Chapter 5
The Rouge and Powder Trap
Sheng Jian tossed and turned, but couldn’t sleep well the whole night.
Because he too was an out-and-out man.
※ ※ ※
Yesterday, when he took that woman’s hint and left the western side courtyard early, it was already almost dark outside.
When he got back to his own room in the east wing of the rear courtyard, he didn’t light any lamps but lay on the kang-bed.
He lay on the kang-bed and stared at the ceiling in the dark, lost in thought, thoughts racing in his mind, unable to calm for a long time.
What he thought of first of all of course was gold.
Were that kid’s words trustworthy or not?
That woman had only agreed to split with him 1,500 taels of gold after the deed was done, yet that kid claimed that all they had to do was one thing for him and the two of them could each benefit from 3,000 taels of gold.
That woman might feel it wasn’t worth it, but for him, 1,500 taels changed to 3,000 was doubling the amount. Naturally that was very much worth it.
It was just that, it all sounded too good to be true.
It’s not that there weren’t any generous people in the world, but he’d never heard of anyone that generous, willing to give up 6,000 taels of gold.
Regardless if that kid could get his hands on such an enormous sum of gold, let’s say he could, that the kid had an astonishing horde of wealth stashed away somewhere, and he had a mind to use that wealth to toady favor with that woman, what did that have to do with him?
What business did he, Sheng, have getting the same amount as that woman?
So, in the final analysis, in a word, he didn’t believe it—he didn’t believe such an easy, lucky thing really existed.
※ ※ ※
Next he began to think of that woman, Sister As You Wish.
His hopes all rested on that woman.
That wasn’t hard to imagine. Since even he didn’t believe that that kid Shen could get his hands on 6,000 taels of gold, that woman of course would not believe that kid’s illusory moon-reflected-in-a-lake promise.
As long as that woman wasn’t moved by the kid’s promise then things could still go as according to plan. As long as that woman was set on her course of action, she was definitely guaranteed to succeed.
On this, he and that woman were both equally confident.
He was so confident because he had known that woman longer than others had, knew more than others did, and understood her deeper than others did.
When men who like to drink get a bit tipsy, they tend to see themselves as the world’s hero, a real goodfellow, who does things righteously, who is a good friend, and who has nothing to be ashamed of.
Still these heroic goodfellows with with their righteousness, their friendship, once they’d drank to their heart’s content and were overcome with that light and airy feeling, the first thing they thought of was often the world’s most feckless thing—finding a woman to go to bed with.
Desire for food and sex is part of human nature, as long as it didn’t exceed the norm there was nothing wrong with it, but if the woman you found just happened to be Sister As You Wish, then that was completely different.
People who truly understood women knew that Sister As You Wish in bed was the true Sister As You Wish.
The bed was this woman’s palace, also this woman’s hunting grounds.
Whenever a man got into this woman’s bed, no matter how amazing a heroic goodfellow he was, it was tantamount to crossing the threshold of the gates of death.
No one in bed was a match for this woman.
Even a genuine heroic goodfellow would be defeated even more brutally, even more thoroughly!
There are very few men with no superiority complex and who aren’t possessive.
A superiority complex and possessiveness were two of men’s natural characteristics, and also men’s two major natural weaknesses.
What this woman most loved to seize on and exploit were these weakness of men.
If she knew you had a strong sense of superiority, she would think of every means of making you feel you were better than other men, make you elated, make you beside yourself with pride.
Similarly, if she detected that you were unusually possessive, she would pretend to be delicate and innocent, and unbearably weak, so that you would feel that you already possessed her.
When in fact she already completely possessed you.
If he walked into this woman’s soft, gentle trap, no man could hold onto his self-respect.
She could turn you into a ferocious beast or into a puddle of mud, and all it took was a licentious laugh or a soft moan…
※ ※ ※
Sheng Jian heaved a long sigh, feeling incomparably content.
1,500 taels of gold, just like that kid said, was more than enough to enjoy oneself for a while.
Then his thoughts led to what to do after the 1,500 taels of gold, how should he arrange his life so that he could act as becomes a man for a time.
