Chapter 175 — Coincidence

One man against two, yet it was no crude drinking bout—a single cup would be followed by a long stretch of talk of moon and wind, so that they seemed to be drinking heavily and carousing wildly. But they were nothing to Ji Yong and Wei Fan, who drained cup after cup in a single gulp; before long seven or eight empty jars stood beside them, and Wei Fan was drinking till his eyes went glassy, answering whatever he was asked.

Only then did He Yu understand. It turned out that Gu Yu and the others had taken on the dredging of the canal, and the Ministry of Works was responsible for calculating the labor costs—and how would the Ministry dare to undercut their rates? So Wang Yu and his friends had invited the several bureau directors who handled the settlement in Pingli out for a merry round of wine and women, and those directors had come running, tails wagging...

He could not help but sigh.

No wonder everyone said Wang Yu was worth befriending. Just by this one gesture of honoring the worthy and condescending to the lowly, he showed himself to be no ordinary man.

He Yu genuinely began to feel the urge to drink a cup or two with Wang Yu himself.

The drinking gradually slowed, but the talk grew ever more abundant.

Gu Yu found it tedious. Seeing too that Wei Fan had drunk himself past knowing east from west, and that the several bureau directors of the Ministry of Works were making worse and worse spectacles of themselves, flirting with the women beside them with their clothes nearly stripped off, he tossed his empty flower-shell token onto the table and rose. "Let's call it a day! We'll gather again another time."

Wei Fan nodded foolishly.

Wang Yu's steward came forward to keep Zheng Zhaokun and the others company in their eating, drinking, and merrymaking.

Gu Yu and the rest left the Drunken Immortal Peach.

Ji Yong said, "Our Old Master has come to the capital. I had a hard enough time slipping out today—who knows when I'll be able to get away next time!" He proposed, "Why don't we go to Zhao Zishu's place and keep drinking!"

Zhao Zishu was one of the few celebrated actors in the capital, living in the North Zen Temple Lane. It was a three-courtyard compound, kept neat and orderly, where he resided with several handsome young apprentices. He had a famous capital chef cook at home, and ordinary folk could not get past his gate.

He Yu was well versed in music and skilled at writing lyrics. He had long been regarded by Zhao Zishu as an honored guest. Several times he had invited Ji Yong to North Zen Temple Lane to hear songs, and Ji Yong had declined each time without interest; this time, since Ji Yong raised it of his own accord, He Yu naturally praised the idea again and again.

Wang Yu, wishing to draw closer to Ji Yong, also agreed with a smile.

Gu Yu was a fellow who loved amusement, and they were all of equal standing; seeing that Wang Yu had agreed, he naturally went along with the tide.

Ji Yong then seized Wei Fan by the shoulder and climbed into the carriage.

The party set off for South Zen Temple Lane.

Zhao Zishu hurried out to welcome them.

Wei Fan was struck dumb at the sight.

A slender figure, skin that seemed it would break at a breath, features like a painting, an easy and generous smile—and in the shifting of his gaze there lurked a subtle, lingering charm of a thousand turns and a hundred folds.

He could not help licking his somewhat parched lips and whispered toward Ji Yong's sleeve: "Is he—is he a man or a woman?"

Ji Yong rolled his eyes. "Have you ever seen a female actor?"

Wei Fan was abashed, yet also relieved, and followed Ji Yong and the others into the residence.

Green trees screened the great red lanterns, lending the quiet courtyard a touch of the amorous.

Zhao Zishu laid out a feast in the flower hall to entertain He Yu and the others.

Meanwhile, in the Jingzhen State Manor, Wei Wan's courtyard was ablaze with lights.

Tomorrow was the annual Dharma assembly at the Puji Temple; the abbot of Puji Temple would personally preach the Buddhist law in the side hall, and not only would the noble ladies who followed the faith attend, but the womenfolk of the official families would come as well.

The maids and serving women in her rooms were busy preparing the clothes and ornaments for tomorrow's outing.

Matron Jin gazed at the madder-red padded jacket embroidered with ten-pattern brocade that Wei Wan held in her hands, and flattered her: "This garment is lovely. Why not wear this one to Puji Temple tomorrow, madam?"

Wei Wan said nothing, but asked Matron Lü beside her: "What do you think?"

Matron Lü smiled. "I think something plain and neat would be better—it's midsummer already. Moon-white, lake-blue, those are excellent colors."

Wei Wan nodded with an "mm," and instructed her maid: "The moon-white Hangzhou silk jacket with the bamboo-leaf pattern, then!"

The maid answered and went off.

Matron Lü shot Matron Jin a glance not without a touch of smugness.

Matron Jin was filled with bitter hatred.

Ever since that old wretch had spoken of how the fourth young lady of the Dou family had a hard fate, losing her mother at such a young age and then her grandfather too, the madam had looked on her with special favor.

Had she known this would happen, she should have steeled her heart from the start and said the same sort of thing about the fourth young lady of the Dou family.

But now it was too late for regret.

The madam gave her face at every turn; to contend with her now would only be to invite humiliation.

It seemed she could only recover her ground at the grand temple tomorrow.

At these thoughts, she felt somewhat appeased.

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Sisters, brothers, today's update!

o(n_n)o~

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