Chapter 37: Mystery Society
February 11th
Shen Kuo waited all morning, but Xu Chong did not come, which meant that the hat demon did not appear last night, and nothing else happened. He estimated that since the old nest was destroyed, the Maitreya Sect probably would not be able to do anything recently; in addition, he had once guessed that the closer the moon was to the full moon, the less likely the hat demon would appear, so as to avoid being discovered. Of course, this conclusion still needs time to be tested.
Since he had nothing to do, he decided to go to Xiaoping as planned, using the excuse of returning the donkey, so he went to the barn to see the old donkey, but saw that it had gained a lot of weight in recent days, so he specially fetched a bucket of water to brush the donkey. After all, Xiaoping had bought it with a hairpin, so it was Xiaoping's property. If he brushed it clean, it would show his intention. Of course, Xiaoping would most likely sell it to a restaurant to make a profit.
The busy work lasted until noon, and the old donkey seemed to sense some ominous atmosphere and began to get anxious.
Just as he was about to lead him out, he heard the sound of urgent horse hooves outside. It was clearly Xu Chong coming. Just as he was feeling nameless resentment, Xu Chong arrived at the door and pushed it open.
He looked a little anxious and walked a few steps to Shen Kuo who was leading the donkey.
"Sir, there is a clue."
"What kind of clues?"
"Remember the palace lantern that was burned by the Prince Consort's family and could only reflect the flower fairy? It was originally a pair..."
"I remember. Did you find the other one?"
"Found it. Lord Bao told us not to go to the Military Headquarters, but to go directly to the Mystery Society. The palace lantern called Candle Shadow Horse-drawn was found by Shi Yaban, and sold to the mystery society by the eunuch next to the princess. Didn't you mention to Lord Bao that the so-called flower demon case might be caused by this lantern? Once we find it and take it apart, we can find out whether it is bewitched or has some other mechanism?"
"It can't be magic, it must be a mechanism."
"No matter what the reason is, let's find it first. Sir, please give orders quickly to avoid any more mistakes. This stupid donkey is too slow. Let's change horses."
The two of them returned to Ma Peng, tied up the cleaned fat donkey, changed horses and went out. The old donkey breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that there was nothing to do, and continued to eat grass leisurely.
When Shen Kuo was about to mount his horse, he suddenly remembered something: "Jicui Mishe? Xu Jieji, why does this name sound familiar?"
"Hey, didn't you mention that the company that sold the fake paintings to the prince consort was called the Jicui Painting Society?"
"Exactly."
"Is the shopkeeper's surname Pei?"
"yes."
"I went to the shops in the left and right wings of the inner city to check, and it is the same shop, the owner is Pei Bendian."
"This name doesn't sound very auspicious."
"…But the business is good. In addition to the Jicui Painting Society, the shopkeeper Pei also has the Jicui Literary Society and the Jicui Fan Club. They occupy a wide storefront on a good street and pay a lot of corridor taxes every year. He specializes in making friends with the pretentious young masters in Bianliang, but he also has some connections. Only he dares to accept things that flow out of the palace."
"That day I saw him borrow the painting of Emperor Li Yu from the inner treasury of the palace for half a day and asked Master Huailiang to copy the seal of the 'Golden Book' on the promotion."
"Let's go and meet this profiteer. I've made up my mind. I'll first slam the table and ask him how dare he sell the stolen goods. Then I'll ask him where the shadow lantern is. If Pei is timid, I'll have to take some of his tribute first. Hahaha." Xu Chong laughed as he spoke. Shen Kuo heard something wrong.
"Are there any official documents?"
This statement put Xu Chong in an awkward position.
"Originally, if I had stolen something from the palace, I would have gone to Kaifeng Prefecture to get a warrant for my arrest. However, as you know, the emperor ordered that if the enemy was in the dark, I could not be in the light. Minister Bao also reminded me many times that if I could avoid going to Kaifeng Prefecture or the Imperial City Office, I would not go. So there was no official document."
"So what if you can't scare him by banging the table?"
Shen Kuo could only remind Xu Chong with one word. He also knew that there was no way out. Lao Bao was very strict with the rules and regulations, and his actions were restricted. He invited Huai Liang to have tea and chat.
"Hey, you're worrying too much, sir. I thought about it and it's okay. I'll go take a look at that thing first. If it's there, I'll slam the table and glare at him to scare him. He can't get away with it if he takes things from the palace. If he knows what's best for him, then that's fine. If he doesn't, the worst that can happen is that I'll go to Kaifeng Mansion to ask for official documents. It'll just be a few scoldings from Lord Bao."
It seemed that this was the only way. The two mounted their horses and went to look for the so-called "authentic Jicui Painting Society". Xu Chong had already inquired about the place, and the two rode into Xinzheng Gate, then rode slowly, and in a moment they arrived at Tianshui Lane where Jicui Painting Society was located.
The streets here are not wide, but it is a quiet place in a busy city. There are many shops selling calligraphy, painting, paper, and pens on both sides, as well as some quiet pavilions, but there are no noisy brothels.
