Beauty, Power and Intrigue Chapter 43

Xing (meaning “star”) – this is a person who takes astrology as his profession.

Song Chuyi could not help but scrutinize him a few more times, then returned the greeting and said, “I am Song Huaijin.”

“Can you drink?” Xing Shou’s gaze held undisguised curiosity toward Song Chuyi.

Song Chuyi was also quite composed. “I am currently drinking freely with friends. I see that you possess extraordinary bearing, and they likely will not mind. If you do not disdain us, would you come upstairs and join us?”

“Sure.” Xing Shou happily agreed.

Xing Shou’s elegance and bearing were truly rarely seen. Although his clothing looked somewhat shabby, in interactions among scholars, sometimes even names were not asked, much less was status cared about. Song Chuyi appreciated him and naturally was willing to befriend him.

The two politely yielded to each other and went upstairs, while the people in the hall were still savoring Song Chuyi’s earlier remarks for a long time.

To make an argument, one did not need a long, grand discourse, but it had to be incisive. Perhaps among more than a dozen sentences, only one or two were the highlights, while the rest were supporting words. As long as these two “highlights” were forceful enough, one could thereby make a name for oneself.

Song Chuyi led Xing Shou into the private chamber.

Ji Mian was the first to rush over. “Huaijin, you were truly so elegant just now.”

As an outstanding scholar, one must have one’s own standpoint and views, just like Shang Yang. He was skilled in “law,” and from beginning to end he insisted on governing the state by law. As for Xi Hong, Ji Yan, and the others, although they came from famous schools and also had standpoints, their standpoints were all Confucian standpoints, and they had no innovative arguments of their own that catered to current affairs. Therefore, for a long time their reputations had not been prominent.

Song Chuyi grinned and said, “Let me introduce everyone. This is Xing Shou.”

Song Chuyi stepped aside and invited Xing Shou in.

They had already seen Xing Shou from upstairs just now, but seen up close, they found him even more outstanding. Xi Hong exclaimed in admiration, “What a fine appearance and fine bearing.”

“You flatter me,” Xing Shou said with a salute.

“I am Xi Hong.”

“I am Ji Yan.”

“I am Hui Shuyun.”

…

After everyone had introduced themselves one by one, they arranged for Xing Shou to sit next to Song Chuyi, with Ji Mian sitting on the other side.

“Come, let us drink this cup together,” Xi Hong raised his wine cup and said with a smile. “To have encountered a remarkable person, how delightful!”

Astrologers, like shamans, invocators, and diviners, all belonged to the category of extraordinary arts. They required immense natural talent, and without a certain fortuitous opportunity, it was very difficult to make a name for oneself. Nor would they receive important appointments in the various states, so their lives were inevitably somewhat reduced in circumstance. Ordinary scholars might dabble in such things, but those who willingly chose to major in these extraordinary arts were not very numerous. Calling Xing Shou a remarkable person was not an exaggeration.

“To have encountered all of you knowledgeable gentlemen, how fortunate!” Xing Shou raised his wine cup.

With wide sleeves slightly covering their faces, everyone tilted their heads back and drained their cups in one gulp.

After finishing a cup of wine for acquaintance, everyone began chatting about all manner of things near and far. Those present all had experience traveling and studying abroad, had broad knowledge, and once they started talking, there was no end to what they could say.

Song Chuyi had not eaten meat heartily for a long time, so taking advantage of everyone’s lively conversation, she buried her head and worked diligently at eating.

“Huaijin, your views are extraordinary – why are you not speaking?” Hui Shuyun said somewhat discontentedly.

Nan Qi snorted. “With roast meat before him, right now he probably wishes he had ten mouths. How would he have the time to pay attention to you?”

Song Chuyi was just reaching out to tear off more meat. Seeing everyone’s gazes suddenly converge on her, she paused only briefly, then calmly tore off a large piece of meat. “The desires of the mouth and stomach are hard to restrain. I ask for everyone’s forgiveness.”

“Huaijin is uninhibited,” Xing Shou said with a smile as he also tore off a piece of meat.

Song Chuyi stuffed a large piece of meat into her mouth and said somewhat indistinctly, “Xing Shou is forthright; I like that. Unlike certain people in this world who are harsh toward all things and everything – I wonder if they are not exhausted by it. It is better to live as we of this kind do – freely and without restraint, unrestrained and at ease.”

