Cheng Danruo was just beginning to learn the way of incense, so she did not choose anything too difficult. Instead, she picked a clever one: Zhao Qingxian Gong Incense. The ingredients used were very few – just three: white sandalwood, xuanshen, and frankincense.
Most importantly, Zhao Qingxian Gong had been a famous iron-faced censor in the Northern Song dynasty, as renowned as Bao Zheng. “In ordinary times, he accompanied himself with one qin and one crane.” Su Shi praised him, saying, “His purity may be compared to jade, his clarity to ice.”
Therefore, quite apart from the scent of this blended incense, its meaning was very beautiful, far safer than the Jiangnan Li Zhu Zhang Zhong Xiang, which sounded lascivious the moment one heard it.
Before the incense was even finished, the Wang family’s invitation had already arrived.
Cheng Danruo still treated it as ordinary, but Xi Que was first to show her delight outwardly. She began early to plan for her what clothes she would wear that day, and every day she made shoes and sachets together with Zi Su, taking it very much to heart.
However, attending the banquet was already a matter for the end of November.
A light snow drifted over the capital. The dry, broken snowflakes scattered profusely. Sitting in a heated room and watching it, it was indeed very beautiful.
But when Cheng Danruo held a hand warmer and sat in the carriage heading to the Wang family’s plum garden in the suburbs, she saw the common people hurrying along the road. They wore lined jackets patched all over, were so frozen that they hunched their shoulders and shrank their backs, and the exposed hands were covered with festering swellings.
The poor people of the capital were actually not considered the most miserable. Great households cared about appearances, so there were always people distributing porridge and medicine, and the more kindhearted would even give away old clothes.
Yet even such a scene, falling into the eyes of Cheng Danruo, who had grown up in a new society, still filled her with fear.
She feared the cruelty of this era, pitied their hardship, and was also afraid that she herself might fall to such a state.
“Quickly put down the curtain,” First Madam said with concern. “Look how cold you’ve made yourself.”
Cheng Danruo obediently lowered the cotton curtain, blocking the cold wind pouring in.
“Do not be afraid,” First Madam comforted. “Although many people are going today, you need only stay by my side. Your brother’s official rank is not high, and we will not involve ourselves in right and wrong.”
Cheng Danruo gave a soft “Mm.”
First Madam glanced over and thought about it. To tell the truth, Cheng Danruo was not a girl she liked. She did not have the social skill of making people feel as if bathed in a spring breeze, and her speech and manner did not endear her to others. Her strong point was that she kept to her place. In ordinary days, peace on both sides was good, but on this occasion it made her seem a little dull.
“Sister-in-law,” she spoke up, finally behaving like a young girl entering social circles for the first time, and asked, “Whose families are the Wang family inviting?”
First Madam explained in detail.
Cheng Danruo listened carefully and tried hard to remember.
Only when they arrived at the plum garden did she suddenly realize that there were truly many people coming today. Carriages came one after another, too many to take in at once, and scenes of yielding and avoiding appeared that were quite interesting and even comical.
First, according to the Xia Dian, there were strict rules of avoidance among officials. For example, a third-rank official who saw a duke, marquis, or imperial son-in-law would have his horse led aside to avoid them; upon meeting a first-rank official, he would have his horse led to stand at the side; upon meeting a second-rank official, he would drive to the right to yield the way.
Rank, grade, distinction – all were clear.
Then how did one distinguish the rank of a carriage? From the first rank to the third rank, there were gold-inlaid and silver chi ornaments; for the fourth and fifth ranks, plain lion heads; from the sixth rank to the ninth rank, plain cloud heads. By looking at the decorations, one knew the rank of the official family whose carriage or sedan chair it was.
But rules were rules, and reality was reality. If everyone observed the rules, there would be no such thing as the so-called collapse of propriety and music, or the trend of overstepping one’s station.
This “bad precedent” began with the Grand Secretariat. At first, the Grand Secretariat had low position but heavy power, and could refuse to yield to ministers. Later, because of all kinds of circumstances, anyone with enough nerve dared not to yield. Over time, high-ranking officials might yield to low-ranking ones. For example, no one dared make the actual head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard avoid one’s own carriage; instead, one had to avoid his. Whether a low-ranking official yielded to a high-ranking one depended on whether the high-ranking one held real power or only an empty title.
Rote memorization of ranks was useless. Only by grasping the political winds of the capital could one be adept at matters of avoidance.
Cheng Danruo said aloud: I have learned.
In her heart: There is something wrong with this.
But though she grumbled inwardly, she still watched very carefully for quite a while before finally going in with First Madam.
Master Yan’s current official position was not high – a fifth-rank langzhong of the Ministry of Revenue – which counted for little in the capital. That they had obtained the Wang family’s invitation was mainly due to Yan Hongzhi’s face.
After they entered the room and exchanged a few brief pleasantries, they were led to a side hall to drink tea.
