In the season of frost, the golden autumn brings a refreshing breeze. The land of Yao is busy with farming activities, and markets of all sizes are scattered everywhere. The shouts and calls of vendors can be heard everywhere, and people come and go in a bustling manner. It can be said that from early morning to bright daylight, the sound of people is as lively as boiling soup for dumplings, and when night falls, the lights are bright, making it a city that never sleeps!
At this time, there was a wealthy man named Zhang Xianghao who carried a large sum of money and set off from Nangong to Shunde Prefecture for business. He passed through Renze Xingwan on the way. The journey was long, and the porters were exhausted and thirsty, so Zhang Xianghao decided to take a rest. He remembered that there was a famous inn called "Wolf Dog Restaurant" at Yaoshan, so he ordered his men to obtain the necessary documents and head north to Yaoshan.
When Zhang Xianghao and his entourage arrived at Yaoshan, they saw a sea of people, crowded and bustling. Zhang Xianghao originally wanted to squeeze into the crowd, but one of his companions reminded him, "Mr. Zhang, be careful, there may be people with ulterior motives." After hearing this, Zhang Xianghao ordered his porters to clear the way. However, even so, he was still pushed and shoved several times, ending up with a disheveled appearance and feeling embarrassed.
After overcoming these difficulties, the group finally arrived at the entrance of the Wolf Dog Restaurant. However, the restaurant was also bustling with guests coming and going. It turned out that the Wolf Dog Restaurant was not an ordinary restaurant. In Longyao, there were three treasures: Lianzi Town Jinmailang, Longyao Lamb Soup, and the Yao Mountain Grand Restaurant - Wolf Dog Restaurant. It was said, "In the south, there is Louwailou; in the north, there is the Great Wolf Dog." This Great Wolf Dog was the Wolf Dog Restaurant. If an ordinary family wanted to have a meal there, they had to make a reservation before the New Year and could only be seated on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the following year. Even if they were from a prestigious family or a noble, they had to pay a hefty sum. If anyone claimed to be able to be seated immediately, it was probably only a high-ranking official or the Prince of Yao himself. It was difficult to get a seat on ordinary days, let alone during the busy season. Several guards of the Wolf Dog Restaurant saw Zhang Xianghao and his entourage looking tired and disheveled, so they stopped them from entering. Zhang Xianghao felt displeased, but he didn't want his servants and attendants to cause a scene, so he ordered them to take the others to another restaurant to rest while he himself stayed to argue with the guards.
Taking this opportunity, Zhang Xianghao carefully observed the Wolf Dog Restaurant. Oh! He hadn't paid much attention before, but the Wolf Dog Restaurant was truly magnificent:
- At the entrance, there were two stone lions, one on each side, weighing thousands of catties and standing over ten zhang tall. Their faces were made of gold, with silver claws, and their teeth and eyes were inlaid with precious gems. They shook their heads and wagged their tails, vividly lifelike, with every strand of their mane clearly visible. The main entrance was divided into three parts, with side doors on both sides. In the middle were twenty pillars, with a pair of couplets hanging above them: "The red sun above the clouds, the clear wind of the bright moon, talented writers pouring green ants; white cranes in the clouds, green waves and emerald willows, light boats and leisurely travelers intoxicated by the spring river." There was a huge pear wood plaque hanging above the lintel, with four large characters written on it: "Wolf Dog Appearance."
The building had eight floors, with the first floor being the main hall. In the center of the hall, there was a huge table facing the entrance, with tea stalls and wine shops on both sides. It was probably where they sold their own fine wines and fragrant teas. The first and second floors were connected, and there was a huge lantern hanging from the ceiling, with countless candle holders, illuminating the hall brightly, shining with golden brilliance. The second floor was connected to the outside by a balcony above the hall. The third and fourth floors were private rooms, and those sitting in them were all important figures. If they were not discussing Taoism or nature, they were probably talking about poetry, essays, and songs. If the people coming and going were not officials or nobles, they were probably famous merchants and wealthy businessmen. The fifth and sixth floors were filled with countless singing and dancing girls, each with beautiful eyes and teeth, and their skin was as fair as snow mixed with soil. Their voices were gentle and lovely, and they could be said to be as charming as the legendary beauty Xi Shi or the famous beauty Diao Chan. Even the Buddha would be confused when he saw them! The seventh and eighth floors were a platform, with numerous gardens and pavilions built, with eight gardens in total, located in the east, south, west, north, and four corners, each with a different style. In the middle, there was a large altar, and on the altar was a grand hall called "Wolf Dog Pavilion," a magnificent Eastern Babylon! The writings on the walls were all done by famous people, and the screens were painted by masters. The entire building was over a hundred zhang high, with colorful glazed tiles and red sandalwood lacquer. * Wolf Dog Appearance
While Zhang Xianghao was still in awe, two people walked out from inside the door. One was dressed in red and purple robes, looking majestic, while the other was a burly man with a scarred face. The burly man escorted the one in purple robes to the entrance, bowed with folded hands, and said, "Sir, please take your time. It is inconvenient for us to be busy inside the restaurant. Hehe, I won't see you off." Zhang Xianghao secretly thought to himself: This burly man is probably the owner of the restaurant. Since he personally escorted the guest, there must be a seat available inside. So Zhang Xianghao approached and asked, "Innkeeper, is there a seat available in the restaurant?" The burly man turned around and said, "Of course! Follow me, please!" Then he saw Zhang Xianghao's face, which had a distinct Chinese appearance, and quickly changed his words, "Sir, please don't mind. Foreigners often come here, and I have just learned their language. I mistakenly thought you were not from our region, so I spoke inappropriately. I apologize if I offended you." Zhang Xianghao was momentarily speechless and followed along.
