Volume One: The Kingdom of the Endless Night Chapter 58: I Wasn't Planning on Visiting a Brothel

The tenth day of the City God Temple Fair.

Huncheng was not as lively as it usually was.

If it weren't for the fact that this was the largest temple fair in the Sui Dynasty, where each town's garrison headquarters distributed over five hundred coins per household—enough for ordinary commoners to scrimp and save for half a month—and shops and street vendors opened at half price, no matter how playful people were, they wouldn't have been able to sustain the excitement for ten whole days straight.

Every year during the City God Temple Fair, the Divine Capital would send wealth in advance to the garrison headquarters of various towns to be distributed to the commoners.

The City God Temple Fair was a carnival for the entire Sui Dynasty. It was also because the Sui Dynasty occupied the vast majority of the world's territory that they could afford to pull it off; otherwise, it would have been quite difficult. One could only say that having money made them willful.

Although the shops and stalls opened at half-price, it was a strategy of small profits and quick turnover. The commoners could have fun, the merchants could make money, and the Emperor could be pleased—it could be described as pleasing to all. Therefore, the organization of the City God Temple Fair always exhausted all efforts to come up with endless tricks and novelties.

There was a river in the East Market that extended outside the city. On the final day of the City God Temple Fair, all the liveliness converged here.

Painted pleasure boats were docked close to one another on the river surface. Graceful melodies of zithers drifted through the air, and birds circled low overhead. Scholars stood on the bridges, shaking their folding fans despite the bitter cold, holding their heads high with a proud demeanor that suggested they were the greatest beings under heaven.

In the restaurant on the opposite bank of the river, Jiang Wang rested his right arm on the windowsill, slumping back in his seat. His gaze lingered on those painted boats, reflecting that he had never once in his life listened to music in a pleasure quarter, which he considered a major regret.

Sitting opposite him were Xiaoyu and Akong, while the green-robed cultivator and Zhao Si sat to his left.

Xiaoyu closed her eyes with a cold expression, nursing her energy as she continued to recall the martial arts taught by Luo Xianshan. She was truly practicing diligently at all times and in all places.

Akong was, without a doubt, stuffing his face, his entire countenance smeared with grease.

Zhao Si quietly sipped his wine, a sheet of drawing paper laid out on the table. Although his only remaining hand was very busy, he looked quite relaxed and content.

The green-robed cultivator assumed the posture of a household servant, pouring wine for Jiang Wang and topping it up as soon as Jiang Wang finished his cup.

At that moment, a scholar on the bridge chanted a poem and won the favor of a maiden on a painted boat. An old man then rowed a boat over to pick up the scholar and deliver him to the pleasure boat.

All the other scholars watched with envy written across their faces.

"Why must one recite poems?" Jiang Wang's expression was quite poor. Although he was literate, that was the extent of his abilities. After all, this was no ordinary occasion; at the temple fair, if one wanted to board a painted boat, money was by no means as useful as composing an astonishing poem.

The green-robed cultivator clearly lacked such talent, and Akong went without saying.

Although Xiaoyu had talent, Jiang Wang was somewhat too embarrassed to bring up such a matter for this purpose.

He could only cast his gaze upon Zhao Si.

Zhao Si glanced sideways at Jiang Wang and said righteously, "Why are you looking at me? I am a man of noble character!"

Jiang Wang raised an eyebrow. Though he didn't speak, his entire expression screamed that he didn't believe a word of it.

"Which scholar doesn't love visiting brothels? I strongly suspect that your hand was broken precisely because you had no money."

Zhao Si's face darkened, and he retorted, "My hand was worked to the bone from tireless plowing!"

Jiang Wang sneered, "That kind of talk can only fool yourself. Who ever worked their hand to the bone from drawing? Losing a few fingers would be one thing, but your entire arm is gone—and you're telling me it was from working too hard?"

Zhao Si's face grew even darker.

Jiang Wang continued, "Yet I firmly believe that Master Painter Zhao is a man of vast learning, possessing boundless talent and able to compose poems in three steps—a supreme genius whose work shakes the heavens and moves the earth. A mere poem would naturally flow from your fingertips with ease, leaving those scholars utterly disgraced and bowing to you in submission."

