Jun Jiuling

Chapter 88: Light Shining at the Gate

Many people saw that the one playing pitch-pot was actually a girl.

Because of the fight before and the long interval between players, when they heard the drums, they subconsciously looked down.

It indeed was a girl.

Although she was tall and was wearing a veiled hat, it was obviously a girl, around fourteen or fifteen.

Their faces showed their surprise.

Their surprise was not because they thought girls were worse than boys.

Actually, while girls were in their rooms, they did not have much to do. They couldn't read books like men to while away the time, so they were actually skilled at pitch-pot and other games.

It was just that very few played at the Jinyun Hall, not because they had to show their face in public, but because the public would bet on you.

It was never good for girls to talk about money.

Of course, there were many thick-faced people, or those that wanted fame or profit. If there were men like that, then there were woman like that as well.

"I wonder how good that girl is?"

"Since she dared to go up, she definitely must be talented."

"This is a very interesting year. First was the fight between the young people, and now there is a girl going up. Really, on the 3rd day of the 3rd month, everyone is full of energy."

While listening to his companions’ commentary, Ning Yunzhao only smiled and continued to brew tea, never looking out the window.

Yes, it was very good for young people to be lively, but that had nothing to do with him and neither did he care.

If it was that girl, would he be this way?

Ning Yunzhao scooped out some scented flowers from a pot, his movement smooth.

........

‘This shouldn’t be someone that Lin Jin’er arranged?

‘But maybe, she’s meant to excite Jun Zhenzhen more,’ Ning Yunyan thought

She raised her head to look out. The window was blocked by several of the girls. She told them to make way, and one of the girls looked back in alarm.

"Guys, look, that person, that person looks alot like Jun Zhenzhen," she stammered.

Jun Zhenzhen?

Ning Yunyan was stunned.

It couldn’t be?

Next door, Fang Jinxiu was tapping the table impatiently when Jinchuan burst in.

"Third Miss, where did Young Lady go? Why didn’t you go with her?" Jinchuan asked, trembling.

"She didn’t let me go with her, so how could I dare?" Fang Jinxiu said carelessly.

"Then Yinbao? Third Miss called Yinbao away?" Jinchuan asked, pale faced.

Fang Jinxiu made an ‘en!’ sound, not caring about that servant, when she heard the beat of drums.

She actually did not care who played, but the position of the room was extremely good. She could see the girl on stage with one look.

The girl was wearing a moon white clothes, her figure lithe, and a veiled hat on her head.

Although the gauze covered her face, Fang JInxiu knew who it was with a single glance.

"Oh my God!" she blurted out. "It can’t be?"

......…

Despite the surprise, the experienced and knowledgeable pitch-pot director remained the same.

"Young Miss, what level would you like to start from?" he asked with a smile.

Miss Jun looked at the bamboo arrows off to the side.

"I haven’t seen much," she replied. "How do you play? Traditional or new restrictions?"

The director smiled.

"We have no restrictions," he said. "Young Miss, whatever kind of throw you want to do, just announce it and everyone will place their bets.

Miss Jun plucked an arrow.

"I was asking about the playing style," she said.

The director went blank.

"Are you playing 132 variations, or forty, or twenty-four, or if there aren’t enough arrows, only twelve?" Miss Jun said seriously.

The director was stunned.

Such words were very strange. "Young Lady, could it be that you plan to do all 132 variations?"

Miss Jun nodded.

"I have some knowledge of pitch-pot," she said. Although the veil hid her face, she still seemed modest.

‘Some knowledge’, huh. The pitch-pot director did not know what to say.

Young Miss, having knowledge of things is totally different from being able to do it, you know?

There were many kids today who didn’t understand much and would not be too happy being told that.

"There are no restrictions or limitations," the director said warmly. "Just until you miss, Young Miss."

"Then I am very sorry," Miss Jun said.

Sorry for what? Sorry for winning money?

The director was speechless.

