Chapter 275: Grandma

Two crisp sixes lay steady on the tabletop. The room fell silent; no one spoke. The expressions around the table varied — Sun Lin wore a grin, Huang Zongxi looked the same as ever, and Fang Yizhi and Jiang Chen seemed to want to speak but held back.

Gu Mei pressed her lips together. Those twelve pips meant more than just drinking — they showed that Pang Yu did not regard her with any special favor. Mei Lou was, after all, one of the premier establishments on the Qinhuai River. Scholars and wealthy merchants from all circles came here and had to flatter her. She had not expected Pang Yu to be so graceless. It was nothing more than a verbal jab, yet he actually dared to retaliate against her.

Fang Yizhi could hold back no longer. Just as he raised a hand to speak, Pang Yu spoke first.

"I have long heard tales of the Qinhuai River — that its ladies are not only peerless in beauty and grace, but also possessed of a chivalrous spirit. When the mood strikes, they will drain three hundred cups with a gentleman. Twelve is the greatest number. Lady Gu is the reigning Flower Queen of Qinhuai. I imagine she is no less than her predecessors. Today, I shall have my eyes opened wide."

Pang Yu finished speaking with perfect composure, then lifted the wine pot and poured into Gu Mei's cup. Among these Restoration Society scholars at the table, there were bound to be some eager to play the hero and win her favor. By saying this, he first elevated Gu Mei onto a pedestal, and also prevented anyone else from helping her drink, cutting off her escape route in advance.

Amid the gurgling sound of pouring wine, the surface of the wine in the cup rose steadily. Earlier, Gu Mei had filled Pang Yu's cup to the brim. Now Pang Yu showed no sign of stopping. The wine surface neared the rim. Pang Yu lifted his eyes for a quick glance. Gu Mei's face was dark with anger, and he could not help but find it inwardly amusing.

Just as the wine was about to overflow, Pang Yu straightened the wine pot and stopped pouring. "Lady Gu, please."

From behind came Li Ping'er's voice: "This servant will drink on behalf of my lady."

Pang Yu turned his head to look. In Li Ping'er's eyes was a hint of pleading. He smiled faintly and said, "So it turns out Lady Ping'er wishes to drink. No need to rush. Find a seat and sit down. Your turn will come naturally."

Li Ping'er's expression flickered. It was clear Pang Yu would not permit anyone to drink on Gu Mei's behalf. Gu Mei turned back and shook her head at her. After Li Ping'er withdrew, Gu Mei looked at Pang Yu and said, "When drinking by the rules, one must follow the command. But the General's single command named eight numbers. This humble one has never heard a command begin in such a way. If everyone did the same, we would all be drunk after a single round, and the enjoyment would not be fully savored."

Pang Yu fixed his eyes on Gu Mei's. "I will not get drunk. If the lady feels this is too much to drink, then in the next round, we can change to a method with fewer cups."

Hearing this, Gu Mei understood that Pang Yu was determined to make her drink. She was in the same position Pang Yu had been in moments ago — at least for this round, she had no way to retaliate. She made one last struggle, saying, "After these twelve cups, I fear I will be unable to further enhance the mood with music..."

Pang Yu cut her off without hesitation. "Then we shall switch to something else."

The atmosphere at the table was rigid. The wine had gone to Pang Yu's head. Gu Mei's earlier hostility had caused his anger to accumulate more and more. Now he refused to yield an inch, even forgetting the matter of discussing the advertisement. Fang Yizhi and Jiang Chen wanted to intercede, but had never found the right moment.

Gu Mei bit her lip and was silent for a moment, then picked up her wine cup, ready to accept the penalty drink.

Just then, a clear, crisp woman's laugh drifted up from downstairs. Her figure was not yet visible, but her voice could be heard distinctly.

"General Pang's one military command swept the Roving Bandits from Jiangbei. Today, this one wine command carries the clang of arms into Qinhuai."

Everyone at the table turned simultaneously toward the stairway entrance. Soft footsteps on the stairs drew gradually closer. Pang Yu's heart filled with curiosity, and even his drunkenness receded somewhat. He simply stared at the stairway entrance.

A hair bun adorned with a red coral hairpin appeared first at the stairway entrance, followed by two graceful, shapely brows, and then a pair of alluring, phoenix-slanted eyes. Before her nose was fully revealed, those phoenix eyes had already swept across everyone present, finally coming to rest on Pang Yu.