When he thought of this he couldn’t stifle a laugh.
Because he suddenly thought of the blueprint that kid had described earlier that day. He need not worry a bit about it anymore.
Yes, first he must build a luxurious mansion, and it should be on more than a hundred acres of land. Of course somewhere close to the capital would be most suitable.
Then, he must select a batch of servants, a private secretary, steward, guards, chefs, etc. Of course he couldn’t be without any of them.
However, there was one point on which he needed to make a slight adjustment.
He didn’t expect to only live another ten years.
So, some unnecessary extravagances must be eliminated.
Rare flowers and exotic plants were not interesting to him. If he had time, he would rather take out some antiques and jewelry to delight in.
Antiques and jewelry were much better than rare flowers and exotic plants.
As for rock gardens and artificial streams, they were even more of a joke. Look around, there’s real mountains and real streams in the world. As long as you had silver, where could you not go?
Finally, the hangers-on. He felt these were even more unnecessary.
With silver there was too much pleasure to enjoy in one lifetime, what time was there to waste dawdling with those foul men?
Can women not drink wine?
Can women not play weiqi?
Could he not just get a few more rooms of concubines?
Ah, right, concubines! He nearly forgot the most important pleasure!
Did you have to have so many concubines for it to be considered suitable?
Oh, no, taking a lot, taking a few, that wasn’t the problem. The problem was if you could find a few of the kind of women you wanted.
The best was to find a woman like Sister As You Wish…
When he thought of Sister As You Wish and the interest she brought to men, Dagger Within a Smile’s train of thought suddenly went helter-skelter.
Right now it was just after the third watch.
Had the woman pulled it off already?
He suddenly felt an impulse to hop on a horse and furtively hurry over and have a look.
But, he knew this thing could absolutely not be done recklessly.
He clenched his teeth hard and did his best to rid himself of that thought. But, the more he restrained himself, the stronger it got.
A scorching hot sensation in a flash coursed through his entire body.
His cheeks were scalding hot, his throat was dry, his heard was racing, the blood in his veins had turned to burning flames…
He wanted to close his eyes, concentrate on his breathing, and get himself good and calm, but the moment he closed his eyes a vivid, captivating image appeared before his eyes.
In that split second he really ached to change places with that kid Shen.
He could give up the gold.
He didn’t even care what happened to him afterward.
In that split second, all he wanted was that woman…
※ ※ ※
It was daybreak.
The eastern horizon began to show a trace of fishbelly white.
Sheng Jian’s face was even more pale, his eyes bloodshot, as tired as if he had been on the road all night.
Yesterday, several times he wanted to go to the western side courtyard. Now that it was daylight he could go, yet he still hesitated.
If he went now wouldn’t it be a bit too early?
An attendant brought in a basin of wash water and Sheng Jiang liked to have met his savior. He was about to open his mouth to ask about what was going on at the western side court, but the attendant unexpectedly opened his mouth first.
Smiling, the attendant said, “His Excellency Bai in the western side court just explained to me that he wanted to invite Master Sheng to come over after you had washed your face and you two could have breakfast together.”
Sheng Jian didn’t need to ask anything.
※ ※ ※
The western side court was very quiet, not a single sound.
Sheng Jian’s heart couldn’t help thump thump thumping. The courtyard gate was left unlatched and he was already up the steps, but he couldn’t muster the courage to reach out and push the door open.
From inside he heard a voice suddenly call out laughing, “Why don’t you come in?”
Sheng Jian recognized it as that woman’s voice and finally felt relieved. He took a deep breath and pushed open the door.
Sister As You Wish was in the courtyard waiting for him.
This woman today was back in her men’s attire, square cap and seal-ribbon, wavy cloud shoes, standing there calm and distinguished, the perfect image of a noble lordson.
Sheng Jian looked around and tiptoed over and gestured at the room and asked quietly, “How did it go?”
Sister As You Wish made eyes at him. “How do you think it went?”
She’d finished speaking but her roving glances kept flitting about her face.
She’d obviously seen a secret in Dagger Within a Smile’s face.