"What do you choose for your first move, Young Miss," he asked, choosing not to continue explaining to an ignorant child.

"Then I will start from the most basic level," Miss Jun said.

"Bets for in the pot."

The music stopped when the director spoke.

"So it really is a girl. Since she's playing, we can't have her lose face."

Ning Yunzhao heard his companions say. So they sent out a reasonable twenty taels as bet. Obviously, most people were thinking that way. Being elegant gentlemen, they had to be protective of the fairer sex.

After people made their bets, a cold but elegant atmosphere swept the hall. Until a voice said:

"First section, nineteen, places one hundred taels."

No way, it came again.

The others placing bets immediately stopped, and laughter erupted in Ning Yunyan's box.

There was still someone in room 19. That definitely was Lin Jin'er.

The girls were all smiling.

Ning Yunyan stood at the window to watch Jun Zhenzhen standing there with a cold smile.

"She seems to have lost so badly she wants to play herself," she said. "This is great. Suffering loss on both sides, losses will be bigger and faster."

Zuo Yanzhi bit on her lip hard.

"One..." she started saying to the servant.

Ning Yunyan stopped her.

"No," she said. "Ten taels."

Ten taels?

The girl looked at her in surprise.

"How can she lose with ten taels?" Zuo Yanzhi said anxiously.

Ning Yunyan smiled.

"Losing ten taels is nothing, but ten ten taels or twenty ten taels is a lot," she said, giving Zuo Yanzhi a look. "We must work steadily. We don't want Jun Zhenzhen and the others to be scared. If no one plays, it’s meaningless."

She waved a hand at the servant girl, who rushed out to announce the bet to the attendant.

As expected, when the bet amount was announced, there was a pause outside before bets continued to come.

Obviously this girl was given preferential treatment, getting much more bets than the other gentleman did before.

"I wish you good luck, Young Miss," said the director with a smile, signaling Miss Jun to begin.

"This is not the same as last time," Miss Jun said, seriously correcting the director. "It's not luck, it's justice."

Last time? What time?

The director did not understand but did not voice his question because he saw the girl actually pick up all twelve arrows.

Normally, everybody would throw their first arrow before grabbing the second. Firstly, because it would be hard to throw if you were holding too many arrows, and secondly, you couldn't guarantee that it was for sure going to hit... if you had confidence it wasn't polite to show it. This was an elegant game, being too showy would detract from style.

Still, the young were more inclined to be flashy.

The director sighed but did not say anything and stepped to the side. He saw the young miss pinch one of the arrows, then lightly throw it.

Pah!

A light sound.

The arrow landed into the pot. After swaying twice, it was still.

"Hit!" the director said in high spirits, raising his arm.

Everyone applauded, but right then, Miss Jun picked up another arrow and threw it.

Pah!

Huh? They hadn't bet on the next round yet.

The director was slightly stunned, unable to recover while Miss Jun continued throwing.

Pah.

Pah.

Pah.

The successive sounds were like the clinking of a silver bottle, like pearls falling on a tray.

Actually, the sounds of the arrows going in wasn't all that loud, but as she threw one arrow after the other, the cheering in the hall disappeared altogether.

"What's going on? Why didn't they announce it? Was it over in one round?" asked some people in the rooms.

It really was strange. Those close to the window looked out and saw the girl's empty hands.

This was nothing strange. After throwing the arrow, her hands would naturally be empty.

Everybody turned their eyes to the iron pot.

The three inch diameter mouth of the slender pot was filled with arrows.

"In the pot… successive in the pot," someone said.

"No, that's a full pot," someone else said.

The pot was clearly stuffed with twelve arrows.

It was actually successive hits for the full pot.

This was what she meant by starting from the basic in the pot?

If this was easy for her, then what was hard?

The director looked at the girl there. He felt that this girl really did have some knowledge of pitch-pot.

At least, the light at the mountain gate was pretty good.[1]

[1] Light at the mountain gate: Most likely means a good start. I’m not quite sure.

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