The woman wore a multicolored dress, with at least five or six hues. It cinched at the waist, accentuating a bewitching figure. As she walked, her waist swayed gently, as if the entire Mei Lou had taken on a more undulating charm.

This was a style of dress Pang Yu had rarely seen since arriving in the Ming Dynasty, one that deliberately emphasized the supple beauty of a woman's waist. When Gu Mei had appeared earlier, Pang Yu had felt nothing in particular about her attire, with its wide robe covering her feet. But now, his gaze was captivated by this woman.

The people at the table rose one after another to greet her. The woman, her face radiant with spring-like charm, returned each greeting in turn, addressing everyone by their courtesy names. Her memory was clearly excellent.

When she reached Gu Mei, the woman looked at her for a moment, then brushed a hand through the hair before her eyes and said with a smile, "A wine command is a military command at the table. How could a daughter be a match for a general?"

Gu Mei pressed her lips together and shot the woman a somewhat indignant glance, as if wanting to argue. But the woman waved a hand, picked up the wine cup from Gu Mei's table, and walked over to Pang Yu. She performed a poised salute and said, "This humble one, Li Lihua, greets General Pang. I returned late, so I shall first punish myself with a cup. I beg the General not to take offense."

Fang Yizhi hurriedly said to Pang Yu, "Grandma Li is a famous figure on this Qinhuai River. Her boldness is no less than a man's. Mei Lou was created by her hand alone."

Hearing this, Pang Yu understood that this was the true proprietor. This Li Lihua looked to be around thirty, with faint, barely noticeable crow's feet at the corners of her eyes, yet her speech and bearing were utterly alluring. This matched his impression of the entertainment business far more closely.

By now, much of his drunkenness had faded. He immediately and courteously returned Li Lihua's greeting, and the matter of discussing the advertisement space also came back to him.

Li Lihua tilted her head back and drained the cup in one go, her movement like a man's. But after drinking, she reverted to a coquettish expression. Her gaze flowed like water as she looked at Pang Yu and said, "When the wine command tallies the number, one must naturally drink it all. However, this daughter of mine is not skilled at drinking. Might this humble one be permitted to drink these twelve cups in her stead? In this way, once this round is finished, let my daughter play some music, which may slightly ease the General's toils from the campaign trail."

"Since Grandma Li has spoken, I shall naturally comply. I have another suggestion. Today's banquet was arranged by Mizhi. I must thank Mizhi for his generous hospitality, and also thank Grandma Li for her exquisite taste and refined charm. It is because of Mei Lou, the foremost jewel of Qinhuai, that today's banquet is possible. How about I share these twelve cups with Grandma Li?"

Li Lihua, a smile at the corner of her mouth, sized up Pang Yu for a moment. "The General is also a man of bold spirit. Let it be so."

Fang Yizhi and the others chimed in one after another, and the atmosphere at the table eased once more.

Li Ping'er hurried over to pour the wine. Li Lihua, her brows and eyes full of feeling, said to Pang Yu, "The admiration in this second cup is no less than the first. Yet it is not in honor of General Pang's achievements in killing bandits. Does Master Fang know why?"

Fang Yizhi thought for a moment, then shook his head and asked curiously, "I have known General Pang for a long time. Back then, he quelled the Civil Unrest at Yunji Temple, and afterward fought the Roving Bandits in several battles — all achievements in killing bandits. I deeply admire those. But as for what Grandma Li speaks of, an admiration no less than the first cup, I truly cannot guess."

Li Lihua gave a proud, slightly mischievous smile. "To think even Mizhi is stumped. Then this cup shall punish you to drink along with us. This second cup is to honor the General's unconventional talent. Mizhi, Wugong, and Master Jiang all hail from Tongcheng. Do you know that the new play by the Ruan Family Troupe, 'The Female Prince Consort,' actually came from the General's hand? Had Cao Lüji not said so himself, this humble one would never dare believe it."

Fang Yizhi slapped his own forehead, then raised his wine cup. "It slipped my mind. 'The Female Prince Consort' was indeed written by General Pang."

Jiang Chen looked at Pang Yu in astonishment. "That 'Female Prince Consort' was written by Garrison Commander Pang...? The libretto and the melodies, all of it?"

