Chapter 6 The Lone Phoenix's Curse (Part Six): Breaking the Stalemate.
Ye Mu patiently waited at home for several days, and finally Ye Xingjian's first and fifteenth day leave arrived.
The Imperial College had strict regulations. All students were required to live in the dormitory, and even the sons of noble families were not exempt. Except for special holidays, they could only go home for rest on the first, fifteenth, and twenty-fifth of each month, which was commonly known as the "new moon and full moon holidays".
As soon as Ye Xingjian stepped into the mansion, with a few snowflakes still clinging to his shoulders, a little figure wrapped in soft, pale yellow satin rushed straight into his arms.
"Big brother!" Ye Mu looked up with her rosy cheeks beaming, "You're finally back!"
"Little Fourth Sister, did you come here specifically to wait for me in this windy spot?" Ye Xingjian chuckled as he bent down and scooped her up, teasingly asking, "Did you crave some candy outside?"
"No, that's not true!" Ye Mu shook her head like a rattle drum, her slender arms tightly wrapped around his neck. "There's a really beautiful picture book of the Classic of Mountains and Seas in Daddy's study. It has such majestic mythical beasts drawn on it, right on the highest shelf. But Daddy went out today, and even if Fourth Aunt jumped up and down, she couldn't reach it. Even if A-Jing stood on tiptoe, she still couldn't reach it. It's so worrying! I'm just waiting for Big Brother to come back and help me find those mythical beasts to see!"
Her voice was both soft and urgent, and she even pointed in the direction of Bao Puzhai with her little finger. Her round cheeks rose and fell slightly with her words, looking very anxious.
Ye Xingjian's heart melted at her charming and innocent demeanor. He pinched her slightly red nose and readily agreed, "Yes, yes, big brother will take our little fourth sister to find that majestic divine beast."
The cold wind swirled snowflakes, which pelted the vermilion pillars of the covered walkway, making a soft, rustling sound.
Holding the warm little girl in his arms, protecting her head, Ye Xingjian walked around the blue brick floor covered with a thin layer of ice and headed straight for Baopuzhai.
The study door was ajar, and it was quiet inside. Master Ye had gone out to visit a friend that morning and had not yet returned.
"Where is the mythical beast, Little Fourth Sister?"
Ye Xingjian carried her across the threshold, and the warm scent of books and ink mixed with the crispness of winter wafted towards them.
He looked around the room, which was filled with a dazzling array of bookshelves that reached the ceiling. They were piled high with books, scrolls, and cases, and in some places they were even on the verge of collapse, leaving almost no room for anything to stand.
Ye Mu struggled to slide off his arms, stepped onto the floor tiles, tilted her little face up, tried to stand on tiptoe, and stretched out her chubby little hand, pointing straight to an inconspicuous ebony box at the top of the highest bookshelf: "There! Big brother, look! It's that really pretty box, with a dragon that breathes fire and a snake with wings painted on it!"
Ye Xingjian looked in the direction she pointed, and the box was indeed placed in a tricky way, requiring a ladder to take it down.
He chuckled and ruffled Ye Mu's hair. "It's so high. If you have trouble taking it down, see how your brother punishes you."
Despite his angry words, Ye Xingjian had already found the wooden ladder against the wall and stepped onto it steadily. His tall stature was already showing signs of a young man's uprightness, and he reached out to the ebony box.
Ye Mu's heart leaped into her throat, her dark eyes burning, her small hand clenching into a fist hidden in her sleeve. She hadn't seen where the document was hidden that day, but she recognized this ebony box. Her father's private savings were all hidden here, and all the important items were kept inside.
She thought to herself that her father must have hidden the agreement among them.
Ye Xingjian easily took down the box. It was quite heavy, not the weight a picture book should have. He was slightly surprised. Looking down, he saw Ye Mu staring at it expectantly. So he carried the box down the ladder and placed it on the desk under the window.
