Hua Wuduo raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying, "Thank you for the compliment."
The meal was enjoyed by both host and guests, but Hua Wuduo didn't drink any wine, nor did he ask Li She which two types of people were allowed to drink his brewed wine. However, seeing that Li She showed no unusual reaction after drinking, Hua Wuduo thought to himself, "It seems I can drink it next time; that wine smells really good."
Hua Wuduo wanted to ask Li She why he had also gone to the wrong outhouse last night, but he was afraid that if he asked suddenly, Li She would become suspicious. After thinking about it again, he realized it was nothing and didn't bring it up.
After finishing their meal, it was past noon. Hua Wuduo and Li She left Fenglou, and the manager of Fenglou saw them off all the way to the gate, his hospitality undiminished.
The summer afternoon was slightly warm, but the overcast sky and strong wind made it quite comfortable. As Hua Wuduo left the Phoenix Pavilion, she carried a bunch of grapes and a banana, eating and spitting them out as she walked, leaving grape skins and seeds scattered all over the place. Li She occasionally glanced at the unpeeled banana in the Marquis's daughter's hand… then swept his gaze across the street, his expression somewhat strange. Passersby came and went, and everyone who brushed past her gave Hua Wuduo a second look. Frankly, for a young lady to eat like that in the street was rather…undignified.
Hua Wuduo seemed oblivious to all of this, engrossed in his meal. Before he had even finished the grapes, he had already started eating bananas. Even so, Li She's pace remained unhurried.
Hua Wuduo finished eating the banana and casually tossed it aside. Before he had taken five steps, he heard a series of loud thuds and screeching sounds behind him. Someone had slipped and fallen heavily in the street. The person then yelled, "Damn it, who threw that banana peel?! Get out here and I'll chop you up!"
Hearing this, Li She turned around and saw a burly man with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a long beard just staggering to his feet. Beside him lay several drunken soldiers whom he had pulled down earlier—the same men who had beaten the vegetable farmer in the street earlier. The surrounding villagers, fearing they would be implicated, quickly moved away, clearing the area around the soldiers. The soldiers were too drunk to get up for a long time.
Li She turned his head and glanced at Hua Wuduo beside him. He saw that she was still walking unhurriedly, carrying grapes in her hand. She plucked one, put it in her mouth, took a bite, and squinted her eyes, as if the grape was very sweet.
She never looked back, and being a woman, the soldiers naturally didn't expect it to be her. Hua Wuduo and Li She walked further and further away as if nothing had happened. After finishing the grapes, Hua Wuduo threw away the grape stems and patted Li She's arm beside her, saying, "You can have dinner with us too."
Li She smiled upon hearing this. Seeing that Hua Wuduo spoke these words in a very natural and reasonable manner, he couldn't help but smile. Looking at her squinting eyes and the contented smile on her lips beside him, his heart warmed.
The two of them had already gone far away. The soldiers grumbled as they got up. At that moment, a junior soldier hurriedly pushed through the crowd and rushed in, saying to the big man who had slipped, "General, the Prince has issued an order for the granary to send grain to Tangzhou immediately. You are in charge of escorting the grain, and the journey will begin tomorrow."
The steward took the warrant and, upon seeing the seal of the Prince of Jin, sobered up considerably. He quickly drew his sword and left. The others followed.
After leaving Fenglou, Hua Wuduo and Li She returned to the Prince of Jin's mansion, but on the way, they encountered a group of people. It really was a group of people, all dressed in flamboyant clothes, attracting attention. This group of people were none other than the young masters of Nanshu Academy and their arrogant pageboys and attendants.
Gongzi Yi spotted Hua Wuduo just two streets away and rushed over. He dragged Hua Wuduo over and gave her a good scolding, saying things like how he had worried his older brother to death, how he thought she was missing, how she had been harassed, how he had made them search for her, and how she had been unfaithful. Hua Wuduo stared blankly at the eloquent Gongzi Yi.
