Chapter 2, New arrivals are not unfamiliar
Why is my reputation so poor? This dates back to when Young Master Zhang was six years old. At that time, Zhang Laocai hired a private tutor for Young Master Zhang, intending for him to learn some culture and eventually take the imperial examination to bring glory to the family. However, the private tutor ran away after just one day of teaching, driven away by Young Master Zhang's antics! Young Master Zhang even declared that if Zhang Laocai forced him to study again, he would run away from home, jump into a well, or drown himself. As a result, the doting Zhang Laocai was left with no choice but to say, "Fine, if you don't want to study, then don't. After all, our family has plenty of money; are we afraid of you going hungry?" Consequently, our Young Master Zhang, at the age of twenty-one, cannot even recognize his own name. This scoundrel of a Young Master Zhang has also caused me great distress, as I, a twenty-first-century undergraduate, can only stare blankly at the traditional Chinese books of this era, which lack punctuation, as if looking at a celestial script.
Others may not be clear about our Young Master Zhang, but how could Ma Jun and Young Master Wu, these friends of his, not be aware? With a winning attitude, a group of young rascals all high-fived our Young Master Zhang and made a bet. Our Young Master Zhang did not waste words; after the high-five, he immediately called Zhang Shitou over and whispered in his ear: "You need to go handle something for me right away, go over quietly and call that ship's captain over—be careful, make sure that beautiful tigress doesn’t see you."
Then each of us will lose fifty taels of silver to you!" Wu Ershao and a group of people replied in unison. Our Zhang Dashao was also not polite, extending his hand and saying: "It's settled then, let us strike hands as a vow.
"Look at your character, being frightened like this by a mere woman." Our Young Master Zhang expressed some dissatisfaction and huffed, "I don't believe in this evil. If I can't experience her charm today, I will not bear the surname Zhang; I will take her surname instead!"
"Dog... Zhang Dashao, Zhang Dashao." Just as our Zhang Dashao was deep in thought about some delightful matters, a familiar shout suddenly came from behind him. Without turning around, Zhang Dashao already knew that the owner of that voice was Ma Jun, the eldest son of the county magistrate of Linqing County and a former companion of Zhang Dashao. Deep in his calculations, Zhang Dashao irritably retorted, "What are you howling about? I am thinking, do not disturb me."
After finishing the wiping, and putting on his clothes, as the two maidservants were just beginning to help Young Master Zhang put on his shoes, a young man in his twenties, dressed as a servant, suddenly rushed in from outside, smiling as he said: "Young Master, you are awake? After lunch today, where does Young Master plan to go for fun? I can make arrangements for you."
Breathless, I rushed to the canal dock, and sure enough, several of the former Young Master Zhang's dubious friends were there. Among them were Young Master Wu from the silk shop in the city, Young Master Wang from the Shanxi Hengtong Silver House branch, Young Master Ren from the Wuyi Tea House, and the grandson of the former county magistrate, Young Master Li Si. In short, they were all young rascals who often hung out with our former Young Master Zhang, and not a single one of them is a decent person
The relationship between our former Master Zhang and the two brothers of the Wu family is not good. These two brothers, relying on their brute strength and having a relative in the court, often compete with our former Master Zhang for the favor of women in brothels and have frequently engaged in gambling, trying to outdo him in cunning and bravado. Therefore, upon hearing what Young Master Wu said, the current Master Zhang also became interested and clapped his hands, saying, "Alright, let's see how those two brats from the Wu family will handle it"
In the past, whenever these young masters and young heirs saw our Young Master Zhang, at the very least, they would come over to pay their respects and inquire about which courtyard Young Master Zhang would be staying at that night, hoping to benefit from it themselves. However, today is quite different; these young masters and young heirs seem to be bewitched, hiding behind a pile of cargo rice bags, staring intently at the canal dock, completely oblivious to the arrival of our Young Master Zhang. The current Young Master Zhang, who continues the memories of his predecessor, felt a surge of anger in his heart. He stepped forward and kicked at Young Master Wu, saying, "What are you looking at, you scoundrel?"
