Chapter Sixty: When Elders Reside at Home, Their Strength Endures

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PS: The simplified edition of my previous book, "Wealth and Glory," is now available nationwide. If you’re interested, please show your support! I’d appreciate your recommendations—it's as if I've gone back to square one...

The Tang dynasty’s official system was exceedingly complex, comprising not only noble ranks and merit-based titles, but also a myriad of honorary and functional posts. Take for example Cui Jianxuan’s father, Cui Ezh, who was ennobled as Duke of Zhao of the highest first rank for his role in eliminating Empress Wei; at one time, his fief encompassed five thousand households—an honor even princes and princesses might not match. Yet, his honorary title was no more than Silver and Blue Grand Master for Splendid Feasts; his merit title, Pillar of the State; while his functional posts saw him shuttled between central and local offices, oscillating between third and fourth ranks—this, for all the officials of the court, was hardly unusual.

Though at first glance the Director of the Imperial Treasury might not seem an especially vital office, and the Censor-in-Chief bore the additional qualification of “acting,” it all pointed to the deep favor Cui Ezh enjoyed. As for Cui Taizhi, although the Ministry of Works ranked last among the Six Ministries of the Department of State Affairs, he was still in his prime and bound to rise further.

Thus, when Cui Jianxuan finished speaking, with a sigh and dejection so clear, Du Shiyi felt compelled to offer consolation. Seeing his spirits still low, Du Shiyi teased with a smile, “Come now, don’t look so downcast. At your age, you can’t keep idling at home much longer—you’ll soon have to take up office. With your father in favor, securing a position in the Imperial Guards’ Office should be a simple matter. Most scholars toil through ten bitter years of study, starting at the ninth rank; but with your family background, you’d be appointed at the upper seventh!”

“That’s old news!” Cui Jianxuan snorted, looking at Du Shiyi with a half-smile, half-sneer. “You probably don’t know that these days, the Imperial Guards, the Meritorious Guards, and the Attendant Guards are all filled with sons from various families, who are simply slotted in to replace others. Advancement there is so slow, you could turn gray without promotion! And with my temper, I’d offend countless people in the palace. If I’d chosen to become a Palace Attendant years ago, my grandmother and parents wouldn’t have worried so much. That post selects only the most highborn youths—handsome, of good family. Why, Li Linfu, who recently delivered a summons for Master Lu, is one such; in court, they stand arrayed beside the imperial throne, in embroidered clothes and green sashes, ivory batons in hand—the best possible start for young nobles. Otherwise, do you think Li Linfu, even as a scion of the imperial clan, could have risen so quickly?”

“So you do know you have a bad temper!”

Du Shiyi interjected with a laugh, and sure enough, Cui Jianxuan glared at him, instantly forgetting his earlier gloom. So Du Shiyi began recounting the sights and events at Duke Bi’s house last night. As expected, the conversation soon drifted away from all those muddled emotions—Cui Jianxuan was soon critiquing Dou Shilang’s Sogdian dance, gossiping about Jiang Du’s character...

After a while, he suddenly slapped his thigh. “By the way, did you know, our Third Brother’s fiancée’s family made a huge fuss; she fell seriously ill, and the marriage was delayed again and again. At the end of last year, she suddenly passed away, so Third Brother still hasn’t been able to return home.”

Pei Ning? That cold-faced, warm-hearted Third Brother—so ill-starred?

Du Shiyi was just sighing over this when a cough sounded from outside. Immediately afterward, the same old nurse who had led him in earlier entered. Smiling, she gave a respectful greeting and, ignoring Cui Jianxuan’s annoyed look, said kindly, “Young Master Du, the Dowager Madam heard that Fifth and Ninth Misses may have offended you, so she has sent me to invite you over to apologize in person.”

Hearing that his grandmother was summoning them, Cui Jianxuan’s expression softened; he rose and laughed. “Du Nineteen, my grandmother is also from Duling of Jingzhao, and though we’re not closely related, she’s still your elder. Besides, she’s my grandmother, so more or less like your senior! My sisters just played a trick on you; I’ll go and speak to Grandmother. Let’s go together—it’s rare for her to be in such good spirits these days! Nurse, go ahead and let Grandmother know we’re coming!”

