In the courtyard, several plump banana plants stood tall. Raindrops pattered against their leaves, producing a crisp, clear sound. Xu Fengnian and Xu Pu, having fetched two stools, sat by the entrance. Suddenly, Xu Fengnian chuckled. Noticing Xu Pu’s puzzled gaze, he felt slightly embarrassed and said, “You probably already know, Uncle Xu, that I used to buy poems with money—a most unscrupulous habit. I remember once spending about two or three hundred taels of silver on a seven-character quatrain. One line went something like ‘Rain taps banana leaves, a bitter sound.’ At the time, I thought it was quite moving, so I took it to show off to my second sister. Instead, I got scolded mercilessly for writing such insincere drivel. On a whim, I suggested revising it to ‘Rain beats thin clothes, a heavy sound.’ Still, she wasn’t satisfied. I got angry and recklessly said, ‘How about this: Rain beats banana, man beats man, papa-papa-pa inside and outside the courtyard?’ I asked her how she liked that verse. Lo and behold, she beat me up, but after that, she finally opened her golden mouth and begrudgingly said two words: ‘Not bad.'”
At first, Xu Pu didn’t grasp the essence of the reduplicated “pa-pa-pa,” feeling somewhat perplexed. Only later did he realize the meaning and, with a knowing smile, gazed into the gray, overcast rain and softly murmured, “Indeed not bad.”
As Xu Fengnian was about to speak, Hong Shu entered the courtyard of Qingliuzhai holding an embroidered silk umbrella. After closing the umbrella, she stood it upside down by the door. Remembering his mother’s teachings from childhood that umbrellas shouldn’t be inverted in the rain, Xu Fengnian hurried to turn it upright. Hong Shu smiled gently, her tone playful and tender as she said, “Most of the matters have been settled. Though not entirely to everyone’s satisfaction, the main points have been agreed upon. The finer details will be left for them to privately negotiate back at their residences. After all, it’s just a matter of how the meat is divided and who ends up eating which piece. I suspect they’ll resort to arranged marriages within the families to solidify alliances and bring peace. These days, there are both funerals and weddings to attend; everyone will be busy.”
Xu Pu simply smiled in response.
Xu Fengnian glanced at the sky and asked, “Shall we go out for a walk?”
Xu Pu replied with a smile, “That would be excellent. When we get tired, you can rest at my place. I still have a few jugs of green-ant wine I’ve been saving. Heated slightly and then poured generously, it’s quite effective at warding off the cold.”
Hong Shu looked worried, but Xu Fengnian smiled helplessly and said, “Do you really think I’m a clay idol or a paper tiger, so delicate that I can’t even endure a little rain?”
Hearing this, Hong Shu ceased her objections. The three of them, with two umbrellas, walked out of Qingliuzhai, where banana leaves swayed in the rain, and left the once again serene and tranquil Juxiangan Palace. Xu Pu’s tavern was located along the main city road, a straight path away. The heavy rain washed away blood and schemes alike into the gutters. However, the city guards were much stricter than usual. Several incidents had already occurred where remnants of the rebellion, escorted by loyal servants, attempted to disguise themselves and flee the city. They were identified and intercepted by the newly reinforced Jinwu Guards stationed at the three city gates and some martial artists, who killed them on the spot. Whether any had managed to escape remained unknown. Perhaps only in years to come, when someone secretly plotted revenge after enduring hardship, would the truth emerge—an entirely different tale of sorrow and joy, akin to the stories of Master Zhao and the exiled heir of Xishu.
Furthermore, this thick ledger of blood would likely be laid at Xu Fengnian’s feet in the future. At that moment, walking along the dim, nearly deserted streets, Xu Fengnian turned into a wide alleyway and finally encountered some signs of life. He stood before a scallion pancake stall sheltered by a large oil-paper umbrella. This old establishment had been selling scallion pancakes in Dunhuang for decades, and despite its location deep within an alley, its reputation had spread far and wide. Even at this hour, there were still hungry customers coming to buy pancakes, devouring them hungrily or taking them home to their families. Xu Fengnian’s party of three joined the line at the end, and during this time, more townsfolk arrived. Several recognized Xu Pu, who had been selling wine for many years and was known to have married a beautiful woman from a prominent family before running off to live with the eldest son of the Duanmu family, a life envied by many. They smiled secretly and pointed at this middle-aged man. One particularly stout merchant, who had previously asked Xu Pu—renowned for his excellent calligraphy—for couplets, felt nostalgic and stopped the familiar customers from teasing Xu Pu, cutting in line to greet him.
Xu Pu turned and smiled, “Mr. Qiao, buying scallion pancakes for your precious daughter again? Be careful she gets too fat and can’t get married.”
The fat merchant laughed heartily, “My daughter didn’t get fat from eating pancakes. She takes after me in looks. If she can’t get married, it’s no big deal—just find a son-in-law to live with us. What’s the point of me working day and night if not to make life easier for my children? Oh, by the way, Xu, I just bought a new house in the eastern part of the city. I’ll need a few couplets from you. Can you make them a bit more impressive?”
Xu Pu nodded, “No problem. Remember to come drink more often. Without you, Mr. Qiao, my tavern won’t survive.”
Mr. Qiao patted Xu Pu’s shoulder generously, “No problem at all. As it happens, I’m moving into the new house, and I was going to come talk to you about it anyway. I’ll buy all my liquor from you. How about that? But we have to agree on a good price.”
Xu Pu smiled and nodded, “Mr. Qiao is a connoisseur. If I dare to overcharge you, I won’t be able to do business in Dunhuang anymore.”
