Recently, Cheng Danruo finally got her hands on the distillation apparatus she had been dreaming of. She bought some baijiu and began experimenting with alcohol purification.
The process was naturally far from easy. Without a thermometer, it was difficult to control the temperature precisely. Alcohol was highly flammable, so she also had to be constantly on guard against accidentally starting a fire.
As for the microscope, she had managed to make one, but finding a suitable light source proved difficult. She had also forgotten that she needed a flat piece of glass, so she could only send someone out to look for one.
Besides, the whole point of indulging in frivolous pursuits was that her studies must not suffer.
With the end of the year approaching, Yan Hongzhi was busy as ever, but every three days, without fail, he would test her on her lessons. If she could not recite a passage from memory or had not put enough care into composing a poem, he would not rap her knuckles. Instead, he would make her copy books, forbidding her from conducting any more experiments until she had finished.
Cheng Danruo had never once stumbled when reciting her lessons, but poetry was another matter. With absolutely no inspiration, she hastily cobbled together a poem, only to be punished the very next day.
Her punishment was to copy the Collected Works of Li Taibai, a Song-dynasty edition said to be exceptionally precious.
Her wrist ached from all the copying, and she was so immersed in the task that she lost all track of time. She failed to notice that Minister Wang had actually come to visit in person.
It was only when Yan Hongzhi summoned her that she learned the astonishing news.
“A marriage proposal? For me? From the grandson of the Minister of Rites?” Cheng Danruo was rarely so taken aback.
What sort of unexpected development was this? If she remembered correctly, just six months ago, Chen Zhixiao had been the best match she could hope for. And now she had jumped straight to a minister’s grandson? Was this some kind of joke?
She asked, “Is the Minister making fun of you?”
“No. He is serious,” Yan Hongzhi replied unhurriedly. “The Wang family has four branches, but only the second has produced an official. The eldest benefits from hereditary privilege, while the fourth has neither risen particularly high nor sunk particularly low. They have only one man who has passed the provincial examination. Among the grandchildren, the fifth son is neither the legitimate eldest nor anything more than a xiucai at present. At best, he might eventually become a juren. You would hardly be marrying above your station.”
Cheng Danruo: “…”
Just a xiucai? At best, a juren?
Were the titles of xiucai and juren really worth so little in the eyes of you powerful people?
Yan Hongzhi was clearly in high spirits. “What do you think of this marriage proposal?”
Cheng Danruo considered the matter. “It’s rather unexpected. Do the two of you have some sort of understanding between you that has led you to want to become family by marriage?”
Yan Hongzhi merely smiled without answering. The reason was obvious enough. Whatever else he might be, Wang Wu-lang was the grandson of a minister. It would not be difficult for him to find a legitimate daughter from the family of a fourth- or fifth-rank official to marry. Why, then, would he want to marry an orphan?
“This has nothing to do with you,” he said. “You and I have been father and daughter, after all. If you agree, I’ll prepare your dowry. We’ll arrange the engagement in spring and hold the wedding at the end of the year. Dan-niang, you’re not getting any younger.”
Cheng Danruo frowned.
She had never imagined that, at this particular moment, a broad and easy road would suddenly open up before her. The Wang family had an excellent pedigree. Wang Yongxu was proof enough that their family values could not be too bad. And although Wang Wu-lang was not exactly an ideal match, he was certainly acceptable.
At the very least, he did not treat human lives as worthless, torture servants to death, or ride recklessly through the streets and injure people. He qualified as a perfectly ordinary “human being.”
More importantly, what was there to complain about when she had the chance to become the principal wife of a minister’s grandson?
Nothing at all.
This was the proper path that every woman in ancient times was expected to follow. Everyone did it; it was only natural. For an orphan like her to have struggled her way to this point was already a remarkable reversal of fortune.
Once she stepped onto this path, the rest of her life would be secure. She would stand on the same starting line as other girls, needing only to work hard and strive forward to see success within reach.
Her days of drifting from place to place could finally come to an end. She would never again have to live under someone else’s roof, dependent on their goodwill.
