Ashes of Love (Chapter 20)

“So-called bliss is nothing more than food, drinks, whores and gambling,” the Earth Spirit slurred, one hand holding a glass of wine and the other holding my sleeve. “But the alcohol of the mortals are nothing compared to your home brew here!”

I magnanimously allowed him to continue holding my sleeve and replied, “Tell me more about whores and gambling.  This is my first time here and I’d never heard of such things before.”

“Heh,” the Spirit smiled suggestively. “You know, everything’s great in Heaven, but then again, so muted.  Nothing can compare to the joys on earth.  Since you’re my guest, I’ll naturally show you around.” So saying, he beckoned towards me, “Come come, I’ll take you right now!”

“Thanks.”  I adjusted my hair and followed him out.

I’ve been living in the mortal realm for half a month now.  Run Yu works during the night, but only sleeps for a short while during the day.  The rest of the time he spends playing chess with me or discussing books and such.  He’s really very kind, but to spend every day in this small abode, I felt as if I was back in the Water Cave, only the location has changed.

Run Yu explained to me, “There are too many wild things in the mortal realm that may contaminate your soul.  What will you have me do then?”

So contaminate me! As long as I can go out and do something! Though that’s what I wanted to scream, I still replied politely, “Yes, you’re right.”

These last few days though, Run Yu has been away on official business and hasn’t even appeared in the morning hours.  He asked the Earth Spirit to look after me.

The Earth Spirit thus came every day with specialties from the earth, like duck neck, roast duck, salted duck . . . Although I’m not a picky eater, I also don’t have any particular grievance with the birds or the ducks, so I told him to bring something different.  He beheld me with a look of disbelief, “Ling Guang, the best dish for wine is duck!  Life is good if you can have a sip of wine and a bite of duck!”

This Earth Spirit is pretty much an alcoholic, but he doesn’t have a high tolerance and can only drink a few jugs a day before his speech begins to slur.

I tried his wine and thought it was terrible.  To save him from this, I brewed my own osmanthus wine for him.  After he took a sip or two of that, he began spilling everything.  Luckily for me, I can drink jugs of this stuff and still be clear-headed.

Today, I originally wanted to drink with the Spirit until he passed out, but now that he’s decided to take me out with him, even better!

The Earth Spirit took me around town and arrived before a small, inconspicuous shop.  Upon entering, he asked the shopkeeper, “Do you have some fresh fish?”

The shopkeeper looked us up and down and said, “Please, follow me.”

We followed him down a flight of stairs into the basement, where it was a completely different world.  The place was brightly lit with no less than 24 tables.  At each table sat four people staring contemplatively at what resembled blocks of cut tofu.  Behind them stood spectators.

“The best place to gamble is underground,” the Earth Spirit whispered to me.  So saying, he asked for some mah jong pieces from the shopkeeper and after teaching me the rules, we began battle.

Four hours later, I was kicked out of the shop. “Sir, we’re just a small shop, we can’t afford you.  Please try elsewhere!” the shopkeeper cried, pushing me away.

The Earth Spirit stared at me with admiration. “What skill! Are you perhaps actually the God of Fortune?”

I recalled the image of that old God and thought, there’s really no resemblance.

In any case, Mah Jong turned out to be quite boring as I won every round.

Now that I’d experienced gambling, there’s no harm in trying the other joys of life.

The Earth Spirit took me to a place called the Wan Chun Lou.  Walking in, I was blasted by the heavy scent of powder and perfume.  An older woman took us by the arms and said, “Well, look at you handsome gentlemen, come in!  Is there a lady you have in mind?”

The Earth Spirit collapsed into a chair and took a swig of tea, then said, “Bring us your best.”

The woman’s immediately yelled upstairs, “Peony!  Peony!  We have guests!”

I was dumbfounded.  The High Priestess?

I immediately grabbed the Spirit and rushed out of there.  I don’t know how long we ran, but I refused to stop until I was certain we weren’t followed.  Thank goodness for my fast reflexes.  If the High Priestess caught me here, she’d certainly drag me back and skin me alive.

“What are you doing?” the Spirit asked, confused.  Before I could answer, he suddenly cried, “Ah, my bad!  I forgot your preferences.  My fault entirely!”

Huh, my preferences?

Without explanation, the Spirit led me to a place called Nan Lou Xiao Guan.  Although the place was decorated elegantly at its entrance, the further in we walked, the more I felt that something was amiss.  Finally, when the Spirit brought over two pale, fresh boys, I realized what was wrong.

Yes, this place was filled with men embracing other men! A place for the broken-sleeved.

“What do you think of these two,” the Spirit asked cheerfully.

I swallowed dryly. “Satisfactory.”

Since I’m here, might as well see what this is all about.

I calmed down, but I still wasn’t sure what to do.  I couldn’t reveal my ignorance though, so I turned to study my surroundings.  At another table, a fleshy old man prodded a boy’s chin with his fan and said, “Ying Ge, I’ll take good care of you tonight!”

Aha! I got it.

Only, I haven’t got a fan, and if I transformed one out of nothing, I’d no doubt frighten these mortals.  Thus, I took a pair of chopsticks and used them to lightly raise the chin of the boy beside me.  With a forced smile, I was just about to repeat the words I’d just learned, when I noticed that the boy was staring behind me.

“Jin Mi!”

I turned back and spotted Phoenix by the door.

I smiled at him and said, “What a coincidence.  Did you come here to have some fun as well?”