Question: What is the best way to comfort a woman?
Answer: An iron kidney.
Liu Qingyan’s little tantrum, her slight unhappiness at hearing the story alone while everyone else heard only one together, and Shen Ying’s pout about Yan Hongxia becoming a heroic Daoist swordsman while she herself was turned into the tree demon granny, all vanished completely under Lu Zheng’s tender care throughout the night, leaving nothing but overflowing affection.
“Darling Lu~”
“Mm?”
“This concubine wants more~”
Lu Zheng let out a tiger-like roar and flipped himself on top.
…
The next day, Lu Zheng never left Peach Blossom Manor at all. While the iron was hot, he wrote down the entire tale of A Chinese Ghost Story.
Then, with brush, ink, paper, and inkstone ready, Shen Ying ground the ink and stood gracefully at his side. With a flourish, Lu Zheng painted another Lady’s Adornment Picture and inscribed a poem upon it.
“Across ten li of frosted lake beneath a sky of frost,
Every inch of dark silk bears the sorrow of passing years.
Alone she faces the moon, shaping her reflection with care,
Envying only the mandarin ducks, not the immortals.”
Shen Ying read the lines softly, then carefully studied the woman in the painting.
A lady draped in white gossamer stood alone by the lake, combing her hair beneath the moon. Her eyes were autumn pools, her skin white jade, her black hair a waterfall, her figure ethereal. What a Nie Xiaoqian, part ghost, part immortal.
“Is this that Miss Yi Xiaoqian?”
Lu Zheng gazed at the youthful image of Sister Zuxian and sighed, shaking his head. “No. She is Nie Xiaoqian.”
“Is Nie Xiaoqian not Yi Xiaoqian?”
“No.” The corner of Lu Zheng’s mouth lifted. He reached out and pulled Shen Ying into his arms. “You will understand later.”
“Darling carries so many things in his heart.” Shen Ying pressed herself against him, feeling the strong beat of his heart, and spoke softly. “This concubine will wait for the day you tell me yourself.”
Lu Zheng tightened his hold. “Don’t worry. When the time comes, I will definitely shock you.”
Shen Ying’s bright eyes flashed, she giggled. “Shock me? This concubine wants to eat her shock right now.”
She pushed him back into the chair, gave a seductive smile, and slowly lowered herself.
“Hiss—”
…
“Speaking of shocks, did Qingyan mention she has a surprise for you tomorrow?”
“She did indeed.” Lu Zheng reached out, gently stroking Shen Ying’s hair, savouring the silky feel beneath his fingers, then drew another sharp breath. “Still keeping it secret. Are you all in on it together?”
“Heehee.” Shen Ying withdrew her fragrant tongue, licked her pink lips once, and looked up at him with peach-blossom eyes brimming with charm. “Little sister Qingyan worked very hard on this surprise.”
“What on earth is it?”
“Heehee. Since it is little sister Qingyan’s project, if she won’t tell, I certainly won’t. Why so anxious, darling? You will know tomorrow anyway.”
“Fair enough.” Lu Zheng nodded. “By the way, we are going fishing tomorrow. I still promised to barbecue at noon.”
“Will darling return to the city to prepare ingredients?”
“No rush, no rush. I’ll go back this evening. It won’t take long.”
“That’s good~”
“Hiss—”
…
After another full day of fun at Peach Blossom Manor, Lu Zheng finally left just before the end of the shen hour. On the way, he slipped back to the modern world, bought enough bamboo skewers, ingredients, and seasonings, then crossed back and strolled leisurely into the city.
That night he once again enjoyed Liu Qingyan’s devoted ministrations. The following morning he had Old Huang drive the carriage, carrying himself, Liu Qingyan, Du Yueyao, and the two little girls, and they rattled along comfortably until they reached Peach Blossom Manor.
“Off to fish!”
“Why are you so obsessed with fishing when you never catch anything?”
“That’s different. As a… anyway, I absolutely must catch a fish!”
“Fine, fine.”
He told Old Huang to park the carriage in the front courtyard of Peach Blossom Manor and rest there for the day.
