Chapter Sixty-One: The Illustrious Cui Clan, A Summons from the Son of Heaven

PS: It seems the numbers are off again... Embarrassing as it is, I still hope for a recommendation vote...

That night at the Cui residence, the banquet was markedly different from the grand affair at the Duke Bi’s mansion the day before, where honored guests filled the hall. Though the spacious front chamber was packed to the brim, every seat was taken by members of the Cui clan of Qinghe, specifically from the Yancheng branch of Xuzhou. The previous generation—six brothers of Cui Zhiwen—had all passed away. The next generation, including Cui Taizhi, Cui Ezhizhi, Cui Weizhi, and many more, now lived together in the Yongfeng neighborhood of the Eastern Capital. Six branches of the Cui family resided there, harmonious as one household, gathering in unity for every festival, so such a crowded family banquet was hardly a novelty. Yet, the presence of an outsider at such a gathering—Du Shiyi—naturally made him the focus of all eyes.

This attention was not hostile, but rather filled with goodwill. Yet even such kindness left his nerves frayed. Whether it was elders like Cui Taizhi and Cui Ezhizhi, or the eldest brother Cui Jianxuan, Cui Chengxun, or the many others, all cast frequent, scrutinizing glances at him. The youngest brother of Cui Jianxuan, Cui Qi, even sidled up like a clingy child, bombarding him with questions about how Cui Jianxuan had fared in the Lu family’s study. Eventually, the eleventh young lord knocked him on the head several times, sending him away sulking and clutching his head.

At such a family feast, the Cui family naturally called upon their household musicians and dancers for entertainment. Elders like Cui Taizhi often tested the younger generation’s poetry and essays, but not one challenged Du Shiyi; even Cui Jianxuan escaped the ordeal he most dreaded.

After the banquet, Cui Jianxuan, without hesitation, dragged Du Shiyi to his own courtyard for accommodation. On the way, he boasted gleefully, “Nineteenth Brother Du, I really owe my luck to you today. The Gongsun family’s fame has exploded recently in Henan, around the capital, and in Hebei. Their brilliant sword dance paired with robust music and lyrics, plus the singing of the three sisters from the Feng family, has left all imitators at a loss. I told people all those poems were written by you, and that I helped revise a few lines. So just now, even though Ninth Sister tried to rally several brothers, no one dared challenge you, and I didn’t have to rack my brains composing verses!”

Faced with Cui Jianxuan’s triumphant self-promotion, Du Shiyi could only laugh and cry at once. But what’s spoken cannot be taken back, and last night, unable to resist Liu Ximing’s repeated provocations, he’d broken his own rule. He could hardly fault Cui Jianxuan now, so he pointedly remarked, “No wonder when I met Lady Qi the other day, I was nearly sweating bullets. Turns out you’re the blabbermouth, eager to let the world know everything. Can't you keep some secrets?”

“Keep what? Even if I stay silent, do you think Seventh Uncle’s time as county magistrate in Dengfeng goes unnoticed? Every bit of news makes its way back to the Eastern Capital—if one person knows, everyone knows!” Seeing Du Shiyi momentarily speechless, Cui Jianxuan grinned, leaning drunkenly on him and whispering, “We’re brothers for life—your fortune is mine too! If Master Lu really insists on leaving office, when you head back to Dengfeng, make sure to stop by and take me with you! You see how troublesome it is with so many siblings, especially my sister and... Ouch!”

He broke off abruptly, startled by something. Du Shiyi looked up to see the Fifth Daughter of the Cui family—whom he’d earlier mistaken for Lady Zhao—approaching with a smile. Unlike her previous dignified attire, she now wore no makeup, her delicate brows lightly brushed, her hair simply pinned with a bone hairpin in a loose falling-horse bun. She was dressed in a large-collared crimson blouse, a gold-threaded brocade half-coat, a skirt adorned with golden butterflies, and small brocade shoes, her arms draped with a long, wide silver shawl. The blend of simplicity and grandeur, combined with her remarkable beauty, lent her a unique charm between maiden and young matron.

“Eleventh Brother, are you bringing Nineteenth Brother Du to your rooms for rest?” Seeing Cui Jianxuan half covering his eyes, too frustrated to protest, Lady Cui smiled gently. “It’s rare you have such a close companion; I’ll say nothing more. Just don’t forget the assignments due this week. Since Master Lu is in the Eastern Capital, I’ll have all the accumulated work sent to him—I’m sure he’ll be pleased with your diligence.”

She nodded to Du Shiyi and said, “Nineteenth Brother, please treat this place as your own home,” then departed with her maids. As she left, Du Shiyi noticed Cui Jianxuan still covering his eyes, sporting a look of utter misery.