"It will definitely be fun." Ma Jun leaned close to Zhang Haogu's ear, grinning as he whispered, "A civilian ship has arrived at the dock, carrying a coffin and a particularly beautiful girl. She's so stunning that even the little Cui from the Mandarin Duck Tower can't compare to her little finger. The brothers all rushed over to see the girl when they heard the news. Since we brothers have the best relationship, I had to come and tell you about such a great opportunity. If you miss this chance, you might regret it for the rest of your life"
"Young Master, you must not provoke this tigress at all," Zhang Shitou declared hastily, feeling an ominous premonition. "I cannot match her strength and cannot assist you, Young Master."
The performance is about to begin. Wu Ershao shouted excitedly, while Zhang Dashao could hardly contain himself and stood up to avoid having his view obstructed by the crowd on the small boat. Just at that moment, something astonishing happened that left Zhang Dashao dumbfounded—the girl in white leaped from the boat, and while still in mid-air, her long and graceful legs kicked out four times towards Wu Qing's chest. The short and stocky Wu Qing was caught off guard and was unexpectedly sent flying by the girl, landing more than ten feet away, with his screams echoing even further, "Oh my!" Just at that moment, something astonishing happened that left Zhang Dashao dumbfounded—the girl in white leaped from the boat, and while still in mid-air, her long and graceful legs kicked out four times towards Wu Qing's chest. The short and stocky Wu Qing was caught off guard and was unexpectedly sent flying by the girl, landing more than ten feet away, with his screams echoing even further, "Oh my!"
"Wait a moment, something seems off." As he pondered, our young master Zhang suddenly recalled a significant matter—if the story told in the crosstalk "Rising Three Levels" were true, it is quite possible that a fortune teller would approach him and say, "Ah! This gentleman, your eyebrows are vibrant, and your eyes are spirited; you could be a pillar of the nation. If you were to go to the capital for the imperial examination, you would surely succeed." Then, young master Zhang, in his naivety, would foolishly rush to Beijing and bump into the horse of Grand Eunuch Wei Zhongxian, inadvertently achieving second place in the highest degree of the examination, followed by a smooth official career, ultimately entering the cabinet and becoming a minister! This gentleman, your eyebrows are vibrant, and your eyes are spirited; you could be a pillar of the nation. If you were to go to the capital for the imperial examination, you would surely succeed." Then, young master Zhang, in his naivety, would foolishly rush to Beijing and bump into the horse of Grand Eunuch Wei Zhongxian, inadvertently achieving second place in the highest degree of the examination, followed by a smooth official career, ultimately entering the cabinet and becoming a minister!
"Young Master Zhang, are you out of your mind?" Both Young Master Wu and Ma Jun displayed great loyalty, promptly pulling our Young Master Zhang down again. Young Master Wu lowered his voice and said, "Young Master Zhang, don't act impulsively. This girl is indeed beautiful, but she can also be quite dangerous! That little brat from the Wu family suffered a significant loss at her hands earlier, losing several teeth in the process. The little brat went crying to find his older brother, and those two brothers are likely on their way here right now. Let's wait and see what happens next."
After finishing his grooming and enjoying a sumptuous breakfast-lunch, Young Master Zhang led Zhang Shitou out for a stroll. Just before leaving, without needing to be instructed, Zhang Shitou proactively set up the birdcage made of golden silk nanmu wood. Young Master Zhang, in a display of cultured elegance, picked up the folding fan left to him by the previous Young Master Zhang. Upon opening it, Young Master Zhang was taken aback—it was actually a spring palace painting fan! Upon closer inspection of the signature on the fan, Young Master Zhang gasped in shock—goodness, it was a spring palace painting fan by Tang Bohu! If this were the twenty-first century, this very fan could be exchanged for a BMW!
"Bragging!" Wu Ershao and a group of young rascals all raised their middle fingers, showing their disdain for our Zhang Dashao's brazen words. Our Zhang Dashao was thoroughly provoked and asked, "So, do you dare to bet with me? If I can't get her to spend the night at my house today, I will pay each of you fifty taels of silver. But if I do get her to spend the night at my house..."
