Chapter 35: Gambling
In the seventh month of the thirteenth year of Yongxing, Her Majesty personally ruled on Zhuo Guanyi's case. It was decreed that Ye Ze must return the family property in full, the Ye and Zhuo families were to be separated, and Ye Ze, Song Bai, and Song Zhi were all to be severely punished. Zhuo Guanyi was commended for her righteous act and awarded fifty taels of gold. Furthermore, Her Majesty approved Fang Jian's memorial requesting a thorough investigation into the corruption and land annexation in Zhuo County, ordering the Ministry of Justice to dispatch personnel to get to the bottom of the matter and make an example of it. Not wanting to trouble a different person for the same task, the Ministry of Justice promptly sent Chi Fei back to Zhuo County to also handle the follow-up affairs for the Zhuo family.
In addition, there were the memorials from Dai Yao and Gao Yunqu. Her Majesty, ignoring the voices of opposition, remained firm in her stance. The Left Chancellor, Cai Quan, exercised his power of Edict Review and Return and then requested to retire. Her Majesty shelved the request. Cai Quan pleaded to return to his hometown again, and after three such attempts, Her Majesty granted Cai Quan's retirement. The rewards and honors bestowed upon him were generous and weighty, giving Cai Quan ample face as he retired.
The former Minister of Revenue, Fan Ying, took up the new post of Left Chancellor, entered the Council of State, and began to implement the reforms of the New Policies. With this, the era of the Cai faction's dominance came to an end, and the Reformist Faction formally stepped onto the stage.
The followers of the Reformist Faction celebrated with great fanfare, and the capital's taverns and brothels became much livelier. Gao Yunqu's contribution to today's situation was immense, but her memorial had not only shaken the great families and the Conservative Faction, but also every official's household. No one failed to respect her, yet no one dared to get close to her. She remained a solitary figure, as if all the excitement had nothing to do with her. She didn't mind. She had things she wanted to accomplish and cared little whether anyone walked the path with her.
When Dai Yao came looking for her, she was playing a game against herself. Her calm demeanor was the same as ever, as if nothing had happened.
"Lushuang, let's go!" Dai Yao called to her, bustling in.
"Where to?" Gao Yunqu asked, puzzled. She didn't remember having plans with Dai Yao.
"I've booked a table at Yuehe Hall. We should go celebrate too," Dai Yao said with a wink. Yuehe Hall was the largest pleasure quarter in the capital. They had often gone there in their youth, usually just calling for some courtesans to drink and jest with, never staying the night. But since returning from her mourning period, Gao Yunqu had been constantly busy, with little leisure for amusement. It had been a long time since she had last visited.
"Ah... Yuehe Hall..." Gao Yunqu suddenly recalled her younger self, clad in fine clothes on a spirited horse. It was a long-lost feeling.
"Don't you dare say no. You have no idea how hard it is to get a reservation at Yuehe Hall these days. The sisters there still remember you. When they heard I was inviting Lord Gao, they insisted on finding a private room for us..." Dai Yao chattered on, practically dragging Gao Yunqu out the door.
Upon entering Yuehe Hall, a sharp-eyed procuress came forward to greet them. "Isn't this Lord Gao? It's been a long time."
"A'ying?" Gao Yunqu raised an eyebrow. Back when she used to frequent the place, she would always call for a few girls skilled at games to accompany her. To meet one again after several years was quite a coincidence.
"My lady, you still remember this servant?" The procuress called A'ying was getting on in years, with fine lines at the corners of her eyes. Hearing that Gao Yunqu still remembered her, she beamed with joy.
"Of course, I remember. How could I forget?"
"This servant thought Lord Gao had long forgotten us," A'ying said, ushering them to their seats. "It's been five or six years, hasn't it? After you returned to your hometown for the mourning period, you never came back. The sisters missed you for quite a while."
"Alas, I'm getting older. I don't have the energy I did when I was young..."
"What are you saying? My lady, you're still young," A'ying said, diligently serving wine and personally filling Gao Yunqu's cup.
"Lushuang is as popular as ever," Dai Yao said teasingly, having already taken her seat.
"Look at you. Let this servant fill your cup too. Lord Dai, you're a regular, unlike Lord Gao, who's such a rare guest."
"Stop scolding me, I'll accept my punishment..." Gao Yunqu was so mortified by the teasing that she tilted her head back and drained her cup as a sign of apology.
"My lady is forthright. Will it be the usual today, calling some young ladies to accompany you? Or would you like to summon a few young gentlemen?" A'ying winked suggestively.
Dai Yao interrupted, "Why call for young ladies or gentlemen? Call a few of you old sisters over. We'll play the Dama Game1, Lushuang's specialty. If we call the young ones, they'll probably lose so badly they'll leave in tears."
"Alright. I haven't played in a long time either. My hands are itching," Gao Yunqu nodded in agreement.
"Oh, then we thank you both for your patronage."
With that, they set up for a game. Amid the revelry, Gao Yunqu gradually rediscovered her old touch, winning so much that the courtesans' hearts ached for their losses. Her mind had been weighed down by too many things; it had been a long time since she had let herself go like this. It was a rare moment of relaxation.
After a few rounds and several cups of wine, Gao Yunqu was leaning back in her chair, holding a few arrows and casually tossing them into a pot. At the same time, she could spare some attention to give the courtesans pointers on the game. Their cheerful chatter brought a smile to her face.
Dai Yao returned from freshening up2 and said to Gao Yunqu, "I ran into your little Lord Fang."
"Hm? Here?"