Sheng Jian avoided her gaze. “Last night… I… I… didn’t sleep well… I couldn’t stop worrying.”
Sister As You Wish nodded, smiling, “I can tell.”
Sheng Jian’s face reddened slightly, as if he had choked on something, and he coughed a few times and gathered himself, and said in a low voice, “Big Sis… did you… press some of his acupoints? That kid’s martial arts are not the ordinary sort. Should some mishap occur it would be no joke.”
Sister As You Wish said, “In total I pressed three of his acupoints, there shouldn’t be a problem. If you think it inappropriate, in a bit you can see and do as you see fit.”
Sheng Jian said, “Which three acupoints did you strike, Bis Sis?”
Sister As You Wish said, “Laughing Waist, Essence Urging, and Phoenix Enters the Cave.”
Sheng Jian heard the names of those three acupoints and felt a wave of nausea.
Because those three acupoints, all of them located on the back around the waist. Only a person hugging you tightly could strike all those acupoints at once.
There was no need to ask when the woman had struck or in what situation she was in when she did it.
Sister As You Wish made eyes at him again. “I got him tucked away nicely, later how do you want to deal with him?”
Sheng Jian thought about this, nodding. “Let me think about it.”
His gaze slid away from her face.
But it only moved a few fingerwidths before suddenly halting.
Though the woman had changed into men’s clothes, her twin peaks could still be faintly discerned.
However, what he was paying attention to at the moment was not her enticing chest.
The place his gaze came to rest on was the woman’s Command Platform acupoint!
In that split second he suddenly realized that in that situation, a woman’s Command Platform acupoint would be easy to strike if someone wanted to.
His two hands had fondled many women’s chest before, but he had never fondled a chest worth 8,500 taels of gold before. He felt he shouldn’t let his hands down.
※ ※ ※
On the table in the room, the leftovers from lat night’s feast had not been cleared away.
From the looks of the leftover food and wine it was not hard to see that the two of them had clearly not touched a cup after he left yesterday.
Sheng Jian was not happy about this.
Fuck, he was living it up the whole night while I was in a living hell all night!
If the two of them were splitting the 10,000 taels of gold reward evenly when the time came, then it would be alright, but in fact all he was going to end up with in the end was a negligible 1,500 taels.
This dick down his throat was getting harder and harder to swallow.1
Sister As You Wish pointed to the bedroom next door. “Go in and have a look and get him dressed. If you’re still worried, press some more of his acupoints. In short, better safe than sorry…”
Sheng Jian forced down his displeasure and went into the bedroom as he was told, but he soon poked his head out and asked, “Where is he? How come I don’t see him?”
Sister As You Wish said, “On the bed.”
Sheng Jian said, “There’s nothing on the bed but a couple of quilts, where’s he?”
Sister As You Wish was taken aback. “He’s not on the bed?”
On the steps outside of the room a person coldly said, “He’s over here!”
Sheng Jian pulled his head back in, thinking to find an escape route, but unfortunately there were no doors or windows in the bedroom that led outside.
Sister As You Wish stood there scared stiff, like a stone statue.
Shen Wuhai calmly walked into the room and waved his hand. “Sit down, don’t be afraid. If I wanted you all dead you wouldn’t be able to run away even if you wanted to. As long as you don’t run, you might have a chance to live.”
Sheng Jian’s legs were weak and he was fatigued all over, but he came back into the room, trembling.
Shen Wuhai looked at the two of them and coughed lightly and said leisurely, “You two are really true to your names, cough cough. It’s just too bad you picked the wrong target this time.”
He paused, then continued at his leisurely pace, “As luck would have it, what you two pieces of work have bumped into is me, the Killer Star renowned for killing people. If I declare that I will pardon you and you won’t die, not only would the two of you not believe me, probably no one who heard it would believe it. But you all just listen patiently and I cant tell you something that you might find more impossible to believe than killing you…”
He glanced at them again, and said pointedly, “Right now I can not only pardon this once, the promise I made you earlier is still in effect, which was as long as you do one thing for me, just like before, I will make it so you two receive 3,000 taels of gold each!”