"Young Master Zhang, what are you still thinking about? Hurry up and come with me, there is something good happening." Ma Jun, who had a horse-like face, caught up and grabbed Young Master Zhang's hand, pulling him back. Our Young Master Zhang finally regained his focus and lazily turned his head to ask, "What good thing could it be? Tell me, and if you dare to deceive me, be careful that I will have Zhang Shitou beat you up."
From now on and for the foreseeable future, my name will be Zhang Haogu, also known as Young Master Zhang. A few individuals have given me a nickname, Zhang Dog Shao. However, I am quite fond of the name Young Master Zhang and dislike the nickname Zhang Dog Shao. If anyone dares to call me Zhang Dog Shao to my face, I would be quite upset
At present, Young Master Zhang was lying on the bed in a daze when the door was suddenly pushed open. Two rather attractive maidservants entered, carefully carrying a copper basin filled with hot water and a set of brand new clothes. Upon seeing Young Master Zhang lying on the bed with his eyes open, both maidservants breathed a sigh of relief. One of them timidly said: "Young Master, it is almost noon. The master has been invited by the county magistrate to discuss matters and is not at home. Madam Eleven and Auntie are playing mahjong. Madam Eleven instructed us to serve you as you get up. If you still wish to sleep, you may eat first and then sleep, so as not to harm your stomach. As for paying respects to the madam, if you do not wish to go, it is not necessary."
"It's just too impressive." Wu Ershao, Ma Jun, and Wang Shaodong, along with a group of young aristocrats, nodded in agreement with Zhang Dashao's opinion. However, Wu Ershao soon made a distressed face and lamented, "Damn it, it's not easy to come across such a beautiful girl, I thought today would be fun, but it turns out that beautiful girls are so hard to approach. It seems that today's fun is just for show and not for enjoyment."
I currently reside in Linqing City, Dongchangfu District, Shandong Province. My family may lack in many aspects, but we are wealthy. My father, Zhang Laocai, and my eleven mothers dote on me, eagerly hoping that I will marry and have children soon, particularly sons, to escape the unfortunate fate of being the sole heir for ten generations in my family. Unfortunately, due to my less-than-stellar reputation and my lack of accomplishments, families of scholarly lineage and official gentry are reluctant to marry their daughters to me. My father and my eleven mothers also believe that the daughters of commoners are not worthy of me. Thus, at the age of twenty-one, I remain a bachelor, still a virgin. However, at least until I officially marry, I will still consider myself a virgin in spirit.
Forget it, since the previous Young Master Zhang liked it, I might as well take this fan with me to avoid revealing any flaws. After a moment's consideration, Young Master Zhang still flamboyantly waved the erotic painting fan, leading Zhang Shitou out of the Zhang family gate with great swagger—carrying an erotic painting fan while shopping is actually something our current Young Master Zhang had wanted to do but dared not attempt in the past. Now that there is this opportunity, our current Young Master Zhang naturally will not let it slip by. Leading Zhang Shitou out of the Zhang family gate with great swagger—carrying an erotic painting fan while shopping is actually something our current Young Master Zhang had wanted to do but dared not attempt in the past. Now that there is this opportunity, our current Young Master Zhang naturally will not let it slip by
"You foolish child! It's surprising that you've attended school for a few days!" Our young master Zhang scolded in a Sichuan dialect, instructing grandly: "Haven't you heard the storyteller on television or in the teahouses say, 'To know what is known and what is unknown, is to win a hundred battles'?"
While drooling and admiring the beauty of the girl in white, and after a brief wait, it was well-known that Young Master Zhang had a notoriously short temper. However, this time he was fortunate; just as his gaze had circled around the face and chest of the girl in white twice, Wu Qing and his brother Wu Zhi arrived with more than a dozen servants. Due to their habitual arrogance, Wu Qing boldly approached the small boat draped in white curtains and shouted at the girl in white, his voice clear even from half a mile away, "You filthy woman, have you eaten a leopard's gall? You dare to hit my brother? Get up here, or be careful that I, this young master, will set your coffin ablaze and sell you to the courtyard as a brothel sister!"