"Little Fourth Sister, I bet you've got it wrong. How could a copy of the Classic of Mountains and Seas be placed so high up..." Ye Xingjian said with a smile as he opened the ebony box.
Inside the box were several silver notes neatly stacked, along with a few ancient books. The case was old, the paper yellowed, and very rustic. On top of it was not a picture book, but a folded piece of gold-flecked paper.
This should be it.
"This paper is so pretty." Ye Mu casually reached out and took out a piece of paper, unfolded it, and handed it to Ye Xingjian. "Big brother, look, there are bamboos on this paper."
Ye Xingjian wanted to stop him, but he immediately noticed the signature on the note: Ye Yuanming, his second uncle's name.
"...I, Ye Yuanming, hereby borrow a unique copy of the 'Yunlushanfang Jizhu' annotated by Han Jizi, which is in the collection of my third brother Ye Yuancheng. The loan period is one month, and I agree to return it intact before the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month. If there is any delay or damage, I am willing to compensate you with five times the market price. In case of any unsatisfactory wording, I hereby establish this as proof. The ninth day of the eleventh lunar month of the fifth year of Kangding."
Ye Xingjian's document should have been an ordinary written agreement, but upon closer examination, he realized something was amiss.
Born into a noble family and having studied at the Imperial Academy, he was extremely perceptive of the political climate. He had heard of this book, "Yunlushanfang Jizhu," which was a rare and unique copy in the world, especially valuable because of the annotations by Han Jizi. Han Jizi was a famous minister of the previous dynasty, and although his works had not yet been banned, his person and scholarship were controversial in the current court. Criticisms of the late emperor occasionally circulated in his annotations, making it a sensitive matter.
Moreover, this was no ordinary borrowing; Dr. Wu of the Imperial Academy was an antiquarian, and a little inquiry would have revealed this.
With the annual examinations approaching, the doctoral examiners would evaluate the candidates, and a slight increase in their grades would be enough to change a student's fate. The second uncle's intention in using this rare book at this time was self-evident.
"Big brother?" Ye Mu tugged at his sleeve at just the right moment.
Ye Xingjian snapped out of his daze, quickly folded the document, put it back in its original place in the box, and gently closed the lid.
He squatted down, looked Ye Mu in the eye, and said gently, "Fourth Sister, this box doesn't contain picture books. It contains Uncle's most precious treasure, more valuable than a mythical beast. You must not mention what your older brother saw to anyone else, not even A-Jing, understand? This is our little secret."
Ye Mu nodded vigorously, "Yes, Fourth Sister won't tell! I'd rather die than tell!"
She held up her short little finger, "Pinky promise!"
Ye Xingjian smiled and hooked his little finger with hers. "Good Fourth Sister, this bookshelf is too high. Father may have kept the picture album somewhere else. Big Brother will help you find it another day. Remember not to mention today's matter."
"Mmm!" Ye Mu obediently replied, appearing innocent and carefree, but she understood in her heart that with her elder brother's wisdom, he must have already figured out the key to it. As for how her older brother would act, she would just wait and see.
-
For the next few days, all was calm.
As the days slipped into the twelfth lunar month, everyone in the mansion was busy preparing for the New Year. The second courtyard was the first to become lively, with bolts of red silk being carried out of the storeroom and piled up in the side room, their vibrant colors dazzling.
Ye Mu, wrapped in a thick rabbit fur-trimmed jacket, was led by Zijing to watch the snow under the eaves. There she saw Xu Mama, the head of the second branch of the family, with her hands on her hips, directing several rough-working women to carry several large rolls of red silk into the courtyard.
"Be careful, all of you! This is top-quality Hangzhou silk. Grandma said it's meant to be used for hanging on the door and making colorful balls when we announce the good news to Second Master. It even has a tiny speck of dust on it, so watch your skin!"
"Oh, don't worry, Granny!" an old woman said with a fawning smile. "Our second young master is a reincarnation of the God of Literature. He will definitely be the first to pass the imperial examination this time. We'll just wait for the good news to arrive and then immediately put it on display."