The wives and young ladies in the side hall all belonged to the category of those whose fathers or husbands held low-ranking but pure and honorable offices. For example, Hanlin academicians, of the fifth rank, responsible for lecturing to the emperor; readers-in-waiting and lecturers-in-waiting, of the fifth rank; and Erudites of the Five Classics, responsible for the provincial and metropolitan examinations, and for collecting papers at the palace examination.
First Madam chatted with the wives whose titled honors were of similar rank, and by the way introduced Cheng Danruo.
When they heard she was an adopted daughter, the wives’ expressions all turned rather indifferent. However, Yan Hongzhi was a famous scholar with an excellent reputation in scholarly circles, so they would not be so foolish as to slight her. They smiled and nodded, merely paying her not much attention.
This made Cheng Danruo breathe a sigh of relief.
She began to observe today’s guests.
According to the eldest madam’s introduction, and from the low voices of the wives and young ladies around her, the guests could be divided into three groups: one group represented by the people in the side hall, all pure-stream figures of the literary world, holding relatively low offices; one group of colleagues, those from the Minister’s household and the Vice Minister’s household, all first-rate high officials; and one group of relatives, the various families connected to the Wang family by marriage.
Interesting. When linked to the so-called dispute over Grand Secretariat quotas, it became even more interesting.
Cheng Danruo had crammed on common knowledge with Yan Hongzhi. In the present dynasty, a Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat could not be appointed unless he was a Minister or a Vice Minister. In other words, the people in the highest organ of power necessarily concurrently held the post of Minister or Vice Minister.
The six Ministries had Ministers plus Vice Ministers, eighteen people in all. Of course, because some posts were held concurrently, the number might be fewer than this.
How many places were there generally in the Grand Secretariat? It varied from four to six.
Now, Chief Grand Secretary Li was already nearly seventy, and this year he had repeatedly asked for leave on grounds of illness. Even if he held on, how many more years could he remain? When the time came, the vacancy in the Grand Secretariat would fall to the other dozen or so high officials of the first and second ranks.
She was just recalling the key points when she suddenly saw Madam Wang of the main hall rise and, together with the other sisters-in-law, go to the entrance to welcome someone.
With such solemnity, there must be a distinguished guest.
“The Lady of An Guo and Commandery Princess Jianing have arrived.”
“Who is the Lady of An Guo?” Cheng Danruo asked.
First Madam’s lips moved slightly. “The mother of the Imperial Consort.”
Cheng Danruo understood at once. By convention, maternal relatives were enfeoffed as Marquis of Chengen or Duke of Chengen. Since the Imperial Consort was not the Empress, her father had not obtained a noble title, and only her mother had been granted the empty title of a lady of a state.
“Do the two families have a marriage connection?”
First Madam said, “Minister Wang’s eldest granddaughter married into the Imperial Consort’s maternal family.”
Cheng Danruo was a little surprised. “Is that so?”
The granddaughter of a pure-stream civil official marrying into the family of a maternal relative – truly not bound by convention.
“Consort Chai is virtuous and has quite a good reputation,” First Madam said, apparently thinking well of this family. “The Chai son only came to seek the marriage after passing the provincial examination, so it cannot be considered a disgrace.”
Cheng Danruo immediately raised Consort Chai by one rank in her estimation.
Good heavens – the daughter was an Imperial Consort, and her family still knew to strive upward. If the next generation passed the metropolitan examination and became a jinshi, they would be a rising force fully capable of extending the family’s prominence for three generations.
Minister Wang had not made a losing marriage alliance.
At this time, the Lady of An Guo and Commandery Princess Jianing had already entered the second gate.
The Lady of An Guo was somewhat plump and dressed magnificently, but it was still merely the attire of an ordinary noblewoman, and her bearing was ordinary as well. After all, she had originally been only the mistress of a common household. Fortunately, her daughter had been in the palace for many years, and the family had been wealthy for some time, so she did not betray any awkwardness.
“How do you do, in-laws,” the Lady of An Guo said very politely, not putting on the airs of the Imperial Consort’s mother, and greeted them amicably. “I have come late today.”
She also instructed the young lady beside her to greet them. From the way she spoke, this was her daughter, the Imperial Consort’s youngest sister.
Old Madam Wang naturally said it was not late, and then wanted to pay respects to Commandery Princess Jianing.
“You will be the death of me,” Princess Jiaming said with a smile. “I came uninvited and made myself an unwelcome guest. I ask your forgiveness.”
“What are you saying?” The Wang family’s four daughters-in-law hurriedly chimed in playfully. “Your presence is what lends us brilliance.”
These words might seem somewhat flattering, but no one present thought so.
Because Commandery Princess Jianing was a beauty, as gorgeous as peach and plum blossoms, with delicate skin and glossy hair. Her head ornaments of pure gold and rubies and her red silk tapestry-woven skirt and jacket perfectly set off her magnificence. Not to mention that behind her there were also four palace attendants: one holding a hand warmer, one holding a cloak, one holding a whisk, and the last actually cradling a chow chow in her arms.
Cheng Danruo lowered her head and sipped tea, thinking: National beauty and heavenly fragrance – this is the beauty of a peony. Only the imperial family could raise girls so proud and so noble, because they truly were a cut above others.
