Chapter 105: The Eight-Legged Essay
Liu Min, the elder brother of Liu Shi, arrived in Tongzhou before noon. Jinchao was accompanying her grandmother in the Immortal Crossing Pavilion, handling affairs.
Her grandmother spoke to her about the shops included in Madam Ji's dowry: "...You're still young and confined to the inner chambers. If managing these becomes too burdensome, consider leasing them out while retaining a share of the profits. Focus on maintaining the more lucrative ones like the goldsmith shops, silk stores, paper mills, and taverns."
Jinchao had been considering the same approach. Some shops yielded little profit yet demanded considerable effort—more than she could realistically handle.
Her grandmother also assigned two estate managers from her own staff to assist Jinchao—one sent to Xianghe Lingbi and the other to the perennially loss-making Wuqing Gujing Village Villa. Managing estates largely depended on experience and adaptability to circumstances; without expertise, it was all empty talk.
When matters were nearly settled, Mama Song came to report that Liu Min had arrived at the Ji residence and was conversing with Master Ji.
Ji Wu Shi was delighted and said to Jinchao, "...You should go and see him too. Staying cooped up here with me all day must be stifling." Jinchao thought there was no harm in it—she could simply excuse herself when it came time for the welcoming banquet. So she accompanied Ji Wu Shi to the western courtyard.
Along the way, Mama Song remarked about Liu Min: "...He brought many gifts from Hebei—several large sacks of hazelnuts, braised Caohe donkey meat, Zanhuang golden jujubes... Two carriages were packed full. He's certainly thoughtful!"
Ji Wu Shi smiled knowingly. "The Liu family may have deep roots in Jiangnan, but they're nobodies in Beizhili. Naturally, he'd want to curry favor with the Ji family..." Marrying Liu Shi into their household had been part of that scheme. Otherwise, why would those self-proclaimed Jiangnan aristocrats consider allying with merchant families? Fortunately, Ji Yun had proven promising by passing the provincial exams, or the Liu family would have even greater reservations.
Liu Min was drinking tea in Master Ji's reception hall. Ji Yun and Ji Can were present, while An Songhuai had dragged Chen Xuanqing along for the gathering. Though reluctant, Chen Xuanqing's impeccable manners left him no choice but to endure, sipping tea until his stomach was full. They watched as Master Ji, Liu Min, and Ji Yun conversed.
Despite being a scholar, Liu Min was tall and robust, with striking thick eyebrows and large eyes. Upon hearing Ji Yun had passed the provincial exams, he expressed genuine delight and inquired about the examination questions and Ji Yun's responses.
Ji Yun replied, "The Four Books section covered Mencius and The Doctrine of the Mean..." but hesitated to elaborate.
Liu Min chuckled and pressed further: "Mencius said: 'From Yao and Shun to Tang was more than five hundred years. As to Yu and Gao Yao, their knowledge might be discussed.' Mencius also stated that Yi Yin took pleasure in the principles of Yao and Shun; The Doctrine of the Mean mentions that Confucius followed the examples of Yao and Shun. Were Yi Yin's pleasures and Confucius's emulations similar to or different from the knowledge discussed? Please examine this argument... Was this the question? How did you approach it?"
He had already reviewed the examination essays! Ji Yun had no choice but to answer stiffly: "The principles of Yao and Shun represent an age of prosperity. Confucius acquired them through hardship."
Liu Min frowned, seemingly dissatisfied, and countered: "Yet the prosperous eras after Yao and Shun were hardly inferior. Are you suggesting only Yao and Shun's principles are worthy? If the examiner posed this question to you, how would you respond?"Ji Yun was drenched in sweat. This year’s provincial exam questions were already more difficult than usual, and his academic skills were merely average—how could he withstand interrogation from a Scholar of the Two Boards? He could only cast a pleading glance at An Songhuai beside him, but An Songhuai, knowing he couldn’t handle Liu Min either, turned away as if he hadn’t noticed.
