Water Margin: Gao Yanei is actually a Gal Genius

The "snap" sounded particularly jarring amidst the whispers of the young officials.

Gao Jin lowered his head, his left hand still holding the wine glass, his right hand hanging down, the wine glass gone, fine white porcelain shards stuck to his hand, and blood trickling down his drooping fingertips.

Cai Xiu turned around, stared at Gao Jin's right hand, and after a long while spoke: "Brother Tuizhi, what is the meaning of this?"

None of the maids around dared to move.

Gao Jin took a couple of breaths, forced a smile, and then stood up and looked up at Cai Xiu.

"I was momentarily stunned when I saw you and Princess Maode, a perfect couple, a match made in heaven. I apologize for the misunderstanding."

Cai Xiu smiled, glanced at Gao Jin's expression, then turned his gaze back to Gao Jin's bleeding right hand. After a long pause, he hurriedly shouted to the maid.

"Are you just going to stand by and watch? Hurry up and bandage my brother!"

The maids standing around then came over and treated Gao Jin's wounds.

Cai Xiu finally breathed a sigh of relief and said with concern,

"I was momentarily stunned. Brother Tuizhi, please don't be angry. It's all the fault of these servants for being so blind."

Gao Jin clasped his hands and bowed, "How dare I? The fault does not lie with you, brother; it is all my fault."

"Brother Tuizhi is so polite, I am very pleased. Please take your seats, everyone is waiting."

"Thank you, brother." Gao Jin got up and walked to the corner.

"Brother Tuizhi, where are you going? Come and sit down here." Cai Xiu, who had already sat down, called out to Gao Jin and gestured for him to come and sit down on the left.

Gao Jin looked at Cai Xiu and Zhao Fujin, who were sitting in the main seats, and said, "This isn't quite right..."

"No problem, no problem, Brother Tuizhi, come and sit down quickly..." Cai Xiu paused, then added meaningfully, "Today, I've prepared a surprise for you, brother. It wouldn't be very meaningful if we were too far apart."

Fortunately, today's banquet is a separate banquet, with each person having their own table, rather than sitting around a round table.

"Thank you for your kindness, brother." Gao Jin came in and sat down in the seat that Cai Xiu had designated.

Looking at Cai Xiu, who was in the main seat and greeting the young men.

Gao Jin thought to himself, "Thank goodness I don't have to stick to Cai Xiu all the time."

He was afraid that if he got drunk, he would punch Cai Xiu three times.

After all the young masters were seated, Cai Xiu raised his cup with a smile.

"I am fortunate to have you all graced this humble abode with your presence today, which greatly enhances its grandeur. Gentlemen, let us set aside worldly affairs for now and first enjoy a cup of 'Forget-Your-Worries' wine, shall we?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Jin and the other young masters at the table all raised their cups in a toast to Cai Xiu and Princess Maode, who were seated at the head of the table, saying, "Please!"

Cai Xiu then said softly to Zhao Fujin, "Princess Maode, please!"

Zhao Fujin raised her hand to cover her face with her sleeve, looked up and drank the wine in her cup in one gulp. When she lowered her sleeve again, her cheeks were flushed. She said softly, "Please, everyone."

After finishing the cup, Cai Xiu clapped his hands lightly, and his concubines filed in carrying food platters. Each platter contained a dozen or so salted egg yolk crabs, along with a gold hammer and silver spatula for dismantling the crabs, as well as ginger, vinegar, and perilla leaves.

"My foolish brother specially dispatched people to transport the 'Purple-Bearded General' crabs from Yangcheng Lake by fast horse from Suzhou, each weighing one and a half pounds. Look, gentlemen, at the patterns on these crab shells... don't they resemble the texture strokes of rocks in Guo Xi's Autumn Mountains painting?"

"I've also prepared a prize for everyone today. Whoever peels the crab shell completely first will take home the prize."

The young men cheered and shouted, repeatedly asking what the prize was.

Cai Xiu smiled without saying a word, only looking at Gao Jin, making Gao Jin feel uneasy.

A familiar-looking maid placed a food tray on the small table in front of Gao Jin and then sat down next to him.

Gao Jin didn't take it seriously. He had come several times, so it was normal for him to recognize the crab. He ignored the woman beside him and just stared at the crab in front of him, looking worried.

He was wondering to himself, "Would Cai Xiu only be satisfied if he made me peel off the whole crab shell?"

