Chapter 3 – The Young Gentleman

On the third day of the third month, the spring sun shone brightly. A magpie perched on a branch, poking its small round head out and blinking its pea-sized eyes at the silly gentleman who looked like he might tumble off the wall.

Pei Xuan would never forget this heart-pounding spring day. In that fleeting moment when she looked up, all the sounds, colors, and scenes around her seemed to fade away. What silently knocked on her heart’s door was the girl sitting on the stone steps, dressed in a water-red dress.

The girl wore slightly worn embroidered shoes. Her slender legs were delicate, and her ink-black hair was pinned up with a pearwood hairpin. Her serene demeanor spread silently, offering a deeper, more tranquil beauty beyond mere appearance.

Pei Xuan was entranced.

Then she saw the girl smile.

The smile was light and gentle, with the corners of her lips slightly upturned. Pei Xuan stood there, her eyes warming at the sight.

While the two of them were lost in their own world, Bai Ge, who was standing behind Cui Ti, felt frustrated enough to curse. Who was this person?

Climbing up the wall like a thief and clumsily falling over without even a hint of gratitude for not landing headfirst, and now staring at her miss like that. Hadn’t she ever heard that it’s rude to stare?

And her miss too.

It had rained the night before, and today her miss had insisted on laying a mat near the wall. Was she a fortune teller or something?

Imagine sitting peacefully in the courtyard, and suddenly someone falls off the wall. Whether they’re attractive or not, a scream of surprise would be the least expected reaction. But her miss remained calm and even smiled?

Bai Ge’s temples throbbed.

To be honest, she felt that both of them were a bit abnormal.

She looked at Pei Xuan with a wary eye, as if guarding against a thief. Bound by Cui Ti’s earlier instruction not to speak, she swallowed the reprimand that was on the tip of her tongue.

“Greetings, miss. I apologize for my intrusion,” Pei Xuan said, bowing. Her pear blossom white spring shirt was adorned with white pear blossoms that had fallen from the branch, soft and elegant.

Bai Ge internally let out a small noise of disdain and covered her eyes silently: Her figure was actually quite pleasing? If all flower thieves looked like this, there would be no shortage of flowers to steal.

Cui Ti couldn’t see her, but she turned her head towards the sound, her smile calm and gentle.

She didn’t speak, and Pei Xuan, unsure how to ease her tension, felt sweat trickle between her fingers. She bowed again and said, “Thank you, miss. Without this mat, I might have had a nasty fall.”

Cui Ti nodded: That was true.

In her previous lifetime, Bai Ge had shouted loudly, startling Pei Xuan, who then fell and injured her left wrist.

For most people, an injury to the left hand wouldn’t be too serious and would heal with time. But Pei Xuan was renowned for her calligraphy with her left hand. The injury hadn’t fully healed when she participated in the palace examination. Unfortunately, during the Golden Palace examination, the Emperor insisted on seeing his left-handed calligraphy.

Pei Xuan managed to write, but it wasn’t as good as usual. The position of Zhuangyuan1, which should have been his, went to someone else, and she became the Tanhua2 instead.

This regret was something Pei Xuan kept deep in her heart, and it was also Bai Ge’s regret.

“Did you hurt yourself? Is your hand alright?”

The soft, melodious voice confirmed it was Cui Ti speaking. Pei Xuan, delighted, replied, “It’s nothing serious. Look, miss, it’s fine.”

She waved both hands at Cui Ti.

Bai Ge opened her eyes only to cover them again in confusion: Why was this person acting like a fool? Couldn’t she see that her miss couldn’t see?

Cui Ti regretted not being able to witness Pei Xuan’s rare comedic display over two lifetimes, but she was also relieved that Pei Xuan hadn’t realized she was blind.

Pei Xuan was naturally more restrained than lively. Her youth was short-lived, unlike other young men who loved to play, joke around, visit pleasure houses, and court courtesans.

While her peers were indulging in music and enjoyment, Pei Xuan was already serving the country.

