FHJ - 8

Chapter 8: The Tea Gathering (2)

The noblewomen were well aware of the political tensions between the prominent families, having heard whispers from their husbands. Though the military and civil factions appeared harmonious on the surface, fierce power struggles simmered beneath. With ongoing conflicts between Wei and Liang, the role of the Supreme Commander was crucial. If not for Gu Juhán, finding another figure in Wei capable of countering Qi Ying of Liang would be nearly impossible. However, Zou Qian was no pushover. While the Emperor currently favored the Zou clan due to the Empress, the future heir, Gao Jing, shared Zou blood. In the long run, the Zou family’s influence seemed destined to prevail.

Thus, upon Lady Zhuang’s arrival, the noblewomen discreetly shifted their attention from Shen Xiling to her. No one moved faster than Lady Pingjing, who had never cozied up to Shen Xiling in the first place.

As soon as Lady Zhuang took her seat, Lady Pingjing engaged her in conversation. After exchanging pleasantries, she complimented Lady Zhuang’s radiant appearance and inquired about the Chancellor and her two sons.

Lady Zhuang smiled and replied, “The Chancellor is occupied with official duties and couldn’t spare the time. Chun stayed home to assist his father, but Xian has come today.”

Lady Pingjing responded warmly, “It’s a pity the Chancellor and the eldest son are busy with state affairs today. Fortunately, the second son is here to showcase the talents of our noble Wei scholars to the Liang delegation.”

“Please, don’t exaggerate,” Lady Zhuang waved her hand modestly. “You know Xian’s temperament—he dislikes being in the spotlight. He didn’t want to come today, but Master Lu insisted. I simply hope he gains more exposure.”

“How humble you are, Lady Zhuang,” Lady Pingjing chuckled. “With your son’s intellect, he’s sure to make a name for himself today and serve as a model for our scholars…”

Midway through her praise, a young servant hurried through the winding corridors connecting the front and back yards. He announced to the assembled women that the envoy from Liang had arrived and taken his seat.

This was where Lady Zhong’s resourcefulness shone. Knowing the women’s true interest lay not in tea but in glimpsing Qi Jingchen, she arranged for updates from the front yard to be relayed promptly to the back. This thoughtful gesture satisfied their curiosity despite the physical separation.

Such thoughtful arrangements were naturally well-received by the noblewomen. They ceased their idle chatter and flattery, focusing instead on sipping tea while listening intently to updates from the front yard. Amidst the buzz of conversation, no one noticed that Shen Xiling, the usually composed and reserved Lady of Yan Guogong, had accidentally knocked over a teacup when the young servant entered with news.

The servants moved quickly, taking turns relaying information between the front and back yards. However, the men’s discussions were intricate—filled with debates on Confucian classics and metaphysical philosophy—which left the children thoroughly confused. They struggled to recount every detail accurately. Fortunately, the women weren’t particularly concerned about precision. Instead, they repeatedly asked the same question: what did the envoy from Liang look like?

Each child was interrogated in turn, but their answers were vague and hesitant. One simply said, “Extremely handsome.” Another added, “More handsome than anyone else.” A third, slightly more articulate, described him as having “an air of refined elegance.” The fourth, even more sophisticated, likened him to “a jade tree or fragrant orchid.”

Though these descriptions were sparse and evasive, they only heightened the curiosity of the noblewomen, leaving them yearning to storm into the front yard and get a good look at Qi Jingchen themselves.

Realizing the children couldn’t provide a clear comparison, the women turned to another pressing inquiry: how did Qi Ying measure up against Yan Guogong in terms of appearance? Unfortunately, with Shen Xiling seated calmly among them, this perfect benchmark remained inaccessible, much to their disappointment.

Since the children failed to clarify Qi Ying’s looks, the women shifted their attention to other developments. The boys reported that the gentlemen had begun feasting, exchanging toasts amidst lively banter. Later, several scholars from the Imperial Academy initiated a scholarly debate with Qi Ying. By now, the discussion had progressed to textual analysis.

One boy relayed: “The envoy from Liang humbly remarked, ‘I am but a junior scholar; how dare I debate with such esteemed masters?’ The scholars insisted that many talented young men of Wei were present and would benefit greatly from debating with the envoy, urging him not to decline.”

A young lady eagerly asked, “What was his response?”

The boy replied: “The envoy said, ‘It would be impolite to refuse.’“

These few words painted a vivid picture of a Jiangzuo scholar in the minds of the women, further fueling their anticipation.

Finally, after much waiting, a boy returned with news: Wu Zhen, the son of the Grand Historian, had engaged Qi Ying in a literary debate. Moments later, another boy rushed in to report that Wu Zhen had been defeated.

The women were astonished. Wu Zhen was considered accomplished, though not as renowned as Zou Xian, the second son of Chancellor Zou. His swift defeat was unexpected.

“How did he lose?” they asked.

