Chapter 44: Meeting Again and Reminiscing.
The Deer Cry Banquet lasted for three days, with constant toasts and social interactions. Gu Kangshi seemed to be enjoying himself even more and wanted to hold another poetry gathering to show off his refined taste, and repeatedly tried to persuade Pei Ji to stay.
However, Pei Ji was the first to rise and take his leave. Seeing this, the other scholars who had passed the imperial examinations followed suit and took their leave one after another. After all, the spring imperial examinations were just around the corner in March of the following year, and it was more sensible to return home and devote themselves to studying than to stay in the prefecture to continue socializing.
As for Zhang Jian, he has not shown his face since the first day.
When Pei Ji returned to Dongqing County, it was already late afternoon. He went to the Pei family home first and changed into a simple blue cloth robe. Pei's mother held his hand and talked for a long time, her words filled with how Yu Man had taken care of the village feast and how thoughtful and considerate she had been these past few days. She also mentioned that Deng San Niang's pregnancy was getting heavier and that Yu Man was busy both inside and outside the village. Pei Ji listened quietly, his brows unconsciously softening.
After sitting for a short while, he got up and went out the door, heading straight for the food stall.
However, Yu Man was not in the shop. Yu Chengfu was busy greeting customers. When he saw him coming, he wiped his hands and said, "Aman went out early this morning, saying he was going to discuss business. Perhaps he went to Zuixianlou?"
Upon hearing this, Pei Ji's eyes flickered slightly, as if he had guessed something. He didn't ask any further questions, but simply whispered to Gu Qiu, who was waiting outside the door, "Prepare the horses."
The master and servant rode out of the city, but not towards the official road leading to the prefecture. Instead, they headed towards the back mountain of Xingcheng Village. Near the foot of the mountain, the soil, still dark from the recent rain, carried the fresh scent of grass and trees. Pei Ji tossed the reins to Gu Qiu and instructed, "Wait here." Then, alone, he followed the narrow path, half-hidden by weeds and barely wide enough for one person, into the woods.
After passing through a thicket of bushes and turning left, the view suddenly opened up before you.
Beneath a peach tree whose leaves were half yellow and half green, Yu Man sat on a relatively flat large rock. She held a broken peach branch in her hand, idly tapping the leaves one by one, muttering to herself, alternating between two words with each rise and fall of the branch:
"Blame me."
"It's not my fault."
"Blame me."
"It's not my fault."
He was counting the leaves in a rather childlike way, as if he wanted to count all the leaves on the tree in order to decide on a certain answer.
Pei Ji didn't speak immediately. He walked quietly to her side and listened to her counting.
Finally, counting down to the last leaf—"It's my fault."
She stopped what she was doing and fell silent. She lowered her head slightly, staring blankly at the fallen leaves on the ground.
“It’s not your fault,” Pei Ji said, as he handed her a whole peach leaf that he had just picked up.
Yu Man didn't get up. Instead, she turned to look at him from her sideways seat. She didn't reach for the leaf, but stared directly into his eyes: "My mother... she really doesn't blame me?"
These past few days, she's come here almost every day, doing nothing but sitting, or like today, counting the leaves.
Pei Ji knew all her unspoken thoughts. He looked at her, his gaze calm and firm, and repeated, "I don't blame you."
He paused, recalling Yu's mother's dying words, and then, word by word, clearly repeated them: "Before Aunt Tao passed away, she held my hand and said... 'I don't ask her to have everything perfect, I only wish that she could live a simple life, like Xiaoman.'"
Xiaoman. It is her name, and also the most simple wish of a mother—not necessarily perfect, but peaceful and well-being is enough.
Yu Man pursed her lips: "Really?"
“Really,” he replied.
Yu Man remained unmoved, but did not press the matter further.
Pei Ji walked up to her, extended his hand, and said with a smile, "If I were really angry with you, I would have come to scold you with a rattan cane in my dreams that night, instead of letting you think nonsense here?"
