Chapter 91 (2/2)
A Madam was a Madam, why was there a need for a ‘small Madam’? A trace of mockery was in Ruan Zhu’s eyes. She was currently a noble member of the imperial family–however grandeur the prefectural magistrate’s Madam was, could this Madam still surpass her? However, wanting to embarrass her was but a pipe dream.
“Last time we had bet on a hundred taels of gold; I do not know what we are betting on this time?”
“It is still gold taels. If small Madam Ruan has the skill to recite another verse as famous as ‘The bright Moon shines in between the pine tree; Over the rocks, the clear spring water runs free,’ I am willing to take out another hundred taels of gold. If what is recited is inferior to that verse, then that is also of no matter as everyone in the circle will still be happy with the attempt.”
“Prefectural magistrate’s Madam is very humorous, but I do not know when the taels of gold from many years ago can be redeemed?” Ruan Zhu’s tone was indifferent, as if she didn’t care, but it also carried a faint trace of contempt.
“If there is a good verse, it will be honored together.” She simply did not believe that this person could create another poem that would also be so extensively circulated.
Liu Fei Xu couldn’t resist saying towards the Madam of the prefectural magistrate: “I think Madam should not strive to make a meaningless point. Based on that previous ‘Rounding the crimson buildings, it hangs over the ornamental windows, casting its light upon the sleepless. Oh, Moon, you may not hate us‘……Madam Ruan’s level of mastery towards poetry is absolutely out of the ordinary; you are set to lose.”
The prefectural magistrate’s Madam finally showed some alarm: “That poem was also your work?”
Yet Ruan Zhu did not respond: “I am indebted that you think so highly of me. I will recite two poems and I hope everyone can grant me the honor of offering their instruction.” She was fixed on those golden bars.
Lightly moving sideways, she broke off a branch from an old plum blossom tree then made her way towards an area with soft dirt, where she wrote plum blossom verses from the Song dynasty’s Book of Songs. After multiple years of practice, her writing was now very remarkable and lines of extraordinarily beautiful thin-gold style of calligraphy appeared.[d]
The Snow and the Plum I: The plum and the snow vie to be the first in spring, the poet puts down his pen to assess their fight. In white, the plum is lesser than the snow by thirty percent, yet the snow loses against the plum’s scent.
The Snow and the Plum II: Without the snow, the plum is listless, and snow without a poem is very humdrum. When the poem is finished at sunset, it snows again and forms a complete spring together with the plum.[e]
When Ruan Zhu had finished writing, she threw the branch away and fixed her gaze on the people waiting: “How is it?”
The prefectural magistrate’s Madam silently stared at the words on the ground, annoyance in her eyes.
But the group of people who had arrived with her were in a commotion and started reading the lines, with some saying the poem was good, others saying the writing was good. A peerlessly beautiful man gave a long greeting to Ruan Zhu with his clasped hands raised high: “This humble one is Feng Qing Bai who has long heard of Madam’s matchless poems and is willing to extend a firm hand and praise.”
Feng Qing Bai! She seemed to have heard someone mention this name before.
Yet Ruan Yu’s face changed colors and with one arm carrying her nephew, her other hand pulled her elder sister out of the forest.
Nuan Chun did not even have the time to put away all of the barbecue tools and hurriedly followed after them.
Feng Qing Bai was grieved. No matter how clean he was or how much he cherished his good name, he could not escape the contemptible reputation of having been a courtesan and was looked down on by all who stood before and behind him. Liu Fei Xu’s eyes also became gloomy as his gaze followed that beautiful figure who was now distantly far away.
Guan Ju Villa–the two sisters were currently conversing inside Yi Zhu Cottage.
“What’s with you, getting angry for no reason?”
“You’re still saying that? Don’t tell me Sister really doesn’t know the background of that Feng Qing Bai?”
“What am I supposed to know, ah?” Ruan Zhu was baffled.
“He is an unclean man, and I’m afraid that the other people are also no good.” Disgust was all over Ruan Yu’s face.
“How old are you, you silly girl, to be pretending to be so noble and virtuous? What do you understand?” Ruan Zhu used her finger to poke her. Her younger sister was extremely beautiful. The sixteen year old female had bright eyes and bright teeth, a rare beauty. She couldn’t help but to say: “Yu’er is now sixteen years old and ought to have her own family. Unfortunately, neither of our parents are home, and it looks like it is something I, the older sister, has to worry about.”
Ruan Yu disdainfully responded: “By no means do I want those mediocre men. If I want one, I want the best.”
“Who is the one that Sister is saying is the best? You seem to have a target?”
Ruan Yu was a little embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed as she whispered: “Eldest Sister knows that if I have nothing better to do, I’ll run over to Ci Ji Hall. I……I met a very remarkable man……”
Ruan Zhu’s interest was piqued: “What is his clan name? Tell me. If his family’s situation and status is considered compatible with our Ruan clan’s, Sister will act as the Head and marry you to him.”
Ruan Yu remained silent and only indistinctly sighed after a moment: “It is because I do not know his clan name that I am at a loss.”
“No way, you like him even without knowing his clan name?” Ruan Zhu felt a little dizzy. Although this was a little rare, it also couldn’t be considered that strange: “Then what do you plan on doing?”
“I will still go to Ci Ji Hall and wait……”
No wonder she had not seen a trace of her shadow during this time. It turns out she had matters of the heart.
Xuanyuan Zong Zhi returned at night. It was his turn to stay at Yi Zhu Cottage tonight and he very naturally shed his armor. Ruan Zhu personally helped her hubby wash his face and mentioned the things that had happened in the plum blossom forest this morning.
“Big Brother Lu, do you think Liu Fei Xu could possibly be the long-rumored flower thief?”
Xuanyuan Zong Zhi lazily replied: “I do not know whether he is the flower thief or not, but I do know he is the Four Great Master’s Wan Zi Yu……”
[a] This poem is called 水调歌头·明月几时有 “The Water Melody–When will the Moon come out?” by 苏轼 Su Shi. English translation taken from An Outline of Chinese Literature II by Yuan Xing Pei.
[b] 近朱者赤, Half of an idiom meaning, being near a good person makes one good aka the environment has a great influence on people. The rest of the saying is 近墨者黑 being near ink makes one black.
[c] The English translation is clearly not five characters per line, but the Chinese poem actually is, so I kept that part untouched. And again, translation is by Alan Ma and Frank Yue, taken from here.
[d] 瘦金体 is a type of Chinese calligraphy where all the strokes are very thinly made. Examples in the Chinese Wikipedia page.
[e] These are two poems from 雪梅二首 (The Snow and the Plum Two Poems) by 卢梅坡 Lu Mei Po.