Chapter Seventy: Evening Banquet at the Villa

After returning to the villa, Cao Hong went straight to his room and informed Sheng Meizhen that he would depart for Wu Commandery the following day. He also instructed her to have the servants prepare a banquet to entertain Liu Xun, Liu Ye, and Shi A.

After last night’s events, Cao Hong immediately asked the servants where they had placed the horse lance. Learning that it was kept in the martial hall, he went there at once. Upon entering, he saw the horse lance gifted by Liu Xun resting on the weapon rack. Grasping it, he gave it a few swings—it felt sharp and nimble in his hand, and he grew even fonder of it.

“This horse lance can serve both as a spear and as a lance. When speaking of spear techniques, the most renowned is the ‘Li Family Pear Blossom Spear’ created by Yang Miaozhen, wife of Li Quan, leader of the Red Jacket Army in the Southern Song. The foundation of this technique lies in the footwork: the body follows the feet, the arms follow the body, and the wrists follow the arms—when all is unified, the power is at its peak. Yet on horseback, it’s impossible to unleash its full might.”

Holding the horse lance, Cao Hong pondered what martial technique would best complement it. Naturally, he favored the Pear Blossom Spear. This spear method comprised thirty-six unique techniques, various supplementary moves, nine thrusting methods, and thirteen spiritual strengths. The combinations were intricate and ingenious, unfathomable to friend or foe. In his mercenary days, Cao Hong had once killed a practitioner of this spear art; even at his peak, he was gravely injured in the encounter. From the fallen adversary, he had acquired notes on this spear method, which he cherished and memorized.

But the core of the technique was its footwork—without it, the subtlety and brilliance could not be displayed. This was a source of great frustration for Cao Hong.

The other spear techniques he had learned were also mainly for fighting on foot. As for cavalry spearplay, he only knew one set: a Greek military spear method from the shores of the Aegean, obtained in a translated Chinese manual after slaying a Chinese-Greek underworld boss. This military technique was said to have been passed down from the great king Alexander the Great. It consisted of only eight moves, whose names had been rendered in Chinese. Cao Hong had kept the manual out of curiosity, but in terms of sophistication, the technique was rather lacking.

It was only after witnessing the horsemanship of Cao Chun and Zhang Xiu that Cao Hong realized the vast gulf between mounted and foot combat. His own prowess on horseback owed much to his sharp sword, his mastery of swordsmanship, and the fact that the sword was a single-handed weapon—easy to wield and maneuver, allowing him to hold his own in battle. With a long weapon, such grace was impossible.

“Could it be that, now having obtained this divine weapon, I still won’t be able to wield it properly?” Cao Hong thought irritably, then muttered to himself, “Enough! Now that I’ve reached the stage of refining the spirit and returning to the void, I’ll spend less time on inner cultivation and dedicate myself to studying cavalry spear techniques. If I can fuse them with the Pear Blossom Spear, I’ll truly be unrivaled on horseback!”

As a grandmaster of martial arts, he was well-versed in distilling the essence from various schools, and though he was not deeply versed in spearplay, true mastery in one art opened the door to all others. With that, Cao Hong set his stance and performed the fourth of the thirty-six unique moves from the Pear Blossom Spear:

“Five Locks in a Spinning Chain: first turn, the Middle Guard spear leads; second turn, the Cross spear takes point; third turn, Spear Shedding for harmony; fourth turn, Resting the Knee spear; fifth turn, White Ox Turns the Corner.” Reciting the mnemonic, Cao Hong swung the horse lance in his hand. The air whistled with each strike, the blade slicing through the wind. Man and weapon became one, indistinguishable from each other.

Once he had finished the fourth move, Cao Hong paused, then executed the Greek cavalry spear technique: “Child Embraces the Heart, Whirlwind Breaks the Path, Holding the Lute, Flames Pierce the Clouds, Black Tiger Lying Low, Stepping Angle Enters Water, Rolling Seated Horse Posture, Black Dragon Sets Position.” These eight moves depended wholly on arm and waist strength. The feet stood rooted, steady as Mount Tai, while the horse lance spun and entwined in a stream of light all around him.