Yu Man looked at the hand extended in front of her, its knuckles clearly defined. She suddenly whispered, "I used to think that my mother didn't hit me because I always cleverly hid behind you. Later, I thought about it for a long time and finally realized that even without you in front of me, she wouldn't have the heart to really hit me." She paused, her voice lowering, "Except... that one time."
Pei Ji's gaze softened: "That time, it was my fault."
Yu Man looked up at him again before slowly placing her hand on his fingertips. Pei Ji gently pulled her up from the rock.
The two walked side by side toward the edge of the woods. After taking about two steps, Yu Man stopped, turned back and gazed deeply at the peach tree before softly saying, "Let's go."
Walking towards where the horses were tied, Yu Man asked, "When did you get back?"
"One hour ago."
Yu Man mentally calculated the time and knew that this person had probably just gone home to change clothes, and after failing to find her at the food stall, came straight here to look for her. She wasn't surprised; she was already used to it. Whenever he couldn't find her elsewhere, he would always catch her here.
"You came here before you went to Shanqing Academy?" she asked in a declarative sentence. When she came the day before yesterday, she noticed that the weeds around the tree had been carefully cleared, and there were still traces of incense and candles that had not been completely burned on the ground.
“Yes,” Pei Ji did not deny it, “I spoke with Aunt Tao for a while.”
"What did you say?" Yu Man asked instinctively.
Pei Ji remained silent, only turning his head to look at her.
Yu Man felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, so she turned her face away and pretended not to care: "...I didn't really want to know."
A faint smile flickered in Pei Ji's eyes, and he said, "But before I came, someone had already offered sacrifices."
Yu Man looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"It's Uncle Yu, and Aunt Deng." He was referring to Yu Chengfu and Deng Sanniang.
Yu Man was stunned, his heart filled with mixed feelings.
Upon reaching the place where the horse was tied up, Pei Ji deftly untied the reins. Watching his movements, Yu Man snapped out of her reverie and asked, "Where are we going?"
Pei Ji didn't answer, but simply extended his hand to her. Yu Man habitually offered her her hand, and with a gentle pull, she was steadily seated on the horse in front of him. The horse neighed, its hooves off the ground, and galloped off in the opposite direction from home.
The wind whistled in his ears, and while there was the freedom and exhilaration of riding a horse, the jolts were undeniable. As the horse slowed down and finally stopped in a place that was both familiar and unfamiliar, Yu Man couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Although riding a horse is quite enjoyable, this feeling... is really not very comfortable."
As she spoke, she looked up at what lay before her—a long stone staircase winding upwards, at the end of which stood an ancient archway with four powerful characters inscribed on it: Shanqing Academy.
Memories of the past flooded back to her like a tidal wave... Yu Man almost instinctively turned around and tried to slip away.
However, her right hand was firmly held by a warm, large hand, rendering her unable to move.
Pei Ji stood beside her, holding her hand tightly, his gaze calmly fixed on the depths of the academy, his voice low and clear:
"My story is right here."
The stone steps of the academy weren't very long, but the mountainside made them exceptionally serene. The two had just stepped onto the last step when someone was already waiting before the heavy wooden door of the academy. The newcomer, dressed in a dark, close-fitting outfit, with a cold and stern face, stood with his arms crossed—it was Jin Chuchuan. He looked at Pei Ji, his eyes devoid of warmth, his voice harsh: "The Master is waiting for you in the Heavenly Treasury Pavilion."
Pei Ji didn't stop walking, seemingly intending to ignore him completely, and led Yu Man in another direction.
Jin Chuchuan frowned slightly and added, "After this meeting, he will give you what you want."
Pei Ji abruptly stopped. He turned his head, looking intently at Jin Chuchuan, but did not respond immediately. Instead, he turned to Yu Man beside him, his eyes filled with obvious concern.
Jin Chuchuan seemed to know what he was worried about and stiffly assured him, "She will be fine."
