Chapter Thirty-Five: Luminous Shadow Flutters

  Yaxuan downstairs.

  Zhao Zhilong, Liu Kongzhao, Xu Hongji, Xu Yanling, Li Zushu and Wang Pu had just sat down when the eight famous Southern Opera divas led by Madame Li Dahan walked in with a rustle of silk. The fragrance wafted before their faces, beautiful shadows danced around them, leaving Wang Pu and the others dazed and bewildered.

  Due to the large number of people, Madam Li arranged two six-foot carved round tables. Wang Pu, Zhao Zhilong and Xu Hongji sat at one table, accompanied by Liu Ruzi, Chen Yuanyuan, Li Shimin and Bian Yujing. At another table were Liu Kanzhao, Xu Yanling and Li Zushou, accompanied by Gu Mei, Kou Baimen, Dong Xiaowan and Li Xiangjun.

  As soon as everyone sat down, fine wine and delicious dishes were served like flowing water.

  Xincheng Bo Zhao Zhilong smiled and said to Wang Pu: "General Wang, the Qinhuai River's smoke flower scene is most famous for the two Li families' Yanxiang Pavilion and Mei Niang's Meilou. The two Li families' Yanxiang Pavilion also have three ultimate things, do you know what they are?"

  Wang Pu bowed his fist and said: "Please enlighten me, sir."

  Zhao Zhi Long smiled and said, "The three ultimate things in the Fragrant Pavilion are Big Madam's culinary skills, Tenth Madam's piano skills, and Xiang Dian's little ditty. General Wang, if you haven't tasted Big Madam's cooking, then you can't say you've been to Nanjing. If you haven't heard Tenth Madam's piano playing or Xiang Dian's little song, then you can't say you've strolled along the Qinhuai River."

  "Ah yo." Li Daigne waved her handkerchief and smiled coquettishly, "I really can't bear to be praised by Master Bo like this."

  Wang Pu's gaze instinctively fell on Li Dainiang's plump and seductive chest, although she was already the madam of Yanxiang Pavilion, but she was only in her early thirties, just like Hailanzhu, at the prime of her life as a woman, especially with that mature feminine charm emanating from her body, which was most alluring.

  Zhao Zhilong reluctantly withdrew his admiring gaze from Li Dama, and said to Wang Pu: "General Wang, try this pine-seed salmon, it's one of Li Dama's specialties."

  "Really?" Wang said with a smile, "Then I'll have to savor it carefully."

  Wang Pu took a bite and sent it to his mouth, only to feel that it was both crispy and tender, with a lingering fragrance between his teeth. Indeed, it was a rare delicacy. He sincerely praised: "The old lady's culinary skills are really impressive."

  "General Wang is overpraising." Li Daigne happily replied, "If the general likes it, I'll teach Yuanyuan the method of making this dish, and let her make it for the general to eat every day."

  "Ah, it's really good." Wang Pu said with a smile, "Then I'll thank the madam first."

  "Hey, big brother, don't just focus on eating!" Chang Yanling called out from the other table. "Nuan Xiang Ge has three ultimate delights, and you've already tasted this culinary skill, but have you heard the tenth daughter's qin art and the small tune of Xiang Shan's fan pendant?"

  "We want to hear Shi Niang's pipa and Xiang Shan's small song." Li Zushu followed with a shout, "We also want to hear Liu Niang's guqin and Mei Niang's dongxiao, and we want to see Yu Jing Niang, Bai Men Niang and Xiao Wan Niang's dance. If Sister Fu can sing a water mill tune, that would be even better, hehehe."

  Xincheng Bo Zhao Zhilong burst out laughing and said, "Well said! Tonight, the eight famous beauties of Nanqu have gathered at Weixiang Pavilion, which is truly an unprecedented grand occasion. I think it's better to take advantage of tonight and hold a grand party. The eight ladies can either perform their skills, sing, or compose poems, each showcasing their strengths, competing with each other in a delightful way to entertain our distinguished guests. What do you say?"

  Wei Guo Gong Xu Hongji, Cheng Yi Bo Liu Kongzhao and Chang Yanling, Li Zushu cheered loudly.

  Li Dainiang smiled slyly and said: "I actually have an idea, but I don't know if I should say it or not?"

  "Please speak, madam," Zhao Zhi Long said loudly.

  "Only the young ladies performing, I feel it's not lively enough. Why don't General Wang give a drinking command, and all the gentlemen, young ladies, and elders follow suit? The losers will have to perform an act, either sing, or show off their skills, or recite poetry, or tell jokes and riddles, as long as they can make everyone laugh."

  "Good, this suggestion is good."

  "Let's do it this way."

  Xu Hongji and others applauded loudly.

  Li Zu Shu hastily cried out: "Big brother, you must hurry and give the order."

  It's hard to refuse the hospitality, so Wang Pu had no choice but to take out a cat's eye-sized ivory die from his pocket, which was extorted from the King of Korea, and said: "Let's roll the dice then."

  As soon as Wang Pu's words came out, they immediately attracted two beautiful eyes. Li Shiniang and Bian Yujing almost simultaneously looked at Wang Pu with their eyes gleaming with unusual colors.

