Chapter 1: Beauty’s Boat
Three years ago, Wu Zhenzhen was still in Pujiang County, where her identity was the Seventh Young Master of Shizhen Lou.
Shizhen Lou was a rather famous tavern in Pujiang. The proprietress was named Wu Qiuniang, a widowed woman who had arrived in Pujiang over ten years ago with her daughter Zhenzhen and opened this tavern. The main offerings were nothing more than Jiangnan home-style dishes, but she carefully selected ingredients, used premium materials, and had excellent culinary skills, always able to make ordinary dishes with unforgettable flavors. Additionally, she had a shrewd business mind but was extremely sincere and kind in dealing with people, with very good relationships—from the county magistrate down to local gentry, all were happy to assist her. Thus over these ten-plus years, she had built Shizhen Lou into great renown, expanding the tavern from a small roadside shop into a grand three-story building with central courtyard and back garden.
Wu Qiuniang took six female disciples, all named after flowers and trees, ranked by age as Feng Xian, Su Xin, Fu Qu, Xiang Ye, Chu Ying, and Yu Zan. Though they were either orphan girls or from poor families, each was outstanding in appearance and had learned excellent culinary skills. Besides managing the tavern’s daily business, wealthy merchants and grand households often paid handsomely to invite them to serve as head chefs for banquets.
Zhenzhen was younger than all six female disciples. Wu Qiuniang did not permit her to learn cooking, but instead had her dress in boys’ clothing and sent her to private school from childhood to study alongside other families’ sons. “When girls read some books, they won’t be easily deceived in the future,” Wu Qiuniang explained simply to those who questioned this.
Zhenzhen was called “Seventh Young Master.” She had a lively personality, and being raised as a boy made her conduct increasingly straightforward, even willful. In her leisure time, she often called friends together for cockfighting and horse racing, traveling everywhere and spending extravagantly. Her expenses often made Uncle Pu, who kept Shizhen Lou’s accounts, change color and frequently complain to Wu Qiuniang. But Qiuniang paid no mind, only saying, “Her father died early—she’s already more lonely than other children. As long as she’s safe and happy, what does spending some money matter? At worst, I’ll just earn a bit more.”
Thus Zhenzhen gradually grew up in this wastrel lifestyle. Fortunately, though willful, she was not foolish. After studying for several years, she had learned some sense and was not deceived. Besides extravagance, she did nothing improper.
In private school, Zhenzhen befriended a classmate—a boy one year older than her, surnamed Yang and named Shenglin, son of Yang Yu, proprietor of Yibei Lou opposite Shizhen Lou. This boy was clever, excellent at calligraphy and painting, and fairly compatible with Zhenzhen’s temperament. Though they occasionally had conflicts, children’s joys and sorrows always switched quickly, and they soon made up after any quarrels.
Yibei Lou had operated in Pujiang for three generations, with foundations much deeper than Shizhen Lou. However, since Wu Qiuniang’s appearance, their business had been taken away by Shizhen Lou by several portions. Yang Yu was originally quite displeased to see his son befriending Wu Qiuniang’s daughter, but his wife Zheng Shi advised him: “Wu Qiuniang has only one daughter—her family wealth will eventually go to her daughter. Since our son gets along well with Wu Zhenzhen, why not simply marry her? This way, Shizhen Lou will ultimately fall into our son’s hands.”
Yang Yu thought this over and found it very reasonable. He thus hired a matchmaker to propose marriage with beaming smiles.
Yibei Lou and Shizhen Lou had competed openly and secretly for years. Uncle Pu had always disapproved of Yang Yu’s conduct, so seeing him actually send a matchmaker to propose to Zhenzhen, he wanted to drive them out immediately. Unexpectedly, Wu Qiuniang stopped him.
Wu Qiuniang received the Yang family’s matchmaker quite courteously and, without deliberating for days, agreed to this marriage. Uncle Pu was heartbroken, saying, “I watched Zhenzhen grow up with my own eyes—she’s like my own daughter. I wholeheartedly wanted to find her a scholar so that in the future, when her husband achieves success and honor, she could become an officially titled lady. Though Yang Shenglin has some family wealth, he’s ultimately just from a merchant and cook family background…”
Hearing this, Wu Qiuniang quietly glanced at him: “Merchant and cook background? Zhenzhen is also from a merchant and cook family—isn’t this a perfect match?”
Uncle Pu was momentarily speechless.
