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Ouyang Xiu then smiled and raised his cup to Li Wei, who immediately picked up his cup and drank five-tenths of it. Afterwards, Ouyang Xiu took the dice to roll them again, but saw Qi Lang wave his hand and say, "The princess is also a hostess here. Why does the Imperial Scholar only respect the Commandant and not the princess?"

Ouyang Xiu laughed and said, "That's well said. It was my oversight." He then raised his cup and rose to toast the princess.

The maid behind the beaded curtain filled the princess's cup with wine, but just as the princess was about to drink, Jiaqingzi stopped her. Jiaqingzi then appeared outside the curtain and said to everyone, "The princess has just recovered from a minor illness and has never been good at drinking. It would be better for the princess to drink, but I will drink this wine in her place."

The princess is indeed very weak now, and I didn't want her to drink too much, so I went along with it and said yes. Li Wei echoed, and no one else could object. The five-tenths of the wine that Ouyang Xiu offered to the princess was drunk by Jiaqingzi on her behalf.

Next, Ouyang Xiu rolled the dice. This time, he counted to the princess. The princess looked at the dice and saw the following: "Isn't it a pleasure to have friends coming from afar? Five points for the honored guest." She couldn't help but laugh and said without lowering her voice, "This is really fitting!" So she ordered me to read it aloud and then had Jiaqingzi offer five points to all the guests.

Everyone immediately stood up, bowed to the princess, and drank five sips of wine. Jiaqingzi also drank with them again.

What followed was rather strange. Aside from the time I was drawn by Qilang with the phrase "Ask one, know ten; advise the Jade Candle Recorder five," the other rounds of drinking were almost all for the host, with the slips all saying things like "Advise the host five" or "Advise the host ten." Once, Cui Bai drew the phrase "A gentleman without gravity lacks authority; advise high officials ten," and urged Ouyang Xiu to drink. Ouyang Xiu, however, said he was far less noble than the princess; how could a subject dare to claim high office before an imperial daughter? He declined, asking Cui Bai to persuade the princess instead. In the end, it was Jiaqingzi who drank the cup on the princess's behalf.

Jiaqingzi herself wasn't a heavy drinker, and the wine cups used at this banquet were white porcelain conch cups, quite large in capacity. After a few cups, her face was flushed, and she was quite tipsy. Cui Bai noticed this and glanced at her several times, his eyes showing pity. Later, when it was his turn to draw a lot, he glanced at it, and without waiting for me to read it, quickly threw it back into the container, proclaiming, "Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you, put it down!" But Ouyang Xiu, sitting next to him, shook his head and smiled, "Mr. Cui, you didn't draw this lot, did you?" Then he reached out and took out the lot that Cui Bai had just thrown in, showing it to everyone, "It should be this one. This lot has a small scratch on its tip; I drew it before, so I remember."

I took it and saw that it was indeed the same one: "In Qi Shao for three months, I did not know the taste of meat, and presented five portions to my master." The other onlookers, upon hearing this, also laughed and said that he had cheated on the spot and should be punished. Qi Lang smiled and looked at Cui Bai, saying, "So it turns out that Brother Zixi is also a person who cherishes women."

Cui Bai smiled but did not answer. He only said to me, "Alright, please give the order on how to punish him, but don't take the words on that slip of paper seriously."

I immediately accepted his suggestion and smiled, saying, "Then please let Zixi perform for the guests and hosts to accompany the drinks. Anything is fine, whether it's a song or a magic trick, as long as it's interesting."

Cui Bai nodded, stood up, took out an object from his sleeve, and said to everyone, "I also guessed that there would be drinking games at today's banquet, so I brought this to make you all laugh."

He slowly unfurled the object, revealing a small, painted wooden puppet dressed as a scholar in a wide-sleeved robe. Every joint was movable, and its head, hands, and feet were connected by silk threads, the other end of which was tied to a handle above. Cui Bai moved his hands up and down, manipulating the handle, and the puppet below danced and moved with great agility.

Before the performance, Cui Bai asked me, "Huaiji, could you compose a piece called 'Teasing' for me?"

I agreed, ordered someone to bring a flute, stood to one side, brought the flute to my lips, and began to accompany him.

Cui Bai walked to the center of the hall, manipulating the puppets with strings while singing along to the flute: "Exquisite pavilions rise amidst five-colored clouds, a beautiful woman stands gracefully across the autumn waters. Gazing at the vast river and sky, the Chu sky stretches endlessly, a thousand miles away, my heart is filled with the bright moon..."

