The thick night enveloped the surface of Jishui Lake like a theater curtain being changed. A brightly lit two-story painted pleasure boat cut through the darkness of Jishui Lake like a sharp arrow. The water vapor and cool breeze on the lake dispersed the summer heat – mist shrouded the lake water, moonlight veiled the sand.

The night banquet began. After three rounds of wine, accompanied by the sound of strings and bamboo instruments, the new courtesan of Red Sleeve Pavilion wore dancing attire. Her long water sleeves coiled around her body like a snake as she danced, the sleeves extending from time to time, flying toward the guests to tease them playfully – song and dance to enliven the festivities.

The ten-foot water sleeves were like the noodle-pulling master’s hand-pulled noodles at Haidilao five hundred years later. Just when it seemed the long, wide noodles would caress the guests’ faces, they would always withdraw at the last moment. The atmosphere of drunken luxury quickly took hold.

This time, the water sleeves extended toward Wang Daxia’s face, carrying a faint fragrance.

Wang Daxia leaned aside to avoid the sleeve’s teasing, smiling at Wei Caiwei sitting beside him – the very picture of a chaste and virtuous husband guarding his virtue like jade.

Zhao Quan and Wu Dianyong exchanged glances: Tsk tsk, the naturally debauched Wang Yanei doesn’t even deign to look at Red Sleeve Pavilion’s courtesan, having eyes only for the little widow. This proves the rumors are true – Wang Yanei is utterly bewitched by the little widow, his lust has clouded his judgment.

Looking at this little widow again – she wore white mourning hair ornaments, teardrops of Eastern pearls hanging from her earlobes, dressed in moon-white Daoist robes with an unadorned face save for some rouge on her lips. At first glance she wasn’t stunningly beautiful, but she was very pleasant to look at – the more one looked, the more captivating she became.

She was elegantly cool and refined, like a ray of moonlight, as if a divine consort had flown from the Moon Palace to the mortal realm. She was originally a female physician, healing the world and saving patients. Dressed like this, if she sat on a lotus platform, she would be a living Bodhisattva worshipped by thousands!

Compared to her, even the singing and dancing courtesans of Red Sleeve Pavilion became mere rouge and powder.

Such a woman was a rare treasure – no wonder both Commander Lu and Wang Yanei had successively become her devoted servants.

At this moment, the dancer’s water sleeve swung toward Wei Caiwei.

Caiwei didn’t dodge. She reached forward to grasp the water sleeve, refusing to let go, and even brought it to her nose to smell. “Agarwood, borneol, acacia, ambergris, sandalwood, and faintly some musk? Am I right?”

The dancer was already skilled at handling all kinds of situations. Even with her sleeve caught, she could still dance, stepping gracefully to the banquet table and curtsying delicately. “Madam must be an expert in blending fragrances – you’re absolutely correct.”

“Good fragrance, good dance, good beauty.” Wei Caiwei released the water sleeve but gently lifted the dancer’s chin. “In terms of looks, you’re not as good as the former courtesan Yingying, but in terms of song and dance, you’re better than her. I like you.”

Zhao Quan, as host, seeing his guest pleased, quickly said: “You danced well, our Doctor Wei likes you very much. A generous reward!”

Wu Dianyong had prepared in advance, giving the dancer a golden arm bracelet. The golden arm bracelet lay on red silk in a tray, gleaming brilliantly and dazzlingly bright.

Before the dancer could accept the reward, Wei Caiwei stood up first. “Extend your hand, I’ll put it on for you.”

She actually wanted to personally put the arm bracelet on her! The bracelet was made of coiled thin circles – Zhao Quan was generous, this bracelet weighed about three taels with over ten circles.

The dancer removed her water sleeve, revealing lotus root-like arms to facilitate wearing the bracelet.

Wei Caiwei slid the bracelet all the way up, placing it on her upper arm. The dancer’s arm was slender without being bony, the circles creating tender flesh as delicate as bean curd. She praised: “What beautiful golden arm coils! This kind of adornment is most suitable for dancing the branch dance.”

The guest had made a request, so the musicians at the bow quickly changed to a Western Region-style branch melody. The dancer, with her snow-white bare arms and golden arm coils, began dancing the branch dance.

Wei Caiwei became excited and actually started dancing along with the music, dancing together with the dancer – and she danced quite well!

It was as if a Bodhisattva had stepped down from her sacred altar to mingle with worldly mortals, experiencing the smoky atmosphere of the mortal world.

Wei Caiwei danced with abandon, the corners of her lips slightly upturned, seeming to greatly enjoy dancing with the courtesan.

Throughout, she never sought the opinion of her lover Wang Daxia, never asked if he agreed with her actions. She didn’t even look at Wang Daxia, unhesitatingly expressing her admiration and fondness for the dancer.

Zhao Quan and Wu Dianyong had never seen such a woman. So “wantonness” and sanctity could be integrated – like a banished immortal experiencing the seven emotions and six desires of the mortal world.

No wonder “well-traveled” high-ranking officials like Commander Lu and Wang Daxia, who had seen countless beauties, would be bewitched by her – she was truly extraordinary.

Throughout, Wang Daxia never showed any displeasure. Seeing Wei Caiwei dance, he excitedly used chopsticks to beat rhythm on a wine pot, his gaze constantly glued to Wei Caiwei – the very picture of deep infatuation.

The dancer wore form-fitting dance attire, her graceful figure completely revealed, with bare arms. Wei Caiwei wore loose moon-white Daoist robes that completely concealed her form, yet she managed to dance with the feeling of a flying celestial demon – sanctity mixed with temptation, not losing to the dancer at all. Marvelous!

