“Really?” Longgu Buwang was delighted. He gave no thought to whether Song Chuyi’s earlier words had been reasonable, feeling only that although she had been late, she clearly took her responsibility as his teacher seriously.
Longgu Buwang had repeatedly wanted to travel and study under other scholars, only to be stopped each time. He had never imagined that Song Chuyi would have the ability to persuade his grandfather.
“When do we leave?” His excitement was almost impossible to contain.
“The day after tomorrow. You have the next two days to prepare properly. Don’t let anyone else know about the trip,” Song Chuyi instructed.
Longgu Buwang asked in confusion, “Why?”
For a scholar, travelling to broaden one’s learning was a great honor. The moment he received the news, he had already planned to invite a group of friends to celebrate over drinks. Now that Song Chuyi was stopping him, how could he not ask why?
Song Chuyi yawned. “I praised you a few times the other day, but you need to have a clear understanding of your own abilities. No one becomes accomplished without studying. Do you know what it means to be a genius?”
Longgu Buwang felt that she had a point. He had indeed become so carried away after receiving a few compliments that he had practically forgotten himself. He straightened up and sat upright, answering seriously, “To possess extensive knowledge and an exceptional memory, to remember everything after a single reading, and to apply what one has learned in practice.”
“Young man, you’re far too naive.” Song Chuyi glanced outside and, seeing that no one was approaching, lowered her voice. “Geniuses keep emerging in every state. People like the ones you describe certainly exist in this world, but there cannot possibly be so many of them. What people call genius is often nothing more than keeping one’s studies out of public view.”
“What do you mean by that?” Seeing how mysteriously she spoke, Longgu Buwang lowered his voice as well.
“Suppose you secretly read the Book of Songs ten times and could recite the entire text from memory. But when others were watching, you read it only once. What would they think of you?” Song Chuyi asked.
Scholars of the time tended to be straightforward and sincere, calling a spade a spade. They were even more direct and forthright than wandering knights-errant or military men. They were upright by nature, and Longgu Buwang had always believed this to be the case. Song Chuyi’s words had just now turned his understanding on its head, so he argued, “Your words are hardly fair. Have you ever personally witnessed anyone doing such a thing? If you can name even two people who have, I’ll concede the point.”
Having been exposed, Song Chuyi’s expression did not change in the slightest. She raised an eyebrow, then lifted her hands and clapped them together with a laugh. “Excellent! You haven’t allowed false claims to mislead you. That’s very good. But remember this in the future: not every scholar will speak honestly to you. When listening to what others say, you must learn to think twice before drawing conclusions.”
Longgu Buwang paused for a moment, then cupped his hands in salute. “I have learned my lesson.”
Looking back, Longgu Buwang truly had not noticed the slightest sign that Song Chuyi had been laying a trap for him. He admired military strategy, and military strategists held that ‘warfare is the art of deception’. Thus, rather than feeling insulted by Song Chuyi’s actions, he was actually rather impressed. He felt that she was using a practical example to give him his first real lesson in the meaning of deception.
Little did he know that Song Chuyi had merely redirected his attention. She had already succeeded in deceiving him about what she had originally intended to conceal.
“Deception goes far beyond this. Think carefully about what I’ve told you today. One day, you’ll understand.” Song Chuyi was laying the groundwork for when her own lies would eventually come to light.
She was using the pretext of taking Longgu Buwang on a journey of scholarly study to secretly visit Qin. Longgu Qing would undoubtedly assume she was doing so out of concern for their safety and would not expose her. But Longgu Buwang was no fool, and sooner or later, he would discover the truth.
It was only a little trick, yet it had succeeded in deceiving someone. If Longgu Buwang thought carefully about what she had done that day, he really could learn something from it. She had not only eased the tension in their relationship but also taught him a valuable lesson. Thinking it over, Song Chuyi felt that she truly was well suited to the task of teaching and dispelling doubts.
“Get some proper rest over the next two days, prepare the things you’ll need to bring, and take some time to think carefully about what I’ve told you today,” Song Chuyi reminded him once more, diligently fulfilling her duties as a teacher.
