Behind the screen, on the chaise lounge, there had been no major movements since that suggestive sigh, only occasional rustling sounds of fabric rubbing together.
The silence was more telling than any sound.
Every imaginable scene played out in their minds!
Ding Wu, unable to bear it any longer and wanting to distract the pair behind the embroidered screen, said to the female musician, "Play a new suite for us."
A suite required the ensemble of various instruments. The clapper sounded, the pipa began to play, and soon the ruanqin and xiao joined in. The songstress sang "Yichun Ballad": "Lord of Green Sun, drizzling rain pours..."
The song's clear, melodious voice soared to the clouds, accompanied by the instrumental music, drowning out the blush-inducing sounds from behind the embroidered screen.
As the music started, Wei Caiwei whispered, "You can let go now."
Was he going to keep rubbing forever?
Wang Daxia, who had been rubbing with great delight, was abruptly interrupted and instantly resented Ding Wu. Reluctantly, he withdrew his fingers from her face.
Wei Caiwei remained lazily reclined on the chaise lounge, while Wang Daxia maintained his leaning posture, attempting to cover up the situation by saying, "It's not that I don't want to get up—I can't. If I get up, our moving shadows would be visible on the embroidered screen."
Wang Daxia kept a gentlemanly distance. Though their silhouettes appeared to overlap, he wasn't actually pressing down on Wei Caiwei; only their clothes were connected. Using the strength in his waist, he maintained a palm's width distance from her, his body arched like a narrow U-shape.
Wei Caiwei asked, "Aren't you tired?"
I'm willing! Tired but happy.
Wang Daxia replied, "I've been training daily under Commander Lu's supervision and have built up my stamina. I'm not tired at all."
In truth, his waist was somewhat sore,
But at a time like this, a man would never admit to any weakness.
He had to persevere.
They were so close that, in the dim lamplight, Wei Caiwei could see the faint stubble on his chin, just beginning to break through the skin.
He was growing up.
In her previous life, after his self-castration, Wang Daxia no longer grew facial hair, and even his leg hair had nearly vanished. Thus, Wei Caiwei had never seen him with a beard.
She really wanted to touch his chin.
Wei Caiwei thought this, but she didn't dare act on it yet, afraid of startling Wang Daxia. She settled for the next best thing, gently lifting her head to blow a soft breath toward his shadowed chin.
Wei Caiwei found an excuse, "There was a mosquito. I chased it away for you."
"There are mosquitoes?" Wang Daxia said, "That shouldn't be possible. Are you sure you saw it right? I'm carrying the mosquito repellent sachet you gave me—it's always been effective. Besides, we're in the middle of the lake; there are rarely mosquitoes here."
Innocent Wang Daxia still didn't understand the ways of romance.
Wei Caiwei, a seasoned old fox, lied without batting an eyelash, "Oh, perhaps it was a small insect attracted by the lantern."
Wang Daxia was growing weary from holding his position, beads of sweat from his temples dripping onto Wei Caiwei's cheek.
Wei Caiwei, feeling sorry for him for overexerting himself, said, "Let's change positions.""
Wang Daxia's ears, which had just cooled down, heated up again, "Change... how? This... position is just fine."
I can hold on.
"You get up and sit at the head of the chaise lounge."Wang Daxia's waist had nearly petrified. When he straightened up, the joints in his back cracked audibly. Fortunately, the music and singing outside masked the noise. Those at the banquet could only see the two figures behind the embroidered screen change positions.
Wei Caiwei also sat up, half-reclining on the daybed with her back against Wang Daxia's chest—though in truth, she maintained a palm's width distance between them. From outside the screen, however, it appeared as if Caiwei was nestling in Wang Daxia's embrace while they intimately admired the starry sky together.
Wisps of mist like smoke and gauze softened the originally brilliant starlight, creating a scene perfectly captured by the verse "mist veils the cold water while moonlight shrouds the sand." This atmosphere was most suitable for romantic whispers.
Wei Caiwei asked, "Is this position comfortable?"
Hearing this, the tips of Wang Daxia's ears turned so red they seemed about to drip blood.
Wang Daxia stammered, "Com... comfortable."
Wei Caiwei said, "Much better than the previous position, isn't it?"
