Chapter 22: I Bet You Will Fail

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I went to Zhu Yingtai’s room, where Yinxin was still helping her pack. Seeing how reluctant she was to leave, I was utterly speechless. If she was so unwilling to go, she should have stayed. Honestly, what was this sudden fit of sentimentality?

After keeping me waiting for at least a quarter of an hour, Zhu Yingtai finally finished. By the time we reached the courtyard gate, Ma Wencai was already waiting there.

That Wencai brother of mine was something else. He even had to bring a bow and arrows when going out. Did he think we were off hunting? Personally, I preferred ancient gentlemen like Wang Lantian, who carried swords and had a refined, scholarly air.

“Brother Wencai.” I waved at him.

He merely nodded. “Let’s go.”

We had not even left the gate when Zhu Yingtai began looking back again and again. What was poor Wencai supposed to make of that? His own fiancée could not stop thinking about another man—and was doing so with astonishingly little discretion.

“Yingtai, stop looking back. Shanbo asked me to take good care of you. He knows you have been unwilling to speak to him these past few days, so he asked me to give this to you.” I handed Liang Shanbo’s bundle to Zhu Yingtai.

She treasured it as though it were priceless. She looked almost ready to cry with emotion.

“What’s inside?”

“Probably some loose silver.” I patted her on the shoulder. “Come on. Brother Wencai is waiting for us.”

The moment she heard Ma Wencai’s name, her expression darkened, and she stuffed the bundle into her sleeve.

We rode down to the foot of the mountain. No one said much along the way, and the atmosphere was unbearably gloomy. But since I was the driving force behind this excursion, I naturally had to act as the mediator and keep things from growing too tense.

“Brother Wencai, Yingtai, there’s no address on the headmaster’s letter of introduction to Tao Yuanming. How are we supposed to find him?”

“If he has a name, why would we be unable to find him?” Ma Wencai replied coldly.

Hmph. Who was nameless, exactly? Let him find someone without a name and see how he liked it. Unconvinced, I said, “In this vast sea of humanity, Brother Wencai, what brilliant plan do you have?”

Ma Wencai did not turn around. From the side, I could see him smiling—a distinctly sinister smile.

“Then we’ll gather the sea of humanity together. I have my own way.”

“Hmph. Just keep showing off,” I muttered under my breath.

When we rode into town, Ma Wencai stopped. This must have been what he meant by gathering the sea of humanity. He pulled two notices from his bundle and shot one onto a wooden railing with an arrow.

A reward of ten taels of gold was being offered for information leading to the whereabouts of Master Five Willows, Tao Yuanming.

I nearly fainted. Ma Wencai really had more money than sense. How childish.

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Pressing my lips together to hide a laugh, I said, “Brother Wencai, I’ll bet you this plan won’t work.”

Ma Wencai gave a disdainful snort. “Men will die for wealth, just as birds will die for food. It is human nature.” With that, he tugged his horse toward the crowd.

Zhu Yingtai patted me on the shoulder. “Brother Yiqing, don’t argue with him. He’ll lose his temper.”

I nodded absently. I had no desire to quarrel with him. The facts would prove everything soon enough.

The crowd began to buzz with discussion.

“Who could be worth that much? Ten taels of gold—for Tao Yuanming?”

“Exactly…”

“Everyone, quiet down!” Ma Wencai pushed his way into the crowd. “Which of you knows Master Five Willows? Tell me where he is, and you’ll receive ten taels of gold. This young master never breaks his word.”

“I do! I know Tao Yuanming!”

“I’m Tao Yuanming’s cousin. I know him very well!”

“He’s lying! I’m Tao Yuanming! I don’t know him at all, and the gold is mine!”

Several men began shoving and scrambling over one another.

The sight amused me. I moved over beside Ma Wencai and held out my hand.

“Brother Wencai, as a matter of fact, I’m very familiar with Tao Yuanming too. You may as well give the gold to me. I swear I’ll help you find him. After all, one shouldn’t let wealth flow into outsiders’ hands.”

Ma Wencai shot me a glare.

The scene had descended into utter chaos. Zhu Yingtai could stand it no longer.

“Enough!”

She took several steps forward until she stood beside us, then shouted at the top of her voice, “Since every one of you claims to be Master Five Willows, tell us this: what is the next line after ‘I pick chrysanthemums beneath the eastern hedge’?”

“I know!” A man hurried forward, rubbing his chin. “I wrote that poem myself. How could I forget it? ‘I pick chrysanthemums beneath the eastern hedge… and drink a bowl of chrysanthemum tea.’”

“Hahaha… What a fine answer—‘and drink a bowl of chrysanthemum tea.’”

I nearly died laughing. Ma Wencai, however, flew into a rage. He kicked the man squarely in the chest and cursed, “Are you Tao Yuanming or not? Are you looking to die?”

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Zhu Yingtai hurried over and seized Ma Wencai by the arm.

“Wencai, stop hitting people every time you lose your temper.”

I laughed from the side. “Brother Wencai, I told you long ago that this plan wouldn’t work. Since Master Five Willows chose to live in seclusion, how could he allow himself to be found so easily?”

I admitted I was taking a little too much pleasure in his misfortune.

“Don’t be angry, you three young gentlemen.”

At some point, an old tea seller had filled two bowls and brought them over.

“Drinking a bowl of chrysanthemum tea isn’t such a bad idea. Come, come—cool your tempers.”

Just as I was beginning to feel thirsty, chrysanthemum tea had appeared. Wonderful. I had just reached out to take a bowl when Ma Wencai swept out his long arm and knocked both bowls to the ground.

“What are you, to dare mock me?”

The old man did not get angry. He simply held out his hand with a smile.

“Two bowls of chrysanthemum tea, two bowls—that will be eight copper coins.”

“Are you truly asking to die?” Ma Wencai roared and stepped forward.

Zhu Yingtai hurriedly held him back, then took eight copper coins from her sleeve. Just as the old man was about to accept them, I snatched the money from Zhu Yingtai’s hand.

“Wait.”

“Brother Yiqing, you…” Zhu Yingtai stared at me in confusion.

I stepped forward and studied the old man for a long while. Why did he look vaguely familiar?

“Old man, don’t try such tricks in front of me. A transaction requires both a willing buyer and a willing seller. We never said we wanted to buy anything from you, so what gives you the right to demand our money?”

The old man put on an innocent expression.

“I saw that you were all in a temper, so out of kindness I brought you two bowls of chrysanthemum tea to cool you down. You not only smashed my bowls, but now you refuse to pay me. Where in this world is there such a thing?”

I let out two cold laughs.

“How am I supposed to know whether you meant kindness or something more devious? We have never met before. Why would you suddenly be so kind to us?”

The old man looked at me with disdain.

“Young man…”

“That’s enough.” I had no intention of wasting more time with a swindler. I took a tael of silver from my sleeve and handed it to the old man. “Don’t say I’m bullying an old man. This tael is not payment for your tea. I’m simply taking pity on you and giving you alms. In the future, try to live honestly and stop cheating people.”

“Brother Yiqing, how can you speak to him like that? You have no proof. How can you slander this gentleman?” Zhu Yingtai demanded.

“Yingtai, how many things in this world do you think are supported by irrefutable proof? One may know a person’s face without knowing his heart. It is best to keep one’s distance from strangers who come rushing over to force their company upon us.”

I pressed the eight copper coins back into Zhu Yingtai’s hand.

“But you…”

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