"Right next door," Dai Yao said, sitting down beside her and taking a few arrows. She raised her hand and tossed one, but it hit the rim of the pot and bounced off. "They looked like a group of young officials, probably here to celebrate as well."
"Hah," Gao Yunqu snorted. "Neglecting their duties."
"Don't put on that elder's airs," Dai Yao laughed at her words. "Aren't we neglecting our duties too?"
"Ha, so it turns out that even as an elder, Lord Gao is the type who lets herself light fires while forbidding others from lighting lamps," A'ying said, covering her mouth as she laughed.
Gao Yunqu, feeling a bit awkward from their teasing, cleared her throat and asked A'ying, "Does she come here often?"
"Are you referring to the Triple First, Lord Fang Jian, next door?" A'ying smiled.
"Yes," Gao Yunqu nodded.
"How could she? Today is her first time. It truly makes our humble Yuehe Hall shine," A'ying said as she gathered the scattered arrows and returned them to the two. "This servant remembers clearly. After the results of the Metropolitan Examination were announced at the beginning of the year, no one managed to invite Lord Fang out. Everyone was quite disappointed."
Gao Yunqu acknowledged this with a sound, then took two arrows and tossed them together. Both hit their mark. Dai Yao cheered. Having rested enough, Gao Yunqu returned to the Dama Game, but this time she couldn't get into the zone no matter what. She lost several rounds in a row, and the courtesans all thanked her for going easy on them.
Her mind was elsewhere. After a moment of hesitation, she straightened her sleeves and looked at A'ying. "A'ying, could you do me a favor?"
"My lady, you're too kind. Just say the word."
"When the party next door breaks up, send someone to find out if that Lord Fang is staying the night. If not, please ask her to come over."
A'ying pursed her lips in a slight smile and nodded in agreement.
After a few more lost rounds, Fang Jian arrived. The attendant hadn't told her who had sent the invitation. Pushing the door open and seeing Gao Yunqu, Fang Jian froze in her tracks and, without a second thought, started to retreat.
"Why are you running? Am I some kind of monster?" Gao Yunqu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The courtesans in the room joined in the laughter, and for a moment, the atmosphere was exceedingly cheerful.
Fang Jian, abashed, walked over to her and paid her respects.
"Have you ever played Dama?" Gao Yunqu sat boldly before the game table and gestured for the courtesans to clear the seat opposite the board.
"I have not," Fang Jian replied, sitting down obediently.
"Ha, it's good you haven't played. We sisters will teach you," Dai Yao said, sitting beside her and helping her arrange the pieces.
Fang Jian stole a glance at Gao Yunqu and saw her bright eyes dancing, her smile radiant. For a moment, she was entranced. This was a Gao Yunqu she had never seen before—high-spirited and dazzlingly brilliant. By the time she came to her senses, she was already being swept into the game.
The rules of Dama were not difficult, but playing it well involved countless strategies. Whenever Fang Jian hesitated, Dai Yao and the other courtesans would offer her advice, their lively chatter like the chirping of orioles.
Gao Yunqu paid them no mind, responding with a smile, relaxed and at ease. After a few games, Fang Jian was on the verge of tears. "Teacher... my entire month's salary..."
Gao Yunqu burst out laughing. "Just consider it a filial offering to me."
Dai Yao patted Fang Jian's shoulder sympathetically. "It's only a month's salary. Lushuang was still holding back..."
"Lord Dai, that's not what you said just now!" Fang Jian glared at her. Dai Yao had been encouraging her to bet boldly, saying that a novice has a novice's luck, and with their help, she would surely beat Gao Yunqu.
"Ahem, when it comes to gambling, who can say for sure..." Dai Yao said sheepishly.
Even after leaving Yuehe Hall and boarding the carriage, Fang Jian was still pouting. Gao Yunqu gently patted her back, coaxing, "My mistake. Should I give it back to you?"
"No. A move once made cannot be taken back. A loss is a loss," Fang Jian said, showing her the back of her head, her voice a little dejected.
Gao Yunqu tried to hold it in but couldn't, laughing until she couldn't stop.
It took Fang Jian a while to compose herself. She turned to see Gao Yunqu's joyful expression and felt that a month's salary wasn't so much after all. Once Gao Yunqu had laughed her fill, Fang Jian finally spoke. "Teacher, I've observed that despite all you've done, you are always kept at a respectful distance. The Reformist Faction celebrates daily, yet they speak of you with deep reservation. Don't you find the people of this world tiresome?"
"The ancients said: The hills are distant as clouds, white clouds drift in the sky. The heart may linger on the stakes, but the will is to ply the whip3. This means that circumstances are ever-changing. What's important is not to be attached to rank and salary, but to whip the horse and press forward with a single mind," Gao Yunqu said. "It's not that I don't love fame and fortune, but what I seek is not the fame of the present moment. The world is shallow; why should I let it trouble my heart?"
"I will heed your lesson," Fang Jian said, listening intently. After a moment of thought, she asked, "But where does that line about 'the hills are distant as clouds' come from? Why have I never read it?"
Gao Yunqu coughed lightly and averted her eyes. "It's from the 'Essay on Dama'1 by a poet from a previous dynasty."
"..." Fang Jian once again thought of her lost salary and felt a pang in her chest.
Author's Notes
- Gambling (博戲) refers to games of chance. A little gambling is for fun. The Dama Game (打馬) is a gambling game similar to Ludo. Li Qingzhao was particularly skilled at it and even wrote a strategy guide called "Classic of the Dama Game." The "Essay on Dama" was also written by Li Qingzhao.
- Freshening up (更衣): Refers to going to the toilet.
- Lord Gao's stress-relief game: playing with Young Fang [x]
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