Chapter Twenty-Three: Madam Pei

"It’s in! It’s in! It’s in!"

The moment Pei Xingyan swept the wooden ball into the goal, the entire arena fell into a deathly silence, only to erupt a heartbeat later into thunderous cheers.

"Aunt, we won!"

After scoring, Pei Xingyan dashed straight toward the base of the city wall and shouted up at the battlements.

Beneath the great Pei family banner, the woman who had been cheering for Zheng Yanqing and the others blossomed into a radiant smile. Her name was Pei Shuying, the biological daughter of Pei Shiju. By seniority, she was Pei Xingyan’s aunt, yet she was not even thirty years old. She was a woman who walked her own path, possessed a strong sense of self, and remained fiercely loyal to her affections.

Eight years ago, when she was eighteen, her husband Li Dewu—a minor official in the Crown Prince’s household—had been exiled to Lingnan due to the affair involving the Hidden Crown Prince. He had remained there ever since.

Over these eight years, whether it was Pei Shiju or her close confidantes, many had urged her to remarry, telling her not to waste her life in lonely waiting.

Yet, this woman remained steadfast, guarding the sincere love within her heart. She was even willing to sever ties with the Pei family rather than remarry. Lingnan was thousands of miles away from Hedong, yet she remained unmoved. Helpless, Pei Shiju had eventually been forced to compromise, letting her follow her own heart.

Pei Xingyan felt both fear and reverence for this aunt of his. Seeing her brilliant smile, he felt an inexplicable surge of joy.

Eight years—eight full years—and he had never seen her laugh so freely. Xue Shou and the others rushed forward, tackling Pei Xingyan from his horse, while Shen Guang, Dou Xiaowen, and Xu Shiji gathered excitedly around Zheng Yanqing, cheering and leaping for joy over this hard-won victory. Changsun Sheng straightened his robes and began to walk toward the Xuanwu Gate.

As the sound of a brass gong echoed, the Cuju match, which had lasted nearly an hour, came to an end.

Yu Julao watched the retreating figure of Zheng Yanqing with profound regret. "That young lad... he actually outmaneuvered me too!"

He cursed fiercely under his breath, then gave a bitter laugh.

He had lost big—this time, he had truly lost big!

Just as he was wallowing in regret, an attendant hurried over. "Old Pillar of State, His Majesty requests your presence for a word."

"Ah?"

Yu Julao froze, momentarily unable to respond.

Years ago, his brother Yu Juzan, with whom he had shared a life of hardship, had been reprimanded by Emperor Yang of Sui for the brutal killing of a subordinate. Distraught after returning home, he had taken his own life. Originally, this had little to do with Yu Julao, and in his heart, he did not blame Emperor Yang. However, the Emperor, fearing Yu Julao harbored resentment, had stripped him of his official position.

That had left a bitter taste in Yu Julao’s mouth.

When Emperor Yang returned from Yulin this time, he had issued an edict for Yu Julao to travel from his home in Xiabang to Henei. But upon reaching Henei, the Emperor had refused to see him, bringing him directly to Luoyang instead, and ordering that his entire family be brought to join him.

Then, there had been nothing but silence...

After all this back-and-forth, Yu Julao’s heart had grown cold.

What could the Emperor possibly want now by summoning him so suddenly?

"Pillar of State Yu, please come with me... His Majesty is waiting for you."

Li Yuan gave him a gentle nudge, and only then did Yu Julao snap out of his reverie. "This old subject obeys the decree!"

***

After the match involving Zheng Yanqing and his companions concluded, there was another game scheduled for the Imperial Guard, the Xiaoguo, to perform for Emperor Yang.

Thus, Yanqing and his group tidied themselves up and exited the Circular Wall City.

The sound of drums echoed from within the city, likely marking the entry of the Xiaoguo. But that no longer concerned Zheng Yanqing and his friends.

Though they had held their breath during the match, once it ended, they all felt profoundly exhausted. After all, they were still young, and the match had been exceptionally intense, lasting a full hour. Even the physically robust Xue Wanche and Pei Xingyan seemed a bit listless.