This swarm of bees, clearly out on the street trying to seduce respectable women, could they be looking for her? Hua Wuduo thought to herself: She would never believe it, even if you beat her to death.
Same as always
Hua Wuduo frowned as she watched her fake brother, Gongzi Yi, pretentiously scolding her endless nagging in front of Li She. She ignored him, her face expressionless, as if he were talking nonsense… This expression greatly displeased Gongzi Yi. Seeing his displeasure, Hua Wuduo quickly lowered her head, glancing sideways at Li She beside her. She saw Li She, initially surprised by Gongzi Yi's incessant chatter, quickly regain his composure, listen quietly for a while, then a playful smile curled his lips and eyebrows. He remained silent, seemingly enjoying the conversation. Hua Wuduo secretly shook her head: No sympathy… Just as she thought this, she heard Li She say, “Tonight I will host a banquet for Gongzi Yi and his sister, to help us become friends. What does Gongzi Yi think?” Li She's words naturally interrupted Gongzi Yi. Hua Wuduo's ears were saved.
Upon hearing this, Young Master Yi immediately shut his mouth. But just then, a group of young masters who had just staggered over to him waved their folding fans and said, "Young Master Li is too kind! You're treating us to a meal on our first meeting."
"Yes, we couldn't possibly accept that."
"We cannot let Young Master Li spend money."
“Oh, my brother, you are mistaken. Young Master Li is so kind as to invite us; how can we refuse?”
"Yes, how can you refuse Young Master Li's request? You must go, you absolutely must go."
"That's true, well, okay, I'll go, I'll go." He seemed quite hesitant.
"Then I'll go too."
At this moment, Gongzi Yu, who was standing on the outermost edge, looked around and reluctantly said hesitantly, "You're all going?! Sigh, it seems I have no choice but to go."
Hua Wuduo was utterly speechless.
These people, with their quick wit and coordinated words, have put Li She in a difficult position tonight; he has no choice but to invite them.
Gongzi Yi stood by, smiling but saying nothing.
Facing the gazes of the crowd, Li She nodded and smiled, saying, "It is my honor."
Upon hearing this, Young Master Yi politely cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you for your kind invitation, Young Master Li, to treat us idle folks to a meal."
Li She returned the greeting, saying, "Young Master Yi, you're too kind. It's more lively with more people, and more fun to eat and drink with."
“Indeed!” Upon hearing this, Young Master Xun clapped his fan and praised, “Drinking and eating are more fun with more people, I like that saying. This young master is clearly a like-minded person. I am Zhao Xun from Kaifeng, may I ask who you are…?”
Li She said, "My name is Li She from Luoyang."
"Li She of Luoyang? Could it be... the third young master of the Li family of Luoyang?" the young master exclaimed in surprise.
Li She replied, "It is indeed I."
Upon hearing this, the young masters exchanged glances, remaining silent for a long while. Then… one greeted Li She with “Brother Li, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” another with “Brother Li, I’ve long admired you,” and yet another with “Brother Li, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” and so on. After a few introductions, they quickly became acquainted, crowding around Li She in the street with such warmth that it was as if they had bumped into long-lost brothers. In just a short while, Li She had gained five or six younger brothers, and each of them was a full brother, born of the same mother.
Hua Wuduo had long been squeezed out of the circle, watching from the sidelines with his jaw dropped, muttering, "They're still the same as ever..." When there's a reward, their eyes light up, and they rush in one after another, preferably with an even distribution of spoils. If it's not evenly distributed, they're likely to immediately tear each other apart and fight to the death... They're the ones who strike first.
Just then, someone next to me asked, "How have you been these past six months?"
Hua Wuduo looked up and saw that Gongzi Xiu was talking to her. She smiled at him and nodded, saying, "It's fine."
After asking this question, Gongzi Xiu stood next to Hua Wuduo and did not try to curry favor with Li She.
