Moma Liangshan

Chapter 12: Fine and potent wine, bestowed with a name by Emperor Huizong.

Li Shishi laughed like a silver bell and said, "Little brother, your tongue is truly eloquent. However, your clothes are somewhat mismatched." Wang Hao raised his arm to examine his attire and said, "Please enlighten me, sister!" Li Shishi said, "In the capital, brocade, silk, and fine fabrics are fashionable. You are wearing hemp clothing and riding boots. If sister is not mistaken, you eat at home from rough porcelain bowls, sleep on a hard earthen bed, travel by oxcart on land, and by wooden boat on water. Is that right?" Wang Hao nodded and said, "Exactly right." Li Shishi revealed a smug look and continued, "The capital is not like the countryside. People there wear silk and use fine porcelain, travel by sedan chair, and sleep..." There's a carved bed. Whether you like it or not, if you want to move around Tokyo, you have to adapt to local customs.” Wang Hao smiled and said, “What a fine saying, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do!’ Sister, do you know how much money and manpower are spent on silk, fine porcelain, sedan chairs, and carved beds?” Li Shishi shook her head and said, “Grand Tutor Cai said that in market transactions, both parties are willing; the goods merely change hands without increasing or decreasing, and both parties satisfy their needs and gain happiness. Therefore, more transactions only bring more happiness.” Wang Hao slowly said, “But some transactions in the world are not voluntary.” Li Shishi nodded and said, “What you say is also true, but most transactions in the world are voluntary, and forced sales are rare.”

Wang Hao, not wanting to continue the conversation, found a chair and sat down, saying, "You seem to really like calling me 'little brother'?" Li Shishi, her body trembling with delight, suddenly leaned closer to Wang Hao and said, "Don't you like it?" Wang Hao pondered for a moment, then said, "Sister is very beautiful, of course I like it. But besides liking it, I'm also a little afraid of you." Li Shishi looked at Wang Hao with interest and asked, "Afraid of me? Why?" Wang Hao frankly said, "Sister is a mysterious person, while I am a worldly person. Although I have some talent, I can't keep up with your temperament." Li Shishi smiled and said, "You are not an ordinary person either, able to see the mystery of a fairy with worldly eyes." Wang Hao didn't want to waste any more time on worldly matters and said, "Sister, do you think I can meet the Emperor?" Li Shishi said, "Yes! The Emperor is gentle and loves talented people. You are not an ordinary person, so you naturally have the ability to..." "Qualifications. Tomorrow I will find a tailor and a shoemaker to make clothes and shoes for you. On the night of the full moon, the Emperor invites me to enjoy wine among the flowers; you will accompany me. A good horse deserves a good saddle, and good wine deserves good wine vessels. The wine is yours; tell me, what kind of cups best match your fine wine?" Wang Hao pondered for a moment and said, "First choice is crystal, second choice is white jade, and third choice is celadon. Crystal is colorless and translucent, most suitable for drinking flawless wine. White jade is clear and smooth; any top-quality wine will do. Celadon is fired in intense fire, losing its natural charm, but it carries the craftsman's humanistic spirit; using it to drink wine lacks the natural, unadorned atmosphere, but adds the pleasure of three people in the shadows." Li Shishi gently placed a hand on Wang Hao's shoulder and said, "It seems you have read a few books of poetry, brother?" Wang Hao sat up straight and said, "My father was a scholar, so I have read a few books."

Li Shishi leaned closer and whispered, "If I asked you to stay the night, would you dare, brother?" Wang Hao answered without hesitation, "No!" Li Shishi suddenly tightened her grip on Wang Hao's shoulder, pulling them apart. She said, "Why? Is it that you dare not, or that you are unwilling? Do you despise me for being a courtesan?" Wang Hao replied, "No, I dare not!" Li Shishi pressed on, "Tell me the reason!" Wang Hao answered, "Because I am not worthy." Li Shishi sat up straight in the chair opposite him and said, "You have..." "Once you gain my approval, you can enter this gate. And once you're in, who has the right to say you're not?" Wang Hao smiled bitterly and said, "My sister is the most beautiful courtesan in Tokyo, a fairy of Fanlou, the goddess pursued by renowned scholars and talented men. I am the son of a down-on-his-luck scholar, raised in the countryside, I've led horses, driven carriages, rowed boats, know a few characters, and have touched a few ancient books. If someone as uncouth as me were to stay overnight in my sister's boudoir, tomorrow the whole capital, every high-rise and alley, would be the talk of the town. Even the most beautiful flowers ultimately grow on dung. My sister is like a flower, and I am like dung." "It's rustic, but scholars and gentlemen are refined and elegant; they only see flowers, not dung. If I stay the night, I'll only offend the eyes of all the scholars in the capital." Li Shishi suddenly seemed a little disappointed and said, "So, whether you can stay the night or not is up to me, but even more so to those scholars and the Emperor." Wang Hao replied, "That's right. Three men can make a tiger, and many mouths can melt metal. I came to the capital to sell wine, not to offend the eyes of all the scholars." Li Shishi suddenly said, "Thank you for letting me hear the truth all night!" Wang Hao pondered for a moment and asked, "The truth..." "Which is more pleasing to the ear, words or poetry?" Li Shishi opened a window and said, "The ancients spoke of looking up to high mountains, but my humble third floor is the object of longing for countless young men. Whether it's truth or poetry, one can't listen to it every day. If the tone isn't changed every few days, how can it be refreshing?" Having said that, she slowly turned and continued, "Brother, go back! Tomorrow, stay at Fanlou. A tailor and shoemaker will take your measurements, preparing for our audience with the Emperor on the night of the full moon. The crystal vessels are at His Majesty's; I will write a letter explaining that His Majesty should bring them himself."

