Rong Yue's voice was completely unexpected. The word "ji" was drawn out very long. Shen Mo's bamboo pen tilted, struggled a few times, and slipped from her stiff hand, rolling all the way from the table to Rong Yue's feet.
"Young Master." Shen Mo took a few steps back and lowered his head, offering no explanation, nor knowing how to explain.
"Aren't you going to make me a hangover soup?"
For a long time, she waited for any sound other than the rustling of Xuan paper. Just when Shen Mo thought he had fallen asleep again, she suddenly heard these words. There was no anger or punishment in them. She looked up at Rong Yue in surprise, as if she were seeing him for the first time. By the time the words were spoken, it was too late to stop him.
"This servant thinks it's better for the young master to be drunk like this."
Rong Yue's gaze turned towards her, his usual sharpness blurred by the alcohol, giving Shen Mo a gentle illusion. That's why she dared to boldly step forward and ask him, "Young Master, do you find living like this tiring?"
As if the scenery before him had become blurry, Rong Yue squinted at Chen Mo and asked, "How old are you exactly?"
"Young Master..."
Perhaps he didn't really want to know her age, but was simply too drunk to answer such a bold question. Rong Yue interrupted her, picking up the books on the table one by one and stacking them in her hands. "This one, this one, and these, what is all this stuff! I can't understand it, I can't understand any of it. You rewrite it all for me, right now!"
Having grown accustomed to Rong Yue's caution and methodical approach, she had never seen him so unreasonable. Normally, Rong Yue would solemnly remind her from time to time not to let the ink smudge or make mistakes, but now, with this thick stack of books in his arms…
However, seeing Rong Yue's somewhat impatient expression, Shen Mo could only nod in agreement. "Even if Master's words are wrong, they are still right!" This was something the steward often said when giving instructions, and at this moment, she deeply understood it.
"Wait!" The voice behind him sounded somewhat helpless.
Shen Mo turned around in surprise, "Is there anything else you need, young master?"
"Did you just come back from rolling around outside? You're so dirty!"
Seeing Rong Yue's slightly disgusted look, Shen Mo looked down at her clothes. Long streaks were left on her sleeves from tree branches, her skirt was covered in mud, and melted snow stains covered her entire body. She looked up at Rong Yue embarrassedly, suddenly feeling a chill.
As if the heavens had heard Shen Mo's call, the next second, something warm flew towards her. Shen Mo pulled down the fabric covering her vision, refusing to believe her eyes.
"Young master, your clothes..."
"Wrap it up, don't get my book dirty, and don't give it back to me, it's dirty!"
Shen Mo clearly remembers Rong Yue's expression at the time. He said those words while looking straight at the book, as if there was an exact sentence in the book and he was just reading it aloud.
"Don't overthink it," Shen Mo automatically translated into her mind. So she put Rong Yue's clothes aside, rolled up her sleeves, and knew that in Rong Yue's eyes she was no longer just a person. She was a presence, someone who could share his loneliness in such a quiet and melancholic night. She was a very important presence. She had the air of someone bravely going to their death, but the corners of her mouth curved into a suspicious arc.
Without knowing how many words she had written, Shen Mo felt the candlelight dim, and she didn't know where to put her pen. Suddenly, the book was snatched from her hand, and due to the momentum, the ink smeared onto the back of her hand.
However, he couldn't outdo Rong Yue in terms of his reputation.
"go out!"
"Young Master?"
Get out of here right now!
"yes."
Shen Mo obediently went out, but knocked on the door again a moment later. Under Rong Yue's gaze, she picked up the clothes from the corner of the table and put them on calmly, even wrapping herself in them warmly.
"Young Master is right. We cannot sully your book. Please give me another chance." Even in a half-awake state, she refused to abandon her identity and insisted on putting on such an awkward act. Shen Mo was helpless, but he still accepted it for this rare moment of tenderness.
