Book 7 Chapter 12 - Running Amuck at the Pleasure House
When Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling went to Chun Zai Lou, they changed their appearance again; they now looked just like ordinary Wulin figures.
It was Yun Yuzhen's idea, if anything bad should happen, they could return to their grain merchant identity, and nobody would know their identity.
Under Chan Laomou's skillful hands, Kou Zhong became a thirty-five, thirty-six years old man with a moustache. Xu Ziling wore thick eyebrows and his skin was darkened considerably, to conceal his scholarly and handsome features. He also had five strands of beard, so that even old acquaintances would find it hard to recognize him.
Nobody knows how many ordinary-looking warriors like them were going in and out of brothels every day; therefore, when they appeared, the bouncer at the door [orig. turtle slave doorkeeper] did not pay the slightest attention. It was not until Kou Zhong stuffed a piece of gold into his hand that he realized the visitor was a big, rich man, and thus he busily bowed respectfully with clasped hands and respectfully welcomed them into the guest lounge.
Kou Zhong whispered in Xu Ziling's ear, "I hope our luck this time is a bit better.”
Xu Ziling sighed, recalling that every time they visited a pleasure house, not once the outcome has been good.
Meanwhile the ‘turtle slave' was pulling the bawd, Bai Niang [lit. white lady, I don't know whether it is a term to call a female brothel keeper in general], a woman with fancy eyebrows and laughing eyes, to greet them. This time Kou Zhong was getting even more serious, he stuffed two pieces of gold into her hand before saying, "We came here because we admire Miss Huo Qi's name, Bai Niang must not let us down!”
Bai Niang laughed cheerfully and said, "Two Daye are so generous, of course Nujia will do anything for you! But every night Qiqi is so busy and has no time to spare. Nujia has to think of a way that she could come down and sing you a song to satisfy Daye's cherished desire.”
How could Kou Zhong accept that? Being more generous at the expense of Xiang Yushan, he stuffed another piece of gold into her hand and said, "Singing in a hurry is just too bland; how about Bai Niang arrange an appointment for me and Miss Huo Qi tomorrow night …”
"Aiyo!” Bai Niang cried out tenderly, cutting him off, "Tomorrow is even more out of the question, even Nujia is helpless. Ay! You don't know how popular Qiqi is, if Nujia did not see how generous two Daye are, why would I be willing to receive a scolding to make arrangement for you?”
And then she went on, "Gentlemen please stay here and have some tea, let Nujia go into the inner courtyard on Daye's behalf to find other courtyard ‘with face', to select several beautiful women with excellent voice, face and skill for two Daye, and then I'll come back here to take Daye in.”
The two boys were taken into the noisy parlor and were seated in a set of table and chairs. After taking a cup of fragrant tea offered by a young maid, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling stealthily looked around with great interest.
There were more than a dozen sets of table and chairs arranged along the wall of the parlor, all filled with people. Everybody seemed to be afraid that their voice was not loud enough, so they talked and quarreled so loud that the clamor shook the heavens, just like rowdy people at the marketplace.
Kou Zhong sipped his tea for a moment, and then he sighed and said, "Sitting here in this place, who would have thought that the fire of war is ravaging the Central Earth, and the people are in a terrible situation?”
Xu Ziling spoke in low voice, "You have to be careful, there are two guys by the door staring at us.”
Knitting his brows, Kou Zhong muttered, "There should be nothing in our appearances that give us away; what's so good about looking at us, we are not popular ‘aunties' of the brothel.”
Xu Ziling smiled wryly and said, "We will find out soon enough; one of them is heading our way.”
The two boys pretended not to notice, and then when that person sat across the table from them, they pretended to look up in surprise. But as soon as they did, their soul flew away and scattered; they nearly spring up and run away.
Because that person was the Dongming Princess Shan Wanjing, who disguised herself by wearing men's clothing.
But this time her jade face was frosty, as she stared hatefully at the two boys and said, "Even turning into ashes I will still recognize you, two little thieves.”
Having just recovered from shock, Kou Zhong recalled that they had indeed stolen her belongings, so her scolding them as little thieves was really difficult to refute. Therefore, he awkwardly said, "Princess, how are you? Long time no see, I can't believe you are not only getting more beautiful, you are getting more mature too.”
Dongming Princess Shan Wanjing's eyes were full of murderous intent; she said in heavy voice, "Death is near at hand, you still dare to be loquacious. If I cry out either Kou Zhong or Xu Ziling, I guarantee you will never leave this brothel alive.”
And then, turning her gaze toward Xu Ziling, she said mockingly, "I can't believe the haughty and conceited Xu Gongzi is not only a thief, but he is also a lecherous thief.”
Xu Ziling boldly returned her gaze. Focusing his eyes on her oval face, a hint of wry smile appeared on the corner of his eyes as he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Whatever Princess wants to do to me, just do it!”