Hua Wuduo glanced at him and said, "You're still the same as ever."
In Hua Wuduo's mind, Gongzi Xiu's "old ways" actually meant that when there was a sweet opportunity, he would often observe coldly from the sidelines. It wasn't that he wasn't tempted, but rather that he would use stillness to control movement. In other words, he wouldn't waste his words and energy, but would let others take the lead first, observe carefully, and then wait to take advantage of the situation. He was a master of striking after the enemy had made his move.
Young Master Xiu gave a soft "hmm," feeling quite pleased with himself.
Gongzi Xiu was unaware of Hua Wuduo's thoughts; otherwise, his expression wouldn't have been so natural. In truth, Hua Wuduo had a lot of faith in Gongzi Xiu, because those who strike after the opponent has acted are usually the most capable.
The two stood side by side, no longer speaking.
Because Li She claimed he had something to attend to, everyone dispersed.
Gongzi Yi, Gongzi Qi, Gongzi Xiu, and Hua Wuduo returned to the Prince of Jin's residence first. The rest of them heard that several brothels had arrived in Jiangling yesterday and were staying at Yanshan Pavilion, so they went to look for them.
On the way back, Hua Wuduo was very curious as to why Gongzi Qi could resist going to Yanshan Pavilion, and why even Gongzi Yi could resist going.
It wasn't until they returned to the Prince Jin's residence and Gongzi Xiu left with his page that Hua Wuduo realized why Gongzi Yi and Gongzi Qi hadn't gone to see the beautiful women.
In the center of the courtyard, after dismissing all the maids from the Prince's residence, Gongzi Qi whispered to her, "Make us two masks, quickly, we need them by tomorrow."
Hua Wuduo asked, "What mask?"
Gongzi Qi said, "One is the mask of the Prince of Jin, and the other is the mask of Xu Yaowu, the general of the Anzi Battalion."
Hua Wuduo said, "I recognize the Prince of Jin, but I have never met Xu Yaowu before, so I cannot do it."
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Yi smiled and said, "You've seen him; he's the one who slipped on your banana peel and fell."
Hua Wuduo exclaimed in surprise, "It's him?" Then, a thought struck him, and his expression changed slightly. He said, "How did you know? You've been following me the whole time!?"
Gongzi Qi said, "I didn't follow him the whole time; I just happened to see him."
Hua Wuduo didn't believe it: "Really?"
Gongzi Yi frowned, seemingly growing impatient. He slapped the table twice, each time presenting a silver note, and said, "One hundred taels per note."
Two hundred taels?! Hua Wuduo's eyes twitched involuntarily. He glanced at the silver notes on the table but stubbornly refused to touch them. Just then, he heard Gongzi Qi laugh and say, "Didn't you say you wanted to rob the rich to help the poor? This time, let's do something big."
After he finished speaking, the silver notes on the table had disappeared...
At three quarters past the hour of You (5:45 PM), everyone gathered at Wuzi Residence.
The front courtyard of Wuziju is a restaurant, but unlike Fenglou, it consists entirely of private rooms, one after another, with excellent soundproofing and ingenious design. Those who frequent it are people of some status and rank. Unlike the bustling Fenglou, it is filled with melodious music, offering a unique charm. However, the more luxurious the place, the more expensive it is. Booking a private room here costs at least ten taels of silver, making it a place not for just anyone.
Led by Li She, the group passed through the front yard and entered the back yard.
The backyard of Wuziju is a hidden paradise.
The area is surrounded by tall redwood trees, with gourd vines climbing all over them, shading the space. Occasionally, purple roses bloom among the trees. Sunlight filters through the vines, and a gentle breeze makes it feel refreshing and pleasant even in summer.
The music was melodious, but no one was playing it around, so it was unclear where the music came from; it seemed to be from the heavens.
