The night breeze stirs, lifting strands of hair. The cool moonlight pours down like water, making this moment both tranquil and timeless.
Of course, some people just can't sit still. In less than three minutes, she broke the peace and quietly tossed out a mischievous idea: "Hey, do you guys want a drink? Let's go swipe some booze over there."
After that sleep-talking-level suggestion, there was a solid ten seconds of silence. Nobody said a word, holding onto some weird, delicate quiet. But then, all three burst out laughing at the same time, sprang up from the lawn, and shot off toward the other side of Grand Dragon Lake.
Doing bad things is just so thrilling.
Across Grand Dragon Lake, the Imperial Cruise Pavilion and Royal Barges were all lined up, connected by planks, packed with people toasting and partying—what a scene. Compared to the common folk of Lin'an City, this was a whole other world of feasting. The Southern Song might not be able to hold its head high in foreign wars, but the economy was no joke. With so much wealth, even a banquet was an all-out extravaganza. The boats themselves, inside and out, screamed royal luxury.
Palace maids formed a procession, their trays loaded with wine, fruit, cakes, and all kinds of delicacies. They streamed in and out, each one dressed in silk and satin, looking elegant and glamorous. But in the middle of all this splendor, someone was sneaking into the kitchen boat.
Jill Young moved like a ninja, dodging a squad of palace maids, slipping into a corner, and pressing her hand to her ear to whisper: "Command center, this is strike team member Snake. I've successfully infiltrated the target bunker. Awaiting orders!"
Jill's voice was super low, but Simone, waiting outside, heard every word loud and clear. Even though she caught every syllable, her head was full of question marks. She shot a confused look at Joan, who was also lurking nearby: "She probably got in okay—but that last thing she said? I have no idea what she's talking about..."
"Ignore her, she's probably just being weird again," Joan replied calmly. "Let's just wait—it won't be long before something happens."
Sure enough, Jill zipped back and forth inside the Painted Barge, and soon her excited voice came through: "Command center, this is strike team member Snake. I've found the target! The enemies include carved wine, poria brew, Clear Spring Moon Daughter Red, plus all kinds of fruit and snacks. This is too much—need backup, stat!"
"See, told you so." Joan grinned at Simone. "Come on, let's go 'back her up!'"
Whoosh—both of them darted off, slipping easily onto the Painted Barge.
With all the big shots and the Emperor in one place, there was no way security would be lax. In fact, the guards were on high alert, especially around the kitchen boat. If anyone poisoned the food or drinks, they'd be lucky to keep their head! So the Guard Captain, armored up, took charge personally, turning the kitchen boat into a fortress.
Thanks to his careful, serious attitude, nothing seemed off—until a flustered little palace maid rushed in to report a missing dish. He didn't think much of it, just assumed someone snuck a bite. But soon, more reports came in about things going missing, and he realized something was definitely wrong.
"Search! Quick, search!" The Guard Captain was furious—someone dared steal from his turf? Even if Hong Qigong came back from the dead, he'd have to leave a finger behind! "There's a thief on board, send more men and drag them out! I want to see who dares cause trouble here!"
He was quick to react, but it didn't help at all. While he was busy launching a full-scale search, the thefts kept piling up. Over here a plate of bear paw vanished, over there abalone was gone, crispy spicy duck and jade lotus cake—everything was swiped clean like a gang of bandits had rolled through. The Guard Captain was running ragged, chasing left and right, but not only did he fail to stop the thieves, he couldn't even protect the Emperor's exclusive nectar.
You have to understand, that top-tier Laurel Maiden's Vintage was crazy rare—only ten jars for the whole banquet! But when he checked the storeroom, half were gone in one go! Half! What does that mean? It means when the Emperor says, "My dear ministers, this Laurel Maiden's Vintage is a true treasure, let's drink together," half the officials have to fake it with something else!
"Even if I have to dig three feet down, I'm gonna drag you out—!"
While the Guard Captain was howling at the sky, the three culprits were already long gone.
The moon hangs in the sky, and beyond the moon, there are stars.
On the water there are lotuses, and on the lotuses, people.
The Milky Way is sparse, but endless stars are reflected in the vast Grand Dragon Lake, creating another galaxy in the water. In this dreamy world of stars and moon, Jill Young charged ahead with wine jars, Simone carried fruit with poise, and Joan, like a circus performer, used sticks to balance trays galore. The three of them floated across the lake, laughing like immortals.
Each lotus leaf became a landing spot. They danced like flower fairies and joyful night elves, tiptoeing lightly, sending ripples across the water as they drifted far away.
