Chapter 143: The City of Dreams

The prosperous and bustling imperial capital of Chang'an was a dream city that countless people yearned for. Innumerable scholars had braved mountains and rivers, traveling thousands of miles to arrive here early, solely to make a startling impression at the imperial spring examinations and fulfill the dreams in their hearts.

In the Tanhua Pavilion at Shengping Ward, Yang Zhishou, a scholar from Jiangnan, lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Having been in Chang'an for barely more than ten days, the experiences he had undergone felt as bizarre and unbelievable as a dream.

Yang Zhishou's family was not well-off. To scrape together enough travel expenses for him to go to the capital for the metropolitan examination, they had borrowed from everywhere to finally assemble ten thousand copper coins. Upon arriving in Chang'an, just as he found an inn with a reasonable price, he discovered that the pouch containing his copper coins had vanished without a trace, goodness knows when.

Distraught and dizzy, he had wandered into the newly built Temple of the God of Wealth in the city, hoping to beg for a place to stay the night. In the middle of the night, while curled up in the side hall, someone had knocked him unconscious and abducted him.

Warm hot water was soaking his somewhat stiff and frozen body. Yang Zhishou slowly woke up, opened his eyes, and let out a terrified shriek, scrambling in a panic as if trying to climb out of the wooden barrel.

Several pairs of delicate hands unceremoniously pressed him back down, vigorously scrubbing his body with soap until his skin turned red. Then they replaced the water with a fresh tub of clean hot water to wash him thoroughly.

It's over, it's completely over. I must have encountered man-eating monsters who are washing me clean before eating me. I wonder if they'll steam me or boil me. I've only just reached adulthood at twenty, I don't want to die yet! What should I do, what should I do?

Yang Zhishou was frantic and at his wits' end, unable to come up with any ideas.

The pretty, young female monsters who were washing his body paid no heed whatsoever to what Yang Zhishou was thinking. Stark naked, they wrapped him in a fragrant quilt, pinched his nose, and forced aphrodisiac decoctions and medicines down his throat with practiced ease.

When Yang Zhishou felt a burning heat surge through his limbs and a peculiar reaction in his lower body, he had already been carried into an extravagantly luxurious bedchamber. On the soft and comfortable giant bed, a middle-aged beauty had a hazy look in her eyes, appearing entirely as though she had consumed a great deal of the Five-Stone Powder.

Yang Zhishou, this innocent virgin chicken, ultimately failed to escape the fate of being consumed by the female monster. Five days later, limp, exhausted, and completely drained of strength, he was tossed out from the deep rear courtyard behind towering walls. Thrown out right along with him were two bulging pouches filled with copper coins.

When he had recovered a sliver of strength, Yang Zhishou struggled to sit up and opened the coin pouches. Taking a rough look, the two bags of copper coins amounted to around thirty thousand cash. Sighing slightly, Yang Zhishou thought that the hardship of these past five days was somewhat worth it after all; at least he could use these coins to stay at an inn and wouldn't have to wander the streets of Chang'an starving and destitute.

The rising sun was glaringly bright and dazzling, casting a harsh white glare upon those copper coins as well. Yang Zhishou grabbed a handful of coins, inspected them carefully in the sunlight, and instantly felt like crying without tears.

"My chastity of twenty years, guarded with my very life! Five days and nights without rest, serving with all my might, and what it buys me is merely a few tens of thousands of white coins!" Yang Zhishou cried out silently in his heart, yet lacked the courage to turn back and reason with that fierce, middle-aged female monster, that tigress.

Stumbling with a lost and bewildered expression as he walked down the grand avenue of Chang'an City, the scent of food drifted to his nose, instantly making him feel ravenously hungry. Glancing at the carved balustrades, jade railings, vermilion walls, and emerald tiles of the pavilion beside him, Yang Zhishou swallowed a mouthful of saliva in secret and dragged his feet, preparing to leave.

"Will the young master please pause a moment! You have been lingering outside the Tianxian Pavilion for quite a while, so you must have heard of our esteemed establishment's great renown. It's just that the young master has arrived a bit too early."

As the old saying goes, madams love money and courtesans love handsome men. Ping'er, who had gone out early in the morning to buy some breakfast, saw a handsome scholar with rosy lips, white teeth, and an extraordinary bearing holding two bulging coin pouches and hesitating outside the entrance of the Tianxian Pavilion upon her return. A thought stirred in her heart, and she stepped forward to block Yang Zhishou's path.

Judging by the paltry amount of copper coins in the hands of this handsome scholar, it would be far from enough to meet the top courtesans and scarlet-robed beauties inside the brothel. No wonder this dashing and elegant scholar was hesitating and dared not approach.

Considering how exceptionally good-looking he was, she, Ping'er, would suffer a small loss and entertain him after all—even though the hour was indeed rather early.

Yang Zhishou glanced at the plump and beautiful woman before him, his face flushing crimson as he stammered and took a step back. Ping'er, who had read countless men in her time, smiled faintly and pulled Yang Zhishou right into the Tianxian Pavilion.

