Chapter 121: Just Came Out to Get a Comb

Hearing the call, several young men and women nearby turned their gazes over. Liu Ping smiled faintly and waved, while Wang Hong, unable to contain his excitement, quickly rose and took a few strides outside the boat, greeting with a smile, "Brother Liu, long time no see."

Liu Ping responded, "Indeed, it has been a while. You look well?"

Wang Hong gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "I've been bedridden for many days. Finally able to get up and move around. I look well, but my body still can’t handle strenuous activity... Enough about that. Brother Liu, why don’t you come aboard quickly? And Miss Liu Yue, please join us on the boat as well."

Soon after, Liu Ping and Liu Yue boarded the boat. Liu Yue, somewhat shy, stood behind Liu Ping.

The moment the siblings stepped aboard, they drew the attention of many talented youths present. Immediately, someone inquired, "Is this Liu Fengchang, Young Master Liu?"

A bright-eyed, attractive young woman scrutinized Liu Ping with keen interest and, unabashed, asked the question aloud.

At once, several other young women showed signs of curiosity as well.

They had long heard of Liu Ping’s reputation—favored by the county magistrate as a disciple, top scorer in the prefectural exam, and known for his compelling poetry. How could they not have heard of him?

Wang Hong said, "If not him, then who else?"

Liu Ping nodded lightly and bowed slightly, saying, "I am Liu Fengchang, greetings to all. This is my younger sister Liu Yue. We apologize for the sudden intrusion."

Having cultivated the Heart Method Essence, Liu Ping’s every gesture carried a unique aura of nobility, an inexplicable grace. Noticing this, the onlookers were subtly surprised; he was indeed different from ordinary people. Looking at the adorable Liu Yue, they couldn’t help but admire the sibling resemblance.

Liu Yue nodded slightly but said nothing, a polite acknowledgment. She was evidently nervous but, seeing her brother chatting and laughing so easily, felt a surge of admiration and calm. Her tension eased considerably.

Wang Hong continued introducing, "This is Jiang Zhongyuan, son of our county magistrate, styled Zhizhou; this is Lu Wei, styled Zhongbao; this is Hua Shang, styled Gaoyuan; and this is Hua Wu..."

The young woman who had first spoken was Hua Wu. She regarded Liu Ping with keen interest and chatted warmly, which caused Liu Yue’s brows to furrow slightly in displeasure, casting a wary glance at her.

"Alright, now that introductions are done, please take your seats," Jiang Zhongyuan said amiably, though inwardly displeased. With Liu Ping’s arrival, his own moment in the spotlight was instantly overshadowed. He had just managed to suppress Wang Hong’s popularity and claim the lead, only for Liu Ping to appear and steal it all again. Watching Hua Wu appraise Liu Ping further annoyed him.

"Greetings, Young Master Liu," said the girl beside Wang Hong.

It was Murong Zizhu. Seeing the happiness on her face, Liu Ping nodded slightly.

"In that case, let’s continue with the storytelling. It’s my turn now," said a young man named Lu Wei, whose ordinary face bore a warm smile that put others at ease.

The others nodded eagerly at this.

"Storytelling?" Liu Ping was momentarily taken aback.

Wang Hong explained, "Brother Liu, you might not know, but the dragon boat race takes place this afternoon. Right now, it’s just practice, not much to see. So we’re betting on who can tell the most captivating and surprising story."

Liu Ping asked, "And then?"

Wang Hong said, "I’m currently losing and about to be defeated."

"Oh," Liu Ping responded.

"What’s that ‘oh’ for? Give me a reaction. I’m at my wit’s end here and was hoping you’d help."

"And what’s that got to do with me?" Liu Ping asked.

Wang Hong proposed, "How about a sponsorship of one thousand taels of silver?"

Liu Ping scoffed, "A mere thousand taels."

Wang Hong gasped, "It’s been a long time, and yet your tone has grown so bold. Tell me, will you help or not?"

Liu Ping replied, "I was going to help, but since you’ve brought up money, forget it."

Wang Hong retorted, "That’s just an excuse! You never intended to help!"

Liu Ping feigned surprise, "You’ve seen through me already?"

The young man’s story was indeed quite good—some rural folk tales that were surprisingly captivating. Even Liu Yue listened quietly. But Liu Ping and Wang Hong’s whispered conversation drew a sharp warning from others, silencing them.

After the story ended, everyone felt enlightened.

Hua Shang commented, "Cause and effect, the cycle of retribution—such is the natural order. This story is truly excellent."

Others nodded in agreement.

Liu Ping, however, felt a twinge of regret and shook his head slightly. The story was good by their standards, but to him, it was cliché. Though well-constructed, its stubborn pursuit of a perfect ending made it lackluster and, overall, mediocre.

"Looks like I’m definitely losing," Wang Hong sighed. "I have no more stories to tell. Even if I did, none could surpass that. Unless... well, forget it. This time, I concede..."

Before he could finish, Jiang Zhongyuan interrupted with a sly smile, "Today is fortunate to meet Young Master Liu. It seems Brother Wang Hong sees you as his savior. How can you not tell a story to live up to his expectations? Afraid? No stories in that head of yours, just ink and no substance?"