The both of them as expected stared wide-eyed, looking like they didn’t dare believe it. Shen Wuhai continued, “I entered the Pass this time partly for the sake of a friend. My friend’s name, when I say it, you will likely not find unfamiliar.”
Another thing that was impossible to believe, the Killer Star actually has friends?”
Sheng Jian drummed up his courage and asked, “Who?”
Shen Wuhai said, “Zhao Zhongyuan.”
Sheng Jian said blankly, “Golden Whip Zhao Zhongyuan? The chief escort at the Good Faith Escort Agency of Zhenjiang?”
Shen Wuhai said, “That’s right.”
Sheng Jian seemed to be getting more confused the more he listened.
Golden Whip Zhao Zhongyuan was an elder of the martial world. As far back as forty years ago his name resonated all over north and south of the Yangtze River. He wasn’t talked about quite as much now, but he ought to be over seventy by now, this kid was so young, and this was his first time entering the Pass, how did he come to befriend Golden Whip Zhao Zhongyuan?
Shen Wuhai continued, “Three years ago, Good Faith Escort Agency went out to deliver a load of goods. The person in charge of escorting the goods was none other than my old friend.”
Sheng Jian’s expression changed slightly. “Mr. Shen doesn’t suspect that…”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth he felt they were ridiculously childish. If the Killer Star suspected that they had stolen the Good Faith Escort Agency of Zhenjiang’s goods three years ago, it would be too late to torture or flog them, and then why would he instead be promising them 6,000 taels of gold?
Shen Wuhai laughed, “This old friend of mine isn’t a hard drinker not is he lustful. If we’re just talking martial arts, based on you two, you’d probably—cough cough”
Sheng Jian’s face was finally getting a bit of color back.
Shen Wuhai coughed again and continued, “Since then, for the past three years the Good Faith Escort Agency has existed in name only, all year round focusing only on collecting the funds to repay the loss.”
His expression turned serious. “Now I’m requesting you two, thinking to trouble you two to send silver draft notes worth 4,000 taels of gold to Good Faith Escort Agency for me!”
Sheng Jian was dumbstruck for a moment, then hurriedly said, “This is a minor matter.”
Shen Wuhai said in a grave voice, “This is not a minor matter!”
Sheng Jian was dumbstruck again.
Shen Wuhai said, “If this were a minor matter, I wouldn’t need to pay such a large sum of 6,000 taels of gold for your services.”
Sheng Jian thought, Yeah, this is something any bank could handle, and if he were really worried, he could send the money himself, why put up such a huge price to find us two to send this enormous sum?
Shen Wuhai said, “This matter is only known by us three, I don’t wish for a fourth to know of it.”
Shen Jian thought, Just because of that, that’s not right. If you sent it yourself would the number of people who know about it be even fewer? You’re telling me going on this trip is worth 6,000 taels of gold?
Shen Wuhai said, “And most importantly, I hope this 4,000 taels of gold will be delivered safely, nothing going awry along the way!”
Sheng Jian said, “The other stuff I can’t guarantee, but when it comes to this, Mr. Shen, please rest at ease.”
He looked at the two of them once more and said, “I just hope you two remember one thing, 3,000 taels of gold is enough for one person to live comfortably on his whole life. Don’t cut short the time you have to enjoy your life all for a some money you can never spend all of anyway!”
With that, he sighed and sat down in a chair and nodded to the two of them. “Alright, you all can get started now.”
Sheng Jian, eyes wide, said, “Get started?”
Sister As You Wish suddenly hung her head, looking at the tips of her toes.
She clearly didn’t want anyone to see her smiling face just now.
※ ※ ※
The Killer Star had been captured!
The martial arts contest on Mount Huang more than twenty years ago, the prime minister’s big burglary case fifteen years ago, the case of internal strife within the Beggar Gang ten years ago, and the mediation between the Sabre Grandmaster and the Sword King seven or eight years ago, in which they put aside their differences and became sworn brothers with different surnames, was all huge, sensational news among the jianghu.
But those events all paled in comparison to the news of the Killer Star’s capture.
Once word got out, everyone was overjoyed.
An enormous evil had been eliminated. From this moment on, the jianghu could be at peace again.