Since Dowager Lady Du De of the State of Qi had sent for him, and Cui Jianxuan had put it this way, Du Shiyi could hardly refuse. Luckily, he hadn’t come empty-handed today; besides the brocade box, he also carried two peachwood combs prepared by Thirteenth Lady Du. These were made by the old woodcutter on Junji Peak, who was good at curing meats; after making a little money thanks to Wu Jiu, he’d carved them himself and sent them to their cottage. The Cui family was wealthy, so these humble gifts were better than nothing.

As he followed Cui Jianxuan deeper into the residence, the paths seemed ever more convoluted. Even with his excellent memory, by the end he felt his head buzzing.

“The Cui family has houses both in Pingkang Lane, Chang’an, and Yongfeng Lane, Luoyang, so our uncles and cousins often live in both places. Six branches dwell together, all in great harmony...”

As Cui Jianxuan spoke, pointing out a two-story pavilion ahead with a proud smile, something suddenly flew at his head. He ducked and caught it—on the steps stood a girl in an amber jacket and pomegranate skirt, watching him with a half-mocking smile. Looking down, he saw a Go stone in his hand, and gritted his teeth. “Du Nineteen, let me warn you—all my other siblings are fine, but as for Ninth Sister, you’d best keep your distance!”

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At least Eldest Sister is reasonable—Ninth Sister never is!

Du Shiyi had only just witnessed how Ninth Miss Cui could imitate Cui Jianxuan’s mannerisms and speech to perfection; if not for a few slip-ups, he might have been completely fooled. Now, seeing her dressed as a girl, her natural beauty was still striking, and she still resembled Cui Jianxuan. She gave them a mock-angry, smiling glance before turning to go inside. Hearing Cui Jianxuan’s warning, Du Shiyi couldn’t help but cast him a sidelong glance.

Come to think of it, if this fellow beside him put on women’s clothes...he might not give himself away, either! In these times, after all, it wasn’t the fashion to pierce one’s ears for earrings—such things were considered harmful to the body.

If Cui Jianxuan had known what Du Shiyi was thinking, he’d likely have jumped up to throttle him. But oblivious, he strode inside, heading straight for the central couch. There, his grandmother, Du De, had sat up with Ninth Miss Cui’s help. Giving his sister a glare, he set the brocade box on a high side table, then supported his grandmother’s other arm, complaining indignantly, “Grandmother, this is Du Nineteen’s first visit to our home, and Eldest and Ninth Sisters played tricks on him! Fortunately, he saw through them and bore no grudge—otherwise, word would get out and people would say the Cui family had failed to teach its daughters properly!”

“I only stepped in because Eldest Brother was busy with Grandmother, so I had to meet our fellow disciple in his stead—where’s the trickery in that?” Ninth Miss Cui blinked innocently, then shook Du De’s arm. “Besides, Grandmother, Eldest Brother has made few friends in Chang’an or Luoyang over the years, but plenty of enemies. Now that he finally has a close companion, we sisters were curious, so we used Mother’s and Eldest Brother’s names as an excuse to meet him. Seeing is believing—Young Master Du Nineteen is indeed both upright and outstanding, not one to bear petty grudges!”

What a clever-tongued girl—such words left him no room to press the issue, lest he be thought narrow-minded!

Seeing Cui Jianxuan’s furious but speechless expression, Du Shiyi realized where his odd temper came from. With a sister like this, one needed both a resilient heart and a sharp tongue to cope!

So, as Ninth Miss Cui glanced at him triumphantly, Du Shiyi pretended not to notice and bowed deeply to Du De on the couch. “Your junior, Du Nineteen of Duling, greets the Dowager of Qi. Ninth Miss was merely being mischievous with her disguise—no more than a light-hearted jest. I hope you’ll not be too harsh on her, lest I be accused of bullying the young.”

As he spoke, he saw surprise flash across Ninth Miss Cui’s face, quickly replaced by indignation. Beside her, Cui Jianxuan’s eyes lit up and he grinned, nodding repeatedly. “Grandmother, you see—Du Nineteen is magnanimous, not one to bear a grudge. Anyone else would have taken offense!”

Du De glanced at Ninth Miss Cui, whose face was flushed as she glared at Du Shiyi, and calmly withdrew her hand. “Ninth Miss, you’ve always been mischievous at home, but today was too much—especially roping in Twenty-Fifth Brother to cover for you. You’re not a child anymore. Your brother studies and trains diligently; you cannot rely on clever tricks forever. Go to your room and reflect for ten days.”

