Fang Qin comforted Zhao Baozhu thoroughly. Seeing that his complexion was still poor, he had the kitchen brew a pot of calming medicine, coaxed Zhao Baozhu to drink it, then had him lie back down on the bed, carefully wiping the sweat from his forehead with a cloth.
Lying in bed, Zhao Baozhu’s mind was in chaos. As the medicine took effect, drowsiness followed. Seeing his long, dense lashes slowly fluttering and his eyes dimming, Fang Qin knew sleep was overtaking him and softly coaxed: “Sleep well. Tomorrow when you wake up, it will be better.”
Zhao Baozhu’s thoughts were tangled, but he couldn’t speak them to Fang Qin. He nodded and gave a soft “Mm.”
Seeing him like this, Fang Qin inwardly muttered “spoiled,” then had someone bring calming incense to light, wiped Zhao Baozhu’s forehead once more, extinguished all the lamps, and only then left.
The side room fell into darkness. Zhao Baozhu lay in bed, his mind filled, one moment with the Four Books and Five Classics he had studied as a child, the next with stories the village elders told of noble sons and talented scholars in the capital, then again with the time he passed the provincial exam and went to the magistrate’s residence to receive his name card, when the magistrate’s words revealed admiration and yearning for the Emperor.
“You country scholars from small counties can’t compare to those young masters in the capital.” He still remembered the county magistrate in his slightly worn blue official robe stroking his goat beard and speaking with a shake of his head: “If you pass the metropolitan exam and become a jinshi, you will be able to behold the Emperor’s face in the palace exam, make sure to look carefully. Once you are assigned as an official outside the capital, whether you can return to the capital and see such nobles again will depend on your own fate.”
“If after entering the capital you are fortunate enough to exchange a few words with the sons of princes and ministers, you must curry favor well. If those nobles remember you kindly and say a word for you before His Majesty, your future will be secured!”
The magistrate’s words buzzed in Zhao Baozhu’s mind. At times he felt his soul floating in the sky; at others he felt his body still sunk in the soft bed of the Ye Residence. Suddenly he recalled that the magistrate was also from Yizhou, he had passed the imperial exam in the previous dynasty and, since being assigned as a county magistrate, had remained so for over twenty years.
***
Amidst the chaos, Zhao Baozhu slept in a daze for most of the night, yet woke before the rooster crowed. His whole body ached. Reaching up to touch his forehead, his hand came away cool with sweat.
Zhao Baozhu blinked and sighed. He had slept restlessly, as if dreaming many strange and fantastical dreams, yet now could not recall them. Only the news he had heard yesterday surged back into his mind. His vision darkened, and he let out a long sigh, as if he might sigh his very soul out.
Now that he couldn’t fall asleep anymore, Zhao Baozhu got up, changed his clothes, and went to the spring to wash his face. Just as he finished wiping his face clean, he heard someone calling him from the front.
As soon as Zhao Baozhu reached the main room, he saw that Ye Jinghua seemed to have just risen. He was wearing a moon-white sleeping robe embroidered with green bamboo leaves, sitting by the table.
Zhao Baozhu softly called out, “Young master.”
Ye Jinghua lifted his head, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Baozhu’s face, then called him closer. Taking Zhao Baozhu’s hand, his long fingers pressed lightly against his palm. “Why are your hands so cold?”
At the touch, his brows furrowed. He raised his hand again to feel Zhao Baozhu’s clothing at the shoulder. “It’s so chilly in the morning, why didn’t you put on more clothes?”
Seeing how much he cared, Zhao Baozhu’s emotions grew even more complicated. Before, he had already greatly admired Ye Jinghua’s character and was deeply grateful for his care. Now that he knew he was the Prime Minister’s son, he had no idea how he could ever repay these debts of kindness.
Zhao Baozhu felt both conflicted and guilty that he couldn’t be honest in befriending someone of such standing. Lowering his head, he said softly, “I’m not cold. I just washed my face with cold water, so my hands are a bit cold.”
Hearing this, Ye Jinghua looked at him, fell silent for a moment, then said gently, “Still unhappy?”
Zhao Baozhu’s heart tightened. He quickly shook his head. “No.”
Seeing his muffled tone and lack of a smile, Ye Jinghua said nothing, but the regret in his heart deepened. In truth, when he saw those magpies, he had already known Madam Ye would come. He just hadn’t expected Zhao Baozhu to be frightened.
He sighed inwardly, had Zhao Baozhu sit beside him, and pushed a small porcelain bowl toward him. “Eat something first.”
Only after sitting down did Zhao Baozhu notice that several bowls and plates had been set out just for him, filled with various congees and pastries. Clearly they had been prepared specially for him. He immediately felt uneasy again and looked up: “Um… have the other Geges already eaten?”
