The large boat had docked at the same place as before. The two of them followed behind a few guests who were boarding the ship and quickly got on the deck.
"Young Master Song, it’s been a few days since we last met and your face looks much more radiant than before," the boat mistress greeted them, her face all smiles. "Jun’er is still dolling up. Why don’t you take a seat first and listen to some tunes to relieve the boredom while waiting? We’ve got a few new singers here who’re very good at what they do."
Song Zhenguo’s face remained stern and did not return her smile.
"I want to ask about something. Two days ago I brought a friend here--a young master named Wang Ziquan. I heard that he came to this pleasure boat again afterwards. Please ask the lady who accompanied him two nights ago to come out. I have some questions for her," he dropped a few pieces of silver into the boat mistress’ hand.
This casual gift was basically equivalent to a few thousand dollars. If his family wasn’t wealthy, there would be no way he would have dared to spend like that.
"Oh you mean Die’er. Mm, I’ll call her out right away. Young Master may rest and wait in the chamber on the side," seeing the stern looks on Song Zhenguo and Lu Sheng’s face, the boat mistress dared not delay. Customers who were as open-handed as Song Zhenguo were few and far between. Even the descendants of officials were not as generous as Song Zhenguo despite their more powerful backgrounds. [1]
The duo including Lu Sheng were led to a chamber to rest and wait. Not long after, the girl called Die’er was summoned into the chamber.
Die’er looked extremely mild and meek, drawing the sympathy of those who looked at her. She was dressed in a long green dress and was clutching a long flute in her hand, as if she was about to perform in front of customers. Presently, she looked quite befuddled about being summoned so abruptly.
"Young Master Song, may I know what questions you have for Die’er?" She asked meekly.
"Let me ask you this: do you know where that Young Master Wang Ziquan, whom you accompanied two nights ago, is?"
Die’er’s face drew a blank.
"Young Master Wang Ziquan? Oh… I remember now. Didn’t he leave with you, Young Master Song? At that time, Die’er was exhausted, so after Young Master left, I left the boat and went home to rest."
"Went home to rest?" Song Zhenguo’s brow rose.
"Yes, that’s right. Back then, Die’er had just accompanied three customers consecutively. I was so very exhausted. Once it ended, I told the boat mistress and was one of the first few who got off the boat," Die’er replied meekly. "What’s wrong? Did… did something happen to Young Master Ziquan?" She grew anxious.
Lu Sheng examined her closely with his hawkish eyes, but saw no indication that Die’er was lying.
"Let me ask you, did your boat close for business right after we left?"
Unsettled by Lu Sheng’s stare, Die’er hurriedly nodded her head. "Yes, yes! Once you three Young Masters left, the boat mistress closed the boat for business."
"Then let me ask you again! After closing for business, will red lanterns usually be hung on this boat?" Lu Sheng asked again.
"Red lanterns?" Die’er was bewildered. "What red lanterns? Each day after closing for business, our boat always docks in the nearby harbor for inspection and maintenance. No lights are allowed on the boat during the inspection and maintenance except for those lit by the maintenance personnel. Everything was as per usual yesterday."
"Docks in the nearby harbor? Not here?" Lu Sheng was stunned.
"Of course not. We only dock here temporarily while doing business. Waves here can get rather huge… wouldn’t it be easy to be carried away by the wind if we docked here?" Die’er looked at Lu Sheng with a strange expression.
Worry crept into Lu Sheng’s heart. It seems like Wang Ziquan, like him, had boarded the pleasure boat decked with red lanterns.
"Brother Lu…" Song Zhenguo felt something was amiss as he listened on. He had no idea what Lu Sheng was trying to drive at with his questions. In his eyes, Lu Sheng had boarded the boat with red lanterns by mistake. Still, he listened on patiently.
"Don’t tell me that there’s no boat here at night that’s decked with red lanterns? An empty pleasure boat? It’s the exact same model as this boat," Lu Sheng asked again, unwilling to give up.
Die’er blinked.
"Young Master, may I know where you heard about this big boat with red lanterns? Do you know under what kind of circumstances only do we put up red lanterns here?
Only when a lady on the boat has passed away do we hang three red lanterns outside her room door and inside her room.
One at the door--to guide her home. Two inside her room--to pay respects to her and to give her rest."
Upon hearing, Lu Sheng stood rooted to the ground, dumbfounded.
He recalled the eccentric pleasure boat decked with red lanterns all over. Red lanterns hung outside every single room and chamber!
And the arrangement in which they were hung was exactly as Die’er described--one outside the door and two inside the room!!!
"Ahhh… this is so scary! Young Master, you must’ve heard some horror story from somewhere and come to scare Die’er, haven’t you?" Die’er got the jitters and goosebumps surfaced all over her body.
"Yue Sheng… were you having a nightmare?" Song Zhenguo too looked worriedly at Lu Sheng. Lu Sheng’s other name was Yue Sheng, which was essentially the word "Sheng" taken apart.
Lu Sheng had rarely used this other name in Nine Links City. There, everyone had addressed him as Young Master Sheng or Brother Sheng. But within the academic circle, calling someone by his other name was both more familiar and formal at the same time. [2]
"It’s nothing… I just…" Lu Sheng hesitated, but kept the story of how he had been almost trapped in the red boat to himself. Even if he had said it, Song Zhenguo might not have believed his words. And even if he did believe him, it made no actual difference anyway.
"But since Ziquan did not come to this pleasure boat, where else could he have gone?" Song Zhenguo was worried. "The Annual Examinations are almost upon us. If we break the Institution’s rules and have our names forfeited, our future would be ruined in our own hands!"
"If there’s nothing else from both Young Masters, please excuse Die’er to perform the flute for the customers," Die’er said softly.
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