Only Dou Xiaowen appeared remarkably spirited.

His desperate charge at the end had essentially kicked open the doors to victory. Dou Xiaowen believed that with this one move, he had stepped onto the threshold of the Hall of Generals. The eyes of the Dou family would now be upon him, and as long as he continued to work hard, he would one day make a name for himself. Thinking of this, he looked at Zheng Yanqing with gratitude.

Zheng Yanqing, however, appeared quite weary, mostly due to the waves of pain radiating from his hands, which made him feel quite uncomfortable.

At that moment, a fast horse galloped toward them and skidded to a halt. The rider was none other than Mai Zizhong.

His black steed had been injured by Dou Xiaowen and would likely need a long recovery. Consequently, Mai Zizhong was riding a large dapple-gray horse. He blocked Zheng Yanqing’s path, his eyes burning with fury.

"Fatty, can’t you handle losing?"

Xue Wanche lunged forward, blocking Mai Zizhong’s path.

It wasn’t just Xue Wanche; Shen Guang and the others also rushed over, watching Mai Zizhong with vigilance. Mai Zizhong did not dismount. He sat tall in the saddle, staring at Zheng Yanqing for a long time.

"Zheng Yanqing, you were lucky today and you won... I will keep my word and leave Luoyang. But this matter isn’t over; I will never give up. I warn you: if I find out you’ve bullied the Pei lady, I will never let this rest."

With that, Mai Zizhong turned his horse around and lashed his whip, galloping away.

He left behind a cloud of swirling dust that forced Zheng Yanqing and his companions to cover their noses and cough.

"That guy is still so arrogant even after losing!"

Xue Wanche spat in the direction of Mai Zizhong’s retreating back and said fiercely, "Brother, don’t you fear him! If he dares to bother you again, just tell us. We’ll show that brat a thing or two."

Zheng Yanqing laughed!

"Brothers, don't you think Mai Zizhong has a certain heroic spirit?"

He shook his head and whispered, "If our positions were reversed, I would surely make him a friend. Although he is a bit boorish, he would make a fine friend."

"By the way, didn't His Majesty say the winner would be granted the rank of Yunqi Wei?" Xu Shiji asked curiously. "The match is over, but when will this rank be conferred upon Yanqing?"

Xue Shou laughed. "What kind of official position do you think a Yunqi Wei is? It’s just an honorary military title; it doesn’t amount to much. I heard that when Fang Qiao passed the Zhongzhou imperial examination, the court just sent someone to announce it. These titles are merely to ensure you have an untainted status when you enter officialdom in the future."

Only then did Zheng Yanqing understand the significance of the rank—it was just an honor. No wonder Fang Xuanling had been a Yuqi Wei for several years before immediately taking on the real authority of a county magistrate. It was truly just a pedigree.

The group headed out through the Yuguang Gate, preparing to cross the Luo River.

"Brother, since we beat Mai Zizhong today, we should find a place to celebrate properly."

Zheng Yanqing raised his hands, which were crudely bandaged. "Brothers, I’d like to go, but I’d rather find a clinic first and have these injuries treated."

"Oh, that’s true!" Xue Shou clapped his hands. "I know of a clinic in Jishan Ward that has the famous physician Wu Jingxian presiding. How about we take Yanqing there first to treat his wounds, and then find a place to celebrate?"

Just as Zheng Yanqing was about to agree, he heard Pei Xingyan call out.

Turning his head, he saw him jump off his horse and walk quickly toward the ferry.

On the Luo River ferry, a small boat was docked. At the bow stood a young girl in white; as the wind blew, her ribbons fluttered, making her look like a fairy. Zheng Yanqing recognized her at once—she was Pei Xingyan’s sister, Pei Cuiyun.

Pei Xingyan ran over. "Sister, why are you here?"

"Father wouldn't let me watch the match, so I had to wait for you here." As Pei Cuiyun spoke, her eyes, clear as autumn water, swept over Pei Xingyan’s shoulder toward Zheng Yanqing, intentionally or not, before she suddenly lowered her gaze.

Xue Shou couldn't help but laugh!

