In spring, the sky brightened early, and Wang Shiniang also woke early, calling for Qiu Shan. The senior maid came forward to raise the bed curtains and attend to her washing and dressing.
“Miss rises earlier each day. Perhaps the ship’s unsteadiness makes deep sleep difficult. Should I speak with General Xiao to have them travel even more slowly?” Qiu Shan deftly styled Shiniang’s hair into a slanted cloud coiffure, securing it with two lustrous white jade hairpins.
“Though I rise early, I sleep well enough. The young general has already been very considerate for Elder Sister’s sake. We who accompany her shouldn’t add trouble. When traveling away from home, naturally it’s not as convenient as at home. Besides, we’ll arrive in just a few days—let’s make do.” Wang Shiniang lightly waved away the maid who came to apply her makeup.
“Miss is naturally beautiful. If you dressed up just a bit more, even celestial maidens descending from heaven couldn’t compare. When the Crown Prince was selecting his consort, if they had sent your portrait, I’m afraid the Crown Princess position wouldn’t have gone to the Eighth Miss from the main branch.” Qiu Shan felt regret on her mistress’s behalf.
Wang Shiniang smiled. “Being Crown Princess isn’t something everyone can do. Eighth Sister is dignified and virtuous in character, gentle yet strong, with uncommon insight, handling matters calmly without alarm—she was personally selected by Her Majesty the Empress. It had nothing to do with portraits.”
“What does Miss think of the young general?” Qiu Shan asked again with a grin. Wang Yang’s intention to set up a match between Shiniang and Xiao Wei wasn’t a secret in Shiniang’s quarters.
“Handsome and talented, martial yet not lacking in scholarly air, courteous to others without being forward—his character seems quite good.” Wang Shiniang’s expression was open and generous, without the bashful state typical of young ladies when discussing men.
“Just quite good?” Qiu Shan cried out softly. “If you ask me, the old master still has the best eye. Before seeing him, when I heard the word ‘general,’ I imagined someone with a face full of beard, eyes glaring like bells, loud and coarse-voiced, a big hulking fellow. My heart was all over the place for Miss’s sake, never settling. After seeing him, I realized Miss was truly right when she said there are people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens. That generals could also be like him—handsome when you want handsome, imposing when you want imposing, noble and elegant when you want noble and elegant. Compared to him, those self-important noble young masters back home are like grass leaves that can’t withstand frost and cold, blown up to the sky by a gust of wind.”
Wang Shiniang turned back and lightly tapped Qiu Shan’s hand. “Don’t show off after learning just a little. What do you mean ‘people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens’? How could I have said it could be used in this context? Don’t let such overjoyed words slip out in public. Though this person seems acceptable, I can also see he’s someone with high pride and lofty spirit. Toward us he’s merely polite, without any other thoughts.
I still need to observe more. If he has no interest in me, I won’t force myself upon him either.”
Qiu Shan pulled back her hand and pouted. “Most likely he’s just pretending to be indifferent toward Miss. I don’t believe it—with Miss’s stunning beauty and talents, how could he not be moved?”
“Come, let’s go see the deck.” Wang Shiniang donned her cloak.
“Miss isn’t going to Eighth Miss’s quarters?” Qiu Shan hurried to follow behind.
“She’s definitely still sleeping right now. Running over to disturb her peaceful dreams—wouldn’t that be asking for a scolding?” Wang Shiniang turned her head and winked mischievously at Qiu Shan. “Besides, once she wakes up she’ll be managing me about this and that, not even letting me leave the cabin door. It’s rare to travel by ship—how can I not take a good look at the customs and scenery along both banks? I’m even planning to write a few travel essays for Grandfather to read.”
