Chapter 116: The Parasol Tree and the Phoenix

In the Foreigner’s District, less than a street away from the main gate, stood a particularly conspicuous brothel. Outside the room of the courtesan Xia Qing, four burly men stood guard with vigilant expressions. Their faces, however, seemed strangely mismatched with their robust physiques; despite being in their thirties or forties, they possessed features that appeared decades younger, creating a highly jarring effect.

Such a scene was a first even for the denizens of the brothel. Yet, no one felt alarmed, for the man who had entered Xia Qing’s room—the master of those four burly guards—was a frequent patron of the house: Jin Sanpang, a Silla man.

Inside the room, Jin Sanpang did not even dare to sit down. Though Xia Qing had urged him to take a seat more than once during the half-incense-stick duration he had been there, Jin Sanpang merely darted his eyes toward the neatly arranged chairs and table. He understood all too well that the person Xia Qing was waiting for was not him, but someone he could never afford to provoke—even if that person had not appeared in this district for a very long time.

"Miss Xia Qing, I have already explained the situation to you. I hope you can help me pass on the word! This is no small favor; it is a matter of life and death, truly life and death!" Jin Sanpang had repeated his request twice already, but Xia Qing remained unconvinced. She suspected his true motives went far beyond what he claimed and was unwilling to make any rash promises. Despite being a woman, Xia Qing had seen plenty of the world. By observing the expressions and the shifty, flickering eyes of men like Jin Sanpang, she knew that his words were at least seventy percent falsehood.

"Sigh... it is truly not that I am unwilling to help!" Watching Jin Sanpang—a man who had been imperious toward her just two months prior—now bowing and scraping before her, his legs bent as much as possible and his back seemingly unable to straighten, Xia Qing felt little sympathy. After reminding him that such performative gestures were unnecessary, she could only let it be when he persisted. Her stance, however, remained firm. Even after hearing his third repetition of the plea and his seemingly logical analysis, she only sighed and shook her head slightly: "It is just that, regarding what you say, Master Jin, I truly cannot assist."

"No, no! Miss Xia Qing! Do not call me 'Master,' just call me Sanpang, Sanpang!" Hearing this, Jin Sanpang’s obsequious features twisted once more. He hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed repeatedly to Xia Qing, who was seated on the stool, disregarding his usual image to correct how she addressed him. Fortunately, he was relieved to find that there was no one else in the room, which saved him some semblance of face.

As he spoke, Jin Sanpang noticed Xia Qing’s slender arms shift toward a bamboo sewing box on the table. He felt a surge of anxiety but dared not approach. He could only stomp his feet in place, explaining with an anxious face: "No, Miss Xia Qing! Can you not understand my good intentions? If I do not say it, I have my reasons. You just need to pass the message for me; Brother Li will naturally understand!"

"If Master Jin is looking for Brother Li, then I must speak plainly: Master Jin has come to the wrong place!" For some reason, Xia Qing’s face suddenly darkened. She withdrew the hand that had reached toward the bamboo box, stood up, and a flash of irritation crossed her eyes. She then coldly rebuked the still-oblivious Jin Sanpang: "If Master Jin has no other business, please forgive me, I will not be accompanying you any further!"

"Lanhua! See Master Jin out for me!" Without giving Jin Sanpang a chance to explain, Xia Qing ignored his crestfallen expression and shouted to her maid outside the door.

No sooner had she finished speaking than the door behind Jin Sanpang opened. Not daring to shout at Xia Qing, yet unwilling to be bossed around by a mere maid, Jin Sanpang turned with a cold face to reprimand her: "Why are you coming in?! Don't you know your mistress is just joking, jok—joking..."

By the end, his voice trailed off, and the tone of his retort shifted entirely. His eyes were filled with shock and disbelief as he looked at Ding Li, who was stepping over the threshold, followed by Liu Sheng. For a moment, he was unable to process what was happening.

"Joking about what?" Ding Li was momentarily taken aback by the remark but quickly regained his composure. He sized Jin Sanpang up, stepped into the room, and gave him a couple of taps on his trembling shoulder. Regardless of whether the man nearly stumbled, Ding Li draped an arm over him. He wasn't applying pressure, but his smiling face appeared rather eerie in Jin Sanpang's peripheral vision.

"Brother Sanpang, why have you come again? It seems there is something special about Miss Xia Qing’s place that draws you in?" Ding Li’s lips curled into a mocking smile. He lifted his arm from the man’s shoulder and continued to pat him, adding, "Brother Sanpang, as the saying goes, 'Without the phoenix tree, you cannot attract the phoenix.' Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, yes, Brother Li is right!" Almost reflexively, Jin Sanpang nodded, but he immediately realized the derogatory implication of Ding Li's words. Recalling the scene from moments ago, he shook his head like a rattle, his obese frame swaying even within his loose Tang-style robe, the excess flesh visibly quivering: "No, no, Brother Li, you are joking! I... I did not mean it that way..."

"Br—Brother Li, I came to see Miss Xia Qing today!" Jin Sanpang turned to point at Xia Qing, who was still frozen in place, but swallowed the words that had reached his lips. Catching a glimpse of Liu Sheng, he broke into a cold sweat. He changed his tune, frantically trying to recover his train of thought: "Actually, I have a favor to ask of Miss Xia Qing. No, I am not here to listen to music or drink... truly not, Brother Li, really! Even if Miss Xia Qing invited me, I wouldn't have the nerve! No, look at my clumsy mouth! Brother Li, please don't mind me!"

