The night was vast and dark, the world silent and pitch-black, without even the sound of insects. A figure moved swiftly and silently along the narrow paths between fields.
After walking for an unknown time, the sound of flowing water could finally be heard. Approaching the water meant nearing the river. He sighed softly in relief and quickened his pace. Just as he was about to turn towards the river, he felt a warm breath brush past his ear. His hair stood on end, and he nimbly dodged to the side, quickly turning back.
To his surprise, a person dressed entirely in white stood before him. He couldn’t make out the face, only the white clothing visible in the night. The person chuckled, their voice somewhat hoarse: “Er Gou, where are you going?”
Xiao Er Gou remained silent, warily eyeing this sudden apparition. The warmth of breath meant it was a living person, not a ghost.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m just walking alone at night and feeling scared, so I thought I’d find a companion,” the person said, seeing Xiao Er Gou’s silence. They reached out to pat his shoulder, but Xiao Er Gou darted away like a startled deer. “Who are you? What do you want?” he demanded.
“Quick reflexes. Not bad,” the person chuckled. “I won’t tell you. Unless you come with me.”
Without a word, Xiao Er Gou turned and ran.
“Don’t run! I’m not a ghost,” the person called, sprinting after him relentlessly.
Xiao Er Gou gritted his teeth and kept running. Without looking back, he could sense the person right behind him, ready to grab him if he stopped. One incense stick’s time passed, then two, but the pursuer showed no signs of slowing or stopping.
Damn it. Xiao Er Gou knew he’d encountered a formidable opponent. Frowning, he suddenly stopped and sprinted back towards the village.
“Oh?” The pursuer halted, exclaiming in surprise before turning to give chase again.
“Stop chasing me!” Xiao Er Gou shouted. “I won’t go with you. I’m going back—”
“Perfect, I’m heading home too. Let’s go together, keep each other company?” the person replied.
“I’ll call for help!” Xiao Er Gou yelled. “Chase me if you dare!”
The pursuer laughed, “What potential! Running so fast while still chattering away. And daring to run back—clever thinking. I really can’t let you go.”
“Let what go?” Xiao Er Gou asked warily. Before he finished speaking, he felt a cold wind by his ear as an icy blade swung down. A knife! Someone had suddenly appeared before him, swinging a lightning-fast strike!
“Ah!” Xiao Er Gou cried out in anguish, fearing for his shoulder, his arm, his life! But the blade stopped precisely at his shoulder, not cutting deeper. The cold steel pressed against his neck and ear, chilling him to the bone in the late autumn night.
The knife’s owner spoke coolly, “Scared?”
Xiao Er Gou, having narrowly escaped death, his mind blank, nodded frantically. His teeth chattered, but he managed to stammer, “Two against one—that’s shameful.”
An unexpected response. Most would be silent, faint, or nod desperately, but he insulted them instead. The knife wielder chuckled softly, slowly withdrawing the blade. He addressed the person who had stopped behind Xiao Er Gou, “Shun Hou’er, he says you’re shameless.”
Shun Hou’er laughed, “My lord, are you sure he meant me?”
Jiang Changyang smiled, “I’m certain he meant you.”
Hearing their exchange, Xiao Er Gou’s heart sank. Without a word, he tried to run in another direction. Jiang Changyang, quick as lightning, bent down and swung the flat of his blade, striking Xiao Er Gou’s shinbone hard. “Mama!” Xiao Er Gou cried, falling to the ground and clutching his leg in agony.
Jiang Changyang sneered, “Want to try the feeling of a broken leg?”
In these times, the bold prosper while the timid starve. Accepting defeat meant certain death. Xiao Er Gou threw caution to the wind: “I didn’t do anything! What right do you have—” He started to shout but was silenced by a mouthful of mud. A newcomer kicked him vengefully, “I’ll kick you to death, you bastard! You got me wrongfully accused!”
Shun Hou’er sighed, “Easy there, Lü Shi Gong. How can he talk like that?” He kindly cleared the mud from Xiao Er Gou’s mouth, then gripped his tongue and pulled it out. As if by magic, he produced a dagger from his sleeve and placed it on the tongue. “Now we’ll see if you tell the truth. If we wanted you dead, no one would know where you went. Including your little brothers and sisters waiting for you to bring home meat.”
Xiao Er Gou trembled all over, staring in terror at the knife-wielding lord. He raised his hands, carefully gesturing to beg for mercy. The lord watched him coldly, casually wiping his blade on his robe.
“Where were you going?” Shun Hou’er asked, then mused aloud without waiting for an answer, “Were you heading to the city early to buy something? Or perhaps to visit family?”
Xiao Er Gou nodded frantically.
“Pfft…” Shun Hou’er laughed, scraping the knife against Xiao Er Gou’s tongue, sending chills down his spine.
