We spent some time discussing the people we had met that day, naturally focusing most on Wen Jiang and Duan Qimo. To be honest, meeting another pair of women in love for the first time gave me an inevitable sense of kinship.
Wei Qingming added of her own accord, "Duan Qimo took the reins of the Wanqian Chamber of Commerce at twelve. For over a decade, her behavior and dress were no different from any other woman’s. This masculine attire is only a recent development from the last few years. It is likely for the sake of the Eighth Miss."
I clutched my heart and sighed softly at such devotion. Wei Qingming then cautioned, "I am not being petty, and there is no harm in socializing, but you must be somewhat careful."
I nodded solemnly. "I understand. I know that a significant portion of the Duan family’s industry was built on the trafficking of our fellow Yao."
The other large portion consisted of "black-market" trades: gambling dens, fighting pits, low-class brothels, black markets, and smuggling. Their legitimate businesses on the surface were merely local specialties from Yao territories, materials for refining tools or medicine taken from un-metamorphosed Yao, and a few unremarkable high-end clothing and jewelry shops. Jasmine must have encountered Duan Qimo in one of those shops.
Wei Qingming smiled, though she offered a word of grace. "One must often commit evil to make a living; I, surnamed Wei, am no gentleman myself. It is said that the Duan family’s Yao brokerage is considered the most humane on the market. I suppose that counts as a lingering conscience."
I leaned into her arms, hooking her chin with my finger, and said playfully, "Whether you are a gentleman or not isn't for us to decide in this carriage. Shall we see when we get home?"
A flicker of surprise crossed her face. She cupped my face in her hands, her expression turning teasing. "A-Zhi, you insist on forcing me to abandon even the guise of a 'solemn-faced hypocrite.' Today, I shall thoroughly play the part of the 'villain.'"
As she spoke, she pressed me into her embrace, her hand sliding beneath my cloak. She whispered, "No, I shall be the villain right now..."
She was likely influenced by the *Analects* we had heard so much of during the banquet; she had unconsciously used an allusion from the "Xian Jin" chapter. "Se Zhuang Zhe" referred to someone who puts on a solemn front but lacks sincerity—specifically, she was calling herself a fake Liu Xia Hui. I giggled, dodging her hand while using the Sage’s words to plead for mercy.
"A gentleman has three things he fears and nine things he considers. This little woman has only one fear—I am most in awe of you, my Lord Envoy... You are a 'Great Official,' not some 'villain'!"
In that moment, I felt for the first time that education was truly useful. Having been given such a "high hat" of praise, Wei Qingming settled for merely kissing me senseless to vent her frustration. As for the rest... alas, once we reached home, no amount of scholarly knowledge would be of any use.
Good times are always fleeting. The next day, Wei Qingming had to depart on official business again, heading south far from the capital to Anjing. Her return date was uncertain; she might only barely make it back by the end of the year. To encourage her, I made sure not to show a hint of dejection, busying myself alongside A-Wan and Muyu to pack her luggage.
I was in the middle of nagging—"The climate in Yuezhou is fine, but if you insist on wearing autumn clothes, I can't stop you"—when she embraced me from behind and kissed the back of my neck.
Tears welled up instantly. I heard her breath tremble slightly and didn't dare turn around. I could only reach back, familiarly finding her cheek to give her a gentle, comforting caress.
We held each other in silence for a while. I quietly took the opportunity to wipe my tears before turning around to grab her collar. I smiled. "Come back in one piece. There’s no need to rush, and don't worry about me being lonely. Sister Shu sent me a letter first thing this morning inviting me to her place tomorrow. With them around, and it being the end of the year with so much to do, I’ll have to steal moments from my busy schedule just to miss you."
Only then did a hint of a smile touch her lips. She said softly, "In that case, I must wish Boss Su less business and more leisure."
The Xiao residence was located not far north of Changxing Street. To find such a property in the densely packed northwest of the city was a testament to the Eldest Madam’s affection and capability. Madam Xiao had managed the modest courtyard into something exquisite and lovely, with a garden landscape so refined it was a joy to behold. Wen Xiang and Wen Gan were, of course, invited, as was Wen Wan, whom I hadn't seen in years. She was due to be married after the New Year and was anxiously peppering her two married sisters with questions.
