Fish Meat – Chapter 179
by Little PandaThe Fourth Year of Zhao Wu
Double Silk Net (14)
Initially wanting to break through the wall between Zhuo Jun Mansion and Mishu Jian Mansion was indeed Zhen Wenjun’s plan, but that incident in between had made her forget about this matter.
Not only did Li Yanyi want to maintain the influence of the first same-sex marriage model, but as the parties involved, Zhen Wenjun and Wei Tingxu both knew the importance of this matter for future success and failure. Even though they each had their own schemes and unresolved grudges in their hearts, neither would act foolishly when faced with common interests.
Zhen Wenjun knew she would have to return sooner or later, and that wall of Zhuo Jun Mansion was her last barrier of ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ but unexpectedly someone had demolished the wall so quickly.
Wei Tingxu was still quietly fishing, with a pot of freshly warmed wine placed on the stone table beside her. The silk lanterns throughout the courtyard reflected in the pond, where several fat fish could be seen swimming back and forth. Wei Tingxu watched the fishing rod without a word, and when it trembled slightly, her hand lifted deftly, pulling a golden qilin fish [金麒麟 | jīn qílín | a type of ornamental fish] out of the water, thrashing wildly in the air.
A tall female servant standing beside her wanted to catch the fish, but Wei Tingxu shook her head and threw the fish back into the pond.
By this time, Zhen Wenjun had crossed the stone steps over the pond and stood on Zhuo Jun Mansion’s winding floating bridge. She hadn’t intended to look toward the Mishu Jian Mansion, but this floating bridge, built for aesthetic purposes, meandered through two turns before connecting to the main courtyard. After the first turn, one had to face the neighbor’s pond, and she didn’t want to know why this neighbor was fishing by the pond on a cool spring night in the breeze that could likely cause a chill, nor was she interested in why she would release the fat fish after catching them.
Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly felt the tall female servant in her peripheral vision seemed somewhat familiar.
Zhen Wenjun stopped and cast her gaze at that person, who had thick eyebrows and deep eyes, a high bridge nose and two peach-pink thin lips, appearing stern and dignified. This person’s features seemed familiar, but Zhen Wenjun, with her excellent memory, was certain she had never seen this face before.
Even though the face wasn’t familiar, common sense suggested only one possibility.
Zhen Wenjun said: “Xiaohua?”
Xiaohua nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
“Has your Ghost Dove poison been completely cleared?”
When the Ghost Dove poison still lingered in her body, Xiaohua’s appearance would change, and while the toxins remained, the rearrangement of facial features created an indescribable awkwardness. But now this new face was very harmonious, with rosy skin and bright eyes, showing no signs of poisoning at all.
Xiaohua glanced at Wei Tingxu, who showed no reaction, then said: “Zhong Ji cured the poison for me.”
Zhong Ji had always wanted to cure her poison but hadn’t succeeded, and now her sudden recovery seemed somewhat strange.
Zhen Wenjun didn’t inquire further, merely nodded slightly and returned to the front hall of Zhuo Jun Mansion.
Xiao Xiao and Ah Qiong were both waiting for her in the front hall, and they had just seen Wei Tingxu by the pond through the wide windows.
“Ah Mu, to think we’re neighbors with that demon,” Xiao Xiao worriedly grabbed Zhen Wenjun’s clothes.
Zhen Wenjun patted her head: “Have you finished writing your characters for today?”
Xiao Xiao made an “oh” sound: “We were moving today, and I was helping Ah Po [阿婆 | Ā pó | grandmother] pack things, so I didn’t have time to write.”
“Go write now.”
“It’s so late, do I still have to write…”
“Yes. You go practice writing, and I’ll practice martial arts. No one gets to slack off. Now the Zhong Shu Academy has started accepting female students from all regions. How can you establish yourself in Da Yu in the future if you can’t even write properly?”
Xiao Xiao had made a clay figure waiting for Zhen Wenjun to return and play with her, but unexpectedly, upon returning, she started nagging and lecturing, instantly dispersing Xiao Xiao’s leisurely mood.