He meant Deng Yun and the Fang brothers serving nearby. Without even raising his eyes, Ye Jinghua said, “They’ve eaten.”
Only then did Zhao Baozhu say “Oh,” and lowered his gaze to the porcelain bowl before him. Inside was a thick, translucent soup, with a few bright red goji berries floating in it.
He scooped up a spoonful and sniffed it, but detected no particular smell. Curious, he asked, “What is this?”
Ye Jinghua was having a maid pour ginger tea and casually pushed the cup toward him. “A congee that replenishes qi and blood. Drink it.”
Zhao Baozhu nodded, lowered his head, and took a sip. He found it slightly sweet upon entering his mouth, but otherwise couldn’t taste much. It reminded him of the thin layer of rice water that floats on top when cooking congee. He pursed his lips and said: “What a strange congee, why isn’t there any rice?”
Hearing this, someone could no longer hold back. Deng Yun’s irritated voice came: “What do you know? This is top-grade bird’s nest!”
Zhao Baozhu froze. Ye Jinghua’s hands did not stop moving as he cast a cold glance over, his brows slightly furrowed. “Deng Yun.”
Having been glared at by his master, Deng Yun shut his mouth and dared not speak further. Still, he felt a bit sour inside, not because Zhao Baozhu was eating bird’s nest, but because he thought the boy was too crude and tasteless, unworthy of such fine things.
Zhao Baozhu’s eyes widened, and he immediately put down the spoon. “Something this expensive, how can I eat it?”
In his life, he had only heard of bird’s nest, never seen it. He only knew it was a top-tier tonic, worth more than gold by weight. He already owed Ye Jinghua so much, what was he to do now?
Ye Jinghua sighed, knowing that if Zhao Baozhu understood, he wouldn’t eat it. He gently coaxed, “Don’t listen to him. It’s not anything valuable.”
How could Zhao Baozhu believe that? He turned his head away, refusing to eat no matter how Ye Jinghua tried to persuade him. Seeing this, Ye Jinghua didn’t get angry. He took the bowl and handed it to a maid, saying calmly: “If he won’t eat it, take it away and pour it out.”
Hearing that, Zhao Baozhu immediately turned his head back. “Ah?” Such an expensive thing, just poured away? Zhao Baozhu hated wasting food the most. Seeing Ye Jinghua looking at him again, he stammered, “Th-then… I’ll eat it.”
Seeing this, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Ye Jinghua’s lips. He watched as Zhao Baozhu finished the bird’s nest, then had him eat a plate of buns and two servings of pastries, feeding him until his belly was round and his complexion flushed before stopping.
After breakfast, Zhao Baozhu followed Ye Jinghua to the study. In recent days, Ye Jinghua had already taught him most of The Great Learning. Today they switched to Zhuangzi, and Ye Jinghua opened a chapter for him to write.
But this time, Zhao Baozhu held the brush and could not bring himself to write.
Seeing his hesitation, Ye Jinghua set down the book in his hand, walked to Zhao Baozhu’s side, lowered his head, and glanced at the desk. “What’s wrong? Is there something you don’t understand?”
Zhao Baozhu looked at the characters on the page, his thoughts tangled. What kind of fortune did he have, to be taught by the Prime Minister’s son? He felt guilty. If he had befriended Ye Jinghua as a proper scholar, and Ye Jinghua was willing to instruct him, then it would be a gentleman’s friendship, pure and straightforward, and he wouldn’t feel this way.
But his name card was lost. By sheer coincidence, he had ended up relying on the Ye Residence, eating their food, using their things, and now even letting Ye Jinghua teach him, under false pretenses.
The more Zhao Baozhu thought about it, the more ashamed he felt. He raised his head, wanting to confess his identity to Ye Jinghua. But when he met Ye Jinghua’s clear, slightly worried star-like eyes, he thought that if he spoke now, Ye Jinghua would surely think him one of those scheming, opportunistic people, pretending to be a refugee to curry favor with the Prime Minister’s son, and would drive him out!
Zhao Baozhu frowned, his face flushing red and pale by turns. In the end, he said nothing. He simply dropped the brush in his hand, lowered his head, and said: “I… I’m not reading anymore!”
Ye Jinghua was startled, then frowned slightly and said slowly, “What’s wrong? Don’t want to read Zhuangzi? Then we can switch to another book.”
Seeing how patient he was, Zhao Baozhu felt even more distressed. Countless words clogged in his chest, unable to come out. He could only say sullenly, “I don’t want to read anything today.”
Hearing this, the faint smile on Ye Jinghua’s face gradually faded. Looking at Zhao Baozhu’s dark crown of hair, he frowned, a trace of coldness entering his voice: “Are you tired of studying?”
