Chapter 105: No Interest
“Has passion always been the cause of sorrow at parting? Hmph! Looking at your two beautiful wives, I wonder which one you are truly sorrowful to part from?” A delicate girl’s voice, speaking fluent Chinese tinged with a foreign accent, came from behind Yang Yaozong.
He turned to see a girl dressed in attire resembling that of a Mongolian maiden he once knew in a past life: a deep red dress of exquisite craftsmanship, paired with black sheepskin boots embroidered with red flowers and green grass. The intricate embroidery alone spoke of her noble birth. She appeared about fifteen or sixteen, nearly as tall as Yang Yaozong’s nose, and strikingly alluring. Two jade-green teardrop earrings hung from her rounded earlobes, enhancing her enchanting beauty. Yet, a hint of youthful innocence still lingered on her face, lending her a charming vitality.
Her raven-black hair was braided into more than ten small plaits, with two strands framing her ears and one curled across her forehead; the rest cascaded down her back. Upon closer inspection, Yang Yaozong noticed her eyes were an unusual shade of blue. At that moment, she held her head high with a proud tilt, pouting slightly as she looked at him disdainfully, arms crossed behind her back.
Zhang Lie also turned his head to look at the girl and quietly whispered to Yang Yaozong, “Judging by her appearance and attire, she must be a Turkic woman.”
Although the Great Zhou was at war with the Turks, trade between the two nations was not forbidden. Many Turkic merchants continued to come and go, purchasing goods.
Yang Yaozong nodded and smiled at Zhang Lie, dismissing the foreign girl’s words as mere mischief. He paid no mind to her question and was about to turn and leave with Zhang Lie when the Turkic girl tapped his shoulder. He heard her voice, tinged with annoyance, “Hey!”
Yang Yaozong, in a foul mood, really didn’t want to deal with this unreasonable girl. Frowning, he turned and said, “Little miss, were you calling me?”
The girl shot him a glance and replied, “If I wasn’t calling you, then who else?”
Yang Yaozong looked around and said, “But my name isn’t ‘Hey.’ How do I know you’re calling me?”
The girl frowned, “But I did tap you!”
Yang Yaozong snorted, “The boat is crowded; accidental bumps happen. Besides, little miss, don’t you know men and women should not touch each other casually? How could I guess that a young girl would come and touch me first?”
The girl’s delicate brows turned upside down in irritation, “Who said I touched you! I tapped your shoulder!”
Yang Yaozong raised an eyebrow, looking at her as if to say, “See? You did touch me first.”
Some passengers nearby chuckled quietly at the girl’s frustrated expression. Others sighed regretfully, thinking what a beautiful girl she was, but alas, a foreigner lacking in manners and etiquette.
Nearby, a man and a woman stood close to the Turkic girl. The man was a bald, burly fellow in his thirties, with the same blue eyes as the girl and a physique rivaling Zhou Ran’s, whom Yang Yaozong was familiar with. The woman appeared to be from the Central Plains but wore clothing similar to the Turkic girl’s and was quite beautiful, seemingly around ten or so years old.
The pair stood respectfully beside the Turkic girl, speaking softly in their native tongue. Yang Yaozong caught fragments of their speech—strange sounds he did not understand.
As Yang Yaozong turned to leave, the Turkic girl frowned impatiently and waved her hand at the two companions before hurriedly calling out, “Hey! What’s your name?”
Yang Yaozong tilted his head and looked at her, “Why should I tell you?”
“Hmph! They say the Great Zhou is a land of etiquette. I ask you a question, and you don’t answer. I ask your name, and you refuse to tell me. Is this what you call etiquette?” The foreign girl sneered.
The passengers nearby frowned at the rude girl, all eagerly awaiting Yang Yaozong’s response.
He looked at the striking girl before him, a faint, amused smile playing on his lips, “Etiquette? Little miss, are you lecturing me on etiquette?”
The girl stepped forward confidently, chest out, chin raised, “Who’s the little miss? How dare you call me that? Of course, I’m talking about etiquette with you.”
Yang Yaozong’s gaze swept over the girl’s ample bosom. For someone so young, such a figure was indeed considerable. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he cleared his throat and said, “If you want to talk about etiquette, you should first understand the principle yourself. Tell me, have you ever heard of ‘Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire’?”
The girl noticed the slight change in his expression as he looked at her chest and recalled her own question, which had caused him to glance there. She felt a flush of shame but inwardly scorned him, thinking him a lecherous hypocrite—typical of the Central Plains people. Frowning, she muttered the phrase, “Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire?”
The girl from the Central Plains leaned close to the Turkic girl’s ear, glanced at Yang Yaozong, and whispered a few words. Though Yang Yaozong couldn’t understand, he smiled wryly and shook his head.