The day that Merciless Gold Sword led the twelve Brocade Swordsmen to escort Shen Wuhai under arrest from Gathered Worthies Inn, the people of Changsha turned out en masse, everyone vying to get a glimpse of what the Killer Star really looked like.
But it didn’t end up going as they’d wished.
As they got the news and hurried over, the Killer Star has already been put into the prisoner cart.
The prisoner cart had a special iron cage covered on all sides with black cloth, cutting the prisoner off from the outside world, couldn’t see through it, and the people outside could not see inside.
As a result, everyone did the next best thing and one after another inquired about how the Killer Star had been captured.
As for that, people were also sorely disappointed, because none of the waiters at the inn was able to say.
The waiters only knew that it might have had something to do with a young man staying at the inn who called himself Lordson Bai, and this Lordson Bai had left not long after Merciless Gold Sword and his party arrived, so no one knew really who this Lordson Bai was.
※ ※ ※
The Killer Star had been sent off under escort, and Changsha gradually returned to its normal calm.
That same evening, two respectable looking guests quietly entered another inn in the city.
These two mysterious guests stayed in a suite in the rear courtyard. Now they were seated opposite each other at a small table, silently spellbound, staring at a stack of silver drafts under the flickering lamplight.
There were ten silver draft notes in all, worth a total of 10,000 taels exactly!
Who these two guests were it goes without saying.
According to the original agreement, 4,000 taels of the 10,000 taels of gold ought to be sent to the Good Faith Escort Agency of Zhenjiang at once, handed over to the chief escort, Golden Whip Zhao Zhongyuan, and the remaining 6,000 taels split evenly between them, 3,000 taels each.
Yes, they had promised the Killer Star that once the reward money was in hand they would immediately take 4,000 taels and send it to the Good Faith Escort Agency of Zhenjiang.
But once the two of them received the 10,000 taels of gold in silver draft notes from Merciless Gold Sword, the same doubts rose in each of their minds: why did they have to carry out their promise to take 4,000 taels of gold on a thousand-mile trek and deliver it to the Good Faith Escort Agency of Zhenjiang?
Only three people knew of this matter, and one of them was already a prisoner. The only ones who still knew of it were the two of them. As long as they could keep this bottled up, then no one would ever know this secret.
4,000 taels of gold converted to silver was a full 100,000 taels exact.
How long would it take a person to amass that much wealth?
Couldn’t they just keep it for themselves to enjoy?
Sister As You Wish sighed softly, “I’ve thought it over, but I still can’t decide. Now I only fear that the Sword King, in order to save the Sword Grandmaster’s face, will not seek the death penalty for that kid. If that kid should break free one day, then the two of us would be in big trouble…”
Sheng Jian nodded but said nothing. After a short while he suddenly started laughing. “We really are dumb as hell.”
Sister As You Wish started in surprise. “Oh? Have you thought of a way that will work out for everyone?”
Sheng Jian said, “Big Sis, do you know where the Sword King Palace is located?”
Sister As You Wish said, “Of course I know.”
Sheng Jiang said, “Where?”
Sister As You Wish said, “Hanzhong.”
Sheng Jian said, “How long does it take to get there from here?”
Sister As You Wish said, “Around half a month.”
Sheng Jian said, “Half a month is a long period of time. In this not short amount of time, many things can happen at any time, any place, right?”
Sister As You Wish blinked. “You mean—”
Sheng Jian gave a smug smile. “What I mean is, the Sword King Palace wants him alive, and we handed him over alive, so we received the reward. But we didn’t guarantee that the Killer Star would certainly live all the way back to the Sword King Palace! If something unforeseen happened to the Killer Star along the way, wouldn’t we save 4,000 taels of gold?”
Notes
- lol. 鳥氣 diao qi. 鳥 here is not bird but dick, and 氣 is vibe, tone, atmosphere, air, etc. Since the last part of the sentence does say hard to swallow, and it’s expressing the sentiment that he’s being mistreating and get the short end of the stick, I though this rendition was appropriate. 鳥氣 is a cruder way of saying 怨氣, resentment.