Chapter 2 (Lu San Niang is still alive)
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
Chai Yong looked up, his gaze stopping him from getting up. He raised the full luminous cup, tilted his head back, and drank it down in one gulp.
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
"The wines of Xizhou are fragrant, sweet, and intense, and their reputation is well-deserved. In recent years, Hedong has also produced wines, and Bingzhou has sent them as tribute every year, but none of them can compare to the rich and mellow flavor of the wines here."
"Due to the different climates, the grapes transplanted from the east of the river are not as good as those from the west, and the wine made from them is naturally inferior."
"Brother Liu, you may not know this, but although grapes were transplanted from the west to Hedong, the art of winemaking is still controlled by the Hu people who migrated inland. The Hu people are shrewd and calculating, and they never pass on their secret techniques. My family's estate in Bingzhou grows grapes. My father obtained the recipe from the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and ordered people to make wine, but no matter how much effort they put in, they failed."
The tense atmosphere at the banquet eased as the companions chatted about wines from the Western Regions and the Central Plains.
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
Chai Yong poured himself another glass of wine and said with a smile, "I'm not angry, so why are you?"
Pei Jingyao pointed to the wound on Chai Yong's neck, "On our way to Xizhou, Wu Yanxing repeatedly provoked us. You disregarded past grievances and went into the river to save him. Instead of being grateful, he took advantage of our kindness!"
"Let him be. We'll be in Xizhou soon. Once the head monk in the temple has received the scriptures, we'll return to the capital. Let's not cause any trouble over such a small matter." Chai Yong said nonchalantly, enjoying the song and dance in the tent with great interest. "I've never seen Xiliang dance before, but I've heard so much about it. Today is a good day to broaden my horizons."
The music inside the tent was melodious, but no dancers skilled in the Xiliang dance came to perform for a long time. Wu Yanxing's face darkened, and he sneered, "When I was in the capital, I always received invitations to the banquets held by the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Liang. The dancers at those banquets were all top-notch performers from the Imperial Music Academy. Don't think you can fool me by just finding any dancer!"
The King of Wei and the King of Liang are the Empress's nephews. Not only do they hold important positions and serve as prime ministers, but they have also become princes.
The magistrate of Liucheng County wiped his sweat and left his seat again to urge the registrar. A moment later, he returned to the felt tent with a beaming smile: "The Third Lady of Xizhou will perform a dance for the Prince!"
His shout silenced the tent for a moment, and all the young men turned to look at him.
The musicians of Kucha suddenly stopped playing the Qiang flute and panpipes, and the Hu woman lifted the felt curtain, letting a clear and melodious bell sound drift into the tent on the night breeze.
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
Under the moonlight, a tall figure slowly emerged from the shadows into everyone's view, her steps light and graceful.
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
By this time, the wine had been drunk several times, and the young men were all half-drunk. The dancers, dressed only in thin gauze and barefoot, surrounded the young men and eagerly urged them to drink. Their chests were open, their fragrant shoulders slightly exposed, and their voices were sweet and charming. At a glance, one could see full, white bodies trembling slightly, and everywhere was seductive.
The dancers who came to perform were dressed very differently from the other dancers. They had braided hair, wore a royal blue robe with a left-fastening collar and narrow sleeves, decorated with seven treasures, and wore tall black leather boots.
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
The lanterns shone like dragon candles, casting a hazy glow on the dancers. Her figure was more slender than the other dancers, and the tight belt around her waist made her waist appear even more delicate and supple. She was dashing and heroic. Even before she began to dance, just stepping into the tent was enough to make one's eyes light up.
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
Wu Yanxing couldn't help but crane his neck, trying to see the dancer's lowered face clearly.
The dancer in his arms let out a disgruntled complaint, but he seemed not to hear it and raised his voice, "Raise your head and let this prince see you!"
All eyes were on the dancer.
She slowly raised her head and bowed in the direction of the prince, the lamplight illuminating her face.
Everyone was stunned and made surprised noises. Wu Yanxing spat out a mouthful of wine.