Wu Dianyong whispered: “Boss, forget about the five male prostitutes waiting for summons in the first-floor cabin? I see Doctor Wei is more interested in the dancer. Bringing up male prostitutes would just spoil the mood.”

Zhao Quan said: “Have them take a small boat and leave, they’re not needed here.” When guests liked beautiful women, one should cater to their preferences.

The branch melody reached its finale. Wei Caiwei and the dancer spun in place together, as if competing with each other – the dancer wouldn’t stop, so she wouldn’t stop either.

Since neither would stop, the musicians didn’t dare stop either – the flute player was nearly breathless!

The dancer’s dance costume was light and thin, her skirt spreading like a lotus pod, revealing slender straight legs. The hem could barely cover above her thighs, her two legs smooth and lustrous like ivory, making one unable to resist wanting to touch them.

Wei Caiwei wore loose moon-white Daoist robes with knee-length trousers underneath, covered thoroughly. When spinning, the robes were like a large drum enveloping her entire body, revealing only a section of white wrist, yet this could arouse infinite imagination – both pure and seductive.

The dancer danced regularly, Wei Caiwei only occasionally. Spinning and spinning, like a top losing momentum, she began swaying left and right.

Wang Daxia put down his chopsticks from beating the wine pot and opened his arms to catch her.

Wei Caiwei couldn’t stop her momentum and laughingly fell straight into Wang Daxia’s embrace, covering her forehead and acting coquettish in his arms. “Oh my, so dizzy.”

Wang Daxia scooped her up horizontally and placed her on a noble consort’s couch at the stern of the pleasure boat. This bed was prepared for intoxicated guests to rest, separated from the banquet in the boat by a semi-transparent embroidered screen, so any movement on the noble consort’s couch – even a turn – would be heard by people at the banquet.

Moreover, the embroidered screen was semi-transparent, so the silhouettes of the two embracing were projected on the screen like shadow puppets, their body contours clearly visible.

Creak!

Wang Daxia placed Wei Caiwei on the noble consort’s couch and was about to get up when Wei Caiwei raised both arms, embracing his neck. “I’m dizzy and disoriented, massage my temples.”

Wang Daxia sat beside the couch, leaning down with both thumbs placed on her temples, whispering: “Really massage?”

The embracing just now was through clothing, but this would be skin-to-skin contact!

Wei Caiwei quietly said: “Massaging temples won’t make you lose any flesh, just massage.”

Wang Daxia began kneading, asking in a normal tone: “How’s the pressure?”

Wei Caiwei said: “Too light, use more strength.”

Wang Daxia applied some force to his fingers. “How about now?”

Wei Caiwei said: “Use a bit more strength.”

Under his fingertips, her skin was smooth and delicate with slight perspiration, like lotus leaves after rain with water droplets rolling on them. Wang Daxia’s fingers on the acupoints of her face couldn’t bear to rub forcefully, as if the slightest force would hurt her.

He was reluctant, so only after Wei Caiwei urged him twice did he truly apply pressure.

Wei Caiwei lightly cried out: “Oh my!”

Wang Daxia immediately stopped. “It hurts, right? I said I couldn’t use too much force.”

Wei Caiwei said: “No, the pressure is just right, but the acupoint is wrong. Move up a little bit.”

“Mm, like this?” Wang Daxia followed directions like a puppet.

Wei Caiwei said: “Move a little to the left.”

Wang Daxia: “Here?”

Wei Caiwei: “Too far left, go right.”

Having been reborn, the dexterous Wang Daxia had obviously regressed – even pressing temples was clumsy.

Wang Daxia moved his thumb. “This should be right now?”

“Right there.” Wei Caiwei let out a soul-stirring sigh. “Comfortable, don’t stop.”

Hearing this sigh, even a blockhead would be enlightened. Wang Daxia, whose acting skills were slightly inferior, felt his brain buzz as if someone had poked a hornet’s nest, with swarms of bees dancing wildly in his mind.

His ear tips instantly turned red, as if dyed with a drop of rouge, and even Little Wang Daxia was instantly awakened.

Fortunately, the semi-transparent embroidered screen provided cover, otherwise Wang Daxia would have broken character and exposed himself on the spot.

Outside the embroidered screen at the banquet, Ding Wu heard the sounds from inside. He had never eaten pork nor seen pigs run, but he vaguely understood what was happening.

My dear Half-Summer sister! What have you experienced these past months? The flowery world of the capital has made you too…

Fortunately, Ding Wu could maintain composure, remaining calm on the surface. He even picked up chopsticks, pinched a snow-white lotus root slice and ate it, as if such scenes were commonplace to him.

At the banquet, even though Zhao Quan and Wu Dianyong were well-traveled, they were now somewhat stunned. These two were actually openly being intimate on the pleasure boat?

Although separated by an embroidered screen so they couldn’t clearly see what was happening on the noble consort’s couch, both had eaten pork before – imagination alone was incredibly arousing.

These high-ranking officials and little widows really knew how to play!

No wonder Lu Bing would force Doctor Wei to voluntarily leave Commander Lu by recommending her as a court physician. Who could withstand such a pure yet seductive widow!

If the little widow wouldn’t let go, Commander Lu would probably be entangled for life.

At this moment, Ding Wu nonchalantly raised his cup. “Come, tonight we have good banquet, good night scenery, good song and dance – let’s drink together!”

Zhao Quan and Wu Dianyong raised their cups, thinking Ding Wu must often see Wang Yanei and his sworn sister being intimate in front of him, so he was accustomed to it and took it for granted – otherwise how could he be so calm and composed?

The rumors don’t lie! The truth is more exciting than rumors!

Author’s Note: Technician Number Three’s skills aren’t quite up to par~~~~~ Student Wang Daxia almost couldn’t keep up with Caiwei’s performance, keep trying harder!