Wang Hong’s face lit up, instantly understanding the situation. Jiang Zhongyuan was targeting him, but now he was provoking Liu Ping as well? Haha! How foolish! It would have been so easy to win quietly, yet he had to stir trouble with Liu Ping!

Liu Ping frowned slightly at this provocation and fixed Jiang Zhongyuan with a cold stare.

Jiang Zhongyuan felt a chill at Liu Ping’s piercing gaze, a sudden panic washing over him, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

No one else noticed his unease.

He swallowed hard, about to retract his words, but Hua Wu, displeased, said, "Earlier, Young Master Liu whispered with Wang Hong during Lu Wei’s story. Just now, you showed a hint of regret. Since you think it’s not good, why not tell a story yourself?"

Hua Wu’s opinion echoed Jiang Zhongyuan’s, and the others quickly agreed.

Liu Ping smiled faintly and said, "Since you want to hear one, I shall tell you a story."

He lowered his gaze and pondered briefly. The others waited quietly.

Liu Ping began, "Long ago, in the Western Regions, there was a small kingdom called Danmai. This country is unrecorded in history, and the tale I share is but a rumor. Listen without taking it too seriously."

A foreign story? Everyone’s eyes brightened. Among the dozen tales told so far, not one was foreign. The mere topic alone made this story stand out. Though reluctant to admit it, this top scorer Liu Fengchang was indeed remarkable.

Yet whether the story was truly good remained to be seen. Was it all show or did it have real substance?

As Liu Ping started, Wang Hong’s confidence soared, laughing inwardly, "Ha! Now there’s no way I’ll lose!"

Liu Ping continued, "The King of Danmai was obsessed with fine clothes, to the point of madness. He was willing to spend the entire kingdom’s wealth to commission garments for himself. Each day, he would change clothes twelve times, one new outfit per hour, never repeating."

Hearing this absurd tale, the nearby talents and beauties showed surprised expressions, finding it quite strange—so unlike the stories they had heard before.

Liu Yue listened quietly, determined to remember her brother’s story well.

"He was not fond of war, nor women, nor pleasures, nor theater, nor food—only fine clothes. If a minister asked, ‘Where is the king?’ the answer would invariably be: ‘In the dressing room.’"

"But as the number of garments grew, the novelty faded, and the king grew bored. He desired better new clothes and decreed that everyone in the kingdom should make garments for him. Those who pleased him would be rewarded with gold, silver, and official titles."

"One day, two swindlers arrived, claiming: 'We can weave the most beautiful fabric in the world, unmatched by any other.'"

"They further claimed this cloth was so exquisite that fools could not see it. The king was delighted and exclaimed, 'Excellent! This garment suits me perfectly! Wearing it, I can tell who among my subjects is foolish and which ministers are incompetent!'"

"The king rewarded them handsomely and sent ministers to inspect their progress. The ministers saw nothing on the looms and asked, ‘Where are the clothes?’ The swindlers replied, ‘They are on the loom, but fools cannot see them. Do you not see them?’"

"The ministers, fearful of being seen as fools themselves, pretended to see the clothes and returned to report the garments were unparalleled in beauty. The king was delighted and gave more gold and silver, urging the swindlers to hurry."

"After several days, the clothes were ‘finished’ and presented to the king. Staring at nothing, the king grew anxious, wondering if he himself was a fool."

"The swindlers asked, ‘What do you think? These clothes are truly exquisite. None expected such perfection.’ Nearby ministers, eager to prove they were not fools, all praised the garments as beautiful beyond compare. The king grew more nervous—if others could see them, why couldn’t he? So he hastily praised the clothes as extraordinarily magnificent."

"The swindlers, pleased their plan succeeded, expressionless, asked, ‘Shall the king try them on?’"

"The king nodded and ‘wore’ the invisible clothes."

As the story unfolded, the listeners became engrossed, silently cursing the foolish king and ministers, already foreseeing the tragic trickery. It was laughable! Yet a few frowned deeply, sensing the story was a veiled allegory, a sharp satire. They shuddered, unwilling to contemplate further.

Liu Ping went on, "The king changed his clothes and soon walked out bare-chested. The swindlers quickly flattered, ‘They fit perfectly, truly magnificent, highlighting your majesty’s grandeur!’"

"Ministers also praised, ‘Magnificent beyond words, unparalleled in the world. Your Majesty’s new clothes are perfect.’"

At this moment, Liu Ping paused. Though the others knew what was coming, they instinctively asked, "And then?"

Liu Ping smiled and continued, "Then the king said confusedly, ‘I haven’t changed yet—I just came out to get my comb.’"

"Ah???"

The crowd was stunned, voices rising in surprise.

"A comb???"

"A comb..."

"Comb..."

"…"

They felt cheated, a strange sense that the story was not going where they expected. The pace was off, the twist was absurd! Completely unacceptable! The king suddenly being clever? Where was the foolish king they expected? The sudden change was so ridiculous it was laughable!

———

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