Just then, someone turned the corner in the corridor. Wang Shiniang accidentally bumped into them and stumbled backward, barely supported by the alarmed Qiu Shan. She wasn’t a delicate young lady who couldn’t withstand a breeze, so after quickly steadying herself, she apologized and looked up. The other person wore a lake-green willow-patterned pleated skirt, her dark hair unbound with a goose-yellow silk ribbon woven through it. Her hands held a potted orchid, and her bright eyes gazed at her.
What a stunning beauty, Wang Shiniang thought to herself.
“Are you alright?” The beauty spoke with a somewhat slow cadence.
“I’m fine. I wasn’t watching where I was going. I apologize.” Wang Shiniang apologized again.
The beauty blinked twice. Just when Wang Shiniang thought she would walk past, she said, “Of course you couldn’t watch the road while talking and turning your head back.” Having said this, she then walked away.
After her figure disappeared, Wang Shiniang said to the dumbstruck Qiu Shan, “You always say I’m stunning—now you’ve encountered truly stunning, haven’t you?”
“Such a beautiful young lady!” Qiu Shan spoke the truth without thinking, then came to her senses. “But compared to Miss, she’s still quite lacking. She speaks slowly and reacts dully too. By the way, who is she?” Though her words were casual, she felt a bit anxious for her mistress. After all, if there were two beauties on the ship, Young General Xiao’s thoughts would be hard to fathom.
“She should be one of the people General Xiao went to fetch aboard last night.” Wang Shiniang saw through her maid’s thoughts. “Don’t let your imagination run wild. General Xiao said they’re comrades-in-arms—most likely their family members.”
The two couldn’t say much more in the corridor. Following the direction the beauty had gone, they also left the cabin.
“We’ve already left port. I heard Wencheng has quite a few famous scenic spots and historical sites, no less prosperous than the capital. I had hoped to disembark and walk around.” Wang Shiniang sighed lightly.
“Wencheng is only two or three days by water from the capital. Miss Wang can come again in the future.”
The steady voice with a trace of consideration in its courtesy made Wang Shiniang’s heart skip a beat. She turned to see that tall, handsome man and gave a slight curtsy.
“Young General.”
“Miss Wang rises so early. Could it be the ship’s noise was too loud and woke you?” Xiao Wei stood a few feet away from her, his gaze upright and bright.
“No, I wanted to see the river channel in the early morning myself. I hope I haven’t interfered with the ship’s departure.” Only then did Wang Shiniang notice the boatmen with their trouser legs tied tight and wearing short shirts were busy and dripping with sweat. She couldn’t help blushing. “I… I didn’t notice everyone was dressed this way.”
Though she and Xiao Wei hadn’t even begun to form a match, she didn’t want people to think she didn’t understand propriety. But Xiao Wei’s response made her regard this person with new respect.
He said, “Miss Wang needn’t mind. When working on the ship, there are those who go bare-chested even in dead winter. If women all had to avoid such situations, wouldn’t they fall ill from stuffiness staying in the cabin? You can rest assured—these brothers of mine are proper people and won’t disturb you from taking a walk and enjoying the scenery.”
Though Wang Shiniang was considered unique among the Wang family women, occasionally able to accompany her grandfather out to meet friends and compete in poetry and composition with scholars and literati, due to her female identity she still faced many restrictions. Many men would praise her talents while simultaneously looking down on her for showing her face in public. She hadn’t expected that Xiao Wei, who came from Prince Jing’s mansion, would be so open-minded.
Of course, what she didn’t know was that the current Xiao Wei had been molded this way by a young lady named Song Mo Zi after countless confrontations and countless instances of cold mockery and hot sarcasm.
To Mo Zi, Xiao Wei was obviously still unqualified, but for the native young lady Wang Shiniang, such a man who supported her going on deck to see the scenery was already a rare specimen.
“The general doesn’t look down upon my request because I’m a woman. No wonder you’re called a hero at such a young age—your heart and mind are broad. This humble woman admires you.” Wang Shiniang said.
“Miss Wang, what makes you say this? I merely allowed you on deck.” And Xiao Wei had no idea that his male chauvinism had unknowingly lost its force. Not until Wang Shiniang praised him for it.
