Zhenshu shook her head: "He kneaded that little bit of syrup in his hands for a long time, who knows how dirty it is. Just look at it for fun, but eating it might upset your stomach."
Zhenyi pouted and remained silent, still quietly licking the syrup.
It turned out that Su's crying and fussing last time was because she had learned of Zhenxiu's affair with Tong Qisheng. After Tong Qisheng passed the imperial examination and went to the capital, he had visited the Song family's residence several times, whether for Zhenshu or Zhenxiu. Coincidentally, Zhenxiu was in the residence at the time, and the two of them began to interact. Although she was still young, she would be fifteen by the next year. Because she had been plumper than the others since childhood, she looked more like a grown woman than Zhenshu.
While at the Song residence, no one knew how the two had interacted. But now, in this small building in the back courtyard, Tong Qisheng, emboldened by some unknown source, would frequently climb up at night to meet Zhenxiu in secret. Zhenxiu, because Zhenyu had accused her of stealing silver notes and had been beaten by the old women, rarely went out. Moreover, Madam Su's heart was entirely with Zhenyuan and Zhenyi, neglecting Zhenxiu. One night, when she finally broke down the door, she was terrified. Although she personally locked Zhenxiu's window every night afterward, she knew in her heart that her mistress had been taken advantage of by that boy. And since Tong Qisheng was now a tribute student, and she didn't know where he had made his fortune, hoping he would marry Zhenxiu after the imperial examinations, Madam Su turned a blind eye.
Around midnight, the streets began to thin out. Madam Su and her daughters were also parched from walking around, and still couldn't find Zhang Rui and Zhenyuan, so she decided, "Let's go back first, and we'll ask your Uncle Zhao to come and find them later."
Back in the small building, while bathing outside, Zhenxiu suddenly called out to Zhenshu, "Second Sister, don't blame me. He was the one you didn't want."
Zhenshu said, "Why should I blame you? Besides, there's nothing between him and me. We just played together a few times when we were young. I was more playful than you guys."
Seeing that Tong Qisheng had put in a good show for her in front of Zhenshu today, Zhenxiu felt a little smug and was willing to say a few nice words to Zhenshu. She smiled and said, "He has feelings for me now. Anyway, Zhenyu has already set a precedent. After the spring examination on the first day of the third month next year, I can't control you anymore. We'll get married first."
Zhenshu said, "That's a good thing. We're all at the age where we should be getting married. We don't need to insist on ranking people by seniority. It doesn't matter who gets married first."
Zhenxiu said, "Good sister, you are the most sensible and polite."
They had never spoken a single word so properly in their entire lives as they had today.
On August 18th, Zhenshu rose at dawn, washed and dressed, and helped Wang Ma prepare breakfast. She ate breakfast with the apprentices at the large table downstairs before returning to the shop. Three months had passed since they last met; she didn't know if Yu Yichen had returned, nor had she gone to the East Market to look for Sun Yuan. Writing a letter was out of the question. Yet, this date, even if she deliberately tried to push it away, kept popping into her mind.
Once outside, she and her two apprentices stepped down from the door, only to find a man standing there. A slender figure in a long black robe—it was Yu Yichen. Afraid Zhao He would see her, Zhenshu quickly jumped out and pushed him away. Then, smiling, she ran to the back room to find an excuse to report to Song Anrong and Zhao He. Afterward, she hurriedly jumped upstairs, untied her usual plain-colored skirt, and tied on the ivory-colored skirt he had given her in April. Only then did she descend the stairs from the side of the building and leave.
Yu Yichen was still standing not far from the mounting shop, the autumn wind ruffling his thin black shirt, making him look pitifully thin. Zhen Shu quietly strolled over from behind, exclaimed "Hi!", and still smiled with her lips pursed. Yu Yichen turned around upon hearing the woman's slightly excited voice, and smiled as well: "I've been wondering what the young shopkeeper's expression will be when he opens the door and sees me standing outside, so I got up early and came with great enthusiasm. I was afraid you'd open too early, so I've been waiting since dawn."