“Yes!” Longgu Buwang was so excited that he had no time to give her words any serious thought.
The moment Song Chuyi rose and left, he eagerly dashed back to his own courtyard, leaving the group of male cousins outside, who had been waiting to watch the spectacle, utterly dumbfounded.
One young man hurried after him. “Cousin! Cousin! What’s the good news?”
Hearing the shouts from a distance, Song Chuyi’s lips curved into a faint smile. She would be glad to enjoy a couple of leisurely days herself. But the child she had picked up still needed her attention. Would two days be enough for his condition to improve?
Should she leave him in Ji Mian’s care? No, Ji Mian was not particularly young anymore, but he was especially fond of playing around. If she entrusted a sickly child to him, the poor thing might not survive.
Then what about Nan Qi? Song Chuyi shook her head. Entrusting the child to him would probably be even worse than leaving him with Ji Mian.
Returning to her courtyard, Song Chuyi decided to check on Zi Zhao first.
She had just been about to step onto the covered walkway when she heard the Gongsun sisters speaking inside the room.
“Ya, tell me the truth. Did Master trade something to secure our release?” Zi Zhao asked softly.
Silence.
Only after a moment did Zi Ya speak. “Yes. He said he had struck a deal with the State of Wey, agreeing to remain there for three years in exchange for securing our release. But, Sister, he also told me plainly that he had taken an interest in our looks and intended to offer us to someone. He even asked whether I wanted revenge, saying that I could use this opportunity to gain power…”
She paused, her voice filled with bitterness. “When all is said and done, he’s only acting out of self-interest. He’s even willing to use the offering of women as a means of securing an official post. It’s utterly shameful.”
“Ya!” Zi Zhao coughed a few times before rebuking her softly. “How can you be so ungrateful? So what if Teacher had ulterior motives? If he hadn’t stepped in to save us, you and I would probably have already… already fallen into the most degrading circumstances imaginable. I might not even have lived to see this day. He has given us food, clothing, and shelter without making us go without anything. How can we fail to repay his kindness?”
“Then are you willing to be a pawn, to become someone else’s plaything?” Zi Ya forced the words through clenched teeth, her unwillingness all too clear.
“Ya!” A trace of anger entered Zi Zhao’s voice as well. “Master has been frank with us. That makes him an honorable man. He won’t simply send us off to someone else on a whim.”
Hearing this, Song Chuyi smiled faintly and raised her hand to knock on the door.
A soft gasp came from Zi Zhao inside. After a brief silence, Zi Ya came over and opened the door.
Zi Ya realized that since her thoughts had already been exposed, there was no point in hiding them any longer. She stopped bowing her head and hunching her shoulders in submission. She had been born into a noble family, and although she had now fallen from her former station and was willing to perform menial labor or serve others, she would never consent to trading her body for a brief reprieve from hardship.
Song Chuyi glanced at Zi Zhao. Much of the sickly pallor had faded from her face, and after several days of recuperation, her complexion was noticeably better than before. Seeing Song Chuyi enter, she hurriedly rose and bowed in greeting.
“Master.”
“Mm.” Song Chuyi swept aside her wide sleeves and knelt on the mat beside the brazier. Without so much as glancing at Zi Ya, she said calmly, “You’re unwilling, are you? I can let you leave right now. There are plenty of beautiful women in this world; I don’t have to use the two of you. There are plenty of ways to gain power; I don’t have to resort to offering women to others. I was frank with you because I wanted us to benefit one another. If you’re unwilling, you can leave this very moment. I won’t stop you.”
Leave? With their looks, where could the two of them possibly go? Without the protection of their family, they would be nothing more than playthings wherever they went.
Zi Ya’s throat tightened. She suddenly realized how ridiculous it was to cling to a noble heart when one no longer possessed a noble station. Tears spilled uncontrollably from her eyes.
“Ya is young and ignorant, and she has spoken such insolent words. As her elder sister, I should apologize to Master on her behalf.” Zi Zhao knelt gracefully before Song Chuyi.