“Objectively speaking,” Yan Hongzhi said, tapping the table with a sigh, “this is a good match. If you let it slip by, I may not be able to find you a better one next time.”
“I understand,” Cheng Danruo replied.
“Then what do you think?”
She answered honestly, “I’m a little tempted. But…”
“But?” Yan Hongzhi stroked his beard and smiled. “You want to meet Wu-lang first?”
“No. He doesn’t matter in the slightest.”
Since Minister Wang had come to propose the marriage in person, it meant that Wang Wu-lang either had no objections or had no say in the matter to begin with.
Yan Hongzhi raised an eyebrow.
She said, “Could I have some time to think it over properly?”
“Of course. Just give me your answer before the end of the year,” Yan Hongzhi replied magnanimously.
And that was that. Nothing more came of it.
Cheng Danruo continued with her usual routine: copying books, memorizing lessons, administering daily acupuncture to Lady Hong, and staying cooped up in her room, poring over books and preparing medicines.
Occasionally, the First Madam would call her over for a chat or to do some needlework together. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but Cheng Danruo felt that the First Madam had grown a little closer to her since the plum-blossom viewing party.
Before long, the eighth of December arrived.
It was the Laba Festival, when people ate Laba porridge.
In ancient times, people treated this as a major occasion, beginning preparations several days in advance. Buddhist temples would also distribute the porridge they cooked to their devotees, as this was believed to be the day Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment.
Laba porridge was made with yellow millet, white rice, glutinous rice, millet, water chestnut kernels, chestnuts, and pitted red dates mashed into a paste, among other ingredients. It was simmered until thick, then decorated with red-dyed peach kernels, almonds, melon seeds, peanuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, white sugar, brown sugar, and grapes.
Was this really a bowl of porridge? No. It was a seasonal, limited-edition delicacy with an exceptionally photogenic appearance.
It looked beautiful and tasted pretty good too, provided you ate it while it was hot.
The Laba porridge Xie Xuanying received had been bestowed by the imperial palace. The imperial chefs had decorated it so lavishly that it looked like a riot of flowers, but as for the taste… Well, one could imagine.
While it was still warm, the whole family ate their share to express their gratitude for the emperor’s grace. Afterwards, they had another bowl of their own homemade porridge.
Once the officials returned to work, the emperor would also bestow Laba noodles upon them.
In short, it was just another festival to celebrate.
But Xie Xuanying was in a terrible mood.
Things only got worse once December began, with one festival after another being celebrated at the various households. Whenever he visited relatives he was obliged to see, there would always be cousins of every description, as well as relatives of relatives. Male or female, the moment they got close to him, they would call him “San-lang.”
At times like these, he felt that his male cousins were even worse than his female cousins!
At least women tended to be more reserved.
He absolutely hated it when someone came up and grabbed his hand. It wasn’t as though he were Dan-niang…
No. He wasn’t going to think about her.
Xie Xuanying forcibly suppressed the thought.
After finishing work, he took a potted peony that had been coaxed into blooming early in a heated greenhouse and went straight to Yan Hongzhi’s residence.
“Peonies blooming in winter have a charm all their own.” Yan Hongzhi put on his reading glasses to admire the rare flowers blooming out of season. “However, you don’t give someone such an expensive gift for no reason. San-lang, do you want something from me?”
Xie Xuanying said, “I’d like to stay at your residence for a few days.”
Yan Hongzhi asked, “…The New Year is almost here. What are you coming here for?”
“There are too many people coming and going at home. I can’t concentrate on my studies,” he replied, offering a perfectly reasonable excuse. “It’s quieter here at your place.”
That was not entirely a lie. Ever since the current emperor ascended the throne, the Marquis of Jinghai’s residence had been a place of considerable influence. Whenever a festival approached, the carriages delivering gifts could block an entire road.
With so many people coming and going, it was impossible to study in peace, let alone avoid seeing people altogether. Xie Xuanying was particularly famous for his good looks, and everyone wanted a glimpse of his peerless elegance.
The Marquis of Jinghai, meanwhile, seemed rather fond of showing off his precious son and frequently sent someone to summon him to receive guests. This was not the first time Xie Xuanying had sought refuge elsewhere.
