Beauty, Power and Intrigue Chapter 37

Someone lightly knocked on the door, the sound mingled with the wind, and it was a man. “Master Huaijin.”

“What is it?” Song Chuyi asked in a raised voice.

“The master invites you to the main hall,” the man replied.

It was such a cold day, and Song Chuyi was somewhat unwilling to go out, but on the first day at the residence, she had to meet the other retainers in the household. Those were the people she would be working with in the future, and she could not afford to be negligent.

Song Chuyi decisively slipped out from under the blankets, grabbed the clothes on the couch, and quickly put them on. She was so fast that Zi Ya had not even reacted yet, and only had time to take the black cloak from the couch and drape it over her.

When the door opened, she saw a young servant dressed in servant’s clothes standing outside. The wind and snow carried snowflakes that stung people’s cheeks with a faint pain. Song Chuyi gathered the cloak around her and said, “Let’s go.”

“Yes,” the youth said with a bow.

Song Chuyi lowered her head, faced the wind and snow, and hurried after him toward the main courtyard. Longgu Qing’s residence was of the clan-compound type. There were not many people in their clan, only six branches, and each courtyard was pressed close to the next. The place where Song Chuyi lived was not inside Longgu Qing’s residence, but like the other branches, was a separate courtyard adjacent to Longgu Residence, only much smaller.

After walking more than five meters, there was a side door leading to the main courtyard. Song Chuyi suddenly understood – that branch of “slim plum” earlier had indeed been heading in this direction.

Upon entering Longgu Residence, a middle-aged man was waiting to guide them under the corridor. Although the light had been dim when she saw him yesterday, Song Chuyi still recognized him. This was the steward of Longgu Residence, named Qi Wu.

Qi referred to Qi City of the State of Wey. That was a large city where merchants gathered to trade, and the Longgu clan had migrated from Qi City to Puyang.

In the hall, more than ten people were already seated upright on the mats on both sides, all wearing broad-sleeved robes.

When Song Chuyi entered the hall, she quickly swept her gaze around. There were eight scholars in total, which was truly very few considering Longgu Qing’s official position and the strength of the Longgu clan. However, Song Chuyi admitted to herself honestly that no matter what the abilities and learning of these eight scholars were, in appearance and bearing alone, they were all excellent. No wonder Longgu Qing had never been willing to look at her more than once. It turned out that even when taking retainers, he looked at looks. As soon as Song Chuyi entered the room, all gazes turned toward her. She saw that some people, upon seeing her, immediately revealed the same disdain that had once appeared on “slim plum’s” face. But she still calmly met all the gazes, whether curious or contemptuous.

“I pay my respects to my lord,” Song Chuyi said with a salute.

Longgu Qing responded with a sound. “Please be seated.”

Song Chuyi raised her head and looked around, then unhurriedly walked toward an empty seat at the very back.

Originally, the night before, servants had already notified all the retainers, asking them to come to the hall to meet the newly arrived scholar in the household. Apart from “slim plum,” everyone had let their imaginations run wild, looking forward to working with someone of outstanding elegance and bearing. Therefore, early in the morning, they had come to the hall neatly dressed and groomed, waiting respectfully, which could be considered showing great respect. Unexpectedly, what they got was such a callow youth, and not an especially good-looking one at that. How could they not be disappointed? How could they not feel stifled?

However, Song Chuyi’s current behavior made the other eight scholars feel somewhat more comfortable: at least she still had some self-awareness.

“I do not have many retainers, but I eliminate the worthless and keep the essential. Those who remain in my household are all people of discernment,” said Longgu Qing.

Everyone responded modestly on the surface, while inwardly feeling disgusted, thinking that Song Chuyi was like a rat dropping that had fallen into a pot, ruining a whole pot of good porridge.

“You saved our State of Wey in its hour of crisis, and His Highness greatly admires him,” Longgu Qing said, then looked toward Song Chuyi. “Please first get acquainted with everyone.”