The garden is paved with bluestone, with a depression in the center where clear water ripples. A tall rock stands in the water, from which the water flows, trickling down along the cracks and meandering around. A woman in white, graceful and elegant, with long hair reaching her waist, is barefoot in the water, drawing water. Beside her, there is a wooden table, from which wisps of smoke rise, filling the air with the aroma of tea.
The woman looked up and saw Li She and the others enter. She quickly put down her teacup, stood up, stepped off the gravel, and bowed gracefully to Li She, saying softly, "Lan Yu greets the Third Young Master, all the young masters and ladies."
Such a beautiful woman, so delicate and graceful, immediately caught the eye of the young men.
Hua Wuduo was walking with his head down and didn't notice the beautiful woman in front of him. He bumped into the back of the young master Xun in front of him.
The young master glanced around and, upon seeing her, immediately turned around, fanning himself with a folding fan, slightly spreading his shoulders, revealing a set of bright white teeth, and said, "One more time."
Hua Wuduo was about to say "Good dog, don't block the way" when he saw Gongzi Xiu, who had come from behind, shove Gongzi Xun aside and walk past expressionlessly, muttering to himself as he went, "There are so many mosquitoes here."
Gongzi Xun clenched his fist and gathered his strength several times, but he still deflated when he saw Gongzi Xiu.
Hua Wuduo stared wide-eyed at Gongzi Xun without any restraint. Gongzi Xun saw that everyone had already taken their seats and were looking at him strangely. He snorted sullenly and found a seat for himself.
****************
The woman is beautiful, the food is delicious, the wine is excellent, and as for the tea...
"It must taste good," Hua Wuduo thought to herself. Tea brewed with a beauty's foot bath water must have a unique flavor. (The smell of feet). Everyone else drank tea, except for Hua Wuduo. Gongzi Yi, who was beside her, noticed and whispered to her why she wasn't drinking. She honestly answered in a very low voice. After hearing this, Gongzi Yi didn't touch his teacup again. Gongzi Qi saw the two whispering and asked Gongzi Yi what was wrong. Gongzi Yi only replied that he and Duoduo had stomach problems today and weren't suitable for this kind of tea. Gongzi Qi believed him, nodded, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. Gongzi Yi grinned, his expression very strange, and exchanged a knowing smile with Hua Wuduo. Unfortunately, Gongzi Qi didn't see their strange look. But Gongzi Xiu, to Hua Wuduo's right, seemed to have sensed something and also didn't drink any more tea.
Each time a dish was served, the young men would symbolically taste a few bites before putting down their chopsticks, behaving with impeccable manners and great refinement.
The table was already full of dishes, and no more dishes were served. Everyone put down their chopsticks, drank and chatted, only occasionally picking up their chopsticks to eat a bite.
Hua Wuduo was digging through the dishes with her chopsticks, picking up a mushroom and putting it in her bowl, then another, and so on... Hmm? Why was she the only one with chopsticks on such a large table? At that moment, Gongzi Xun chuckled rudely, and Hua Wuduo hurriedly and awkwardly put her chopsticks back.
Li She smiled and said, "Everyone, please feel free to be at ease and don't be too formal." He took the lead in picking up food with his chopsticks, and everyone quickly followed suit with smiles. Hua Wuduo became happy and excitedly reached out her chopsticks again, but then she noticed that the young masters seemed to have been trained to only pick up one or two dishes in front of them before putting down their chopsticks and starting to talk. And she was the only one with chopsticks on the whole table... Hua Wuduo was reluctantly forced to put her chopsticks back down. She didn't care what the others were talking about, but seeing the delicious food in front of her but not being able to enjoy it, and watching it gradually get cold, made her heart ache.
The group mostly drank and chatted, occasionally picking up food, but only a very small amount. Hua Wuduo, having nothing else to do, would watch for people picking up their chopsticks so she could follow suit.
