Chapter 5: Courtesy Name
In the eighth month, an edict arrived from the capital. Her Majesty summoned Gao Yunqu back for an audience, but did not specify what position she would be restored to. From this, Gao Yunqu knew that something had changed in the capital. Dai Yao had already returned to the capital in the spring to be transferred to the post of Director in the Ministry of Personnel. A recent letter from her said that the court was in chaos, the beginnings of factional strife were showing, and Her Majesty was at her wit's end. The Gao family had been pure officials for three generations, and Gao Yunqu herself had been half a teacher to the current Emperor. Her Majesty had long been waiting to call her back to the capital to fill an important position.
Gao Yunqu was in no hurry. She was not so eager to plunge headfirst into the capital's whirlpools and rapids. She had her servants take the carriage convoy ahead, while she herself, along with Fang Jian, traveled light toward Hezhou City.
She had promised Fang Jian she would wait for her to finish the Provincial Examination, and she would not go back on her word. She had been through it all long ago and didn't find it difficult. Fang Jian, a fearless newborn calf, was also brimming with confidence. The most nervous ones were, in fact, Gao Yuan and Xiuzhu, who busied themselves with preparations, more invested than the candidate herself.
On the ninth day of the eighth month, the Provincial Examination began.
On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the three sessions were complete.
Ten days later, the results were posted.
The moment Fang Jian returned, she wrote out her exam answers from memory for Gao Yunqu. Gao Yunqu glanced at them, hummed in acknowledgment, and then began assigning her new lessons, not giving her a single day of rest. But it was precisely because of this that Fang Jian was able to wait for the results without distraction.
When the good news arrived, Fang Jian was still pondering a question Gao Yunqu had given her. When Gao Yuan rushed in to congratulate her, she still had a look of confusion.
"Wait… let me finish writing… What? Provincial Top Scholar?"
"Yes, congratulations, Young Lady, on topping the list." Gao Yuan's eyes crinkled with her smile.
Fang Jian froze for a moment, then asked, "Does… does Lord Gao know?"
"A messenger has already been sent to inform her. She probably knows by now."
Fang Jian was ushered out to receive the official announcement. Gao Yuan distributed celebratory money for her and then told her, one by one, what she needed to do next—how to prepare for the Deer Cry Banquet tomorrow, what to pay attention to when visiting the examiners, how to arrange the banquets with her fellow graduates…
Fang Jian murmured, "I haven't finished that essay from just now…"
Gao Yuan laughed at her dazed expression. "Lord Gao said to set it aside for now. What needs to be done, must be done."
If placing first in the Prefectural Examination had only given her a taste of the enthusiasm of wealthy merchants, the title of Provincial Top Scholar was what truly made her feel the change. A few days ago, she was just an unknown scholar. After the results were posted, she became a household name in Hezhou City. The great families of the city vied to send her gifts. Gao Yunqu had Gao Yuan accept the gifts on her behalf, compile a list, and show it to her. She flipped through it; there were several hundred taels of silver alone, not to mention a vast assortment of other items, some of which she had never even heard of. At the Deer Cry Banquet, the prefect was also exceptionally kind to her, leaving her feeling overwhelmed by the favor.
Is this considered having half a foot through the door? she wondered.
It was already late when she returned from the Deer Cry Banquet. Gao Yuan came out to greet her and reminded her, "Young Lady, Lord Gao has summoned you."
"Alright, I'll go right now." Their lodging in Hezhou was a private villa of the Gao family. Gao Yunqu had arranged for Fang Jian to stay in a guest room, perhaps to let her rest and recuperate.
Fang Jian felt a little apprehensive. Since the results were announced, she had been pushed along by all sorts of trivial matters and had not yet seen Gao Yunqu. She quickened her pace and headed towards Gao Yunqu's bedchamber.
Gao Yuan led her to the door, gestured for her to enter on her own, and then withdrew. Fang Jian's face flushed slightly. She took a breath and pushed the door open.
"Lord Gao…"
The room seemed empty. The young woman closed the door, pausing for a moment.
"Come here…" Gao Yunqu's languid voice came from the depths of the bedchamber.
Fang Jian followed the sound. Gao Yunqu was behind a screen. The closer she got, the more she could feel the steam, and she understood that Gao Yunqu was bathing. Walking around the screen, she saw Gao Yunqu sitting in the bathtub, leaning casually against its side, a wine cup in one hand, bringing it to her lips.
Gao Yunqu's fair shoulders and arms were exposed above the water, droplets sliding down the curves of her body. Having followed Gao Yunqu for so long, this was not the first time Fang Jian had seen her body. But at this moment, she felt the rising steam was making her thirsty. She swallowed a few times, suppressed the strange feeling in her heart, and moved closer.
"You're back?" Gao Yunqu glanced at her upon hearing her voice.
"Yes…" Fang Jian answered hesitantly, her eyes lowered, not daring to look at her.
Gao Yunqu finished the wine in her cup, placed it on a small table nearby, and suddenly hooked a finger into Fang Jian's collar, pulling her closer. Fang Jian bent down, following her movement, their cheeks drawing incredibly near. Gao Yunqu pulled her in and pressed her lips to hers. At first, it was a grinding against her lips, then the tip of a tongue pried open her teeth, plundering without mercy. Caught off guard, Fang Jian was invaded by her. The faint taste of wine passed from one mouth to the other, leaving her slightly intoxicated. Her mouth was stirred by a tongue, her breathing grew ragged, and a desperate whimper escaped her throat. Fang Jian could barely stand. The moment her body went limp, Gao Yunqu grabbed her lapels and dragged her whole body into the water.