Zhenshu followed him slowly out of the East Market. Most shops were not yet open, and the streets were deserted. Behind them, his magnificent and dazzling carriage also moved slowly.
"So?" Zhenshu quickened her pace and turned to look at him, saying, "Perhaps in your opinion, my daughter looks quite ridiculous."
Yu Yichen shook his head: "No, I saw the joy in your eyes, and I was very happy too."
Zhenshu's heart stirred at his words, and her smile deepened. Just as she was about to say something, he suddenly pulled her into his arms and said, "Be careful!"
A donkey cart carrying goods passed by them, and if it weren't for Yu Yichen, Zhenshu would have bumped into the donkey. For some reason, Zhenshu found it quite funny and burst into laughter, nestled in Yu Yichen's arms.
After leaving the East Market, the two boarded the carriage. Zhenshu knelt beside him and suddenly asked, "This is the first time I've met you, Father-in-law. You weren't wearing clothes like this before. The color and fabric of those clothes were much better and suited you better."
Yu Yichen sat cross-legged, glanced at her for a long while, and then smiled slightly: "Clothes are just external things, enough to cover the body, what difference does it make whether they are good or bad?"
Zhenshu said, "Not entirely. Good clothes complement good colors, and the viewer will also find them pleasing to the eye. That wooden hairpin in your hair must have been used for a long time; I've seen you wearing it since the first time I met you."
Yu Yichen still smiled at her: "If the young shopkeeper likes it, I will change to a brighter one another day."
Zhen Shu had only spoken on a whim, but now she felt that he had teased her again, so she bit her lip and remained silent. Yu Yichen suddenly said, "Clothing is also a state of mind. Ever since I met the young shopkeeper, I have always felt ashamed of my appearance and cannot wear bright colors."
Chapter 58 The Musician
Zhenshu said, "On May 18th, I saw Sun Yuan at the East Market. He said you had left the capital. I also heard that the Emperor saw off the General of Mighty Martial Might at the city gate that day. Was that General of Mighty Martial Mighty you, Your Excellency?"
Yu Yichen frowned and said softly, "Did you go see it too?"
Zhenshu shook her head: "I didn't."
She was wearing a thin silk and light gauze summer dress that day, so it was not appropriate for her to squeeze into the crowd.
Yu Yichen said, "Fortunately, I didn't. I was riding on horseback and was afraid that the young shopkeeper would see me and laugh at me, so I didn't even dare to raise my head."
Zhenshu also found it somewhat ridiculous for a eunuch to become a great general. Besides, she was used to speaking her mind in front of him, so without thinking, she blurted out, "Then why are you going to become a mighty great general?"
Seeing that the carriage was moving unusually slowly today, and they hadn't even crossed the Imperial Street yet, Zhenshu asked again, "If you went to war, did you win? Was it a good fight?"
Yu Yichen said, "I was just feeling a bit hot, so I took the opportunity to go out and escape the heat."
Using war as a way to escape the summer heat, this person is really strange.
Yu Yichen shook his head: "Although I avoided the heat, I almost caught a cold. Another unpleasant thing is that I haven't received a letter from the young manager yet."
Zhenshu and he exchanged a glance, both shaking their heads and smiling. She was too happy today to delve into the strangeness in his words. Upon arriving at the backyard of the Yu residence, the carriage, as usual, stopped beside the flowerbed. Autumn was in full swing in the courtyard, and the pear trees in the distance were laden with fruit, a thick layer of fruit piled beneath them.
Today, however, he didn't take her upstairs. Instead, he led her deep into the building from the first floor, through a corridor about ten feet deep, where she came to two very thick, vermilion-lacquered doors. Yu Yichen pushed them open herself, and after walking through another corridor, she saw two more equally thick, vermilion-lacquered doors not far away.