Hong Shu stood holding the umbrella, turning to watch the two middle-aged men exchanging pleasantries with some amusement. Xu Fengnian turned around and saw that the merchant, perhaps noticing his fine clothes and the exquisite beauty of his servant girl, was hesitating between wanting to strike up a conversation and being too shy to do so. Xu Fengnian smiled and took the initiative, “So you must be Mr. Qiao? I’m Uncle Xu’s distant nephew. I’ve just come to Dunhuang to do some business in porcelain. Uncle Xu often speaks of how much he owes you for looking after his shop over the years. When you move into your new house, I just happen to have some decent porcelain bowls and dishes on hand. I’ll bring a dozen sets over as a gift when I come to visit.”
Mr. Qiao looked delighted, “Really?”
Xu Fengnian smiled warmly, “If I were to deceive Mr. Qiao, my uncle would scold me to death. Truly, truly.”
Mr. Qiao was already quite wealthy, not that he particularly coveted a dozen sets of porcelain bowls and dishes. But seeing the extraordinary bearing of this master and servant pair, he knew that in business, success depended not just on capital but also on connections. In a world where the powerful often looked down on the less fortunate, having the favor of those in high places was more valuable than any amount of gold and silver. Encountering a noble who was easy to talk to was rarer than finding an untouched courtesan at a brothel. The reason Mr. Qiao had befriended someone like Xu Pu, who had once been a struggling scholar, was because, as a merchant, he had always felt a sense of inferiority toward educated men. When he found a down-on-his-luck scholar, he couldn’t help but feel a little smug and wanted to show off his wealth and status. Inviting Xu Pu to write couplets and come to his house for a drink was, in part, a way to make Xu Pu feel small and inferior after seeing his luxurious home.
Hong Shu, dressed in fine clothes, had bought three scallion pancakes wrapped in oil paper, and Xu Fengnian and Xu Pu then took their leave of Mr. Qiao and departed.
The fat merchant had dared not look directly at Hong Shu at first, but now that he had the chance, he couldn’t help but stare at her graceful figure, swallowing hard. He couldn’t help thinking, how could Xu Pu possibly have such a wealthy relative?
Walking along the rain-soaked stone path of the alley, Hong Shu smiled and said, “General, I’m sure it won’t be long before the Yuwen family regrets their decision.”
Xu Pu smiled faintly, shaking his head with a hint of bitterness.
Xu Fengnian asked curiously, “What happened?”
Hong Shu glanced at Xu Pu, who said with a smile, “Go ahead and tell him.”
Hong Shu then slowly explained, “Once, a perceptive young woman from the Yuwen family fell in love with the General. Defying her family, she eloped with him and became the wife of a wine-selling tavern owner. But later, for reasons unknown, she returned to her family.”
Xu Pu spoke calmly, “Actually, she remarried the eldest son of the Duanmu family. I don’t blame her. How many women would willingly spend their lives with a man who lacks ambition? To be honest, the fact that she was willing to stay with a poor scholar like me, enduring the daily grind of Rice, salt, oil, vinegar, tea—the daily necessities of life., was already enough to earn my deepest respect. I’ve always felt guilty, thinking I’ve owed her far too much. How many young couples from mismatched backgrounds truly manage to grow old together? Even those who do are usually just characters in romantic novels. Moreover, in those stories, the man usually ends up becoming the top scholar in the imperial examination before he can achieve true happiness. As for someone like me, squandering a dowry worth a hundred taels of gold, by all reason, I could never be the kind of man found in those tales.”
Xu Fengnian smiled lightly and said, “These women, though their actions may seem noble and moving, in reality, often misjudge both the man and themselves. When life is easy and carefree, they may look down on worldly matters, scorning the superficial displays of wealth and luxury. But when they truly follow a man into hardship, they gradually come to understand the harsh realities of life. Without mentioning anything else, when they chat with their old friends, they hear stories of delicacies and the latest fashions, of jewelry going out of style. The woman who has fallen from grace might not truly desire these luxuries, but she still feels a quiet discomfort. Over time, these subtle changes take root, and when she looks at the man beside her, realizing that his literary talents cannot bring her the status of a respected wife, and worse, that her children might suffer as a result, her feelings inevitably shift. The tender moments of asking her husband about the depth of her painted eyebrows fade quietly into mutual resentment.”
“Uncle Xu, if I’m not mistaken, didn’t she used to share stories of meeting her old friends with you, even laughing about them at first? But after a few years, she became increasingly silent, then started getting angry with you over trivial matters, and finally stopped telling you anything at all?”
Xu Pu was stunned.
Clearly, the young man had struck the nail on the head.
“Uncle Xu, it’s only natural for you to feel guilty, and no one would dare criticize you for it. But if you dwell too much on that guilt, it becomes petty. Even if you step back a thousand paces, the woman ended up marrying into a good family, which is far more fulfilling than lingering in regretful memories. If anyone is to blame, blame my master. If he had given you the title of General of Dunhuang, none of these troubles would have arisen.”
Xu Pu remained silent for a long time, saying nothing.
Hong Shu sighed softly, “If that woman heard these words from the young master, she would surely be deeply ashamed.”
Xu Fengnian chuckled self-deprecatingly, “I’m just a vulgar, unromantic man. I’m sure she wouldn’t even want to waste her ears listening to a single word from me.”
Xu Pu, the middle-aged general dressed in the style of a scholar, sighed deeply and said, “Your Highness’s seemingly heartless words have eased many of my inner burdens.”
Xu Pu then smiled and said, “Later, let’s drink a few jars of green-ant wine and give Master Li Yishan a good scolding.”
The three of them headed toward the small tavern by the city gate.
At that moment, a man in white entered the city.
Dozens at the gate lay dead, none left alive.
A fateful encounter.
From afar, Xu Pu gazed at the white-clad man, his breath catching as he muttered grimly, “The Demon King, Luo Yang!”
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