Ninth Miss Cui, incredulous, finally agreed with evident reluctance and departed. Only after his initial satisfaction faded did Cui Jianxuan recall how his grandmother had always indulged her—today’s severity was uncharacteristic and left him puzzled. But in the next moment, his grandmother waved Du Shiyi forward, and, surprised, he quickly moved a seat closer.

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What surprised him further was that, once Du Shiyi sat, Du De said, “Eleventh Brother, go to your mother and tell her I said that Ninth Miss was unruly today—I shall confine her for a few days. Also, ask Fifth Miss not to indulge her sister so.”

Once the reluctant Cui Jianxuan had been sent away, Du De studied Du Shiyi thoughtfully for some time before speaking. “Though Fifth and Ninth Misses were indeed forward, I too was curious, which is why I indulged their mischief—please don’t take it to heart. Eleventh Brother has always been headstrong, deaf to advice, even from his parents and me. Yet, after this last trip, he’s not only more measured but also applies himself to his studies, no longer as scatterbrained as before.”

Du Shiyi would not claim credit for this and hastily replied with humility, “It’s all thanks to Master Lu’s tailored guidance, and to Eleventh Brother’s own talent—he’s simply come into his own.”

“Master Lu of Xuanyan Peak on Mount Song is indeed a reclusive scholar of great renown, but you need not be so modest. You’re the first person Eleventh Brother has ever held in such regard.” Du De smiled gently, then continued, “As it happens, our ancestor, Lord Du Renzhe, was Grand General of this dynasty, and your ancestor, Lord Du Junci, had an estate in Fanchuan as well. Though we were not neighbors, our families are of the same surname and shared some ties. Who would have thought, after all these years, that our descendants would meet again by chance? Were it not for my poor health this past year, I would have sent Eleventh Brother back to Master Lu’s cottage—to benefit from both a wise teacher and a worthy friend.”

For several years, Du Shiyi and Thirteenth Lady Du had had no elders besides Master Lu, who was like family to them. Now, seeing the Dowager’s kindly manner, his greatest concern came to mind, and he could not help but say, “Madam, forgive my boldness; since you wish Eleventh Brother to continue studying with Master Lu, might it be possible to...”

“You wish to know why His Majesty’s orders cannot be rescinded?” Du De interrupted. Seeing his silence, she explained frankly, “Though Taizhi has long served in the capital, his recent rise is due to the execution of the Two Zhangs, and his seniority is still shallow. As for Ezh, the same is even more obvious; otherwise, he would not have remained in external posts despite his ducal title. The Cui family is noble, but less favored than the Yao, Song, and Su clans, and not as close to the throne as the Dukes of Chu, Huo, and others. Any rash action would only make things harder for Master Lu. When I arranged for Eleventh Brother to study under Master Lu, I believed his reclusion and renowned scholarship made him the ideal teacher. In hindsight, I misjudged.”

“Madam, forgive me. My own inexperience led me astray.”

Seeing Du Shiyi rise and bow deeply, Du De quickly bid him sit again. With a sigh, she went on, “The court is full of talent now—many say it’s a miniature era of Zhenguan, and His Majesty shares this view. Those in high office are no mere figureheads; that, I believe, is why the court’s repeated summons to Master Lu have so far come to nothing, and the matter might have faded away. But unexpectedly, a memorial from the former Chancellor Yao stoked His Majesty’s hunger for talent. To fill the court with able men is, after all, the mark of an enlightened ruler.”

Du De’s analysis was so thorough that Du Shiyi realized at once she was intentionally guiding him. Steeling himself, he bowed low. “May I beg further instruction, Madam.”

As she gazed at the young man before her, a familiar face seemed to surface in her mind’s eye. She quickly closed her eyes to compose herself. After a long moment, she opened them again and said softly, “Though Master Lu is widely renowned, if His Majesty appoints him, it will only be to an honorary post, one with more name than power. There are many such sinecures in the court, and even for these, the great ministers are eager to recommend their own protégés. So, whether Master Lu remains in the capital is of little consequence to most, and does not benefit them. If His Majesty hesitates, their opinions may tip the balance.”