Upon hearing this, Yu Man's heart skipped a beat, and she muttered softly, "...Don't say such things." Based on her experience reading storybooks and watching operas, such a promise was likely to lead to trouble.
Pei Ji clearly shared her thoughts, or rather, he never entrusted Yu Man's safety to verbal promises from others. He ignored Jin Chuchuan's assurance and spoke directly: "Gu Qiu."
Almost the instant the words fell, a gray-blue figure silently appeared half a step behind Yu Man, standing with his head bowed. It was Gu Qiu.
"Your subordinate will follow Lady Yu."
Pei Ji's actions clearly demonstrate his distrust of Jin Chuchuan, and even his distrust of the safety of the academy at this moment.
Yu Man also keenly noticed that Pei Ji's attitude today was different from usual. In front of her, Pei Ji was not particularly warm towards this mysterious Master Chu, but he always maintained basic respect. However, at this moment, he subtly revealed a sense of estrangement or even confrontation.
Pei Ji looked at Yu Man again, squeezed her hand, his gaze calm and reassuring: "Wait for me."
Yu Man suppressed her doubts and nodded: "Okay."
Watching Jin Chuchuan lead Pei Ji deeper into the academy, their figures disappearing behind the layers of buildings, Yu Man finally let out a soft breath. She turned around, intending to stroll around the renowned Shanqing Academy, waiting and observing as she went.
Perhaps because the autumn imperial examinations had just ended, there weren't many students in the academy, making it seem somewhat empty and quiet. The few students she occasionally encountered, dressed in blue robes, showed some surprise upon seeing her, an outsider who was clearly a woman, but they didn't approach to disturb her.
Yu Man strolled along, observing the layout of the academy. Pavilions and towers, nestled among ancient pines and cypresses, exuded a strong scholarly atmosphere. As she walked, she suddenly realized that she hadn't seen a single woman along the way. This made her think of Chen Jingshu.
Just then, a soft, surprised voice came from behind:
"...Miss Yu?"
Yu Man turned around and saw a girl in academy student robes standing behind her. Her features were elegant and her temperament was like an orchid. Who else could it be but Chen Jingshu? However, the style of her student robes seemed to be slightly different from those of the students she had just seen, and it was more exquisite.
When Chen Jingshu saw that her gaze was fixed on her clothes, she smiled slightly and explained, "I came back to the academy today to borrow some books."
Yu Manman nodded.
The two naturally walked side by side on the quiet path of the academy.
"Why is Madam Yu here at the academy?" Chen Jingshu asked softly. After asking, she seemed to remember something, and a faint smile curved her lips as she continued, "I heard that Senior Brother Pei passed the imperial examination with top honors. I haven't congratulated him yet."
Yu Man nodded, accepting the congratulations: "Thank you."
Chen Jingshu was silent for a moment, her steps slowed slightly, and she suddenly turned her head to look at Yu Man. Her gaze was clear and direct, and her voice was exceptionally clear: "Madam Yu, I am in love with Senior Brother Pei."
Yu Man was completely taken aback by Chen Jingshu's sudden and direct reiteration of her feelings. For a moment, she stood there stunned, unsure of how to respond. When Chen Jingshu visited last time, she had also expressed her feelings, but it was more out of concern and pleading, unlike the calm and open expression she showed now.
Seeing her stunned expression, Chen Jingshu smiled gently. When she smiled, the corners of her eyes curved slightly, carrying a gentle charm unique to women from Jiangnan, which was not unpleasant. "Why does Madam Yu fall for Senior Brother Pei?" she asked, her eyes filled with pure curiosity, without the slightest hint of provocation.
Yu Man thought about it carefully and finally decided to tell the truth, with a little uncertainty: "...Probably, first of all, my face?" She admitted it with a little guilt, but it was indeed the truth.
Chen Jingshu seemed completely unprepared for this answer. She stopped in her tracks, turned around, and looked at Yu Man carefully for a while. Her clear eyes first showed surprise, then a deeper smile spread across them, with a hint of understanding. "Madam Yu," she said in a lighter tone, "is truly an interesting person."