That night, they had the time of their lives on the little hillside. Surrounded by stunning scenery and Jill's enthusiastic hosting, they ate and drank without a care for appearances. There are three great things in life: good times, beautiful sights, and lovely people—and tonight, they had all three. Fruit in their mouths, wine in their bellies. The wine didn't get them drunk, but they were already tipsy on happiness.
Delicacies ringed the outside, and the three of them lay in the middle with wine, chatting away like college girls at a dorm sleepover.
Joan: "Remember when we started the song-and-dance troupe?"
Jill Young: "Of course I remember! Joan, you pulled it off without saying a word—smooth move!"
Simone: "You nearly went nuts with excitement, running all over The Phoenix, grinning ear to ear, playing music and looking like a total goofball."
Joan: "But your naming skills really need work. Every time you get hyped, you come up with the weirdest stuff."
Jill Young: "Wasn't 'Phoenix Legend Agricultural Heavy Metal Rock Supergroup' vetoed? I had to come up with a new name. And Joan, you started it—insisted I take a fake identity called 'Skylar Phoenix.' I said, 'That name is way too over the top,' but you wouldn't let it go. You said, 'Names should be bold!' and stuck it on me. So, fair's fair—I gave everyone stage names too."
Simone: "That still gets me mad. You called yourself Skylar Phoenix, then made Joan 'Terra Quinn,' and when it was my turn you went, 'Dust... Dust... What kind of dust...' and ended up naming me 'Dusty'? You weren't just naming us, you turned it into some kind of word game! And 'Dusty'? Could it get any worse?"
Joan: "Hehe, it's still better than 'Give Up Treatment.' And then you went, 'Chad... Chad... What kind of Chad...' and settled on 'Chad Man.' So our troupe's full name became 'The Nobody's Special Taskforce: Skylar, Terra, Dusty, and Chad Revue'—shortened to 'Sky→People Revue.' If I hadn't insisted on the short version, I'd be too embarrassed to hang up a sign!"
Jill Young: "Hahahaha, if you don't act silly when you're young, what's the point?"
That night, they forgot who they were. No masters, no servants—just three women enjoying the beauty of the night. Silver plates in the sky, raising a toast to Chang'e. If Chang'e came down to party, she'd get drunk too. Whether bold or elegant, the three of them drank to their hearts' content. As the wine flowed, their conversation got more and more unfiltered.
They talked about body issues, just like regular girls do.
Joan reached out, a little tipsy, and asked Simone, "How did you end up like this? Why are you so big?"
Simone tried to dodge but couldn't escape Joan's hands, so she let her mess around: "Big boobs come with big problems, you know. When I first started practicing light footwork, it was a hassle. You can let 'em out, but you can't tuck 'em in. I never knew what to do with these things." Then she shot Jill Young a jealous look: "Look at her—she can change shape at will. That's the real envy!"
"Yeah, I've always wanted to ask about that," Joan crawled over, eyes shining with curiosity at Jill Young. "I've always wondered—when you transform into Jade Hawk Johnson, where do those two go? They're so big, you can't possibly hide them, but you do it perfectly. Where do you put them?"
"Hey, hands off!" Jill Young slapped away the wandering hands and scooted back. "Trade secret—I'm not telling!"
And just like regular girls, they gossiped about love and relationships.
"Simone, do you actually have feelings for Howard Hopeless or not? After you joined the palace, that guy moped around for ages like a junior beggar from the Beggar Sect—like a kid with a broken heart. I really think he's got a thing for you." Jill Young slung an arm around Simone's shoulder. "So, do you like him or not? Come on, spill to your big sister here."
"Howard Hopeless..." Simone looked a little lost, then shook her head. "No feelings."
"No way!" Joan crawled over and hugged Simone from the other side, her cheeks a little flushed. "He's not bad-looking, got talent, his martial arts are decent, and he's a pretty innocent kid. If you really didn't feel anything, you'd have, you know... already eaten him up."
"Saying I don't have any feelings at all would be a lie, but..." Simone had just started when she saw the two on either side staring at her with gossip-hungry eyes. She rolled her eyes and shot back, "Nope, not fair! I can't be the only one talking. You two go first! Have you ever liked any guys? If you spill, then I will too."
"Deal! If I say it, you say it—" Jill Young declared. "Nope!"
"No?!" Simone exclaimed in disbelief. "What girl doesn't have a crush? You've never liked a guy?"
"Nope, not at all." Jill Young gave a big thumbs up, a star twinkling at the corner of her grin. "I like girls."