“General, if I had asked my parents or brothers just now, they would have told me to hurry back to the cabin and embroider.” Wang Shiniang’s nature was originally quite lively—she wasn’t deliberately trying to please Xiao Wei.
Xiao Wei didn’t smile. He had already become aware of his own change. Because if it had been in the past, he too would have told his own sisters to go back to the cabin and embroider.
Wang Shiniang observed his expression carefully. “General, have Shiniang’s words been too forward?”
Xiao Wei forced out a stiff smile. “No, not at all.” Then he heard a voice that made his heart flutter.
“A’Da, you lead two people and take down the triangular sail for me. With a tailwind, the triangular sail is just redundant.” Mo Zi came around from behind the main cabin, seven or eight people following her, all listening to her instructions. “Uncle Liang, raise the stern rudder. If you’re uneasy, assign a few people to pole. However, this section of waterway today is straight and level—I estimate it shouldn’t be necessary…”
As she spoke, Mo Zi saw Xiao Wei and a pretty young lady ahead. She actually wanted to turn and leave. Ever since Zhong An said last night that Xiao Wei liked her, she’d been too shocked to sleep, finally managing only two hours after hypnotizing herself that it was all fantasy. She woke before dawn, and though she knew this ship wasn’t hers to command, lying around was boring, so she simply came up to help.
“Elder Sister.” But inconveniently, those two called to her from across the bean-green partition.
Mo Zi could only steel herself and pass before Xiao Wei, pulling her face into a smile to greet them. “General Xiao, good morning. This young lady is—?”
“Wang Yang, Elder Wang’s granddaughter Shiniang, accompanying her Eighth Sister to the capital.” Xiao Wei didn’t know Zhong An had already exposed his feelings, so he was completely natural and harmonious.
“Miss Wang, good morning.” Mo Zi nodded.
Wang Shiniang looked at Xiao Wei—she didn’t yet know Mo Zi.
“This is Miss Mo Zi.” Xiao Wei said.
“Mo Zi?” Wang Shiniang had heard this name from her grandfather. “Could you be this dynasty’s first female official of the outer Six Ministries, the Grand Director of the Ministry of Works’ Shipbuilding Bureau, who was personally bestowed the title of Grand Master Craftsman by His Majesty, Lady Mo Zi of the Song clan?”
“I am indeed surnamed Song.” It’s just that this official position and this Grand Master Craftsman title probably wouldn’t last much longer.
Wang Shiniang was overjoyed. “I’ve truly admired your name for so long. Shiniang had originally thought that once reaching the capital, she might have the fortune to meet you once. I never expected you’d also be on this very ship. As fellow women, that you can serve both the Son of Heaven above and the common people below truly makes Shiniang admire you.”
“So Miss Wang is Mo Zi’s admirer?” Xiao Wei looked on.
Mo Zi replied ill-humoredly, “You’ve learned to joke now? But it’s not funny at all.” He likes her? He could like her? Life going too smoothly, so seeking some excitement?
Xiao Wei didn’t catch that she had an issue with him and smiled. “I think it’s quite funny. What do you say, Miss Wang?”
Wang Shiniang’s initial delight at meeting Mo Zi quickly faded, replaced by observation of the undercurrents between these two. “The word ‘admirer’ isn’t quite right. It’s just that seeing Miss Song so capable makes Shiniang feel proud as a woman. Just like Mulan who joined the army in her father’s place, Shiniang also hopes to measure herself against men.”
“Men and women are the same. If Miss Wang has determination, naturally she can succeed.” Not seeing that Wang Shiniang also had such lofty ambitions, Mo Zi rather appreciated it.
Xiao Wei had heard Mo Zi’s presumptuous remarks many times and was accustomed to them, not even furrowing his brows, his expression composed. “Have you looked over this ship?”
When it came to ships, she set aside personal feelings.