The dancer's forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin were painted with dots and stripes of red, obscuring her features. Her eyes were vacant, and when suddenly seen under the lamplight, they were somewhat eerie.
The magistrate of Liucheng County explained in a low voice: "Your Highness, this is a custom of the Western Liang Kingdom. People of the Western Liang Kingdom, regardless of gender or social status, like to apply a layer of red makeup to their faces."
Wu Yanxing smashed his wine cup: "I've seen this before, what's all the fuss about!"
The magistrate dared not utter a word.
The musicians of Kucha changed to a more intense and lively tune, and the music now included the Xiliang zither, round drum, and eagle flute. The drumbeats became increasingly urgent.
Chai Yong felt a flash of cold light before his eyes, and the dancer drew two slender blades from her waist.
The thin, long, and narrow curved sword with an eagle-head hilt was gripped tightly in one hand. With a flick of the wrist, a beautiful and neat sword dance was performed. At the same time, the body rotated with the music, and the wrists and arms kept flipping up, down, left, and right, moving the sword quickly. The movements became increasingly complex, from slow to fast.
The gleaming silver blades moved swiftly across the tent, their blades cutting through the air with a constant whistling sound.
The crowd was dazzled, seeing only a blur of gleaming white blades, unable to make out the dancer's wrist movements as she flipped and switched the blades.
The dancer leaped, bounded, and swayed to the music, her slender waist twisting as she calmly wielded her swords. The two curved blades never left her palms, their sharp edges grazing her cheeks, arms, and neck, threatening to slice off a piece of flesh and splatter blood at any moment.
The flashing blades were breathtaking.
The people inside the tent held their breath in tension, not daring to make a sound.
The dancer remained calm, as if what brushed past her face was not a sharp scimitar, but merely two soft draperys.
"Is this the Xiliang sword dance?"
"Exquisite skill, simply divine!"
Everyone was amazed and in awe.
Chai Yong sat upright, his expression becoming solemn.
He didn't understand singing and dancing, but as a martial artist, he could tell at a glance that the dancer's skillful swordsmanship must have come from years of persistent practice. When she wielded the sword, she was no longer the slow and stiff person she had been when bowing to Wu Yanxing. Her movements were bold and natural, graceful and generous, combining strength and gentleness, like flowing clouds and water, like a crane soaring into the sky in a clear blue sky, expansive, agile, and bright.
Such exquisite sword dance is so remarkable that it is no exaggeration to say that it was the best in the Tang Dynasty. You could not find another like it even in Luoyang, the capital city!
Frost tears through jade and silk, and dragons surge through the Milky Way.
Everyone was completely mesmerized.
Wu Yanxing watched intently, then suddenly his eyes lit up, and he grabbed a wine cup and threw it forcefully at the dancer wielding the knife.
"Watch out!"
The incident happened so suddenly that no one had time to stop it. They watched in shock and anger as the wine glass flew toward the dancer, and they all shouted warnings.
Even those with masterful sword dance skills must be fully focused when performing to ensure smooth and agile movements, otherwise they are easily injured. Wu Yanxing deliberately disturbed the dancer's sword dance, intentionally wanting to see her make a fool of herself. He was unreasonable and domineering!
Several young men, feeling pity for the beautiful woman, turned their faces away, unable to bear seeing the dancer injured.
Chai Yong suddenly stood up.
In the arena, the dancer on the red embroidered carpet had nowhere to avoid it. She leaned back, and the wine glass just grazed her forehead. She pushed off with her heels and took several steps back. The twin swords in her hands, which were still twirling and turning, were flicked upwards. With a clang, the wine glass changed direction and flew back to the banquet. It landed squarely on the table in front of Wu Yanxing. The wine in the glass swirled gently, and not a drop was spilled!
The music stopped, the dancer sheathed her sword, and bowed to Wu Yanxing.
They would never have guessed that Lu San Niang was still alive!
Pei's mother advised him that a young lady like Lu San Niang, pampered and spoiled, had suddenly fallen from grace, especially a renowned beauty. She couldn't imagine how she would be bullied, humiliated, and suffered. A strong-willed woman would have already committed suicide to preserve her honor. Perhaps the beauty's untimely death was a relief.