The wooden puppets danced gracefully, their movements so lifelike they seemed to possess a living being. Everyone watched, holding their breath, intently listening to Cui Bai's soft, melancholic singing to the gentle melody: "A thousand miles, the Chu River flows, the moon shines high above, I lean alone in sorrow. The palace of the well-wood palace evokes autumn's chill, I gaze until the twelve peaks of Wushan are lost to sight. Her snow-white skin and flower-like face are those of a fairy maiden amidst the five clouds of the vermilion pavilion."

The one listening most attentively was Jiaqingzi. After Cui Bai finished singing, she was still in a daze when everyone applauded and cheered. She was still staring blankly at the puppet until the princess called her three times. Only then did she come to her senses and hurriedly went inside the curtain to ask the princess what she wanted.

The princess asked Jiaqingzi to fetch Cui Bai's wooden puppet for her to see. Cui Bai gladly presented it. After examining it, the princess exclaimed, "I see that ordinary wooden puppets have large heads and small bodies. It's rare to find one like this by Mr. Cui, with such perfect proportions, just like a real person."

Cui Bai replied, “I often paint Daoist and Buddhist figures, so I pay a little attention to the human body and bones. I originally made this puppet to pass the time, but I unknowingly made it according to the proportions of a real person, which has made it lose the cute and quirky charm of ordinary puppets. If the princess likes it, please keep it. I will think about it again next time and make a better one for the princess.”

The princess happily accepted the wooden puppet and then asked Jiaqingzi to offer Cui Bai a cup of wine. Cui Bai smiled and bowed, saying, "I would not dare to refuse Your Highness's kind offer and will drink my fill. However, this young lady has already drunk too much today. Perhaps we could exchange her white conch cup for a banana leaf cup and let her drink only a small portion."

The banana leaf cup is the smallest of all wine vessels. The princess complied with her request and ordered that Jiaqingzi's white conch cup be replaced. After taking a small sip, Jiaqingzi looked at Cui Bai gratefully, only to meet his smiling gaze. She immediately became flustered, her already flushed face turning even redder.

Afterwards, everyone toasted and drank, playing drinking games. During this time, a songstress named Xiaocao entered with a pipa and played music to accompany the drinks, immediately attracting Qilang's attention. While Xiaocao played, his gaze remained fixed on her, never looking away. When Xiaocao turned to the side and happened to see him, she also showed a strange expression, as if the two knew each other.

After Xiaocao finished playing her song, Qilang simply called her to his side. The two whispered to each other, and Xiaocao couldn't help but shed tears when she got emotional. Qilang immediately wiped her tears with his sleeve, gazing at her with tender eyes, as if he didn't care about anyone around them.

Later, Li Wei drew a fortune stick that read: "I have never seen anyone who loves virtue as much as he loves women, and who talks a lot with women." As soon as I read the words, a burst of laughter erupted in the hall, and everyone turned their teasing gazes toward Qi Lang.

Qilang didn't argue. He grabbed the full wine cup in front of him, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp. The male guests laughed and said it was good. But Jiaqingzi came out and conveyed the princess's instructions: "Being lustful is not a good thing. Drinking alone is not enough. He should be punished."

Those who had nothing to do with it naturally chimed in, and Qilang readily agreed, saying directly to me, "Please state your punishment in detail, clerk."

I smiled and said, "Just now, Cui Zixi sang a song. Why don't you improvise some lyrics to the tune I played and sing one to add to the fun?"

Qilang agreed, and I picked up my jade flute again, beginning to play a piece of "Partridge Sky." Qilang listened intently to the music, and as soon as I finished one verse, he confidently sang along with the repeated melody: "With colorful sleeves, I diligently held up the jade cup, in those days I risked my flushed face in drunkenness. The dance was low, like the moon in the willow-lined pavilion, the song ended, like the wind beneath the peach blossom fan. Since we parted, I recall our meeting, how many times have my soul and dreams been with you. Tonight, I will light the silver lamp again, still fearing that our meeting is but a dream."

The Lonely City Closes (The Princess Who Fell in Love with the Eunuch) Amidst the rubble and the precious pearl, all is cast aside in hatred.

