Chapter 107: A Son, Wine, and Meat

Beacon Fire Amuses the Lords

Wen Hua, lying in the pavilion, looked at his old friend whom he hadn't seen for years. When they used to travel together, he had always been jealous of Young Xu’s handsome looks. Whenever they passed through villages and hamlets, if Young Xu went to beg for food and water, he would rarely return empty-handed. If the villagers were unsophisticated women, they would be even more generous. However, when giving alms, they couldn't help but squeeze Young Xu's hand. Braver women, in their husbands' absence, would even laughingly pinch his cheeks, exclaiming, "What a handsome young man!" Every time Wen Hua witnessed this, he felt uneasy; that kid completely stole his thunder. But over time, Wen Hua got used to it, jokingly urging Xu Fengnian to just become a kept man for a city lady. Young Xu would almost always jump up and curse, saying, "I'm a top-tier noble son from Liangzhou! I can't stoop that low!" Wen Hua couldn't help but laugh. "How 'top-tier' is 'top-tier'? Is it bigger than the King of Northern Liang's son?" Now, meeting again, Wen Hua found Xu Fengnian somewhat unfamiliar. He was probably wearing an exquisite brocade robe, acquired from some questionable source, looking overly refined. Wen Hua found it a bit unreal. Could Young Xu really be a third-rate noble scion from Northern Liang? If so, could their close friendship still hold? Wen Hua unconsciously scratched his crotch, a habit of over a decade that was hardly refined. But Wen Hua came from the countryside, and even if he wanted to change, he couldn't. Back then, Xu Fengnian would always mock him for it, saying, "If you ever become a renowned swordsman, in a moment of widespread attention during a duel with a master, would you suddenly scratch your crotch? Is that appropriate? Would you still be considered a master? Would any maiden admire a chivalrous man as unrefined as you?" Wen Hua had seriously considered this dilemma, but to this day, he hadn't wanted to change, as if afraid that changing would make him indistinguishable from those pretentious wastrels they had encountered during their travels.

Xu Fengnian felt a chill run down his spine from Wen Hua's intense gaze and asked, "How did you end up in Xiangfan?"

Wen Hua replied with a melancholy expression, "I met a girl I fancy and followed her all the way here."

Xu Fengnian laughed, "You! A leopard can't change its spots. Back then, wasn't it always that as long as a woman had a chest and a backside, you'd fancy her? You weren't picky at all. But did anyone ever pay you any mind?"

Wen Hua sat up straight, a wicked grin on his face. He made a rounded gesture with his hands at his chest and said, "Tsk, tsk, this time it's different. I've truly fallen for her. She's beautiful, and her heart is even better. I think I'll only love her for the rest of my life."

Xu Fengnian curled his lip dismissively, "Bullshit. Any girl in front of you, and you're head over heels."

Wen Hua leaned against a pillar and shook his head, "Not anymore."

Seeing that Wen Hua wasn't joking, Xu Fengnian wondered, "Are you truly devoted? Which unlucky girl is it? Tell me her name, and I'll go take a look."

Wen Hua cursed, "Unlucky my ass! Let me tell you upfront, don't even think about poaching her, or we're no longer brothers!"

Xu Fengnian retorted angrily, "I've touched more women than you've seen! Why would I be interested in yours?!"

Wen Hua snorted, "Don't I know your character? You're just good with your mouth. You're adept at swindling and deceiving. If by some chance a girl is blind enough to fall for you in the future, I'll definitely stop her."

Xu Fengnian leaned against another pillar, sitting opposite him, and smiled, "Then you'll be quite busy."