Kou Zhong laughed and said, "Princess seems to have a particularly close relationship with this brother of mine so that your scolding to him was not as severe as to me, Xiaodi.”
Shan Wanjing was slightly taken aback; a complex, undecipherable emotion flashed through her beautiful eyes. And then, looking down, she said, "I indeed have close relationship with the two of you, with your two dogs' life. Right now I am giving you two options: one, I will expose your true identity, two, you come with me to resolve the problems between us.”
Recovering his rascally character, Kou Zhong asked with a giggle, "Princess, how many attendants do you have this time?”
Shan Wanjing replied with a cold laugh, "To take care of you, two thieves, do I need any helpers?”
Kou Zhong stretched out and said with a smile, "Princess, why don't you examine yourself: how do you fare compared to your Ba boyfriend?”
Shan Wanjing was greatly stunned. After staring blankly for a moment, she asked, "What Ba boyfriend? Oh … you …”
Xu Ziling said indifferently, "We have had confrontation with Ba Xiong. But may I ask Princess, this time you came to Jiujiang, what noble errand brings you here?”
Shan Wanjing was so angry that her seven orifices seemed to be spouting smoke. "My business has nothing to do with you!” she said, "You don't even have the qualifications to ask.”
And then, glowering at Kou Zhong, she fumed, "Ba Fenghan is just a friend I can get along with, there is no private matters between man and woman involved; don't you try to make others vomit blood.”
Kou Zhong spread out his hands and said, "How about that Li guy from the Li Clan? Is he also just a friend you can get along with? I am asking this on Xiao Ling's behalf.”
Naturally Xu Ziling knew that Kou Zhong was exploiting his subtle relationship with Shan Wanjing in an attempt to cross this difficulty; since he did not think it was inappropriate, he remained silent.
Shan Wanjing's tender body trembled slightly, her jade face turned ashen from anger; gnashing her teeth, she said, "Full of nonsense! I swear that if I don't kill you today, I cannot conduct myself in the world.”
Laughing apologetically, Kou Zhong said, "Princess, please calm down; in everything we must consider the outcome. For instance, fighting is definitely not a good thing, but if after the fight we can turn the enemy into a friend, this is a good thing. I admit that stealing is not a good thing per se, but if the outcome is the death of that muddleheaded ruler so that your other good friend that Li guy can have a better chance in contending over the world, we have changed a bad thing into a good thing. Hee hee …! Princess, please be magnanimous, Xiao Ling and I apologize to you.”
Shan Wanjing was silent for half a day. Finally she said softly, "It doesn't matter if your tongue can grow beautiful lotus flower, tonight don't even think of escaping alive. Starting from now, within ten breaths, if you don't come with me out of this place, I will immediately shout ‘Kou Zhong' and ‘Xu Ziling'. I want to see what good thing will the outcome be.”
The two boys' scalp went numb, but there was no way they would surrender to her will.
If the grandiose Dongming Princess did not bring any attendants, they did not believe she had the ability to kill them. But that was not the reason of their distress; their biggest headache was that in this fight, they could only take a beating, otherwise, how could they bite the hand that feeds them by injuring Dongming Pai people?
Seven breaths, eight breaths …
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling exchanged a glance with a determined look on their faces to win.
Nine breaths! Ten breaths.
Shan Wanjing's eyes were flashing with sharp, bright gleam. Suddenly she cried out with her tender voice, "Kou Zhong, Xu Ziling are here.”
Her voice was backed by her inner power, the sound shook the main hall, penetrated every single ear.
The main hall suddenly turned so quiet that the sound of a falling needle could be heard, more than a hundred pairs of eyes were staring at the three of them.
Against all expectation, Kou Zhong suddenly laughed aloud. The entire length of his body rose up and he said, "Turns out Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, those two kids are hanging around in here, but why did Xiongtai think it was necessary for you to stretch your throat by shouting and yelling?”
He has not finished talking, Shan Wanjing's palm struck from across the table, carrying an intense qi power, like an arrow it shot toward Kou Zhong's broad chest.
Kou Zhong thought saving his life was more important. Unwilling to reveal his skill, he slipped behind Xu Ziling like a swimming fish.
The hall remained silent [orig. crow and peacock make no sound].
Nowadays, anybody who was moving about in Jianghu would more or less hear about these two boys; not only about the two separate hunt-and-kill decrees on their heads, but also because of the widely spread rumors of their knowledge of the ‘Duke Yang Treasure Trove' secret.
Xu Ziling's eyes shone with unprecedented divine light as he fixed his gaze on the Dongming Princess Shan Wanjing and spoke slowly word-by-word, "Do you know what you are doing?”
And then his palm struck the table. The entire solid Chinese cedar wood table immediately shattered into cun-long fragments, wood pieces sprinkled down all over the floor.