Chapter 983: Painting Boat

On the painting boat, Ping Zhao was scrutinizing Chen Ji with great interest.

On the dock, Yuan Xing, Jiang Chai, and the others were dumbfounded, not knowing what Chen Ji was up to, suddenly calling out for his mother.

The only one who knew what was going on, Old Ears, laughed out loud beside him, but didn’t defend him; he just mocked, "Kid, others get close by calling someone elder brother or sister, but you go straight to calling her mother?"

Chen Ji ignored him, looked up at Ping Zhao. The other party’s black clothes and hat were obviously those Mrs. Lu often wore. Not only did the style and fabric match, but their figures were also very similar, which was probably why Mrs. Lu borrowed Ping Zhao’s name.

He cupped his hands to Ping Zhao and said, "Sorry, that was a slip of the tongue."

Ping Zhao moved her gaze away from Chen Ji’s face, then slowly swept it over Yuan Xing and the others, jokingly asked, "Are you all here on my painting boat, besides recognizing a mother, for anything else?"

Yuan Xing hurriedly said, "Ah Jie, we are from out of town and want a boat ride."

Ping Zhao rolled her eyes, "Don’t you have any clue about your own age, calling me Ah Jie? You can ride the boat, but do you know the rules of my Late Sun?"

Yuan Xing said with a smile, "We brought silver."

Ping Zhao leaned against the boat’s edge, teasing, "Just having silver is not enough to board this boat; you must trade it for a unique item from the world."

Jiang Chai curiously asked, "What do you mean by ’unique item’?"

Yuan Xing sneered, "Could it be an east pearl bigger than a pigeon egg, dazzling red coral, or the legendary Liancheng Bi? Your boat is a bit too expensive!"

Ping Zhao said slowly, "It’s not about ordinary treasures like Nightlight Jade or Liancheng Jade. It needs to be an object wrapped in old stories of acquaintances, holding joy, regret, longing, and remorse. That’s the unique item I want. Don’t worry, I won’t take it from you; just tell me the story clearly."

The people below the boat exchanged a glance, "It’s that simple?"

Ping Zhao said with deep meaning, "It’s that simple. Yet, it’s precisely this simple thing that most of the mediocrity in the world cannot achieve; they have no joy, no regret, no longing, no remorse, like a piece of wood. They never lived a life of exciting moments, they can’t even be called living, just waiting to die."

Yuan Xing took a step forward and removed the wooden hairpin from his head, saying sadly, "This item is made from peach wood by my wife’s own hands. That year, she was terminally ill, couldn’t even eat a bite, yet insisted on making this hairpin for me. Before she left, she wanted me to wear this hairpin every day, as if she was with me daily. For these nine years, I haven’t taken it off, even while bathing."

Jiang Chai and others were stunned on the side.

They knew for a fact that Yuan Xing’s wife is still alive and kicking. Even if they don’t mention his wife, with his thirty or so concubines, how could he be a devoted lover?

This hairpin was something they bought together at a roadside stall when they first arrived in Jingjiang County.

Ping Zhao looked down at the hairpin in Yuan Xing’s hand and said with regret, "I didn’t expect a small wooden hairpin to carry such sorrow... but with the deep feelings between you and your wife, I can’t let you board the boat to meet the Twelve Golden Hairpins."

Yuan Xing immediately dropped his sad act and widened his eyes, "Woman, are you kidding me?"

Ping Zhao said with a mocking face, "Way too overacted, even the worst theater troupe in the Old Courtyard wouldn’t want you. Next one."

Without waiting for Yuan Xing to argue, Jiang Chai stepped forward and opened his chest, "This scar was left when I guarded Chongli Pass and Zi Wu Pass, that day..."

Chen Ji looked and saw a deep scar on Jiang Chai’s chest, stretching from the collarbone to the ribs.

Yuan Xing was anxious, "When did you get that cut? How come you’ve never mentioned it?"

Jiang Chai gave him a glance and closed his clothes, "Nothing worth mentioning."

At this moment, Ping Zhao casually asked, "Which year did you get injured, what was the name of the Vice General guarding Zi Wu Pass that year?"

Jiang Chai hesitated, "...the 25th year of Jianing, Zhang Chang?"

Ping Zhao sneered, "The 25th year of Jianing, the person guarding Zi Wu Pass was called Zhou Xuning."

Jiang Chai left with a dejected look; they didn’t expect that this woman was well-informed, common secrets couldn’t deceive her.

Yuan Xi thought for a moment, then stepped forward, "I have an item, but I didn’t bring it due to the rush..."

Ping Zhao languidly said, "Then talk about it once you’ve got it, next one."

Zhou Chang hesitated as he began, "I..."

Ping Zhao interrupted, "Forget it if it’s something you’ve painstakingly fabricated."

Zhou Chang exited defeated.

At this time, Yuan Xing looked expectantly at Old Ears, "You have many stories, tell her one... please, it’s rare for us to ride a boat, who knows when the next opportunity will come."

