Chapter 41: Night of the Fish and Dragon Dance (Part 6)
When the woman stepped out of the courtyard room to pour water, the lights ahead reflected the Lantern Festival's prosperity, and this courtyard behind Golden Wind Tower wasn't large but was quite refined. Unless you were one of Golden Wind Tower's top courtesans, you generally couldn't live in such a courtyard. On this Lantern Festival day, such a courtyard not being brightly lit was actually quite rare.
Actually most of the courtyard's lights had just been extinguished, as it was nearly midnight1, and not many people would still come to visit the sick. Nie Yunzhu looked around, then returned to that room. The courtyard's owner Yuan Jin'er was lying in bed staring at the oil lamp in a daze, then smiled at her. Nie Yunzhu also smiled, put down the washbasin, and sat back at the bedside.
By rights, Nie Yunzhu shouldn't have come tonight, for though she came every few days to teach qin, she'd already left Golden Wind Tower. Especially at night, on holidays, she shouldn't come near here. But this time was an exception. Tonight while viewing lanterns on the street with Hutao, they'd met a Golden Wind Tower girl who studied qin with her. She was out getting medicine for Yuan Jin'er who'd caught a cold. Hearing this, Nie Yunzhu had Hutao come visit. Learning that Yuan Jin'er wanted to see her, and noting it was already late, she entered through Golden Wind Tower's back door.
Yuan Jin'er was now Golden Wind Tower's star attraction, and though she happened to fall ill, on such a day it was still hard to refuse visitors. People had been coming to visit earlier. After confirming Yuan Jin'er was truly sick, they'd chat briefly then leave. Cao Guan, now praised as Jiangning's number one talent, had also visited twice. He was currently outside drinking and composing poems with a group of talented scholars. When Nie Yunzhu entered, he'd asked Yuan Jin'er's maid Kou'er to bring in a poem about a sick beauty. Yuan Jin'er could only smile and accept it, having Kou'er go out to thank him.
"Speaking of which, this Cao Guan truly can be considered exceptionally talented... How are you feeling, sister?"
After indicating the sisters wanted private talk and sending Hutao out too, Yuan Jin'er showed the poem to Nie Yunzhu, and after reading it once, Nie Yunzhu put it down. Whether Yuan Jin'er or Nie Yunzhu, both had seen many talented scholars. Though such casually written poems could show talent, it was hard to be amazed. She was more concerned about Yuan Jin'er's illness. Yuan Jin'er smiled and shook her head.
"Actually the illness is light—probably just need one or two doses of medicine. But with this cold, my period2 also came. My whole body feels sore and weak. Singing would be even harder. Fortunately Mother agreed to block some guests for me today. She's probably overwhelmed over there."
"Mother's heart is still good." Nie Yunzhu nodded, knowing that with order and comfort, people had some conscience. If it were elsewhere, she probably couldn't have redeemed herself back then. Then she smiled, talking of other things: "How are things between sister and Cao Guan?" She knew Yuan Jin'er had been getting closer to Cao Guan recently.
"What can it be? Just the reputation of talented scholar and beauty. As sister said, he does have talent after all. To Yuan Jin'er, what's the difference between Cao Guan and Li Pin? To Cao Guan, whether it's Yuan Jin'er or Lu Caicai probably doesn't matter either."
Yuan Jin'er was younger than Nie Yunzhu, usually full of energy, her cheerfulness mixed with playfulness being why others liked her most, but today she seemed lazy and discouraged. Nie Yunzhu wiped her face with a towel: "Don't say that. Since he chose you over Lu Caicai, he naturally likes you more."
"Jin'er said I want to find someone with family background who can raise Jin'er like a pig. Hee, Cao Guan has no money, so I don't really like him."
"If you really became a pig, you'd immediately be kicked out." Nie Yunzhu patted her face. "Cao Guan has talent. Passing the exams in the future shouldn't be a problem. Then couldn't he indeed raise you like a pig?"