If Shen Mo had realized that this tenderness would surprise Madam Rong, perhaps she would have made some preparations earlier. However, there are no ifs in the end. When Shen Mo got up from the table under Madam Rong's slightly probing gaze, she was surprised to see that what Madam Rong looked at was not probing, but vigilance!
"Madam!" Shen Mo quickly stood up and bowed.
She waited for Madam Rong's reaction, recalling her lifeless eyes and her weak sobs. Yet, she felt no fear or trepidation towards this high and mighty master.
"Yes, you've worked hard helping the young master copy the book all night. Go and rest."
Sure enough, after a long wait, Shen Mo received a fairly normal exhortation. When she went out, she noticed that Rong Yue, who was in the main seat, was no longer there. She shook her head and found that the sound of the flute from her dream last night was still lingering. In fact, she really wanted to tell Rong Yue that there was a part that was played wrong, but she just couldn't wake up.
She defined the night as both long and short, then returned to her room and fell asleep again.
When Shen Mo woke up again, it seemed that she had nothing to do but copy. After everything returned to calm, she once thought that her hands were enough for her life. But for Rong Yue, her hands seemed to be more than enough.
"Brother Yue, please say yes... Brother Yue."
From afar came Jiang Suyi's coquettish and pleading voice. Shen Mo sat in a small corner of the study, already used to it, and did not look up. However, his ears were not idle. Apart from the increasingly close footsteps, he could not hear any response from Rong Yue.
"Jiang Suyi, stop fooling around. I will never participate in such an occasion."
"But this is my first appearance at the Chihua Palace. Brother Yue, as long as you are willing to help me, I will definitely be able to take the top spot." Jiang Suying's words were full of expectation and hope.
Whether you win the championship or not is none of my business.
"Rong Yue!" A nonchalant remark provoked Jiang Suying's pretty face to turn angry.
"how?"
"If you don't agree, I'll... I'll just stay here and not leave."
Rong Yue buried his head in his work, "Whatever you say."
In a fit of anger, Jiang Suying looked around and finally spotted Shen Mo. She turned her gaze away and said, "Brother Yue, if you don't agree, I'll take A-Mo away."
Rong Yue raised his head, paused for a moment, and looked at Jiang Suyi thoughtfully, saying, "You can indeed take her away."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Suying stared blankly at Rong Yue, "You no longer need Amo to transcribe your manuscript?" Behind her surprised expression, Shen Mo was staring intently at Rong Yue with her big eyes.
“Who said we don’t need her? What I mean is you can take her away when you’re at Chihua Palace.” Rong Yue casually said, still holding a book, “Chen Mo has learned quite a few pieces from me over the years, so playing a duet with you on the qin and xiao is a piece of cake.”
“But…” Jiang Suyi stamped her foot. The Chihua Palace was originally a grand gathering for young ladies of Ningcheng. She had wanted Rong Yue to accompany her, but he had postponed it to this extent.
"There's no 'buts' about it. It's getting late, and now that things are resolved, you should head back."
“You…” Jiang Suyi’s face immediately showed disappointment. Unfortunately, Rong Yue did not see it, but fortunately, Shen Mo did.
"Young Master!" Shen Mo called out just before Jiang Suying stormed out the door.
"Young master, would you like me to accompany Miss Jiang with the flute and xiao?" Although she didn't understand what the Chihua Palace they were talking about was, she still understood the situation to some extent.
"Okay, I'll give you a break then." Rong Yue thought she just wanted to confirm something, but when she raised her finger, he realized that things weren't so simple.
Shen Mo held up a finger that had been roughly bandaged. Although it was just a simple middle finger, Rong Yue and Jiang Suying both understood what she was about to say.
"Young Master, I accidentally injured my fingertip while sharpening the bamboo pen. I'm afraid... I won't be able to complete Miss Jiang's task." Shen Mo looked at Jiang Suyi with a slightly apologetic expression, innocent yet helpless.
