is extremely wealthy, and she must have a large number of servants. If you had to take such good care of each and every one of them, it would be a real headache."
Dou Akou scratched her head and turned to Xu Liren, saying, "Anyway, don't listen to them."
At this point, neither Li San nor Miss Yin would give up. Just as they were about to draw their weapons, Tang Xunzhen arrived.
"What are you doing?!"
Tang Xunzhen was the city lord's apprentice, so even Li San had to give her face. He mumbled out the whole story.
Tang Xunzhen laughed: "What Junior Sister Dou said is not wrong. Master once said that all things in the world are born equal. Although Xu Liren was bought, there is no such distinction of rank in Qingyong City, so it is not appropriate to be too harsh on her. Are you taking advantage of Fu Jiuxin's absence to target Junior Sister Dou?"
She brought up Mingkong Sanren and Fu Jiuxin, and Li San dared not say anything more, so he left dejectedly.
Tang Xunzhen looked back at Dou Akou and sighed with regret. Fu Jiuxin, Fu Jiuxin, sometimes people have to take some detours to understand how tough life is. You protected Dou Akou so well and raised her to be so easy to bully. Did you not even expect that?
"Fatty Dou, you really know how to meddle in other people's business." Xu Liren curled his lips contemptuously, picked up his zither, and turned to leave.
"Who does he think he is? Bah!" Tang Xun really couldn't stand Xu Li. "Dou Akou, did you see that? Don't pay any attention to him anymore, or your husband will come back and give you a piece of his mind."
The best way to intimidate Dou Akou was to mention Fu Jiuxin. Dou Akou responded sullenly and remained silent.
By the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, most of the people in Qingyong City had left. Tang Xunzhen and Dou Akou had no choice but to pack their bags and luggage to go home, even if they didn't want to. Fortunately, Dou Akou was still a little happy at the thought of seeing Fu Jiuxin the next day.
That night, she slept with Tang Xunzhen, whispering secrets to each other.
Tang Xunzhen said, "Akou, I should do something big and experience something in my life."
Dou Akou stared blankly, "Huh?"
Tang Xunzhen rested her arm behind her head. I haven't really thought about what it is, but I just don't want to live such an ordinary life. What about you? Are you really going to get married when you go back?
Dou Akou was somewhat depressed. She had three great wishes in life: white rice, braised pork, and a handsome husband. The third was especially important; she didn't want to marry just anyone. But as for experiencing major life events, she hadn't thought about it. She had no grand ambitions and hadn't thought that far ahead.
Tang Xunzhen was a little excited. "Dou Akou, think about it! Such a majestic and magnificent land, such a spectacular and colorful world, maybe if you step out of this trap, you will see people crying and laughing just three feet away. It would be such a pity not to experience some of these things."
She suddenly sat up and excitedly shook Dou Akou's arm. "Dou Akou, my family received some news a few days ago. It's said that someone in the martial arts world has spread rumors that there's a fallen ancient kingdom called Siyou Kingdom west of Huangchao. Its capital is called Haohui City, and I heard that beneath the ruins in the city lies a treasure trove accumulated by the Siyou Kingdom throughout the dynasties. Shall we go and take a look together?"
Dou Akou let out a soft "Ah," feeling somewhat confused. "Well, let's talk about it later, senior sister, after the New Year."
Tang Xunzhen was still somewhat excited. "Alright, let's talk about this again after the New Year."
They talked about other things later, then couldn't stay awake any longer and fell asleep. The stories of the ancient kingdom's treasures were like a stream flowing over rocks, leaving no trace in Dou Akou's heart.
Fat Rice Cake