“If only I hadn’t rushed back to Song Mountain, telling them that Master Lu demanded strict monthly exams and weekly assignments—if I missed a deadline, I’d be doomed. She caught wind of it and reported me to Grandmother and Mother, making me hand in my work to her every week, supposedly to be sent to Master Lu for grading! Now I’m in trouble, since much of what I submitted before was just to make up the numbers!”

“You’ve woven your own web!” Du Shiyi chuckled, thinking to himself that while he no longer had his devilish senior Pei Ning at Song Mountain, Cui Jianxuan had a devilish sister in the Eastern Capital, lamenting that the fellow never learned from childhood misfortunes. When they reached Cui Jianxuan’s courtyard, Du Shiyi expected any spare wing room would suffice, but Cui Jianxuan had already arranged a bed for him in the main room. Knowing how stubborn he could be, Du Shiyi let it be. After bathing and changing into Cui Jianxuan’s clothes, he lay down, managed to speak about the lost sword technique of Gongye, and soon, without even listening to Cui Jianxuan’s chatter from the next bed, turned over and drifted into deep sleep.

Days of travel fatigue and the prior night’s hangover, despite two daytime naps, had left him exhausted. Du Shiyi felt he slept soundly and peacefully, without even a dream. When he was awakened by birdsong early in the morning, he almost thought he was still in the thatched hut on Xuanyan Peak of Song Mountain. Only upon opening his eyes to the room’s furnishings did he recall last night’s curfew and his overnight stay at the Cui residence.

At the banquet, the main hall was for the Cui sons, the sleeping chamber for the Cui women. After the feast, he followed Cui Jianxuan back, but as the lamps were dim and he was somewhat tipsy, he hadn't noticed the room’s layout. Now, he saw two low beds, the opposite one empty with its bedding already removed, a long seat by the window—clearly Cui Jianxuan’s usual place for reading or leisure, with a few scattered books in the corner, some resembling his own newly bound volumes. Beyond that, a bamboo curtain hung at the entrance, with indistinct figures moving outside, though silent as shadows.

He sat up in one motion, which naturally made the bed creak. Immediately, a maid lifted the curtain and entered swiftly. She wore a white blouse with a red skirt, a short half-coat over it, holding Du Shiyi’s clothes from the night before. After bowing, she quietly helped him dress, and another maid brought a copper basin for washing. When all was done, the first maid respectfully said, “Young Lord Du, Eleventh Brother went to see the Lady Qi. Before you leave, he asked that you visit her as well.”

“What time is it?”

“It’s just past dawn.”

At Song Mountain, he always rose before sunrise; hearing it was already late morning and seeing daylight outside, he inwardly smiled at how easily good habits slip when traveling. After nodding, he left the room to find breakfast laid out: six white porcelain bowls and dishes, a bowl of porridge, two kinds of pastries, three varieties of side dishes, all home-style fare. Famished after a night’s sleep, he ate hungrily, then stepped outside to enjoy the clear, sunny day, stretching lazily.

Meeting Lady Qi, Du De, again, there was little small talk. First, she thanked him on behalf of Lu Hong, and apologized. Second, she subtly advised him about important families in Luoyang to be wary of. Besides the two chancellors and leading ministers, Du De warned, “Some people are best handled with courtesy—never offend them. For instance, the noble Duke Bi’s Dou family, and the Duke Chu’s Jiang family, who, despite demotion by the chancellor’s advice, remain favored. Also the princes and princesses, and...”

After a brief pause, Du De earnestly added, “Wang Maozhong, Grand General Wang. He is in his prime, trusted before the throne, but attracts much resentment. If you can, stay as far away as possible!”

Yesterday, he’d given two peach-wood combs and settled Cui Jianxuan’s share of money. Now, on his way back, Du Shiyi was empty-handed, followed only by Tian Mo. Cui Jianxuan had offered to send two maids with him, saying they could serve Lu Hong or accompany his cousin, but after the incident with the impostor Lady Zhao, the maids’ looks made Du Shiyi uncomfortable, so he declined without hesitation. Riding through the broad avenues, he mulled over Du De’s warnings, and by the time he caught sight of the Goodness Inn in the distance, it was nearly noon.

Lost in thought, he failed to notice the urgent hoofbeats behind him until Tian Mo suddenly moved ahead, grabbing his reins and guiding his horse to the side. Only then did he see a rider speeding past, followed by three or four others. The group halted at the inn’s gate; the lead rider dismounted and proclaimed loudly, “By Imperial decree, the hidden scholar Lu Hong of Song Mountain is granted a carriage and attire; summoned to the Xuanzheng Hall on the fifth day of the second month!”

At those words, all Du Shiyi’s tangled thoughts vanished. Seeing the innkeeper rush inside, he quickly took the reins from Tian Mo and hurried after him. As he dismounted before the inn, curious onlookers had already gathered. Before long, Lu Wangzhi emerged from the inn, supporting Lu Hong as they hurried out.