Chapter 20: Oh My…
Dawn was breaking.
Xu Buling walked through the narrow bluestone alley, snowflakes swirling around him. Having given his fox fur cloak to Ning Qingye, he was clad only in a white robe, the frigid air of the winter morning biting at his skin. The Dragon Locking Gu poison made him susceptible to the cold, and the chill exacerbated the dull ache in his chest and abdomen.
He took his wine gourd and shook it. It was almost empty, and he had given the remaining drops to Ning Qingye.
“She wasn’t very polite…” he muttered.
He hung the gourd back on his waist and arrived at the Sun family’s shop. To his surprise, only the faded banner fluttered in the wind. The shop was closed.
Xu Buling was taken aback. Craftsmen, regardless of their trade, were meticulous about their routines. The time they opened and closed their shops remained consistent throughout their lives, a sign of respect for their customers.
The Sun family’s shop, being a well-established and reputable establishment, was no exception. Shopkeeper Sun had probably never woken up late or closed early in his life.
If their opening hours were irregular, it would lead to situations like this, where he desperately needed wine but was met with a closed door. He had no way to contact them and could only wait outside.
He folded his arms, standing beneath the banner, patiently waiting. Surely, an old man like Shopkeeper Sun wouldn’t be delayed for long.
However, Xu Buling waited until the sky was bright, his face turning pale with the cold. Several groups of patrons came and went, but Shopkeeper Sun still hadn’t arrived.
Xu Buling frowned. Perhaps something had happened at home.
He left the alley, bought a pot of ordinary wine from a tavern, informed the patrolling Imperial Guards of his whereabouts, and returned to the Prince of Yan’s residence…
…
Meanwhile, dawn had just broken elsewhere.
Inside a study room at Wenqu Courtyard, Song Yufu sat with dark circles under her eyes, sorting through a pile of poems.
She assisted her father with the morning reading sessions, and although she knew the princes and noblemen wouldn’t ask any questions, she still diligently reviewed the material beforehand, just in case.
Normally, she would have been up by now. However, the events of the previous night’s poetry gathering had kept her awake. After learning about Prince Xu’s abduction, she had tossed and turned, unable to sleep. By the time she finally felt drowsy, dawn had arrived.
Despite her worry for Prince Xu’s safety, her duties couldn’t be neglected. Besides preparing for her lesson, she had to select the most notable poems from the gathering to be sent to the palace for the Emperor’s perusal.
The current Emperor valued scholarship, and to demonstrate his support for talented individuals, he would often read poems written by young scholars from Chang’an. Occasionally, he would even send a message of praise, instantly elevating the poet’s reputation. The scholars in Chang’an took this matter very seriously.
This task was usually handled by the senior scholars at the Imperial Academy, but her father, who disdained such pursuits of fame and recognition, had entrusted it to her. Being a daughter could be quite taxing.
The poems sent to the Emperor couldn’t be chosen randomly. Any hidden messages or criticisms could lead to severe consequences.
Song Yufu carefully reviewed the poems, but some were simply unbearable. For example, Xiao Ting’s “Ode to My Prime Minister Father” was a nonsensical mess that she couldn’t criticize openly.
She grew frustrated and picked up a poem from the side, hoping to cleanse her palate.
The unsigned poem contained lines like “Ten years, life and death separated by a vast expanse; I don’t think of you, yet it’s hard to forget…” It was rumored that the Emperor was a devoted husband who had never remarried after the death of his Empress. He would surely be moved by this poem.
Unfortunately, Prince Xu had warned her against submitting these poems. If the Emperor were to inquire about the author, it would cause a huge problem.
Song Yufu studied the poem for a while. She couldn’t imagine anyone else writing these lines. There was no one in the Great Dynasty with such talent. Having spent time with Prince Xu, she suspected he was hiding many things and that he was indeed capable of writing such poems.
But since he insisted on claiming they were copied, she had no choice but to admire them in secret.
She sat there, the lamplight flickering, until dawn broke.
Having stayed up all night, she started to nod off. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when the sound of a bell jolted her awake.
Dong, dong—
Her eyes flew open, and her face turned pale with shock.
The morning bell signaled the start of the reading session. Most of the students would have already arrived at the Imperial Academy. She was late.
For a teacher to be late was unacceptable. If her father found out, he would surely reprimand her severely.
“Oh no, oh no…”
She jumped to her feet and rushed towards the study hall in Wenqu Courtyard, hoping her father hadn’t noticed. Those princes and noblemen never cared about the reading session anyway. They wouldn’t say anything…
The sound of students reciting lessons reached her ears.
A while later, footsteps echoed from the study room, which was usually reserved for her father’s rest.
Song Baiqing entered the room, his hands clasped behind his back, followed by a young eunuch who was wiping sweat from his forehead. The eunuch’s high-pitched voice urged him:
“Master Song, the morning court session will be ending soon. You were supposed to deliver the poems to the palace gate half an hour ago. I’ve been waiting here, but you haven’t shown up. If the Emperor asks for them, I’ll be punished…”
Song Baiqing frowned:
“I know… That girl is becoming more and more unruly…” He entered the study room and glanced around. It was empty, and the desk was a mess.
He walked to the desk, examined the two piles of poems, and gathered the better ones, handing them to the eunuch.
The eunuch, a close confidant of the Emperor, took the poems and asked curiously:
“The Emperor rarely leaves the palace. These poems are his only source of entertainment. While I was waiting outside, I heard some students talking about a beautiful poem that was presented at the Dragon’s Roar Poetry Gathering last night. They said it was written by the Prince of Su. Is this true?”
Song Baiqing frowned slightly:
“It’s unconfirmed. Just rumors spread by students. There was an assassin at the Dragon’s Roar Pavilion last night. Prince Xu was abducted and his whereabouts are unknown. The Investigation Bureau is suppressing the news and searching for him. Don’t alarm the Emperor yet.”
The eunuch nodded, not asking any further questions. He clutched the poems and hurried out of the Imperial Academy…
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