Nan Qi looked at the grease all over her mouth and could not help frowning in disgust. He painfully turned his head to one side, simply deciding that out of sight was out of mind.

Seeing Song Chuyi eating with such relish, the others also began to feel a little hungry, and so they followed her example and began eating meat in large chunks.

When Nan Qi saw people who had originally all been refined suddenly transform into a table full of ravenous wolves, he immediately wanted to flick his sleeves and leave, but at the same time he felt that doing so would be very uncultured, so he could only forcibly endure it.

After a round of wild eating and drinking, everyone was somewhat tipsy. The first to lose consciousness was Nan Qi. Looking at the others’ eating manners, he had no appetite at all and only focused on drinking. By the time everyone else was mildly drunk, he was already slumped over the food table.

Only after a whole group had collapsed around her did Song Chuyi feel just slightly tipsy. If she had not changed bodies, at this moment she probably would not even have been mildly drunk.

Ji Mian clung to Xing Shou and wailed loudly, wiping tears all over his collar. Xing Shou had his eyes closed, as if in meditation.

Xi Hong sang while dancing and gesturing wildly. Hui Shuyun hugged a bucket and vomited until the world spun and the sky darkened, yet he was constantly shaken by Xi Hong, who demanded that he sing along. Hui Shuyun looked at them and laughed like a fool.

Ji Yan and several others stripped off their clothes until only a scrap remained to cover their shame…

Song Chuyi stared dumbfounded at this chaotic scene, and for a moment could not think of any words to describe it.

As Ji Mian cried and cried, he discovered that Xing Shou was ignoring him, so he shoved him away and squeezed over to Song Chuyi’s side, looking at her with tearful eyes. “Huaijin.”

“You’re not drunk?” Song Chuyi said, her face full of astonishment.

“Who says I’m drunk?” Ji Mian’s enunciation was clear. He raised his sleeve to wipe the tears that kept flowing and sobbed, “I just feel a little sad.”

“Why are you sad?” Song Chuyi said.

As soon as Ji Mian heard Song Chuyi respond, he immediately cried even harder. “When I completed my training, I once harbored great ambitions, and yet I have run into walls everywhere…”

What followed was Ji Mian’s sorrowful history of growth, from when he was young and wore split pants and stole plums with his senior fellow disciples and was punished by not being allowed to eat for three days, to after completing his training when none of the various states were willing to employ him, all the way up to the present when he had no choice but to take shelter in the State of Wey.

Ji Mian’s talent and learning were not low. He was one of the scholars of the Legalist school who advocated reform, and he was skilled in “law.” But he had been born more than ten years too late. The reforms of the seven powerful states had already successively drawn to a close, and because he was young, he ran into walls everywhere. Not a single state was willing to retain him. With no other choice, he had to settle for second best and first seek refuge in a small state.

His plight was likewise lamentable and sigh-worthy.

But Song Chuyi finally determined that he was now drunk.

Xi Hong suddenly sang loudly, “Climbing those three mountains, how towering is Mount Shang; Heaven sent down the Five Elders to welcome me with song. There is a yellow dragon that came forth from the river, bearing charts and writings, winding and spread across the sand. Examining the charts and reading the prophecies, I sigh and lament at Heaven. Striking stones and beating the Shao, penetrating the hidden and illuminating the subtle. Birds and beasts caper about, and the phoenix comes in ceremonial display.”

Song Chuyi rubbed her temples and simply lay down on the ground pretending to be dead.

Ji Mian had not yet finished pouring out his grievances when he saw Song Chuyi fall. He immediately grabbed her and shook her violently. “Huaijin! Huaijin!”

“Is Master Huaijin present?” Suddenly, an urgent voice came from outside the private chamber.

In this room, only Song Chuyi was still clear-headed, so she had no choice but to open her eyes and say, “What is it?”

The person quickly said, “The lord summons you. Please, Master Huaijin, come with me at once.”

Song Chuyi immediately got up, but her sleeve was still tightly gripped by Ji Mian. She reached out and tugged at it.

The person outside anxiously urged, “Sir.”

Ji Mian refused to let go no matter what. Song Chuyi suddenly became furious and roared, “Let go, you bastard!”

Ji Mian was stunned by the shout. Taking advantage of that moment, Song Chuyi immediately walked out of the private chamber.