Chapter 54 I Don't Like It So Sweet

"Unsatisfactory, start again, bend down a little."

"Watch your eyes, Miss Song! Don't roll your eyes!"

"The hairpin is too shaky. Slow down your pace. You're going to a palace banquet, not to fight."

...

With only two days until the palace banquet, Qi Ye generously dispatched six female officials. Including Song Jin, Niu Tielan, Xiao Mei, and Xiao Er, there were only four of them – that's two left even with one-on-one service!

The Emperor really values ​​them too much.

Bullshit!

That old man definitely has a grudge against Song Shang. He must be envious that he nominally has such a clever daughter like her, and wants to ensure he has no descendants, which is why he's tormenting her like this.

That old geezer, he's really wicked.

All these royals have gone to study face-changing, haven't they?

On a sweltering day, Song Jin, dressed in heavy clothes, adorned with a cascading headdress, and wearing high-heeled wooden clogs, paced back and forth in the room with a lifeless expression under the watchful eyes of five female officials.

Not only were the clothes heavy, but there was also a long skirt, and the wooden clogs wobbled around, jingling on their heads...

Song Jin tried her best to walk steadily, but she still kept stepping on clothes that were inexplicably so long. Who would wear such clothes that drag on the ground? And on her head, there was such a heavy thing. Did they think women's necks were too strong and that they had to cause shoulder pain?

She walked away very irritably, while several female officials were still pointing and whispering among themselves.

Song Jin endured it all, but finally, she couldn't take it anymore. With a tearing sound, she ripped off her heavy long coat, kicked off her worn-out shoes, and stormed off in a rage.

"You five, don't go too far. I'm going to the palace tomorrow for a meal, not to walk the runway. Do you think I'm some kind of monkey?"

The five female officials remained expressionless, simply watching Song Jin silently. Their faces were devoid of emotion, but their eyes held a condescending pity and oppression: "Please continue, Miss Song. We were sent by His Majesty to help you correct your etiquette. You don't want to offend other nobles in the palace tomorrow, do you?"

The five people maintained their serious demeanor, meticulous like puppets, silently observing and looking at the girl as if she were worthless. Few could withstand such pressure, especially a young girl.

In the past, they were often invited by prominent families to tutor their children. No matter how unruly and unruly those young ladies were, they had to suppress their tempers and obey them. They had to learn at least seven-tenths of the rules, if not ten-tenths—this applies to all etiquette.

Because of time constraints, Song Jin and her companions only chose three items: walking posture, bowing, and eating.

For these three items, their requirements for Song Jin weren't high; a passing grade of six in each would be fine. However, they didn't expect to get stuck on the first item, the walking posture, and couldn't move on to the next one.

Frankly speaking, based on Song Jin's performance, adding or subtracting two points would already be a high score.

Five or six points is the dividing line. Earning one point higher is difficult, while earning one point lower is possible with diligent learning. Even if you don't have them teaching you, a regular governess would suffice.

For example, the other four people in the room had a much smoother learning experience than Song Jin.

Xiao Er has been learning etiquette from Chun Yuan and the others these past few days. Although she looks quite proper, she's still a bit small and has a lively personality with a lot of fidgeting. After careful consideration, she barely gets a five out of ten. She should have no problem passing tomorrow.

Xiao Mei, with her fair complexion, gentle demeanor, slender and tall figure, and intelligent and composed nature, undoubtedly deserves a score of six after some practice.

In terms of etiquette and manners, being tall and good-looking certainly has many advantages.

The two young maids weren't particularly outstanding in the capital, but for girls from the countryside, they had done quite well, showing some talent and hard work. The ladies-in-waiting were satisfied with them and would train them well; they would become reliable head maids in the future.

But what surprised them the most was Niu Tielan over there.

She appeared delicate and frail, as if the heavy clothes draped over her shoulders would crush her, yet she remained steady and unmoved throughout, her movements measured and graceful. Every movement, from head to toe, was perfectly upright, and she quickly corrected any minor shifts in her posture.

Putting everything else aside, just for her walking posture alone, they would give her an eight out of ten.