He stepped forward and bowed to Pei Cuiyun. "Lady Pei, my brother Yanqing has sustained some injuries and we were just heading to Jishan Ward to seek treatment. It’s quite a long way to go around the city. Since you have a boat, could you give him a ride?"

"Young Master Zheng is injured?"

Pei Cuiyun’s expression immediately filled with alarm as she looked at Zheng Yanqing.

*Brothers, I’m only ten years old... Even if early romance is popular in this era, this is a bit too early,* Zheng Yanqing thought. He understood Xue Shou’s intentions and was about to refuse, but he saw Xue Shou grabbing his arm and waving it in the air.

"Ah, then Young Master Zheng, please get on the boat quickly."

"Brother, don't say I didn't create an opportunity for you. Little Lady Pei is a well-known talented woman in Chang'an, she certainly won't diminish your reputation as a poet... Hehe, put in some effort, and don't let that fellow Mai Zizhong beat you to it."

With that, Xue Shou shoved Zheng Yanqing onto the pleasure boat.

Pei Xingyan wanted to follow, but Yao Yi grabbed him.

"Old Yao, what are you doing?"

"The boat is too small, it won't hold everyone!"

Yao Yi whispered, then said to Pei Cuiyun, "Lady Pei, we leave Young Master Zheng in your care. Young Master Zheng, don't worry, your precious horse will be taken care of by Old Shen, it won’t come to any harm. We have other matters to attend to, so we won't disturb the two of you."

Pei Cuiyun’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn’t refuse, only giving a soft nod.

In this era, girls matured very early, and many became mothers by fourteen. Coupled with the influence of nomadic customs, the social mores were relatively open, far removed from the strict moral codes that would emerge after the Southern Song Dynasty. Though she was shy, she remained graceful and composed.

Yanqing wanted to refuse, but he didn't know how to speak up. He could only glare fiercely at Xue Shou, who merely smiled and bowed to him, saying, "Brother, take care!"

The boatmen were two charming young maids. Pei Cuiyun had Zheng Yanqing sit in the oil-cloth canopy, then ordered the boat to depart. The small craft drifted away from the ferry, heading east along the Luo River.

"That boat isn't small at all!" Pei Xingyan said, looking confused. "Why wouldn't you let me get on?"

Xue Wanche picked up a Cuju stick and gave him a light tap on the head. "Why would you go on that boat?"

"To take Yanqing to see a doctor."

"Lady Pei is more than enough. If you went, you'd only be a nuisance... Don't tell me you wanted Lady Pei to take Mai Zizhong instead?"

Pei Xingyan suddenly realized, and he began to chuckle.

"That's true, my sister is enough... wait, no! Yanqing is younger than me! If he and my sister... then wouldn't I be... No, I must go over and watch. Otherwise, if Yanqing really becomes my... absolutely not!"

Pei Xingyan hurriedly jumped onto his horse and turned back.

There were no boats at the ferry, so he had to ride back, enter the city through the Huian Gate on the north side of Luoyang, then make a detour across the Tianjin Bridge to reach the Jishan Ward.

But by the time he took such a detour, would Zheng Yanqing and Pei Cuiyun still be at Jishan Ward?

Xue Shou, Yao Yi, and the others looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Indeed, if Yanqing and Pei Cuiyun really did end up together, wouldn't Pei Xingyan have to call Yanqing his brother-in-law in the future?

Thinking of this, Xue Shou and the others laughed even more uncontrollably.

In the end, Xue Wanche and Shen Guang were crouching on the riverbank, holding their stomachs. The sound of their laughter echoed over the Luo River, adding a touch of vitality to the cold, deep winter. Who knew when the weeping willows on the riverbank would sprout their first faint, tender green... The cold winter was almost over, and could spring be far behind?

***

*Note: Wu Jingxian was a physician of the Sui Dynasty. Details of his life and origin are lacking. According to historical records, he authored the five-volume "General Treatise on the Origins and Symptoms of Diseases," with one volume of the index. Based on this, the book might have been co-authored by Chao Yuanfang and Wu, or Wu might have had another book of the same name that has since been lost, which requires further research.*