"Alright." Young Master Zhang nodded, thinking that it was quite nice to experience being served out of bed. Although his family was relatively wealthy in his previous life, he had never enjoyed the happiness of being served out of bed by someone, especially a beautiful girl. The two maidservants softly agreed and quickly dampened the silk sweat towels. One came over to wipe Young Master Zhang's face, while the other helped him with his body, their movements gentle yet strong, and remarkably skilled. The tender little hands, combined with the appropriately warm towels rubbing against his skin, made Young Master Zhang hum with comfort, secretly exclaiming how delightful it was. At the same time, the two maidservants were also secretly puzzled, thinking that Young Master Zhang must have taken the wrong medicine today, as he had never taken advantage of them when they served him out of bed before.
"Could it be true? If it is true, should I go to the capital?" Young Master Zhang's heart began to race, thinking to himself that he was now wealthy, but lacked power. If he could indeed secure a position in the court, it would be quite a good thing.
Zhang Shitou? The current Young Master Zhang recognized that the servant before him was none other than Zhang Shitou, the closest servant of the original Young Master Zhang. He had once served as a book boy for the original Young Master Zhang, excelling in all sorts of tricks and schemes, which greatly pleased the original Young Master. At that moment, Young Master Zhang had a change of heart and thought to himself that since he had arrived in this era, it would be quite good to let Zhang Shitou lead the way to explore the customs and culture of this time. He nodded and said, "After we finish eating, accompany me to stroll around the streets and see if there are any new and interesting things." Zhang Shitou was overjoyed and quickly agreed. At that moment, Young Master Zhang had a change of heart and thought to himself that since he had arrived in this era, it would be quite good to let Zhang Shitou lead the way to explore the customs and culture of this time. He nodded and said, "After we finish eating, accompany me to stroll around the streets and see if there are any new and interesting things." Zhang Shitou was overjoyed and quickly agreed.
Indeed, indeed, let us not think of anything else; it is enough to have a distant view and feast our eyes. Apart from our Young Master Zhang, Ma Jun, Wang Shaodong, and a group of other young scions deeply resonate with this sentiment, all expressing immense regret, and none daring to tease as they did before.
"Hmph! A bunch of useless people." The tigress patted her small, jade-like hands, raised her head, and returned to the boat. The Wu brothers did not dare to say anything further, limping as they led their servants in a hasty retreat. They ran a considerable distance before daring to turn back and shout, "You foul woman, wait! This time I will spare you, but next time... Mother, run!"
Is this true? If you dare to lie to me, I will go to your house today and ask your father for the gambling debt you owe me from the last dice game! Our Young Master Zhang threatened with his words, inserting his fan behind his collar, and immediately pulled Ma Jun to run towards the dock. Although Young Master Zhang's body has a new owner, this new owner is actually of the same ilk as the previous one. Meanwhile, the poor servant Zhang Shitou, holding Young Master Zhang's precious birdcage, dared not run fast and could only chase after them with both hands cradling it, saying, "Young Master, Young Master, slow down, be careful not to fall!"
... ...
Cut it out! Do you think your young master is just a couple of brats from the Wu family, relying on numbers to bully those who are fewer in number and forcibly snatching away their girls?" Young Master Zhang raised his head and snorted, saying, "Just watch, today I will make that tigress willingly throw herself at me and spend the night with me!
Incredible! Young Master Zhang was so astonished that he didn't even notice his fan falling to the ground. However, what left Young Master Zhang even more dumbfounded was that the delicate-looking girl in white, who seemed as if she could be easily crushed, suddenly transformed into a ferocious tigress. She charged into the bodyguards brought by the Wu brothers, delivering punches and kicks, attacking relentlessly. In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen bodyguards were left powerless to resist, sprawled all over the ground, each one with bruised faces and injuries, rolling on the ground and crying out for mercy.
Impressive! It wasn't until the tigress stood up, scaring the Wu brothers so much that they ran away faster than rabbits, that our young master Zhang finally came to his senses and praised, "Impressive, I didn't expect this light beauty to be so formidable; it seems she must possess great martial skills."
