Anecdotes
Shangqing San originated from the Western Regions. After being introduced to the Central Plains, it passed through various dynasties, disappearing for a time. Now, it has reappeared in Dayu, but it has evolved into a strange fragrance that can induce hallucinations in the smeller as soon as it enters the nose. Once affected, the smeller will only have delusions and become confused, making them completely at the mercy of the fragrance user. It is now mostly used by women in the dark alleys of Liu Street to solicit customers.
Previously, while secretly searching for Yao Niang's whereabouts, Zhi Yuan, with her clever mind, obtained this item from a street vendor in an alley. At the time, she examined the small red bead in her hand, thinking that it might be useful for a rainy day, but she never expected it to come in handy so soon.
The peddler once said that this medicine would cause anyone who took it to be extremely aroused and overwhelmed by emotions, regardless of whether they had any feelings in their heart. He warned that one should be very careful when using it.
The clothes Yao Suran handed over contained a considerable amount of aphrodisiacs, intended to impair her senses while she changed, making it easier for her brother Yao Sha to take advantage of her. Because Yao Suran was so greedy, she used an extremely large dose of aphrodisiacs; as Yao Sha approached, she sprinkled a handful of powdered Shangqing powder on him. The combined effect caused Yao Sha to become even more deeply immersed in his hallucinations, unable to extricate himself.
After she scattered that handful of Shangqing powder, she kept whispering Su Ran's name in Yao Sha's ear.
Like a ghostly whisper.
Even a prominent family like the Yao family, though allowing their children to act recklessly and abuse their power, still values the family's reputation and honor above all else. With the court in turmoil and the power struggle between Prime Minister Zhao and the Duke's mansion reaching a fever pitch, the Yao siblings' scandal at this critical juncture—during the Lin family's celebratory banquet—will undoubtedly incur the wrath of their elders upon their return. The Yao family will certainly do everything in their power to suppress this matter.
All she needed was to pour some boiling oil on top of the blazing inferno, to make the raging fire burn even brighter.
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Within a few days, the news of the coming-of-age ceremony for the noblewoman of the Lin family spread like wildfire throughout the streets and alleys of Mujing City.
It is said that Lin Youcheng's only daughter is exceptionally beautiful. As soon as she appeared, she amazed all the guests. Even the future crown prince and the princess personally came to congratulate her. It can be seen that Lin Fu usually hides his talents, but in fact he has been currying favor with the powerful and wealthy, hoping to marry his only daughter into the Eastern Palace as soon as possible.
One account says that the young master of Jinxiufang, the second master, was originally in love with the eldest daughter of the Duke's mansion, but on the day of Lin Guinu's birthday, he was bewitched by her charm and even willing to offend the Duke's mansion and cancel the marriage for her.
But the most astonishing rumor among them was the Duke's grandson's illicit thoughts. Yao Sha had been a tyrant in Mujing for years, indulging in many vices, but none were as shocking as this affair of lusting after his own sister. Even though the Duke's mansion tried desperately to suppress the matter, the people's gossip never subsided just because those in charge tried to suppress it. Instead, it intensified, even affecting the Yao family's reputation.
Even more tragically, Zhang Zixu, the daughter of Marquis Wencheng, who had always been devoted to Yao Sha, was devastated upon hearing this terrible news. She not only wept bitterly in her boudoir, but also cried and threatened to hang herself.
As rumors intensified, Lin Xu sipped tea and savored sweets in his warm chamber, displaying a detached and indifferent attitude. Sure enough, within a few hours, a servant announced that the Duke's steward had arrived with several large boxes of lavish gifts.
Unfortunately, Lin Fu was invited by his old friend, the governor of Shannan, to visit a neighboring town to assess the disaster situation that day. His wife, Gao, was also suffering from a headache and bedridden. Only his pregnant concubine, Qi, was available to greet and entertain him. The steward inquired after Qi's well-being, but when he returned to report, he was completely bewildered. He said that although Qi was gentle and kind, and accepted all the gifts, she was clueless and confused, unlike the capable person in the household.