Pang Yu had not expected Li Lihua to bring up this matter. On this trip to Nanjing, he had not gone to visit Ruan Dacheng, nor had he heard anyone else in Nanjing mention this play in daily conversation. He had almost forgotten about it entirely. He had not imagined that Li Lihua had actually heard of 'The Female Prince Consort.'

He thought back to the name Cao Lüji. It seemed Ruan Dacheng had mentioned him — apparently a relative by marriage, also a wealthy man who had once held office. A person of that status would likely enjoy leisure time on the Qinhuai River. It was not surprising that he knew Li Lihua.

Beside him, Gu Mei's eyes were wide open. From her expression, Pang Yu could tell she found it utterly unbelievable.

This matter involved Ruan Dacheng's troupe. He glanced at the expressions of those at the table. Huang Zongxi and Wu Yingji both wore looks of displeasure, likely connected to Ruan Dacheng. Unwilling to say more, Pang Yu hastily drained his wine in one gulp.

Li Lihua paid no mind to Pang Yu's petty concerns. She had Li Ping'er pour more wine. The third cup was in honor of the Jiangnan Times, which was also connected to Pang Yu — a fact everyone present was well aware of. The others joined in and drank along for the fun of it.

"The fourth cup, however, is to honor the newly opened Bai Shun Tang in Nanjing."

Pang Yu nearly knocked over his wine cup. Bai Shun Tang had been unplanned. Because housing prices in Nanjing had once plummeted, Liu Ruogu had bought a gambling den and transferred staff from Anqing. Trial operations had only begun three days ago. Yet this woman even knew that he was the backer behind it — ample proof of her influence in Nanjing.

Thinking back, for Mei Lou to achieve such renown in the entertainment trade, it must have had protection from both the upright and the underworld. It made sense when he thought about it, but his estimation of Li Lihua rose another notch.

From the lower seat, Huang Zongxi suddenly said coldly, "General Pang has opened a gambling house and is also writing plays with that Ruan Dacheng. This is precisely drawing near to petty men and distancing oneself from gentlemen. You should know that only when one's character is upright can one's reasoning be just, and only when reasoning is just can one command an army of integrity. The General has won but a minor victory — how can he conduct himself in such a manner?"

Ever since Ruan Dacheng had gone to Nanjing, Pang Yu had not encountered this problem for a long time. Huang Zongxi was not someone he absolutely had to befriend, but with so many present today, he thought for a moment and then said politely, "Brother Huang, please do not take offense. That gambling house is a business of the Anqing Liu Family. Although I am acquainted with it, I have little involvement. As for the play 'The Female Prince Consort,' I did indeed write it and later gave it to Ruan Baizi. Our association is limited solely to drama. Mizhi and Wugong are both from Tongcheng; they know the circumstances."

Fang Yizhi immediately said to Huang Zongxi, "What General Pang says is the truth. When quelling the Tongcheng Uprising, Ruan Baizi did invite General Pang to join the Zhongjiang Society, and General Pang refused."

Huang Zongxi and Wu Yingji's expressions eased upon hearing this. Pang Yu breathed a sigh of relief. Given the things he had been doing, it seemed he truly was not suited to associate with the Restoration Society.

Li Lihua, however, was utterly unconcerned. Holding her wine cup, her face radiant, she looked at Pang Yu. "Then let us drink to that friend of the General's. These past two days, this humble one has lost a great deal of silver. Yet I must still say one thing: I have never seen such Gambling."

Fang Yizhi asked with concern, "Did Grandma Li win today?"

"I lost another seven hundred taels."

Pang Yu observed carefully. Li Lihua's demeanor was completely unruffled. She spoke of seven hundred taels as if it were seven. Since opening Bai Shun Tang, he had seen some female gamblers, but never one so extravagantly bold.

He looked Li Lihua up and down, something turning over in his mind. Li Lihua showed not the slightest discomfort. Instead, she twisted her waist slightly and looked back at Pang Yu with a beaming smile.

"If Grandma Li is fond of Gambling, I could speak to that friend of mine and arrange a VIP card for Bai Shun Tang, which offers many conveniences." Pang Yu's gaze returned to Li Lihua's face. "That friend of mine also needs an Image Ambassador. I wonder if Grandma Li might be interested."

