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No True Friend s among Rogues The person dragging Yang Longyou along was a beauty about thirty years in age. She was tall and slim, and wore a rose-red embroidered gauze jacket, matched by a rose-red importe d crep e skirt. With her naughty, flirty eyes , she rebuked Yang touchily, 'Why have you not paid a visit for so long! No one has broken your legs, has one? Unfortunately fo r you, you run into me today. I shall not spare you!' Putting on a sad expression, Yang begged, 'Purity dear, truly I have an urgent matter to attend to. I can't be late for even a second. Whatever you have to say, I shall most certainly come and talk with you tomorrow.' Giving a sneer, Purity chided him, 'What urgent matter do you have? Everyone says it was Lord Yang who set off to Yizhen to escort the new emperor back. Now that you are a great official, yo u no longer remember us!' She was so persistent that Yang could neither weep nor laugh. As all the girls knew that he was a 'good sort', no one was afraid of him. Seeing that Purity would not let go, he panicked and flew into a temper, grumbling, 'How would it look for you to push and drag people in a main street!' Without being the least daunted, Purity said in retort, 'Who wants to push or drag you? You just come inside, I have something serious to say to you.' It was only when Yan g raised his head tha t h e realize d he ha d reache d th e front entranc e of the Home of Enchanting Fragrance. With some hesitation he said quietly, 'Do not shut me in there!' Purity blushed an d said in reproach, 'I t i s not a s if I have never seen a man before! What do I want to shut you in for?' After the y had entered, the two of them stood on the pebbled footpath an d talked. 97 The Peach Blossom Fan 'Master Ho u lef t Nanjin g i n the Tenth Moo n las t year and has not writte n one proper letter,' Purity said. 'On the other hand, that fool of a girl the Perfume d Lady still insists on marrying Master Hou!' Interrupting he r speech , Yan g pursed hi s lip s toward s th e windo w upstairs . Purity said, 'The Perfume d Lad y has gone to visit the Lady of Propriety an d ha s not yet returned. This silly girl has refused t o keep any customers company since Master Hou's departure. When I reproved her a little, she would cry and wail and make a great show of wanting to kill herself. Lord Yang, the matter about Master Hou was brought on by you. You must compensate us for the loss!' Yang complained, 'It was you who have spoiled her, so who can you blame? In my view, it is far better to marry her off and be done with it!' Purity sai d wit h a smile , 'I t i s precisely becaus e o f thi s matte r tha t I mus t trouble Lord Yang. You know a lot of great officials an d great families. Where can we women go and search?' Yang readily agreed. Purity added, 'I will not release her without a thousand taels of pure silver.' Saying 'yes, yes', Yang was already on his way out. Panting heavily, he reached his sedan chair waiting outside the Old Quarters. He then ordered the bearers to quickly take him to the residence of the Governor-General of Fengyang in Ducks Lane. Seated i n the chair, Yang was too preoccupied t o survey the scene along th e Qinhuai River, supposedly paved with gold dust since olden days. Instead he was pondering how best to broach the subject about Bidi's and Feng's requests whe n he saw Ma. He thought to himself, 'If I please Bidi, I shall offend Feng . If I please Feng, I shall offend Bidi . They are both Ma's trusted lieutenants. I can offend neithe r of them!' As he was unable to think o f a way that would achieve both objects, th e more he thought about the problem, the more troubled he became. At last , he foun d a n answer . 'I n life , on...

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