Linqing City is adjacent to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, making it a vital thoroughfare to the capital via both water and land routes. Therefore, although Linqing's city walls are not particularly large, its market is exceptionally prosperous, with shops lined up closely together, offering a variety of goods and performances. Stalls display Ning inkstones, Song porcelain, gold chopsticks, jade bowls, intricately carved eight-treasure screens, and Tian green jade vases, as well as imported items such as rosewood glass crystal lamps, bronze Maitreya Buddhas, snuff bottles, and famous calligraphy and paintings. The array of goods is truly dazzling and comprehensive. Our current young master, Zhang, although he has inherited all the memories of his predecessor, suffers from the fact that the former's mind was rather empty, having stored little beyond indulgences in food, drink, and gambling. As a result, our current young master Zhang inevitably finds himself overwhelmed and dazzled by the sheer variety of offerings.
"Beauty! Truly a beauty!" exclaimed our young master Zhang. It turns out that Wu Er Shao from the silk shop was not exaggerating; indeed, on the small boat docked by the canal, there hung a white curtain representing the transportation of a coffin. Beneath the white curtain stood a delicate and charming light beauty, dressed in white mourning attire, with long black hair, large eyes, a small mouth, exquisite and beautiful features, skin that was both fair and tender, with curves in all the right places and alluring dips where they should be. In short, she was more beautiful than any woman our previous two young masters Zhang had ever encountered, at least ten times more so. Thus, after our young master Zhang exclaimed, he did not think much further, standing up with drool flowing, eager to approach and strike up a conversation with that light beauty.
This fellow is quite to my taste. If he and I had met in the same era, we would surely have been good friends. After reading the original, the memory of the young Master Zhang, which was pitifully scarce, the current young Master Zhang cannot help but feel a sense of nostalgia and regret for not having the opportunity to befriend the original young Master Zhang, who was so agreeable. However, the current young Master Zhang quickly casts this thought aside, for he is very much aware that it is now the fifth year of the Tianqi era under the reign of Emperor Xizong of the Ming Dynasty. In just two or three years, the largest peasant uprising in the history of the Ming Dynasty will sweep across the Central Plains, and at the same time, the disasters brought about by the Little Ice Age will also descend upon the lands of the Ming. Natural disasters and man-made calamities will erupt simultaneously. Moreover, beyond the borders, the ancestors of the Zhuge family are watching the Central Plains like hungry wolves, ready to rush in at any moment to kill, burn, and seize money, grain, and land. By that time, the current young Master Zhang will likely find it difficult to preserve his own life.
The two brothers of the Wu family mentioned by Wu Er Shao are actually the two sons of General Wu from Linqing Prefecture. The elder son is named Wu Qing, and the younger son is named Wu Zhi. Like our young master Zhang, they also enjoy engaging in unscrupulous acts such as kicking down widows' doors and digging up the graves of the deceased. However, the Wu brothers are clearly more proficient in these matters, and they also have the additional habits of robbing beggars and smashing their begging bowls.
Why?" Zhang Shitou asked inexplicably, "Young Master, don't you want to bring that beautiful tigress home for the night? What do you need the boatman for?"
As time went on, Young Master Zhang gradually grew up, spending his days indulging in drinking, gambling, and debauchery, wandering the streets while flaunting his arrogance. He specialized in deceit, trickery, and bullying, targeting widows and robbing graves, committing heinous acts without restraint. He became the leader of most of the young rascals in Linqing City, and was loathed by the common people, who gritted their teeth in hatred, wishing they could flay him alive. If it weren't for the protection of Old Zhang, that Young Master Zhang would have long been beaten to death by countless people. Tell me, with such a Young Master Zhang, which scholarly family or official gentry would dare to marry their daughter to him?
Young Master Zhang? A few young rascals have come to their senses, excitedly calling out, and even Wu Er Shao, who almost got kicked by Young Master Zhang, is not angry. He simply pushes Young Master Zhang down to a squat. "Young Master Zhang, you arrived just in time; I was just about to send someone to find you. What do you need me for? Of course, it's for something good. Look over there, it's that boat with the white drapery. Do you see it? Pay attention to the person on the boat wearing mourning clothes, that light beauty, a true beauty!" Of course, it's for something good. Look over there, it's that boat with the white drapery. Do you see it? Pay attention to the person on the boat wearing mourning clothes, that light beauty, a true beauty!