Ah Qiong heard this and asked: “Has the Academy already started accepting female students now?”
Zhen Wenjun was thirsty, and while telling her mother about what happened at today’s celebration banquet, she went to pour herself a drink of water. Just as she picked up the bamboo container filled with water, two young servant girls hurriedly came forward to take it, saying that from now on, whether she wanted water, tea, or wine, she should just ask them to serve her.
Zhen Wenjun then remembered that these two servant girls were household servants bestowed upon her by Li Yanyi.
Besides these two, the kitchen staff, firewood room workers, coachmen, and gatekeepers were all people bestowed by Li Yanyi.
The two of them were called Ah Yue and Ah Qiao, both originally from Yanxing Village on the border of Runing. They had been sold to the palace for livelihood since childhood. Now having gained the Emperor’s favor, they were bestowed upon the General, becoming her people from now on. The General could order them around as she pleased, and they wouldn’t dare utter a single word of complaint.
The two young ladies appeared to be only twelve or thirteen years old, about the same height as Xiao Xiao, both with rosy round faces and big eyes, still bearing childlike features, and they were quite skilled at speaking pleasantries.
Zhen Wenjun nodded to them, then turned to look at Ah Qiong.
Ah Qiong understood her meaning without words.
After drinking water, Zhen Wenjun took Xiao Xiao to the main courtyard to practice writing, and Ah Yue and Ah Qiao naturally wanted to follow to serve them.
Zhen Wenjun said children needed quiet when studying and writing characters, and too many people would be distracting, so she told them to rest early, no need to serve.
After a very brief moment of surprise, Ah Yue and Ah Qiao immediately showed their smiles again, their clever eyes spinning around: “Then we shall withdraw first. Would you like porridge tomorrow morning?”
“You decide.”
Zhen Wenjun closed the door, and Ah Qiong looked out through the ventilation window, only to see Ah Yue and Ah Qiao’s bright, simple smiles vanish the instant the door closed, the two exchanging glances with many intentions hidden in their eyes.
The two disappeared shoulder to shoulder among the meandering flower beds in the courtyard, and Ah Qiong said:
“Looking at their walking posture, their lower body stance is extremely stable. They might be masters of external martial arts.”
Zhen Wenjun nodded, and Xiao Xiao was greatly shocked upon hearing this:
“Those two? They look about my age, and they’re already masters?”
“That’s right, others who study and practice diligently are naturally better than you.” Zhen Wenjun patted her head and told her to go write quickly, saying after finishing fifty characters, she would teach her martial arts. Hearing about martial arts practice, Xiao Xiao became extremely happy, and fifty characters didn’t seem so difficult anymore, so she went to write quickly.
Once Xiao Xiao left, Zhen Wenjun spoke quietly to Ah Qiong: “Wei Tingxu once had a doctor who looked like a seven or eight-year-old child, but their actual age was likely above mine. There must be a poison in this world that can make people grow backwards and change their appearance. This makes it impossible for others to guard against.”
“These household servants sent by Li Yanyi may look unremarkable, but they’re all masters. It seems they’re quite wary of us,” Ah Qiong said, “We must be careful from now on.”
Zhen Wenjun smiled and said: “At this stage, they can at most monitor us. As long as Wei Tingxu lives, Li Yanyi won’t move against us. It doesn’t matter, let them monitor and report whatever they want, as long as they can endure my orders. Tomorrow I’ll have them move two large stone blocks for training, and wear them out until their limbs are weak first.”
Xiao Xiao quickly finished writing fifty characters, but Zhen Wenjun, a native of Da Yu, couldn’t understand a single one – the characters on the table looked like they could ward off evil spirits if hung at the doorway.
“What kind of attitude is this towards practicing writing?” Zhen Wenjun pointed at the table full of scribbles and spilled ink everywhere, “Do you want to be an uneducated good-for-nothing in the future?”
Xiao Xiao argued: “I can’t read books or write characters, I don’t like these things! I want to be a general who leads troops into battle like Ah Mu in the future!”