Master Ji was even less capable of intervening. He was only a provincial graduate himself.
Ji Yun’s eyes then turned to Chen Xuanqing, his expression pitiful. Chen Xuanqing hadn’t intended to help either, but seeing Ji Yun floundering under the Scholar of the Two Boards’ pressure, he sighed and stood up, cupping his hands in salute. “Yi Yin delighted in the ways of Yao and Shun, for his heart was virtuous. Whether in adversity or prosperity, his principles remained unchanged. The ways of Yao and Shun are what even sages aspire to achieve, though the methods of attaining the Great Path may differ—all are ultimately the ways of Yao and Shun.”
Liu Min looked surprised, then promptly rose and returned the salute. “...I’ve read this Eight-legged essay. Might you be Chen Xuanqing?”
He knew Ji Yun was taking the autumn provincial exams this year and had deliberately sought out contemporary essays from the Northern Metropolitan Region. He had greatly admired Chen Xuanqing’s Eight-legged essay, believing that though he ranked third, his talent was no less than the top two. He had assumed such scholarly excellence must belong to a middle-aged man who had passed the provincial exams.
To his astonishment, the person before him was an elegant youth—slender yet nearly as tall as himself, making him appear even more statuesque.
Chen Xuanqing nodded, and Liu Min reacted as if he’d found a treasure. “I’ve studied your Eight-legged essay and admired it immensely! I never thought I’d meet you here.” He rubbed his hands together excitedly. “When I saw the topic, I considered a different approach, but yours was far more ingenious! Haha... You must explain it to me in detail—there are still parts of your essay I don’t fully grasp!”
For a Scholar of the Two Boards to show such courtesy to a provincial graduate was truly extraordinary. Watching Liu Min enthusiastically engage Chen Xuanqing in discussion, Ji Yun quietly exhaled in relief. Had Chen Xuanqing not been present today, his brother-in-law would have skinned him alive.
By the time Ji Wu Shi arrived with Gu Jinzhao, Liu Min was still animatedly debating with Chen Xuanqing.
Even Chen Xuanqing, usually composed, was somewhat embarrassed by Liu Min’s fervor. Fortunately, the arrival of Ji Wu Shi gave him an excuse to cough and step aside. The group promptly saluted her.
Ji Wu Shi smiled and asked what they were discussing. Liu Min clasped his hands and replied, “...This young master of the Chen Family writes exceptional Eight-legged essays. I daresay he could sit for the spring metropolitan exams next year without issue!”
Ji Wu Shi responded, “Naturally. He is the son of Third Master Chen of the Wanping Chen Family. A tiger does not sire a dog.”
Liu Min was even more astonished. He had only learned Chen Xuanqing’s name from the contemporary essays and never imagined he was Third Master Chen’s son... No wonder he wore a fine cloth Straight Robe. While wealthy families typically favored Shu brocade or Hangzhou silk, they failed to realize this unassuming fine cloth was even more comfortable and valuable.
Gu Jinzhao glanced at Chen Xuanqing, who picked up a teacup from the stone table and sipped without so much as looking at her.
Jinchao smiled. The events of her past life had never occurred, and she bore no hatred toward Chen Xuanqing. If he wished to ignore her, so be it. Entanglements with the Chen Family were troublesome enough, especially with the emperor’s impending death in a month, which would plunge the officialdom into further turmoil.
Yet Chen Xuanqing seemed to sense Gu Jinzhao’s gaze. He stiffened slightly and tucked his left hand into his sleeve.Jinchao found it rather amusing—was he afraid she would devour him or something?
She still vividly remembered the first time she had met Chen Xuanqing.
Back then, Ji Yun had just gotten married. When she came to attend the wedding banquet, she wanted to personally congratulate him, so she quietly slipped away from the crowd and headed to her uncle’s study to find him. Unexpectedly, it wasn’t Ji Yun in the study but a completely unfamiliar young man.
