A Clash of Gods - Chapter 158
Chapter 158 Spend Gold on One Throw
Yuan Rong laughed. “It turns out that you prepare to boost Shen Jiaonu. All of you are billionaires. Not to mention that you four join hands, it’s not difficult for any of you to boost a queen beauty.”
Chen Mukuan laughed in a braying voice. “In fact, I hope that somebody will compete with us. If we win easily, it will be boring.”
Yuan Rong looked around. There were many pleasure-boats around the boat king, and the guests in these boats were wealthy or powerful. The river was wide, but when all the boats surrounded it, it was inconvenient for them to move.
By the Qinhuai River, there were also many people and bright lights.
The election of the beauty queen was an annual grand occasion on the Qinhuai River, yet few people could afford to join it. Somebody once said that the election of the beauty queen was not a competition among the beautiful and talented girls but the rich men who had a big fortune.
They spent gold on one throw extravagantly, and it was a good opportunity to show their wealth on the Qinhuai River.
Yang Ning stood by the side of the boat and looked at the magnificence on the Qinhuai River, sighing with emotion.
To most of people, it didn’t matter who was on the throne, and what mattered was their own life. Even though the late emperor of the Chu State was a capable emperor with outstanding achievements, he seemed to have been forgotten by people in only a few days after he passed away, and almost nobody felt sad for his death.
At this time, there was thunderous applause on the Qinhuai River and many people cheered. It turned out that Wu Yin’er had finished singing, and all people acclaimed without a stop. Some boats came to the boat king and sent gifts.
There was a distance between the pleasure-boats surrounding and the boat king, and some small boats were arranged for all the pleasure-boats. According to the rules, after each of the eight beauties on the Qinhuai River finished playing, the rich men would send gifts to boost them, and the small boats were tools to send gifts. The one who received most gifts in the end would be the well-deserved beauty queen. And two concubines would be selected judging from how many gifts they received.
The eight beauties joining the election were beautiful and talented, but all of them were still virgins. They made money by showing their talents, not by sexual intercourse.
After the eight beauties competed on their talents, their supporters would compete on valuable gifts.
If many supporters boosted the beauty queen, the one who gave most valuable gifts would stay with her for three days successively, and it was another matter whether she would be taken away or continue to stay on the Qinhuai River.
After Wu Yin’er finished singing, her supporters in several pleasure-boats gave her gifts, and some small boats shuttled in the middle.
“It’s Zhuo Xian’er’s turn now, right?” Zhu Yuchen whispered. It turned out that zither music could be heard, and the noisy river surface quieted down again at once.
In the boat king, a great beauty was sitting straight and playing zither. It was far away, and Yang Ning couldn’t see her face clearly, but the girl was graceful. She was naturally a beauty with a nice figure.
Zhuo Xian’er reached out her hands gently and played zither with sounds of nature on the river surface where there were many lights like stars.
It was cold at night in winter and the zither music was blue and disconsolate.
The blue and dejected feeling sank to the bone, and anybody who heard the music, even including Chen Mukuan who was carefree looked lonely on his face.
People would naturally feel lonely after seeing the prosperity. In the bustling world of mortals, people drank a lot to loosen up, which was another kind of loneliness.
It was the loneliness when they became sober after being drunk at midnight and couldn’t fall asleep, experiencing the quiet and long night alone…
Even if he was admirable and unconventional in life style or stayed in a brothel, when he was sober after being in illusory dreams, he was just lonely while staying outside and enjoying the wind and the new moon which was not full.
The zither music was irregular, and even Yang Ning’s eyes looked desolate.
When people felt lonely, the music changed all of a sudden and became excited and ferocious like killing, and in an instant, it made people experience the scene of soldiers riding horses quickly on the battlefield in the rain at night.
Soldiers with weapons on horseback ran, and the wind and rain were like soldiers.
On the charming Qinhuai River, all people were affected by the music unexpectedly. There was great aspiration of cold west wind and heroic soldiers in the mausoleum on the river which should be romantic with a scene of gaiety. The contrary meanings linked in one tune like nature itself, which made people lose their minds. It was like sobbing or telling.