Wang Daxia felt as if his soul had left his body, ready to ride the wind away. "Similar, both are fine. Actually, I could have held the previous position."
Wei Caiwei replied, "Let's keep this position then. Why hasn't Lu Ying arrived yet?"
This was one of tonight's objectives. Since the White Lotus Sect's portraits were outdated and unreliable, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard spy who witnessed Wu Dianyong leading Anda Khan's troops ten years ago had retired, Lu Ying had sent for the retired agent to make a visual identification.
As soon as she finished speaking, a small boat approached from the distance. The torchbearer on board swung his torch in circles through the night air—their agreed signal.
Wang Daxia said, "They're here."
The black-canopied boat drew alongside the decorated pleasure boat. At its prow stood a burly man in blue garments, a Yellow Belt Whip hanging at his waist. The Yellow Belt Whip was essentially a yellow sash used to tie up the hem of long robes during rain, snow, or when playing cuju, preventing clothes from getting dirty while allowing freedom of movement.
The strong man clenched a wooden stick between his teeth. Balanced atop the stick was a nimble, monkey-like youth also dressed in blue, his robe similarly gathered at the waist with a Yellow Belt Whip. The youth balanced a red lacquered tray on his head, upon which sat a braised pig's head.
The boatman, two musicians beating gongs and drums, and the youth balancing the pig's head all shouted in unison: "We humble servants come to pay respects to the High Official! To honor the Noble Person!" Only the strong man gripping the stick in his teeth remained silent.
This was called a "Troupe"—uninvited entertainers who forcibly enlivened banquets. They were often skilled in acrobatics or cuju, masters of flattery who brought meat and wine as tribute to guests while seeking rewards.
Simply put, they were street-savvy hustlers with actual skills and capital. Well-connected, they would bribe staff at various restaurants to tip them off about wealthy patrons hosting feasts, then arrive bearing gifts to solicit money.
Since they brought offerings like pig's heads, roasted geese, and fine wine—unlike beggars who merely extended empty hands—hosts would generally order servants to give them some coins to send them away.
However, when guests desired cuju matches or acrobatic performances, they would accept the Troupe's food and drink and invite them to perform. The rewards given in such cases far exceeded the value of the offered provisions.
Zhao Quan had no interest in the Troupe, but as tonight's host who needed his guest's favor, he naturally waited to see if the guest showed any enthusiasm.These individuals usually performed as a troupe, moving between various banquets in the capital to earn money, but in secret, they were all undercover agents of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, specializing in gathering intelligence on high officials and wealthy households. Among them, the elderly man beating the gong was the very agent who had once seen Wu Dianyong’s appearance, while the drummer was a delicate-looking young servant—both dressed in blue robes with yellow belts. Surprisingly, the drummer was none other than Lu Ying in disguise!
Lu Ying had not been satisfied with merely viewing the portrait and wanted to see the person in the flesh. If the bearded man with a black mole between his eyebrows truly was Wu Dianyong, then the Embroidered Uniform Guard would have netted a big fish.
Ding Wu was also waiting for Lu Ying and her group. Standing on the decorated pleasure boat, he watched the troupe arriving to seek patronage with some curiosity. "To stand so steadily on a boat—they must have some skill. Let’s take a closer look."
Since the guest had spoken, the host Zhao Quan waved a hand. "Come aboard."
The troupe, beating gongs and drums, carried a platter of braised pig’s head and two jars of wine up to the deck of the pleasure boat. They knelt on one knee in unison and proclaimed, "We offer our respects to the High Official! We offer our respects to the Noble Person!"
Zhao Quan ordered Wu Dianyong to take the braised pig’s head, slice it, and rearrange it on a plate. He also had the fine wine brought by the troupe poured into wine pots, replenishing the drinks and relighting the lanterns to resume the feast.
Zhao Quan said, "Show us whatever skills you have. As long as you entertain my guest, there will be plenty of rewards."
The skinny monkey-like performer said, "This humble one excels at pole climbing. No matter how unsteady the pole, I can keep my balance. However, since the High Officials have already witnessed pole-climbing, it would be improper to repeat it. Allow me to perform a tightrope walk instead."
With that, the skinny monkey and the strong man tied a rope between the two pillars at either end of the pleasure boat. The skinny monkey put on a monkey mask, while the strong man stuck a third eye on his forehead, reenacting the battle between Sun Wukong and Erlang Shen from Journey to the West.