Song Chuyi placed the cloak on the small table, smiled, and cupped her hands toward everyone. “I am Song Chuyi, courtesy name Huaijin, formerly courtesy name Yinyue.”

“Could you be from the ducal house of Song?” asked a middle-aged scholar in gray robes seated at the top on the left with a smile.

The middle-aged scholar was about thirty-five years old, with a fair face, a handsome beard, and regular features. Beneath sword-like brows were a pair of peach-blossom eyes with slightly upturned corners. When he smiled, one or two shallow creases appeared at the corners of his eyes, giving him an air of noble magnanimity and yet also approachability.

Song Chuyi had no way to deny it. Strictly speaking, “Song” was her clan name, not her surname. Song Chuyi continued, “If one traces my ancestry back, it goes to Duke Hui of Song. It was only a collateral branch, and it had long since declined. A hundred years ago, we took Song as our surname, so I cannot really be counted as a member of the ducal house. May I ask who you are…”

“I am Xi Hong, courtesy name Chequan,” the middle-aged man said with cupped hands.

“Hui Shuyun, courtesy name Ziyan,” said a man in his thirties next below Xi Hong.

There was order according to seniority. Judging by their apparent ages, they were seated in order of age from front to back. That branch of “slim plum” who lived in the same courtyard as Song Chuyi was seated directly across from Song Chuyi.

Everyone introduced themselves one by one. When it was slim plum’s turn, Song Chuyi looked at him carefully and only then realized that he seemed to be merely in his early twenties, the youngest among them.

“Nan Qi, courtesy name Yunsi,” slim plum said lazily, from beginning to end gazing only at the tea before him, not even lifting an eyelid.

“You are all more or less acquainted now. You follow the Daoist school. When you have leisure, you may discuss the Dao with him,” Longgu Qing said, then looked toward Nan Qi. “As this was arranged in haste, Huaijin will first share a courtyard with you. It is both a matter of necessity and fate. The two of you can take this opportunity to seek the Dao from one another.”

Song Chuyi was slightly surprised inwardly. Could this branch of slim plum also be a follower of Daoism? She truly could not tell. How could the Daoist school, which advocated tranquility and non-action and delighted in comprehending the Way of Heaven, have produced such arrogance?

Longgu Qing said a few brief words, then dismissed everyone, and did not discuss any political affairs either. An atmosphere of sorrow pervaded all of Wey, and Longgu Qing had more or less been affected by it as well, appearing somewhat dispirited.

Song Chuyi, for her part, was happy to return to her blankets and curl up. In this kind of weather, it was truly not fit for people to be out.

A group of scholars walked unhurriedly through the raging wind and snow, looking quite free and unrestrained. Song Chuyi asked herself whether she had any such tendency toward self-torture, and so, gathering her cloak, she was about to hurry off, but was called back by Xi Hong.

“Huaijin, you have just arrived and likely do not know the affairs of Puyang. Tomorrow there will be a political discussion gathering in the outskirts of the city. When the time comes, do not forget to go,” Xi Hong reminded.

“Political discussion?” Song Chuyi had also heard that gatherings for political discussion were popular in the Qi-Lu region, but she had not expected Wey to have such a custom as well. She said gratefully, “Thank you, Brother Chequan. I have just arrived and am not clear about conditions in Wey. If you do not mind, Brother Chequan, I will go with you then. Would that be acceptable?”

“Excellent,” Xi Hong said with a smile, agreeing.

Because she had begun chatting with Xi Hong, Song Chuyi could not very well run off first. Thinking that it was only a short distance, she gritted her teeth and endured.

If she truly had to be composed, then she could be composed too.

The group walked slowly. The people in front were talking, and from time to time hearty, cheerful laughter drifted back.

Song Chuyi sniffled and silently cursed: Damn it, in such freezing weather, what swagger are you putting on in the snow? Hurry up and get inside. Say whatever you want to say.

“Song Huaijin.” Hui Shuyun suddenly turned his head back. “Whom do you study under?”