“You still haven’t answered my question. It’s fine if you stutter—no problem.” Mo Zi smiled kindly. “Little Brother Ming Nian, what did Xu Jiu see, and what is he persuading about?”
“Ming Nian, go greet the guests.” Yuan Cheng stood up and flicked his sleeves.
Ming Nian answered “Yes” and ran off like smoke.
Mo Zi frowned, her eyes forming triangles, fingers tapping her cheek, suspicion all over her face. “Something’s fishy!”
Yuan Cheng was amused by her strange expression and laughed. “What fishy business? Let’s go see together.”
“You had me enter through the north gate. Originally I thought you were being considerate, afraid someone from Prince Jing’s mansion might see me entering the main gate and cause trouble. Now that I think about it, it was to prevent me from seeing something, wasn’t it?” The windmill in Mo Zi’s head spun rapidly.
“Third Brother is truly ice-and-snow clever.” Yuan Cheng pulled her along. “You only know how to guess, not how to verify.”
Mo Zi shook off his hand, brushing off goosebumps. “Third Brother ice-and-snow clever? If someone hears that, they’ll think you have Brokeback Mountain tendencies and I’m neither male nor female.”
“You used this phrase before.” Brokeback had left him puzzled. “I sincerely ask for instruction—what exactly does it mean?”
“It means the passion of cut sleeves, the preference of Longyang.” Mo Zi grinned.
“These terms I understand, but how did they become Brokeback Mountain in Third Brother’s mouth?” The connection made no sense.
“…” Mo Zi’s eyes rolled. “Foreign expression.”
Yuan Cheng nodded. “No wonder.”
Mo Zi discovered he was quite humble and eager to learn—a teachable youth indeed.
Winter darkness fell quickly. Leaving the Dragon Pavilion, crossing the lakeshore, walking along, she suddenly noticed light appearing beside her. Looking, she saw two young servants with scholar-boy topknots holding lanterns.
“The people in your residence appear and disappear like ghosts.” Like Aladdin’s lamp—as soon as you think “it’s getting dark,” two light-bearers suddenly jump out.
“What use are so many idle people? Let each person serve their purpose.” The firelight illuminated Yuan Cheng’s face in half-gold, half-shadow. “Not counting retainer-guests, the Chancellor’s residence had over four hundred servants and guards. But truly eating the lord’s salary and shouldering the lord’s worries—how many were there?”
“I really don’t know what kind of life you lived before.” Over four hundred people serving one master, plus retainer-guests—truly extravagant enough.
“A kind of life where, if you’d seen it, you definitely wouldn’t have wanted to save me.” Then right now he might be a dead man. Even if not truly dead, he’d be a living corpse.
Mo Zi clicked her tongue, about to mock him a couple of times when one of the young servants loudly announced His Lordship’s arrival.
A door immediately appeared in the darkness ahead. Inside the door, lights flickered like starfire against the ink-black background, indescribably enchanting, stirring one’s imagination.
The moment Mo Zi stepped through the door, she was enveloped by the crisp fragrance of plum blossoms. She couldn’t help breathing deeply, then realized the lights were actually set among countless plum branches—the lights were flowers, the flowers were lights. What amazed her even more was that gold glinted among the flowers, seemingly real yet false. This gold, these flowers, these lights hung from the beams, interweaving around the banquet tables. Each table also held a long plum branch—green-petaled lights, gold-petaled plums, complementing the stability of black wood, indescribably beautiful.
“You invited Xu Jiu?” This aesthetic—in modern times there was a word that could express it precisely: romantic.
“Besides Xu Jiu, there’s also Lu Man and Leng Liu.” Yuan Cheng looked up and down at this banquet hall. “Although I mentioned there would be female guests and asked them to add some decoration, this neither bright nor dark…” What should he say about it?
“Your residence has an expert at decorating banquets.” Mo Zi finally understood why officials loved running to Yuan Cheng’s home. This creativity couldn’t compare to retro-style modern decoration—it could be called postmodern minimalism. “Wait—there are female guests?”
“Xu Jiu’s new bride and the family members of Lu Man and Leng Liu.” Yuan Cheng took the host’s seat, pointing Mo Zi to the adjacent table on his left. “Originally my residence has no female family members, so it’s inconvenient to entertain female guests. However, Xu Jiu said people from the boat gang don’t fuss over such things, and also said my residence has fine scenery—he wanted to bring his new wife to open her eyes.”