"There are many talented scholars in the world. Even if others call him Jiangning's number one talent, is it so easy to pass? Besides, if the family has no money for connections, just passing the jinshi exam means waiting and waiting for an actual position..." Yuan Jin'er lay there talking, then pursed her lips in thought. "Sister Yunzhu, what if Jin'er also redeemed herself and went to sell those century eggs with you?"
Nie Yunzhu laughed: "Gone silly from illness?" She occasionally came over and chatted with Yuan Jin'er, so Yuan Jin'er now knew she had a pancake cart and was recently working on something called century eggs, though she hadn't seen them yet.
Yuan Jin'er thought for a while, giggling: "No, it's just that Hutao's getting married too. After she marries, won't Sister Yunzhu feel lonely? Jin'er could come keep you company. Sister Yunzhu, you make those century eggs sound so good, it must be a sure profit business. Jin'er would have something to rely on too."
"Always thinking about being raised like a pig, now suddenly saying you want to work. Must be confused from illness." Nie Yunzhu just smiled. She naturally understood Yuan Jin'er's words didn't count right now, just a sudden whim. "There's no such thing as sure profit business. I'm still figuring things out every day. I was losing money daily before. And it's probably hard to marry—might become an old maid. Jin'er should find a great talent who can both raise you like a pig and love you..."
"Being a female shopkeeper would be quite impressive too..." Yuan Jin'er said this, and then they chatted about talented scholars like Cao Guan and Li Pin. Actually there were talented scholars every year, many each year, and they knew quite a few. Yuan Jin'er being sick now with her period, her words were slightly venomous. Nie Yunzhu listened happily. They also mentioned Ning Yi during this.
"That Water Melody Prelude is really good. Too bad such a person married into a merchant family, and the poem was bought..."
Nie Yunzhu said softly: "You don't even know that Ning Liheng. How do you know it was bought?"
Yuan Jin'er pursed her lips smiling: "If Sister Yunzhu is interested, you could go listen at the walls in front. Today being the Lantern Festival, those talented scholars will surely mention it again, suspecting the poem was bought."
The topic of Ning Yi was just these few sentences, and Nie Yunzhu had no intention of sharing her thoughts. Yuan Jin'er just commented casually in passing. After a while, getting tired from talking, Nie Yunzhu brought her a cup of water: "Rest a bit. Best if you can sleep."
Yuan Jin'er hugged her quilt but wouldn't sleep as faint sounds of lively banquets came from outside. Nie Yunzhu sat at the bedside keeping her company, then picked up the nearby guqin and placed it on her lap, casually plucking a few notes. After a while, she began singing softly: "Outside the long pavilion, along the ancient route, fragrant green grass joins the sky..." Her voice was light and soft, just casually singing, yet it gave the entire space an ethereal quality, seeming to cover the outside noise. Yuan Jin'er looked over. Nie Yunzhu smiled at her: "The evening wind caressing willow trees, the sound of the flute piercing the heart, sunset over mountains beyond mountains."
"Sister Yunzhu, what melody is this?"
The qin music slowly played. Nie Yunzhu smiled without answering. Before long she sang again: "At the brink of the sky, at the corners of the earth, my familiar friends wander in loneliness and far from home..."
This song "Farewell"3 was the second song Ning Yi had taught her before New Year's. Nie Yunzhu had been studying it recently. After finishing the song, the qin music continued for a long while before stopping.
Yuan Jin'er wondered: "It's like 'Ruan Lang Returns'4, but the first line of the first stanza should be seven characters. The second stanza is different, changing from level to oblique tones. How can it be like this... But Sister Yunzhu's singing is really beautiful..." She thought, eyes widening. "Could Sister Yunzhu be researching new singing methods? But... this is also somewhat... um, must be a playful composition..."
Most people Yuan Jin'er encountered were just singers or musicians. Only Nie Yunzhu had truly mastered the art and could be called a master. She was qualified to change singing methods. Of course, getting people to accept it would be hard, but this wasn't for public performance anyway. But even to Yuan Jin'er, though it sounded good, this singing method was indeed too unusual. After her surprise, she took it as a playful piece, then savored the lyrics' mood.
