Chapter 31 A Battle of Words: You've Never Called Me That Before
As the birthday banquet was about to begin, the Cinian Hall was filled with court ladies and young women from noble families. The old princess was seated in the main hall, smiling and talking with several ladies.
At first glance, the hall is filled with bright flowers and willows, white plum blossoms and red peach blossoms, and all kinds of women in their natural state.
Chen Liangyu followed Xie Wenjun into the Cinian Hall.
After paying her respects to the old princess, she planned to retreat to an inconspicuous place. She had already been in the spotlight at the dressing pavilion and the waterside pavilion, and she did not want to attract attention in front of the ladies.
Xie Wenjun held her hand tightly without letting go. She tried to pull away slightly but couldn't, so she gave up.
And so she led him to the old princess.
After asking a few trivial questions about her age, Chen Liangyu answered them one by one. The old princess held her other hand, looking at her with increasing delight and admiration, praising He Yunzhou for his excellent parenting skills. She then smiled and glanced at Xie Wenjun, saying, "The princess has excellent taste; she is truly outstanding."
That sounds... very strange!
It's like a princess choosing a husband and bringing it to her elders for their approval.
On another note, Princess Jiangning must have spoken highly of her.
Chen Liangyu was very grateful that she was no longer being accused of "acting tyrannically and going against the natural order" in such a situation, which would have made her mother and sister-in-law lose face.
The old princess disliked string and wind instruments, saying that the music of Puyang was not suitable for refined occasions.
In the past, birthday celebrations would only involve hiring a theatrical troupe, setting up a stage, and performing a series of intricate and complete stories. However, for his seventieth birthday, unexpectedly, no theatrical performances were hired; instead, a song and dance troupe was invited.
The reason why everyone was surprised was that this song and dance troupe did not come from the Imperial Music Bureau, but from Yifeng Pavilion.
Royal brothels, places of debauchery.
The difference between the two is not small.
The Imperial Music Bureau was established during the reign of Emperor Yingzong (1066-1168) as a court institution for the use of music and dance in the palace. The musicians who served there diligently practiced music and dance and performed at various celebrations, both large and small, in the palace and at the residences of princes and nobles. Although the musicians were of lowly status, they were still earning their living through their own abilities.
What kind of place is Yifeng Pavilion? It's a place of pleasure and debauchery, where people sleep among flowers and drink among willows, and lean against red and green.
It's outrageous that prostitutes frequent the royal palace to sing and sell songs for the old princess! If outsiders were to comment, wouldn't this be tarnishing their own family's reputation?
The old princess was renowned throughout her life. What was the meaning of this stunt in her old age? Was she trying to ruin her reputation and tarnish her honor in her later years?
As the music began, a giant red carp swam across the pond in the Prince's Palace, which connects the inner and outer courtyards. Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the red carp was actually a dancer in disguise, her graceful movements causing her to dance lightly in the water.
People who frequented brothels quickly responded, saying, "Underwater dance, carp spirit."
Qin Sensen, the top courtesan of Yifeng Pavilion, is skilled in underwater dancing and is also known as the Carp Spirit.
Chen Liangyu was also puzzled. It seemed inappropriate for courtesans to be seen at such an occasion as the Prince's birthday banquet.
Xie Wenjun, standing beside him, did not show any sign of confusion, remaining completely calm and composed.
After the dance, the audience erupted in applause.
However, while Qin Sensen was jumping out of the water to change her clothes in the guest room, the servants of the Prince's Mansion set up a table, laid out paper, and prepared ink.
Is this... a battle of wits? Or a battle of poetry?
"Everyone!"
Everyone looked toward the source of the sound.
"Today, I am honored by the presence of all these talented gentlemen and ladies, which brings great honor to my humble abode! In this elegant atmosphere, Mr. Qi Xiuqi of Hanhong Academy will set a topic, and each of you on either side of the table will compose a poem within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, to celebrate the Princess's longevity!"
There was indeed a man sitting on the field, but he wore a veil and did not want to show his true face.
A light gauze curtain separated the table, and two graceful women, their faces covered by the gauze, sat down on one side.
"Did you do this again?" Chen Liangyu asked.
Xie Wenjun raised an eyebrow. "What else do you know that I did?"
I hadn't seen her for several years, and she had not only grown much taller, but had also blossomed into a more beautiful young woman, with a captivating smile and a graceful demeanor.
But the way his eyes darted around made him seem more like a cunning deer.
"Carving shop".
There are many carving shops in Jinshu Lane, but not just those in Jinshu Lane.
Xie Wenjun was anything but idle during his three years at Taihuang Temple; a single game of chess stretched the game into three years into the future.
Ever since she noticed the unusual activity in Jinshu Lane, she had been keeping a close eye on it. In recent years, printing shops had sprung up everywhere, and during her conversation with Yan Nian, she learned that many new printing shops had also appeared in the sixteen cities of the three northern prefectures. These printing shops didn't sell books to the public much, nor did they connect with bookstores. Every day, people were busy stockpiling ink sticks and Xuan paper, printing books and classics for scholars, but this alone was not enough to make a living. The owners of these printing shops did not seem to be running them for survival.