Ye Mu watched from afar. It seemed that his second aunt from his previous life had also prepared these colorful balls and red ribbons, and they were all put to use, making quite a spectacle.
Two days later, the steward in charge of purchasing in the mansion was summoned by Madam Zhou. When he returned, he instructed the servants to order several large red lanterns from outside, with large characters such as "Toad Palace Plucking Laurel" and "Standing Alone at the Top" painted on them in gold.
They've become increasingly flamboyant.
Even Lin Mama, the head maid in charge of the old lady, couldn't help but mention it while massaging the old lady's legs: "Second Madam has high aspirations and has made preparations early on. She seems to be really confident."
The old lady, her fingers twirling her prayer beads and her eyes half-closed, said, “It is a blessing for our family that our descendants are successful. However, it is not proper for a distinguished family to make such a fuss before things have even started.”
Lin Mama quickly responded, "What the old lady says is true. Noble families value composure in the face of honor or disgrace, and the deep flow of still waters." She tightened her grip and said no more.
Although the old lady's words did not explicitly rebuke, the aloofness that came from her aristocratic family made Zhou Shi uneasy.
Moreover, all the sisters-in-law came from prestigious families. The eldest branch, Wang, was a direct descendant of the Taiyuan Wang clan, and the third branch, Zhao, was also from a family of upright officials. Only she came from a wealthy merchant family.
Zhou was used to being flamboyant and always felt that pomp and circumstance were respectable. When the old lady spoke so casually, it was as if all the red silk and colorful satin she had carefully prepared were just the unseemly habits of a merchant. A sense of frustration welled up in her heart.
Zhou gritted her teeth inwardly: Let's wait for the good news of Wen-ge'er's court session to come, and see what kind of sour words you high-minded nobles can say!
-
On the sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, just as dawn was breaking, the household was already bustling with activity. The old lady had announced that the results of the annual examinations would be released today, and the entire household was waiting for news in the warm pavilion of the main courtyard.
When Ye Mu was carried to the warm pavilion by Zijing, it was already full of people. The old lady sat upright on the couch at the head of the table, holding Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, her expression as usual. All the masters of the house had taken their seats in turn, and even her father had been taken out from the pile of books.
The charcoal fire burned brightly in the pavilion, and the incense burner was filled with the fragrance of agarwood. Madam Zhou spoke enthusiastically about the lunch feast, "Mother, your daughter-in-law thought that today is a joyous occasion, and a small celebration at home alone might not be enough. So I asked Songhelou to prepare a top-quality feast. Their deer tendons are stewed until they are very tender, which is the most nourishing... As soon as the good news arrives, we will immediately set up a feast in the flower hall and invite a few close relatives to join in the celebration."
Wang sat upright, glanced at Zhou, and replied indifferently, "Second sister-in-law is very kind, but since the good news has not yet arrived, it's best to be cautious."
“Sister-in-law is being too cautious. Even if we don’t mention our Wen-ge’er, just talking about Jian-ge’er entering Shuaixingtang, isn’t that a sure thing? Sooner or later, we should celebrate this joyous occasion.”
Zhou paused slightly, then her gaze casually drifted to Liu's flat stomach. She then changed the subject, "Speaking of which, our household should be filled with joy like this. If my third sister-in-law were to live up to expectations and give the old lady another grandson, that would truly be the icing on the cake!"
Liu smiled awkwardly, pretending not to hear. Seeing her silent, Zhou became even more enthusiastic, "Look, take our Wen-ge'er, for example. Although he still needs more experience in his studies, he's still a boy, strong and healthy, and will bring honor to the family in the future. That's what's important. As for girls..."
...After all, they are pampered guests. Like my daughter Qing, as her mother, I've fed and cared for her until she came of age, and then found her a good family to marry into in grand style. That's all I've done, and I've done my best for her. Sons are different; they can always carry on the family line. Third sister-in-law, don't you think that makes sense?"
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