Among them, Gongzi Xiu and Gongzi Yi served food the most, but no one knew that they were actually forced to do so... Hua Wuduo would nudge Gongzi Yi from the left, and Gongzi Yi would have to pick up food with his chopsticks; she would nudge Gongzi Xiu from the right, and Gongzi Xiu would have to do the same. Later, Gongzi Yi got impatient and simply put the food directly into Hua Wuduo's bowl. To others, Gongzi Yi's behavior seemed perfectly normal—a brother taking care of his sister was only natural—but when Gongzi Xiu also put food in Hua Wuduo's bowl... everyone's gaze changed; they saw an ambiguous relationship between the two.
After a few rounds of drinks, the conversation flowed more freely.
During the conversation, the group first talked about the brothels that came to participate in the Phoenix Boat Race and the several beauties with exceptional talents who were most popular before the race. Then they gradually talked about the interesting stories that happened when the Phoenix Boat Race was held in several prefectures and counties since the founding of the dynasty. When they mentioned that it was being held in Jiangling this time, the young masters at the table shook their heads and sighed at the same time.
The young master argued, “Jiangling is a land of fertile soil and abundant resources. It is bordered by the Yangtze River to the south, the Han River to the north, and controls the Sichuan Basin to the west. It is truly a treasure land. Unfortunately, what we have seen and heard along the way is appalling. Within a hundred miles of Jiangling, people are displaced and their corpses are left to rot in the wilderness. Bandits run rampant, and the local government is corrupt and incompetent. They neither suppress the bandits nor provide food and clothing to the people. Alas, it is truly heartbreaking… alas.”
Hua Wuduo was biting into the sweet and sour pork ribs that Gongzi Yi had put in her bowl. Upon hearing this, she nodded emphatically. With her mouth full of food, she couldn't speak, so she could only express her agreement with her eyes.
Gongzi Kuang glanced at Gongzi Xiu and said, "Zheng, stop talking. Drink, drink!"
Gongzi Xiu's face was somber as he raised his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp. The Prince of Jin was his uncle; in his youth, he had been the emperor's study companion, growing up alongside him and enjoying the emperor's deep trust. Later, he was promoted and ennobled for leading troops to eliminate the rebellious Prince of Ning, eventually becoming a prince. Jiangling was his uncle Prince of Jin's fiefdom. And so it was…
As they drank together, Li She laughed and said, "I have learned that several brothels arrived in Jiangling yesterday. The girls from Youfenglaiyi in Suzhou and the girls from Huahaoyueyuan in Zizhou are staying at Yanshan Pavilion. They had a dispute yesterday and have agreed to hold a flower-themed competition at Yanshan Pavilion tonight, in front of the phoenix boat. I wonder if anyone would be interested in going to watch? I will cover all the expenses."
Upon hearing this, the young gentlemen's earlier awkward expressions vanished. They exchanged glances, outwardly seeking each other's opinions, but inwardly they were desperately trying to conceal their overflowing excitement. They had already been there that afternoon, unable to contain their excitement any longer, and now that they heard there was a flower competition at Yanshan Pavilion, how could they possibly resist? They feigned reluctance for a while, then went along with it. Finally, Young Master Qi, seemingly with no other choice, said, "Young Master Li is so kind; we shall respectfully accept."
Li She smiled and said, "There's no need for you gentlemen to be so polite. I am already extremely grateful that you have given me face."
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately laughed and said, "Brother Li, you're too kind."
The meal was enjoyed by all, but when it was time to leave, only Hua Wuduo was not very happy. The reason was simple: she hadn't gotten to drink the bowl of hibiscus and corn soup that was furthest from her...
After leaving Wuziju, the group intended to head towards Yanshan Pavilion, but Gongzi Xiu clasped his hands in farewell and said, "Young Master Li has been so kind in inviting me, and I should accept your kind invitation. However, I have some private matters to attend to tonight, so I will not be able to go. Please forgive me, Brother Li."
At this moment, Hua Wuduo also stepped forward and said, "Me too. I also have some things to do tonight, so I won't be going with everyone."