“Causing trouble?” Qin Chang Ge smiled. “Are you Prince Zhao?”
…
“Is this your residence?”
…
“Then are you the gatekeeper here?”
“…I am a house guest personally invited by His Highness!”
“Oh—” Qin Chang Ge smiled like a spring breeze as she strolled over, pushed past the man and walked into the room, saying gently, “You’re a house guest—I’ll soon be one too. No matter how much trouble I cause, only Prince Zhao can reproach me—you? Brother Dongfang, you’d better go study your rabbits.”
She casually strode straight in, but didn’t notice that behind the screen wall ahead, a person emerged after she entered. This person wore gorgeous crimson cloud-patterned brocade with brilliant sunset colors, yet it couldn’t match his enchantingly beautiful features that flowed with light. From afar, he cast her a seemingly casual glance, then looked at the little tagalong behind her. His gaze rippled like wind over water, revealing a trace of devastatingly beautiful smile.
The man dressed as a steward behind him bowed slightly, his expression respectfully smiling as he said, “It’s just a lamp. You could casually send any servant, or we could deliver it to your manor. How dare we trouble Your Highness to come personally?”
In the sunlight, Yu Zixi’s beauty was at its peak, his gorgeous appearance dazzling, yet his smile was mysteriously enchanting with deep meaning. “Old Liu, you’re wrong. This prince’s lamps have never been handled by others. If it weren’t for the skillful and clever craftsmanship in your manor, making styles that suit this prince’s taste, this prince wouldn’t have come to find her.” He raised the unlit lamp in his hand, carefully examining its exquisite and unique shape, saying with a half-smile, “This is a lamp, but how could it be merely a lamp…”
No longer paying attention to the bewildered steward, he walked straight out the door. Outside the manor stood two rows of elite guards like clay and wooden sculptures, wearing precious silver brocade over cloud-patterned iron chain mail produced in Dongyan, their imposing and fierce presence commanding attention. Seeing him, they swiftly performed their salutes, then simultaneously rose, stepped into stirrups and took reins, all mounting their horses together. With a crisp sound, their movements were neat, sharp, and identical to the smallest detail, displaying great strength and beauty. The clear sound of stirrups striking saddles carried far, yet still produced only a single clanging sound. Passersby all cheered thunderously.
At the center of the guard formation, beneath a tall, fine white horse with golden saddle and jade bridle, a servant had already knelt down. Yu Zixi lazily stepped on his back to mount the horse, but didn’t immediately leave. He tilted his head slightly to glance at the manor’s side gate, thought for a moment, then smiled charmingly again, saying, “Let’s go.”
Eighteen whip cracks sounded as one, the light and shadows they stirred perfectly uniform. All eighteen riders spurred their horses simultaneously, instantly raising rolling dust as their angry steeds charged forth like dragons.
The voyeur departed with a satisfied smile, but the troublemaker’s test had yet to begin. As Qin Chang Ge entered the room, hostile gazes shot at her from all directions. These people were after all not true servants and knew that having their earlier words overheard by outsiders would ultimately disgrace scholarly dignity, so they dared not explode in anger. They only directed cold, vicious glares at the newcomer. Qin Chang Ge acted as if she saw nothing, her smile unchanged. Sweeping her gaze around, she saw a man in the corner with his back to everyone, hands clasped behind him, apparently angry—presumably the one who had furiously denounced their shamelessness amidst the earlier mockery.
This person had some backbone after all.
Soon a servant went to notify the steward specifically responsible for examining house guests. He was a middle-aged man with somewhat scholarly air, unlike those frivolous and crude house guests. His every movement displayed the good breeding and refined demeanor of Prince Zhao’s Manor. He performed a proper salute and first asked Qin Chang Ge’s name. Qin Chang Ge replied, “This humble one is Shen Wuxin from Huainan Huazhou. Having heard of His Highness’s noble righteousness, I’ve brought my son Shen Rong to seek patronage.”
The steward said, “Sir has come from afar to honor us—our manor’s good fortune. However, rules cannot be abandoned. His Highness thirsts for talent and eagerly wishes to see distinguished scholars’ writings. Please favor us with poetry or prose—format and content unrestricted, whatever suits your pleasure.”
“Oh,” Qin Chang Ge responded with complete nonchalance, smiling as she rolled up her sleeves. “Bring paper! Bring brush! Bring ink!” She struck the perfect pose of an arrogant scholar.
A young attendant hurriedly spread paper and ground ink. Qin Chang Ge took the brush, dipped it in ink, and without thinking, completed it in one flourish.
Seeing this arrogant scholar write so swiftly, the house guests crowded over with a whoosh. That Brother Dongfang was still unwilling to concede, shrilly mocking, “This brother here, looking at you, writing so skillfully—could it be crude verses or lewd songs from some brothel? Careful that His Highness doesn’t have you beaten out with clubs—”
His voice stopped abruptly.
Complete silence.
