Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 173 Temple Fair
Seek lodging before nightfall, and check the sky at cockcrow. If you seek lodging too late, you may find yourself without a place to stay.

Zhu Wen and Tian Jun searched several inns that night, but all were full. If the last one hadn't had a room, the two might have had to find a cave to spend the night in.

When Zhu Wen scouted the area a few days ago, he had no idea that things would turn out this way.

The army only governed Quzhou for one winter, and before any new grain was harvested, the people had already saved up a lot of money. The village fairs and temple fairs in the suburbs were much more lively.

The key to governing the people is simply to avoid disturbing them.

The reason why the people of the Tang Dynasty were impoverished, besides the summer and autumn taxes, exorbitant levies, and the salt and iron monopolies, was more importantly due to the heavy burden of corvée labor and military service. One could even say that corvée labor was the core reason for the farmers' bankruptcy.

In this dynasty, male citizens, in addition to farming and paying rent each year, also have to do manual labor for the government for free. They serve as guards and sentries at officials' homes, and act as bodyguards when officials travel.

Depending on their rank and position, these laborers were divided into categories such as guards, servants, white-collar workers, and clothing handlers, and were collectively referred to as laborers.

Officials, on a whim, can impose heavy taxes on the people. The common people, who miss farming seasons or even die from overwork, are not considered by these high-ranking officials.

After Huang Chao arrived, all corvée labor was abolished except for necessary tasks like serving as yamen runners. During the winter off-season, people could break the ice in the river to catch fresh fish like carp, crucian carp, perch, and mandarin fish, and dig through the snow in the mountains to find wild produce like bamboo shoots and kudzu roots. With the reduction or exemption of miscellaneous taxes, people's pockets were fuller, so why wait for the new harvest?

Before retiring for the night, Zhu Wen and Tian Jun took a bath at the bathhouse next to the inn. Such public bathhouses did not exist in the early years of the dynasty; they originated from Buddhist temples.

This bathhouse is owned by Miaoyun Temple on the mountain. Most of the bathing supplies, such as charcoal, clean water, bath beans, perfume, ash, willow branches, and underwear, come from donations from devout lay Buddhists.

The bathhouses were segregated by gender, costing ten coins per bath. For an extra fee, younger monks and nuns would offer services such as back scrubbing, nail trimming, and massages. In their words, this was a way of going out into the world, experiencing life, and raising some money for necessities.

Despite being under eighteen years old, the monk was burly and strong, with thick eyebrows and fierce eyes. He was so powerful that he rubbed Zhu Wen with a coarse hemp towel until he felt like his bones were about to fall apart. White mud dripped down with a crackling sound, and Zhu Wen couldn't help but groan by the bath.

After scrubbing himself, all the dirt and grime were gone, the pain was gone, and he felt warm and comfortable all over. Zhu Wen dried himself off and stood up, feeling refreshed. Looking at the skin on his arms, he saw that it had become soft, smooth, and glossy, like a mudfish in a river.

Zhu Wen was surprised to find such skillful hands at a small rural bathhouse; it truly lived up to Buddhist principles of compassion and salvation. Overjoyed, he gave the novice monk an extra fifty coins as a small allowance.

The bathhouse also served tea and alcohol. However, since it was the dead of winter, the only fruit available was dried fruit such as pine nuts.

Zhu Wen ordered a plate of pine nuts and a cup of coarse tea, and waited leisurely outside for Tian Jun to come out. She always bathed very quickly, but this time it took her quite a while.

As soon as she came out, Tian Jun blushed and threw herself into Zhu Wen's arms. Zhu Wen could clearly feel that her body was burning hot.

"Jun-mei, what happened?" Zhu Wen asked, puzzled.

Tian Jun buried her face in his chest: "That nun teased me because I have big breasts..."

Zhu Wen couldn't help but chuckle; it was easy for such things to happen when girls were naked together.

Judging from Tian Jun's appearance, she seemed to be enjoying herself, otherwise she wouldn't have lingered for so long before coming out.

"I remember you're very sensitive," Zhu Wen said teasingly, leading Tian Jun back to the inn. "That was quite a treat."

When he was fighting against the Flower King in Taishan, he heard Tian Jun's voice as she finished the fight.