After a few cups of wine, the experienced Ping'er coaxed out almost the entire story of Yang Zhishou's background and origins. Feeling that she was no longer so young herself, a bizarre notion suddenly sprouted in her mind. A down-and-out scholar encountering a courtesan, falling mutually in love, and upon placing high on the imperial examinations, returning to claim his beautiful bride—might she, too, have such a wonderful ending?

Having indulged in daydreams for a moment, Ping'er unleashed all her skills to pamper Yang Zhishou until he felt as though he were floating amidst the clouds, completely disoriented and unaware of where he was. She bought a jade pendant at the Liuli Pavilion and took it to the Shangqing Temple to have it consecrated. Fastening the jade pendant tenderly around Yang Zhishou's waist, Ping'er's face was brimming with a radiant glow of happiness.

After staying in Ping'er's room for three days, Yang Zhishou grew increasingly uneasy in his heart. First, the expenses here terrified him. Second, he had always been taught by his tutor father that a scholar must match his words with deeds and guard his integrity. If his family were to find out that upon arriving in Chang'an, he was living in a brothel and carousing, wouldn't his elderly father break all three of his legs? Besides, when he came to Chang'an for the examinations, he had already been betrothed to the daughter of a wealthy family in his town, and his prospective in-laws had subsidized him with quite a few copper coins.

Blushing, he repeatedly tried to hand the two bags of white coins over to Ping'er. Yet Ping'er only pointed at her own chest with a mournful expression, leaving Yang Zhishou increasingly at a loss as to how to face this affectionate woman.

One early morning, after gazing for a few moments at the sleeping Ping'er, Yang Zhishou hardened his heart, placed the two bags of white coins on the table, and prepared to leave. He patted his own flattened pocket and hesitated for a long time. Finally, he stealthily opened the cabinet where Ping'er hid her money, retrieved two bags of copper coins, and left the bag of white coins in their place, fleeing as if escaping for his life.

The dazzling sunlight streamed through the window, making Yang Zhishou's room exceptionally bright. He pinched his own arm hard, wincing and baring his teeth in pain. Feeling the pouch filled with copper coins by his side, which was packed to the brim with glittering gold-colored Tianyuan Tongbao, he knew this was no dream. He was now staying in the Tanhua Pavilion at Shengping Ward, the very inn where the renowned young Scholar Tanhua once resided. He would surely astonish the world and place high on the imperial examinations. Yet, deep down, he always felt a sense of guilt toward that beautiful woman at the Tianxian Pavilion.

"Sigh! I say, what a big deal this is—isn't it just having your tens of thousands of yellow coins swapped for white ones? With all the wealth Ping'er has saved up, what does this tiny loss amount to? Is there any need to throw a tantrum and seek your own death? If you really can't get over it, I, Lu Lelia, will compensate you for these thirty thousand copper coins."

After listening to Ping'er's tearful complaints, Lu Lelia remained entirely unimpressed and shook his head repeatedly.

"Oh! Ever since you married the daughter of the wealthiest man in the Great Tang, your tone has gotten grander and grander! Do you really think Ping'er is heartbroken merely over those few yellow and white treasures?! What breaks her heart is that she poured out her true feelings, only to be repaid with two bags of white coins! As a wretched woman of the pleasure quarters, she still harbors a tiny sliver of hope, a tiny dream. But now, her hope and her dream have been ruthlessly shattered. Tell me, how can she not be heartbroken enough to seek death?!"

Gu Xiehua glared fiercely at Lu Lelia, at a loss for how to comfort Ping'er for a moment.

"Since she knew it was a dream, she should just treat it like having had a wonderful daydream. Once a down-and-out scholar passes the high examinations, he will naturally marry the daughter of some high-ranking noble family; how could he possibly remember a lowly courtesan like you? Aside from the people pleasing themselves by singing those theatrical tunes in plays, where on earth do such wonderful things happen in reality?" Lu Lelia muttered to himself for a moment, shook his head, and remained silent.

"I don't care! You must hunt down that heartless and ungrateful scholar for me. Bullying a sister of mine, Gu Xiehua, how can we possibly allow him to continue living at ease?" Gu Xiehua grabbed Lu Lelia by the lapels of his robe and stared intently into his eyes.

"Chang'an City is so massive, and the scholars who have come to the capital for the spring examinations number in the thousands, if not tens of thousands. Where do you expect me to go looking for this Jiangnan scholar named Yang Zhishou?" Lu Lelia gazed back at Gu Xiehua with an innocent expression.

"Don't give me that. Don't think I don't know how vast your influence is in the underworld of Chang'an City, Lu Lelia. If you can't find that heartless and ungrateful wretch, don't ever come see me again."

Gu Xiehua dropped those words unceremoniously, causing even Ping'er to halt her weeping, her large, glittering eyes staring fixedly at Lu Lelia.

"Sigh!" Lu Lelia let out a helpless sigh. Over such a trivial matter, he had to mobilize the disciples of the Azure Cloud Society and the Beggars' Sect; he truly had no idea how to explain this to those brothers of his.

