Volume One, Chapter Twenty-One: A Single Remark Awakens the Deluded

The banquet held to welcome Xu Gai was far grander than the celebrations held a few days prior for Xu Shiji and Shan Xiongxin. After all, Xu Shiji and Shan Xiongxin were regulars of the stronghold; their return after a fortnight away did not necessitate the attendance of every high-ranking leader. Some were stationed at branch camps, while others were simply occupied, and thus did not attend.

Tonight was different. Every high- and mid-level leader in the stronghold—anyone of status or authority—was present. Tables were set both inside and outside the Gathering Hall. Torches were lit in the courtyard, and rain canopies were erected to shelter additional seating. In total, there were three or four dozen guests. Most were faces Li Shandao had never seen before, such as Bing Yuanzhen and the chieftains of the other branch camps. Huang Junhan was also present. Including the attendants and servants of the various leaders, there were well over two or three hundred people. The scene was truly bustling.

Delicacies of all kinds were served in an endless stream, and jars of fine wine were stacked like mountains. The singing girls and dancers kept by Zhai Rang performed to enliven the atmosphere, while jugglers, acrobats, and magicians dazzled the crowd.

By the time the third watch approached, the rain had intensified, but this did not dampen the spirits of the revelers. Shan Xiongxin, brimming with heroic spirit, went out into the rain and performed a set with his spear, drawing thunderous applause from the entire assembly. The drinking did not cease until the fourth watch.

When the banquet finally broke up, Li Shandao accompanied Zhai Rang, Xu Shiji, and Shan Xiongxin to escort Xu Gai back to Xu Shiji's residence. During the feast, Zhai Rang and the others had treated Xu Gai with the deference due an elder, taking turns to toast him. Xu Gai had consumed a significant amount and was heavily intoxicated. Xu Shiji and his brother Xu Shigai had also drunk their fill while shielding their father from too many toasts, and they, too, were inebriated. Fortunately, with the help of Liu Hu'er, the Xu family servants—including the one nicknamed "Black Otter"—and Xu Shiji's personal attendants, they managed to settle the father and son into their quarters. Zhai Rang and Shan Xiongxin, having also exceeded their limits, bid a drunken farewell once they saw the guests were properly settled.

As Li Shandao turned to leave, someone called out to him.

It was Xu Lan.

She had not attended the banquet and had been waiting in the room. Although she was not a shy or timid woman, the presence of Zhai Rang, Shan Xiongxin, and the others—coupled with the overwhelming smell of alcohol—had kept her from emerging earlier. Now, she had come out.

What was Li Shandao’s status? Had Xu Gai not insisted that he and Gao Chounu attend tonight’s banquet, he would have had no right to a seat at all. Even then, his and Chounu's places were at the very end of the hall. Aside from a few words with Huang Junhan, no other leaders had bothered with him. Consequently, he had barely touched his wine and remained quite sober.

Hearing Xu Lan call his name, he hurriedly turned back. Avoiding direct eye contact, he bowed and asked, "Does the young lady have any instructions?"

Xu Lan replied, "Master Li, besides a letter home, my father asked me to pass on some things to you from your elder brother. Please wait a moment; I will fetch them for you." She then ordered her maid, "Go and bring the items Master Li’s elder brother sent for him."

Two maids responded and went into the room, returning shortly after with two bundles, which they presented to Li Shandao. Gao Chounu took them.

Li Shandao said, "You have gone to great trouble, my lady. My sincerest thanks!" He paused, then added, "Lord Xu was in high spirits tonight and had a bit too much to drink. He is generally robust, so I expect he will be fine by tomorrow morning. If he suffers from a hangover, a bit of honey water should help settle it."

Xu Lan smiled and said, "My father drinks often; I am well aware of the various remedies for a hangover."

"Of course, of course, the lady would know best. It was my presumption to speak. I shall take my leave."

Xu Lan instructed Liu Hu'er to escort Li Shandao out of the courtyard.

***

Once outside the courtyard, Li Shandao asked Liu Hu'er to return and headed back toward the valley with Gao Chounu. The banquet had been exceptionally lively, but the mountain path was now desolate. In the pitch-black night, beneath the steady drizzle, only the master and his servant remained.

Gao Chounu held both bundles under his left arm. Fearing that Li Shandao might slip on the muddy path, he held a torch in his right hand, swinging it back and forth to light the way.

Having seen the various leaders of the stronghold tonight, Li Shandao had spent much of his time observing them since he had not been drinking. With nothing else to do on the walk, he asked, "Chounu, what are your thoughts on tonight's banquet?"

Li Shandao remained silent for a moment, then laughed. "Did you not hear what Master Shan and Master Xu said? His branch camp's troops suffered a loss at the hands of Qin Shubao. It is likely he will spend the next while looking for an opportunity to take revenge. Chounu, you had best wait a while longer before learning that spear technique."

"Qin Shubao? Is that Qin Qiong? If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have nearly forgotten."

"Forgotten what?"

"Didn't you ask me at noon today how to make Wang Xuda and the others willingly accept training? I’ve thought of a way."

Li Shandao turned his head, surprised. "You thought of a way? What is it?"