"If you can't do it yourself, don't make such crude jokes!" Tian Jun suddenly blurted out in anger.

Zhu Wen slammed the door shut, then slammed Tian Jun against the wall with both hands, his eyes blazing with desire: "Who were you saying was no good? Are you really going to take your place right here and now?"

Tian Jun met Zhu Wen's intense gaze, her body trembled, but she straightened her chest and met his eyes.

Zhu Wen gazed at her undulating figure with an aggressive look that seemed to want to devour her, but made no further move.

After a long pause, Tian Jun lowered her head and said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those things."

She knew that her biggest attraction to Zhu Wen was her figure. But as a strong and independent girl, Tian Jun felt ashamed of seducing men.

“If we do it today, we’ll probably regret it later,” Tian Jun sighed. “These days, I often think of you and take care of myself in the tent. But I also quite like being with you so cleanly.”

She didn't feel embarrassed saying such things.

When facing a man you like, you should be honest about the existence of your desires.

Having known Zhu Wen for so long, even the dim-witted Tian Jun had come to notice the eccentric side of Zhu Wen's personality.

But clean and restrained interactions, compared to the intense, moth-to-a-flame kind of burning passion, do have a different kind of unsettling and fluctuating feeling.

Seeing Tian Jun's sincere and moving expression, Zhu Wen's heart fluttered slightly, and he almost wanted to say something, but in the end, he only moved his lips slightly.

He couldn't make any promises, nor did he want to say anything irresponsible to Tian Jun.

He could be decisive and ruthless on the battlefield and in political intrigue, yet he was unwilling to harm good girls he knew well. Tian Jun was like that, and so was Lan Suting.

Tian Jun seemed to understand some of his feelings, and quietly rested her face on Zhu Wen's shoulder. Her clean, fragrant hair flowed down Zhu Wen's cheek.

Bathed in moonlight streaming through the window, the two undressed and went to bed. It wasn't the first time they'd slept together, so there was nothing to be shy about.

This is an upper room, with a thick quilt filled with kapok, a specialty of Lingnan.

After the loss of the Western Regions, even high-ranking officials and nobles in the Tang Dynasty could hardly enjoy the soft and white "Gaochang cotton". Compared with "Gaochang cotton" and animal hair, kapok was actually not warm enough. Bai Juyi once wrote a poem saying that "the kapok flower is cold but its reputation is false".

However, among the common people, kapok was already a very good material for keeping warm in winter. It was only in the Jiangdong region south of the Lingnan Mountains that it was used more extensively. The soldiers on the northern border could only wear thin winter clothes and shiver in the biting winter wind.

Tian Jun snuggled closer, happily resting her face against Zhu Wen's chest.

Zhu Wen suddenly rolled the blanket inwards, wrapping the two of them inside, and then tied them up with two ropes.

"What are you doing?" Tian Jun asked in surprise.

She couldn't understand this bizarre, self-inflicted behavior.

"It's alright, I tied her loosely. If anyone attacks, I can break free immediately." Zhu Wen hugged Tian Jun tightly and said, "Snoring is secondary. Your sleeping posture is terrible! Last time we slept together, you just sprawled out like a starfish, squeezing me to the corner of the bed. I almost fell off."

Tian Jun felt embarrassed and annoyed, and wanted to swing her fists again, but found that she was being held tightly by Zhu Wen and wrapped tightly in a cotton quilt, unable to move an inch.

She does have a terrible sleeping posture; she used to kick off the covers and get cold several times when she was a child.

But the feeling of being enveloped like this suddenly made her feel very comfortable.

She felt as if she were being tightly embraced by the man, their bodies pressed together passionately, as if they were about to become one, yet there were no evil thoughts in their hearts.

Tian Jun pursed her lips and gradually fell asleep in Zhu Wen's arms.

Perhaps because the bath he took before bed last night was so comfortable, Zhu Wen slept straight until the sun was high in the sky.

Tian Jun had been awake for a while, but she didn't get up, remaining nestled in his arms without moving.

Zhu Wen felt the softness against his chest and the faint wheat fragrance emanating from the beauty's body, and couldn't help but feel a little moved. He leaned in and kissed Tian Jun's forehead.