Water splashed everywhere. Fang Jian tumbled into the tub unexpectedly, choking on several mouthfuls of water. She struggled to break the surface, coughing violently, her entire face flushed red, physiological tears welling at the corners of her eyes.
Gao Yunqu showed no remorse for her actions. She refilled a cup with wine, took a mouthful, then grabbed Fang Jian again, pressing her against the side of the tub. Their lips met, and the cool liquid was passed into Fang Jian's mouth. The portion she couldn't swallow trickled down the corner of her mouth, only to be licked away by Gao Yunqu's lips and tongue.
Fang Jian's clothes were still on, but they were completely soaked. The thin summer fabric clung to her slender figure, outlining the delicate flower buds on her chest. Gao Yunqu grasped her breast through the fabric. The nipple quickly hardened, and Gao Yunqu seemed unable to let go.
"Ngh…" Fang Jian dizzily endured her play, a sound like a small animal coming from her throat.
Gao Yunqu undid her clothes, peeling her from the confines of the fabric, then embraced her from behind, seating her in her lap. Fang Jian's limbs went weak, and she dazedly let herself be positioned. Gao Yunqu's one hand moved up to capture her exposed breast, while the other moved down to touch her pubic mound. With both of her vital points in Gao Yunqu's grasp, her very soul seemed to be held captive by her as well. She would do whatever Gao Yunqu wanted.
Waves of water slapped against the sides of the tub, and waves of heat inside her body crashed against Fang Jian's soul. The bone-deep pleasure climbed higher and higher with Gao Yunqu's in-and-out movements. Warm water surged in with her hand, then flowed out with sticky fluid. Crying, Fang Jian reached her climax in her arms.
As her thoughts turned to chaos, Gao Yunqu kissed her earlobe, her voice husky. "Provincial Top Scholar. You've grown up."
Her fingers were still stirring inside, and Fang Jian let out a desperate moan.
"Passing the Provincial Examination makes you an adult. A'jian, how about I give you a courtesy name as a gift?"
"Ngh… okay…"
"Jià n means to be vigilant and prudent. Let's call you Linshen1, how about it?"
"Ah…"
The deeply buried fingers went in a little deeper, beginning to thrust quickly, each movement hitting a sensitive spot. Gao Yunqu's words had barely registered in Fang Jian's mind before they were scattered by her actions. At this moment, she was completely controlled by Gao Yunqu, a prisoner of desire, unable to hear anything else.
When she woke the next day, Gao Yunqu was already up and dressing. Fang Jian sat up and pulled the inner robe from the bedside over herself.
Gao Yunqu finished arranging her clothes, walked over, and patted the top of her head. "Do you remember what I said last night?"
Fang Jian looked up at her blankly.
A teasing smile was in Gao Yunqu's eyes. She took something from her sleeve, held it in her hand, and raised it before her. Fang Jian instinctively reached out with both hands to receive it.
A small seal was placed gently in her palm.
"Linshen, Fang Linshen. Remember it."
The memories of last night were suddenly unlocked, and Gao Yunqu's low, husky, and ambiguous voice echoed in her ears again.
"…how about I give you a courtesy name as a gift?"
"…Let's call you Linshen, how about it?"
And after that, her own high and low cries, and Gao Yunqu's deep gasps.
Fang Jian's cheeks flushed red. She tightened her grip on the small seal, on which the two characters "Linshen" were carved.
At the end of the month, Gao Yunqu received a letter from Dai Yao, detailing the disputes at court. During the Triennial Capital Evaluation in the spring, Her Majesty had significantly encroached upon the power of the conservative old guard in order to support her favored, progressive new officials. Although Her Majesty ultimately achieved her goal, she also faced a wave of retaliation. From the fourth month until now, the Censorate had been impeaching officials as if they had gone mad. They impeached based on hearsay, made far-fetched connections, submitted memorials over and over again, or attacked in groups. The memorials flooded Her Majesty's palace, but Her Majesty could not rashly move against the censors and was suffering immensely.
"Dignified court officials, acting like mad dogs."
Gao Yunqu found Dai Yao's description somewhat amusing. She too had once served as a censor. Her rank was not high, but she had the right to impeach based on hearsay, and she wrote with a magnificent literary style. She had once berated a high-ranking minister until he fled with his face in his hands. Thinking back on it now, it was a different kind of spiritedness.
She continued reading.
Dai Yao went on to say that in the seventh month, when Gao Yunqu's mourning period ended, Her Majesty had intended to appoint her as Censor-in-Chief to get the censors under control. However, this was rejected by Left Chancellor Cai Quan on the grounds that Gao Yunqu was merely fourth-rank before her filial mourning leave, while the Censor-in-Chief was a proper third-rank position. Her Majesty took a step back, suggesting Gao Yunqu temporarily act as Censor-in-Chief with her fourth-rank status. Cai Quan rejected this again, stating bluntly that Gao Yunqu was a mere child and should not be advanced so far through excessive favor.
"Her Majesty was furious and has temporarily shelved the matter, to be discussed again upon your return to the capital." Dai Yao spent half a page cursing Cai Quan before ending on a note of helplessness.
Gao Yunqu herself was not so angry about it. Although the words carried a tone of contempt, it was just as Cai Quan had said: she was still too young. And so was Her Majesty.
She stood up and called Gao Yuan in. "A'yuan, prepare for our departure. It's time for us to return to the capital."
Author's Notes
1Linshen comes from the idiom 臨深履薄 (lÃnshÄ“n lÇšbó): to be cautious and conscientious, as if on the brink of a deep abyss, as if treading on thin ice. The traditional character for Jià n (é‘’) is composed of 臨 on top and 金 on the bottom, so it's also a form of character decomposition.
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