Chapter 16: Settling the Score
Night.
Delicate snowflakes fell upon the pavilions and terraces outside the Dragon’s Roar Pavilion. Lanterns hanging from the eaves cast a dim glow. A few scholars and ladies who hadn’t entered the pavilion chatted beneath a leafless maple tree, the distant sounds of carriages and horses on the street accentuating the tranquility of their surroundings.
Beneath a window of the towering building, tucked into a corner formed by the wall and a nearby shrubbery, stood Song Yufu. Dressed in a fluffy Ao qun, she leaned against the wall, her hands clasped in front of her chest. While not particularly short, the man who had cornered her was tall, forcing her to tilt her head up. Her almond-shaped eyes held a hint of nervousness, but mostly a stubborn defiance.
Xu Buling, his fox fur cloak dusted with snowflakes, glared at her, his handsome face creased with annoyance:
“Are you crazy? What did I do to you?”
His anger was justified. He had followed Madam Lu’s instructions, buying a poem to tarnish his reputation. He had even resorted to using Li Qingzhao’s work, and now Song Yufu had ruined everything. How could he not be angry?
As it stood, most people inside believed he had written “The wind has stopped, the fragrance of dust lingers, the flowers have faded” for Madam Lu. He had been rendered speechless, unable to explain himself.
Who knew what kind of rumors would spread by morning?
His reputation as a “friend to women” would be solidified.
Where else could one find such a charming and understanding young man who understood women so well?
Xu Buling could already imagine Madam Lu’s reaction when she heard about this: “You can’t even pretend to be incompetent without turning into a romantic poet! What good are you?!”
But Song Yufu was oblivious to all this. As a woman from a scholarly family, she valued her reputation above all else. Right was right, and she wouldn’t back down, even if it cost her her life. That was the integrity of a scholar.
Facing Xu Buling’s anger, she showed no fear. Instead, she said earnestly:
“Prince Xu, why are you being so mean to me? You have true talent, yet you refuse to explain yourself to those people. As the saying goes, ‘Rumors can destroy a person, and gossip can melt gold.’ If you don’t speak up, the longer it goes on, the more people will believe it. I’m trying to clear your name. You should be thanking me…”
“Heh— Thanking you?” Xu Buling raised his hand as if to strike her.
Song Yufu shrank back, her face disappearing into her fluffy collar. She turned her head slightly, but her words remained sharp:
“You’re a gentleman. Hitting a woman goes against your principles. You won’t hit me. You’re just trying to scare me. I see right through you…”
“…”
Wasn’t this a classic case of “I’m weak, therefore I’m right”?
Xu Buling nodded, broke off a twig from a nearby bush, and walked towards her:
“Hold out your hand.”
Song Yufu quickly hid her hands behind her back, pressing herself against the wall:
“You can’t hit me. A ruler is for correcting mistakes. I haven’t done anything wrong. You can’t hit someone without cause… Even if you want to hit me, you have to tell me what I did wrong first. Otherwise, I won’t learn my lesson, and I’ll do it again…”
Knowing her stubborn nature, she would likely continue spreading rumors about his “hidden talent” in an attempt to “clear his name.”
Xu Buling’s eyes turned cold:
“Stay out of my affairs from now on.”
“A teacher for a day is a father for life. You call my father ‘Teacher,’ so I have a duty to guide you… It’s also for my father’s reputation…”
Song Yufu remained defiant, refusing to back down.
Xu Buling frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and said coldly:
“Do you understand the saying, ‘A tall tree attracts the wind’?”
Song Yufu nodded.
“I am the legitimate son of Prince Su, with twelve prefectures under my control and an army of 200,000 cavalry. I’ve been gifted with exceptional talent and martial arts skills since childhood. Wouldn’t you say I’m a ‘tall tree’?”
Song Yufu’s eyes widened in realization:
“You’re trying to hide your abilities?”
