Nightfall

Translator: TransN Editor: TransN

The regret on her slightly tanned face was obvious. It was evident that Sangsang had thought she would be victorious once she found the book. She would have been able to win plenty of taels of silver from her young master’s pudgy Senior Brother. The slight blush on her face was because the books Ning Que had brought back from the Academy’s cave were a bit unsightly…

Chen Pipi was an intelligent person. He could tell what the little handmaiden was thinking based on her expression. The disdain made him shame. Angrily he said, “Find another way!”

Sangsang looked at him with wide eyes. She thought that he was rather interesting. His soles had only left the ground no more than two inches, but he landed forcefully. She was actually worried that the new urn she’d bought might be shattered by the shock.

Chen Pipi was indeed an intelligent person, even when he was upset. He could clearly perceive what Sangsang was thinking just by looking at her expression. He could not stop the shame creeping up on him and he quickly held down the quivering fat on his body. He said in a sad and aggrieved tone, “Ning Que’s words have hurt my pride! If I don’t win you today, I will write my name from right to left!”

Sangsang thought to herself that Pipi’s name written from the right to the left was still Pipi. It wouldn’t make a difference unless he tacked on his surname. However, she was just a young girl with a desire to win. Her heart had wavered only because of the taels of silver, which had gotten her into trouble. She did not single out that point, but instead, looked at him seriously and asked, “Young master Chen, how much will you bet?”

Chen Pipi extended a finger and said solemnly, “A hundred taels.”

Sangsang’s willow leaf shaped eyes brightened considerably. “What would young master Chen like to bet on?”

Chen Pipi asked, “What do you have plenty of in this shop?”

Sangsang furrowed her brows as she thought. She chewed her lips and speculated that young master Chen wouldn’t do anything against them. He was a close friend of her young master after all. So, she undid her apron and entered the house.

Chen Pipi looked at the tightly shut door and thought of something. Startled, he called out anxiously, “You can’t use Ning Que’s calligraphy! You look at them all day, that’s not fair!”

Sangsang brought out a large box and said to him, “Would you bet with these notes?”

Chen Pipi looked at the thick wad of notes in the box and could not help but be surprised. Ning Que, the fellow who could not even bear to treat him with crab porridge, had hidden such wealth in his home. He was indeed a stingy fellow. He scolded Ning Que under his breath before asking, “How are we going to bet with these notes?”

“Every note has its own unique serial number,” Sangsang said as she lowered her head. She spoke faster than usual as if she was afraid that Pipi would not agree to her suggestion. “Nobody would be so lame as to look at them.”

Chen Pipi thought about it and found that the idea was indeed decent. In order to prevent counterfeiting, every bank had their own unique note coding system. Every note had numbers on it and they did not have a fixed order. They were extremely difficult to remember. It was an excellent choice for this competition.

Chen Pipi said, “Not bad. Let’s use them.”

Sangsang smiled slyly and said, “Let’s look and memorize them at the same time. You can recite first.”

Chen Pipi waved his hand and said generously, “How could I take advantage of a young woman like you. You can recite first.”

…

…

“Tong Bao Chen. Two-Eight-Eight-Nine-Four. Sheng Ji Gen Er Li Feng. Four-Five-Five.”

“Yi Mo Xin Bao Yin Sai. Nine-Seven-Five-Two-Four-Five-Six. Qi Yan Tang. One.”

Chen Pipi’s face fell as Sangsang’s child-like voice reverberated in the backyard. He no longer cared about the competition rules. He reached out to grab the notes off the table and found that Sangsang had not made a single mistake.

He knew that the serial numbers on the notes were odd and difficult to memorize. He himself could only memorize up to fifteen or sixteen notes. However, Sangsang had already recited the serial numbers of her 27th note. Judging by her expression and her speed, it would not be difficult for her to recite another ten serial numbers or more.

Chen Pipi rubbed his numb and shocked face. He could not believe his own ears. He could not imagine that there was someone out there with such an amazing memory. Even Second Brother could not do this. No… Even Eldest Brother would not be able to beat this little handmaiden.

Na Tian Xing Yun Feng. Four-Five-Five-Five-Seven-Nine…”

Chen Pipi held out his hand despondently to stop Sangsang from continuing. He looked at the notes dejectedly and sighed. “You don’t have to recite them anymore. I admit it. Your memory is better than mine.”

A rare sweet smile appeared on Sangsang’s face. She spread her palms before him and said, “Many thanks.”

Chen Pipi took out some notes and placed them in her palms. He shook his head and said, “This is incredible. So incredible indeed. I can’t believe that what Ning Que said was true. There are indeed many incredible people in the marketplace.”

Sangsang ignored his exclamation. She kept the new notes that she had won together with the ones she had and stacked them up, placing them in the box. Then, she carried the box carefully into the house.

Chen Pipi suddenly thought of something. He yelled, “Hold on!”

Sangsang’s body stiffened. She rushed into the house, walking faster than she had before.

Chen Pipi had a sudden epiphany. He said incredulously, “You’ve memorized the words on these notes before!”

The door was tightly shut and it was silent.