Old Ears smoothed the wrinkles on his clothes and said calmly, "It has to be this way, let me do it, old as I am."

However, just as he stepped forward, Ping Zhao leisurely said, "At your age, why are you getting on the painting boat? Next one."

Old Ears paused for a moment in silence and then stepped back. Five people from their side went up in succession, yet none were a match for Ping Zhao.

Yuan Xing looked at Zhang Li, "You..."

Zhang Li widened his eyes and pointed at himself, "Why are you looking at me? I’m a Taoist."

Everyone’s eyes finally fell on Chen Ji. After a moment of thought, Chen Ji took out a carefully clipped copy of the Wuxiang Morning News from his chest and said, "My late wife once came to Jinling alone; she wrote about what she saw and heard, introducing Jinling’s local customs for me to see. My current trip to Jinling is just to visit the places she wrote about. That’s all."

Yuan Xing scratched his head, "Godfather, what kind of peculiar object is this supposed to be?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ping Zhao replied with a laugh, "People often think that the bustling stories in books are genuine, but true sincerity hides in the details. Please board the boat, my painting boat will take you to see the Ten-mile Qinhuai."

She called out loudly, "Ladies, entertain our guests."

Late Sun is a flat-bottom tower ship, about six zhang long. At Ping Zhao’s command, women inside pushed open the intricately carved wooden windows of the central cabin, hanging up more than a dozen plain gauze lanterns. The light was soft and gentle, unlike the glaring red dragons of other lantern boats.

Yuan Xing’s eyes lit up, and he was the first to step on the gangplank to board the boat. Even after getting on the boat, he did not forget to turn back to greet everyone, "Quick, get on board!"

...

...

The side gate of the Xu Family Mansion was quietly opened, and Xiao Man peeked out from inside. Seeing no one in the alley, he said to those behind him, "No one, move quickly."

As he spoke, Zhang Xia, Zhang Zheng, Xu Shu, the little monk, Li Si, and others filed out, turning from the narrow alley onto Taiping Street.

But as soon as they turned onto the street, a dozen or so men in disguise followed. There were peddlers with loads shouting wares, vendors with street stalls, and women passing by. Upon seeing Zhang Xia and the others, they abandoned their stalls and boldly trailed behind them.

A few crossed the Four Symbols Bridge, and another dozen followed, with some even walking ahead of them, crisscrossing in movement.

Xiao Man looked back, "So many groups, at least three factions, I wonder who they all belong to... These people from Jiangnan are really brazen, what’s the point of surveillance if they’re so obvious?"

Zhang Zheng squinted at someone, noticing something hanging from the back of the hem of their waist, "There’s even someone carrying a hand crossbow, quite gutsy."

Li Si contemplated, "I have an idea..."

Zhang Zheng grumpily said, "Put that idea away for now, we aren’t desperate yet."

Zhang Xia calmly said, "They want to make us afraid to go out or unable to act, only then will it be convenient for them to move. Ignore them, with little uncle here, they won’t dare make a blatant move in Jinling City."

Xiao Man muttered, "But having them follow us like this is no good, we can’t even eat in peace... how can we shake them off?"

Xu Shu chuckled, "Let’s take a painting boat on the Qinhuai River, and see how they follow us on water."

Xiao Man glanced at him, "Little uncle, you just want to find beautiful women to have fun on the painting boat."

Xu Shu wasn’t the least bit embarrassed, "Just tell me if this plan works or not."

Zhang Xia thought for a moment, "Let’s go to the Qinhuai River, I also have something to discuss with the owner of Late Sun boat."

Xu Shu’s eyes lit up, "Isn’t this a coincidence? Let’s go, let’s go!"

They headed east, and the followers shadowed them for miles. The crowd behind them moved along grandly, like a Vassal Prince traveling with dozens of attendants.

When they reached the Qinhuai River dock, only a solitary painting boat remained there; even this last boat had guests boarding already.

Xu Shu beat his chest in frustration, "Arrived too late, I told you we should have left earlier, but you didn’t listen... huh, that back looks familiar?"

Everyone followed Xu Shu’s gaze and saw that Yuan Xing and the others were already aboard, with Chen Ji being the last to step on the painting boat via the gangplank.

Xiao Man, Xu Shu, and the others turned cautiously to look at Zhang Xia, only to see him pursing his lips in silence. Xiao Man pondered for a long time, struggling to find words to cover up the situation.

Li Si declared confidently, "It must be Yuan Xing, Jiang Chai and the others who are eager to get on the painting boat for fun, nothing to do with Godfather! Yuan Xing has over thirty concubines, Jiang Chai used to hide a spring palace painting under his bed at the Imperial Academy, and Zhou Chang is always trying to flatter Princess Chenyang, bustling around like a peacock displaying its tail, while Yuan Xi also has seven concubines... none of them are upright!"

Xiao Man turned his head to him, "And you’re the only good guy?"

Li Si said shyly, "If I were there, I would have stopped them at all costs, even if it meant burning the painting boat down."