The only explanation is that the owners behind these engraving shops must be incredibly powerful, either officials of the imperial court or even people in the palace.
"On Women" suddenly and quietly became popular throughout the country. By the time the court discovered that this once-banned book had reappeared, it was too late to ban it.
Two simple words conveyed everything that needed to be said to the other party.
Chen Liangyu was surprised that she and Xie Wenjun had developed such a tacit understanding. Even after hundreds of days and nights apart, they could understand each other without needing many words.
Of course, it's not just the kind words that are understood implicitly.
Are you going to say again that I'm scheming and untrustworthy?
Xie Wenjun stared at her intently with a serious expression, waiting for her next answer.
Chen Liangyu rubbed her nose with her fingers. "Bringing up old grievances isn't a good habit." Then she changed the subject. "How did you persuade the old princess to invite the music and dance from Yifeng Pavilion to your residence?"
Xie Wenjun gave a broad reply: "Move them with emotion and reason with them."
The group followed the old princess and the princess to another high pavilion, where the view was better and overlooked the arena. Yao Jifeng posed a challenge, and the two women, their faces veiled, quickly picked up their pens to answer. The answers were then copied by servants and presented to the old princess for her review.
Although the butler did not explicitly say that this was a battle of wits, judging from the atmosphere, it was clear that a winner had to be determined.
Besides high-ranking officials and noblewomen, the banquet was also attended by many rising stars of the court. The opportunity to compose poetry with these talented women was quite appealing to them; such a chance to showcase their literary skills before beautiful women and to gain recognition from the old princess and the wives of high-ranking officials was truly rare.
One by one, they were eager to fight, full of confidence, and soon someone stepped forward to accept the challenge.
The old princess and the princess sat at the very front, with Chen Liangyu, Madam He, and her sister-in-law on either side. Behind them were the wife of Prime Minister Xun and Xun Shuheng, and the other noblewomen sat in order of their status and rank.
Chen Liangyu moved back a little and sat down next to Xun Shuheng.
One of the women on the field had half-dry hair; she was Qin Sensen, who had just danced underwater.
"Who is this other one?" Chen Liangyu asked.
Xun Shuheng said, "She is Grand Tutor Gu's granddaughter, named Gu Xie."
Chen Liangyu immediately realized that this was the famous talented woman from Cangnan, Yao Jifeng's new wife.
He sincerely praised, "Your temperament is truly remarkable."
Then her gaze fell on Qin Sensen.
This courtesan and dancer from Yifeng Pavilion sat side by side with a refined lady raised by a scholar like Gu Xie, and her demeanor and literary talent were in no way inferior to his. She must have been a noble lady from a family with strict upbringing, just like Xun Shuheng.
Xie Wenjun glanced sideways and saw Xun Shuheng whispering something in Chen Liangyu's ear. The two occasionally exchanged glances.
The fingers hidden beneath the wide sleeves curled up almost imperceptibly.
The old princess passed the poems to Xie Wenjun, who was in a daze. The old princess called her name twice before she seemed to wake up from a dream.
After a cursory glance, I simply remarked, "Good words."
The old princess chuckled and said, "In your opinion, Princess, which one is better?"
Xie Wenjun skimmed through the poems again and selected two of the four poems that she considered to be the best.
The servants hurriedly retreated, and soon the steward announced the winner, eliciting a chorus of sighs from the audience.
The two who accepted the challenge slunk away.
Those who could attend the banquet at the East Mansion, even if their current rank was not high, were all top performers in the imperial examinations and had always been regarded as the pride of heaven. Losing to a woman was simply too embarrassing for them.
The defeat of the two gentlemen above clearly aroused the fighting spirit of this group of literary talents, who rushed to the stage to compete against each other.
Xie Wenjun was in low spirits and kept glancing sideways, pretending to look back unintentionally, which made the old princess notice something amiss.
"Princess, are you in a bad mood?" The old princess patted Xie Wenjun's hand, her tone very kind.
Xie Wenjun smiled and shook her head.
Chen Liangyu's thoughts also wandered, and she rested her chin on her hand, beginning to ponder Xie Wenjun.
She roughly knew it was related to women's calligraphy, but she couldn't figure out its approach. It was like playing a game of chess with a master, but she couldn't see where the opponent's pieces would be placed.
His thoughts immediately jumped to Zhang Jialing, thinking that if he were present today, he would dare to place a bet on the spot upon seeing this scene. The East Mansion had sent an invitation to the Right Prime Minister's Mansion, but the Zhang family only sent gifts; no one attended the banquet.
This is not Zhang Jialing's style; he has always been keen to meddle in other people's weddings and funerals.
When Chen Liangyu arrived, she muttered something casually outside the East Gate of the mansion, and someone explained it to her.
An unknown but gossipy fellow said, "He was clamoring to marry a merchant's daughter. The Right Chancellor scolded him for lowering his family's status, and he went on and on about how all men are created equal, saying that the Right Chancellor was some kind of carbon-based being, no different from a merchant, and insisted on marrying that merchant's daughter as his principal wife. Chancellor Zhang was so angry that he vomited blood. He's old now, and he's bedridden. I've been taking care of him these past few days."