“Being a general isn’t that simple,” Zhen Wenjun unexpectedly said, “If you can’t read military texts or understand military strategy, you’re nothing but a brute, only knowing how to charge at the front lines selling your strength and life. No one will follow you, and you can’t become a general at all, at most you’d be a death warrior.”
“I want to learn! Of course I want to learn! But Da Yu’s characters are so crooked and hard to recognize!” Xiao Xiao’s eyes turned red with anxiety, almost crying.
Seeing her like this, Zhen Wenjun couldn’t bear to continue scolding her, and squatted down to meet her eyes: “Do you really like practicing martial arts?”
Xiao Xiao nodded vigorously.
“Good, come with me.”
Zhen Wenjun took Xiao Xiao to the courtyard and performed a set of martial arts moves. Xiao Xiao watched entranced, while Ah Qiong had already figured out the underlying principle and couldn’t help but smile.
“Is this set of moves familiar?” Zhen Wenjun asked Xiao Xiao after finishing.
Xiao Xiao’s fingers traced in the air, and she quickly had an answer: “The moves Ah Mu just performed together form my character ‘Xiao’ [枭 | xiāo]!”
“That’s right, it’s ‘Xiao,'” Zhen Wenjun said, “Let’s call this martial arts style the Yu Character Fist. Every three days, I’ll teach you a new set of moves, and once you master it, you’ll have learned that character too.”
One might have expected Xiao Xiao to jump and shout with joy after hearing this, but unexpectedly, she pouted with tears in her eyes and forcefully hugged Zhen Wenjun’s waist, burying her face in her stomach while crying.
Zhen Wenjun staggered from the impact, feeling a bit of pain… this child’s strength was quite impressive.
“What’s wrong, why are you crying for no reason?”
“Ah Mu is so busy… I’m stupid, yet Ah Mu still spends time creating martial arts moves for me to practice. Ah Mu, I will definitely study writing and practice martial arts well. When I grow up, I’ll protect you, and won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Zhen Wenjun felt her nose tingle from such heartwarming words.
She wasn’t sure how much Xiao Xiao knew about her recent affairs with Wei Tingxu, but while this child was truly reckless, she also truly treated her like a birth mother. After experiencing numerous instances of being used and betrayed, Zhen Wenjun had gained Xiao Xiao’s companionship and her mother’s return. It seemed heaven hadn’t completely abandoned her in a corner, giving her a touch of warmth.
Zhen Wenjun and Xiao Xiao practiced martial arts until midnight, and after swimming back and forth twice in the hot spring pool, Xiao Xiao’s eyes grew heavy in the rising steam, almost falling asleep.
Zhen Wenjun sent her back to her room to sleep, and when alone, leaned against the warm poolside gazing at the night sky.
The night wind blew, making the bamboo grove rustle.
Zhen Wenjun stared intently at that bamboo grove and the flickering lights barely visible behind it.
Originally, there was a high wall beside Zhuo Jun Mansion’s pool, but after someone deliberately demolished it, the bamboo grove served as a screen, though it might as well not have been there at all. Even at night, one could see seven or eight parts out of ten of the Secretary Supervisor’s residence across the way, and presumably the view would be even clearer on a windy day under the blue sky.
Just as she was feeling somewhat troubled, footsteps came from across the bamboo grove. She quickly submerged herself in the water, leaving only her eyes above water to watch the grove, feeling that someone might emerge through it at any moment.
The footsteps came closer and stopped at the edge of the bamboo grove without advancing further. After Zhen Wenjun heard several faint tapping sounds and the rustling of clothes, the deep sound of the zhu [percussion instrument] suddenly rang out, stirring her heart!
This was the 《Song of Middle Separation》 that she had heard in Suichuan’s Qixian! [LP: Might be a different translation from a different chapter, sorry can’t remember the name]
The song’s lofty and sorrowful nature still shook her heart even after many years.
Thinking of many past events, Zhen Wenjun couldn’t understand why Wei Tingxu would still play this song.