He pushed the door open with both hands and went inside, and Zhenshu followed him in.
This was a very spacious hall, with windows on all four sides. At this moment, the morning light shone in from all directions, making the hall incredibly bright. There were a few pillars in the middle of the hall, but otherwise, the floor was empty and clean, and the sound of walking on it echoed endlessly.
Two futons were placed in the corner on the left side of the room. Yu Yichen sat down on one, and Zhenshu sat down next to him. He clapped his hands twice, and the echo lingered in his ears for a long time before fading away.
Suddenly, the door on the other side opened, and Mei Xun bowed and walked in, followed by a row of young servants. They carried small tables with short legs, tea, dried fruit, and other items, which they placed in front of Yu Yichen and Zhen Shu.
Ignoring the fact that they were tidying up in front of him, Yu Yichen turned to Zhen Shu's ear and said, "I had forgotten that although the little shopkeeper has some heroic spirit, she is still a woman, and probably likes to eat some sweet and sour things. Every time you come, I have never prepared anything for you."
Zhenshu saw that in front of him was only a cup of warm yellow wine and a small wine cup. On the small table in front of her, there was a full table of various green fruits such as apricots, plums, and prunes, as well as dried fruits such as apricot kernels, peach kernels, and plum kernels, and there were also pickled dried plums and apricot preserves. The table was full of fruit.
Zhen Shu feigned anger and said, "I only ate one more of your rice dumpling."
Yu Yichen said, "Your zongzi are even tastier, as are the baicaotou (a type of herb)."
Whether she had eaten or not, his words warmed Zhenshu's heart.
After these people left, Mei Xun remained standing by the door, serving them. He was the same person who had announced their arrival when she and Zhang Gui first came, so she guessed he must be one of Yu Yichen's godson or something similar. She wondered why this godson rarely spoke and always seemed so sullen. A short while later, several elderly men carrying musical instruments such as qin, xiao, dizi, se, and konghou filed in. Because of the bright light, Zhen Shu could clearly see the expressions on their faces.
The old men, each carrying a musical instrument, had blank expressions on their faces. They entered the room, bowed deeply in the direction of Yu Yichen and Zhenshu, and then sat down in turn.
Zhenshu was young and had no rank or status, so she naturally could not accept their courtesy. She covered her face and avoided them. Only after they were seated did she rise and return the courtesy.
These people were silent and did not seem to be looking in their direction. So, apart from a few people bowing slightly, most of them ignored Zhen Shu's greetings and just kept flipping through the sheet music.
The zither music began first, its ancient and melodious sound resonating. Then the pipa began, its sound like the gentle touch of jade, crisp yet with a steely quality. As the pipa faded, the xiao (vertical bamboo flute) rose, and an elderly man in the audience began to sing along with the melodious flute music:
How many more storms and rains can it endure? Spring hastily departed once more. I lament the early blooming of spring, let alone the countless fallen petals. Spring, please stay! It is said that the fragrant grasses at the ends of the earth have no way back. Spring remains silent in its sorrow. Only the diligent spiderwebs on the painted eaves, all day long, attract the flying catkins.
The long-awaited reunion has been missed again. Even the most beautiful woman has been envied. Though one could sell a poem by Sima Xiangru for a thousand pieces of gold, to whom can this deep affection be confided? Do not dance. Have you not seen how even Yang Guifei and Zhao Feiyan have turned to dust? Idle sorrow is the most bitter. Do not lean against the perilous railing, for the setting sun shines on the willows and mist, a scene of heartbreaking desolation.
This is Xin Qiji's "Touching Fish".