  Li Daigne asked in a soft voice: "There are many ways to play with this dice, I wonder how the general plans to play?"

  Wang Pu: "The gameplay is simple, here is a die that can roll out one to six points of six numbers. Each table has seven people, excluding the host, leaving exactly six people. After the host shakes the dice cup, everyone takes turns guessing the number. If someone in front has already guessed a number, the person behind cannot repeat it. Finally, the host reveals the answer, and those who guess correctly perform a program to become the next host."

  "Good, this is a good way." Li Zushu shouted loudly, "Younger brother wants to be the host of this table."

  At this time, Li Danna had already asked someone to bring a pair of jade dice cups. Wang Pu took the lead and took over the cup, throwing the ivory dice inside and starting to shake them up. The smile in Li Shiniang's and Bian Yujing's eyes became even thicker, seeing Wang Pu's skilled technique for shaking the dice, they knew this guy was a gambler.

  "Right!"

  Wang Pu gently tapped the dice cup on the table and smiled at Liu Ruyi, who was sitting to his right: "Miss Liu, please go first."

  Liu Ruyi smiled slightly and guessed a "four".

  Liu Ruzi guessed "five" for Zhao Zhilong's right-hand verse.

  Li Shi Niang on Zhao Zhi Long's right guessed "three".

  Li Shiniang's right-hand man Xu Hongji guessed a "two".

  Xu Hongji guessed "one" from Bian Yuqing's right shoulder.

  Finally it was Chen Yuanyuan's turn, and she could only guess "six".

  Wang Pu finally lifted the lid, and to everyone's surprise, it was a "six" dot. The crowd burst into laughter, but Chen Yuanyuan blushed and couldn't help but turn her head to give Wang Pu a tender glance. Wang Pu smiled wryly and said, "My dear wife, since my luck is so bad, I'll have to trouble you to perform a program for everyone."

  Chen Yuanyuan stood up and said in a soft voice: "Let that little girl sing a Wu dialect folk song."

  ■■■

  Let's not talk about Wang Pu having a good time in the Fragrant Pavilion for now, and instead go back to talking about Liu Ba Dao, the bandit from Taihu Lake. Because the beauty he had obtained had flown away again, after returning to the camp he became more and more angry, until finally, taking advantage of the darkness, he quietly slipped out of the big camp. Just as he was about to untie his boat and leave, suddenly a dozen or so torches lit up around him, and in the firelight, Zhang San with bare feet had already led Zhao Tie Dan and several dozen other bandit chiefs to surround him.

  "Liu Ba Dao." Barefoot Zhang San sternly asked, "Where are you going?"

  "Big stick." Liu Ba said with a hard head, "The subordinate wants to go to Suzhou City once."

  "Going to Suzhou?" Zhang San asked coldly, "What are you going to Suzhou for?"

  "Going to take care of some personal matters."

  "Is it a private matter?" Barefoot Zhang San said, "I'm afraid you're going to switch to another sect?"

  Liu Ba Dao hastily said: "Big Flapping Ear, nothing of the sort."

  "Zhao Tieda shouted: 'Liu Badao, at this point you'd better stop quibbling.'"

  "Zhao Tie Dan!" Liu Ba Dao roared in extreme anger, "You dare to betray your old man!"

  Zhao said coldly: "You were the first to be unkind, don't blame me for being unjust."

  "Ah!" Liu Ba Dao angrily said, "Zhao Tie Dan you have guts."

  Zhang San said coldly with his bare feet: "Liu Ba Dao, do you still have anything to say at this point?"

  Liu Ba Dao replied loudly: "I have nothing to say."

  "Alright." Zhang San said in a low voice, "You can leave if you want, but you have to give me an explanation, and account for yourself to my brothers!"

  Liu Ba Dao said coldly, "Since things have been said to this point, let's just clarify them. Big Flapping Ear, don't you think that the stinky rules of Lake Water Stockade are too numerous? The beautiful woman who was about to be caught ran away, and even the delicious meat that was about to be eaten flew away - what kind of thing is this? I, Liu Ba Dao, can't figure it out!"

  "Those are the rules left by Old Brother Zhang San," said Zhang San in a low voice, "they are the foundation of our brotherhood!"

  Liu Badao said: "I, Liu Badao, have had enough and am unwilling to serve anymore!"

  "Alright then." Barefoot Zhang San said, "Let's follow the old rules of the 48 villages and form a Water Gate Array!"

  "Big bully, don't force me!" Liu Ba Dao said with a stern voice, "If I'm beaten out of the Water Gate Formation, will I still have a way to live? If you let me go today, even if we can't be brothers, we'll still be friends when we meet on the road in the future. But if you really want to force me hard today, then don't blame me, Liu Ba Dao, for being unkind and unjust later."

  "Great rake, there will be a meeting and a deadline!"

  Liu Ba Dao finished speaking and suddenly jumped into the water with a splash, Zhao Tie Dan and others wanted to chase after him but were blocked by Zhang San, who sighed and said: "No matter what, Liu Ba Dao has followed me, Zhang San, for many years. If he really wants to fight his way out of the Water Gate Formation, he will surely die."