Wen Hua didn't have the energy to bicker with Xu Fengnian; every word he saved meant less hunger. He closed his eyes, holding his wooden sword, and rested. Xu Fengnian turned his head to gaze at the Embracing Solitude Pagoda, one of the Ten Views of Shouyang Lake. Shouyang Lake itself wasn't large, but it had a long history. Before water conservancy projects, it would flood disastrously after heavy rains and dry up completely during long droughts, hardly qualifying as a beautiful scenic spot. Later, two high-ranking officials from the previous dynasty served as Qinzhou Governors and took a particular liking to Shouyang Lake. They used a technique of "opening hidden channels" to dig five wells and expand stone culverts, which resulted in the Shouyang Lake of today. Xiangguo Alley was named after Xiangguo Well, one of the five wells. During the Spring and Autumn period, conflicts could ruin a state, but this lake was an inconspicuous testament to literati governing the country. Hearing Wen Hua's stomach rumble with hunger, Xu Fengnian smiled, averted his gaze, and asked, "How about I get some wine and meat?"

Wen Hua asked suspiciously, "Where would you get it?"

Xu Fengnian gestured to Qingniao as if pouring wine. Soon after, she returned from the inn with a meal box, its aroma of wine and meat wafting. Wen Hua looked at Qingniao, then at the box of wine and meat, and exclaimed in shock, "You've really struck it rich, kid! You even managed to get yourself a beautiful wife?!"

Qingniao's face flushed. Xu Fengnian was the first to tear off a piece of beef, washing it down with strong liquor, and laughed, "Eat your fill."

Wen Hua devoured the food, occasionally looking up at Qingniao and couldn't help but whisper, "Sister-in-law, if you don't mind me saying, if you truly want a peaceful life, you'll have to keep Young Xu in check. He's not a bad person, but he's too ambitious and restless."

Xu Fengnian tossed a piece of beef at him and cursed, "Don't you dare undermine me like that!"

Wen Hua hastily caught the beef, stuffed it into his mouth, and glared, "You're the one wasting good food!"

Qingniao said softly, "Young Master Wen, I'm just a maid."

Wen Hua gasped, then waved his hand, "A maid? No, no, I don't believe it. If a lady like you is a maid, that's just unfair."

Xu Fengnian laughed, "She indeed has the bearing of a lady but the fate of a maid. I feel wronged for her."

Wen Hua angrily retorted, "Xu, watch your mouth! What 'fate of a maid'! Be careful, or I'll lose my temper with you!"

Xu Fengnian rolled his eyes.

Wen Hua, with a greasy mouth, looked up at Qingniao, doing his best to display the most chivalrous smile he could muster, and said bashfully, "My lady, just because you called me Young Master Wen, if Young Xu ever dares to bully you, I'll be the first to deal with him! With his pathetic 'three-legged cat' martial arts, I can take him down without even drawing my sword!"

Xu Fengnian burst into laughter and teased, "Young Master Wen, come on, come on, have a drink!"

Wen Hua was in high spirits. Being called "Young Master Wen" for the very first time! He felt completely at ease. Suddenly, he felt that, besides the woman he truly loved, the lady in front of him was the second most adorable woman in the world! Such a well-educated and virtuous lady, a maid? No one would believe it!

It was a rare occurrence in the past two or three years for Wen Hua to be so well-fed and watered. He burped contentedly. The remaining liquor was carefully poured into his gourd flask. Wen Hua gave Xu Fengnian a meaningful look, Xu Fengnian shook his head, but Wen Hua nodded emphatically, puzzling Qingniao. It seemed Xu Fengnian couldn't refuse Wen Hua, so he awkwardly had Qingniao take the meal box back to the inn first. The two then darted out of the pavilion, found a patch of grass by the water, and squatted down, pulling their pants off with some distance between them. Their two bare bottoms looked particularly absurd under the moonlight. It was quite a sight, these two men defecating by Shouyang Lake. However, if one knew of their past days of eating and sleeping outdoors, their vulgar and low behavior wouldn't be surprising. For Wen Hua, a desperate nobody, the happiest thing in the world wasn't eating, drinking, or sleeping, but "relieving oneself," because only when full could one afford to do so—a very simple truth.

Squatting by the lake, Wen Hua let out a long breath and said leisurely, "Who knows, maybe some poet or cultured scholar used to compose verses right here where we are. Just thinking about it, what a pleasure!"