Then the group walked through hills and woods, heading east from Peach Blossom Plain until they soon arrived at a small mountain valley.
The valley was not large, nor especially beautiful, but it contained a small lake connected to the river outside. The water flowed constantly, the lake was deep, the aquatic plants lush, the fish plump and plentiful. A perfect spot for fishing.
The party split into two groups: the anglers on one side, the paddlers on the other.
Lu Zheng set up a tent by the lake, along with tables and a barbecue grill, laid out heaps of ingredients, and played chef.
Everyone chatted and played. Whenever someone grew hungry, they came to rest under the tent for a while.
On the table inside the tent he had prepared mahjong, Chinese checkers, and the leaf cards unique to the Great Jing dynasty.
Sipping fruit juice, eating barbecued meat and vegetables, chatting and playing cards, life was sweet.
Time quickly reached noon. Those splashing in the water and those playing cards were tired out, and the fishing competition nearby had also produced a winner.
Ao Qian had caught seven large fish and claimed ultimate victory. Her prize was a five-inch cream cake, which she and little Liu Qingquan promptly divided and devoured.
“Hm? Improvement!”
Lu Zheng had sensed it clearly: this time Ao Qian had used no magic at all, relying purely on skill to land seven fish.
“Of course!”
Ao Qian put down her fork, raised her head, hands on hips, completely ignoring the ring of cream around her mouth, and declared proudly, “I have always been quick to learn anything since I was small!”
Shen Ying tapped the table lightly with one finger and said mildly, “How is your Go coming along?”
Ao Qian: ▼_▼!!!
…
They ate and drank all morning. There was no proper lunch, just more of the same. Afterwards they packed up and returned to Peach Blossom Manor.
“Back so soon?”
Lu Zheng was baffled. He had been waiting for Liu Qingyan’s surprise.
Was it an embroidered pouch? A new robe? Surely not a furnace of virility pills, Du Yueyao seemed to know about it too.
“Heehee, darling, sit down. Your surprise is about to begin.”
Shen Ying led Lu Zheng to a seat beneath the old peach tree in the rear courtyard, prepared tea and snacks for him, then glided gracefully into the side wing.
“Begin? All of you?”
Lu Zheng blinked, a thought forming. “Don’t tell me you lot…”
“Ding-ling-ling—”
A soft chime of bells rang out, and pink peach-blossom mist instantly filled the entire courtyard.
Lu Zheng did not bother using his powers to see through it. He simply lifted his teacup, took a sip, and waited quietly.
A few breaths later the mist dispersed. Before him appeared an illusion of a luxurious indoor stage, and there stood Liu Qingyan dressed as a refined young lady and Shen Ying in the robes of a wealthy landlord.
Lu Zheng nearly sprayed his mouthful of tea.
Liu Qingyan as Zhu Yingtai
Shen Ying as Lord Zhu
They had actually rehearsed a full opera performance of Liang Zhu!
Of course Liang Zhu had operatic versions, so in his picture book, besides the plain dialogue, Lu Zheng had included some rhyming verses suitable for singing, though he had not composed any music for them.
Who would have thought they would adapt the tunes to local Great Jing operatic styles, compose the music themselves, and make it astonishingly beautiful?
Lu Zheng burst out laughing and, together with the two little girls and the other ladies who had no roles, settled down to watch the show.
Soon Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying finished the first scene. The peach-blossom mist shifted the stage, and it was time for Liang Shanbo to appear.
Bi Xinyu as Liang Shanbo
…
Hu Caini as Ma Wencai
Hua Yixing as the academy professor
The Peach Blossom Heavenly Ladies as academy students
…
Bai Ting’er and several musical Peach Blossom Ladies provided live accompaniment at the side.
For the early cheerful sections they used pipa and dizi; for the later sorrowful parts, guzheng and dongxiao.
With the illusion setting the mood, professional musicians playing, and every actress giving a fine performance, it was genuinely no less impressive than anything seen at the Jade Songbird Theatre.
No, it was better, because the script itself was of such high quality.
Excellent. A top-tier audiovisual feast of the classical era. It truly deserved to be called a surprise!