My own anxiety came from the fact that Wen Xiang had brought her son. The little brat was barely two years old and far too rowdy. I am the type who gets a headache the moment I see a child; I couldn't even handle someone like Anchi Nalong at eight or nine. Seeing Wen Xiang skillfully wipe the little thing’s nose and drool with a handkerchief while her maid was busy juggling bottles and diapers, I couldn't help but think: *Thank goodness I don't have to suffer through this...*
Fortunately, Sister Xiang was a true friend. Seeing that I was barely enduring the child’s crying and the smell of milk and diapers, she gave the boy’s bottom a firm pat and had the servants take him to the backyard to look at the snow, resolving my immediate crisis. She had another wonderful quality: unlike many married women, she didn't spend every breath talking about household trifles, in-laws, or how much the baby pooped or how hateful her husband was. She certainly didn't pressure me to have one of my own. I was so grateful I almost wanted to hug her arm and weep, confessing my true identity on the spot.
Wen Shu knew that discussing marriage was awkward given my situation, so she skillfully steered the conversation toward the year’s festivities, such as the Jipen performances at the Great Xiangguo Temple and the Lantern Festival in the coming year.
The Great Xiangguo Temple was the imperial temple, often referred to by locals as "Xianglan." It was situated in the southeast of Pingjing, south of the intersection of Imperial Street and the Jin River at Longjin Bridge. While the lower reaches of the Jin River were a humble district for craftsmen and embroiderers, the upper reaches flowed from the southwestern garden district. The Qu River was one of its tributaries, passing through the Zhang family’s villa, Gonglu, behind our house, before winding its way through the Deer Cry Garden. The Jin River was also the only waterway in the city open to civilian boats. It was said that when high monks from the Eastern Sunrise Land visited the temple, they disembarked at Longjin Bridge and walked north into the temple.
After generations of imperial renovations and expansions, the Great Xiangguo Temple now spanned more than an entire ward. It boasted eight plaques inscribed by various emperors. The East and West Pagodas faced each other from a distance, overlooking hundreds of magnificent halls that formed a brilliant spectacle. It was customary for the sovereign to visit the temple for worship after ancestral sacrifices or on auspicious birthdays. Thus, imperial processions were common, and banquets for foreign envoys or grand rewards for officials were often held here. High ministers also held the privilege of hosting banquets for officials of the fifth rank and above at regular intervals.
On the first, fifteenth, and eighth of every month, the temple opened for five days to allow the faithful to offer incense. During these times, bustling markets would spring up both inside and outside the temple, sometimes stretching three li west to the Ziyun Tower. Once, the original owner of our garden, Wu Bao, became so enraged by the noise while dining in the tower that he vowed to shut down the Xianglan market. This met with fierce protest from all levels of society. Wu Bao then ordered his thugs to attack the market, resulting in loss of life. This gave the anti-Wu faction the opportunity they needed to topple him. Fundamentally, it was because the treacherous minister had long since lost the people's hearts, but specifically, this act had struck a nerve shared by scholars, commoners, and officials alike. Even the usually diligent and frugal Emperor Zhenzong was displeased; visiting the temple to observe the people’s lives after sacrifices was one of his rare pleasures. Not to mention, it was here that he had first encountered his beloved Empress Pan in his youth!
Alas, why such an enlightened ruler turned to indulgence in his later years is truly a tragic mystery. If not for the seduction of the inner court eunuchs, how could he have fallen so far and failed to preserve his integrity? It is no wonder the common folk heap all manner of blame upon my Grandfather Feng...
The four streets surrounding the temple were filled with shops of all kinds. Unlike the East Market, which catered to high officials and wealthy merchants, the businesses near Xianglan were a mixed bag, mostly small-scale operations. Many were ancestral shops, like those on the main street to the east: the Zhu family’s cherries (which Wei Qingming had taken me to eat), the Li family’s roasted chestnuts, Sister Song’s fish soup, Granny Cao’s meat pies, and Brother Xue’s mutton rice. As for summer treats like plum ginger, lychee paste, candied fruits, and sweetened mung beans, or winter fare like badger and wild fox meat, fried dumplings, and pork pancreas flatbreads—there was nothing they didn't have.