His companion next to him chuckled and nudged him, "Haha, Pei Wu, you look so distracted, did you see your old flame?"
The aristocratic families valued lineage above all else. Even if a prince of the Li family or the son of a prime minister proposed marriage, the Lu family would not give him a second glance. Lu San Niang would only marry a member of one of the other leading aristocratic families.
Pei Jingyao was filled with doubt and surprise. He grabbed Chai Yong's hand, rubbed his eyes, and stared intently at the dancer.
Pei Jingyao was curious about what kind of woman his brother cared about so much, so he gathered his friends and went to the gate of the Lu residence to block her, wanting to vent his brother's anger and to publicly denounce Lu San Niang for being frivolous and wanton, and for playing with his brother.
Taking advantage of the conversation, the magistrate of Liucheng County led the local officials in wishing the Empress of Shendu a long life, and then toasted the young men in turn.
A dancer stepped forward, took the two swords from the dancer's hand, and handed her a gilded wine pot.
Wu Yanxing was greatly disappointed: ordinary dancers usually offer toasts in a gentle and tender manner to please their patrons, but the dancer sang a line that went something like "All nations pay homage to the Empress," which undoubtedly refers to the Empress who makes the whole world prostrate and submit at her feet. The gorgeous and extravagant atmosphere in the tent vanished. How could he then use the wine to cause trouble?
Everyone was very displeased. The practice of frequenting prostitutes was rampant in Chang'an and the capital. They were all playboys who often indulged in pleasure and laughter. However, they considered themselves to be from prestigious families and also valued a certain elegance in their boudoirs. The dancer's Xiliang dance was performed with ease and was praised by everyone. How could they treat her as an ordinary prostitute serving them in bed?
His voice was hoarse, yet it was fluent in the standard Heluo dialect.
Lu San Niang lost her mother at a young age and grew up in Huainan with her elder sister-in-law, occasionally returning to Chang'an for short stays. At that time, people came to the Lu family to propose marriage in an endless stream, and even the palace sent people to ask for her hand in marriage, but the Lu family politely declined them all.
Pei Jingyao nodded.
The others snapped out of their daze and joined in the loud cheers.
The eldest brother of the Pei family was heartbroken and resentful, and he drowned his sorrows in alcohol every day.
Pei Jingyao whispered to Chai Yong, "Don't let my brother's fondness for being the eldest brother fool you."
"He used to be a Casanova. When Lu San Niang said she wanted some fresh cherries, he immediately rode his horse to the manor outside the city. On the way back, he was riding too fast and fell off his horse, breaking his leg. Lu San Niang didn't even come to see him. He was still at home instructing the steward to remember to send cherries to the Duke of Yan's mansion, and to make sure they were freshly picked."
Pei Jingyao stared blankly at the dancer, his expression dazed: "Perhaps I've mistaken her for someone else... I heard she died in Qianzhou... but she looks so much like her..."
We're not visiting a brothel!
Just one glance.
Everyone raised their glasses in return.
This name was once famous throughout Chang'an.
Chai Yong frowned, glanced at Wu Yanxing, and found the man looking at him smugly while drinking. If he intervened, Wu Yanxing would only become more aggressive.
Chai Yong grew up in Luoyang and had never met Lu San Niang from Chang'an, but he had often heard people mention her in recent years.
Four years ago, the Lu family was convicted of a crime, and Lu San Niang was escorted to Qianzhou along with her father and brothers, whereabouts unknown. No one knew whether she was dead or alive. Later, someone who went to Qianzhou to visit a friend said they saw her grave.
Chai Yong asked, "Wu Lang, do you know her?"
Despite Pei's eldest brother's attentiveness, he didn't receive a single word of concern from Lu San Niang.
The dancer carried the wine pot to the table, filled a cup with wine, and said: "First, I wish the prince a bright future; second, I wish the young master longevity and happiness; third, I wish for prosperity in all seasons, a long and prosperous nation, and that all nations pay homage to your crown."