On the high-quality Longdong wax paper with golden flowers and spiral patterns, extremely beautiful handwriting appeared.
And not only that.
“Ask how many flowers bloom in this world? There are spring peach blossoms, summer lotus, autumn chrysanthemums, winter plum—some condensing jade green and blooming charmingly among scattered clouds and rosy dawn, some curling green and dividing red as they dance by flowing water, some with thin branches and cold buds standing quietly in cold snow. Among ten thousand flowers each displays its own beauty, yet I alone love frost chrysanthemums laughing proudly, their fragrance assaulting heaven, making the whole garden lose color and bow in worship.
Look at the world’s territories divided into four: Eastern State Yan, Southern State Min, Western State Liang, Northern State Wei. Though they draw bows and forge iron while gazing at blue agate, though they refine elixirs and raise poisonous insects while secretly watching inner rivers, though they cultivate virtue and gather talents while looking toward the Red River from afar—among all nations they all watch like wolves. Eventually they will honor strong Liang’s disdainful gaze, its dominating aura piercing clouds, making all nations tremble and come pay homage!”
Horizontal inscription: “Treading Through Rivers and Mountains!”
The four large characters were written even larger, with a truly fierce appearance.
Boundless heroic spirit and overwhelming dominance—not only expressing ambitions to pacify the world and direct the six nations, with national borders and customs of various countries flowing from the brush, but also displaying the couplet writer’s proud attitude of looking down on all flowers. The implicit murderous pride in the words was awe-inspiring. Combined with the dragon-flying, phoenix-dancing calligraphy with elegant character, broad brush strokes, and overwhelming momentum, plus that rare swiftness of completing it upon taking up the brush—the crowd of arrogant scholars looked at each other speechlessly.
Their eyes moved down to look at the smaller characters below, their faces turning uniformly pale with anger.
“False scholars without renown, drooling over West Manor rabbits.”
“Talentless talents, fawning over East An flowers.”
Horizontal inscription: “Rabbit Hole Voyeurs”
…
The crowd of “renowned scholars” felt so ashamed and angry they wanted to bash their heads to death.
The steward, however, was a man of composure. He only chuckled as he looked at the couplet, saying, “Truly marvelous. His Highness will surely be delighted upon seeing it.”
His gaze swept around the room, suddenly falling on Xiao Rong who was looking at him with pride and glory, smiling, “Is this your son?”
Qin Chang Ge nodded.
“Has your son also come seeking patronage?” The steward looked somewhat troubled. “His Highness’s rule is that all visiting guests must leave behind writings. Your son at this age… but there’s no precedent, and this humble servant dares not make arbitrary decisions… How about this—let me mediate. I’ll pose a couplet, and if your son can answer it, he’ll pass. Our manor will equally honor him as a distinguished guest.”
The unlearned Xiao Baozi had no objections whatsoever. Blinking his large crystal-black eyes, he nodded like a pecking chicken.
What was there to fear? He had Mother.
Qin Chang Ge also smiled in agreement.
What was there to fear? If he got it wrong, it would be perfect to drive away this burdensome little one.
Stroking his beard, the steward’s gaze swept around, looking at Brother Dongfang who had earlier discussed male prostitutes, smiling, “Let’s use that earlier topic—I heard the child say you gentlemen were discussing Princess Yincheng’s Prince Consort… I have it. The first line is ‘Prince Consort’—please provide the second line.”
Xiao Baozi was gnawing his finger and daydreaming, watching a rather nice-looking white horse gallop past outside the door. His mind was full of thoughts about how pretty the horse was, so he heard “Prince Consort” (fuma) as “father horse” (fu ma), and without thinking shouted loudly, “Mother cow!”
…
The room fell silent for a moment, then exploded with a thunderous roar. The “renowned scholars,” hearing this “perfect match,” suddenly found an outlet for the frustration and humiliation they’d been accumulating from their earlier self-deprecation, and they all burst into unrestrained laughter.
“What kind of matching line is that? Prince Consort paired with mother cow?”
“Prince Consort is a horse, so is Master of the Horse also a horse? Haha…”
“Is this kid an idiot? Being stupid is fine, but don’t bring him out to embarrass yourself…”
…
Qin Chang Ge raised an eyebrow. She had originally wanted to use this opportunity to drive the burden back to the coffin shop—after all, coming to Prince Zhao’s Manor wasn’t for playing around. However, seeing her son being mocked so wantonly, she too felt slightly angry. This group not only lacked talent but also virtue. Not daring to challenge her, they instead made things difficult for a four-year-old child. Their character was so despicable it was shameful to associate with them.
Indeed, someone let out a low, angry grunt—it was the man who had earlier stood with hands behind his back furiously denouncing their shamelessness. He turned around intending to scold them, but with one glance at the couplet on the table, his eyes flashed and he actually froze.
As the group’s laughter subsided, Qin Chang Ge also raised her head. “Ha! Ha! Ha!” She laughed three long laughs.