All people were moved by the zither music, which was desolate sometimes and excited sometimes. It was like snowing in cold winter or willow flying in warm spring, with the ambition of fighting on the battlefield and the desire to enjoy the moon in autumn in the south. It was full of ups and downs and many kinds of feelings. With worries and mixed feelings, it was like suffering a lot for thousands of years.
After the tune, there was no cheer surprisingly on the Qinhuai River, but it was the best praise and applause, as all people were still immersed in the fantastic music obviously. After quite a while, somebody took the lead and caused endless acclamation. Evidently, there were much more small boats on the river coming and going to send gifts than before when Wu Yin’er finished singing.
The young master of the Songjiang Tea Shop Jiang Cheng clapped and praised, “With this tune, my trip is worthwhile. Zhuo Xian’er is really skilled in playing zither. Even if she can’t be the beauty queen tonight, she will surely be one of the two concubines.”
Chen Mukuan laughed loudly. “Jiang, it appears that you like Zhuo Xian’er. We will surely boost the beauty queen, yet it’s not that we can’t boost a concubine. Why not support Zhuo Xian’er? Perhaps you can be a guest welcomed by her.”
Jiang Cheng smiled and shouted at a small boat below, “Give that coat with iridescent clouds to Zhuo Xian’er!”
The small boat immediately set out. Zhu Yuchen clapped and laughed. “Jiang, you don’t give a gift randomly, but when you give one, you will give something valuable. I have heard that somebody wanted to buy that coat with iridescent clouds at the price of five hundred taels of gold, yet you refused him without hesitation.”
Yang Ning was astonished and thought that these men were really wealthy and generous. He had thought that it was just a coat. How much could it be worth? However, it was worth five hundred taels of gold, which was an astronomical figure.
The family of the Marquis of Honor was worried for thousands of taels of silver, but Jiang Cheng gave a gift worth five hundred taels of gold. The merchants in the Chu State could really spend gold on one throw.
Soon, they heard a voice from the boat king. “The young master of the Songjiang Tea Shop, Master Jiang gave Zhuo Xian’er a coat with iridescent clouds, which is worth five hundred taels of gold.”
Then many people looked at them. Obviously Jiang Cheng’s generosity shocked them.
Although all people present were rich men or noblemen, five hundred taels of gold was not a small amount of money. Zhuo Xian’er went to the side of the boat king and seemed to bow in this direction, while Jiang Cheng raised his hand and waved it, without saying anything.
Yang Ning looked back, to see that Duan Canghai stood in a corner by the side of the boat. Since he followed Yang Ning up, he stood there in silence all the time. If people didn’t look at him carefully, they couldn’t find him.
Yang Ning was clear that although he was easy-going at ordinary times, on good terms with Duan Canghai and the others, and he even joked with them occasionally, he had inherited the title of nobility. When he stayed outside, Duan Canghai was a guard following him and wouldn’t disturb him unless he was in danger.
When the lackeys from the Rising Sun Escort Agency came earlier, Yang Ning started the fight first. Otherwise, Duan Canghai would have taken actions. He was once a soldier and was patient with strong self-restraint.
Yang Ning found that Pearl didn’t stand by the side of the boat but sat at the wine table. She looked up at the sky at night with a gloomy expression. Evidently, she didn’t pay attention to the election of the beauty queen.
People only listened to the laughter of the newcomers. How would they listen to an older woman crying?
Pearl had been selected as the beauty queen under the support of Young Master Xue that year, and she had enjoyed the glory for a moment. After only several years, nobody paid attention to this old beauty queen.
A new beauty queen would naturally be selected among the eight beauties on the Qinhuai River tonight, but nobody knew what would happen to the beauty queen in two years. Perhaps she would be like Pearl. History just repeated itself.
Yang Ning suddenly thought that these girls dressed up beautifully were so pathetic. Maybe they had never been themselves. They were merely playthings of the rich men and noblemen from beginning to end.
The eight beauties showed their talents in turn. On the Qinhuai River, it was bustling sometimes and cheerless sometimes.