Shen Mo didn't know if Rong Yue had noticed anything later, but when Jiang Suying ran over worriedly to ask her why she was so careless, she knew she couldn't fool him and gave her a wink. Jiang Suying was stunned for a moment before she reacted, playfully sticking out her tongue at Shen Mo gratefully, thus blocking Rong Yue's expression.
Rong Yue finally had no choice but to agree.
The next day, news began to spread that the daughter of the Prefect and the young master of the Rong family would be playing music together in the Chihua Palace. One was a calm and capable young man, and the other was a beautiful and lovely young lady. Naturally, they attracted a lot of envy and discussion. Some people even began to predict that the two families, who were already on good terms, would embark on a path of becoming close relatives.
Of course, Shen Mo, who spent her days holed up in a corner of Rong's study, was unaware of all this. She even learned a little about the Chihua Palace from the delighted Jiang Suying later. This grand event in Ningcheng was held only once every three years, a festival for young men and women. The most eye-catching event was the "Queen of the Palace" competition, a contest between Ningcheng women aged twelve and above, comparing their skills in playing the zither and dancing. The winner would become Ningcheng's goddess and have the opportunity to become famous throughout the land—the dream of every Ningcheng woman. Jiang Suying had just turned twelve this year, and the reason she had pestered Rong Yue to provide her with the zither music was precisely because of the Chihua Palace.
The young ladies from various families dressed up gracefully, eager to showcase their life's learning to the world. Even noblemen could not resist the temptation, let alone ordinary people. Therefore, the Chihua Palace was sure to be deserted on that day.
Jiang Suying tapped Shen Mo's head and said, "Ah Mo, you are so ignorant."
Jiang Suyi said, "Amo, this time I must take you out to see the Chihua Palace."
Shen Mo suddenly realized, and said seriously, "Miss, you will definitely win the championship."
When Shen Mo heard that the organizers of the temple fair had sent an invitation to the Rong family to be judges after learning that Rong Yue would be participating, she smiled. There weren't many wealthy families in Ningcheng. The Rong family had one, and the Gu family, which was known for its unconventional ways, also had one. She was right. Jiang Suying couldn't escape the title of "last place" this time. Corruption existed everywhere, even in ancient times, but everyone was happy to accept it, including her.
However, no one expected that "accidents" could be everywhere...
Chapter Ten: The Chaos of Flute and Xiao
As if Jiang Suying had instructed him, Rong Yue didn't forget to find Shen Mo before leaving, toss her a bundle, say "I'll give you half an incense stick's time" and then left.
Surprised, she opened the bundle. It was made of fine material in a simple color. It was a garment, or more precisely, a men's outfit. Only then did Shen Mo realize that she was being taken to the Chihua Palace.
Sometimes, Shen Mo truly admired Rong Yue's memory. Every single time he needed to take Shen Mo out, he would always remember to throw her a piece of men's clothing. She remembered the first time she nervously asked Rong Yue why, and he just looked at her sharply and said, "I need a page, not a personal maid."
Shen Mo suddenly realized that she was his pageboy, and in his eyes, a pageboy must be a boy. She remembered the boy she had led around frantically through several streets, and she suddenly wanted to ask him why. Why did he call her "Miss" the first time he saw her dressed as a man, while she had lived in front of Rong Yue dressed as a woman for four years, yet he was trying to confuse her gender?
Half an incense stick's time is actually not long. She had to struggle with the unfamiliar, oversized clothing and hide her long hair. So when she ran breathlessly to the gate, Rong Yue had already boarded the carriage. The coachman kept looking into the mansion. When he saw her arrive, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and secretly told her that the young master was already impatient and would probably get angry if she had been a few words later.
Shen Mo sat next to the coachman, knowing he couldn't see anything, but he still couldn't help glancing back at the carriage curtain. He felt no resentment; he was used to it.
The bustling crowds, the lively shops, the various smiling faces and expressions—Chen Mo had seen all of these in the nearly ten years of his life, but he had never appreciated them as much as he did now.