The West Street was a flower and bird market, selling exotic beasts alongside daily necessities like mats, screens, saddles, and bows. Because it bordered Imperial Street, the stench of animals and the honking of geese often assaulted the senses of the nobles heading north for their audiences. A city official once petitioned to move the market east to clean up the city's appearance. While his fate wasn't as dire as Wu Bao’s, he paid a price: the mischievous ruffians of the capital collected three days' worth of various animal droppings after the market closed and dumped them all on the steps of his grand mansion at night. The official stepped right into it in the pre-dawn gloom on his way to court, falling and covering himself in filth. When Emperor Zhezong heard of it, he laughed heartily, issued a minor punishment, and let the matter drop. He didn't mind at all that horse urine stained the stone pillars of Longjin Bridge; West Street remained exactly as it was.
North Street was the favorite haunt of scholars and aesthetes. It held old stationery shops, like Pan Gu’s ink (favored by Su Dongpo) and the Zhao family’s brushes (criticized by Ouyang Xiu). There were also numerous antique shops and stalls selling bronze vessels of dubious authenticity, famous paintings, and rare ancient books. I imagined Lu Lingfeng, with her obsession for art, spent a great deal of time here—though with a "Heavenly Eye" practically branded on her forehead, even the shrewdest shopkeeper wouldn't be able to cheat her...
The greatest excitement, however, was to the south, and it was the only part that was seasonal. Every year after the Laba Festival, on Longde Square right next to Longjin Bridge, the Jipen theater would be erected—a structure made of reed mats and bamboo frames, decorated with multicolored silks, shaped like a bird’s nest.
By late November, performers from all over the world would gather near the temple, competing for the chance to perform in the Jipen during the Lantern Festival. Unlike the refined performances at Ziyun Tower for the Emperor’s birthday, the shows here appealed to both high and low tastes, featuring more dangerous and bizarre acts—even some that were bloody and cruel, such as knife-throwing or man-versus-beast combat. The Jipen welcomed novelty above all; unless one’s skills were exceptionally solid and the concept ingenious, the people of the capital had no patience for the same old tricks played for a thousand years.
The New Year coincided with the Emperor’s fiftieth birthday, so this Lantern Festival was extended by three days both before and after, lasting nearly a month from the twenty-second of the twelfth month to the nineteenth of the first month. On the night of the Lantern Festival, an imperial decree added five competitions—calligraphy, painting, poetry, and archery—to the usual lantern displays and riddles. The prizes were to come from the palace itself, a way for the Emperor to share his longevity with the people.
The calligraphy, painting, and poetry competitions were no surprise; even in ordinary times, such events sponsored by various parties were common in the capital. The inclusion of archery, however, was intriguing. It was easy to foresee that the final winners of these four competitions, as judged by the Emperor’s will, would be works praising civil and military achievements and wishing for a great victory in the Northern Expedition. As for the promotion of horsemanship and archery, it would surely become a top-down trend in the days to come.
The women chatted and speculated for a while, each placing bets on their favorite programs. We agreed to go together once the Jipen market opened. We would invite Jasmine and Wen Jiang, along with a large group of in-laws, and book a private booth at Ziyun Tower nearby to enjoy ourselves for the whole day. Both Madam Xiao and I were the heads of our respective households. Although my household didn't have many people to begin with—and half of them had run off—it was still my first New Year. Managing the various purchases, both retail and wholesale, would require a fair amount of thought. Thus, we made an additional plan to go shopping at Xianglan together in a few days.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
万骞商会 | Wanqian Chamber of Commerce | The merchant guild led by Duan Qimo.
安京 | Anjing | A city to the south where Wei Qingming is sent on business.
大相国寺 | Great Xiangguo Temple | A major imperial Buddhist temple in the capital.
相蓝 | Xianglan | A common nickname/abbreviation for the Great Xiangguo Temple.
龙津桥 | Longjin Bridge | A bridge near the temple and Imperial Street.
棘盆 | Jipen | Literally "Thorn Basin"; a temporary theater structure for seasonal performances.
色庄者 | Se Zhuang Zhe | "One who is solemn in appearance"; refers to a hypocrite who looks virtuous but isn't.
君子有三畏 | Three Fears of a Gentleman | A Confucian concept regarding what a superior man holds in awe.
九思 | Nine Considerations | A Confucian concept regarding the nine things a gentleman focuses his mind on.
射柳 | Sheliu | "Willow Shooting"; a traditional form of archery competition.
真宗 | Zhenzong | An emperor of the dynasty (historical reference).
哲宗 | Zhezong | An emperor of the dynasty (historical reference).
隆德广场 | Longde Square | The square where the Jipen theater is built.