Chapter word count: 2871 Update time: 09-07-05 10:41

Separation and Sorrow

(2648 words)

Upon hearing the music, the princess was deeply moved. While everyone praised Qilang's talent, she quietly rose, gracefully walked behind the beaded curtain, and peeked at the handsome scholar calmly drinking wine.

After we sat down again, she called me over and asked me in a low voice about Qi Lang's identity. I told her what I knew, namely the few words Qi Lang himself had spoken. The princess shook her head after hearing this and said, "His so-called humble origins are just a self-deprecating remark. To be able to write 'The moon shines low on the willows as the dance ends, and the wind blows through the peach blossom fan as the song concludes,' he must undoubtedly be from a noble family."

I pondered this sentence carefully and agree with the princess's viewpoint. Watching the music and dance from the pavilions and waterside terraces, continuing all night long, until the moon and stars disappeared, with the singers gently singing and fanning themselves, creating a soft, gentle breeze, the long night stretched on until finally the beauties, exhausted and breathless, could no longer even wave their delicate peach blossom fans… This must be the opulent atmosphere that Yan Shu referred to. If Qi Lang were truly from a poor family, how could he have had such an experience?

"Moreover, he is a man of brilliant mind and talent," the princess sighed. "Among the sons of nobles, there are many good-for-nothings who spend their days and nights watching beautiful women sing and dance, yet they cannot write such fine lines."

After that, we continued our drinking games and chatting happily to the sound of Xiao Ping's pipa. Before we knew it, it was midnight. Ouyang Xiu heard the sound of the water clock outside and suddenly stood up. He bid farewell to everyone, saying that he had to go to the morning court and had to go home now.

Li Wei immediately stood up to persuade him to stay, and the other male guests also stepped forward to pull him down to sit, saying that it was a rare opportunity to gather together, and that they should enjoy themselves to the fullest today. Ouyang Xiu hesitated for a moment, but in the end, the princess had Jiaqingzi pass on a message: "There are still a few clean guest rooms in the garden. Please have a few more drinks, and go to a guest room to rest when it gets late. The Commandant will send someone to your home to fetch your official robes and court tablet in a little while, so that you can go directly to court from here tomorrow."

Li Wei immediately summoned two eunuchs and asked them to fetch Ouyang Xiu's official robes and court tablet from his residence. The eunuchs readily agreed and quickly left. Seeing this, Ouyang Xiu did not insist further, stayed, and took his seat, raising his cup to everyone once more.

I remembered that Qilang also held an official title, so I went to his side and asked if I needed to send someone to his home to fetch the items I needed for court. He smiled slightly and said, "No need. My rank is low, and I am not qualified to go to the palace to meet the emperor like a scholar."

Before the banquet ended that day, Ouyang Xiu suggested, "The Jade Candle Recorder has been working hard for us all night, yet he has no joy in participating in the drinking games. Let him draw the last lot."

Everyone agreed, so I took a fortune stick from the jade candle holder and wrote on it: "Be trustworthy in your dealings with friends, and seek companionship from others."

I looked around at the male guests, and finally raised my cup to Li Wei and bowed: "With this cup of wine, Huaiji boldly invites the Commandant to drink with me."

Li Wei and I exchanged glances, a silent understanding between us. He also silently poured his wine, and we drank it all together.

After the food and wine were cleared away, the princess saw that everyone was still in high spirits, so she suggested that the guests compose poems and lyrics for their enjoyment. Ouyang Xiu and Qilang both agreed, but Cui Bai said, "Poetry and lyrics are not my forte, and I dare not show off my skills in front of the Imperial Scholar. Please allow me to observe from the sidelines."

The princess replied, “Mr. Cui is too modest. After hearing your collection of verses in ‘Teasing’ today, I already know that you are very talented. But if you are not willing to write playful words, I will not force you. I have heard that you do not use charcoal to copy, and your writing is completed as soon as you put pen to paper. Why don’t you sketch a picture of flowers, bamboo and birds on the spot today? It doesn’t have to be completed. Just let us see your skill.”

Cui Bai declined, but finally agreed to paint after the princess's repeated invitations. So the princess had brushes and ink prepared so that they could each display their talents.

Before Ouyang Xiu picked up his pen, he asked the princess if she wanted to set a specific genre, title, or rhyme scheme. The princess replied, "Whether you compose a poem or write lyrics, you can decide for yourselves. There is no need to set a rhyme scheme. I will only give you a theme, and you can write according to your own wishes."