Upon First Arrival in Great Liang City

Not long after, a pungent scent wafted in. Xie Wujie was sipping his wine, but upon seeing the newcomer, he couldn’t help himself—the wine spurted from his lips. For standing before Xie Wujie was a woman barely five feet tall, her face thickly painted, more resembling a vengeful ghost than a human.

“Well? Don’t I look bigger now?” The woman swayed, and Xie Wujie noticed her heavy bosom seemed to knock against something. She was none other than Dongmen Qianyun.

Xie Wujie’s mouth twitched. “It’s not even Qingming Festival yet, and you’re out here scaring the ghosts?”

Dongmen Qianyun was immediately displeased. “It’s all because you said I was a child! I’m not a child, I’m already eighteen, you—you big pig’s trotter—can’t you see how pretty I am now?”

As she spoke, a large steamed bun, still pleated, tumbled from her collar.

Xie Wujie was utterly speechless. “Actually, flagstones have their merits…”

“Oh? You’ve finally been moved by me, and think it’s good!” Dongmen Qianyun’s cheeks flushed.

Xie Wujie picked his teeth with a bamboo skewer. “Saves fabric! Lower your head and your toes are sharp, raise it and nothing weighs you down, light as a swallow, walking without a burden—how wonderful…”

The more Dongmen Qianyun listened, the angrier she became. Suddenly, she shoved the two big steamed buns from her bosom into Xie Wujie’s mouth.

His mouth was stretched as wide as a basin, but he managed to swallow the buns whole.

“You men just don’t understand romance!” The old matron shook her head and went to comfort Dongmen Qianyun.

Outside the door, Dongmen Qianyun wiped her tears. “I knew it. He keeps mentioning that Song Xiaoyu, Song this and Song that. She must be some big-chested monster, always looking down on me. I never looked down on him! Boohoo…”

“What’s so good about that scoundrel? He looks seven or eight years older than you, and he’s plain enough,” the matron said, coming over.

This matron was called Zhou Tong. She had once been a woman of misfortune herself, bought and brought here, and with half a lifetime’s savings, had acquired this Red Pavilion. Most of its women had nowhere else to go and entered willingly, and Zhou Tong herself was a kind and understanding soul.

“Auntie, you’re wrong about him—he’s wonderful! When he rescued me at Ma Family Village, you should’ve seen how handsome he looked. I nearly fell to Ma Shuanglong, but when Ma Shuanglong saw him, it was like a monkey seeing a tiger—he tumbled down the stairs. His sharp tongue nearly bankrupted Ma Family Village; he exchanged a pile of worthless stones for almost all their silver!” Dongmen Qianyun said.

“That boy probably doesn’t know your real identity,” Zhou Tong replied.

Dongmen Qianyun pursed her lips. “He doesn’t know, I never told him…”

Zhou Tong picked up the token at Dongmen Qianyun’s waist. “A golden pellet, with a cloud engraved. Sigh… That fellow is truly blind. He says he’s heading to Danxia Sect, yet doesn’t realize a member of Danxia Sect is right beside him!”

“He rescued me at Ma Family Village, and that alone is enough. When he learned I’d been taken here by the Wild Dog Gang, he came without hesitation to save me. I… I’ve set my heart on him, even if he dislikes me!” Dongmen Qianyun bit her lip.

Zhou Tong laughed. “Haha… Every girl goes through this phase. I was young once, I understand. If you like him, don’t hesitate. Go after him! That Song Xiaoyu, whether she’s a fairy or a princess, at least she’s not by his side now, right? If you win him back during this time, wouldn’t that be…”

With Zhou Tong’s encouragement, Dongmen Qianyun seemed to discover a new world, and her spirits soared.

Just then, Xie Wujie came out. “Qianyun, it’s time to set off. Our destination this time is the ocean…”

“The ocean your foot! Obviously, it’s Danxia Sect!” Dongmen Qianyun retorted.

Xie Wujie, ever alert, noticed the mist at the corner of Qianyun’s eyes. “Have you been crying?”