The Turkic girl nodded and then, smiling at her companion, turned back to Yang Yaozong and said, “It means you should not force on others what you do not want yourself.”
Yang Yaozong looked meaningfully at the whispering girl, smiled slightly, and then said to the Turkic girl with a half-smile, “Good, you understand. What I mean is, since you do not observe proper etiquette, I do not expect to be obliged to observe it with you.”
The whispering girl, catching the deep meaning in Yang Yaozong’s gaze, felt as if all her secrets were laid bare before him, her face flushing.
The nearby passengers burst into laughter at Yang Yaozong’s words. The burly Turkic man glared angrily around, quelling the laughter somewhat, though many still sneered at the Turkic girl.
The girl stomped her foot in frustration and suddenly shouted, pointing at Yang Yaozong, “You—you’re no gentleman!”
Yang Yaozong found her anger adorable and laughed heartily, “I never claimed to be a gentleman.” He turned to see Zhang Lie shaking his head with a smile. Yang Yaozong smiled back, and the two walked toward the cabin.
The Turkic girl paused, watching Yang Yaozong’s retreating figure, then let out a soft laugh, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She called out loudly again, “Hey! What’s your name?”
Yang Yaozong stopped and turned, but said nothing.
The girl looked at him expectantly, “I’ll tell you my name first, then you tell me yours. How about that?”
Yang Yaozong raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and smiled faintly, “But I’m not interested in your name.” Then he turned away, seeing Zhang Lie’s face turn red as he looked at him.
Zhang Lie, unable to contain himself, patted Yang Yaozong’s shoulder and laughed heartily, even choking on his own spit and coughing.
Yang Yaozong shook his head and gently patted his back, “Is it really that funny? Come on, let’s head back to the cabin. I’m a bit tired and need some rest.”
Even the Turkic man’s imposing presence couldn’t suppress the laughter among the passengers.
The whispering girl watched Yang Yaozong’s back with a slight smile before returning to her usual calm demeanor.
Meanwhile, the Turkic girl flushed deeply, biting her silver teeth while glaring at Yang Yaozong’s retreating figure. She stared angrily at the spot where he had stood, the words “not interested” echoing in her ears.
Yang Yaozong and Zhang Lie’s quarters were located on the second floor at the edge of the large passenger ship.
They entered their room and sat on their respective beds. Zhang Lie clasped his hands in salute, “Master, the poem you composed today is yet another masterpiece that will be remembered for ages. I am truly in awe!”
Yang Yaozong smiled, “Brother Zhang, I’m no master yet. Please, no more of that.”
Zhang Lie blushed and saluted again, “Brother Yang!”
Yang Yaozong nodded approvingly, “Brother Zhang!”
Meanwhile, the Turkic girl who had bested Yang Yaozong, along with the whispering girl, sat in a cabin in the middle section on the same deck. The burly Turkic man was nowhere to be seen.
The Turkic girl rested her chin on her hand, leaning against the window, gazing at the flowing river outside. She spoke to the whispering girl beside her, “Se’u, I remember the man’s companion called him Brother Yang, right?”
The whispering girl nodded.
The Turkic girl lightly tapped her cheek with a finger, eyes curved in a smile, “So his surname is Yang.”
She then hummed softly:
“The cicadas cry mournfully at dusk by the long pavilion; the sudden rain has just ceased.
In the capital, the wine tents offer no joy; reluctant to part, the orchid boat hastens departure.
Hand in hand, we look with tearful eyes, speechless and choked with emotion.
Thinking of the journey ahead, a thousand miles of mist and waves, the vast Chu sky darkens.
Passion has always brought sorrow at parting; how can one bear the lonely autumn festival?
Tonight, where will I awaken from the wine? By the willow shore, the dawn wind and waning moon.
After all these years, the fine times and beautiful scenery seem in vain.
Even if a thousand kinds of affection remain, to whom could I now speak of them?”
Her voice was clear and melodious, without a trace of foreign accent.
Had Yang Yaozong witnessed this Turkic girl singing “Rain on the Bells,” he would surely have been astonished.
As night approached, the ship gradually neared a small pier. Upon arrival, more than twenty sturdy men leapt from the ship, pulling on the ropes and shouting rhythmic calls to secure the vessel in the harbor.
During this era in Great Zhou, water transportation was well developed, but sailing at night was generally avoided due to poor visibility. Therefore, small piers were established about every twenty miles along the canal for overnight stops. Passengers rarely disembarked at these small piers; only at larger, bustling ports did people go ashore for shopping or leisure. However, they were expected to return to the ship before dawn, as the ship would set sail promptly once the weather and visibility permitted, without waiting for any latecomers.