Yang Zhishou shut himself in his room to study poetry and books diligently, but for reasons unknown, Ping'er's mournful and pretty face kept floating before his eyes. Driven by some ghostly impulse, he walked near the Tianxian Pavilion in Pingkang Ward, peeked at it secretly for a while, and then departed with a desolate expression.

On the dusk of the fourth day, as he once again appeared in his usual spot secretly gazing at the Tianxian Pavilion, a large, dark, and spacious carriage pulled up right beside him.

"You are Yang Zhishou, a tribute student from Gaoyou County, Yangzhou Prefecture?" A pale-faced, expressionless young man stepped down from the carriage.

Yang Zhishou stared blankly at the young man and nodded stupidly. A hemp sack was thrown down over Yang Zhishou's head, plunging his vision into darkness. He felt his body lifted horizontally and hauled into the carriage. Poor Yang Zhishou had been abducted once again.

However, this time, what awaited him was not a mature, alluring female monster who sucked souls to the bone. Inside a tightly sealed small room, waiting for him were several sturdy young men with unkind expressions.

Yang Zhishou tightly clenched his buttocks, filled with a nameless grief and indignation. Chang'an, this imperial capital that had once filled him with dreams, why was it crawling with demons and monsters everywhere?

With a creak, the door opened as Lu Lelia walked in, eyeing Yang Zhishou dismissively before nodding.

"This kid actually has a decent hide; he's almost catching up to Lord Lu here. No wonder that girl Ping'er spent her own money and still refused to let go."

Yang Zhishou's eccentric behavior had quickly drawn the attention of interested parties around the Tianxian Pavilion. Zhou Liuzi had personally taken action and dragged Yang Zhishou back. However, Lu Lelia's very first sentence upon seeing this fellow made Zhou Liuzi curl his lip and turn his face away in disdain.

Seeing that Hu Xiaojiao, Jiao Kun, and the others all wore unimpressed expressions, Lu Lelia grew somewhat angry.

"What do you mean by that?! Do you really think that in your eyes, someone as jade-like and dashing as me falls short compared to this fellow?"

"Young master! There are plenty of people in Chang'an City who look better than you. From now on, you shouldn't flaunt your looks anymore." Zhou Liuzi showed no mercy, striking a blow that utterly mortified Lu Lelia.

Noticing the imperceptible smile on Yang Zhishou's face, an exasperated Lu Lelia pointed right at his nose: "You heartless and ungrateful pretty boy, you've completely shamed all men! The girl gave you her whole heart, and not only are you ungrateful, but you had the nerve to swap her good money with white coins. Are you even a man?!"

"Good sir, I didn't want it to be like this either! I didn't mean to deceive Miss Ping'er's money; I had hidden difficulties and was forced to do so by circumstances!" Yang Zhishou wailed with a bitter face, crying out in explanation.

"What hidden difficulties? Spell them out for me to hear. If Lord here isn't satisfied, I'll toss you straight into the Great Drainage Ditch and feed your corpse to the fish!" Lu Lelia gave a cold laugh, fixing his gaze on Yang Zhishou.

However, Lu Lelia's self-perceived terrifying demeanor lacked any real intimidation. Yang Zhishou stammered for ages without managing to spit out anything coherent.

Six Fierce Liu, with his face full of flesh, couldn't bear to watch any longer. He stepped up in front of Yang Zhishou and let out a single, gentle "Hmm?", which scared Yang Zhishou so badly he nearly pissed his pants. In one breath, he spilled out every single detail of his experiences and hardships in Chang'an.

"Damn it, such a good thing actually exists! How come someone as robust and mighty as me, Hu Xiaojiao, never had some wealthy matron abduct me?" While the others were still stunned and recovering from their shock, Hu Xiaojiao couldn't help stepping forward, patting his own chest vigorously.

Regaining his senses, Lu Lelia burst into loud laughter, clutching his belly and pointing at Yang Zhishou's face: "I don't care whether your money was stolen or if some wealthy matron tossed you white coins. You played with my wife's good sister, so you must take responsibility for her."

"But junior has already been betrothed back in my hometown! Abandoning a wife to marry another—even if you throw me into the Great Drainage Ditch, I cannot bring myself to do such a thing." Yang Zhishou, who looked frail and weak, possessed a stubborn streak in his character.

"Who told you to abandon your wife and remarry? We all know what kind of background Ping'er has. As long as your un-wedded wife back home isn't a jealous shrew, I imagine she can make room for you to take a concubine." Lu Lelia waved his hand impatiently at Yang Zhishou.

"Zhou Liuzi, send men to investigate. You must find out which wealthy matron was burning incense at the Temple of the God of Wealth on the day this fellow stayed there. Then bring him to the rear courtyard to recognize the place and confirm it." Lu Lelia issued his instructions to Zhou Liuzi.

At that moment, a long procession of carriages stretched out like a dragon, slowly making its way into Chang'an.

Qi Dagui, a wealthy magnate from Jiangnan, gazed with supreme satisfaction at the long dragon of carriages and sighed repeatedly: "Chang'an truly is a city of wealth and honor, a city of dreams!"