Chapter 18 (1/2)
XVIII The Pendant
The Yu River is separated into the Inner River and Outer River The Inner River travels eastward through the capital fro, pellucid waters that is Lake Yu, the ion on the Yu River Since the ancient times, royalty and nobles have resided and literati and intellectuals have gathered near its shores Then, wealthy business and countless brothels were erected, and scores of pleasure boats float across the waters, ate
Faint wisps of s, hovering so lazily in the roo it does not make it dissipate The thick aro breeze brings along the lake’s rance and also rattling the bead curtain
Looking down from where I a The lights froht are reflected in the water, illu from the yachts of various sizes as they traverse the lake, rocking along the ripples, ht as day The limpid melodies of instru upon the lake’s surface, appearing all the busier
The shadows of the lively ths by the lanterns, soreen doors and s, fan dancing and song perforant, luxurious and captivating
I lean on the embroidered ta and chuckle softly at the fabulous view of the lake I can’t help but recite,
“‘The sound of oars and shadows of lights stretch forthe waves’”
“It’s late Close the s,” says the gentle voice of a woman from behind the chiffon curtains
I sit up straight and push therance in your room is too thick I can’t really stand it”
The curtains are drawn before I finish speaking and out walks a young wo coyly “What’re you talking about? You’ve never once said that you couldn’t stand it all those times you’ve been here before”
The woman before me has a clear, exquisite co Ornate hair pins dangle from her luxuriant, coiffed hair Her body is shaped like an hourglass and small dimples shohen she smiles, which makes her even more attractive
I s Shu I’m used to the smell of blood”
Her pretty face darkens and she reaches over to et hurt?” I shake aze out theShe sits closer, putting her hand onand you never told me I orried for you every day”
There is a folk song sung throughout the city: ‘Only at the Jade House in the capital, can you behold Mada’
I chuckle and hold her hand “Really?” She puckers her lips and leans in, a ghost of her scent drifting over I tiltyour honeyme some?”
She suddenly blushes and bites her lip, not saying a word as she takes a cup I sit up, put on one cold wang Shu rushes over and grabs my cup
“Don’t drink cold tea It’s autuht catch a cold,” she chides
I laugh it off and take the steaets on the ta, hooking her bare forearette sleeves aroundon my back
I glance sideways after sing “wang Shu, you’ve gotten a lot heavier”
She raises her brows, purses her lips and lifts a hand to hit me “How rude! You’re still so full of beans”
I dodge her cute fist and retort “I’d know since you’re lying on et crushed to death”
She closes her eyes halfway and sotta one”
I laugh heartily while shaking my head “You little rascal Everyone sees you as the top courtesan, the most wanted of theirl”
She giggles and starts play-fighting with ernails slowly sneak into ht chill
Curious, she pulls out the red string that the jade pendant is hanging on and asks with her head lowered “Han Xin, I don’t re this one”
I take a gliift”
She takes it into her hand and studies it in strange silence
“From who?”
I put my cup down and mull over what to say
“A… Friend”
She lies back down on my back
“No,” she says after a pause “Tell hter is she?”
I drop aze and take the pendant back “Don’t think too sme move
She bites on her bottoo”
I distinctly feel that she is getting cold and shi+vering I take her dangling hand and turn to look at her rey like the sky before it rains
I stroke her soft hand saying, “It’s not what you think Really, it’s nothing” I can see the tears for but she doesn’t speak, so I pull her onhair She rests quietly on my shoulder, wordless, and sobs
The aro idly and the lucid ht Red candles shi+ne frolow
“There, there You proain”
She clutcheslips I take a deep breath and look somewhere else
Her feelings… It’s not that I’m not aware of them, but I just…
She buries her face in my chest with her arht, just tonight…is all I ask” Her hands slide down and her fingers pull open ently rubbing
I clutch her hand and she regards me with melancholy eyes “You despise me?”
I shake my head in silence She looks steadily atthrills nowadays?”
“The Yan army’s just outside our walls Who knoould happen to to themselves”
wang Shu nods with teary eyes “I don’t knoould happen to et married off as a concubine? Or maybe I’ll end up in soly “I can’t control the future but I want to at least take the present into my own hands”
She sniffs, her fingers clinging on to my collar “I’ve known you for more than a year now You’re kind to retting it later, why not enjoy the present?”
I wipe her tears away and whisper “I’ve known about your feelings But I can’t These things should be done between lovers”
She places my hand on her face and repeat “Between lovers? I know you have a prestigious background, while I’h for you But I’h”
I chuckle quietly “I’ood as you think”
She hooks her arms around my neck and mutters in my ears “I’m the most beautiful courtesan in the city, but I’ve never let any ht, I’m yours”
I feelEven if I don’t want her now, I still have the natural desires of a man In my ar intomore heavily and my body temperature is on the rise
I whisk around and push her down on the bed, trinkets falling from her hair onto the embroidered surface She has started to pant as well and pulls open her blouse, flashi+ng her snohite skin I feeldry and lean in to caress her face She bites her lip and grabsnail marks on my skin
My undershi+rt has slid doith hermy cheek I plant a kiss near her ear and plant more down her fair neck Amidst the lust, I spot out of the corner ofslipped out frolow Abruptly, I pushShu is partly unrobed, her breasts peeking out, her hair spread out messily on the ta Puzzled, she looks at me with flushed cheeks and misty eyes
I shut my eyes and put my forehead down in my hand My mind is a mess
Wh-what the heck a?
I spring off the bed, grab my clothes and push the bead curtains out of the way as I step out to the front roo doith the fresh night wind pouring in through theHurriedly, I get dressed and just as I’ from behind the curtains
“So you do have someone you like after all”
I reach out for the curtains but I don’t lift it up
“I knew it the moment I saw the jade around your neck Jade is a token of love I guess…we just weren’t meant to be”
Her short, si it as congested as the stuffy air before a tempest
What was that just now? Was it that I didn’t want her or…because of that pendant? I turnto delve any deeper
The roohts and shadows, and dejected agarwood
“They say, ‘the song and dance of Madainally a courtesan for the court, and will soon be called to perforo, and I thought that tonight I could…but you…” Her sobs are getting louder
I think of our nostalgic h “wang Shu, I was in the wrong tonight but I haveto buy you your freedom”
It’s already late in the night when I walk out of her pink room adorned with luxurious silks and rare fabrics Leisurely, I descend the stairs and skip over the crowds of indulgence and pleasure, flinging aside a few delicate, luring hands, and cut through the bare shoulders and half-covered breasts
The livelihood on the lake is showing no signs of dying down The lights are still flashi+ng, the wine keeps pouring and the
As I stroll out of Jade House, the constellations are twinkling above ht when theSwan Geese twisted and turned about the unclouded night sky, only to vanish the next moment into thin air
Life in the capital is as dull as dishwater, and as usual, no one gives a shi+t about me aside from my buddies
Maid Xiu returned to the palace without telling anyone on my second day back Uncle hasn’t spoken to ht and continues to be absent for most of the day As for Master Liao, I still haven’t seen a trace of him
Ignoring the possible consequences, I asked Uncle where Master Liao was and he replied without even looking up fro back home to visit family”
He was obviously brushi+ngwhether to ask hione or not when the butler ca I should bewith, I hurried up and left the study
Sitting in the gallery, bored to tears, I sigh for the hundredth time today
See, I’ve been grounded ever since Uncle saw ht, and there has been so an eye on me every minute of the day If I so much as step near the mansion’s front doors, the butler would pop out froo back
Motherfucker
I’et the chance Go as far as I can, and go anywhere I want