The path was indeed slippery. Because he turned his head, he failed to watch his step and landed in the mud, nearly falling over. Gao Chounu rushed to steady him, and with a soft thud, the two bundles dropped to the ground.

Once Li Shandao regained his footing, Gao Chounu crouched to pick them up. They were covered in mud. "Oh no, they’re dirty! I don't know what's in these—I hope nothing broke." He started to open them.

Li Shandao snatched the bundles away. "Chounu, the bundles don't matter. Quickly, tell me what you thought of."

"Master Shan said his men suffered a loss because of Qin Qiong, so isn't it..."

Before Gao Chounu could finish, Li Shandao already understood his idea. He slapped his forehead, cutting him off. "I was blinded by the situation! Damn it, after seeing Master Xu today, my mind was elsewhere, and I missed such a golden opportunity handed right to me!" He laughed with delight. "Good! Very good! Chounu, I will credit this to you."

"Does the master know what I was going to suggest?"

Li Shandao laughed. "Was it to use the name of Zhang Xutuo to intimidate Wang Xuda and his men, so they would willingly submit to my training?"

"Zhang Xutuo? Oh, I was thinking of Qin Qiong. But you are far more thoughtful, Master. Qin Qiong is merely a general under Zhang Xutuo; if one is to scare people, Zhang Xutuo’s name carries much more weight. You are truly superior, Master; I cannot compare."

Li Shandao dropped his smile, frowned, and asked suspiciously, "Chounu, have you been spending too much time with that old barbarian Kang Sanzang lately? That old man is a shameless flatterer; stay away from him. You’re a decent, earnest fellow, don't let him corrupt you!"

Having found a solution to the training problem, Li Shandao was in high spirits and began to tease Gao Chounu. The two of them reached the entrance of the valley amidst their laughter.

Three men in straw rain capes recognized Li Shandao by the light of the torch and hurried over. They were the ones on night duty. The "killing the chicken to scare the monkey" routine from earlier in the day had proven quite effective.

After exchanging a few words with the guards, Li Shandao returned to the valley. Back at the hut, he opened the bundles sent by Li Shanren. One contained two sets of clothes, and the other contained several ginseng roots.

The clothes were out of concern that Li Shandao lacked items to change into in the mountains; the ginseng was meant to nourish him since he wasn't eating well.

Looking at the contents, Li Shandao stood in a daze for a while. This Li Shanren was truly a loyal and honest man!

The realization left Li Shandao feeling quite ashamed. He felt no deep bond with Li Shanren, and in the half-month he had been in the mountains, he hadn't once thought to send him a letter.

"Once the training matter is settled, I will pick two reliable men and send them back to the county with a letter for him."

...

He had only slept for an hour or two after returning in the fourth watch before rising again. After washing up, he went to inquire after Xu Gai. Xu Gai was still sound asleep, and Xu Shiji and Xu Shigai were resting as well. Xu Lan, however, had risen early. As a lone man and woman, it was not convenient to stay long, so Li Shandao soon took his leave. As he walked out of the courtyard, the lingering scent of her perfume remained on the tip of his nose.

At noon, after eating, Li Shandao returned to Xu Shiji's residence. This time he saw Xu Gai and the others. Shan Xiongxin had arrived, and Zhai Rang had sent Zhai Mohou to check on Xu Gai, bringing several carts of gifts. However, Xu Gai was still suffering from the hangover and lacked the energy to talk for long.

The rain gradually tapered off by the afternoon. By dusk, it was little more than a light drizzle. Heaven was truly being kind.

During the day, there had been no pretext to speak to Wang Xuda and the others about the training. Li Shandao considered waiting for the rain to stop, then buying some wine and meat to invite them to drink, hoping to broach the topic once they were in high spirits. He ordered Qin Jingsi and Jiao Yanlang to go to the mountain market to buy supplies.

The hundred or so men had been cooped up in their narrow, damp huts for two days, and they were restless. When they saw Qin Jingsi and the others leave with money and learned it was for wine and meat, they cheered and celebrated before the supplies had even arrived.

Luo Zhong ordered his men to light the stoves. Wang Xuda sent people to catch fish in the mountain stream to add to the feast.

By the time the wine and meat returned, the fires were blazing. They had caught over a dozen fish, along with a half-basket of frogs and loaches. Everyone pitched in—some cooking, some helping, some clearing the mud and laying out straw mats, others setting up the fire and arranging bowls and chopsticks. Most simply stood around the stoves and wine jars with their hands tucked into their sleeves, eagerly waiting to eat and drink.

As night fell, the valley was lit by bonfires, and the scent of wine and meat filled the air.

Once the food was served, Li Shandao raised his bowl and said, "We’ve all been stifled by these two days of rain. Tonight, there is no limit on the wine—drink to your hearts' content!"

In the light drizzle, the hundred men responded with a roar, raising their bowls in unison and downing them.

Wang Xuda, Chen Jing'er, and Luo Zhong, as they had the previous nights, toasted Li Shandao first. Because of the incident with the guard duty yesterday, Wang Xuda and Luo Zhong voluntarily penalized themselves three bowls each. Li Shandao warmly pulled the three of them to sit down, exchanging cup after cup. As the drinking continued, the flush of intoxication began to appear on their faces.

After three rounds of drinks, Li Shandao suddenly set down his cup and sighed.