“Alas! One is founded on footwork, the other on the waist and arms—how can they possibly be combined? This is truly vexing!” Cao Hong sat on the ground, frowning in deep thought. He pondered the matter all afternoon.

It was only when a servant announced Liu Xun’s arrival for the banquet that Cao Hong finally gave up, unable to reconcile the two techniques. He went to the main hall to greet Liu Xun, and after a while, Liu Ye arrived as well. Cao Hong summoned Shi A, who was resting in the courtyard, and the four immediately began their feast. Another round of hearty drinking ensued. During the banquet, Liu Ye mentioned that he had finished all his family affairs and could depart with Cao Hong the next day.

Cao Hong laughed and said, “I forgot to ask where your residence is, Ziyang, so I can send someone to fetch you tomorrow.”

Liu Ye gave him the address, which Cao Hong had a servant note down, then ordered the house musicians and dancing girls to begin their performance.

The body’s previous owner, while deeply fond of Sheng Meizhen, also had a great love for keeping courtesans and singers. In Cao Hong’s current memories, this fellow had trained his household singers well—whenever he hosted guests, they would dance for them, sometimes even undressing as they performed. The stewards who managed his properties had all enjoyed such entertainments, and Cao Ding had, on several occasions, admonished Cao Hong not to indulge so wantonly.

Clearly, Liu Xun was familiar with Cao Hong’s style of hospitality. The moment the singing girls appeared, he immediately took off his outer robe, revealing his inner garments, and deliberately loosened his collar to bare his chest, preparing for close contact with the dancers. Beside him, Liu Ye and Shi A were somewhat at a loss seeing the sudden antics of the magistrate, while Cao Hong simply smiled, toasting the company as if nothing were amiss.

After a while, the music turned soft and sultry, its seductive notes stirring the heart. The eight dancers scattered, each approaching one of the four men. One slipped off her green robe, revealing her undergarments as she settled into their laps; another spun and fluttered around them like a butterfly, her hair flying, robes swirling, fragrance wafting through the room. For a moment, the entire hall was bathed in spring’s allure and sensuality.

Cao Hong, long accustomed to the decadence of the feudal landlord class, wrapped one arm around the beauty in his lap and raised his cup with the other, laughing, “Seize joy when fortune smiles! Let not the golden goblet face the moon in vain! Drink up!”

At first, the scholar Liu Ye felt somewhat reserved, but upon hearing Cao Hong’s timely verses, something wild and unrestrained, long suppressed, was stirred by the wine. He exclaimed loudly, “Splendid lines! What a marvelous ‘seize joy when fortune smiles, let not the golden goblet face the moon in vain!’ If I, Ziyang, act coy now, I am no man!” With that, he drained his cup and began to fondle the woman in his lap, then stretched out a foot to trip another dancer, pulling her down beside him as well.

The mood of the banquet shifted at once. Shi A had already slipped his hand beneath his dancer’s undergarments, thoroughly enjoying himself. Liu Xun, swaying unsteadily, got to his feet and, clutching two singing girls, stumbled toward the door, muttering, “Zilian, I’ll be staying here tonight!” His words were slurred, clearly deep in his cups.

Cao Hong immediately ordered the waiting servant outside to see Liu Xun to his room, then instructed his own two maids to attend Shi A and Liu Ye, saying to them, “An hour of spring is worth a thousand pieces of gold! Gentlemen, do not waste the precious night! All the side rooms behind the main hall are unlocked and waiting!” With a smile, he turned and left.

By now, Liu Ye had cast aside all restraint, and Shi A was ready for the fray. The musicians had already departed quietly. As Cao Hong left the main hall, stroking his chin, he chuckled, “It seems Liu Ye won’t be returning home tonight!”