
A night on the river erupts into chaos when Shen Tingfang’s alarm about a thief sparks a panicked clash among the ship’s crew. In the darkness, a drunken guard mistakes him for an intruder, striking his own companion and leaving the deck stained with blood. The frenzied sailors misidentify friend and foe, and the incident leaves both men bruised and the crew rattled, while Shen Tingfang, drenched in embarrassment, hurriedly prepares to continue the journey toward the capital.
The party soon reaches the bustling market town of Qiao, where they encounter a trio of armed strangers led by the enigmatic Dragon Biao. Their arrival dovetails with a hidden figure, Ba Yu‑shuang, who has been posing as a man for safety. When the group is invited into the Imperial Library, the tension peaks: Ba Yu‑shuang’s true identity is exposed, and a sudden, violent confrontation erupts, threatening to upend their plans and draw the attention of powerful officials.
Language
zh
Duration
~28 minutes (27K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Hung Jia Chi
Release date
2003-10-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

Best known as the traditional author of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, this classic Chinese writer helped shape one of the most influential stories in East Asian literature. Much about his life remains uncertain, which only adds to the legend around his work.
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