The man shook his head, his voice weak and lifeless. "I don't know... I was dead drunk last night... I only just woke up..."
Wang Xian took a deep breath and withdrew the bamboo branch.
He ignored the trembling man and headed toward the back courtyard, bamboo branch in hand.
The man sprawled on the wicker chair, gasping for breath, his back already drenched in cold sweat.
He looked at the wrecked hall before him, then in the direction Wang Xian had disappeared, unsure whether he should call for help or sneak away.
After a moment of silence, he finally rose quietly and tiptoed toward the back door.
Better to avoid trouble whenever possible.
How much did he even earn in a month? Why risk being the one to stick his neck out?
Wang Xian made his way to the back courtyard of the Golden Treasure Pavilion, only to freeze in surprise.
An old tree stood in the courtyard. Beneath it was a stone table, around which four people sat playing cards.
Their faces had been scribbled all over into a complete mess.
One had a turtle drawn on his forehead, another had two blotches of ink smeared across his cheeks, one had a beard drawn on his chin, and another had a large red dot on his nose. At first glance, they looked like four comic clowns who had just stepped off an opera stage.
Quite a few spirit stones were piled on the table, along with a jug of wine and several dishes of peanuts.
The four drank as they played cards, occasionally adding a few strokes to their companions' faces before bursting into laughter.
It was the first time Wang Xian had ever seen such a scene.
Standing beneath the eaves, he watched the four men with