Chapter 7.6 – Entering Potluck Capital

The three people entered Potluck Capital in the evening. There were colorful lights everywhere and some people were setting off firecrackers. They asked around and learned that someone was getting married.

Potluck Capital could be regarded as the epitome of the splendid prosperity of the local area. It wasn’t uncommon for people to see someone getting married as soon as they entered the village.

When a Han Chinese married a village girl, it was called “Taking Over the Village”. The girl’s brothers and sisters would stand on the various bridges in the village and wouldn’t let the groom pass unless he handed out a plate of gold-wrapped opium.

This kind of raw opium was wrapped in gold leaves and there could be six or seven plates of it once it was mixed into a white paste. It was truly top-notch stuff.

There were a total of more than sixty large and small bridges in Potluck Capital. The people in the village were shouting and rushing around, and they must have been on at least thirty or forty of them.

Brides from the local landlords’ families insisted on having weddings on a larger scale, so it was necessary for the grooms to step on all the bridges in the village. For those local Han Chinese, it was a huge sum of money.

There were a lot of beautiful girls in Potluck Capital, so those who were able to marry outside the village were very gorgeous. These girls also had different craftsmanship because of the different clans they were from, but nearly all of them knew how to use swords.

Almost all the successful outlander merchants had wives who were from Potluck Capital. Their wives rode horses, carried silver blades on their backs, and wore strings of ringing bells on their hands. Their husbands usually followed behind, wearing changshan and holding an abacus in their hands.

Zhang Haiqi seemed a little happier when she entered the city and saw the girls being so energetic. Little Brother Zhang’s attention also shifted away from her.

The girls here weren’t shy at all. Whenever Little Zhang Brother looked at any of them, they would all look back daringly. The more he looked, the more interested he became.

Everything was full of life and a different kind of energy. Little Brother Zhang could smell firewood, rice, sour oil from the sour fish soup, gunpowder from the fireworks, and frying oil all mixed in the air. 

The children and adults were wearing all kinds of colorful costumes and silver crowns and there were colorful lights everywhere. There was also plenty of wine and opium.

The patriarch sure knows how to live a good life.

He thought of his life in the South Sea, back when he used to fish and cut swim bladders (1). The girls there didn’t clean up very well at all.

The South Sea also has the word “south” in it, but Southern Xinjiang is so much better.

When Little Brother Zhang came to his senses, he discovered that Zhang Haiqi was gone.

He turned his head and saw her picking up something at a stall selling silver jewelry .

“What are you doing?” Little Brother Zhang asked. He suddenly felt a little relieved that Zhang Haiqi was actually acting like a woman.

“The girls here aren’t like the other girls we’ve seen. Their faces show what they’re thinking in their hearts. Look at them. Their eyes show what they want and what they’re thinking. I bet they’ll buy as many personal ornaments as they want. I really like how they act because they’re just like me,” Zhang Haiqi said with emotion.

“This one is great, and this one isn’t expensive, either. I think these three make the face look thinner.” Little Brother Zhang squatted down and picked out three items before handing them to Zhang Haiqi.

At this time, the procession was crossing the bridge ahead of them. They could see the dragon lanterns swaying and the vendors on the side began making way for them.

Zhang Haiqi smiled and glanced at him, “It’s useless to try to gain my favor. I’m your mother. Don’t even think about it.”

“These aren’t for you.” Little Brother Zhang put the silver ornaments on his forehead and fiddled with his hair a little bit. A coy smile appeared on his face that was a clear imitation of the ones the girls had been wearing just now. “I also like this place. I want to experience what it’s like living here as well.”

Zhang Haiqi looked at those silver ornaments that were pressed against Little Brother Zhang’s face and realized that they really did fit him quite well. He really had picked those ornaments out for himself.

“I’ve taught you well. Too bad I can’t beat my son in front of a crowd,” she said as she suppressed her anger.

Zhang Qianjun Wanma dazedly stared at the wedding procession from his position on the side of the road. He was just starting to relax when the bride riding by on a horse suddenly looked at him. He turned around and saw Little Brother Zhang wearing silver ornaments. The stall owners were all gathered around and laughing heartily as they looked at him.

“You stayed in the South Sea too long,” Zhang Haiqi said with a very serious expression on her face. “You even smell like fish. There’s no way you can be like the girls here.”

Little Brother Zhang was looking at the bells in his hand with interest, but when he raised his head, he met the eyes of the bride who was passing by. The bride was stunned for a moment before she immediately stopped her horse. Everyone in the wedding procession behind her stopped as well.

The street suddenly became quiet as everyone stopped what they were doing to watch.

The bride got off her horse and quickly walked towards Little Brother Zhang. He was still wearing the ornaments and awkwardly maintaining his flirtatious pose as she came to stand in front of him. Just as he was wondering what to do, she pulled his clothes apart and saw the tattoo at the base of his neck.

“I hope you and the groom can stay together forever, and can have a child as soon as possible,” Little Brother Zhang said. “Girl, my mother’s right here. She’ll misunderstand our relationship if you keep this up.”

The girl suddenly bit Little Brother Zhang’s shoulder and he shouted in pain.

“Save me!” The girl whispered.

But before she could finish speaking, Little Brother Zhang reflexively used his shoulder to hit her. She flew four or five meters away from him before her head hit the bluestone ground and she passed out.

Little Brother Zhang felt puzzled as he looked at everyone around him. No one else seemed to realize what had happened just yet. Zhang Qianjun Wanma came over, grabbed his hand, and then started running wildly towards the narrow alley.

At this moment, all the girls and boys in the wedding procession pulled out their silver blades, got off their horses, and chased after them.

“What did you do?!” Zhang Qianjun Wanma scolded. “It hasn’t even been thirty minutes since we got here!”

“I didn’t do anything, I was just—” Little Brother Zhang lowered his head to dodge a blade coming from behind him, “—being sexy!”

<Extra 7.5><Table of Contents><Extra 7.7>

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TN Notes:

(1) The swim bladder is an internal gas-filled organ that contributes to the ability of many bony fish to control their buoyancy, and thus to stay at their current water depth without having to waste energy in swimming. Wiki link here.