Zhao Si's mouth twitched. "Even if you flatter me like this, I won't write a poem for you. First you hit me with a stick, then you offer a sweet jujube; what do you take me for?"

Jiang Wang shook his head and sighed, "It seems Master Painter Zhao is also a person who cares only for unearned fame. He often boasts of his peerless talent, but it turns out to be all hot air. No wonder his paintings are worthless; the eyes of the world are sharp after all, and they saw through your true nature at a single glance."

Zhao Si raged, "This is simply preposterous! You may insult my character, you may insult my appearance, but you must never insult my talent!"

"Isn't it just a poem? What's so hard about it? I'll casually write one that will make those scholars leap into the river out of shame!"

Jiang Wang buttered him up, "I knew Brother Zhao possessed great talent. Hurry up and write it down to blind our eyes."

Zhao Si immediately set brush to paper with great vigor.

(End of Part 1/3)

(Start of Part 2/3)

He angrily tossed the drawing paper containing the freshly written poem toward Jiang Wang.

Jiang Wang frowned and said, "Did you write this beforehand? Who writes poetry this fast?"

Zhao Si said coldly, "Even poems I wrote in my childhood could crush them!"

Jiang Wang bantered, "I reckon you were harboring wicked intentions, preparing a few poems early on, waiting to become the honored guest of some maiden. It's just a pity that past temple fairs lacked this kind of activity, and you had no money to enjoy the music quarters. With good poems to spare, you could only stare blankly, right?"

Zhao Si's face darkened once more. "Do you want it or not? If not, give it back to me!"

Jiang Wang shoved the drawing paper into his bosom. "Since you've already written it, if I didn't want it, wouldn't that be showing you no respect?"

Zhao Si mocked, "When it comes to shamelessness, I truly cannot rival you."

Jiang Wang cupped his fists, "We share the honor of shame, we share the honor of shame."

...

Although Zhao Si's poem did not leave the scholars utterly disgraced, it still won applause. Jiang Wang achieved his wish, descended from the restaurant, and waited for the old man steering the boat to pick him up.

Akong peered out the window. "Are there good things to eat in that boat?"

The green-robed cultivator wore a bizarre expression and said, "You could say that."

Akong's eyes lit up, and he made to jump straight down. Fortunately, the green-robed cultivator reacted quickly enough to grab him by the collar, and after much persuasion, finally managed to calm Akong down.

The green-robed cultivator silently wiped his sweat. Explaining that there was no good food in a painted pleasure boat was far more tiring than slaying demons.

Xiaoyu showed not the slightest reaction from beginning to end; someone striving diligently in cultivation was always very earnest.

The old man rowed the boat to the bank. Jiang Wang stepped aboard, and the boat immediately turned its bow toward a certain painted vessel.

The voice of the Night Wandering Deity suddenly sounded in Jiang Wang's mind. "Something is not quite right."

Jiang Wang paused for a moment and replied in his heart, "The maidens like poetry, and I am handsome, but only one maiden invited me onto her boat. That is indeed quite wrong."

The Night Wandering Deity spat mentally, "Have some shame."

"I mean there is a problem with this place. Although it is very faint, there is indeed a trace of demonic Qi present."

Jiang Wang frowned and muttered, "Are these demons sick? This is my first time entering a pleasure boat in my life, and they have to run out and make trouble?"

The Night Wandering Deity said, "Is the focus on your entering a pleasure boat? If that hidden great demon truly appears, you'll lose your life. Are you still thinking about maidens?"

Jiang Wang said, "Even if I don't think about it, I can't stop the demons from appearing."

The Night Wandering Deity: "...What you say actually makes a lot of sense."

Jiang Wang stood with his hands behind his back at the bow of the boat and said, "Although great demons know how to hide their aura, it's hard to escape your discerning eyes. Taoist Master Tao also has a *Wangliang* spirit in his possession; perhaps it's just some small demon in Huncheng."

"I think it's very likely hidden inside the painted boat. Don't *Wangliangs* usually inhabit paintings or antique objects? There's certainly no shortage of paintings on that boat."

"I solemnly declare that I am not thinking of visiting the pleasure quarters; I am merely trying to save the common people from danger. As expected, my righteousness is awe-inspiring."