Mo Zi’s face lit up with joy. “Xu Jiu got married?” Hahaha!
Yuan Cheng hid a smile. “I thought you’d be darkly dejected and quite disappointed.” When drinking with him, Xu Jiu had mentioned proposing marriage to Mo Zi.
“Yuan Cheng, using one inappropriate phrase can be forgiven. But misusing two phrases in a row—quickly drink three cups as self-punishment. Not to mention Xu Jiu’s marriage proposal had impure motives, I only have brotherly feelings for him, no romantic love between man and woman. Now that he’s married a beautiful bride, I’m delighted for him—not enough time to be happy. Dejected my foot, disappointed my foot!” She had no vanity requiring her to be pleased by someone’s admiration when she didn’t like them.
That Xu Jiu was so magnanimous and free about matters of the heart—she applauded with both hands. It should be exactly this way. When feelings aren’t deep and it’s one-sided, why entangle each other in suffering? Better to look at other scenery—there’s still floral fragrance everywhere.
Yuan Cheng drank three cups in succession, cups turned bottom-up, not a drop remaining.
“But Leng Liu too—just days ago when I went to borrow ships from him, he didn’t mention a word.” Moreover, he’d wanted to play matchmaker for Xu Jiu.
“I heard Xu Jiu got married at his in-laws’ home this time. The news wasn’t leaked—only after arriving in the capital did he send out wedding invitations. Even Leng Liu probably couldn’t learn of this matter early.” Yuan Cheng saw the young servant at the door making hand signals—guests were arriving.
“Married at the in-laws’ home?” Mo Zi sat cross-legged pouring wine. “Xu Jiu must have married quite a remarkable woman?”
“Whether his wife is remarkable or not, I don’t know. I only know his in-laws are very remarkable. Speaking of which, you also know them—Fu Tian. Xu Jiu married Fu Tian’s eldest daughter.” Yuan Cheng knew this in great detail.
“Oh?!” Fu Tian’s daughter? “Then that Xu Jiu, could it be—”
“The guests have arrived.” Yuan Cheng suddenly interrupted her. He knew her thoughts. “Mo Zi, regardless of whether Xu Jiu likes his wife or has other purposes, a man like him, once married, will take responsibility to the end.”
“Can’t it be simple?” Mo Zi admitted that even though she’d been hurt, she still hoped to meet a man who truly loved her.
“Xu Jiu has ambition. He won’t let romantic feelings affect the path he wants to walk. The decision to marry was very simple for him—he thought it, so he acted.” How could it be as complicated as she imagined? Yuan Cheng’s face showed that gentle expression, his trademark.
Mo Zi stood up, turned outward, and saw a group of people entering one after another, some she recognized, some she didn’t.
“Didn’t you say there would be female family members?” She was waiting to see them.
“Female family members visiting the residence don’t sit at the same table as their husbands—their seats are in the west corner. Since Xu Jiu said not to fuss over formalities, I didn’t add a curtain. They’ll probably enter shortly.” Not fussing was not fussing, but as the host, there still had to be certain proprieties.
Mo Zi, being a woman, naturally had different views on this custom. She pressed her lips into a straight line, expressing indifference. “Since they’re boat gang people who don’t fuss, and they came to your bachelor lord’s home, and you’re not putting up curtains, why not simply have husbands and wives sit together? That would show the host is generous.”
Yuan Cheng listened and fell silent.
At this moment, Leng Liu and Lu Man came up with cupped fists, calling out “Lord Yuan” and “Brother Mo.”
Xu Jiu wore a golden-brown python robe, his arm rings still his most eye-catching distinctive ornament. He laughed heartily at Yuan Cheng, then saw Mo Zi and his expression became somewhat awkward.
Mo Zi smiled and bowed, then addressed Leng Liu. “Sixth Master Leng, marriage is such a major event, yet your Old Jiu quietly completed the happy occasion without a sound. Today we must make him drink until he can’t walk straight.”
Leng Liu sighed inwardly—this Brother Mo really didn’t fancy Old Jiu. On his face he smiled. “Isn’t that so? No advance discussion, no word—I came back to find I had a new sister-in-law. Old Jiu, you really can’t justify this.”