When Yang Ning was lost in thought, Zhu Yuchen shouted, “Shen Jiaonu comes out.”
Yang Ning had heard that these men wanted to support Shen Jiaonu. He looked up, to see that a girl was like a fairy in the clouds and seemed to leave on waves at the top of the boat king. Although there was a distance, under the bright light, anybody could see the graceful dancing postures like clouds.
It was silent around the boat king.
A song was sung. It was melodious and sweet like sighing worriedly.
“The bright moon in the sky is silent.
The music of flute resounds, and its soul surrounds a beauty’s face.
The charming figure shows up in the ripples of water.
The sunglow is as beautiful as a fairy, and the rosy clouds fill the sky.
Who will feel pity for the grass which revives after death?
The soul of a sword has been waiting for one thousand years.
The day lily’s leaves are red and lonely, but nobody picks them.
The flying catkin dyes the wilderness, and the pistils lurk in the wind.
A girl marries the king of a minority far away at the remote border for her motherland.
Somebody’s weapon is smashed.
A woman pencils her eyebrows, yet her beauty fades away.
A man is puzzled when he sighs as a beauty breaks up with him.”
The sounds of singing drifted gently on the river surface, like a resentful woman staying indoors with sorrow, and it aroused people’s tender affections.
All people who heard the song were enthralled and thought that Shen Jiaonu sang the song for them.
As soon as she finished singing, somebody in the crowd shouted “Bravo” first, and then many people shouted “Bravo” and applauded with great power and influence. It was louder than the cheers for Zhuo Xian’er.
Yuan Rong laughed. “Jiang, it appears that great minds think alike. Many people are interested in Shen Jiaonu seemingly.”
Zhu Yuchen stated with a frown, “It looks that Shen Jiaonu is really outstanding. Judging from the cheers, a lot of people want to boost her. I am afraid that it’s difficult to deal with it.”
Chen Mukuan said instantly, “We haven’t started. How do you know that it’s difficult to deal with it? Zhu, don’t back off.”
Zhu Yuchen laughed. “Chen, you worry too much. Since all of you seek pleasure here, I will risk my life to accompany you.” He shouted, “Send three hundred tales of gold first.”
Chen Mukuan chuckled. “This is what the first young master from the cloth shop of the Zhu family is like.” He shouted, “Send three hundred taels of gold for me, too.” He turned to Qiu Fang and asked, “Qiu, how much will you send?”
Qiu Fang stood with his hands behind his back and responded with a smile, “Since we have fun together, I will also send three hundred taels of gold first.”
Jiang Cheng sighed. “Since all of you give the same amount, I have to send three hundred taels of gold, too.”
When they were talking, these young men from wealthy family had sent one thousand two hundred taels of gold. Yuan Rong was from a rich family, but he also looked surprised.
Yang Ning realized that these people were generous. In fact, hundreds of taels of gold must be like a drop in the bucket to them. They were really rich men.
The small boats were shuttling like carp across the river. Looking at the scene, he knew that many people supported Shen Jiaonu, and the winner of the beauty queen seemed to be evident.
“As far as I know, among the previous beauty queens, Yao Yue received most valuable gifts seven years ago, which are worth four thousand taels of gold in total.” Yuan Rong sighed. “The top one gave two thousand taels of gold. It appears that Shen Jiaonu will break the record of Yao Yue’s gifts today.”
The people in the boat king announced continuously.
“The first young master from the cloth shop of the Zhu family gave three hundred taels of gold.”
“Young Master Chen from the Weitang Porcelain Shop gave three hundred taels of gold.”
…
“Young Master Bai from the drugstore of the Bai family gave three hundred taels of gold.”
“Young Master Gu from the Tianhe Stud Farm gave a gold Buddha statue worth three hundred and fifty taels of gold.”
…
“Young Master Jiang from East Sea gave a bag of pearls, a luminous pearl and eight gold leaves, which are worth one thousand five hundred taels of gold.”
It fell into silence around at once.
Yang Ning saw clearly that Zhu Yuchen and the others turned pale.
Although many people gave gold, the bid of that Young Master Jiang from East Sea was peerless and stole the whole show.