Xu Fengnian said nothing.

King Jing'an, Zhao Heng, would never in a million years have imagined that the Prince of Northern Liang would be urinating and defecating with someone by Shouyang Lake.

Wen Hua, finding Xu Fengnian silent and a little bored, suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Xu, there's a stone monument right behind where I'm shitting!"

Xu Fengnian finally couldn't help but curse, "That's the 'Shouyang Lake Sluice Record' erected by Li Mi, a governor from the previous dynasty! You damn scoundrel, you really pick your spots!"

Wen Hua was speechless for a moment, then mumbled, "My apologies, my apologies."

Xu Fengnian hesitated, then asked softly, "Wen Hua, do you have any thoughts about continuing to wander with me? Just like in the old days, traveling and seeing the world together? If you run into another martial arts competition for marriage, I'll make sure you win."

Wen Hua chuckled, "No, don't take me for a fool. You're quite something now, kid. I don't care who you are, I still consider you a brother. But brotherhood is one thing; while freeloading on food and drink is understandable, if you're so generous with your silver, I'm afraid I'll lose my ambition. So, you go your grand highway, and I'll walk my narrow plank bridge. We'll meet again if fate allows. Hey, Wen Hua, I may not be much else, but I need to achieve something in sword training. If I follow you and live a life of comfort, I'm afraid I'll lose the will to endure hardship. Young Xu, I appreciate the good intention. Tomorrow, I'm leaving the city. I want to go to the Northern Mang border, just to see the world."

Xu Fengnian said softly, "The border is about to get chaotic. Be careful."

Wen Hua gave a surprised sound and teased, "Chaotic? Are you really a noble scion from Northern Liang?"

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "Indeed I am."

Wen Hua sighed, "I said I'd treat you to a good meal with wine and meat before, but I didn't expect to meet you this time only to owe you another."

Xu Fengnian said, "Just owe it. As long as you don't die, you'll always have a chance to pay it back."

Wen Hua chuckled, "If Old Huang were here, he'd say, 'That's the truth.'"

Xu Fengnian looked lost in thought and murmured, "That's the truth."

Wen Hua suddenly yelled, "The grass leaves here are ridiculously small, they're no good for wiping! Yours seem wider, throw some over quickly!"

Xu Fengnian grumbled and threw over a clump of grass leaves.

The two returned to the pavilion. Wen Hua asked, "Aren't you going back to the inn?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head, "Let's chat. Tell me about that girl of yours."

The two chatted until dawn. Wen Hua glanced at the predawn sky, which was turning "fish-belly white," and stood up. "Alright, I'm leaving the city. Remember the wine and meat I owe you. Oh, and also, please thank that kind lady for me. No one has ever called me 'Young Master' in my life."

Xu Fengnian hesitated for a moment and asked, "I have an old swordsman master with me. Would you like to meet him?"

Wen Hua gripped his wooden sword, smiled, and shook his head, "No, it's still someone else's sword, after all. Even if the senior master is willing to teach, I couldn't learn it."

Xu Fengnian teased, "Didn't you always dream of being taken as a disciple by a master?"

Wen Hua said earnestly, "That was just a thought. I remember Old Huang saying that practicing swordplay requires sincerity, just like pilgrims praying to gods and Buddhas—sincerity brings efficacy. But these past two years, with nothing much to do, I've figured out a truth that isn't really a truth: the sword is one's own. With my aptitude, if I follow someone else's path, I'll never achieve anything. I don't have a habit of owing people; I can't really owe you a few meals until my hair turns white. I'm off! Don't be so wishy-washy like a woman."

Wen Hua's smile was bright: "White steamed buns, oh so white, but not as white as a maiden's bosom."

Xu Fengnian's smile was intoxicating: "Lotus tips, oh so perky, but not as perky as a young lady's backside."

On the long willow-lined dike shimmering in the mist, Wen Hua with his wooden sword and Xu Fengnian with his twin sabers exchanged a high-five and then passed each other by.