Yu Man felt a little embarrassed by her laughter and touched her nose: "...Thank you?" This compliment sounded a little strange.
She quickly changed the subject, pointing to a flat area higher up behind the academy, where several more elegant pavilions could be vaguely seen, surrounded by denser trees, seemingly independent of the academy below. "What is that place? It doesn't look like a place ordinary students can go."
Chen Jingshu looked in the direction she pointed and explained, "That's the Upper Pavilion. Usually only a few students can go up there to study. Or, to be more precise, only Master Chu's personal students are qualified to enter the Upper Pavilion."
Seeing the doubt in Yu Man's eyes, she continued to explain in detail: "At Shanqing Academy, the students are actually divided into two groups. The vast majority of students study in the lower pavilion and are taught by other teachers in the academy. Only a very few students who are exceptionally talented or are favored by Teacher Chu can enter the upper pavilion and be personally taught by Teacher Chu. Senior Brother Pei is a student in the upper pavilion."
Yu Man understood. This was the ancient version of the "rocket class" and "regular class"! No wonder Pei Ji was so outstanding; he had studied under a top-notch teacher.
"Who exactly is this Master Chu?" Yu Man couldn't help but ask. To be able to teach a student like Pei Ji, and to have connections with people like Prince Ding and Xi Queping, he was no ordinary person.
Chen Jingshu shook her head, a hint of confusion in her eyes: "I don't know much either. I only heard my father mention that Master Chu came to Shanqing Academy to teach many years ago on his own initiative. No one knows his background or even his given name; he only has the surname 'Chu'."
So mysterious? Yu Man thought to herself, this Master Chu is probably no ordinary person.
Seeing that she seemed to be thinking, Chen Jingshu stopped talking and led her to a secluded courtyard. She pushed open the door of one of the rooms and said, "This is the room where I used to stay temporarily at the academy. It has been empty and uninhabited since I left. You can rest here and wait for Senior Brother Pei, Madam Yu."
Yu Man thanked her gratefully. Chen Jingshu smiled faintly and turned to leave.
Yu Man entered the room. The room was small and simply furnished, with a bed, a table, a chair, and a bookshelf. It was spotless, with bright windows and clean furniture. On the table was a plain white porcelain vase with a few fresh bamboo stalks inside, adding a touch of elegance and life to the small space. It was clear that Chen Jingshu was a thoughtful person with refined taste.
She had just sat down at the table, preparing to sort out her chaotic thoughts, when she suddenly heard a slow, deliberate knocking at the door.
Yu Man immediately became wary. Pei Ji shouldn't be back so soon, and Gu Qiu wouldn't be knocking so formally while waiting outside. She stood up and asked through the door, "Who is it?"
A deep, slightly hoarse, and authoritative old man's voice came from outside the door: "My surname is Chu."
Master Chu?! Shouldn't he be talking to Pei Ji in the Heavenly Treasury Pavilion? Why is he here?
Yu Man was startled and suspicious, but she calmed herself down and opened the door.
Standing outside the door was an elderly man, around fifty years old, with a thin build. He wore a slightly worn dark gray scholar's robe, his hair was neatly combed and secured with a simple wooden hairpin. His face was serious, with sharp features and a naturally downturned mouth, giving him an unsmiling appearance.
What was most striking about him were his eyes, which were not cloudy but sharp as an eagle's, seemingly able to pierce through skin and reach the heart when he looked at someone. Yu Man remembered him; she had seen him once from afar when she came to the academy to deliver something to Pei Ji. Her impression of this Master Chu was that he was extremely serious and unapproachable.
At this moment, the teacher who should have been with Pei Ji appeared outside her door.
Master Chu's gaze fell calmly on Yu Man's face, as if he could see through all her doubts, and he took the initiative to say, "He is fine. It is I who wish to see Lady Yu alone."
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