Shun Hou’er spoke softly, “You don’t value your life. In that case, I won’t value it for you either.” He changed the angle of the dagger and stabbed it hard into Xiao Er Gou’s thigh. With his tongue held, Xiao Er Gou could only make a strange, muffled scream. Lü Fang, hearing this, stuffed another handful of mud into his mouth.
Shun Hou’er withdrew his hand, seemingly reproaching Lü Fang, “Why not use a stone? Knock out a few teeth while you’re at it!”
Xiao Er Gou, in intense pain, clutched his wounded leg and shook violently, but never resorted to rolling on the ground or begging pitifully.
Jiang Changyang watched him coldly, speaking flatly, “You’re quite tough. Very well, I won’t make this difficult. Just tell us what you know. If you don’t speak, what you’ve experienced so far is just the appetizer.”
Xiao Er Gou remained silent. Jiang Changyang tossed a bundle of rope at his feet and said sternly, “Remember this flying anchor you buried under the tree? I hear you’re quite good at jumping rope performances and catching flies. Are you even skilled at rope tricks? I see you’re a real man, so I’m giving you this chance. I’ll count. One, two…”
“You have to promise not to harm my family. They know nothing,” Xiao Er Gou blurted out before Jiang Changyang could count to three.
As the first lights came on, in a tavern in Pingkang Ward, the atmosphere was lively with red lanterns, fine wine, beautifully dressed patrons, music, laughter, and singing. Cao Wanrong held the season’s most popular songstress in his arms, drinking chilled spring wine, his eyes half-closed as he listened to the drunk, chubby man across from him speaking with spittle flying: “Brother Cao, have you ever heard of fatless fat lamb?”
Before Cao Wanrong could answer, the fat man continued, “No need to ask. Coming from where you did and making your fortune as you have, you surely haven’t heard of it, let alone tasted it. Such luxury is reserved for the imperial family, high officials, and the extremely wealthy.”
What was wrong with where he came from? Or how he made his fortune? He had risen from poverty to his current position, a thousand times better than this fat servant! But he needed this fat fool now. Cao Wanrong suppressed his anger and respectfully said, “You’re right, Master Hu. How could someone like me ever see such luxury? Please, tell me about it so I can broaden my horizons.”
But Master Hu was in no hurry to explain. He sniffed with his oily nostrils, put down the half-eaten chicken leg, and roughly squeezed the ample bosom of the songstress in his arms with his greasy hands. The songstress squealed, playfully pounding his chest with her delicate fists: “You naughty thing! You fat oaf, you’re hurting me! Look, you’ve ruined my new spring-water green satin bodice with your oily hands. You’ll have to pay for that…”
“Pay? Your Uncle Cao has plenty of money. Do you think he’d balk at the cost of your little bodice?” The fat man laughed uproariously, his whole body jiggling.
The songstress, glancing sidelong at her patron Cao Wanrong, coyly massaged the fat man’s chest, saying, “Master Hu, I love chubby men the most. Your body feels so comfortable to lean against, especially on a cold autumn night like this. It warms my heart and body.”
“Listen to that sweet talk! She knows how to flatter,” Master Hu said, puckering his oily purple lips to kiss the songstress’s vermilion-painted mouth. He then turned back to Cao Wanrong to continue their earlier conversation: “When His Highness hosts grand banquets at his mansion, fatless fat lamb is served. Do you know what fatless lamb is? First, they take fifty prime fat sheep and slaughter them one by one in front of the others!” Master Hu clapped his hands together like a knife, bringing them down hard on the table. His sparse whiskers quivered with excitement as he continued, “You see? When the sheep witness their companions screaming and bleeding to death before their eyes, they tremble in fear and bleat mournfully. But that’s just the beginning.”
Master Hu paused to take a large gulp of wine before continuing, “That’s just the surface. The real magic happens inside. Their fear causes the fat to melt and seep into the meat. By the time only one sheep remains, it’s both plump and free of excess fat.” He squinted, his voice exaggerated, “Only one out of fifty fat sheep! How many people in this world can afford to eat like that?”
Such extravagance! Cao Wanrong was intrigued. With utmost respect, he asked, “What kind of delicacy is it?”
“Ha! You’ve asked the right person!” Master Hu boasted proudly. “I was serving His Highness at the time, and he noticed my quick wit. He rewarded me with the leftover meat from his plate.” He closed his eyes in rapture, “The taste… tsk! It’s indescribable, truly indescribable.”
Suddenly, a voice spoke softly from the doorway: “Actually, I’ve had the fortune to taste it before. It’s just a bit more tender and fatty than ordinary lamb.”
Master Hu and Cao Wanrong turned to look. In the doorway stood a man even more beautiful than the songstresses in their arms. He leaned casually against the frame, smiling faintly, his expression full of allure.