As the musicians beat gongs and drums, the skinny monkey and the strong man leaped onto the rope—one wielding a staff, the other a wooden spear—and began fighting while balancing on the rope!
The two tumbled and battled in rhythm with the drumbeats, moving as if on solid ground. Their fierce and lively duel captivated the audience, and the female musicians from the Red Sleeve Brothel clapped and cheered, reigniting the festive atmosphere.
Zhao Quan cleared his throat lightly and asked Ding Wu, "Should we invite them out to watch the tightrope walking?"
"Them," of course, referred to Wei Caiwei and Wang Daxia.
Though Zhao Quan claimed to be consulting Ding Wu, his true intention lay elsewhere. He sought to win over Wang Daxia, one of the Four Pests of the North City. However, the man in question was currently preoccupied behind the screen, engrossed in intimate moments with the charming widow, displaying the decadent air of an emperor who neglects his court duties.
Ding Wu glanced back at the entwined figures and replied, "No need. My younger sister is tired from performing the Zhezhi Dance earlier. Let her rest."
Since Wei Caiwei did not return, Wang Daxia would certainly not leave her alone on the reclining couch. Staying by his beloved’s side was his priority.
After the tightrope performance, the troupe joined the guests for a round of drinking games, showering them with auspicious phrases and flattery. When it was Ding Wu’s turn, he drew a drinking command requiring the words "great person" and "small person," along with two proverbs.
Ding Wu said, "The character for 'umbrella' (written in its traditional form) contains five 'person' radicals, with small people below and a great person above. As the saying goes, 'The fortunate are served by all; the unfortunate serve others.When it was Wu Dianyong’s turn, he pondered for a moment and said, "The character '爽' contains five 'person' radicals, with small people on the sides and a great person in the center. As the saying goes, 'Do not speak of others’ faults in front of people, for you will realize there is always someone greater among them.'"
Finally, it was Zhao Quan’s turn. Unable to come up with a response, he raised his cup and said, "My talent is shallow, and my learning is limited. I cannot fulfill the command. I punish you with three cups!"The troupe members, wanting to save face for Zhao Quan, raised their cups one after another, "Same here! I'll punish myself with three cups!"
"I can't come up with one either, so I'll drink a whole jar! Haha!"
And so they drank until the second watch, with both guests and host thoroughly enjoying themselves. Seeing Ding Wu appear weary, Zhao Quan ended the banquet, rewarded the troupe with five taels of silver, and sent them on their way.
On the black-canopied boat, Lu Ying couldn't wait to ask, "Did you see and hear clearly? Is it him?"
Earlier, Ding Wu had proposed the drinking game precisely to make Wu Dianyong speak, making it easier to identify his voice.
The old man nodded, "I'd recognize him even if he turned to ashes. It's him. He's gained weight over the past ten years, but the mole is still there, and his voice hasn't changed much. He's one of the Four Great Disciples of the White Lotus Sect."
Inside the decorated pleasure boat, behind the embroidered screen, the two were "nestled close." Wang Daxia shifted backward slightly, while Wei Caiwei whispered, "Don't rush, stay calm. Let's wait until Lu Ying's boat has gone farther before we go out to say our goodbyes. We mustn't leave any clues. Hold on a little longer and see this act through."
Wang Daxia thought to himself, It's not that I can't stay calm—it's just that if I don't move back soon, Wang Xiaoxia might bump into you.
Author's Note:
Note 1: The troupe setting is derived from Chapter 15 of The Plum in the Golden Vase. The Plum in the Golden Vase was completed in the late Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, sharing the same historical background as Back to the Time Before My Husband Eunuchized Himself. Therefore, the customs, local traditions, various trades, daily language, two-part allegorical sayings, and polite expressions in this story are all referenced from The Plum in the Golden Vase. Some meticulous researchers suggest that the prototype of the male lead Ximen Qing in The Plum in the Golden Vase is Lu Bing... I find some similarities, but personally, I believe the Zhengde Emperor best fits Ximen Qing's character.
Note 2: Derived from the drinking game played by Han Yong and Xia Xun in Feng Menglong's Stories Old and New from the Ming Dynasty.
OpenNovel