As the maid poured him wine, a faint sound came from within, seemingly tinged with resentment.

"Gao Yanei, is that really you?"

Gao Jin was shocked upon hearing this. He carefully examined the maidservant beside him and only realized who she was after a moment.

Isn't this Lin Chong's wife? What are you doing here at the Cai residence?

"Sister-in-law, what are you doing here?" Gao Jin frowned.

Lin Chong's wife quickly bowed her head, her voice filled with sorrow.

"My husband has committed the grave crime of treason, and I have sought help everywhere to no avail. Then someone from the Cai family came and told me..."

Seeing that Lin Chong's wife had only told half the story, Gao Jin quickly pressed for more details.

"What did he say?"

Lin Chong's wife dared not raise her head; her back trembled.

"...Young Master Cai promised me that as long as I come to the banquet tonight, he can overturn my husband's case."

"Nonsense! Don't you know my old man is a Grand Commandant?!" Gao Jin stared wide-eyed, unable to believe it.

"Of course I know," said Lady Lin Chong.

"Don't you know that Lin Chong and I are like brothers, and I'm currently running around for him?" Gao Jin's aversion to stupidity was acting up; he couldn't believe his mother was so simple-minded.

Gao Jin was about to speak when he suggested that his sister-in-law go home first, as it was inappropriate for her to be serving at the banquet.

Madam Lin spoke up, "Wasn't this the very thing that Young Master Gao asked Young Master Cai to do? He said that after Young Master Gao saw me that day, he lost his appetite and couldn't even eat or drink, and his advances towards my husband were all for my sake!"

Her tone was harsh yet filled with sorrow.

"Bang!" Gao Jin slammed his hand on the table and stood up, glaring angrily at Cai Xiu, only to meet Cai Xiu's smiling eyes.

The young men of the yamen fell silent, not daring to utter a word.

Cai Xiu spoke slowly, "Brother Tuizhi, what's wrong? You're usually so gentle, why are you so angry? This wretched maid must have angered you."

After a pause, Cai Xiu looked up and summoned the guards outside the door, "Men! Drag this wretched woman out and give her twenty lashes to vent my brother's anger."

"Cai Xiu, how dare you!!" Gao Jin roared.

"Brother Tuizhi, you jest. I don't have the guts... After all, being bold can easily lead to breaking the law. Treason is a serious crime, punishable by death by a thousand cuts. What do you say?" Cai Xiu said lightly.

Fatty Li Kuo suddenly spoke up, "Brother Tuizhi, you haven't seen the Lingchi punishment yet, have you? It's incredibly thrilling. You have to cover it with a fishing net first..."

"Brother Rongchuan, stop talking nonsense. Princess Maode is still here." Cai Xiu stared at Gao Jin, interrupting Li Kuo's description.

"I apologize for my loose tongue, I deserve to be punished. Please forgive me, Princess Maode, I will punish myself with three cups." The maid helped Li Kuo to his feet with difficulty, and the only sound during the meal was Li Kuo swallowing his wine.

Gao Jin took two deep breaths and forced a smile. "I was reckless. This crab was really hard to peel. I got angry in a moment. I hope you will forgive me, brother."

"Brother Tuizhi seems to have forgotten that you need a golden hammer and silver spatula to peel a crab; of course, it's difficult for you to peel it with your bare hands."

Cai Xiu then changed his tone, "Since it's not this lowly servant's fault, let's let her go."

After waving away the guards who came forward, Cai Xiu continued, "I had heard that Brother Tuizhi admires this woman, so I, as his elder brother, went to great lengths to bring her to the banquet to keep him company..."

After a pause, Cai Xiu asked with concern, "...I wonder if you are satisfied, brother?"

Gao Jin gritted his teeth and said, enunciating each word clearly, "Thank you! Brother! Brother!"

"I'm glad you're satisfied, brother. Please sit down first; the banquet has only just begun."

Gao Jin slumped down, and another burst of laughter and chatter filled the room.

He pursed his lips, feeling a bitter taste in his mouth that he couldn't express.

After a moment of stunned silence, Gao Jin dared not turn to face Madam Lin and could only look at the crab in front of him.

This matter was started by him, and he was already uneasy about Lin Chong being imprisoned because of it. Now, his younger brother and sister-in-law have also been implicated and their reputations have been damaged.

The Lin family's wife mostly believed Cai Xiu's words because of his previous reputation as a playboy.