“No, just got sand in my eye,” Dongmen Qianyun replied. “Alright, you’ve said your goodbyes to Li Dogseng? We should set out soon. If we run into people from Qingyun Sect after sunrise, we might not be able to leave at all. Once we’re out of this town, we’ll be free of Tongzhou, and Qingyun Sect won’t be able to reach us. You… really know how to stir up trouble!”

“Haha!” Xie Wujie laughed heartily. At that moment, the innkeeper’s assistant came over, having already fed their horses, which had enjoyed a good rest. With an hour before sunrise, the two didn’t hesitate and set off at once.

“My dear confidant, I’ll wait for your return and we’ll have a good talk about life!” Li Dogseng waved at Xie Wujie.

Xie Wujie called back, “Stop bullying the townsfolk. Announce your passion to the world, let them all know the romance of men!”

With that, Xie Wujie stood atop the carriage, spread his legs, and with a flourish, turned his trousers into split-crotch pants. Not far off, Li Dogseng stripped off his long robe and threw it to the ground, revealing a tightly buckled outfit of leather straps!

Xie Wujie gazed at the sky: “Wind in the crotch, birds soaring high—split pants are delightfully cool!”

Li Dogseng leaped onto a millstone, knelt on one knee, and lifted his hands to the heavens: “Bound in leather straps, I regret nothing—though her whip leaves me worn and weary!”

With the blood of heroes in their veins, the two men looked to their own horizons, tears glimmering in their eyes, brothers in spirit.

Dongmen Qianyun, leading the horses, had stars in her eyes. “This is men’s romance—so dashing! But, Brother Wujie, that was your last pair of trousers!”

Xie Wujie flipped onto the driver’s seat. “No matter, I can sew them myself…”

“But we didn’t buy needle and thread in Dog Paddle Town!” Dongmen Qianyun reminded him.

Xie Wujie’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

…

Solutions are always found, so the trousers split again, but Xie Wujie wasn’t defeated. He fashioned a needle from fishbone and braided tree bark into thread.

In this way, he managed to mend the trousers, though driving the carriage still let in a bitter wind.

“Brother Wujie, why are you driving the carriage cross-legged?” Dongmen Qianyun poked her head out from inside the carriage.

Xie Wujie’s lips trembled. “This woods are damn cold—the eggs have shrunk to quail size.”

Dongmen Qianyun didn’t understand him. “I don’t feel cold. Where are you cold? Let me warm you up…”

She pressed her playful cheeks, then reached out her tender hand toward Xie Wujie.

His face flushed. “B-better not, I can manage, really…”

Dongmen Qianyun assumed his hands were cold—after all, he wasn’t wearing gloves and had been driving for a long time.

“If that’s the case… My bosom is warm, how about you put your hand in here?” She scooted closer.

Xie Wujie looked at his freshly mended trousers, thinking this was too provocative, and quickly refused. If he put his hand there, wouldn’t disaster follow?

All the way, Dongmen Qianyun continued to tease Xie Wujie. At first, he felt awkward, but eventually, he relaxed—it was just playful provocation. If he truly took action, loaded the bullet and chambered the gun, she’d have no choice but to beg for mercy.

Of course, Xie Wujie wouldn’t really go that far—otherwise he’d be nothing but a rogue.

The journey passed without incident, and at last they arrived at the capital. The city’s splendor astonished Xie Wujie; he never imagined such grandeur existed, like a fairyland from a dream, dazzling beyond belief.

The capital was called Great Liang City, and its scenery lay within arm’s reach.

Warm winds brushed their faces as Xie Wujie walked among the people of Tang, taking in the bustling prosperity of Great Liang City. His heart stirred with joy and awe—the brilliance was blinding.

Upon entering the city gate, he saw the lively marketplace. At a glance, it was a crowd in chaos, but upon closer inspection, people from all trades mingled, engaged in countless activities.

A great bridge divided the market. On the west side, vendors and customers gathered, stalls offering knives, scissors, sundries, tea, fortune telling, and palm reading.

People leaned against the railings, pointing and watching the boats that plied the river below. The walkway down the center of the bridge was packed with a bustling stream—some in sedan chairs, some on horseback, some carrying loads, some driving donkeys, some pushing wheelbarrows.

To the west, there were gambling houses and the Red Pavilion, with even more people coming and going.