Xu Buling sighed in relief, maintaining his stern expression:
“Now do you understand what you did wrong?”
Song Yufu nodded weakly, then frowned again, muttering softly:
“There are better ways to hide your abilities than buying a poem and pretending to plagiarize. You could have written a poem yourself and pretended to have bought it…”
“I didn’t write it.”
Xu Buling raised the twig in his hand:
“I’m not a widow. How could I write such a poem?”
Song Yufu’s eyes narrowed slightly:
“So you really did write it for Madam Lu. Your heart is truly insightful, Prince Xu…”
Xu Buling’s gaze turned icy. He grabbed her sleeve, pulled her closer, and swatted her bottom with the twig:
“You’re so stubborn… You’re asking for it…”
Song Yufu yelped. Her winter clothes cushioned the blow, but it was still humiliating for a young lady, especially at the age of sixteen, to be spanked by a man.
Her eyes flashed with anger and embarrassment. She couldn’t hit back, so she quickly extended her hand:
“Not there… Hit… hit my hand…”
Xu Buling swatted her hand lightly with the twig.
Song Yufu frowned but didn’t flinch. She was clearly accustomed to being disciplined in this manner.
Xu Buling gave her a few symbolic swats, then tossed the twig aside:
“Good. You’ve learned your lesson. Don’t spread rumors about my supposed talent. If I hear even a whisper, I’ll find a way to deal with you.”
Song Yufu tucked her hands into her sleeves, her face flushed. She mumbled:
“Can’t I tell my father…”
“No.”
“Then wouldn’t I be the only one in Chang’an who knows that you’re a ‘talented, mature, and cunning’ young man…”
Song Yufu trailed off as she noticed Xu Buling’s expression turning cold. She quickly shut her mouth, then said after a moment of thought:
“I’ll keep your secret.”
Xu Buling narrowed his eyes, unsure if she would betray him. To be safe, he snatched the hairpin from her hair.
The hairpin was made of white jade, with no elaborate decorations, only the inscription “Moonlight illuminates the pine, hibiscus jade” engraved on it in bold strokes, clearly the work of a master craftsman.
Song Yufu gasped, reaching for it:
“Prince Xu, give me back my hairpin! It was my mother’s.”
Xu Buling concealed the hairpin in his sleeve:
“I’ll return it when I leave the capital. If you spread any rumors… Hmph.”
Song Yufu was anxious. She wanted to grab the hairpin back, but she couldn’t bring herself to reach into his clothes. She hopped on the spot:
“No! A young lady’s hairpin can’t be given away… I promise I won’t say anything…”
Xu Buling snorted softly:
“Good to know you’re worried. I don’t need your hairpin. Keep your mouth shut, and I’ll return it.”
Song Yufu, defeated, gave up on retrieving the hairpin. After a moment of hesitation, she whispered:
“I promise I won’t say anything. Just don’t lose it…”
“And remember, I saw those poems in a rare collection at the Prince of Su’s residence. I didn’t write them.”
Song Yufu nodded quickly, feigning understanding:
“I get it!”
Xu Buling glared at her:
“A gentleman’s word is his bond. If you cause any more trouble, I’ll strip you naked and hang you up to beat you.”
Song Yufu blushed and pursed her lips:
“Prince Xu, as a nobleman, you shouldn’t speak such vulgar words… I won’t cause any trouble…”
As they spoke, a commotion erupted from the street:
“Assassin!”
“It’s the same one from last time! Catch her!”
The sounds of clashing blades and shouts filled the air. Dozens of Wolf Guards appeared on rooftops near the Dragon’s Roar Pavilion, pursuing a figure towards the southeast.
Song Yufu’s heart skipped a beat. She had heard about the assassination attempt on Commander Zhang Xiang. She hadn’t expected the assassin to return.
She turned to grab Xu Buling, intending to seek protection from his guards. But to her surprise, she saw only two faint footprints in the snow where he had been standing. He was gone.
“Huh? Where did he go…”
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