As a result, the scandal involving the Duke's mansion only escalated, and several satirical poems mocking Yao Sha's actions even appeared among the common people, which were sung by children every day. Yao Sha became a model of infamy, hated by everyone in the streets, and his arrogant demeanor was never seen again in Mujing City.
Halfway through the month, the palace was also caught up in the turmoil caused by this matter.
First, the fifth princess, born to Consort Yao Ziying, celebrated her one-month birthday. The fifth princess, who had been raised by her birth mother since birth, was taken to the Empress's side by Emperor Su because Emperor Su casually remarked that "the Empress is very knowledgeable in literature and etiquette and should be taught." As a result, the matter of Emperor Su's oral decree to confer the title of Consort on Yao was put on hold.
Meanwhile, the court outside the inner palace was also in turmoil.
Prime Minister Zhao and Duke Yu were sworn enemies, their factions locked in endless political disputes, each holding a sway over the others. However, the conflict at the horse market along the southern border, and the subsequent reinstatement of the two previously dismissed border protectors, brought about a change in power. Those who had previously joined Duke Yu in proposing the removal of the two protectors quickly switched sides, submitting memorials praising the two protectors for their meritorious service in guarding the border. Within days, Duke Yu's supporters had largely dissipated, Prince Mao's troops received numerous rewards for their military achievements, and Prime Minister Zhao's faction retained control of the vast territory of Da Yu.
The days when the Yao family ran rampant in Mujing were gone overnight.
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Rain and clouds rolled, summer ended and autumn came. After half a month, it was time for Lin Xu to fully recover and return to Zhiqiong Hall to continue his studies.
She hadn't been to the palace for a long time, so she got up very early again. The sky was not yet fully bright, and in the darkness, she could only see a few stars still shining.
A rustling sound came from the courtyard; it was the sound of a sudden rainstorm during the night. All the pomegranate leaves on the trees had fallen. Zhu Ling stepped on the fallen leaves and brought over a small pot of mountain-stewed mutton soup that had been simmering for half the night. The steaming soup was carefully simmered with spring water until the bones were tender and the broth was milky white. One sip and one felt warm all over, very comfortable.
Zhu Ling gently wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead caused by the heat, and then carefully packed and tidied up her personal belongings, such as the rosewood food box. The two of them then boarded the sedan chair and headed towards the palace.
Since Qingwu's accident, this was Zhuling's first time accompanying Lin Xu into the palace. She was on tenterhooks, but her mistress looked calm and composed, showing no signs of nervousness and even a gentle smile on her lips.
Everyone was naturally filled with joy and curiosity, having not seen Lin Xu for so long. In just over a month, the students within Zhiqiong Hall had also undergone significant changes.
The Third Prince now has a dedicated tutor and attends court classes, no longer attending the Imperial Clan Academy daily. His study companion, Zhao Fujie, is also nowhere to be seen. The Yao sisters have both taken sick leave for well-known reasons and are no longer present. Dou Zhen, now a study companion to the Princess Kunrou and a favorite of the Princess, sits gracefully beside Liao Yan in a simple, elegant, light yellow floor-length dress, resembling a daffodil, exuding an indescribable gentle tranquility.
That was the position she had longed for day and night, but now it had been so easily taken away by Dou Zhen.
Looking at that serene profile, Lin Xu recalled the gentle smile she gave him when she handed him a handkerchief in his past life when he was disliked by everyone. Yet, he felt no jealousy or resentment.
It was because what she had been planning for a long time was about to be obtained.
She found a corner and neatly arranged her writing implements, then looked around but couldn't find another familiar figure.
In the past, Song Jiaoling would arrive very early every day and never missed a day.