The two points were deducted because she was too thin and couldn't quite fill out the clothes. In the prosperous and wealthy Great Yan Dynasty, people still preferred women with a dignified and beautiful appearance—like Song Jin. If she were a little more composed...

The ladies-in-waiting looked at Niu Tielan, who had completed another full circle, and asked, "Has Madam studied this before? It looks somewhat like the slow, graceful walk popular in the previous dynasty."

The previous emperor was a licentious and decadent ruler who favored women of effeminate beauty. At that time, treacherous officials held power, and beautiful women were collected from the common people and presented to them, causing widespread suffering. Even officials dared not release their wives and daughters who possessed even a modicum of beauty.

Niu Tielan's eyelashes trembled slightly as she performed a proper bow and replied, "My lord, I am thirty-four years old this year."

The Dayan Dynasty had only been established for twenty years, and she had spent the first fourteen years of her life growing up in the previous dynasty, so it was not surprising that she knew the etiquette of the previous dynasty.

The female official nodded: "Madam Niu is very well-preserved; she looks no more than twenty years old."

Niu Tielan smiled faintly: "You can't have a child that big in your twenties."

The female official, observing her demeanor throughout the journey, smiled with satisfaction: "Madam Niu, please rest to the side."

As soon as she finished speaking, Song Jin cheered excitedly from the side, clapping her hands and shouting, "Wow, Mommy is so great! My mommy is the best mommy in the whole world. She learns everything so quickly and well..."

Niu Tielan stopped halfway through the ceremony, looked up, and saw that the female officials all looked more or less devastated. Then she looked at her own daughter, who hadn't just plopped down on the ground, but lay down, clapping and yelling while picking at her toes.

She sighed silently and stood up: "Gentlemen, you must be tired after a long afternoon. Why don't you go and have some tea and rest for a quarter of an hour?"

The ladies-in-waiting were truly exhausted; in all their years, none had been more difficult than this. They exchanged glances and nodded, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Madam."

Niu Tielan then asked Xiaomei and Xiao'er to take the others to another side to make tea and rest. After they all left, only the mother and daughter remained. Wearing her elaborate clothes, she walked up to Song Jin and squatted down.

Song Jin squatted on the ground, playing with the pearl hairpin hanging in her hair, tilting her head: "Mother, are you hot? Why don't you take off your clothes first?"

Niu Tielan shook her head, her voice soft: "It's nothing, but you, are you really that hot? That difficult?"

Song Jin grabbed the thick clothes she had just taken off, tearing them into strips in no time. She pouted, "They're so annoying. What's the point of them acting like mannequins? Mom, look at their eyes! It's so irritating! Why should they be the ones to do whatever they want? I'm not listening."

Niu Tielan sighed, reached out and brushed Song Jin's hair, which was wet with sweat. She thought her daughter was full of energy, like a little furnace, warm in winter and hot in summer.

She said, "What right do you have to do this? They're just teachers of etiquette and music. Everyone calls them 'Sir,' but there are so many noble ladies and wives in the capital. If they weren't serious, how could they keep people in check? Do you think they really wanted to come here to suffer like this? It's only because the Emperor gave the order. And you, you're always throwing tantrums."

Song Jin muttered, "I don't want to learn that either. What's the point of learning it? It's all troublesome, just for show."

Niu Tielan took out a handkerchief and wiped her sweat, looking at her like she was a child. She went along with her, saying, "Yes, it's all about appearances. What's the use of learning these things? Isn't it just for show? Like back in the countryside, those people wouldn't take a bath for months, they'd smack their lips while eating, pick their toes and mouths, and brush their noses and phlegm as they pleased. That's what you call returning to simplicity, right?"

Song Jin pouted, "...Mother, you're mocking me. It's different. There's a difference between basic etiquette and this kind of superficial behavior."

Niu Tielan: "When we were in town, what others saw as superficiality was just what you call politeness. In the capital, what you consider superficiality is just basic etiquette. If you really don't want to learn it and find it annoying, then we won't. We'll just pack our things and go home."