After this piece ended, Zhenshu had only drunk a cup of tea when the zither music began, its notes already resounding and powerful. The pipa followed, its notes sharp and resonant, and even the flute carried a touch of pathos. The old man then began to sing:
Drunk, I pick up my sword by lamplight; in my dreams, I hear bugles echoing through the camps. Eight hundred miles of territory lie beneath my command, fifty strings of music resound beyond the border. Autumn troops are mustered on the battlefield. My horse, like Lu Bu's Red Hare, flies swiftly; my bow, like thunder, startles the string. I have accomplished the affairs of the king and the world, winning fame both before and after my death. Alas, my hair has turned white!
The music was already mournful, but the old man's singing was even more poignant. Zhen Shu leaned close to Yu Yichen's ear and asked, "Why are they all singing Xin Qiji's poems, yet the melodies are so strange?"
Yu Yichen turned his head and whispered in her ear, "This is ancient music from the Wei and Jin Dynasties."
Zhen Shu grew up in the countryside and didn't understand music theory or refined tastes. He only heard the old man singing with extraordinary sorrow, and his expression was also very sorrowful and desolate. So he turned to the side and said, "Their singing is too tragic."
Yu Yichen seemed displeased upon hearing Zhen Shu's words. He frowned and waved his hand, and the group of musicians rose, bowed, and retreated in turn.
Zhenshu frowned and said, "I don't know why, but I always feel that they look unhappy. It must be because the music was too mournful."
Yu Yichen shook his head and smiled bitterly: "No, it's not like that. They used to play music for Emperor Taizong, they were the emperor's musicians. Now they've been reduced to playing music for a eunuch, so they're unhappy about it. But the musicians are sad, so the music is sad, and the music is sad, so the lyrics are sad. The three sorrows combined have a unique flavor."
Zhen Shu said, "Since you are the emperor's musician, why have you fallen to this state?"
Yu Yichen patiently explained, "Although they love music, Emperor Chengfeng disliked the cacophony of music and refused to use them. So they have been confined to the palace to live out their days. Now that His Majesty has ascended the throne, I have taken them over so that I can listen to them play in my spare time."
So that's how it is. Although they are now down on their luck, they were once the emperor's singers and musicians. How could they deign to serve a eunuch?
Thinking of this, Zhenshu felt a pang of pity for Yu Yichen. Although she knew that her pity was always ill-timed and would eventually harm him, she still comforted him, saying, "Are kings and generals born with a special destiny? The emperor is merely fulfilling his duties; once he takes off his dragon robe, he is just a mortal. Despite your birth, in my eyes you are more lovable than any emperor."
A blush rose to Yu Yichen's face, and the corners of his lips curled into a slight smile. He always needed some yellow wine to warm himself up before he looked exceptionally handsome. However, he didn't dare look at Zhenshu at this moment, but stared at the contents of the cup and slowly said, "You've never even seen the Emperor, how do you know he's not lovable?"
Zhen Shu said, "I am just an ordinary woman, doing ordinary things. What use is it for me to see the emperor? Even if I look at him more, it won't make me as beautiful as Chang'e or as fair as the moon. I am still just an ordinary person."
Yu Yichen's smile deepened, still looking down at the contents of his cup, and said, "Anyone would probably be curious about the emperor of this country. Yet you didn't even go to see him off at the city gate, which shows that you don't care."
It was around noon. Sun Yuan brought out a large, short-legged table and placed it in front of them, moving the two smaller tables to one side. After setting out chopsticks, bowls, spoons, and other utensils, a servant bowed and brought over a tray, kneeling at a distance to wait. Sun Yuan went over, placed the dish in the center, and said softly, "This is ham."
The ham was sliced as thin as a cicada's wing, and it shone with a reddish luster. When you picked it up and looked in the sunlight, you could see the reddish hue through the texture of the flesh.
He then brought over a plate of tender, two-inch-long, white vegetables, served on a green glazed plate. Zhenshu tasted it and realized it was green shoots with the head and tail removed, offering a crisp and refreshing aftertaste.