It is not difficult to find Jicui Painting Society on the street because it is the largest shop on this street.
The two men dismounted in front of the store, and a waiter came over to take the reins.
Shen Kuo looked up and saw the plaque reading "Jicui Painting Society". It seemed that the prince consort was in the wrong after all for not removing the plaque.
Walking into the store, it was different from other stores. There was no counter, but paintings and calligraphy were posted on the four walls, and some were hung in the air. Most of them were landscapes, and there were also paintings of the genealogy of gods and immortals from Buddhism and Taoism. There was also a staircase on the side. Just as he was about to find a clerk to ask where Shopkeeper Pei was, he heard a familiar woman's voice coming from the stairs.
"Although my eldest sister hasn't been in the brothel in Beijing for a long time, she still has a good reputation in the past. Now, old friends and young lovers are vying to see her. They can line up to make a few turns on the imperial street. It's not that my eldest sister doesn't believe in the integrity of Shopkeeper Pei, but if the deposit is less, it will be against the rules. Those young masters think that my eldest sister is unfair. You are being unfair to them. How can we tell right from wrong when a quarrel breaks out?"
When Shen Kuo looked over, he saw Jin'er, who was like a ball of fire. She was coming down, and the one who kept nodding beside her was the shopkeeper Pei.
"Yes, yes, it's all the clerk's negligence. Send the deposit silver in full immediately, and there will be no mistake." Shopkeeper Pei apologized repeatedly.
"You also know what happened at the Prince Consort's Mansion that day. How scared are you that your elder sister is to play the piano for the funeral lantern? Your elder sister is willing to accompany you in this mess, not just for the money. How can the shopkeeper be so unreasonable?"
"How could I not know the truth? There are at least thirty people in the attic tonight, let's see how it can behave?" Shopkeeper Pei said as he stuffed a small cloth bag into Jin'er's hand. "I also know that Sister Jin'er has connections in the palace. If you need anything in the future, I will be very kind to you."
Jin'er held the small bag in her handkerchief and thought about it for a moment, and a smile appeared on her stern face.
"Are you still thinking this way? I do have some say in the Jiaofang Bureau, but if I provoke the prince consort again, it will be in vain no matter where I find him."
"Don't worry, I won't provoke that stutterer."
"In that case, I'll go from the back."
Jin'er went out of the back door of the building, but she didn't see Shen Kuo and Xu Chong not far away. Shen Kuo turned around and found Xu Chong staring at Jin'er's back.
"There is such a spirit between this woman's eyes and eyebrows. She has trained the shopkeeper into obedience. She doesn't look delicate at all." Xu Chong praised.
Shen Kuo did not expect that Xu Chong, a military man, would admire women so much.
"I have met her twice. She is not only not delicate, but also has a chivalrous spirit. She can use a short sword."
"Haha, what a wonderful woman indeed."
On the stairs, Pei Yuanwai turned around and unexpectedly recognized Shen Kuo. He quickly came down to greet him and then took the two of them to the second floor. There were much fewer people on the second floor, so the three of them sat down in a small pavilion by the window, and the waiter quickly served them tea.
Xu Chong didn't want to waste time talking, so he took out the Imperial City Commander card and put it on the table. After all, Shopkeeper Pei had seen this before, and knew that this person was not a good person, so he quickly smiled and sang, trying to find out the truth.
"So it's the official from the Imperial City Department. I think Li Wei has reported the case to the higher authorities," he turned to Shen Kuo, "This gentleman was also there that day, so he knows the truth. What I'm talking about here is the authenticity of the paintings. I never said the paintings I'm selling are authentic."
"Don't worry, sir. It's not about this matter." Shen Kuo said.
"If it's not this, then what is it for?"
Shopkeeper Pei was completely confused.
"You don't even know what we are here for?" Xu Chong exclaimed.
"I really don't know. Please tell me clearly, sir."
"Let me ask you, have you bought any stolen goods from the eunuchs in the palace recently?"
"You are wronged, sir. It is a common practice for useless things in the palace to flow out through the Huangmen Gate. Pei is not the only one who bought it. A few days ago, I bought a palace lantern made of Mu Sheng Yu Hao from Liang Huaiji, but he said that it was useless in the palace and the princess took it out to exchange for some money to reward the servants. These words were said by Liang Huaiji. If it is stolen goods, we will know after we ask him."
"Do you believe whatever he says?"
Xu Chong said with a straight face.
"Hehe, of course I still believe what Mr. Liang said. After thinking about it, it's nothing more than the prince consort hating him and finding fault to report him. However, the prince consort is not thoughtful enough. How could the princess not know about this? Otherwise, Liang Huaiji would not dare to sell it privately even if he had a hundred thousand guts. It's hard to tell the right from the wrong. By then, the princess will be confused and naturally won't be able to pursue it. In fact, why bother you two to come here, just let the prince consort go to the princess to confront, and the truth will be revealed?" He turned around and started to smile playfully, probably thinking that this matter was not a big deal.