Chen Pipi was shocked. After a long while of staring at the tightly shut door, he said sorrowfully, “I have never heard of anyone being so bored they would look at notes at home all day! And even memorize their serial number! Ning Que acts like he’s never seen taels of silver in his entire life. But it seems that he’s very different from you, money-minded wench! What kind of people are you two!”

Sangsang hugged the box full of notes to herself and leaned against the wooden doors anxiously. What would she do if he forced his way in? She listened to the cursing and the yelling outside. She was frightened but at the same time she felt like laughing.

Indeed, she had said that no one would be so lame to look at notes, but she had not expected Chen Pipi to believe her. Before Ning Que could earn notes with his calligraphy, these notes had been the best things on earth to her. Huddling beneath the blankets and counting notes in the middle of the night was the most interesting thing in the world when there was nothing else to do.

…

…

Chen Pipi yelled outside the door, “Come out!”

Sangsang pressed her back against the door. With her head lowered she said softly, “These notes are mine.”

Chen Pipi clutched his forehead and said, “I admit that they are yours.”

Sangsang lifted her head and asked curiously, “Then why do you want me to come out?”

Chen Pipi said angrily, “The notes are yours, but you cheated in the previous round. We have to compete again!”

Sangsang lifted the bed boards and hid the box of notes beneath it. She looked at the door and yelled, “Young master Chen, it is late. You’d better return to the Academy.”

Chen Pipi paused for a second and looked at the sky. He yelled angrily, “It’s not even lunchtime! What are you talking about!”

Sangsang came to the door and said humbly, “Young master Chen, I admit that I am not as smart as you and do not have a memory as good as yours.”

This made him even angrier. Shaking his head, he shouted, “Pfft, you’re willing to admit anything now that you’ve won a hundred taels of silver.”

Sangsang replied, “Young master said that fame and fortune were like drifting clouds, so there’s no need to fight for it.”

Chen Pipi was speechless from the anger. She should not have mentioned fortunein her statement. He hammered at the wooden door angrily and howled, “Since you are not afraid to lose, why don’t we compete again?”

Sangsang knew that this was true. Furthermore, she had won a hundred taels of silver from him and should let him have his way. She pushed the door open and said solemnly to Chen Pipi, “Let’s not gamble with taels of silver this time. Gambling is bad.”

How could she be so shameless, just so she didn’t have to return the taels of silver? Chen Pipi was speechless as he looked at the little handmaiden’s tanned face. He wondered what Ning Que had been teaching her.

He said in a low voice, “Let’s play chess.”

She answered simply, “I don’t know how.”

Chen Pipi did not believe her. The girl before him had looked at the notes every day and could memorize the serial numbers of thirty odd notes. This was no ordinary talent. He said, “We have to.”

Sangsang’s answer was even more simple. She nodded her head and murmured in assent.

…

…

They borrowed a chessboard from the neighbor, Mr. Wu. It looked old but since Mr. Wu. operated an imitation antique shop, it was a fake. But when the chess pieces landed on it, it did feel rather formal.

Chen Pipi did not feel as if he was playing with an opponent, neither did he feel prideful about being a superior chess player. He pointed dazedly at where the black chess piece landed and asked Sangsang, “Why there?”

Sangsang looked at him with wide eyes. Confused, she asked, “Why not?”

Chen Pipi carefully explained the problem behind her move and then asked puzzledly, “You are a very intelligent person and your memory is impressive. Once you understand the rules you’d only have to use your brain a little and you’d know where the issue lies. Why are you unwilling to think a little more?”

Sangsang answered seriously, “It’s hard work thinking. So I don’t usually bother.”

Chen Pipi was stunned. He could not bring himself to release the chess piece in his hand.

At this moment, a voice rang from the door of the Old Brush Pen Shop. “You’re playing chess.”

Sangsang looked at the door in surprise, “You’re back so early?”

The old man crossed the threshold and nodded. He retrieved the taels of silver from his waist and handed them over to her, “I didn’t have tea.”

Sangsang rose and gestured for the old man to take her place. She said, “I’m going to check the smoked meat. Aunt Wu said that oil can drip easily from fresh meat in the beginning. I’m worried that the pine branches will catch fire. Take my place and I’ll bring you tea a little later.”

The old man grunted in assent and sat down. He looked at Chen Pipi and asked, “Who’s move?”

Chen Pipi looked at the wrinkled old face and his pure eyes. He could see the holy light emanating from the old man’s eyes. He thought of the incident that had shocked Chang’an lately and was stunned. His fingers that had been fiddling with the chess piece trembled. He did not know if he should place it on the chessboard or back into the chess urn.

The old man looked at the situation on the chessboard and asked again, “Who’s move?”

Chen Pipi answered honestly, “Mine.”

With this, he stood up and prepared to leave the Old Brush Pen Shop.

The old man looked up at him in confusion. “I was asking whose move it is on the chess board.”

Chen Pipi looked at him for a long time before sitting back down on the chair.

The black chess piece in his fingers landed softly.

The old man stuck his hand in the chess urn and took out a white piece. He did not place it down for a long time, as he was thinking about how to counter his opponent.

…