Song Jin fell silent for a while, then muttered, "That won't do, your illness isn't cured yet."

Niu Tielan: "Alright, then we'll hold out for a bit, and leave when we're ready. Anyway, this Song residence has nothing to do with us, so we can leave whenever we want, it doesn't matter."

Song Qing remained silent.

Although she initially came with the intention of leaving with her mother after her medical treatment and wandering the world, the Song family and their brothers' actions during their stay have been remarkable. They have provided both financial and practical assistance, and the Song family has also played a crucial role in helping Elder Chong.

With Song Shang's fate unknown, they couldn't afford to be too ungrateful.

Not to mention the Emperor has spoken; the current situation is not something they can decide on their own.

Thinking about all this messy stuff, Song Jin let out a wail and collapsed onto Niu Tielan's floor-length skirt, hugging her waist and groaning, "But it's so annoying! What's the point of learning all this, Mother? We don't care about these things."

Niu Tielan found it amusing, reaching out to pat her daughter's head and gently comforting her, "It's alright, we'll just learn a little bit. We don't need to learn it perfectly, or master it, but we need to know what's good and what's bad. We've come from the countryside; countless people outside are waiting to see us fail."

Song Jing: "That won't do. I'll just be left watching others make a fool of themselves."

Niu Tielan: "Then get up. It's only two days. Let's hang in there."

Song Jin lowered her head again, unwillingly.

Niu Tielan didn't say anything more. She smiled, stood up, reached out, and gently pulled Song Jin up. Holding her hand, she led her along the road, light and slow.

"Don't take too small steps. You're tall, so just walk at your normal pace, slow down, bring your hands a little closer, and lower your gaze..."

Although she didn't do much throughout the afternoon, Song Jin was exhausted.

When the day's training finally ended, Song Jin ripped off her thick clothes, removed the hairpins from her head, and hopped around barefoot a few times to loosen her muscles. She then did a series of somersaults in the yard.

He can even do several forward and backward flips in a row at once.

From a distance, it looks like a spinning top; if it hits someone, it'll knock them half to death.

The three Song brothers stood at the doorway, watching inside without moving.

Song Qingzhi sighed deeply, "My little sister seems to have a bit too much of a temper."

Song Anzhi coughed, clutching his chest, "I think I've caught a cold. Madam isn't well; I don't want to infect her."

Song Shunzhi's gaze deepened: "Then we..."

The three brothers looked at each other, then turned and left in unison. They figured they could deal with it tomorrow; there was no rush. They weren't in a hurry at all.

...

However, if there's anything good about the Song residence, it's definitely the bathing facilities.

The bathhouse was large and deep, and spotlessly clean. Buckets of hot water were poured in, and you could even splash around inside.

The mother and daughter can soak together and even scrub each other's backs.

After they finished washing, a maidservant would come to help them dry their hair, apply hair care products, and massage their muscles and bones.

Little Eyebrows and Little Ears watched from the side, secretly making up their minds.

Learn, you must learn

By the time they finished cleaning up and came out, dinner was already laid out.

The large table was laden with food, but among all the dishes, a row of mooncakes they had made themselves stood out conspicuously.

It's really luxurious.

The three Song brothers sat on one side

Song Jin and Niu Tielan sat down opposite her. She wondered, "Where are the five female officials? Aren't they eating with us?"

Song Qingzhi: "They ate on the other side, and the dishes were all the same. It's more comfortable for them to eat separately."

Large families have many rules.

However, Song Jin was just asking casually; she felt more at ease since the five female officials weren't together.

After a long day, she was starving. She sat down, picked up two mooncakes, gave one to her mother, and then popped the other into her mouth.

The sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms fills your mouth, accompanied by a subtle honey aroma; the sweetness and subtlety are just right.

Song Jin devoured the palm-sized mooncake in two bites, then picked up another and stuffed it into her mouth, mumbling, "This is the best mooncake I've ever eaten."

Song Qingzhi and the others found it amusing, so they took a bite of the mooncake.

The taste is indeed good.