Gu Jinzhao noticed his attire suggested wealth and status, guessing he must be a guest at the wedding. Yet she felt a pang of fear. Not only did she announce her identity, but she also scolded him as a libertine and demanded he leave immediately. Chen Xuanqing, however, didn’t budge. Sitting calmly in an armchair with a book in hand, he glanced at her indifferently and said, “If the young lady of the Gu family truly believes me to be a libertine, feel free to cry out for help.”
Jinchao still remembered how she had angrily bitten his left hand, drawing blood, yet he hadn’t made a sound. Instead, she had felt the faint warmth of his palm and caught the subtle fragrance of tea on him. Suddenly, her face flushed, and she released him, fleeing the study in haste.
That scar must still be there—no wonder he felt so uneasy now!
After Ji Wu Shi and Liu Min had chatted for a while, it was nearly noon. Since this was a welcoming feast for Liu Min, several tables of wine and dishes were naturally prepared. The women retreated to the East Side Room for the meal, but Jinchao, still in mourning, couldn’t join the banquet.
Ji Wu Shi had already arranged for some vegetarian dishes to be prepared for her. As everyone gradually arrived, Jinchao slipped away, intending to return to the Eastern Dwelling.
With Qingpu in tow, Jinchao left the flower hall and walked along the cobbled path. Suddenly, she recalled how, as a child, she used to play in the western courtyard, often following this path toward the bamboo grove. Beyond a small stretch of bamboo was a little lake filled with lotus plants, where she could lean from the pavilion to pluck lotus seed pods.
...By now, the seed pods were probably gone, and she wasn’t even sure if that little lake still existed.
Qingpu chimed in, “...I remember there was an osmanthus tree nearby. You often gathered the flowers here, saying you’d make osmanthus cake and osmanthus honey for me to try—though you never actually did.” She pointed ahead. “Behind those privet bushes...”
In no hurry to return to the Eastern Dwelling, Jinchao smiled and said, “Then let’s pick some osmanthus flowers and make osmanthus honey when we get back.”
The early autumn osmanthus had already begun to bloom.
Since the madam’s passing, the Eldest Miss had rarely had a moment of relaxation. Qingpu nodded with a smile. “I’ve been waiting for this for years!”
Making osmanthus honey wasn’t difficult. Half-opened flowers were picked, washed, dried, and layered in a glass jar with powdered sugar. Alternatively, honey could be used for an equally delightful result. A spoonful drizzled over tangyuan or pastries would lend a fragrant sweetness.
The two of them reached the osmanthus tree and spread out a silk handkerchief to gather the flowers. After nearly two hours, they had only managed a small handful. Jinchao sighed helplessly. “...Just enough for a taste.” Her neck was sore from looking up.
Qingpu remarked, “Your constitution isn’t the strongest—perhaps you’ve been overworking lately...” She accompanied her back to the Eastern Dwelling.
Meanwhile, Chen Xuanqing had been plied with drink by Liu Min until his refined features were flushed. He inwardly lamented—just as Ji Yun had warned, this man had an astonishing capacity for alcohol. Though Chen Xuanqing used a small celadon-glazed cup with crackled ice patterns, and Liu Min a tiny red glass vessel, he still couldn’t keep up.Master Ji couldn't help but intervene to help him out: "...I see Young Master Chen seems a bit overwhelmed by the wine. Perhaps a walk outside to sober up would do him good!" He instructed his attendant Gao Chang to accompany him. Chen Xuanqing clasped his hands in gratitude and followed the servant out of the banquet hall.
An Songhuai grew restless in his seat. Since the womenfolk weren't dining with them, he kept craning his neck trying to peek into the East Side Room, though he couldn't see anyone. His heart itched with impatience like a cat's scratch. Seeing Chen Xuanqing leave, he nudged Ji Yun: "Take me for a stroll too. If you stay here, your brother-in-law will surely drink you under the table!"
PS:
I got stuck writing yesterday's double update. Today's double update will make up for it.
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