Qiuniang continued: “Just as you think, merchants and cooks have always been looked down upon by the world, and good families are unwilling to marry into such backgrounds. Even if Zhenzhen married a scholar and her husband later became an official, he might well regret her origins. If someone stirred up trouble, causing the couple to grow apart or even separate, it’s not entirely impossible. Better to marry someone of equal status now—when the couple quarrels in the future, her confidence won’t be inferior to her husband’s.”
Uncle Pu had no response and knew Qiuniang’s mind was made up, with no possibility of persuading her otherwise, so he gave up. Thus the Yang family inquired about names and accepted the auspicious omens, formally presented betrothal gifts according to propriety, and set the wedding date.
Merchant ships from Goryeo and Japan frequently came and went from Mingzhou. Qiuniang always went once or twice yearly to purchase rare medicines and ingredients. With her daughter’s marriage settled, Qiuniang included the Mingzhou trip in her itinerary, carefully listing items she wished to purchase, arranged all tavern affairs properly, then took Uncle Pu to Mingzhou.
During this period, Yang Shenglin went to the capital Lin’an at his father’s command to visit relatives, unexpectedly encountering Xiang Ye, who had been hired by a wealthy Lin’an household to oversee banquet preparations in the capital.
After Xiang Ye returned to Pujiang, she vividly described to Zhenzhen her encounter with Yang Shenglin: “Young Master Yang wore green robes and black leather shoes, dressed like a newly successful scholar, but he carried a Goryeo folding fan and had applied fashionable Lin’an osmanthus hair oil, making him look slick and not very dignified. Seeing me, he smiled and greeted me, so I asked where he came from. He said, ‘Just watched cuju at Qiyun Society.’ Looking at his attire, he didn’t seem to have come from a playing field, and besides the hair oil, he was quite fragrant too, like women’s perfume. So I asked, ‘How did Young Master get such powder and rouge fragrance from watching ball games?’ He answered unhurriedly, ‘I was watching women’s cuju.'”
All the female disciples of Shizhen Lou secretly suppressed their laughter while stealing glances to see Zhenzhen’s reaction. But after hearing this, Zhenzhen showed neither urgency nor anger, only smiling slightly: “Mm, I should go see this women’s cuju too.”
Zhenzhen took Yu Zan and three or four maidservants and servants to Lin’an. The day after arriving, she learned that Yang Shenglin had hired a pleasure boat and invited several courtesans to cruise West Lake. Zhenzhen and Yu Zan came to the lakeside, wanting to board a boat to enter the lake, but the weather was clear and fine that day, with West Lake crowded with tourists. The boats had been rented out completely, leaving only one small pleasure boat still moored at the shore. The boat master squatted at the bow dozing, not looking like he was waiting for customers.
Zhenzhen saw that though the boat wasn’t large and its style was rather old, it was still quite clean and elegant. She walked forward to wake the boatman, but a passerby stopped her, reminding, “This boat can’t be rented. Previously in Lin’an, a famous courtesan fell in love with a scholar. The scholar’s parents forbade their relationship, and the courtesan’s madam wouldn’t let her buy her freedom. So the two arranged to boat on West Lake—when the boat reached the lake’s center, they embraced and jumped to their deaths… That day they took this very boat. Since then, no one dares to ride it.”
Zhenzhen pondered briefly, smiled and thanked the passerby, but still directly woke the boatman and asked what price he’d charge to rent the boat for one day.
The boatman was over fifty, dark and thin. He looked at her drowsily and listlessly quoted a random price: “Two hundred coins.”
Zhenzhen said, “I’ll give you one thousand coins to rent your boat for five days.”
The boatman immediately jumped up in shock, never expecting anyone would actually rent this boat, much less without bargaining and for five days. Beaming with joy, he nodded repeatedly, accepted the price, and carried Zhenzhen and her group onto the lake.
The pleasure boat drifted into the lake and encountered Yang Shenglin’s boat near Broken Bridge. Yang Shenglin stood at the bow embracing a beauty while watching the lake’s gentle ripples, with several other beauties behind him playing various instruments, music swirling around.
Seeing Zhenzhen, Yang Shenglin’s smile immediately froze. He quickly released the beauty, then beamed with seemingly sincere expressions of delighted surprise, warmly inviting Zhenzhen to come aboard for conversation.
Zhenzhen didn’t decline, gracefully crossing to his boat and smiling at the assembled beauties: “These sisters must be the female sergeants of Qiyun Society.”
