The three young men rode into the entertainment district in high spirits, the Prince discretely followed by a handful of guards.
"Can I tempt you with Beautiful Fragrance House, Bai Li? Tan Bowen asked hopefully.
"No houses of disrepute," said Bai Li, implacably.
"How did I guess?" Tan Bowen sighed. "Well, let's go to 'Soulmate' on the canal. They have wonderful acrobatic performers and the most delicious hairy crab."
Bai Li nodded his assent.
"So long as they have good alcohol, I agree," grinned the Prince.
"They do! The best, the best. They brew their own wine. It's soft, mellow and elegant," Tan Bowen waxed lyrical. "It carries the feelings of scholars and literary pursuits."
The Prince looked sideways at Tan Bowen; his eyes crinkled in amusement.
"You talk big. I wonder if you can deliver?"
"Definitely your highness. I have complete confidence that you'll be amazed. I'm as confident as if I'd brewed it myself."
"I'd be more confident if you didn't," replied Bai Li. "You certainly attract attention from the fairer sex, Tan Bowen," he said disapprovingly.
Bai Li couldn't fail to notice the groups of young women who stopped and openly stared as they rode past.
"Tee, hee, hee," two young ladies tittered behind their hands. "Oooh, look, it's Master Tan and General Bai's son, Bai Li. I wonder who the third man is? He looks very grand. Each one's more handsome than the next," the woman's comment could be clearly heard by the three men, who settled their faces into arrogant masks.
"So do you, it seems, Bai Li," quipped Tan Bowen when they were out of earshot.
"I wonder why this only happens when I'm out with you…" Bai Li narrowed his eyes.
Tan Bowen led them to a two-storey restaurant overlooking the canal.
It was brightly lit with lanterns glowing in a tasteful soft apricot and a sign with a gold name plaque bearing the word 'Soulmate,' in elegant black calligraphy, clearly written by a reputed calligrapher. Perhaps even Jiao Hong? the Prince mused.
Bai Li's low expectations rose, ever so slightly. They hitched their horses and strode inside.
Standing in the entrance foyer, they had a clear view of the stage, where six very lovely women clad in matching pale blue costumes, were engaged in astonishing acrobatic feats.
The Prince took a moment to enjoy the view, while Bai Li stared flatly at Tan Bowen, who raised his shoulders, tilted his head, and smiled devilishly at him.
Bai Li shook his head in despair at the debauched fellow.
A waiter ushered them upstairs to a private room that overlooked the canal, as well as having a view down onto the central stage.
"Bring us your best dishes!" Tan Bowen ordered grandiosely. "Plenty of hairy crab, and six bottles of your best huangjiu!"
"Yes, young masters. You won't be disappointed," smiled their waiter, inclining his head.
"How could we be disappointed, this is Soulmate," Tan Bowen gestured expansively, taking in the canal views, the fine décor and the stunning acrobats.
"Very good young master," the waiter bowed and backed out of the room.
Within minutes, the first of a procession of steaming hot dishes had arrived, along with the bottles of huangjiu.
The wine was brewed in stout little red bottles, richly decorated with a gold, yellow and blue design depicting a little old man, Yidi, the God of Wine.
The Prince's eyes lit up; this looked like the real deal!
The friends didn't stand on ceremony; a polo match like that would definitely build up your appetite! They dug into the meal, and the first cups of wine were poured.
The Prince's eyes widened with delight. "Ho … ho! This is really good. I'll toast you Bai Li, Tan Bowen. Well-played today."
"Thank you, your highness," they chorused. "Your highness also played an excellent game," replied Bai Li politely.
"Too formal, too formal, call me Zhu Yicai whilst it's just the three of us."
"Definitely not, your highness," said Bai Li flatly.
The three were in high spirits and it wasn't long at all before they had passed the point of being tipsy and were well on the way to being drunk, having toasted each other more times than they could count.
Bai Li was managing slightly better than his friends, being a practised drinker with his men.
They merrily migrated to the stage-side of the room, and hung rowdily over the balcony railing, enjoying the pretty display of athletic ability.
"Less' play truth or dare," slurred Tan Bowen.
"Yess!" cried the Prince, "I've never played this game before".
"Really, your highness? Well. You're in for a treat. You mus' pick one of 'truth' or 'dare' and then you have to tell the honest truth, or do the dare."
"Truth or dare, your highness?" slurred Tan Bowen.
"I'll pick truth."
"Okay!" said Tan Bowen loudly. "Do you have a woman you like?" he rested his head on the Prince's shoulder, fluttering his eyelashes at him.
"No!" the Prince shouted, pushing Tan Bowen away. "But I look forward to meeting her," he smiled drunkenly.
"Well, you should have plenty of oppor…hic…tunities your highness," said Tan Bowen with envy. "You'll be given your wife, but you can choose your own concubines."
"Less' drink to that," agreed the Prince jovially, and the three downed another cup of wine.
"Bai Li, truth or dare?" they both roared at him.
"Dare."
"I dare you to drink a whole bottle of wine," cried Tan Bowen, who had noticed that Bai Li didn't seem to be getting drunk.
Bai Li shrugged, and picked up a full bottle, chugging down its contents in one big gulp.
"Wooahh!" cheered the Prince and Tan Bowen.
Bai Li felt the alcohol rush to his head. This would hurt in the morning, he registered.
"Tan Bowen, which do you pick?" asked the Prince.
"Hmm … I'll have dare!"
"I dare you to join those adrobatss on the stage!" cried the Prince with obvious delight.
Tan Bowen's face lit up, this seemed like a grand idea to him. Why hadn't he thought of it earlier?
He leapt to his feet and sprang from the balcony, landing lightly on the floor below. A few bounds and he was on the stage where the six women were currently in a pyramid formation, three women forming the base, two the middle, and the smallest at the apex.
Before the security staff could move to stop him, Tan Bowen had monkeyed up the stack of acrobats and seated himself on the back of the top-most woman, who squealed as he plonked his bottom on her and waved grandly at the audience.
Roars of laughter and clapping broke out across the mainly male crowd of diners.
The security team at the restaurant circled helplessly around the base of the pyramid.
He was too high for them to reach, and they were wary of collapsing the girls and injuring a clearly noble patron.
"Young master, young master," called their waiter. "Please climb down from there before you hurt yourself," he wrung his hands nervously.
Tan Bowen meanwhile was enjoying his due, waving magnanimously at the crowd of cheering patrons.
The security team came back moments later with a ladder. Two men held the ladder steady while a third boy climbed up to his level.
"Sir, please climb down with me," he implored.
"Why don't you join me?" motioned Tan Bowen to the platform formed by the tiny acrobat's back.
They both looked down at her. There was clearly no space at all for another person, but Tan Bowen felt it polite to make the offer.
"Sir, you're too heavy. The performers can't take your weight."
"What are you insinuating boy? I tell you, I have a fine figure!"
"Look at their arms. They're shaking. Sir, please climb down with me."
Tan Bowen looked down and saw that indeed, the girls' arms were shaking, and he felt a little bad.
"Sorry ladies," he called. "Sank you for your support."
He bounded lightly onto the ladder, jumped over the boy at the top, and slid down the posts without using the rungs, bowing to his audience as he landed.
"Good job Brother Tan!" clapped the Prince from their balcony.
Brother Tan sensibly used the stairs to return to his buddies.