Chapter 2 – His Majesty Comes To Watch Cuju Match

There were two official schools in the capital city: one was the National Academy, and the other was Imperial Academy. That night, the news within the National Academy was somehow spread to the Imperial Academy. The Headmaster of the Imperial Academy brazenly sent out a one-sided invitation for collaboration. He also formed four Cuju teams to have a good match with the National Academy in front of the emperor tomorrow.

What’s fun for the people in your school to play by themselves? Take us with you! Our students are tall and strong, and they are good Cuju players!

The Imperial Academy was very stubborn in finding unpleasantness for the National Academy,

On the next day, the emperor graced his presence as expected. Adorned in informal clothes, the emperor sat in a covered pavilion. At this time, the early spring air was still chilly. None of the attendants and ministers of civil and military around the emperor dared to let the emperor get blown again by the cold wind.

There was only one side of the pavilion facing the field vacated with braziers piled on the side. At this time, the match had yet started, but the side of the field was already full of people who heard the news.

These people pushed and bumped into each other, wanting to catch a glimpse of the emperor.

The noise outside the venue was so clamorous that it would break the sky1 when the excitement rose. Some people climbed up the trees, hugged the trunks, and stretched their necks to look at the field.

Tang Mian, the son of the Minister of Revenue, clenched his fists to the point of numbness. He only felt his chest tense to constriction. After a glance at the pavilion where the emperor was waiting in the distance, the tension turned into a fierce fighting spirit.

His good friend, Shizi2 of the Marquis of Pingchang, was talking to Tang Mian nervously at this time, “I feel like my calf is cramped.”

Tang Mian was startled, “Massage it quickly! The match will begin in a moment! We must play beautifully for the emperor!”

“I’m nervous because I know the emperor is here,” said the Shizi of the Marquis of Pingchang with a bitter face. “As soon as my father heard that I was going to play Cuju for the emperor today, he called me up before dawn to practice boxing and running. I was tired to death.”

Tang Mian was speechless. He worriedly turned left and right, “Your Shenlong’s3 wagging tail skill is good, you can’t be missed.”

The Shizi of the Marquis of Pingchang spontaneously felt highly flattered. He tried to swing his leg and hissed, “I’ll massage it first.”

Most of the people who played Cuju on the field were children who had not yet been capped4. Right now, the surrounding was full of people watching after hearing the emperor was coming. Although they had a bit of stage fright, excitement and exhilaration account for the majority.

“It’s still a little cold outside, but these boys are not afraid.” Gu Yuanbai had a fox-fur coat draped over his shoulder, and the white fur encircled his face. “Look, they are all wearing a thin garment.”

Tian Fusheng was very distressed by the emperor. He gently and cautiously warmed a pot of tea for him. “They sweat when they run, but they can get cold easily after they sweat. But after all, they can bear it since they are young.”

“Take the order: after the match is over, promptly give a bowl of ginger soup to the players, and let the people of the school pay attention. Don’t save a little only to lose a lot.”

“Yes.” Tian Fusheng let people take the order.

*

The competition between the two schools naturally attracted people’s attention. Cheers and boos spread far and wide until they reached another hill not far away.

Chu Wei and his schoolmate were on an outing in spring and saw this lively scene from a distance. The schoolmate said with a smile, “If I wasn’t disinterested in Cuju, I’d like to go over and have fun too.”

Chu Wei looked unenthusiastic, dressed in all green. His appearance was graceful yet unshowy, with a dignified bearing. There was a sense of estrangement and coldness between his eyebrows. He was indeed a jade man and the famous number one beautiful man in the whole capital city.

“Noisy.” Chu Wei said, “Whatever the people in the upper ranks like, the people below will throw themselves into it.”

The schoolmate jokingly said, “You should be happy that the current emperor is not that rare treasure. Otherwise, this would be another disaster for the people in the country.”

Chu Wei faced the crowd not far away with indifference eyes. Seven years ago, after he passed the examination with a Jieyuan5, he went out to study away from home and saw many people who were miserable and couldn’t afford to eat, so he became more disappointed with the people at the top. The current emperor had neither merit nor fault and unsurprisingly mediocre. He let the powerful ministers bullied him for so many years. There was truly nothing worthy of him to get Chu Wei to view him in a new light.

As soon as the schoolmate saw his look, he knew what the other was thinking. He smiled and leisurely continued to tread the green.

Nowadays, although Great Heng seemed to be in peace, in the eyes of those who could see the form clearly, they knew that peace would not last long.

Once the frail and sickly young emperor died, the country would suffer from internal trouble and outside aggression while being surrounded by awaiting wolves. At that time, they could casually pull out justification and fought with the military forces in their hands.

Even if the young emperor didn’t die, could he tame those hungry green-eyed vicious wolves?

Tame what, tame the weak?

*

During this hot and lively Cuju match, the players were sweating profusely, and the people watching were also sweating. More importantly, as soon as these youngsters got off the field, they were given a bowl of hot ginger soup by the palace attendants. After learning that it was specially ordered by the emperor, many poor children from humble families couldn’t refrain their eyes from getting red.

“Many thanks, Your Majesty.” They held the ginger soup up and drank in one go. Their whole body and even the internal soon became warm. Some of the few tall youngsters even covered their thoroughly redden eyes as they spoke in a low muffled voice, “The ginger soup is very delicious.”

“Gentlemen, quickly put on your clothes,” the internal palace attendant was also very amiable, “after all, it’s still early spring. You can’t slack off.”