Qiyun Society was a guild of skilled cuju players throughout the dynasty, found everywhere but especially flourishing in Lin’an. Members were ranked by skill level, with the highest grade called “sergeant.”
Hearing her words, the beauties only smiled awkwardly, not daring to respond. Yang Shenglin rushed forward with an apologetic smile: “Exactly—they just finished a match this morning. Seeing their hard work, I invited them to cruise the lake. They still have to return to practice later.”
“Since they just played ball, they must have brought the ball—where is it?” Zhenzhen asked impassively.
Yang Shenglin looked around pretending to search: “Eh, it was just here—how has it disappeared…”
“There it is,” Zhenzhen pointed at the lake surface.
Yang Shenglin looked in the direction she pointed, but unexpectedly, Zhenzhen lifted her foot from behind him and suddenly kicked him into the water.
The fallen Yang Shenglin flailed about struggling while shouting for help. The beauties were greatly alarmed, rushing to the boat’s rail to watch, but all were at a loss and offered no rescue.
Zhenzhen waited calmly for a moment before ordering a servant to jump into the lake and drag Yang Shenglin back onto the boat.
The beauties on board became even more afraid to move. Zhenzhen smiled and gestured toward the soaking Yang Shenglin: “This big wet fish is dripping—I fear he’s disturbed the sisters’ elegant lake tour. Why not come to my boat? We can still play music and sing, not wasting today’s fine weather.”
The beauties remained silent with no response. Zhenzhen continued: “I certainly won’t mistreat you sisters. Whatever Yang gave you for entertainment, I’ll give you double.”
Some were slightly moved but still didn’t speak. Zhenzhen smiled: “Triple.”
Someone immediately spoke up: “Miss’s pleasure boat is elegant—this slave was just wanting to go admire it.”
The other beauties immediately agreed, competing to board Zhenzhen’s boat with their instruments.
Seeing that Zhenzhen remained pleasant and smiling toward them throughout, the beauties relaxed and began playing their reed pipes and lutes again. Zhenzhen, seized by sudden inspiration, took up a four-stringed lute and began singing “Moon over the West River” to the vast blue waves and the sound of orioles among willows.
The lyrics she sang were ones she’d heard from a guest who’d passed through Shizhen Lou. That person had a scholar’s appearance, clear and gentle features, thin and handsome, with composed movements and gestures. When singing, his tone had a kind of light, breezy quality of one who had seen all ships pass. Among the lyrics he sang, she particularly loved this line: “The world’s paths are now familiar to me, my heart peaceful wherever I go.”
She didn’t fully understand the meaning of these words, but when she was in good spirits, she would think of them. At this moment, her mood was inexplicably good. She had vented her anger at her pleasure-seeking fiancé, with no remaining resentment or fury in her heart. Yellow orioles still sang among green willows, white egrets still gazed toward blue skies, and on the fragrant islets, the eternal constant was clouds gathering and dispersing—what reason was there not to be happy? She wanted to share her joy with everyone around her, even including those courtesans she seemingly should dislike.
To the West Lake tourists, this was a strange and wonderful sight: a pretty girl in men’s clothing singing bold lyrics with a tender voice, the boat filled with beauties like clouds, ethereal music floating, the painted boat pushing into the depths of flowers, a scene of pipes and songs in drunken return.
When the excursion ended, Zhenzhen disembarked to head to the inn. The boatman followed closely, requesting instructions: “Earlier, tourists asked me if they could hire my boat for touring. I said the boat has been rented to you, honored guest, and whether it can be used depends on what you say.”
“They can board the boat. Price by person—three hundred coins per person for one round trip,” Zhenzhen walked forward without looking back, laughing, “Yu Zan, collect the money.”
Over the following days, Zhenzhen didn’t board the boat herself but hired several singing girls to continue playing music and singing on the pleasure boat. Tourists flocked to the boat, completely forgetting about the courtesan’s love suicide.
After five days, Zhenzhen returned to Pujiang with a large sum of money earned incidentally from this trip. The pleasure boat’s master came to see her off. Seeing his honest nature, Zhenzhen gave him an extra thirty percent of the earnings, patting his shoulder: “Set your mind at ease—your boat will rent very well now.”
The boatman thanked her profusely, raising his hands to his forehead and bowing repeatedly, watching Zhenzhen until her figure disappeared from view before turning back.