When she married him, he was the elegant Tanhua, the legitimate son of the illustrious Pei Family in Xi Jing. Before she fell into the lotus pond and died, he had become a pure and trusted official, cultivated and supported by the Former Emperor, and deeply trusted by the New Emperor.

“That’s good to hear.”

Her voice was full of unspoken thoughts. Pei Xuan wanted to show concern but didn’t know where to start. Falling off the wall was already quite improper; lingering any longer would be ungentlemanly.

“Miss, my kite…”

“This kite is yours?” Bai Ge couldn’t help but reply on behalf of her miss, “Take it and go quickly. If someone sees, it won’t be good for our miss’s reputation.”

Pei Xuan blushed deeply with embarrassment. She stepped forward to pick up the kite lying on the ground and turned around, finding herself momentarily disoriented.

“Baibai, go fetch a ladder,” Cui Ti ordered.

Bai Ge went to get the ladder, all the while vigilantly watching the ‘flower thief’ to prevent his from taking advantage of her miss.

Feeling Bai Ge’s watchful eyes on her, Pei Xuan felt a wave of guilt. She regretted her rash intrusion into someone else’s courtyard. If the young miss’s reputation were damaged, she would never forgive herself.

When the ladder arrived, Pei Xuan clung to her kite and began to climb up, avoiding any further glances.

Bai Ge clicked her tongue in disapproval, “Now you know not to look at things you shouldn’t. Why didn’t you think of that earlier?”

Pei Xuan slipped slightly, nearly falling again.

Concerned, Cui Ti softly reprimanded, “Baibai, don’t talk so much.”

Bai Ge shut her mouth and dutifully steadied the ladder for the silly goose.

As Pei Xuan reached the top of the wall, an old servant from her household had already set up a ladder on the other side. Seeing her, the servant’s heart leapt into his throat. “Gentleman, be careful! If you were to get hurt, how would I explain it to the Master?”

“I already got hurt.”

From the other side of the wall, Bai Ge couldn’t resist retorting, causing the old servant to turn pale, tears welling up in his eyes. “Gentleman!”

Bai Ge doubled over in laughter.

Despite Bai Ge’s mischief, Cui Ti couldn’t bring herself to scold her. Bai Ge had endured much hardship by her side over the years, protecting her and remaining loyal. She was more like a sister than a servant.

Pei Xuan, now on the ground, felt a headache from all the fussing. She stared at the wall for a long moment. The old servant, wiping away tears, noticed her peculiar expression. “Gentleman, you-“

“Keep your voice down.”

Hearing the little maid on the other side of the wall wondering why she hadn’t left yet, Pei Xuan felt a sudden flush of embarrassment. Clutching her kite, she whispered urgently, “Let’s go, let’s go.”

They walked briskly for a while, but Pei Xuan couldn’t resist looking back. Despite the wall blocking her view, she felt a strange sense of loss, as if a part of her soul had been left behind.

“Gentleman, the palace examination is coming up. We should return home early and have a doctor look at you. The examination is not something to be taken lightly.”

“I know.”

Pei Xuan was caught in a strange mix of joy and frustration. Scratching her head, she asked, “Whose house was that?”

The old servant sighed, looking uncertain. “I believe it belongs to the Xining Count, but the walls are quite dilapidated.”

“Dilapidated?”

“Yes, very much so.”

Pei Xuan recalled the young miss’s attire and the state of the courtyard, feeling a surge of dissatisfaction towards the Xining Count. “Is his family poor? How can they let their women live in such a place?”

“Well…” The old servant replied softly, “The Xining Count is not poor. In fact, the Count and the Madam are hosting a grand banquet today to celebrate their daughter’s birthday. Madam is also among the guests. However, matters of the rear courtyard are not for you to worry about, Gentleman.”

“Then what should I worry about?”

“Naturally, matters of the state. You are destined for officialdom. You’ve already secured the titles of Jieyuan3 and Huiyuan4. Once you take the palace examination and become the Zhuangyuan, you will be the youngest Zhuangyuan in our Dazhao5.”

Pei Xuan smiled, fiddling with her kite as they walked. “Find out who lives in that courtyard for me. Tell me before the palace examination. If you don’t, and I don’t perform well, I’ll blame you.”