The carriage moved slowly along with the crowd. Shen Mo propped her head up with one hand and glanced at their clothes. Suddenly, the robes turned into short skirts, and the blue shirts into suits. A cake shop stood prominently by the roadside, and a traffic light appeared on the side! Shen Mo touched the material beside her—it was the glass of the carriage window! She sat up abruptly. Since they were in a carriage, there must be a driver, and her driver… was only one.
From this angle, a half-turn would confirm it, yet she couldn't make a decision for a long time, just lingering like this... until someone forcefully pulled her up, and the face in front of her became clearer. Shen Mo leaned against the back railing as if powerless, with a forced smile on his face.
The coachman was puzzled by the disappointment on her face and sighed, "Is that all the energy you have? You fall asleep after just a few swayings in the carriage. You still have to serve the young master all day. How are you going to get through this?"
Shen Mo straightened his expression. "Thank you, I won't."
"I'm not trying to scold you, but serving the young master is a good job. Even if you're young, you can't just do whatever you want."
Shen Mo picked up the tassel hanging beside the carriage and started fiddling with it, really wanting to ignore the coachman's nagging.
"stop!"
Upon hearing the sound, Shen Mo initially thought it was her, but realized it wasn't when she saw Rong Yue lift the sedan curtain and peek out from inside.
"Get down," Rong Yue said, looking at her.
Shen Mo was speechless. Did he know she had fallen asleep for no reason and wanted to send her away? Seeing that Rong Yue had no intention of explaining and was even a little impatient with her hesitation, she had no choice but to obey and get out of the car. She got out too hastily and was bumped into by someone. By the time she stood up, she found that Rong Yue had already walked quite a distance away.
Shen Mo shook her head and jogged to catch up. The dream she had just had confused her about the world before her. This was no longer the man who would pay attention to every detail of her. The young master Rong in front of her thought the carriage was too slow and wanted to get off and walk. It was that simple.
"Young Master Rong, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting here for quite some time." A man with a fawning smile bowed and scraped as he led Rong Yue upstairs.
From afar, several seats upstairs stood out conspicuously, quiet and secluded, directly opposite a large red platform, presumably the arena for the competition. This wasn't an era that placed excessive constraints on young women, a fact Shen Mo understood and was thankful for. However, the crowds of onlookers were indeed overwhelming, the noise even drowning out the drums and gongs, constantly assaulting her eardrums.
Rong Yue simply nodded slightly and did not speak to the man. Seeing Gu Buju standing up not far upstairs, he walked straight towards him.
"Which one?" This was the first thing Rong Yue said after sitting down and exchanging pleasantries with the other judges.
Gu Buju laughed immediately, "This competition is different from the past. Music and dance will be separated. I promised Su Yi that I would watch over you. It's impossible for you to slip away early."
With his gentle and refined demeanor, and the way his sleeves fluttered in the wind, his smile immediately caught Shen Mo's eye. It was as if he had discovered an interesting territory, and he couldn't help but take a closer look. The conclusion he came to was: this was a man who was no less handsome or well-connected than Rong Yue.
Fresh and handsome, elegant and profound, Shen Mo sighed inwardly. She had never seen Gu Buju so radiant as he was today. Was it the passage of time or human intervention? As the competition began, she suddenly wanted to know the answer.
"Hey kid."
When Shen Mo came to her senses, she realized that he was calling her. It was a handsome young man who was probably a little older than her. Following his gaze, she realized that she had been staring at Gu Buju for too long and had been impolite, so she quickly lowered her head.
"Could it be that my young master is so charming that even the Rong family's little page has been captivated, hahaha..."
Originally from the Gu family, Shen Mo simply stood there, with her masters all present, and she didn't want to speak.
"Everyone says I'm pretty, but I think you're the real pretty one, you're as fair-skinned as a little girl." The man seemed bored, talking to her casually, and now he even wanted to reach out his hand to test her.