Chapter Seventeen: The Price of Indulgence
In the midst of desolate mountains and wilds, there was a grove of pines and cypresses that spanned several acres, and deep within the grove stood a small, square thatched cottage. From its tiny window flickered a dim, mottled light.
All around, silence reigned, broken only by the rustling of the breeze through pine and cypress branches.
Yang Shoucheng, groping and crawling through the darkness, finally arrived at this place, exhausted and with hunger gnawing at his belly like fire. Although the scene before him struck him as a little odd, he could not help but feel a glimmer of hope.
“Is anyone there? Is anyone there?” Yang Shoucheng hurriedly knocked on the cottage door.
With a creak, the door opened, and a young man stepped out. Seeing Yang Shoucheng, he asked in surprise, “Who might you be, and what brings you here?”
Yang Shoucheng pleaded, “My name is Yang Shoucheng, from Yanhe Town. I lost my way in the mountains and am starving and exhausted. I hoped I might find shelter for the night and perhaps something to eat, if you would be so kind?”
The young man replied, “So that’s how it is. Still, my humble home is quite plain. I fear I cannot offer you much.”
Yang Shoucheng quickly said, “I am a man in distress; how could I dare be choosy? I only beg for your generosity in taking me in!”
The young man nodded. “Very well, come inside.”
Yang Shoucheng followed him in. At a glance, he saw the interior was indeed as the young man had said—so simple that it could hardly be called anything else. Then again, he thought, it made sense; anyone living in these remote mountains must be poor. Had the place been lavish, that would have been truly strange.
What surprised Yang Shoucheng, however, was that there was a woman in the house. She sat with her back to him beneath the faint glow of an oil lamp, seemingly mending clothes.
The young man said, “Forgive me, guest. This is my younger sister. She’s still young and is easily frightened by strangers.” Then he called out, “Yuniang, this guest lost his way and is hungry. Put down your needlework for now and prepare some food for him!”
“Yes, all right!” the girl replied, rising slowly and heading into the kitchen.
Yang Shoucheng heard her voice, and thought it as sweet as an oriole’s song, little inferior to the lady in the red dress who had bought wine from him. The thought that the woman in red might already have perished in the jaws of wild beasts brought him a pang of sorrow.
“Is something troubling you, guest?” the young man asked curiously.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I was just moved by your kindness in taking in a mere stranger. I am so grateful it brought me to tears.”
The young man laughed. “A guest who knows how to be grateful—how rare! By the way, I didn’t quite catch your name just now. Might I ask your full name and occupation?”
“I am Yang Shoucheng, and I run a tavern in Yanhe Town,” Yang replied. “I make my living welcoming guests and doing a little business.”
“So Master Yang is a prosperous merchant!” the young man said with a smile.
Yang Shoucheng demurred, “It’s all modest trade. I would not dare claim to be wealthy.”
The young man smiled faintly and let the topic drop, turning instead to idle conversation. He introduced himself as Hu Bawang and explained that his family was poor, his parents and many siblings having starved to death, leaving only himself and his younger sister, Hu Yuniang, to rely on each other. As he spoke, Yuniang emerged from the kitchen, bringing a wooden tray. She set down a few flatbreads and a bowl of hot soup before Yang Shoucheng, her voice gentle: “We have little to offer in these mountain wilds, but please enjoy what we have.”
Yang Shoucheng could not help but glance at Hu Yuniang, and with just that one look, his gaze was utterly captured. Though plainly dressed, she had flowing black hair, gracefully arched brows, and a face as fair as pressed powder—a striking beauty. Her figure, too, was shapely and alluring, perhaps not as dazzling as the lady in red, but still a true gem.
When Yang Shoucheng looked at her, she glanced up with a smile in her eyes, full of charm. Then, hiding her face behind the tray, she left only her eyes exposed, smiling at him as she withdrew.
That a mountain girl could possess such allure was truly unexpected. Yang Shoucheng, usually shrewd, ought to have found it suspicious, but at that moment, only one thought filled his mind: “This beauty is interested in me!”
His spirits soared. After eating, he chatted more with Hu Bawang, now changing his tone entirely. No longer modest, he boasted of his wealth, his shrewdness, and his abilities, impressing Hu Bawang greatly.
At length, Hu Bawang broached the subject: “Master Yang, you are truly a fine gentleman. May I ask, are you married?”
Yang Shoucheng replied, “I am not. I’ve been so busy running the tavern that I never found the time, and I regret that I have let my late parents down.” He did not even admit to having lost a wife.
Hu Bawang sighed, “A man should marry, and a woman should wed. In this, you have indeed failed your parents.”
Yang Shoucheng also sighed, “It’s just that I’ve never met a woman I truly liked.” As he spoke, his gaze drifted to Hu Yuniang.
Hu Bawang laughed. “As it happens, my sister Yuniang is just eighteen, and still unmarried. I only worry you might not think her, a mountain girl, worthy of your regard.”