However, having eaten so many good things since childhood, they didn't find it as exaggerated as it seemed. Nevertheless, seeing Song Jin's delighted expression as she ate, they finished the mooncakes completely, and even the food that would usually be mostly left over was reduced to just the bottom of the bowl.

In the end, the three brothers left, rubbing their stomachs.

They thought they should try to dine together every two days from now on; otherwise, their faces would get noticeably rounder in less than a month.

No, very bad

After Song Jin and the others finished eating, they left the dining hall and returned to Chunhui Garden.

Song Jin rubbed her stomach and strolled slowly around the courtyard to aid digestion. Watching the sky gradually darken, she yawned widely and returned to her mother's side: "Mother, I'm so sleepy. I'm going back to rest now. Please drink slowly."

Niu Tielan sipped her hawthorn tea to aid digestion, glancing at her dawdling movements and the food box in her hand, and said in a light voice, "Are you sure you can finish all these mooncakes?"

Song Jin cleared her throat: "Eat, how can you not finish? We'll eat when we wake up tonight. I have a big appetite, Mother, don't you know that?"

Niu Tielan remained noncommittal, simply stating, "There's a curfew in the capital."

Song Jin blinked innocently, "The curfew doesn't prohibit late-night snacks, does it?"

Niu Tielan: "...Get lost!"

Song Jin chuckled, picked up the food box, ran back to her room, lay down on the bed, and soon fell fast asleep.

She wasn't lying; she really was sleepy.

However

"Thump—thump thump thump, the lights are on at midnight, all is well."

As the third watchman's drum sounded outside, Song Jin, lying in bed, slowly opened her eyes. She yawned widely, and through the window, she could feel the bright moonlight shining through.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, the moon will be large and round these next few days, with bright and clear light, making it the perfect time for outings.

She leisurely got up, stretched lazily, twisted her body, picked up the food box beside her, opened the window, and jumped out.

Without needing to watch where she was going, Song Jin leaped onto the wall, bounded across the green tiles, and left the Song family's residence. She then sped northwards, disappearing without a sound, like a night owl.

Surrounded by patrolling soldiers, she seemed to possess a scanner, knowing their exact locations and subtly dodging them, thus making her way to the Prince Qi's residence, several miles away.

There were even more people patrolling inside and outside the Prince's mansion, both active and quiet, covering several layers.

It was a bright moonlit night, and no shadowy figure could hide, making it an unsuitable time for mischief. But that didn't matter; she wasn't a bad person.

Song Jin whistled silently, raised her eyebrows, and lightly vaulted over the tall mansion wall, dodging the patrolling soldiers, and finally arrived at the courtyard where Qi Zheng was.

Without finding out where the person lived beforehand, she just followed the patrols around the area, figuring out where the most people were on guard would be where the person lived.

Especially the room with several guards standing in front of the door, it must be...

However, going straight in wouldn't work. She circled around, chuckled, pushed open the window at the back of the room, and slipped inside as if she had eyes in the sky. She then pressed down on the bronze bell that was stuck there, preventing it from falling and making a sound.

Song Jin whistled silently again, raised an eyebrow, and swaggered to the table with the food box in hand. She placed the wooden box on the table, then took out a piece of charcoal from her pocket, looked around, and her gaze fell on the flat surface. She was about to pick it up...

"A table made of century-old huanghuali wood, 1200 taels."

Qi Zheng's cool voice came from behind.

Song Jin, biting her charcoal pencil, calmly turned around, her tone matter-of-fact: "It's not like it can't be erased."

Qi Zheng asked expressionlessly, "Aren't floor tiles acceptable?"

Song Jin thought about it and agreed. In front of the host, she squatted down and boldly wrote on it with a charcoal pencil.

'Huang Huang was here'

Qi Zheng: ...

Does Huang Huang know it's been unfairly blamed?

Qi Zheng was speechless: "You came all this way in the middle of the night just for this?"

Song Jin shrugged: "How could that be? I'm here to collect a debt. You still owe me two roast chickens."

Qi Zheng sighed: "I'll bring it to you on the day of the martial arts competition."