Seven or eight days later, Wang Hao, dressed as a noble young master, accompanied Li Shishi to Emperor Huizong's banquet. They rode in a large, ornately decorated carriage, surrounded by silks and satins. Li Shishi asked, "Are you nervous meeting His Majesty, little brother?" Wang Hao extended his right hand and said, "Sister, you can tell by feeling my pulse." Li Shishi covered her face and laughed, saying, "Is that so? I'd better listen to it myself." Without any warning, Li Shishi suddenly pressed her hand to Wang Hao's heart, listening to his heartbeat. After a moment, she said, "When I first put my hand to listen, your heartbeat was only slightly fast. Why has it accelerated so rapidly after a short while?" Wang Hao thought to himself, "You know perfectly well why!" But he replied, "As we get closer to His Majesty, my heartbeat naturally gets faster." Li Shishi asked, "Little brother, do you think I should believe you?" Wang Hao casually replied, "It depends on your mood, sister!" Half an hour passed as they bickered, and a garden came into view.

After the two alighted from the carriage, two eunuchs approached and said, "Please wait a moment, young master, it's routine business." Wang Hao guessed what was going on and said, "Please, sirs!" He then spread his legs and opened his arms. Afterwards, Wang Hao asked, "Why didn't you search my sister?" At this moment, a eunuch beside him said, "Young master, do you think I'm blind? Miss Li is wearing a light veil; it's almost immediately obvious. Why bother with this?" Wang Hao unconsciously looked at Li Shishi and found that it was indeed as the eunuch said, "Absolutely obvious; there's nothing to hide."

Wang Hao, carrying a wine jar, followed Li Shishi into the garden, which was filled with strangely shaped rocks. Streams meandered among the rocks, and covered bridges connected them, creating winding paths that led to secluded spots. Wang Hao felt as if he had entered a maze, with paths everywhere and no end in sight; yet he also felt as if he had entered a fairyland, filled with flowers and fragrant herbs. Despite being in this earthly paradise, Li Shishi did not linger and proceeded with practiced ease. After walking for about fifteen minutes, they passed through a flowerbed and arrived at an open space. The open space was paved with intricately carved stone slabs, with low-lying flowers and grasses growing in the gaps. In the center of the open space was a round wooden table and several square wooden stools. A middle-aged man of about thirty years old sat on the stools, attended by several eunuchs and palace maids. Li Shishi stopped three steps away from the man and bowed, saying, "This humble woman, Li Shishi, greets Brother Daojun." The man turned around and said, "You're too polite! Come! Sit!" As Li Shishi sat down, she asked, "Brother, did you see the person behind you?" Emperor Huizong replied, "Yes." Li Shishi then asked, "Did you see the wine jar in his arms?" Emperor Huizong answered, "A scholar carrying a wine jar, how amusing." Li Shishi said, "The wine jar contains fine wine that you have never tasted before." Emperor Huizong said, "I drink jade liquor in the morning and fine wine in the evening." "Is there any wine in the world that I haven't tasted?" Li Shishi said. "This wine has only been around for three months, so you must not have tasted it, brother." She then called for Wang Hao and said, "Why haven't you poured wine for Brother Daojun yet?" Wang Hao, holding the wine jar, looked around and said helplessly, "My family is poor and cannot afford such fine vessels." Li Shishi whispered in Huizong's ear, "Where is the crystal wine vessel you promised to give me, brother?" Huizong called out, "Eunuch Chen, bring it here!" The eunuch obeyed and quickly brought out a set of vessels. Wang Hao found a wine ladle and filled the wine jar two-thirds full. Li Shishi stood up, took the jar, and admired the moonlight. Huizong then stood up and came to Li Shishi's side, placing a hand on her shoulder. Their faces were close, and together they held the wine jar, admiring the moon reflected in it. They were deeply in love, a picture of mutual affection.

Wang Hao stood silently to the side. A gentle breeze blew, and Li Shishi felt a slight chill, unconsciously leaning closer to Emperor Huizong. Huizong helped Li Shishi back to her seat, saying, "It's windy at night, and you're dressed too thinly. I'll have someone fetch you a cloak." Li Shishi replied, "Thank you for your kindness, brother! Wine warms the heart; a few cups together will naturally warm us up." Huizong called out, "Prepare the meal!" Soon, several delicate and exquisite dishes were brought in. Li Shishi picked up the wine pot, filled a cup, took a sip herself, and then handed it to Huizong, saying, "Please, brother, try it!" Huizong took the cup, looked at the rouge residue on the rim, and drank it all in one gulp. As the wine entered his throat, Huizong's expression changed, and he said, "One cup of this wine is better than ten cups of fine wine." Li Shishi filled another cup, held it in her hand, and brought it to Huizong's lips, saying, "Brother, another cup!" Huizong opened his mouth, and the wine entered his mouth.