Chapter 8: Unversed in Worldly Matters
When Cui Miao returned home on horseback, her father had not yet come back. She handed the horse's reins to the steward who came forward to greet her and asked, "Where is Mother?"
"Eldest Lady, Madam knew you were returning today and is waiting for you to dine," the steward, Cui Xing, said respectfully.
"I know," Cui Miao replied, striding into the house.
Upon entering the main hall, she saw it was filled to the brim with the female members of the household, both young and old.
"Big Sister is here!" Her youngest sister, A'kui, who was only four or five, saw her enter the room, slid off her seat, and came running towards her, stumbling as she went.
She swept up her younger sister in her arms, paid her respects to her mother, Jiang Shu, and then greeted her father's concubines and her other sisters.
"Alright, put her down now. Look at all that sweat on your brow," her mother said, giving her a chiding look. "Since you're back, let's begin the meal."
Her family was a peculiar one. The family banquets consisted entirely of women; there wasn't a single man present. The concubines all followed Jiang Shu's lead, the atmosphere during the meal was quite harmonious, and no one asked about the whereabouts of the master of the house.
After dinner was finished, the servants cleared the table and brought out teacups. The women took their seats, with Jiang Shu occupying the seat of honor, and she began to check the children's schoolwork. There were five girls in their family. Cui Miao was the eldest at twenty, while the others ranged from four to sixteen years old. They were sent to different schools according to their age and progress.
Their father, Cui Yicheng, never concerned himself with household matters, large or small. Every day, aside from going to his government post, he was out drinking. Jiang Shu was more like the matriarch of this family than he was.
When he was younger, Cui Yicheng had been bent on having a son, bringing concubines into the home one after another. In this day and age, women willing to become concubines were generally not from high-born families; they were either facing financial hardship or had nowhere else to turn. After Jiang Shu gave birth to Cui Miao, she had no desire to feign compliance with Cui Yicheng, so she paid no mind to him bringing women home. The Cui family had stable assets, after all, and could afford his expenditures. For the young women who entered their doors, coming to the Cui family was a lifeline. Jiang Shu, accustomed to managing the household, simply took it upon herself to arrange their daily lives as well.
Jiang Shu treated them well, and they repaid her kindness in spades. With all the lively women around her, it was as if Jiang Shu was the one enjoying the bliss of having a full house of companions.
Jiang Shu began her questioning with the youngest, A'kui. By the time she reached the fourth daughter, ten-year-old A'shi, some were getting restless. A few of the concubines began exchanging winks and glances, communicating silently across the room.
Noticing this, Jiang Shu cleared her throat and said, "You all may go ahead."
As if granted a general amnesty, the women stood up and headed out, not forgetting to call back to Jiang Shu, "A'shu, we're playing cards today. Remember to join us!"
"Of course," Jiang Shu smiled at them, then turned back to A'shi, her expression instantly becoming stern. The change made A'shi flinch.
Cui Miao waited patiently until her sisters had all been quizzed. The younger ones stood in a row, their faces long and miserable.
Jiang Shu turned to Cui Miao. "A'miao, how are things at the Imperial Academy?"
"Mother, everything is normal. You can rest assured," Cui Miao said affectionately. "I have a new roommate in my dormitory. Her name is Fang Jian, and she's a distant relative of the Vice Censor-in-Chief, Lord Gao."
"Lord Gao?" Jiang Shu raised an eyebrow. "The one they call the Tiger of the Imperial Hall? Interesting. And what is this young friend of yours like?"
"Linshen is brilliant. At only eighteen, she's already the Provincial Top Scholar of Hezhou. She excels in her studies, and the teachers all hold her in high regard. It's just that she seems a little naive, not quite grasping the art of social interaction."
"That's likely why Lord Gao sent her to the Imperial Academy. An eighteen-year-old Provincial Top Scholar is bound to enter official service sooner or later. You should get closer to her, take her out and about. It's always a good thing to foster a friendly connection with Lord Gao."
"Mm, that's what I was thinking as well."
"Alright, off you go. I'm going to play cards now." Jiang Shu waved her hand, dismissing the children.
Once outside, the third sister, A'yun, draped herself over Cui Miao and asked curiously, "Is that Tiger of the Imperial Hall really fierce? Your roommate must have it rough, right?"
"What are you talking about? Do you think everyone struggles with their studies like you do?" Cui Miao laughed, pulling her off her back. "My little roommate is incredibly capable."
Fang Jian couldn't be said to be having it rough at that moment, but things weren't exactly pleasant either. After changing into her everyday clothes and having her meal, Fang Jian was in the study reading and writing as usual. Gao Yunqu, struck by a sudden whim, seized her, pressed her down onto the desk, and untied the cross-collared shirt on her upper body, baring her entire back.
Gao Yunqu leaned over, lightly kissing the delicate skin. She traced a path with her lips from the cervical spine down along the backbone to the coccyx, feeling the body beneath her tremble. After toying with her for a while, she stopped. She took a brush, saturated it with ink, shaped the tip on the inkstone, and then steadily lowered it to draw a line upon Fang Jian's back.
The cool touch of the brush tip made Fang Jian's skin tighten involuntarily. The soft wool of the brush swept gently over her sensitive flesh, creating an unbearable itch. Her shoulders and back grew taut, until Gao Yunqu patted her on the rear. "Relax."
Fang Jian took a deep breath, trying her best to relax.