The Night Wandering Deity was utterly speechless.

Although Jiang Wang's analysis sounded reasonable, it was clearly all just an excuse.

It seemed that the weaker one's physical state was, the more desperate one became for such things.

However, the Night Wandering Deity also knew very well that Jiang Wang prized his own life dearly. Perhaps he had a countermeasure in mind, so he said no more.

Soon, the small boat approached the painted vessel. Jiang Wang placed both hands on the gunwale and struggled to climb up. A maidservant was waiting; even though Jiang Wang's posture in climbing aboard was rather disheveled, his face was handsome enough that the maidservant stared blankly, forgetting to lend a hand—a lapse she would regret endlessly afterward.

Jiang Wang straightened his clothes slightly and smiled at the maidservant. The maidservant's little face flushed red as she lifted the curtain and invited him inside.

(End of Part 2/3)

(Start of Part 3/3)

The painted boats were quite large, though there were small ones too. The vessel Jiang Wang was on belonged to the medium category. It was fully equipped with all manner of things inside, and incense was burning, instantly releasing a pleasant fragrance.

Walking further in, there was another curtain embroidered with various patterns, through which the graceful silhouette of a zither player could be faintly seen behind the bead-curtain.

Jiang Wang did not immediately lift the curtain. Instead, he casually sat down on a low stool in front of it, seemingly enjoying the zither melody with great pleasure.

"Is the young master the young marquis?"

The maiden's voice was melodious, like the singing of an oriole.

Jiang Wang smiled and asked, "Whatever makes you say that?"

The maiden replied, "Although I have not been able to see you with my own eyes, who in Huncheng does not know of the extraordinarily handsome young marquis? Since the young master is so handsome, I suppose there can be no one else besides him."

Jiang Wang stared at the curtain and said, "This thing is quite marvelous. I cannot see your face clearly, yet you can see mine?"

The maiden answered, "This curtain was crafted by Taoist Master Tao. One cannot see the inside from the outside, but those inside can indeed see the outside clearly."

Jiang Wang noticed very small talismans pasted at the four corners of the curtain.

Since there were talismans inside the painted boat—while they might be useless against other demons—they should have some effect on *Wangliangs*, which basically confirmed that the demonic Qi had nothing to do with a *Wangliang*.

Presumably, the other painted boats should all have Taoist Master Tao's talismans as well.

He stared intently at the figure behind the curtain; she truly looked a bit like a spirit.

The maiden could clearly see Jiang Wang, and seeing his somewhat fervent gaze, she smiled alluringly. "I shall play the zither, and the young master shall listen to the music. No other things can be done."

Jiang Wang was taken aback.

Then didn't I come here for nothing?

The maiden said, "There are rules at the temple fair, especially in full public view. Otherwise, if the young marquis were so inclined, this handmaiden would naturally be overjoyed."

Jiang Wang thought to himself, does this mean you want me to wait until the temple fair is over before spending money to meet you?

Although I am very wealthy, if I'm going to look for someone, I certainly want to find the most attractive one. I am, after all, a proper, untouched young man.

Even though he hadn't seen the maiden's face clearly, judging by the scale of the painted boat, her rank evidently wasn't high enough, and she probably wouldn't look all that stunning—it was likely just a nice voice.

As he was thinking this, the zither music suddenly stopped.

The maiden stood up and lifted the curtain.

There was a beauty, her eyes bright and clear, her demeanor graceful.

This line of poetry unconsciously surfaced in Jiang Wang's mind.

It seemed that this maiden was not on a large painted boat not because she wasn't pretty enough, but because she simply didn't have such a high reputation yet.

Just as Jiang Wang was momentarily dazed, a voice rang out sharply in his mind: "Demonic Qi!"

Jiang Wang's pupils slightly constricted. The maiden was in the midst of hanging up the curtain when he abruptly leaped forward, executing a pouncing tiger maneuver.

Seeing the painted vessel suddenly begin to rock, the scholars on the bridge were first startled, then envious, followed by jealous, and finally consumed by rage.

According to the rules, weren't they only supposed to discuss poetry and literature?

Scoundrel! Release that maiden at once!

(End of Part 3/3)