Feeling that he was only making things worse, Jin Sanpang stopped explaining. He simply offered a sheepish grin, cupping his hands repeatedly to Ding Li, and did not forget to bow toward Liu Sheng. Liu Sheng returned a kind smile, which allowed Jin Sanpang’s racing heart to settle slightly; at least he didn't have to worry about being shattered into pieces on the spot.

"Brother Sanpang is too polite!" To Jin Sanpang's surprise, Ding Li did not mention the earlier incident at all, intentionally ignoring it even when Jin Sanpang brought it up himself. Ding Li clasped his hands in a formal salute. Despite his cavalier smile, Jin Sanpang sensed a rare gravity and sincerity in Ding Li's eyes.

This only made Jin Sanpang tremble more. He took several steps back, trying to dodge the direct salute, and hurriedly returned the gesture, his back bent even lower than before—nearly reaching a full, flat bow.

"Brother Sanpang, please, no need for such formalities. I have heard of the things you did for Miss Xia Qing, and I am very grateful!" Although Ding Li knew why Jin Sanpang’s legs went weak whenever he saw him, he remembered that the man had turned over a new leaf. When Ding Li was injured, Jin Sanpang had stepped forward to confront Zhang Wu to protect Xia Qing and Liu Sheng. Ding Li’s impression of him had shifted quite rapidly.

As he spoke, Ding Li stepped forward and firmly gripped Jin Sanpang’s arm, not giving him a chance to pull away. With a slight pull, he moved the man toward the table. He turned to Xia Qing with a gentle smile and asked politely, "Miss Xia Qing, will you not invite us to sit?"

"Ah? Sit, please sit!" Finally snapping out of her daze, Xia Qing stepped back and nodded repeatedly. A brilliant smile suddenly bloomed on her face as she reached out to Liu Sheng: "Sheng'er, you have been gone for so long, why didn't you come to visit Sister Xia?"

"Oh, I am so sorry, Sister Xia!" Although Liu Sheng felt that Xia Qing’s smile was slightly odd—it had been so fleeting—beyond a woman’s deep-seated intuition, she felt nothing else was amiss. Especially faced with Xia Qing’s slightly wistful expression, she pushed those thoughts aside. She reached out to take Xia Qing’s arm with a look of shame, and the two began to converse in low voices. Even Xia Qing, the mistress of the room, seemed to treat Ding Li and Jin Sanpang as outsiders, though she would occasionally glance toward Ding Li's side during her conversation with Liu Sheng, never missing a beat in their dialogue.

At the table, Ding Li spent quite some time talking to Jin Sanpang, finally dispelling the terror in the man’s heart. However, every time Jin Sanpang met Ding Li’s gaze, he would look away immediately; he felt as though Ding Li’s eyes could erase him at any moment, and he dared not meet them even for an instant.

After much effort to reassure Jin Sanpang, Ding Li had his own purposes; after all, more friends meant more paths, and he might have use for the man in the future. Once the reassurance was done, the sharp-witted Ding Li cut straight to the point. He stared intently at Jin Sanpang, who had a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, and asked with a meaningful smile, "Brother Sanpang, didn't you say you came to find Miss Xia Qing for something? In this Foreigner’s District, what could possibly be a problem for you that requires Xia Qing’s help?"

"This... this, Brother Li, you should actually understand..." Although Jin Sanpang was an old fox, under the gaze of Ding Li’s deep, bottomless eyes, he felt as though he were laid bare. Even the secret plans he had made in the depths of his heart felt impossible to hide. He responded stumblingly, blinking and winking at Ding Li while gesturing toward Liu Sheng and Xia Qing in the corner. He lowered his voice until only he and Ding Li could hear, gritted his teeth, and said quickly: "It is all because of the relationship between Miss Xia Qing and you, Brother Li. I said I was looking for her, but in truth... I was hoping you could help your brother out!"

Having laid his heart bare, Jin Sanpang felt a sense of relief and let out a long breath. Yet, his face still held a trace of anxiety, and he dared only steal glances at Ding Li. With the silence lingering on Ding Li’s part, his heart, which had just settled, rose again. He felt as if his throat were blocked, and his breathing became rapid and heavy.

Ding Li simply pondered what could have happened to Jin Sanpang. He couldn't think of any major recent events, aside from the blockade of the Guangzhou port. He recalled Saiyigade’s introduction when he first met Jin Sanpang—the man had since switched to the maritime merchant trade. Ding Li nodded thoughtfully, his expression growing solemn, and he asked in a grave tone: "Brother Sanpang, speak plainly. We are all on the same path; if I can help, I, Ding Li, will certainly not shirk."

As if to put the man at ease, Ding Li gestured toward Liu Sheng and Xia Qing and added in a low voice: "Besides, you stepped forward to help back then. That favor is something I, Ding Li, will never forget."

Seeing Ding Li’s sincerity, Jin Sanpang hesitated for a moment. After some deliberation, he yielded to his desperation and signaled to the side, suggesting in a low voice: "Brother Li, could we speak in private?"

"No problem!" Ding Li agreed readily. He stood up first and smiled at Liu Sheng and Xia Qing: "You two stop standing there. If you have secrets to share, come over here. Sanpang and I will head to the next room for a drink!"