"Sir, as you can see, there are not many empty seats in our restaurant. Please have a seat on the second floor for now," the innkeeper said. "Once a room becomes available on the third floor, we will move you there..." Zhang Xianghao was already feeling hungry and couldn't wait any longer, so he quickly said, "No need, no need! This place is fine, this place will do." "Alright then, Xiao Si! Serve the guest a pot of Taixing Mountain Xiao Zhong tea!"... After Zhang Xianghao settled down, it was already the second hour of the dog (around 8-10 pm).
While waiting, Zhang Xianghao looked around and noticed a table by the railing with a good view of the moon. There was only one person sitting at the table. Zhang Xianghao got up and walked to the table, sitting opposite the person. Zhang Xianghao couldn't help but marvel at this person, thinking that there were such extraordinary people in the world:
West River Moon · Bamboo Person
Bright and shining eyes like goldfish, slender and thin like white bones, dilapidated door and messy teeth, skin as pale as snow mixed with soil;
Eyebrows like swords pointing left and right, sleeves swaying as he dances, but when you look at this person's temperament, he exudes the elegance of a gentleman!
There was nothing on the table, and the person remained silent, gazing out the window. Zhang Xianghao asked, "Sir, do you have something on your mind?" "Haha, not really, let's have some tea," the strange person said, but there was no tea on the table.
At this moment, they suddenly heard the sound of drums and gongs outside the window. It turned out that a flower carriage was passing by, carrying an unparalleled beauty. Zhang Xianghao was instantly captivated and asked, "Who is this person, and why is there such a grand procession?" "This is the daughter of the Jing family in Yangcheng, Yang City of Longyao. This lady has an extraordinary beauty, excels in qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and is well-versed in the principles of governing the country and communicating with people from all walks of life. She is a rare talent in the world, comparable to the legendary beauties Xi Shi and Diao Chan. She is flawless and has unparalleled talent. She is connected to the heavens and the earth, and the constellations correspond to her features. Therefore, the emperor bestowed her the name Xiangyu." "Amazing!" Zhang Xianghao was infatuated and couldn't help but look at Miss Jing. She was indeed stunningly beautiful, like a fish in water and a flower in full bloom. There is a poem to prove it:
Green Jade Case · Jing
The window lattice opens, and the moonlight fills the room. Leaves are about to fall, and the trees sway gently. Black hair and cloud-like eyebrows dance gracefully. Feathers tremble lightly, and decoys flutter. Where does the soft sound come from?
Listen, the clouds are sighing alone. It seems to understand the autumn wind's sorrow. Delicate hands casually flip through books. The tired face is hard to resist, suddenly hearing the flapping of wings. Startled, realizing it has been a thousand years.
"I wonder what the name of Miss Jing is," Zhang Xianghao couldn't help but blurt out. Realizing his mistake, he quickly covered his mouth and said, "Please don't mind, sir. I have never seen anyone like her before... haha, I misspoke, it was just a slip of the tongue. Haha!" The strange person waved his hand and said, "This lady is known as the one who makes Xi Shi and Diao Chan ashamed, and she is also a great cook. Therefore, she is called the Star Chef Mother Big Worm Jing. This name is not something ordinary people can handle. The word 'Jing' originally means 'great,' and these four words in her name are enough to overwhelm ordinary people." "How strange, to be so beautiful but have such a vulgar name?" "Sir, you don't know. In our Longyao region, who doesn't know the Jing family in Yangcheng? Apart from the royal family of Yao, the Jing family is the most prominent. We commoners have to avoid mentioning their name." The strange person gestured, and Zhang Xianghao leaned closer. "When Miss Jing was born, there were celestial phenomena and the stars shifted. The mountains that were not stable were about to collapse, and the water of the Milky Way poured back. After everything stabilized, when people looked at Miss Jing, they felt as if there were constellations and stars between her eyebrows and eyes, corresponding to the stars in the sky. That's why the emperor gave her the name Xiangyu, which means 'towards the universe'." "Is there such a fascinating story? But what does it have to do with me?" "Miss Jing is the wife of the Second Prince, who is also known as the Great Worm. Unfortunately, the Second Prince is obsessed with making achievements and believes that he is not yet at the age to discuss marriage. Therefore, he has not officially married Miss Jing. However, from Yao South Pass to Shunde Prefecture, everyone knows about it!" After hearing this, Zhang Xianghao was shocked and broke into a cold sweat, leaving his chopsticks and leaving.
The strange person seemed lost in thought and suddenly said, "Early dreams, late ghosts. Keep an eye on this person. If he speaks nonsense, kill him on the spot." After speaking, the strange person left with long strides, and everyone in the restaurant trembled with fear.
Why? Because this person was none other than the eccentric Duke, the Second Prince of Longyao, and his wife Xiangyu wanted to go out for a stroll, but the Second Prince was worried and went to protect her himself. When Zhang Xianghao entered the city, the Second Prince had been observing him for a long time!
Note: The translation provided is a rough translation and may not be entirely accurate.