Seeing Mo Zi laughing as usual, Xu Jiu sighed inwardly then relaxed. No matter what, he couldn’t lose his brotherly bond with Brother Mo. He spoke frankly: “I accept the punishment—I’ll drink until I can’t walk. Besides, this wedding wine isn’t much to drink anyway. Better for us few good brothers to gather, eat heartily, drink heartily. Another day, in the next few days, I’ll treat you all at Wangqiu Tower to fine food—abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin, fish maw, order whatever you want. Oh, and in a bit, let Qin Niang pour wine for you all, call you uncle and such, recognize each other’s faces.”
Mo Zi clapped. “Sister-in-law’s wine must be drunk, of course, but you’re the one who kept it secret. If sister-in-law asks me for a red envelope, I won’t give it. Didn’t see the wedding ceremony, didn’t make a ruckus in the bridal chamber—how can I obediently hand over this wedding gift?”
Yuan Cheng added, “Wait until Lord Jiu becomes a father, then combine it with his son’s full-month celebration as one gift.”
“That’s a good idea.” Mo Zi quickly agreed. “Simply, Yuan Cheng, the two of us give one gift together. Let Lord Jiu realize that not making a big production of future happy events—saving that little bit of money—how many big red envelopes will he lose!”
Leng Liu and Lu Man laughed loudly, saying they too wanted to combine and pool their gift.
Xu Jiu’s awkwardness passed in this commotion, and his romantic feelings for Mo Zi quietly dispersed. From now on, just brotherly affection.
“Where’s sister-in-law and the others? Why don’t I see anyone?” After everyone was seated, Mo Zi asked.
“They said they wanted to admire the flower lanterns in His Lordship’s residence. Perfect—we can also discuss some proper business.” Xu Jiu sat at Yuan Cheng’s right, opposite Mo Zi, and described the process of fighting for Lu Man’s position as gang leader. It turned out Feng Shi was even stronger than they’d anticipated. Not only was the Mackerel Gang leader Yu Zhong’s younger sister Feng Shi’s legitimate wife, he’d also formed a blood alliance with the Sea Shark Gang. Add to that Fu Tian’s unwillingness to provoke mutual slaughter among boat gangs, so he finally invited the elders of each gang to supervise, and both sides talked in a peaceful manner. “The Mackerel Gang is now split in two. Feng Shi took half the people and established his own operation. Lu Big Brother, Old Liu, and I discussed it—if we want to merge the two gangs, we can drive Feng Shi out of the Five Great Boat Alliance. Lord, Brother Mo, what do you two think?”
Yuan Cheng saw Mo Zi was distracted and called her. “Does Brother Mo have questions to ask?”
Mo Zi had actually heard “Feng Shi” and thought of Wu You, but everyone present was male and probably wouldn’t care about a married courtesan, so she spoke up: “I think it won’t work.”
Lu Man knew Mo Zi was quite clever and paid attention to her words. “How so?”
“In my view, the Five Great Boat Alliance already exists in name only. Weiyang and Huolin are one rope, while Mackerel Gang’s Feng Shi, the Whale Gang, and Sea Shark Gang are another rope. Comparing the two forces, although Fu Tian—that is, Lord Jiu’s in-laws—have a slight advantage, Feng Shi and their group’s strength cannot be underestimated either. Now the Mackerel Gang is split into two branches—disputes will be even fiercer in the future. Rather than driving Feng Shi out of the boat alliance, better to strive to dissolve the alliance. Lord Jiu and Big Brother Lu unite with Weiyang and Huolin to form one gang—not four gangs in alliance, but one gang, working with one heart, indistinguishable from each other, one large gang.” Mo Zi felt the Five Great Boat Alliance’s situation of each acting independently was already irreversible.
“Following Brother Mo’s words, before forming this one large gang, I think we should simply set up a sacrificing-the-chariot-to-save-the-king strategy, letting Feng Shi and his ilk fight like dogs over profit, creating utter chaos, no longer having any alliance intentions. Then you can break them one by one, swallow and devour them.” Yuan Cheng felt the Mackerel Gang split wasn’t ruthless enough.
Xu Jiu’s eyes blazed bright, just about to ask for details, when a delicate, beautiful voice rang out.
“Wife of Xu, née Fu, has come to pour wine for His Lordship and all present.”