Song Jin nodded, then smiled at him and emphasized, "Your father threw six governesses into my household, six."

"..."

Qi Zheng had naturally heard the rumors, but could she really blame his father for what happened? It's as if he had any say in his father's affairs.

Qi Zheng asked quietly, "Shall I introduce you to the eight officials in my household?"

Ritual, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics

Having spent his childhood wandering the martial world, he had to learn everything from scratch, except for archery and horsemanship. Unlike Song Jin, who had the entire court watching over him and his emperor father constantly checking on his progress, he couldn't slack off.

Song Jincai had only spent one afternoon, but he had already been gone for half a year.

During these six months, apart from the Grand Tutor who came periodically, everyone else took turns attending classes and doing homework every day.

Qi Zheng, watching Song Jin's strength wane, continued expressionlessly, "There's also a small exam every ten days, a major exam every month, and a unified exam every six months."

Song Jin stood up and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Your Highness, Prince Qi, you've worked hard. Please get some rest. We'll meet again another day."

She took two steps to the window, and like a fish in water, she lightly leaped out. Then she poked her head back in and whispered, "Oh, right, those are mooncakes that my mother and I made ourselves, wrapped with osmanthus blossoms worth a thousand taels of silver. Remember to eat them."

Compared to this person, she was truly insignificant.

She admitted that she had been somewhat arrogant before.

The suffering and resentment in the capital are incomparable, utterly incomparable.

Qi Zheng pinpointed the words "worth a thousand taels," paused, and subconsciously glanced at the exquisite food box before slowly saying, "A box made of sandalwood, worth at least a hundred taels."

One of his courses involved extracting valuable substances from excrement and estimating their value; this was his favorite subject and the one he excelled at.

Song Jin exclaimed, "Then I have to take the box with me!"

After saying that, seeing Qi Zheng's blank expression, she smiled slightly, a sly look on her face: "Just kidding, the Song family has plenty of these, one more won't make a difference. I'm leaving, you should go to sleep early, don't stay up late."

Qi Zheng: ...

Does he stay up all night instead of sleeping? This person clearly woke him up.

Don't say she moved so quietly; most people wouldn't hear her. He's been in the martial world for so many years; if he didn't have this much vigilance, he'd be dead long ago.

But looking at Song Jin's sly expression and the expensive food box of mooncakes, he couldn't muster any anger. Seeing her turn to slip away, he said, "General Song should be back two days after the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet."

Song Jin stopped and peeked in, tilting her head back: "Who's that?"

Qi Zheng: "The Third Young Master Song, Song Shenzhi, and Vice Minister Song, Song Xingzhi, should also be returning with him."

Song Jin suddenly realized: "Why did that flirtatious butterfly come back?"

Qi Zheng was a little tired: "Let's hurry up and leave. Be careful of the patrolling guards on the way. What if we get caught?"

As he spoke, he looked at Song Jin's swaggering manner and couldn't shake his unease. He paused, walked to the side, took out a black token, tossed it to Song Jin, and added, "Use this; it should give you some face."

Song Jin took the token, looked at the character "Qi" on it, and put it away with a smile: "Your Highness Prince Qi is very generous. I'll be going now, and I'll come to visit you again next time."

As soon as she finished speaking, she vanished without a trace, displaying remarkable agility.

Qi Zheng stood there, looking at the open window, and sighed silently.

He knew this day would come sooner or later.

Qi Zheng went over and closed the window, then couldn't help but shake his head. He turned back, looked at the exquisite sandalwood food box, hesitated for a moment, and then went over to open the lid.

The mooncakes inside were arranged haphazardly, making it obvious who made them.

Qi Zheng reached out, picked up a piece, and put it in his mouth.

The fragrance of osmanthus blossoms and the soft, chewy crust combine to create a unique and delightful aroma.

Very delicious

It's just too sweet.

Qi Zheng looked at the messy pile of mooncakes, suppressed his pounding heart, and a sly and radiant smile flashed before his eyes.

He thought he probably wouldn't like it so sweet.

That's right.