People slowly dispersed. The Shizi of the Marquis of Pingchang, Li Yan, pinched his nose as he drank a bowl of ginger soup and then he gave a shout, “Refreshing!”

He handed the bowl to the palace attendant. He put an arm over Tang Mian’s shoulder and mischievously asked, “Mian-ger6, why don’t you drink it? Are you reluctant to?”

Tang Mian’s ears turned red and he hastily drank it up. “A mouth without a guard will spout nonsense.”

As they were talking, the manservant of the Marquis of Pingchang came over, “Shizi, Master asked you to come quickly to meet the emperor.”

The Shizi of the Marquis of Pingchang was taken aback, “Meet the emperor?”

He was suddenly at a loss, “I, I, I, I am still wearing Cuju clothes.”

The manservant said in a hurry, “You(courteous) can put on any clothes first. Master is in a hurry.”

The Shizi of the Marquis of Pingchang quickly followed him and went to the pavilion with the Marquis of Pingchang to meet the emperor.

Gu Yuanbai happened to have invited the Headmasters of the two schools to speak. After receiving the announcement, he said, “Come in.”

Once Marquis of Pingchang and his son had performed the courtesies, he cautiously said, “Your Majesty’s dragon body is beginning to recover. Your servant wants to come and have a look.”

Gu Yuanbai laughed, “Why are you being overcautious with me? Sit down.”

Marquis of Pingchang meticulously sat not far from him with his back kept straight, still nervous.

How could he not be nervous? Those who hadn’t face the emperor would never understand their feelings. In the beginning, they thought that these ten years had let them understand the character of the emperor. Little did they knew, guessing was all a game of the emperor. How old was the emperor? He was capped last year!

His father sat down, but the Shizi of the Marquis of Pingchang didn’t dare to sit down. Gu Yuanbai glanced at the youngster who had been lowering his head and said, “This is Yan-ger, right. He’s already this big.”

Marquis of Pingchang said, “The boy is naughty and mischievous. He’s giving more headache to (me) your servant.”

“Youngsters ought to be like that,” Gu Yuanbai said with a smile. “Yan-ger, come and sit by Zhen’s side.”

Li Yan sat uneasily beside the emperor. Although he sat by the emperor’s side, they were separated by two people standing. It was unknown if it was an illusion, but after sitting down, Li Yan thought that he smelled a faint scent on the tip of his nose.

All the incense used in the palace was top-quality. The more one smelled it, the more one was intoxicated with it. Li Yan smelled it until his whole body limped and then heard the emperor joking, “Zhen heard many Darens say that the Shizi of the Marquis of Pingchang is handsome. But it’s a pity that they don’t have a daughter suitable for marriage in their family. Otherwise, they’ll strike first and gain the upper hand.”

Marquis of Pingchang felt very proud, but Li Yan was fidgety with shyness. The emperor felt good teasing him and deliberately said to him, “Yan-ger, look up and let Zhen see what you look like now.”

Li Yan’s head was rigid like a duck’s as he raised it so ferociously. The embarrassed young face was flushed, his eyes forgot to dodge, and directly saw the emperor’s face.

The emperor was slightly surprised to see him. Li Yan straightened up his neck, his chest up to his brain was a piece of blank space.

Marquis of Pingchang shouted, “LI YAN!”

Li Yan’s heart leaped violently. His whole person nearly jumped up. He immediately lowered his head and said helplessly, “Your Majesty, I’m7 ill-mannered…”

Gu Yuanbai liked such a lively, young, and strong youngster. He smiled, “Marquis of Pingchang, it ain’t necessarily so. Yan-ger’s true temperament is a good boy.”

The emperor praised for a few more before Marquis of Pingchang let his son retreat. Li Yan stepped out of the pavilion in a daze. Outside, Tang Mian was constantly peering from the Imperial Bodyguard’s post. When Li Yan came out, he quickly beckoned.

Li Yan walked over. The two boys looked at each other and walked silently towards the crowd. After a few steps, Li Yan suddenly stopped. He looked around, gulped, and then turned to follow Tang Mian as he said, “Say, did you see the emperor’s appearance when you entered the palace last time?”

Tang Mian gently nodded his head, “What’s the matter? Did you see it this time? Don’t you always listen to your father?”

Li Yan stroked his head and chuckled. Instead of answering this, he said, “How about we two cooperate to find a painter? I want to…” He pointed to the sky. Although he was afraid, he boldly felt the incomparable stimulation, “Draw that one down.”

Tang Mian jolted in shock, “Are you crazy?”

“I’m not crazy,” Li Yan winked at him. “We don’t have to reflect all on a painting. The eyebrows and eyes are with me, while the nose and lips are with you. If we want to see the whole painting, we’ll meet and put the paintings together. We’ll hide the paintings in the bedroom on the days we’re free. Who can find out?”

Tang Mian gulped. A glimpse of the emperor’s appearance on that day streaked across in his mind. When he looked at Li Yan again, they both knew that it was a done deal.

Note

it’s an exaggeration

Heir of a noble title

literally “god dragon” or “spirit dragon”

capping ceremony for a young man on reaching 20

lit. “top escorted examinee”, the juren (a qualified graduate who passed the triennial provincial exam) who ranked first in the provincial exam.

哥儿 [gē ér] used to refer to the children of an official family or an address for a boy

He used 小子 [xiǎo zi] I (used by juniors to elders/betters)