“So from the very beginning…” Zhen Wenjun spoke, “your intention to get close to me was because you had planned that one day I would fall in love with you, to be used by you?”
The zhu sound from across stopped, and after a moment, Wei Tingxu’s ethereal voice came:
“Men value desire, women value emotion. Indeed, it was as you thought.”
Zhen Wenjun emerged from the water with a splash, wrapped herself in clothes, and quickly left the pool, heading to the inner room.
Only the rising steam remained, drifting hazily into the night sky.
A few days later, after returning from court to Zhuo Jun Mansion, Ah Qiao said a lady surnamed Yin had delivered an invitation letter, inviting her to West Water Tower in Runing City three days later for a small gathering. The letter expressed gratitude for her help that day, saying the female students at the Academy were extremely interested in the ways of officialdom and matters of the battlefield, hoping General Zhen would honor them with her presence and provide guidance.
Zhen Wenjun certainly knew these female Academy students would likely become Li Yanyi’s confidants in the future, as she couldn’t keep Wei Tingxu in an important court position forever. Initially, Li Yanyi might not have known about Wei Tingxu’s rebellious plans when letting her implement the crucial Haina Reforms and become the first person in a same-sex marriage. In two years, Li Yanyi had made comprehensive preparations, discovering many female officials who could replace Wei Tingxu. Given some time, Wei Tingxu would lose her importance as the leading figure.
In fact, Li Yanyi had already begun dismantling Wei Tingxu’s power and dividing the Wei family’s authority.
Making Zhen Wenjun and Wei Tingxu turn against each other was the first step, and then Wei Lun’s serious illness, with Zuo Yun temporarily taking his position as Secretary Director, was the crucial second step. When Wei Lun dies, it would be the best opportunity to eliminate the Wei family.
The Academy’s reforms made Zhen Wenjun sense the approaching bloodshed. No one could predict how the central power structure would change in the future, but these female students were definitely worth befriending, and now was the best opportunity.
Three days later, on her day off, she put on casual clothes and walked through the spring scenery to West Water Tower.
An elegant painted boat was moored at West Water Tower, quietly resting on the city moat.
The mild early summer heat caused Zhen Wenjun to break out in a light sweat. From afar, Yin family’s Ah Cang was waving to her from the boat. As Zhen Wenjun approached, she could hear occasional bursts of laughter from the boat.
Just as she put one foot on the plank about to board, there was a loud “bang,” and three colored lights shot into the sky in brilliant hues, finally bursting into sparkles under the bright daylight, as if seeing the Milky Way in broad daylight.
The laughter on the boat turned to gasps of amazement, and pedestrians on both shores stopped to look up in admiration.
“Commander Zhangsun is such an extraordinary person! Not only can she make that world-shocking Heaven’s Army Divine Box, but she can also make fireworks by hand?”
From afar, Zhen Wenjun clearly heard this name, and her footsteps stopped again.
“These aren’t ordinary fireworks,” it was indeed Ah Liao’s voice, “Smell carefully.”
The painted boat fell silent, and Zhen Wenjun seemed to smell the clear osmanthus fragrance descending from the sky. No osmanthus trees were planted along the city moat – could this fragrance floating down from the sky be from the fireworks that had just exploded?
The young ladies were enchanted by this fascinating novelty, cooing and pleading with her to show them another marvelous treasure.
Seeing that Zhen Wenjun hadn’t boarded the painted boat, Ah Cang immediately lifted her skirts and came down to receive her.
“Why hasn’t General Zhen come aboard?”
Zhen Wenjun asked: “Is the Secretary Supervisor here as well?”
Ah Cang made an “ah” sound and said: “The Secretary Supervisor came early this morning. I was wondering why you two didn’t arrive together.”
As they spoke, Zhen Wenjun saw Wei Tingxu, who was also watching her from the second level of the painted boat amidst the clamor.
She knew the importance of the female Academy students, and Wei Tingxu surely knew this too. This fox who never acted without benefit was being so attentive, certainly to win over future power players in the central government.
Zhen Wenjun laughed coldly inside and took large strides onto the painted boat.
0 Comments