Yang Shoucheng was overjoyed and immediately knelt before Hu Bawang. “To tell the truth, I fell in love with Yuniang at first sight and wish nothing more than to marry her. I beg you to grant my wish!”
Hu Bawang now took on a more serious air. “Though marriage is a matter for the parents, with ours gone, I can decide. Still, with my only sister, I cannot ignore her wishes. You may desire her, but does she consent?” Turning, he asked, “Yuniang, what do you think of Master Yang?”
Yuniang lowered her gaze, shyly replying, “I leave it to my brother to decide.” Her demure manner reminded Yang Shoucheng of the lady in red, stirring his heart even more.
Hu Bawang laughed heartily, “So the feelings are mutual. How could I, as her brother, refuse?”
Night fell deep and silent. Though Yang Shoucheng was exhausted, he found no sleep. Images of both the lady in red and Hu Yuniang flitted through his mind; he grieved for the former’s likely death, yet was thrilled to have secured an engagement with the latter. He sighed in delight, “Though I lost one love, I have found another. Yuniang may not match the lady in red for beauty or figure, but she is still a captivating woman. I am truly blessed!”
While he was lost in such thoughts, a soft voice sounded by his bed: “Master Yang, are you asleep?”
Startled, Yang Shoucheng sat up and lit the lamp. There stood Hu Yuniang, smiling sweetly at his bedside. She wore only a pale pink undergarment, her fragrant shoulders and arms exposed, her alluring figure quickening his pulse.
Yang Shoucheng stared in astonishment, “Yuniang, what are you—?”
Hu Yuniang smiled tenderly, “Master Yang, I hesitated for a long time, but since we are betrothed, I have nothing to hide from you. Let me serve you tonight.”
Yang Shoucheng was both shocked and delighted, feeling as if he were dreaming. He embraced her tightly, showering kisses upon her neck, murmuring, “Yuniang, my darling, I adore you!”
They quickly undressed and soon lay together. Yang Shoucheng, eager and impatient, was about to take the lead, but Yuniang gently pushed him down, laughing seductively, “We agreed I would serve you tonight. How could I let you be troubled?” With that, she bent down to him.
Yang Shoucheng was swept away by pleasure, but amid the ecstasy, a thought flashed through his mind: “Wasn’t Yuniang supposed to be a maiden? Why is she so skilled?” Yet before he could puzzle it out, greater waves of pleasure drowned out all thought.
Before dawn, Yang Shoucheng was still nestled in the warmth of her arms when Hu Bawang burst in, standing by the bed and shouting, “Yang Shoucheng, look at what you’ve done!”
Startled awake, Yang Shoucheng felt groggy and weak. He had no idea how many times Yuniang had demanded of him through the night, and he had only slept for half an hour. Now, his body felt utterly drained and his mind was blank. He answered confusedly, “What have I done?”
Hu Bawang berated him loudly, “You haven’t even properly married my sister and yet you dare defile her! How are you any different from a beast in human clothing?”
At this, Yang Shoucheng snapped awake and tried to protest, “No, I—” But Yuniang, standing nearby, only wept quietly. Overcome with guilt and pity, Yang Shoucheng admitted, “It’s my fault!”
“All right, at least you’re man enough to own up! Now, you must make amends immediately—before word gets out, hurry back home and return with a grand wedding procession to marry her properly. Otherwise, you’ll never see my sister again!”
Flustered, Yang Shoucheng agreed at once. Hu Bawang gathered his scattered clothes and tossed them to him, then hustled him out the door as soon as he was dressed.
Yang Shoucheng wandered in a daze, and by midday, he somehow found himself back in Yanhe Town, though he could not remember how he got there.
Back at the tavern, his servants noticed his pallor and unsteady steps, as if he had not slept all night, and exchanged knowing smiles. “Boss, we really admire you! You subdued that lady so quickly!”
Yang Shoucheng smiled absentmindedly, “Heh, yes, that’s right.”
“So when will we get to drink your wedding wine?” At the mention of “wedding wine,” Yang Shoucheng suddenly remembered his promise to marry Hu Yuniang. He cried out urgently, “Quick, quick—prepare the eight—” But before he could finish, his breath caught in his throat and he collapsed. The servants rushed to his side and helped him up in alarm.
One of them, sensing something was wrong, checked his breathing, then cried out in horror, “Oh no, the boss is dead!”
The others were dumbstruck, their mouths agape. Another servant said, “Quick, fetch Doctor Liu—maybe there’s still hope!”
Soon Doctor Liu arrived. He felt Yang Shoucheng’s hands and feet, lifted his eyelids, and shook his head with a sigh. “There’s nothing to be done.”
The servants could hardly believe it. “Impossible! The boss was fine when he came home. You must give us an explanation. What will we say to the authorities?”
Doctor Liu smiled wryly. “What can I say? He died of excessive indulgence. Frankly, it’s death by lust! But look—his internal organs are all shriveled, as if drained. No human could have caused this.”