"Though simple, these lines have such beautiful meaning. Too bad it's not a ci poem, can only be called short verses. Sister Yunzhu's talent, Jin'er truly envies."
"Not my composition... Jin'er, stop moving around. Rest properly."
"Has Sister Yunzhu met someone special?"
"Don't imagine things. Can't marry anyway."
"Oh, must be some family's daughter then... Hmm, this type of short verse game is also like..."
This "Farewell" actually did pay attention to rhyme, but didn't follow ci patterns or poetic forms. Though the mood was good when heard, it could only be called a playful composition. Thinking this, Nie Yunzhu didn't explain further, just smiled and tucked her into the quilt. At this moment, footsteps sounded outside—it was Kou'er and Hutao. Kou'er looked nervous, holding a poem paper: "Miss, miss, something unexpected happened! Master Cao might lose again..."
Earlier before Nie Yunzhu arrived, Kou'er had been serving Yuan Jin'er at the bedside, and master and servant had talked about tonight's many poems. By quantity, Lichuan naturally had the most good works. But personally, Cao Guan performed very well tonight. Several good works were praised. Li Pin who went to the Puyuan banquet only performed moderately. So in Kou'er's view, among tonight's various poetry gatherings, Cao Guan's reputation would be solidified once more. But now running in confused like this, obviously something had happened again. Yuan Jin'er asked puzzled: "What happened?"
"Another poem came from Puyuan. This time everyone was shocked. The atmosphere outside is so strange..." Though it wasn't the six connected boats this time, the Puyang family's poetry gathering on Lantern Festival night was still called Puyuan Poetry Gathering.
"The Puyang family... what now?" Though her future goal was to be raised like a pig, after so much contact, Yuan Jin'er ultimately hoped Cao Guan would have high reputation. She took the paper puzzled.
Nie Yunzhu beside her laughed: "Looks like Master Li Pin couldn't hold back after all..." The Puyang family producing a dark horse five months ago was already shocking. This time it must be Li Pin, who'd been unremarkable all evening, going all out with a masterpiece to shock everyone. This wasn't strange—Li Pin's style had always been somewhat unconventional, sometimes quite amazing.
Hearing her mistress say this, Hutao's expression was complex, as if she had something to say but didn't know if she should. Kou'er shook her head desperately: "No no, not Master Li. It's that Ning Yi, Ning Liheng. He wrote another Lantern Festival poem..."
"Ah?"
Nie Yunzhu froze, quickly looking at the paper too. Beside them Kou'er was already describing vividly: "Outside they're saying such interesting things. Apparently this Ning Yi wasn't planning to attend the poetry gathering today. He was just seen while strolling the streets and got invited up. A whole group of people even made things difficult for him..."
Nie Yunzhu was now looking at the poem on the paper. Halfway through, she could no longer hear the background noise.
She'd been associating with Ning Yi for some time—they didn't associate because of talent and learning, but Nie Yunzhu had always heard about Ning Yi's talent. Between them they never mentioned talent or poetry, just associated as ordinary friends. But to say Nie Yunzhu had no expectations or curiosity in her heart would be impossible.
For her, before her eyes was the other side of Ning Yi she'd never seen.
"Easterlies of the night call to bloom blossoms of a thousand trees. As if blowing adrift, stars that drizzle like rain..."
Yuan Jin'er read softly until the final signature:
Su Mansion.
Ning Yi.
Ning Liheng.
(End of Chapter)
- Midnight (子时) - 11 PM to 1 AM in the traditional Chinese time system ↑
- Period (月信) - Traditional Chinese term for menstruation, literally "monthly message" ↑
- Farewell (送别) - A song composed by Ning Yi, not following traditional ci patterns ↑
- Ruan Lang Returns (阮郎归) - A traditional ci poem tune pattern ↑