CH 89.1

The atmosphere in the room was odd, like the impact of a large piece of ice thrown into boiling water, that strange collision that happened when hot met cold.

“Grandfather,” Duke Cheng’s granddaughter said with a smile, “There are so many guests today, but you keep on talking to Count Cheng’an only. We are all jealous here.”

Her grandparents were sad for a long time when the Grand Princess died. After a period of time passed, Grandfather seemed to have forgotten it, he was back to bringing up old stories from the past from time to time, and the family went along with it as to not give him a shock. Today him saying that in front of Ban family was like rubbing salt into the wound.

The younger members of Duke Cheng’s family smiled apologetically to Yin-shi and Ban Hua. They were in a difficult position, they could only hope Ban family would understand that there was no deliberate offense.

“You, this child,” Old people loved it when the young ones cajoled them sweetly. Duke Cheng laughed heh-heh-heh with his head up and down in nods, “At your wedding, I have also paid attention to you.”

Rong Xia saw Ban Hua’s face looked a little bad. To stop Duke Cheng from asking again, he said, “Wanbei is getting married at the start of spring next year. That day, please Seniors come to attend.”

“This year is good, why wait until next year?” Duke Cheng was not satisfied, “Youngsters like you are getting more and more neglectful of their own matters. I had been married when I was at your age, my eldest child was jumping and running.”

Rong Xia patiently explained, “Some time ago wanbei asked The Directorate of Astronomy, they said it is best for wanbei and Junzhu to get married next year.”

The fact was, as the granddaughter of the Grand Princess, Ban Hua had to observe a one-year mourning. Even if there was a good date this year, she would still be unable to marry. Rong Xia omitted that part out of fear that the grievous news would sadden Duke Cheng.

It was an acceptable answer for Duke Cheng, he nodded repeatedly, already forgotten that he had told them to hurry just a moment ago, “Correct, a marriage should not be taken lightly, the date has to be chosen well. When my wife and I got married, our wedding date was also calculated by the Directorate of Astronomy, and you see how good our relationship is.”

Rong Xia looked at the silver-haired old couple at the main seat and performed a deep salute.

—

Leaving the inner courtyard, Rong Xia paused and cast his sight towards the female guests area. Ban Hua was standing with a minister’s daughter and the two of them looked very close with each other. Zhou Ping’an was a very powerful man at the Court, unfortunately out of his two sons and one daughter, only the eldest son was mature and steady while the other two were both playful idlers.

When Yan family wanted to tie the knot with Ban family, they asked Yan-furen to deliver the message, it could be seen that the Zhous and the Bans were quite close.

Zhou Ping’an was the bangyan of 20 years ago. It was most interesting that Zhou family originated in military, they attempted for a long time to transform from military to civil, but until Zhou Ping’an came along none of their descendants was of literary material. Zhou Ping’an was the one who managed to attain success in literary path.

* bangyan 榜眼 = the second place at palace examination stage of imperial examination system.

Zhou family was successful in transforming from military to civil, and Ban family was successful in transforming from military to…… idlers. It was a strike contrast between the pair, one was determined to strive upwards, while the other one was happy to dwindle downwards. It was rather amazing and worth noting that despite the consistently good relationship, they were never related in marriage. Maybe it was the lesson, the key to good relationships was not becoming in-laws.

Just outside the inner courtyard, Rong Xia saw Ban Heng, Zhou Changxiao and a few other gongzi’s in luxurious clothing were flocking together in a cordial and lively atmosphere. From their slacking manner, this was obviously a group of idlers.

Zhou Changxiao elbowed Ban Heng, “Brother Ban, your future brother-in-law is here.”

Ban Heng turned and saw Rong Xia walking through the moon-shaped gate to their direction, he waved him to come over. But in just two waves, Zhou Changxiao pulled his hand down, “We aren’t discussing poetry or painting here, what are you calling him for?”

Furthermore, could a cultured man like Rong Xia tolerate their manner?

He did not say this to Ban Heng as it would sound as if he had the intention of highlighting the gap.

“Brother Ban,” Rong Xia walked up to Ban Heng and saluted the idlers without any slightest awkwardness. He was different from other people with real jobs or from pretentious noble gongzi’s who always carried an inexplicable sense of superiority when facing the idlers.