Tian Jun happily accepted the good morning kiss.

“You know I always sleep a long time. I hope you weren’t holding back?” Zhu Wen asked. “It’s so comfortable to be held like this by you,” Tian Jun said frankly, looking into Zhu Wen’s eyes. “You look beautiful even when you’re asleep. I really like it.”

He added, "I'm just a little hungry."

Before she could finish speaking, Tian Jun's stomach started growling.

Zhu Wen chuckled, freed himself from the ropes binding the quilt, and went out with Tian Jun, putting on their clothes. They ate steamed mutton meatballs and pig's trotter soup for breakfast.

Laowan is a type of pastry that was later renamed dumplings, and it was commonly eaten by the Tang people in winter. However, at that time, there was no custom of eating dumplings on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and it was perfectly acceptable to eat them on New Year's Eve but not on the New Year.

Unlike the people of the Han Dynasty, although the people of the Tang Dynasty also ate pork, mutton was the most common meat on their dining tables.

But after hearing from Lan Suting that pig's trotter soup could beautify the skin and make it smooth and delicate, Tian Jun quickly became addicted to it.

The book "Supplement to the Thousand Golden Prescriptions" written by Sun Simiao, a great physician in the early years of this dynasty, does indeed record many secret recipes for beauty, scar removal, spot treatment, and sore healing, mainly using pig's trotters, pig pancreas, and pig fat. However, these recipes all require the use of some auxiliary medicines and are all for external application.

Although Tian Jun wanted to "dress up for her lover," she didn't have the patience and energy of a wealthy lady in her boudoir to dress up. Simply drinking more pig's trotter soup probably wouldn't have much effect. Fortunately, she had a naturally good constitution, so even if she ate a little more, she probably wouldn't gain weight.

Zhu Wen knew this was true, but he didn't bother to talk to her. Tian Jun's honey-colored skin matched her healthy and beautiful figure and temperament perfectly. If she were to successfully whiten her skin, she would lose her current charm.

During the day, the streets are already filled with lanterns made of paper and silk, each bearing a riddle. Hanging lanterns begins before the Lunar New Year and reaches its peak on the Lantern Festival.

Tian Jun had no interest in riddles, so Zhu Wen took her to an open-air theater.

It's not unusual for monks to perform plays or tell stories. The Li family of Longxi claimed to be descendants of Laozi (Li Er), and therefore revered Taoism at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty. However, Buddhism was able to surpass Taoism later on and gain far greater influence among the people, precisely because of its approachable and down-to-earth style.

When monks tell stories, it is called popular storytelling. The senior monk sits on a high platform, striking a wooden fish and swaying his head, which has a unique flavor compared to ordinary storytellers.

The monk, seated upright on a meditation cushion, began to chant:
"I was alive but did not think of anything, and spent my days greedily slaughtering pigs and sheep."

If the world were devoid of good and evil, why would we suffer new calamities today?

Those in hell are constantly suffering from hunger and thirst; when they are boiled, they are put into a cauldron of boiling water.
They might climb mountains of knives and trees of swords, or lie on iron beds for a long time.

Even worse, the plowing and tongue-pulling were combined, and the copper-filled mouths were filled with unbearable suffering.

For years I haven't smelled the aroma of food; hunger has left my body covered in sores..."

The story being sung was that of the monk Mulian rescuing his mother, a tale widely known and loved in the Tang Dynasty. As the lecturer sang, he wiped away tears with his robe sleeve, feigning sorrow.

Hearing the abbot's magnetic singing voice, many women trembled slightly, covered their faces and wept softly. Then they went over to give some copper coins, and some even took off their jewelry such as bracelets, rings, necklaces and hairpins to give away.

"I don't understand these women." Tian Jun looked at their rough and worn clothes and said to Zhu Wen, "They clearly don't have much money, yet they want to donate it to monks."

"The more miserable one's life is, the more one wants to rely on gods and Buddhas to change one's luck. Humans," Zhu Wen sighed.

This high monk not only knew Buddhist stories about the six realms of reincarnation, karma, and exhortations to do good and make donations, but he could also tell folk fables, historical legends, poems, and essays. He could speak eloquently, wittily, and humorously. Regardless of his Buddhist scholarship, in layman's terms, this monk was indeed a highly accomplished one.