Li Lihua smiled. "I would like to hear the details."

The lingering, ethereal sound of a xiao flute drifted out from Mei Lou, winding among the flowering trees, pavilions, and waterside kiosks of the garden.

"Post one on the main door panel, hang a banner along the riverbank, place a Great River Silver Bank screen in the second-floor banquet hall — calligraphy-and-painting style — switch the bowls and dishes to ones bearing the Great River Silver Bank name, set up two calendars downstairs. In this way, it will not detract from Mei Lou's elegance, yet still provide sufficient... Give each guest, as they leave, a gift set of a Great River Silver Bank paperweight, inkstone, and calendar. I will handle the packaging to ensure it is exquisite and will not shame Mei Lou's reputation."

Pang Yu finished speaking and looked up at Grandma Li. After the twelve cups of wine had been drunk, he had been down by the pond downstairs, discussing advertising with Li Lihua. The discussion was now largely settled.

"Better not hang the banner by the riverbank. Otherwise, looking over from those painted barges, it would lose the sense of secluded tranquility. The rest shall be as General Pang proposes." Li Lihua met Pang Yu's gaze and said alluringly, "Then how much silver per month?"

"What we give to the prime shops at the riverbank docks is twenty taels…"

"Fifty taels."

Pang Yu hesitated a moment, then said, "That's a bit much. All these items are supplied by me."

Li Lihua tilted her head and looked at Pang Yu. "Does the General know how much silver Mizhi spent on today's banquet?"

Pang Yu said curiously, "I do not know."

"One hundred thirty taels — and compared to the usual, that's still not considered much."

Though mentally prepared, Pang Yu was still somewhat shocked. He hadn't expected such a level of spending along the Qinhuai River, and that you couldn't even reserve a spot — according to Fang Yizhi, banquets were already booked two months out. No wonder Li Lihua didn't bat an eye at losing seven hundred taels in a day.

"Mei Lou sets the tone for all of Qinhuai. Every year, the guests who come to Qinhuai to spend their gold are beyond counting. If General Pang wants to do silver-house business with them, there is no place better than Mei Lou."

Pang Yu nodded and said, "Grandma Li makes a fair point. But you just said that Mizhi paid one hundred thirty taels at a time — that was surely with silver notes. I have an additional suggestion: if Mei Lou will also accept settlement in my Great River Silver Bank's silver notes, then I will pay fifty taels a month."

"Then it's settled. Once you deliver those items, the silver calculation begins."

"I will deliver them within ten days, but let the silver calculation start from today." Pang Yu generously produced three silver notes and a slip of paper. "This is one hundred fifty taels — three months' silver. The secret phrase is written on the slip."

Li Lihua took the silver notes in hand. Sure enough, they were from the Great River Silver Bank.

Next, the two discussed the matters of the gambling-house spokesperson and the VIP card. By the time they finished, it was nearly the dinner hour.

Li Lihua rubbed her shoulders and couldn't help studying Pang Yu a few extra moments. This young general was far more complex than she had expected — decisive with his money yet not extravagant, and full of novel ideas she had never heard before, advertising included. Spending money to send things to her place — just how did he plan to earn it back? She couldn't quite grasp it yet, and her curiosity about this young general only deepened: so young, yet so steady and composed.

Just as she was thinking this, Pang Yu suddenly looked up and his gaze met Li Lihua's directly. Li Lihua couldn't help a moment of fluster.

Pang Yu's face was utterly earnest. "Well, Grandma Li, I have always had one question."

Li Lihua gathered herself. "General Pang, please speak."

"It's this: why is the pretend mother of the prostitutes called 'grandma'? Shouldn't she be called 'mother'?"

Li Lihua froze for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing with a pfft, bending over at the waist. It was a good while before she could stifle her laughter. She lifted her head and said, "I thought it was some urgent matter — turns out you wanted to call me mother. As for calling her 'grandma,' there is a logic to it. When you come to this world of wind and dust, you mean to sleep with the girls. Though it is only for one night, for that night you are the pretend mother's son-in-law. A son-in-law calls the pretend mother what his own children would call her — 'grandma.' That is how it is."

Pang Yu frowned in thought for a moment, then said with sudden understanding, "So that's the logic of it."