Pei Jingyao held the empty wine glass, staring at a corner of the felt tent, looking puzzled.
The crowd sat dumbfounded before the table, staring at the dancer in disbelief.
Pei Jingyao was so embarrassed he could barely speak, and he slunk back home.
At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong ordered his ministers to compile the "Clan Records". According to custom, the ministers listed the Shandong gentry as the first clan. Emperor Taizong could not tolerate the Shandong gentry being above the imperial family, so he ordered his ministers to revise the "Clan Records" again, with the imperial family first, the maternal relatives second, and the gentry last.
Among the prominent families in the land, the Shandong gentry were the most prestigious clans for generations, producing numerous renowned figures and holding the highest social standing, thus being regarded as the foremost gentry family by the world's elite.
Chai Yong breathed a sigh of relief and applauded enthusiastically.
Everyone laughed and agreed, each drinking a full cup and chanting in unison, "May the world be at peace, and may our Emperor live ten thousand years!"
However, important officials such as Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng vied to form marriage alliances with Shandong gentry families.
Pei Jingyao became increasingly certain that the dancer was Lu Sanniang, and his hands trembled with excitement.
Chai Yong recalled a name: "Is it Lu Sanniang, the one who broke your brother's leg?"
Among those of noble surnames, none surpasses the gentry of Shandong.
The daughter of a duke, of noble birth, beautiful and charming, and arrogant.
Pei Jingyao stood up excitedly.
The magistrate of Liucheng County gave the dancer a wink.
Pei Jingyao slowly recovered from his shock and whispered, "Third Sister Lu, the Third Sister Lu who was 'radiant and dazzling,' her grandfather was appointed a general and enfeoffed as the Duke of Yan for his meritorious service..."
He continued to stare at the corner, his expression growing increasingly puzzled.
When they arrived at the gate of the Lu residence, Lu San Niang happened to ride out on horseback. She wore a lotus crown, a scarlet silk robe, a pomegranate red skirt, and her shawl fluttered. She glanced at Pei Jingyao.
One day, the Duke of Yan was discussing matters with the Left Minister of the Imperial Secretariat in his study when Lu San Niang barged in, lifting her skirt. The Duke of Yan was furious, but the Left Minister of the Imperial Secretariat stopped the prime minister and said with a smile, "The cinnabar flowers shine brightly, dazzling and shimmering."
Pei's eldest brother was so heartbroken that he couldn't eat.
After the toast was finished, the hall fell silent.
Immediately following, the room erupted in cheers.
Pei Jingyao cursed, "Get lost! Unlike you, Liu Si, all the dancers in the capital are your old flames!"
Seeing Chai Yong looking at the dancer with admiration, Wu Yanxing shouted, "You! Come here and pour wine for this prince!"
Who does he look like?
“It’s so similar… I remember her eyes… The old Duke of Yan once led troops to quell the rebellion of the Western Turks, and had the Liang family generals under his command…”
High-ranking families looked down on other surnames and, in order to maintain their noble lineage, often engaged in endogamy. Meanwhile, all the surnames in the country considered it an honor to marry into the five most prominent and prestigious families in Shandong. Xue Yuanchao, a minister during the reign of Emperor Gaozong who was known as the "Right Wenzong of the Court," came from a prominent family and rose to the position of prime minister. His greatest regret in life was that he had not been able to marry a woman from one of the five most prominent and prestigious families.
Chai Yong didn't hear him speak for a while. Following his gaze, he found that the person he was looking at was the dancer who had just performed the sword dance.
The dancer knelt in the corner, beating the drum with the musicians, her head bowed low, a stark contrast to her posture when she wielded the sword.
The scimitar dancers stepped down, and the other dancers took over, performing soft dances with their skirts fluttering in the wind.
Chai Yong was also taken aback for a moment, then raised his cup and smiled at everyone, saying, "For Third Sister's performance, everyone here should drink this cup to the brim!"
Lu San Niang came from the Lu family, one of the five prominent families and seven prestigious clans.
Please move the original, unmodified content to the official website of [website name - implied]. If it's already there, please disable ad blocking and exit browser reading mode.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