"Manager Pei, we won't make things difficult for you. In fact, we just want to see the lamp. What happens to the princess is another matter. We just want the lamp."
"To be honest, I can offer this lamp with both hands, but I can't do it now."
"We still have to go back and report, but you are being perfunctory. Why do you say it's not possible now?" Xu Chong said angrily.
"Please calm down, sir. The lamp is not here at the moment. It is on the top of the Baifan Building."
"In Baifan Building?" Shen Kuo's mind moved, and he immediately thought of Jin'er going downstairs just now. It seemed that there must be a connection.
"In fact, tonight, the members of the club have agreed to gather at the Fanlou to watch the woodwork of this skilled craftsman. Our club has even given it a name, called Sanqu..."
After waiting for a while and seeing that no one asked him what the three interests were, Shopkeeper Pei had no choice but to continue explaining it himself.
"Three funs. The first is to watch the magic lantern of the Holy Hand, the second is to guess the riddles of the Spring Lantern, and the third is to invite the famous prostitute Xiao Ping to sing songs to liven up the fun. So at this moment, the lantern has been sent to the Fan Building to decorate the elegant pavilion of the Maze Society. If you two have any official documents, go and confiscate them."
When Shen Kuo heard this, he realized it was true.
"You..." Seeing that he was looking for excuses again, Xu Chong was about to slam the table, but Shen Kuo's gaze stopped. It seemed that it was not appropriate to make things awkward at this moment, and he had to keep a straight face.
"Mr. Pei, we are also on official business." Shen Kuo took over the conversation.
"My dear, even if you and I have the good fortune to meet at Master Huailiang's place, if you can give me some favor, I will let the Spring Lantern Riddles Party tonight pass without any problems. I will protect this little bit of favor in front of everyone in the Riddles Club. Once the Midnight Riddles Club party is over, I will present this lantern to you without asking for a penny. You must know that I spent a lot of money to buy this lantern."
Xu Chong and Shen Kuo looked at each other and it seemed that this was the only way. Logically, what the other party said was correct and there were no official documents to be confiscated. Manager Pei paid the money and admitted defeat. He just wanted to show off in front of others. He was already very sensible.
"Manager Pei, there is one thing I don't understand."
"Please speak, sir."
"This riddle seems to have nothing to do with palace lanterns. Why do we need to use them for decoration?"
"Hehe, young master, you don't know that this Yu Hao's revolving lantern has a spring rotor inside. It is said that it can display the poems of the four seasons on the screen. Just take apart the lampshade, replace the translucent paper of the poems of the four seasons with cicada wing paper with four riddles, and then light the lamp to make the riddles appear on the screen. Plus, invite the famous prostitute Xiao Ping from the capital to play music to liven up the atmosphere, wouldn't it be wonderful?"
Shen Kuo was shocked. It seemed that the story about the mechanism of the revolving lantern had already leaked out, and it was probably also the affairs of the Prince Consort's Mansion that spread out.
"Why invite Xiao Ping?"
"Did you know that there was a commotion at the Prince Consort's residence a few days ago?"
"Of course... I don't know."
"It is said that when the stutterer Li Wei encountered the demon, there was an identical lantern beside him, and it was Xiao Ping who played and sang beside him. Everyone in the capital city knows about this. In fact, the preparations for this spring party of the mystery society were made years ago. At that time, Xiao Ping was still a widow in the countryside, so someone else was originally invited. After the incident at the Prince Consort's Mansion, the people in the society begged them to recreate the same scene of the flower demon that day since the other lantern was here, which would be a bit of fun. So they paid double the money to invite her, and found a venue on a dark and windy night. The expenses were like running water..."
"So, you'd rather scare Xiao Ping twice than add to the mischief of your mystery club?"
Shen Kuo suddenly felt a surge of anger, and Xu Chong, who was standing next to him, was also shocked and could not empathize with him at all.
"This... is her own wish, no one forced her. In fact, Xiao Ping has long lost her fame in the capital, and her worth is no longer among the top 17 or 18. This time, we invited her here at the price of the famous prostitute Liu Rourou, which was originally a high honor for her. You must know that the eldest sister of the Liu family is in the prime of her life, she is not a poor country girl, and she has never been a widow. She is famous and unparalleled, and she deserves the title of being famous in the capital."
Shen Kuo also felt that he had lost his composure just now, so he stopped talking. He thought that Xiao Ping had figured it out clearly. He just didn't know if this lamp could figure out the key to the flower demon's appearance. He almost couldn't wait to open it and take a look, but unfortunately he had to wait until midnight for the boring and funny guessing activity of the Ji Cui Mystery Club to end.
"Well, Manager Pei, you must know that once you say something, it is hard to take it back. Don't regret it. We will go to Baifan Tower now and wait until the puzzle-solving party is over tonight."
"I will definitely serve it at midnight. I won't break my promise. Hehehe."