Tian Jun listened for a while and found it interesting, and before she knew it, dusk had fallen.

According to New Year's Eve tradition, every household lit a "tingliao," which is a large bonfire, in their courtyard. Bamboo was thrown into the fire, crackling and popping, and bursting into small golden-red sparks.

Over the past few decades, the Lei family of the Thunderbolt Hall has invented a method of putting gunpowder inside thin bamboo to make real "firecrackers," which they sell for profit. Ordinary people, however, do not have the spare money to buy these.

Children burn bamboo over the fire, while adults collect worn-out brooms and shoes from the past year and throw them into the fire to burn, saying that this will ensure "the granary is not empty" in the new year.

The villagers living in the village were either eating their New Year's Eve dinner and drinking reunion wine at a feast, or singing and dancing hand in hand around the bonfire. The festive atmosphere inside and outside the house blended together, and the lively atmosphere of everyday life filled the sky and the earth.

A wave of homesickness washed over Zhu Wen. He thought to himself, "I didn't spend New Year's Eve with my second brother, Zhu Cun, but instead with my sister Jun. Is that right or wrong? If it's Xingxiang, then..."

As the thought crossed my mind, I felt a pang of shame towards Tian Jun.

At this time, the procession for exorcising Nuo on New Year's Eve had arrived. Some of them had disheveled hair, while others wore strange masks. They danced, played instruments, and sang, while a large crowd of people surrounded them and cheered.

"Just as I arrived at the palace gate from afar, I saw groups of Japanese soldiers, among them a dark-skinned man, his body straight and crouching at the head of the gate. He carried a gas bag and wore a brazier. His eyes were bloodshot, and he wore scarlet trousers. His aura was fierce, and his demeanor was warm and gentle. The courtyard was in turmoil, and chaos reigned. They summoned Zhong Kui to block the gate. They removed his head and released his breath to fumigate him. They broke his ribs and pulled out his tendons. They pulled out his tongue and cut off his lips. He was a thousand miles away to the south, and far away to the north, needless to say!"

The Nuo performers sang loudly, and everyone joined in, their voices a jumbled mess, all for good luck.

Tian Jun also curiously joined in.

Zhu Wen followed and stepped forward.

A familiar fragrance suddenly brushed past his nose.

Zhu Wen knew something was wrong.

The Nuo woman's voice suddenly changed from aged to tender and lingering: "Oh, I've found two more little devils here!"

She suddenly ripped off her mask, and her gray hair instantly turned a golden color, shimmering amidst the endless lights.

In addition, Zhu Wen noticed that there was another blonde, blue-eyed figure in the group, who was the Hu woman who had tried to seduce him last night while selling wine at the counter.

A blonde woman is not necessarily Kao Yu-di.

However, there were not many blonde-haired women of foreign descent in the Tang Dynasty, and even fewer in Jiangdong.

Similar physical characteristics may mean that the two came from the same place.

It was only then that Zhu Wen realized the biggest problem with his secret relationship with Tian Jun.

There were quite a few people who wanted him dead, and Kao Yu-ti was one of the most murderous.

Today's events were, of course, a stroke of bad luck for Zhu Wen and Tian Jun. They never expected that a random temple fair or village gathering would harbor You Di's subordinates.

It's unclear whether she was using the secret intelligence network of the Ming Cult or the Demonic Sect.

The Quzhou area has been controlled by Huang Chao's army. If You Diru brings too many people in, he will definitely be discovered.

This naturally lowered Zhu Wen's guard—who would have thought he would be ambushed on his home turf? Especially since he and Tian Jun had come out in secret.

"Have we been showing off our love too much and incurred divine retribution by running into this crazy woman?" Zhu Wen said to Tian Jun.

Tian Jun didn't know how to answer.

It was impossible for You Di to plant spies in every village and community in Quzhou.

However, You Di's guess wasn't just a fluke. Judging from her quick reaction, she must have considered the possibility that Zhu Wen and Tian Jun, who were secretly seeing each other, might be meeting in secret during the New Year.

In any case, the fact that Zhu Wen and Tian Jun were caught by You Di again was due to You Di's quick reaction; their luck was simply not good.

(End of this chapter)