The Great Tang's King of Provisions

Chapter 5: A Song of Longing, the Scent of Rouge Filling the Streets

Li Xuanba knew nothing of what was happening within the imperial palace; at that moment, he was following the little beggar in front of him as they walked along the main road. Step by step, as passersby kept dodging them, the two—one big, one small; one dark, one light—arrived at the gate of an ancient city. Above the gate hung two simple, ancient characters: “Lantian.” Upon reaching the gates of Lantian County, Li Xuanba paid no heed to the astonished stares of onlookers and, following the disheveled little beggar, strode confidently into the county town. Alas, while the disheveled little beggar was able to walk right into this small county town, Li Xuanba was stopped by the city guards, who blocked his path with two red-plumed spears. “Stop right there! You’re not dressed properly—you’re not allowed to enter the city!” Seeing that these two guards actually dared to block his path, Li Xuanba extended his right hand and, with his index finger, flicked the point where the two red-plumed spears crossed, sending both spears—and the two guards—flying to the side. Ignoring the soldiers’ looks of horror, Li Xuanba shamelessly pointed at his outfit made entirely of leaves. “Which eye of yours saw that this young master is in disarray? This is the latest fashion trend! It’s all-natural and the most eco-friendly!” “You…,” the two soldiers were stunned by Li Xuanba’s immense strength. Not daring to point their red-plumed spears at him, they could only glare at him furiously, unable to utter a word of rebuke, as if trying to intimidate Li Xuanba with their eyes alone. Before the three could get into an argument, the little beggar up ahead turned around and happened to spot Li Xuanba following behind. His dark eyes darted about, and he called out to the two soldiers guarding the gate in a clear, bright voice: “Soldiers, this is my big brother. We’re both beggars—please let him through!” As soon as the little beggar spoke, the two soldiers exchanged a glance and breathed a collective sigh of relief. They then stood at a distance, waved to Li Xuanba, and snapped, “So you’re just a beggar after all. Go on in, then. But remember, don’t cause any trouble in the city! Otherwise, you’ll be in for it!” If the little beggar hadn’t spoken up, the two soldiers really wouldn’t have known what to do. At that moment, it was a godsend—they simply let Li Xuanba enter the city. “Pfft!” Seeing that neither soldier dared to return to their original posts, Li Xuanba rolled his eyes in disdain. Then, with a forced smile, he followed the little beggar as they walked forward. “Xingxuan, thanks a lot!” As the little beggar walked toward the city, Li Xuanba patted him on the shoulder, then looked around curiously at this ancient city. The inside of the city was quite different from the outside. From the outside, it appeared to be surrounded by lush green farmland; there weren’t many people to be seen—just small farmers and tenant farmers tending to their fields—and the main road wasn’t particularly crowded either. Inside the city, however, it was bustling with activity. Along both sides of the streets—twenty to thirty meters wide—stood rows of quaint, old-fashioned shops selling everything from the daily necessities of life—firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea—to all manner of household goods. “Steamed buns! Hot, fresh steamed buns!” “Fellow villagers, brothers, and sisters! Today, I’ve just arrived in your fine town. Since I’m out of money, I’m performing here to earn a living. I hope those of you with money will support me financially, and those without will show your support with your presence! Thank you all in advance!” “Cosmetics! Top-quality cosmetics!” Street vendors, street performers, and merchants calling out to customers—their voices were all different, yet the sounds blended harmoniously, giving off a sense of vibrant prosperity. “Oh my! That man is so strange—he actually came into town dressed entirely in leaves. But judging by his appearance, he’s quite handsome—what a charming young man!” “If you like him, why not call him over and make him your special guest?” “Hehe! I’d love to, but looking at that young man’s stocky build, I think I’ll pass!” As Li Xuanba was looking around, he suddenly felt several pairs of eyes fixed on him, and the tone of their remarks seemed to be teasing him. He turned his head to the upper right, and the three large characters “Yicui Tower” caught his eye. Seeing the colorful Yicui Lou, then glancing up at the beautiful girls in sheer gauze robes who were covering their mouths to stifle giggles and batting their eyelashes at him, Li Xuanba rolled his eyes. How could this young master be teased by a bunch of courtesans! But he really liked it! Hehe! They were actually complimenting this young master on his good looks. Seeing these courtesans still giggling at him, Li Xuanba’s eyes darted about, and a mischievous grin spread across his lips. Right there on the long street, he began to sing aloud: “Deeply drawn brows, lightly drawn brows, cicada-like temples, disheveled hair, clouds filling my robe—returning from a tryst on the Yangtai Terrace.” No sooner had he finished the first stanza of “Longing for You” than the courtesans lining both sides of the street began teasing Li Xuanba. “Oh my, young man, you’re so young, yet you actually know the pleasures of the bedchamber—you’ve certainly made this lady look at you with new eyes!” “Young man, if you’d like to try the pleasures of the bedchamber, why not come find me? Since you’re so skilled at writing lyrics, I won’t charge you a single coin.” “Oh my! You’re such a handsome young man, and you even know how to write lyrics—it’s just a shame you’re dressed like that!” Facing the teasing remarks from these courtesans, Li Xuanba turned a deaf ear and continued to recite in a low voice: “High are the Wushan Mountains, low are the Wushan Mountains; the evening rain falls in a steady drizzle, yet my lover does not return, leaving me to guard this empty room alone.” As Li Xuanba recited the first half of the verse, the courtesans lining both sides of the street were still pointing and whispering mocking remarks at him. But the moment he uttered the final two lines, the entire street fell instantly silent, and everyone stared at Li Xuanba in stunned silence. In ancient times, when it came to the “four arts” of poetry, lyrics, songs, and prose, Tang poetry and Song lyrics reigned supreme. This was during the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty, a time when poetry was far more widely circulated than lyrics. The moment Li Xuanba uttered those final two lines—which captured the innermost feelings of a courtesan—the women were instantly moved by the deep understanding they conveyed. “Young master, this servant is Hua Qingzi, now the top courtesan at Yicui Tower. Please, whenever you have time, be sure to come visit me. I will personally cook and serve you a feast of fine wine and delicious dishes!” “Young master, I am Meihua’er, the top courtesan at the Green Brocade Pavilion. If you ever wish to visit, I will sweep the path in anticipation and rush out to greet you, even if I have to take off my shoes to do so!” “Young Master, I…” “Young Master, I am…” If Li Xuanba hadn’t recited this poem, “Longing for You,” by the venerable Bai Juyi, he probably could have continued walking quietly alongside that little beggar. No sooner had he finished reciting “Longing for You” than the courtesans along the entire street went wild. They waved their embroidered handkerchiefs at him one after another, their slender, delicate hands seeming as if they were about to grab hold of Li Xuanba’s body, while the faint scent of rouge instantly filled the entire street. The men lining the street all glared at him with a mix of envy, jealousy, and resentment, while the women along the street gazed at this disheveled young man with eyes aglow. “Hmph! Big brother, come with me quickly.” For some reason, seeing how popular Li Xuanba was with those courtesans, a hint of bitterness flashed in the little beggar’s eyes. Pouting, she tugged Li Xuanba into a side alley—and judging by her demeanor, she actually seemed to be a young girl. Li Xuanba paid no heed to the calls of the courtesans behind him. He narrowed his eyes as he scrutinized the little girl beside him; a glint indicative of his Scrying Technique flashed in his eyes, and moments later, the girl’s information appeared before his eyes.