Zhao Baozhu paused. To have books to read at all was already a blessing, when had he ever found study bitter? But he couldn’t think of another excuse, so he nodded and murmured, “Mm.”
Seeing him admit it, Ye Jinghua’s brows furrowed even more tightly. Zhao Baozhu had always been obedient before, even more diligent than the concubine-born younger siblings in the main Ye household. He had liked that very much. Who knew what had happened today that he no longer wished to study?
Ye Jinghua’s gaze circled Zhao Baozhu once. He had intended to scold him, study must not be abandoned even for a day, but then he recalled how pale Zhao Baozhu’s face had been yesterday from fright, and swallowed the harsh words.
“Forget it,” he said slowly. He raised his hand and gently patted Zhao Baozhu’s head. “I’ll give you a day off today. Go play in the courtyard.”
Zhao Baozhu lifted his head at that. Seeing the gentleness in Ye Jinghua’s eyes and his tolerant gaze, his nose suddenly stung. He responded softly and ran out.
***
After leaving the study, Zhao Baozhu didn’t know where to go and wandered aimlessly through the courtyard. Spring had deepened; fresh green shoots appeared among the trees, and birds chirped on the branches. With his head lowered, he walked through a small path, not even hearing Deng Yun call out to him as he passed.
“Eh?” Watching him drift by like a ghost, Deng Yun said in confusion, “What’s wrong now? Hasn’t he found his lost soul yet?”
Fang Qin also saw Zhao Baozhu and sighed, reproaching Deng Yun, “Why did you say that this morning? He’s from a small place and already prone to overthinking, didn’t you just make him feel worse?”
Deng Yun looked a bit sheepish. “How was I supposed to know he couldn’t take it?” Then he added worriedly, “What should we do? Should I go apologize to him now?”
Fang Qin glanced at him and said irritably, “Forget it. With that mouth of yours, you’ll just make him angrier.”
While they were talking, Zhao Baozhu had already walked into a grove. Only when there was no path ahead did he suddenly come to his senses. Looking around, he saw nothing but bushes and trees and had no idea where he had wandered. Standing on tiptoe, he looked into the distance and spotted the pointed roof of the study beyond the treetops, realizing he hadn’t gone far. Relieved, he crouched down, since he didn’t want to see anyone anyway, and broke off a branch to write poems and texts on the ground from memory. After finishing one, he covered it with dirt, then wrote the next.
After half an hour of this, Zhao Baozhu grew bored. Reviewing like this only repeated what he already understood, how could it compare to Ye Jinghua’s teaching?
Thinking of Ye Jinghua’s elegant handwriting, his heart itched. If it were yesterday, they would have already covered several chapters of Zhuangzi.
Zhao Baozhu sighed repeatedly. He imagined how things might have been if he had met Ye Jinghua from the start as a proper juren. But then he thought, how could a provincial graduate from the countryside ever meet the son of the Prime Minister?
He sighed again. Just as he wrote the line, “May the teacher truly be like the moon, who cannot meet it, no matter whose jar it reflects in,” a sudden idea struck him.
Right now he had no status, essentially stealing Ye Jinghua’s knowledge. But if he formally offered tuition and took Ye Jinghua as his teacher, that would be different!
The more Zhao Baozhu thought about it, the more it seemed like a clear path forward. He sprang up from the ground, startling several birds into flight.
At that moment, an unfamiliar voice sounded: “Madam, there’s someone in the grove.”
Zhao Baozhu froze and looked up, only then realizing that at some point a group had appeared outside the grove, maids and servants surrounding a woman in blue-and-gold embroidered shoes. Zhao Baozhu blinked, not yet able to see clearly, when he heard a clear female voice say: “Who’s skulking about there? Go and bring them out!”
Zhao Baozhu recognized it as Madam Ye’s voice. At her command, footsteps immediately sounded. Afraid of being mistaken for someone with ill intent and truly getting seized and beaten, Zhao Baozhu hurriedly called out: “No need, no need! I’m coming out right now!”
As he spoke, he raised both hands over his head and charged out with his head lowered.
Outside the grove, Madam Ye’s willow-like brows knit slightly as she watched someone dart out from the trees. He wore a dark teal short robe and hurried anxiously to her side. When he raised his head, he revealed a fair face smudged with dirt, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. He bowed to her and said: “Baozhu greets Madam Ye.”
Seeing that it was him, Madam Ye’s furrowed brows relaxed. A smile appeared at the corner of her lips as she lifted a handkerchief to cover her mouth and pointed at Zhao Baozhu.
“My Qing’er’s courtyard is becoming livelier and livelier now. Look, another little stray kitten has appeared from who knows where.”