Yan Hongzhi, however, said, “What studying? What, with the metropolitan examinations coming up in spring, are you planning to give the jinshi examination a try?”
The spring examinations were the examinations through which juren candidates competed for the jinshi degree. They were held once every three years, and the coming year was an examination year. Although Xie Xuanying had not yet reached twenty, he had actually passed the provincial examinations and become a juren at the age of fifteen.
At the time, he had been accompanying Yan Hongzhi in Jiangnan. As it happened, the autumn provincial examinations were being held. With nothing better to do, he had sat the exam without any preparation whatsoever. Who would have thought he would actually pass?
He had only done it for fun.
Someone who had already been granted an honorary third-rank title at the age of twelve hardly needed the status of a juren. Its only real purpose was probably to prove that he was a man of letters.
The jinshi degree?
Yan Hongzhi had never insisted that he pursue it. Whether he took the examination or not was entirely up to him. After all, his starting point was already the finishing line for most people who went on to become top-ranked scholars.
Still, if he did take the examination, it would certainly have its advantages.
The jinshi degree was the most prestigious and orthodox scholarly qualification. With that credential, Xie Xuanying would be recognized by the scholarly community as one of their own.
Yan Hongzhi asked, “Do you really want to take the exam?”
“Why not give it a try?” Xie Xuanying intended to spend nine days enjoying himself in the examination hall.
Yan Hongzhi watched him for a while, but in the end, he could not bring himself to refuse. “Fine. You can stay.”
Xie Xuanying immediately told Bai Mu and Song Mu to unpack his trunks and luggage. He had already informed his parents, and he had even brought his belongings with him.
The Yan family was accustomed to this sort of thing. Students staying with their teachers was perfectly normal, and since the Yan household had few residents, the courtyard Xie Xuanying had occupied before was still vacant. All they needed to do was open the storeroom and bring out a few seasonal decorations.
“Dan-niang is using the rooms on the eastern side, so you can study in your own courtyard,” Yan Hongzhi said. “Since you’re planning to take the spring examinations, you need to practice your formal examination essays properly. I’ll set you two questions tomorrow. You can use them to get back into the swing of things.”
“Yes, Sir,” Xie Xuanying replied.
…
The commotion from opening the storeroom and preparing the courtyard was considerable, so Cheng Danruo soon heard about it too.
She was concerned about one thing. “Will I still be able to go to the front courtyard to study tomorrow?”
Xi Que was taken aback. “Well… Old Master hasn’t sent anyone to tell us otherwise.”
If no one had said anything, then things would presumably continue as usual. Cheng Danruo gave it no further thought and returned to copying the book. She could not keep the Song-printed edition of Li Bai’s collected works, but the copy she was making would belong to her once she had finished.
How pleasant it would be to have nothing to do but sit down and read a couple of Li Bai’s poems whenever she felt like it!
She continued copying with great concentration.
Xi Que could only withdraw helplessly.
The next morning, lessons began right on schedule.
Cheng Danruo first reviewed the previous day’s material, reciting it repeatedly to make sure she would be able to answer any questions later. If she still had time, she would preview the material they were going to cover that day.
A little under half an hour later, Yan Hongzhi arrived. He casually tested her on two questions before saying, “We’ve more or less finished the Great Learning. Before we move on to the Doctrine of the Mean, choose one of the Five Classics, and we’ll study something interesting.”
Cheng Danruo had grown accustomed to her teacher’s easygoing ways. After thinking for a moment, she answered, “The Book of Songs.”
Yan Hongzhi asked, “Why?”
There was no particular reason. The Book of Songs was widely circulated and easy to memorize, and she had read it before. But that certainly would not do as an answer. After hesitating for a moment, she said uncertainly, “Because… ‘Without studying poetry, one cannot speak’?”
Yan Hongzhi burst out laughing.
“Very well. The Book of Songs it is. It happens to be the classic I specialize in.”