Chen Liangyu knew which merchant girl Zhang Jialing was going to marry. Speaking of which, after he met Shen Yan, he really changed his personality and sent away all those other women. He seemed determined to be with Shen Yan for life.
The difficulty lies in the fact that he cannot get past the Right Chancellor.
Not only because merchants had a low social status, but also because merchants were quick-witted and eloquent, and relied on speculation and fraud for survival. They were always restless, which is why most officials in the court disliked this group.
People came and went like a revolving door, one group after another entering and leaving the stage looking disheveled. By the end, no one dared to step forward anymore, and all eyes were fixed on the seats occupied by the students of Hanhong Academy.
At the head of the seating area, Chen Luan sat four or five students dressed in the same moon-white robes.
When some people started to jeer, Chen Luan silenced them with a simple "I am not very talented or learned."
The students of Hanhong Academy had already experienced Gu Xie's talent back in the academy, and one by one they were completely subdued, so they dared not show off anymore. If they wanted to compete with her in verse, it would probably take Yao Jifeng himself or her brother Gu Heng to come in person.
They had hoped to show off their skills, but they all suffered defeats and lost face. Many of them were so embarrassed that they looked around, hoping to find a representative who could help them avenge their humiliation.
Finally, I found someone sitting in the corner.
One person said, "Yu'an, you haven't been on stage yet, have you?"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone seemed to grasp at a straw, ignoring the man named 'Yu An' who was waving his hand and retreating, and pushed him forward.
Upon hearing the name, Qin Sensen's back visibly stiffened, and then her hand holding the pen began to tremble slightly.
Sheng Yu'an, son of the Minister of War, was always upright and self-disciplined, never indulging in romantic escapades, and possessing an upright character. He was also a man of exceptional literary talent, and had been praised by Emperor Xuanyuan himself.
Sheng Yu'an was pushed forward, seemed to exhale, straightened his posture, his steps were stiff, and he walked around Qin Sensen who was closer to him, and sat down opposite Gu Xie through the gauze curtain.
Just as Yao Jifeng was about to pose a question, a gust of wind suddenly swept by, lifting the curtain of Yao Jifeng's hat.
"this……"
"He is..."
...
The crowd looked at each other in silence, some even turning their backs to look at the sky and the ground, but not at the stage, pretending not to see that face.
As officials in the same court, none could guarantee their heads would remain on the line forever. Therefore, they all hoped that if their own fate were to be sealed, they too would escape unscathed, and their former colleagues would spare their lives. Besides, his brazen appearance at the East Palace's birthday banquet meant the old princess must know something. Since the Prince's residence remained silent, they figured it was better to avoid trouble.
Thankfully, the stern-faced Zhao Xingli of the Censorate was not there.
The old princess rose with a smile and, supported by others, went to the front courtyard. Everyone bowed and paid their respects, thus concealing the matter. After the ceremony, the old princess asked someone to bring paper and brush, and with a flourish, she wrote two calligraphy pieces, "Ode to Snow" and "Elegant Gathering," which she then presented to Qin Sensen and Gu Xie.
The phrases "talent for writing about snow" and "talent for standing out from the crowd" both serve to praise a person's outstanding abilities.
During the banquet, Xie Wenjun appeared beside Chen Liangyu without her noticing and pulled her away.
The back garden of Dongfu has a rockery made of natural sculpted stones, but now that the flowers are not in full bloom, the flowerbeds have little color.
"The academy can be prepared now. As soon as possible," Xie Wenjun said.
"Now? Right now doesn't seem like a good time," Chen Liangyu said.
“If you keep waiting for the best opportunity, you will miss a lot.” Xie Wenjun walked beside her, confident.
Chen Liangyu raised her hand to brush away the stray hairs from her hair, the movement so casual it seemed perfectly natural.
Xie Wenjun was taken aback, then asked, "You and Xun Shuheng have a very good relationship?"
“Not bad. Ah Heng and Prime Minister Xun are nothing alike. Prime Minister Xun, tsk! A blockhead!” Fearing misunderstanding, Chen Liangyu added, “I’m referring to the temperaments of the father and daughter.”
"Aheng?" Xie Wenjun asked.
“Yes, Aheng.” Chen Liangyu said with some confusion, “Doesn’t the princess know Aheng’s name?”
Xie Wenjun lowered her eyes and said, "You've never called me that before."
"To call the princess by her given name is a great disrespect."
"That's enough. Rotten wood."
Xie Wenjun steered the conversation back on track, “You need to know that the Emperor and my brother will not approve of the academy, so we need to find a way to raise funds ourselves. Although I have some savings, it is far from enough to build an academy.”
“I have it,” Chen Liangyu said.
"You?" Xie Wenjun cast a suspicious glance at her.
Chen Liangyu: "You don't believe me?"
Xie Wenjun: "Do you want to hear the truth?"
Chen Liangyu: "Go ahead."
Xie Wenjun: "I've already said that."
Author's note: Thank you for reading this far!
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