Gao Yunqu was also an accomplished painter, and she explained her work to Fang Jian as she painted, though it was impossible to know how much Fang Jian was actually taking in.
After some time had passed, Gao Yunqu stopped her brush and admired her work with keen interest.
It was a painting of bamboo and rocks. Jagged stones were depicted around her waist, while the stalk of the bamboo stretched across her shoulders and back. The branches were like bows, the leaves like swords, forming an image of innate, unyielding pride.
She leaned over again, her hand sliding beneath the waistband of Fang Jian's trousers, moving past her shapely buttocks to probe lower.
"You're wet."
Fang Jian shuddered. The flower below flinched, clenching around the intruding fingertip.
With each thrust, the bamboo branches swayed and the leaves trembled, startlingly lifelike. Outside the window, moonlight flowed like water, casting sparse, slanted shadows. Inside, the candlelight flickered, and a subtle fragrance drifted on the air.
The day of rest passed in a flash. Upon returning to the Imperial Academy, Fang Jian no longer buried her head in her books. In truth, the pace of the teachers at the Academy was far slower than Gao Yunqu's instruction. Gao Yunqu had reduced her academic workload, telling her to lift her head and look around. Fang Jian understood the instruction to some extent, but she wasn't entirely sure where to begin. And so, she turned to Cui Miao.
"Xinmeng, do you know what sorts of backgrounds the students here at the Imperial Academy come from?"
Cui Miao set down her brush, remarking in surprise, "Linshen, you're actually taking an interest in other people?"
Fang Jian said, a little embarrassed, "Lord Gao told me I must learn things beyond what's in books."
"Haha, that's my specialty! I can teach you. In return, how about you teach me mathematics?"
"Okay," Fang Jian nodded.
"The Imperial Academy has over a hundred students in total. The largest group is made up of officials' children, like myself. If one's parents hold a post of the fifth rank or higher, they are entitled to one sponsored spot, regardless of academic merit. The next group is Tribute Students; students from all regions can come take the entrance exam, and those with outstanding scores are admitted. However, the journey to the capital is long, so not many come to test. Finally, there are the Recommended Tribute Students. Each prefecture, as well as any court official of the fifth rank or above, can recommend exceptional students, regardless of their background. You fall into that category."
"Is that really how it is? I thought only the children of aristocratic families could enroll," Fang Jian said, listening intently.
"In reality, it is indeed mostly officials' children. The Tribute Students also tend to be from wealthy capital households, and Recommended Tribute Students are even rarer."
"Why is that?"
"Recommending students isn't mandatory for the prefectures, so many places don't attach much importance to it. Besides, if the student they send gets dazzled by the glamour of the capital and their studies suffer, it brings shame upon the one who recommended them. Why not just have them take the local examinations instead?" Cui Miao took a sip of tea before continuing, "The few Recommended Tribute Students in the upper hall are currently gearing up for the Metropolitan Examination in the second month. Oh, by the way, Linshen, are you planning to take it this time?"
Fang Jian shook her head. "No, I'm not. Lord Gao told me to wait for the next one."
"That's perfect! I'm planning to take the next one too. Perhaps we'll end up being graduates of the same year."
"If we can both pass on our first attempt, that would naturally be for the best."
Understanding that Fang Jian wasn't in a rush to take the examination, Cui Miao felt relieved. She had assumed Fang Jian was studying so hard because she was preparing for the Metropolitan Examination in the second month, and had been afraid of distracting her, so she hadn't dared to invite her out much. Now, she felt much more at ease. After classes, she began taking Fang Jian all around the capital, from teahouses and restaurants to the entertainment quarters, from marketplaces and shops to polo grounds and racecourses.
At first, Fang Jian felt a little uneasy and reported these outings to Gao Yunqu. To her surprise, Gao Yunqu seemed quite pleased. She had Gao Yuan prepare some money for Fang Jian and told her to learn how to spend it.
Furthermore, Gao Yunqu was growing busier, often not returning until late at night, and summoned Fang Jian less frequently. As a result, Fang Jian spent most of her time with Cui Miao. Cui Miao was a walking encyclopedia; there wasn't a soul at the Imperial Academy she didn't know. She was lively without being mischievous, so the teachers were fond of her. And having grown up in the capital, she knew exactly where to find all the best entertainment. It wasn't long before Fang Jian, tagging along with her, grew familiar with their other classmates.
As the tenth month began, the days grew colder. One day, Cui Miao suddenly asked her, "The Eldest Princess is holding a housewarming banquet late this month. Are you going?"
"The Eldest Princess?"
"Her Highness the Eldest Princess holds no official post at court and loves nothing more than amusement. She's always organizing banquets, inviting the young ladies, young lords, and young scholars of the capital to come and have fun," Cui Miao explained. "With your reputation at the Imperial Academy, you should receive an invitation. If you don't, I can get you in."
"Thank you, Xinmeng."
Cui Miao winked at her. "The Eldest Princess is twenty-two and still unmarried. Rumor has it that if she takes a fancy to someone at one of her banquets, that person might have a chance to become her intimate guest."
"Hm? Are you interested in becoming her intimate guest, Xinmeng? But you're a woman, too."
"Hehe, you're still unversed in worldly matters, aren't you, Linshen? In that case, it's not proper for me to explain. When the opportunity arises, I'll have to show you a thing or two and broaden your horizons."
This talk of being "unversed in worldly matters" made Fang Jian blush crimson. Cui Miao laughed at her reaction, and Fang Jian didn't dare to argue back.
Post a Comment