T/N – Zhou Changxiao called Ban Heng ‘elder brother Ban’, while Rong Xia called Ban Heng ‘younger brother Ban’.

Rong Xia spoke with them for quite a while before he was called away by a collegue at the Ministry of Personnel. After they left, the idlers enviously told Ban Heng, “Brother Ban, your future brother-in-law is not bad.”

Ban Heng raised his chin, “That’s right, otherwise how would our family accept his marriage proposal?”

“Brother Ban,” The idler closest to him put his hand on Ban Heng’s shoulder and let out a long sigh, “It’s a pity that such a great beauty like your sister is about to marry another man.”

Ban Hua was the figure of ultimate beauty for many of the idlers. They liked to look at her whenever they had the chance, it made for a good mood for the rest of the day. It wasn’t that they all fell for her, it’s just that everyone loved beauty and being with the beautiful naturally put the heart in a good mood.

This was also the reason the ladies of the Capital liked to throw flowers and fruits to beautiful men, at any rate it was not against Daye law.

“Why you suddenly talk about my sister,” Ban Heng jammed a cup of wine into that person’s hand, “Drink your wine.”

The person given the wine was not angry, he lifted the cup and drank it in one go without mentioning Ban Hua again.

—

As the guests with the highest status, the Second Prince and the Crown Prince sat side by side at the two honoured seats on the same table. The Second Prince smiled with his eyebrows raised, “Heard the Crown Princess is ill, Crown Prince should pay more attention to it. A sick woman is very troublesome.”

The Crown Prince smiled at that, “Thanking Second Brother, I will definitely be more careful.”

“Heh,” The Second Prince laughed sarcastically, “Crown Prince is kind and magnanimous.”

Knowing that the Second Prince was someone who was more aggressive the more you respond to him, the Crown Prince only smiled without answering.

The Second Prince was a bit displeased for not getting a response. When he saw Rong Xia coming, he coldly said, “The Count Cheng’an that you admire is here. Not sure what air he is putting on, he arrives later than us.”

“Second Brother,” The Crown Prince frowned at Jiang Luo’s poor attitude towards a Court official. “Count Cheng’an must have been delayed by some matters. He is the Minister of Personnel now, he has a lot of things to do, he doesn’t have much free time.”

“Is the Crown Prince saying I am too idle?” Jiang Luo sneered, “I am not as lucky as Elder Brother to have been born a few years early, I can’t interfere in the affairs of the Six Ministries.”

The Crown Prince had begun to be involved with the Six Ministries since he was 15 years old. He was familiar with Six Ministries functions, while the Second Prince still had neither a real occupation nor a title that even after he got married everyone still called him just a ‘Your Highness’. This has led to growing more of his discontent towards the Crown Prince.

This was the Emperor being biased, but the Second Prince dared not hating the Emperor so he heaped all of the resentment on the Crown Prince’s head. The Crown Prince was mild-mannered and never bothered with confrontation, this made him feel that the Crown Prince was putting on a show, and whatever the Crown Prince did was a thorn in his flesh.

“Chen greets Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness the Second Prince.” Rong Xia performed the salute in front of the brothers. He pretended not to notice the ugly expression on the Second Prince’s face.

* chen 臣 = This Official (referring to self)

“Rong Junpo,” Jiang Luo pointed at the seat next to him, “Take a seat.”

“Many thanks Your Highness.” But Rong Xia did not take that seat, he chose to sit somewhere else out of the spotlight.

Jiang Luo felt that Rong Xia and the Crown Prince were similar, both were good pretenders. In the eyes of dogmatic scholars, they were hailed as the exemplary gentlemen. What uprightness, what benevolence and morality, it was all fake. If the world had that many saints, then there shouldn’t be so many plottings for fame and fortune.

Duke Cheng was old so his sons and grandsons represented him to entertain the guests. Duke Cheng’s heir, who was also the biological uncle of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, was sitting at the same table. He sat there calmly like a vegetarian monk as the Second Prince was verbally bashing the Crown Prince.

His expression loosened up after Rong Xia sat down, hoping that Rong Xia’s presence would help the atmosphere. Unfortunately he had hoped too much, the Second Prince was also openly unfriendly towards Count Cheng’an and the table became even more awkward than before.