The boy explained: “The envoy pointed out that while Wu Zhen had a solid grasp of The Great Learning, his familiarity with its annotations was lacking. They then delved into various versions of commentaries, and the scholars declared Wu Zhen the loser.”

Though unfamiliar with The Great Learning or its annotations, the women were satisfied to hear that Qi Ying had triumphed. This confirmed their belief in the legendary prowess of the ministers from Jiangzuo. Subsequent reports brought similar outcomes: different young men challenged Qi Ying, only to be defeated one after another. Each loss deepened the women’s admiration for him.

Yet, admiration aside, they were still citizens of Wei. Watching their own people repeatedly fall short became increasingly disheartening. Though they admired Qi Ying, they secretly hoped someone from Wei could humble his brilliance.

After what felt like an eternity, news finally came that Zou Xian, the second son of Chancellor Zou, had taken the stage.

Their hopes soared. Zou Xian was widely regarded as one of the brightest young scholars of Wei. If even he fell to Qi Ying, perhaps only the senior scholars stood a chance.

Eagerly awaiting updates, the women grew impatient as the boys seemed to take forever. Finally, one returned, breathless, and reported: “Zou Xian debated with the envoy for some time without a decisive outcome. Every question posed by the envoy was answered correctly, prompting him to commend Zou Xian for his solid scholarship.”

“Does this mean Zou Xian has won?” someone asked.

The boy hesitated, unable to answer. Just then, hurried footsteps signaled the arrival of another messenger, who announced: “The envoy claimed that one of Zou Xian’s foundational arguments was based on a spurious text. When Zou Xian couldn’t refute this, Scholar Lu became incensed and personally stepped in to debate with the envoy.”

This revelation caused an uproar among the women.

Though unfamiliar with the etiquette of such scholarly gatherings, they understood that it was unbecoming for a senior scholar like Lu to personally engage in debate. His decision to do so suggested a lapse in decorum.

Observing closely, they noticed Lady Zhuang’s expression darken upon hearing that her son had faltered. Despite her earlier modesty about Zou Xian’s abilities, it was clear she couldn’t bear to see him lose. As they waited anxiously for further updates, the women sought to console her with kind words.

The wife of the Grand Historian seized the opportunity, her pride wounded by her own son’s earlier defeat. She quickly interjected: “Lady Zhuang, there’s no need to worry. Your son’s talents are evident to all. Even if he stumbles occasionally, it’s merely bad luck. Besides, he’s not yet twenty, while Qi Ying is nearing thirty. Even if your son loses, there’s no shame in being bested by someone older—it’s practically bullying!”

Privately, the women found this reasoning flawed. Qi Ying might be older than Zou Xian, but he had served in office for over a decade, long past the days of secluded study. Zou Xian, still a candidate for the imperial examinations, should excel in scholarly pursuits. Losing to Qi Ying couldn’t simply be dismissed as “bullying.” Moreover, as the challenger, Zou Xian should accept defeat gracefully.

However, voicing such thoughts openly would offend both the Grand Historian’s wife and Lady Zhuang—a risk none dared take. Thus, they echoed her sentiments, criticizing Qi Ying for his supposed lack of sportsmanship in “bullying” younger opponents.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, they heard the Lady of Yan Guogong let out a faint laugh and say in a soft yet cutting tone: “Bullying the young? Scholar Lu is seventy-three years old. If he personally debates with the envoy, wouldn’t that also count as bullying the young?”

Everyone turned to look at her. There she was, reclining languidly on a soft cushion, holding a small golden cup of fruit wine, seemingly slightly tipsy. Her enchanting eyes were half-closed, exuding an ethereal beauty that left everyone speechless.

Not only was her beauty incomparable, but her words struck like a dagger. Though she rarely attended gatherings and spoke even less, today she had delivered a sharp rebuke. This sudden departure from her usual demeanor puzzled the women. Why had she broken her habit today?

Her retort was satisfying, but it left the wife of the Grand Historian deeply offended. Anger clouded her judgment, and she snapped back: “Madam, are you speaking this way because you hail from Liang and thus side with them?”

The other women were inwardly shocked. What audacity! Who didn’t know how fiercely General Gu cherished his wife? If he found out about this, wouldn’t the Grand Historian be forced to retire in disgrace?

In response, the Lady of Yan Guogong’s voice grew icy: “Scholarship knows no borders between Wei and Liang. By saying such things, you are truly bringing shame upon Wei.”

Her words were piercing, but her demeanor was even more formidable. Though she came from a merchant family—a background many noblewomen secretly looked down upon—her presence commanded respect. Even the most favored princesses of the realm might not match her current poise and authority.

The wife of the Grand Historian was visibly shaken, lowering her head in silence. The atmosphere froze for a moment. Just as Lady Zhong prepared to mediate, a servant rushed in, panting, and announced: “Scholar Lu debated with the envoy, discussing the authenticity of several obscure texts in great detail. In the end, Scholar Lu acknowledged the envoy’s profound scholarship, praising the scholarly tradition of Jiangzuo as surpassing that of Wei.”