The imperial examinations tested candidates on the Four Books and Five Classics. The Four Books were all compulsory, but candidates could choose one of the Five Classics to specialize in. The Book of Songs was by far the most popular choice, while the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Book of Rites were much less commonly studied. Yan Hongzhi had specialized in the Book of Songs and passed the jinshi examination. He was a formidable scholar indeed.
He had Mo Dian fetch a newly printed edition of the Book of Songs and began teaching from the very first poem, “Guan Ju.”
Once he had finished explaining the poem, he assigned homework: memorize it and reproduce it from memory in writing.
Then they moved on to another passage from the Doctrine of the Mean.
Cheng Danruo: Take notes.
A little after nine o’clock, shortly after nine in the morning, a servant came to report that Minister Wang had arrived, accompanied by Wang Wu-lang and Wang San-niang.
Yan Hongzhi raised an eyebrow. “Show them in.”
He turned to Cheng Danruo. “Practice your calligraphy. I’ll go and see what brings them here.”
Cheng Danruo nodded.
About fifteen minutes later, she heard footsteps and looked up. To her surprise, it was Xie Xuanying who appeared, holding a sheet of paper covered in freshly written ink.
“Father has gone to receive some guests.” Cheng Danruo had offended him last time, so she decided it was best to say as little as possible to avoid making another mistake. After giving him a brief explanation, she continued practicing her calligraphy.
“Who’s here?” Xie Xuanying asked, discreetly watching her write.
Not bad. Compared with the days at Tianxin Temple, her handwriting had become much neater and more regular. However, it still lacked strength and character. She was too cautious, and her strokes lacked the boldness and confidence they ought to have.
A person’s handwriting reflected their character. Although his teacher had done everything he could to protect and care for her, she was probably still living her life with the same constant vigilance.
Dan-niang…
His heart ached for her more and more, yet he had no idea how to comfort her. All he could do was remain silent.
He lingered for so long that Cheng Danruo could hardly fail to notice. She looked up in confusion.
“I’ll come back later.” Knowing when to leave well enough alone, Xie Xuanying turned to go.
Just then, Mo Dian hurried over. “Master requests that Young Master Xie and Third Young Miss come to the study for a discussion.”
Xie Xuanying was surprised. “What’s the matter?”
“Minister Wang has arrived with Young Master Wang and Miss Wang,” Mo Dian replied respectfully.
“Wang Wu?”
“Yes.”
Xie Xuanying took a deep breath and immediately headed towards the study at the front of the residence.
Sure enough, both Wang Wu-lang and Wang Yongxu were there.
“Strictly speaking, I shouldn’t have let you meet,” Yan Hongzhi said leisurely from the seat of honor. “But neither Houwen nor I are sticklers for convention. Since the two of us cannot agree, why not let our students have a little debate and see if they can convince each other?”
Wang Yongxu and Wang Wu-lang exchanged glances, both looking rather helpless.
Everything had started out perfectly well. But before long, Minister Wang and Yan Hongzhi had begun arguing over a recently published collection of writings. When neither would yield, they had decided to let their students settle the dispute by arguing their respective cases.
Wang Yongxu, however, was eager to take on Xie Xuanying. Wang Wu-lang, on the other hand, felt rather intimidated.
His younger sister clearly had no idea how difficult this was going to be. Competing with Young Master Xie? That was… quite a challenge.
“Sir. Minister Wang.” Xie Xuanying finished his greetings and took his seat without another word.
But immediately afterwards, Cheng Danruo arrived as well.
Wang Yongxu suddenly understood. She shot her elder brother a knowing wink.
Wang Wu-lang shifted uncomfortably, sneaking glances at Cheng Danruo from the corner of his eye.
Cheng Danruo was wearing her usual everyday clothes again: a lotus-root-pink jacket with a cross-collar fastening and a white skirt. Her attire was simple yet elegant. A single jade hairpin adorned her hair, and around her wrist was the white jade bangle Lady Hong had given her.
“Good day, Sister,” Wang Yongxu greeted her far more openly. “I’m sorry to intrude.”
Cheng Danruo smiled at her, returned the greeting, and took her seat.
Xie Xuanying’s expression turned utterly cold, his handsome features freezing over.