She was filled with questions until Dr. Fu Sheng strode in, disrupting her wandering thoughts. Having not seen him for a long time, the doctor remained as serious as ever. He put down the heavy basket of books he was carrying and looked around. A strange glint flashed in his eyes when he saw her, but he quickly regained his usual stern expression.
She looked out the window amidst the sound of students reading aloud. When she first came here, everything was still in the early spring, with grass growing and birds flying. Now, the clear waters of Chengxin Lake next to the school were startled by autumn, and the empty corridors were filled with fallen leaves and a cold wind. It was a time when things had changed and everything had come to a new beginning.
The class assigned a seven-character quatrain about autumn, which she finished in a few strokes and waited to line up to hand in her pen and ink. When Fu Sheng saw Dou Zhen's answer sheet, his eyes lit up, and he immediately showed a rare smile and praised her loudly: "As expected of the renowned talented woman in the capital, such a quatrain is indeed a masterpiece."
Dou Zhen blushed slightly upon hearing this, but there was no trace of shyness or timidity in her eyes. Instead, she bowed gracefully and said, "This student thanks you for your praise, Doctor." It was the confidence and composure that came from being praised since childhood.
When it was her turn, Lin Xu presented the paper with both hands and turned to leave, but then she heard Fu Sheng's voice behind her. "You used magpies to depict autumn?"
The students' answers ranged from those praising the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms to those expressing their feelings about climbing mountains to depict the clear skies of autumn. Others wrote about picking cool flowers, composing poems about morning dew, and nighttime frost and snow. All of them were beautiful and exquisite verses. However, she was the only one who mainly described the cuteness and liveliness of crows and magpies.
The student who was called back turned around gently. His eyes and brows softened under the warm morning sunlight. Compared to his previous half-closed expression and the ambition hidden in his eyes and brows in the classroom, he now seemed to have lost all his fierceness and was completely gentle and pleasant.
"Students believe that magpies, nestled together, can appreciate the changing scenery of early autumn sunshine and late autumn desolation, which is also a leisurely and interesting experience."
Fu Shengfu glanced down at Lin Xu's answer sheet, and the image of his own answer sheet after the cheating incident at school a few months ago immediately came to mind.
After the chaos that day, he managed to find a moment of respite and remembered the answer sheet in his hand that he hadn't even written his name on. But a quick glance at it left him stunned.
Such sharp and incisive writing, revealing the student's considerable effort, is one aspect; a closer look reveals that all eight questions on classical texts were answered correctly, demonstrating a solid foundation; but most importantly, the two essay questions at the end—
However, the breadth of mind and courage of the person answering the question can be seen in just a few words.
The debate on the Four Auspicious Symbols of a Gentleman has been ongoing among scholars and Confucianists of various schools since its inception. Many renowned scholars have offered profound and insightful views, and even in academies, there have been brilliant answers from figures like Song Jiaoling. However, Song Jiaoling is the only one who has articulated his ideas based on the concept of the common origin of all things and the unity of heaven and humanity.
His choice of words and sentence structure is not only quite fluent, but there is even a sense of transcendence over life and death between the lines.
Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom originate from human nature, yet rely on the sentiment of the growth of all things and coexisting with all things in the world. Although the students in the school are all young, they can glimpse a sense of the impermanence of life in this answer sheet.
After the incident that day, although he, as a professor, knew the whole story and was just waiting to investigate it thoroughly and make it public to give the students of the school an explanation, he suddenly felt a pang of pity when he looked at the exam paper in his hand repeatedly.
Great achievements are often imperfect, blending seamlessly with the world.
With such an open mind and the ability to be learned and diligent, if she were a man, she would surely achieve great things. But she is a woman who gets caught up in a whirlwind every time she appears.
He has taught countless students and can clearly see the road ahead. This student has a long way to go, but if he wants to go far, the most important thing to do now is to keep his heart hidden and wait for the right time to act.
However, judging from his expression today, his brows and eyes were calm and composed, as if he were in complete control and self-consistency.
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