“Huh?”

The old servant felt a heavy burden suddenly placed on his shoulders, his vision darkening. “How is it my fault? My dear young master, don’t be capricious. Many people are counting on you to succeed.”

“I know, I know. Just hurry and find out for me. I can’t wait even a moment longer.”

“I’ll find out right away.”

The old servant was running around at Pei Xuan’s behest, and halfway through, he suddenly realized something. “Wait, Gentleman, why do you want to investigate the people at the Xining Count’s residence? What are you planning?”

“I don’t know either.”

“…”

“Maybe, I just want to get to know them?”

“And after you get to know them?”

The young gentleman laughed heartily. “Let’s focus on the palace examination first. Thinking too much about it will keep me up all night.”

The old servant’s legs went weak. Why did this sound so strange? Are you interested in the young miss or the young gentleman?

On the other side of the wall, it was a world of difference.

In the dilapidated courtyard, outside was a bright and warm spring day with spirited youths, while inside, Cui Ti endured her solitary waiting and loneliness.

Thinking of Pei Xuan, Cui Ti couldn’t help but smile.

Bai Ge opened her eyes wide in disbelief, gasping. “Niangzi, what’s going on today? As soon as we set up the mat, someone shows up?”

Cui Ti’s smile deepened. “Perhaps… it’s fate.”

Thanking heaven for allowing me to meet him again.

Clearly, this was just an excuse.

No one could force her to speak if she didn’t want to, and Bai Ge’s curiosity lingered for a while before she gave up. Suddenly, she reminded, “Niangzi, you’re eighteen now, a grown woman. You shouldn’t smile at men like that anymore; it can be misunderstood.”

“Misunderstood how?”

“They might think you have feelings for them. If you meet a lecher, he might come over and pounce on you!”

She deliberately exaggerated, but surprisingly, Cui Ti didn’t seem scared. Instead, she looked a bit confused.

“He wouldn’t.”

“Wouldn’t what?”

Cui Ti softly said, “He wouldn’t pounce on me.”

Bai Ge laughed at her innocence. She was only a few months younger than Cui Ti but fancied herself more experienced. “Why wouldn’t he? You may know a person’s face but not their heart. What if he’s a bad guy?”

“How could he be? Is he not good-looking?”

Bai Ge stammered, unable to find the words.

Cui Ti’s eyebrows arched in amusement. “He must be very good-looking and kind, which is why you didn’t chase him out with a broom.”

“…”

Unable to argue with her, Bai Ge reluctantly went to tidy up the house, leaving Cui Ti alone to enjoy the beauty of the spring breeze.

Gentle wind, white petals, and the young miss retrieving the white silk to cover her eyes once more.

Pei Xuan wasn’t a lecher; sometimes, he wasn’t even a man.

Men often took advantage of women when drunk, but as soon as he got bitten, he sobered up.

Cui Ti idly bit her lower lip, recalling how much force she had used back then.

She even wondered, if she hadn’t bitten him, would Pei Xuan have continued?

If so, to what extent? Would he only love her if they had a physical relationship?

Bai Ge thought she didn’t understand.

But she did.

What she understood was forced into her ears by Bai Ge in her past life. Later, Pei Xuan treated her so well that she felt the only way to repay him was by giving herself to him and bearing his children.

After worrying about whether she would give birth to a blind child for Pei Xuan, she finally mustered the courage to be close to her Fujun6.

But her Fujun was ascetic, making her seem like an improper woman.

She got angry, and Pei Xuan would come to coax her.

Cui Ti, with her knees together and one hand propping up her chin, thought: Pei Xuan is really annoying.

Footnote:

• Zhuangyuan(状元): The candidate who achieved first place in the palace examination.

• Tanhua(探花): The candidate who achieved third place in the palace examination.

• Jieyuan(解元): The candidate who achieved first place in the provincial examination.

• Huiyuan(会元): The candidate who achieved first place in the metropolitan examination.

• Dazhao(大昭): The name of the country in the current story’s setting.

1. Fujun(夫君): A term used specifically in ancient China to refer to one’s own husband.