By comparison, Xu Yi-niang, being a subject, lacked that overbearing air, and was like an orchid, more refined and dignified, with her beauty lying in upbringing and inner grace.
“I have long heard that Minister Wang’s plum garden is unsurpassed in the capital. It is a pity that I reside in my fief and have never seen it. Hearing that the Lady of An Guo was attending a banquet today, I shamelessly begged the Empress Dowager to let me come and broaden my horizons.”
Commandery Princess Jianing spoke wittily, explaining the whole sequence of events clearly, without the slightest arrogance.
The noblewomen could not help but feel somewhat favorably disposed toward her.
Across the wind-blocking gauze, Cheng Danruo fell into thought.
The guests had all arrived, and the plum-viewing gathering formally began: the married ladies began to watch the opera, while the unmarried young ladies were released to stroll in the plum garden.
Of course, since the Wang family loved literature, an activity beloved by men of letters was indispensable: composing poems.
The prize Minister Wang offered was this: guests were not allowed to pick flowers in the plum garden, with the exception of the champion.
Plum blossoms were not valuable; what was valuable was this special treatment.
Not long after the opera began, Wang San-niang’s maid quietly came over to take Cheng Danruo to meet up with Wang Yongxu. Although Cheng Danruo very much wanted to hear what first-rate opera was like, after thinking it over she still went.
As the host, Wang Yongxu, together with her sisters, received the guests. Those older would compose poems and play pitch-pot with her and the fourth young lady, while the younger ones would go with several younger sisters to amuse themselves in the garden
“Sister Cheng is here.” Wang Yongxu led her to a seat and introduced her to the familiar sisters. “This is the Sister Cheng who saved me that day, the adopted daughter acknowledged by Master Zizhen.”
Cheng Danruo inevitably had to exchange introductions with the girls she was meeting for the first time.
Xu Yi-niang nodded toward her and said with a smile, “Only today can we truly be considered formally acquainted.”
Cheng Danruo looked at her, then suddenly smiled. “Hello, Miss Xu.”
Xu Yi-niang said, “Since we are both in the capital, we should visit one another often from now on.”
Cheng Danruo smiled and found a secluded corner to sit down, listening to them talk.
A group of young girls chatting was much more interesting than the married ladies. Everyone first commented on today’s tea, then the pastries, and then, with everyone’s tacit encouragement, swiftly progressed to the hottest topic.
“Commandery Princess Jianing… is unexpectedly beautiful,” one said, while glancing at Xu Yi-niang.
Xu Yi-niang remained unmoved. “A golden branch and jade leaf is naturally out of the ordinary.”
“I wonder whether she will stay long in the capital.” Some young lady from an unknown family, probably having eavesdropped on her father and brothers talking, could not wait to share gossip. “I heard she wants to arrange a marriage in the capital.”
Wang Yongxu shot her a glare. “So shameless, talking about marriage the moment you open your mouth – how did you come to know this?”
That young lady dared to speak without restraint, so she was certainly favored at home. “I just heard it. With a face like the princess’s, who knows which family’s young gentleman she will be matched with.”
“Ahem.” Xu Yi-niang cleared her throat. “This is not something we can comment on. Xu-niang, usually you are the first to write a poem. Why is it that today you have neither brush and ink nor painting supplies?”
Wang Yongxu covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed twice, then said lazily, “I caught a chill a few days ago, and still cannot summon any energy today, so I will not compose one today – what about you?”
Xu Yiniang said, “Writing plum blossom poems every year is rather dull.”
The two girls exchanged a glance, then quickly looked away again.
Cheng Danruo picked up a cherry and slowly smiled.
Wang Yongxu and Xu Yi-niang seemed to be rivals. Both were granddaughters of ministers, one outstanding in literary talent, the other distinguished in upbringing, and they could not avoid being compared with each other. But at this moment, they were also very tacitly of one mind.
Writing any kind of poem today would be meaningless.
The prize was certain to go to Commandery Princess Jianing.
They neither wanted to deliberately write a poor poem to serve as a foil, nor could they take first place and embarrass her, so they simply did not write at all.
Proud and clever, far more formidable than Rou-niang and Wan-niang.
In particular, Xu Yi-niang’s “every year” and “dull” carried an especially profound meaning.
As expected of a noble young lady of the capital.
The candied cherries were very sweet. The honey melted on the tip of the tongue, so sweet it made one tremble. Cheng Danruo could not help raising her teacup and taking a small sip to cut the cloying sweetness in her mouth.
She also thought: all the girls were seated at the back, yet Commandery Princess Jianing had not come, and was still at the front. It seemed her earlier guess had not been wrong.
Minister Wang was the Minister of Rites. If the matter of adoption had really been raised, his voice would carry great weight.
Commandery Princess Jianing had come today precisely to curry favor.
A girl sent alone to the capital by her father to scout the way for her brother’s prospects – she was bound to be extraordinary. What would she do?
“Sister Cheng.” Wang Yongxu, at some point, had come over and taken her hand. “I know you do not care for writing poems. Let us go out together for some air.”
Cheng Danruo agreed gladly. “All right.”
