“The Hua family’s eldest son…” Mei Jiu pondered for a moment, then exclaimed, “Ah, could he be the Deputy of the Bureau of Military Affairs?”
Yaoyue nodded excitedly, “That’s right! His prospects are limitless.”
The Bureau of Military Affairs and the Secretariat-Chancellery were known as the Two Departments, the most centralized government institutions of the Great Song Dynasty. The Secretariat-Chancellery handled civil affairs, while the Bureau of Military Affairs was responsible for military matters. However, the Bureau didn’t directly manage troops; it only had the authority to deploy them.
The Deputy of the Bureau of Military Affairs was a vice-official position, with ten such positions in total. Although the Bureau dealt with military affairs, its highest-ranking officials were all scholars.
“For Young Master Hua to hold such a high position at his young age, it must be due to his own merits, not just family connections,” Yaoyue continued, noticing Mei Jiu’s apparent lack of enthusiasm. She began listing the young man’s virtues, “There’s always caution between the emperor and powerful officials. The Hua family’s influence is immense, so the emperor must be wary of them. If Young Master Hua weren’t truly exceptional, would the emperor appoint him?”
An Jiu, not well-versed in political matters, found Yaoyue’s reasoning sound and felt her judgment of people was indeed accurate.
Mei Jiu said, “So what? They say those obsessed with power schemes lack true feelings. His wife passed away barely a year ago, and he’s already seeking a new bride. This proves the saying true.”
Yaoyue sighed, “My lady, for a man of his stature to mourn for a year is already quite sentimental.”
Mei Jiu disagreed, “If there were no children, perhaps. But his late wife left him a son and a daughter. They married young, and he’s only mourned for a year. How is that considered sentimental?”
Seeing that she couldn’t sway Mei Jiu, Yaoyue changed tactics, “My lady, opportunities like this are rare. Most women in our family don’t marry outsiders. Elder Zhi has only taken you as a disciple in recent years. Even if other families were interested in you, you wouldn’t have the chance to marry out. In the entire world, apart from the imperial palace, you could only marry into the Hua family. Isn’t this what Lady Yan and you want? Being a second wife to the Hua family’s eldest legitimate son is not shameful.”
“You… have a point,” Mei Jiu conceded.
Having read many poems and being of a sensitive nature, Mei Jiu could discuss others’ romantic affairs eloquently. However, at her tender age, she had little concept of marriage. Mei Yanran had neglected this aspect of her education.
As for An Jiu, she had even less of an idea about such matters.
Remembering An Jiu’s earlier inquiries about the Hua family, Mei Jiu asked Yaoyue, “How many legitimate sons does the Hua family have?”
“Oh, quite a few,” Yaoyue thought carefully. “The Hua family currently has twelve branches. Their ancestral home is in the north, but only two branches are in Bianjing. Both are extremely prestigious. Counting just these two branches, there are about ten legitimate sons.”
Seeing Mei Jiu’s attentiveness, Yaoyue elaborated on Hua Zihong’s situation. “Young Master Hua’s father was formerly the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor and is now a Grand Councilor in the Secretariat-Chancellery. He has three legitimate sons. The eldest is Hua Rongtian, the second is named Zimiao, courtesy name Rongjian and the youngest is named Ziping, courtesy name Rongjun.”
“You learned all this in such a short time?” Mei Jiu’s eyes widened.
“I already knew about the Hua family,” Yaoyue smiled. “Among the Grand Councilor’s three sons, Hua Rongtian is considered the most capable. The second son, Hua Rongjian, is known to be a playboy. I haven’t heard much about Hua Rongjun, so he’s probably unremarkable.”
Hearing Yaoyue’s implied meaning, Mei Jiu’s face reddened, “So what if he’s capable? It’s none of my concern.”
When first experiencing romantic feelings, there’s often a sense of admiration. Repeatedly hearing about someone’s virtues can have an effect.
Yaoyue didn’t fully understand this principle but knew that speaking well of Hua Rongtian in front of Mei Jiu couldn’t hurt.
“I’ll go inform Lady Yan now,” Yaoyue suggested tentatively.
Mei Jiu didn’t object. Accustomed to having decisions made for her, she even thought that marrying out like this might not be a bad choice after hearing Yaoyue’s words.
After the evening meal, Mei Ruyan came to seek Mei Jiu’s advice on her studies.
Still recovering from her injuries, Mei Ruyan’s arm was in a sling, and she had lost a significant amount of weight. Her already small face seemed even tinier.
“Is Master Mo very strict?” Mei Jiu asked.
Mei Ruyan’s smile remained bright, “I can’t let him always have the upper hand. These past few days, I’ve managed to frustrate him to the point of speechlessness. Seeing his darkened face is truly satisfying!”
Mei Jiu laughed, “You! In the end, angering him will only disadvantage you.”
“You’re right. He may look like an immortal, but he has a black heart. When he retaliates, he shows no consideration for our teacher-student relationship,” Mei Ruyan’s phoenix eyes sparkled as she spoke of Master Mo. Despite complaining, her face showed no sign of displeasure.
Thinking this was just Mei Ruyan’s nature, Mei Jiu advised, “When you can be gentle, be gentle. Didn’t Master Mo say he doesn’t hit women?”
Mei Ruyan grinned, “He doesn’t hit women, so I’m determined to break that rule of his. Let’s see how long he can hold out.”
Yaoyue, serving nearby, finally began to understand the situation.
The two chatted for quite a while before Mei Ruyan brought up the difficult points in her studies. As they became engrossed in discussion, Mei Jiu almost invited Mei Ruyan to stay for a late-night talk, had An Jiu not intervened in time.
After Yaoyue had Mei Ruyan escorted out, she returned and said, “My lady, I think the Fifteenth Miss might have special feelings for Master Mo.”
To Mei Jiu, their relationship was that of master and disciple, so she didn’t immediately grasp Yaoyue’s implication. She asked naively, “What do you mean by special?”
“She’s smitten,” An Jiu stated bluntly.
“Ah!” Mei Jiu covered her mouth, the news so shocking that she overlooked An Jiu’s crudeness. “But they’re teacher and student!”
Yaoyue assumed Mei Jiu had just realized, “That’s why you should occasionally mention it, my lady. Master Mo may be a bit eccentric, but he has an excellent bearing. The Fifteenth Miss is young, and spending so much time together, it’s inevitable for some feelings to develop.”
After a moment, Mei Jiu composed herself, “I’ll keep that in mind.”
She added, “Yaoyue, you understand so much.”
“You flatter me, my lady.” Yaoyue didn’t dare accept the compliment. Being a few years older, she could easily see through Mei Ruyan’s emotions. It wasn’t that she was particularly perceptive; anyone with a basic understanding of romantic feelings could have seen it.
“It’s all so confusing,” Mei Jiu sighed. “I’ve heard so much today, my mind is overflowing. It’s all jumbled up, and I can’t even think straight.”
An Jiu praised sarcastically, “Fools usually can’t think at all. The fact that you’re aware of it is truly impressive.”
“…”
Yaoyue consoled her, “There’s no rush. Take your time to sort things out.”
The same situation, yet such different responses!
“Can’t you speak kindly like Yaoyue?” Mei Jiu was most dissatisfied with this aspect of An Jiu.
An Jiu didn’t see anything wrong with her words, “I’ve carefully considered your suggestion.”
“And?” Mei Jiu had spoken casually, not expecting An Jiu to listen. She was surprised that this usually stubborn person would consider someone else’s opinion…
“I still can’t tolerate wasting time on pandering to fools,” An Jiu declared.
“…” Mei Jiu decided never to offer suggestions again.