Before long, yellow-roe autumn crabs were served, and Zhenshu had only taken a bite when braised yellow croaker, boiled shrimp, and other river delicacies were laid out. She suddenly realized that this was probably something Yu Yichen had specially prepared because she found the zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) too monotonous when they ate them on the canal last time. So she put down her chopsticks and said, "This is too much. You won't touch your chopsticks, how can I possibly finish it?"
Yu Yichen moved his chopsticks slightly, and more dishes of mutton jelly, white chicken, roast goose, and other delicacies were brought out one after another. Sun Yuan then moved the dishes in front of him to another table. Zhen Shu was never particular about food, and after finishing his meal, he said, "Even if you bring more dishes now, just look at them. I'm full."
Sun Yuan brought over a basin and a handkerchief. Zhen Shu washed her hands and wiped her mouth with it, then threw the handkerchief away and said, "Eunuch Yu, I'm here to read for you. I don't know when I'll finish reading these twelve volumes. It's too much trouble for you to treat me like this every time."
Yu Yichen wiped his mouth, tossed aside his handkerchief, and said, "If the young manager is willing to stay by my side, what does it matter if it's like this all day long?"
Zhenshu felt a vague unease. She gradually realized that although Yu Yichen was a gentleman and had never laid a finger on her, of course, if he were a eunuch, he wouldn't do anything to her. But if he continued like this, how could she guarantee she wouldn't fall for him? She sighed inwardly: He's just a eunuch; even if he had those thoughts, it would be pointless.
Chapter 59 Scandal
Yu Yichen got up and walked towards the small building, asking as he went, "What is the young manager thinking about right now?"
Zhenshu said, "This is the room I came to when I first met my father-in-law."
Yu Yichen turned around and glanced at him, saying, "That's right."
He suddenly stopped, turned around and stared at Zhenshu, saying, "I will never forget the expression on the young shopkeeper's face when he walked in through that door."
Zhenshu gazed at his full, rosy, slightly angular lips, his even and full forehead, and his eyes fixed on her. She thought to herself: It's over, it's over. You were only fooled by a robber once, and it's only been a year. Have you already forgotten the pain?
She fell silent and remained on the second-floor balcony, enjoying the slightly cool yet warm afternoon breeze and sunlight, reciting a passage from "The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions." Seeing Yu Yichen sitting there with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep, she quietly closed the book and got up to leave. Just then, she heard Yu Yichen say, "If Miss Song were a man, could she, like that holy monk of the Great Tang, travel to the Western Regions?"
Zhenshu sat down again and said, "If my daughter were a boy, she would definitely go out for a walk. Perhaps she couldn't go that far, but she would still go out for a walk."
Yu Yichen shook his head: "What I mean is, to sever all emotions and desires like a holy monk."
Zhenshu shook her head, bit her lip, and smiled, "No. I crave the pleasures of this world. Besides, if I were a man, I would want three or four wives and concubines by my side, wouldn't I..."
Before anyone knew it, Yu Yichen also raised the corner of his lips and glanced at her sideways: "I didn't expect Miss Zhenshu to have this hobby."
Zhenshu suddenly felt something was wrong. She quickly went over what she had just said in her mind before hurriedly explaining, "I was just speaking according to custom."
Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she asked Yu Yichen, "If you were a woman, what would you do?"
Yu Yichen remained silent for a long while, a bitter expression gradually appearing on his face. Perhaps his striking appearance had become a burden to him; perhaps many people had asked him this question: If you were a woman…
Zhen Shu had already walked far away, but she went back and knelt down beside him, saying, "I had no intention of doing this."
Yu Yichen gently shook his head, and after a long while asked, "Do you want me to send someone to escort you?"
Zhenshu shook her head: "No need, I can walk back myself."
After watching Zhenshu go downstairs and leave, Yu Yichen lowered his eyes for a long time. He turned around and saw Sun Yuan standing behind him, and asked, "What is it?"
Sun Yuan said, "News has come from the palace that the Empress has given birth."