Chapter Fifty-Three: Celebration (Launching—Seeking Votes)

Chapter Fifty-Three: Celebration (Seeking Votes for Launch)

The third day of May dawned with clear skies.

For Ning Yi, it was not an especially remarkable day; he ran as usual, ate as usual, attended classes as usual. Of course, the city of Jiangning was bustling these days. Strolling through the streets, one would often catch glimpses of performances from brothels, and people excitedly recounted such events, speaking of which courtesan received the most flowers, or which two men fought over a woman. Even the most ordinary affairs, when discussed in tea houses or taverns, were embellished with twists and turns, brimming with drama.

During these two or three days, Su Tan’er was indeed busy, leaving early and returning late. Her actions were somewhat secretive, though Ning Yi sensed the outline—it likely had something to do with the “palace weaving” project. Recently, Su Tan’er had been quietly advancing many undertakings in this direction. She aspired to become an imperial merchant, forging connections with Bianliang, and it seemed she had already found her path.

Imperial merchants of this era were of two types. Since the two peace negotiations of Tan Yuan and Heishui, compensation for northern needs in cloth and silk had grown great. The imperial family would not pay high prices, but it meant selling more at lower margins; once connected to the court, there would always be some benefits. On the other hand, the Wu Dynasty court was now collecting fine goods everywhere. If truly excellent silk could be sold to the palace, there would be even greater advantages. Su Tan’er was not merely dreaming—she was forging connections while improving technique, seeking breakthroughs. The technical group she had secretly assembled was likely at work behind the scenes; merchants kept key techniques highly confidential, and if anything happened, only Su Tan’er and Su Bo-yong, perhaps the responsible shopkeeper, could make decisions. In truth, it wasn’t truly busy, more that relaxation was impossible.

Ning Yi still did not fully understand Su Tan’er’s grand plan; his knowledge came only from fragments of casual conversation. But his gentle, courteous wife, only nineteen years old, possessed a remarkable appetite for ambition, and he admired that. There is no such thing as a miraculous scheme—only big appetites and bigger ones. If this matter succeeded, Su Tan’er’s control of the Su family would be assured, while the other two branches would be left to fuss over petty sabotage. It all came down to vision.

Despite few realizing it, Su Tan’er was not taking any shortcuts; she worked diligently on technical improvements and then sought opportunity. This approach was solid, and though luck played a part, Ning Yi believed that some women of this era, when set to business, were more pragmatic than many men. Su Tan’er was nineteen—he wondered how long she had been planning all this.

He admired her quietly, but had no need to intervene. On the first and second, Xiaochan accompanied her mistress out during the day; on the third, she dressed up carefully to follow Ning Yi to the academy. Honestly, Ning Yi sensed something odd about the girl lately, as if she had something on her mind—last night she walked unsteadily, only coming to herself when she bumped into a tree. Today, too, she was occasionally absent-minded, though mostly she was her usual self, chirping behind him, eating lunch with him, carrying a small pouch of candies but not eating them, and when Ning Yi glanced at her, she put on a serious face.

“Is something wrong at home?”

“Eh?”

“You’ve been acting strange these past two days… If something’s happened at home, I can help. It’s fine to tell me…”

Ning Yi spoke gently. Xiaochan blushed, then shook her head vigorously.

“No, nothing’s wrong! Really, nothing’s happened at home…” After emphasizing this, she glanced at Ning Yi with a guilty look. “Well, it’s just that I’m happy—tonight will be very lively. Years ago, my mistress took us to see it once; she dressed as a boy, looked so handsome, but I and Juan’er couldn’t pull it off. Hehe…”

Ning Yi shrugged; it seemed there was nothing amiss. If Xiaochan wouldn’t say, he needn’t press. “So you’re not dressing as a boy tonight?”

“Ah…” Xiaochan was beautifully dressed today, in a white summer dress embroidered with tiny flowers, looking graceful and demure. She glanced down, troubled. “I don’t have to change, really… I spent so long dressing up this morning…”

“Then don’t change,” Ning Yi waved his hand. The girl relaxed, grabbed his sleeve, and trotted after him, her fair wrist shining. “Young Master is so good… wise and mighty…”

“Unlearned and ignorant…” Ning Yi laughed.

It was still early; tonight, the city gates of Jiangning would remain open. Those heading to see the performances at Egret Isle usually gathered in the evening when the boats and flower carriages would parade together. In the afternoon, people went for outings, vendors and performers moved there as well, and even if many couldn’t enter the main event at night, they would watch shows nearby, waiting for the main performances to end, then return with the boats and carriages, enjoying songs and dances along the way.

Ning Yi had no plans to go to Egret Isle yet; he had no particular beauty to support. With Xiaochan, he headed toward Old Qin’s chess stall. Qin Shiyuan would not join the festivities tonight, though Kang Xian was said to be going.

By the riverside in the afternoon, a gentle breeze stirred the willows; waves lapped the shore. Ning Yi played chess and chatted with Old Qin, while Xiaochan sat on a stool nearby, swinging her legs under her skirt, her embroidered shoes gently tapping. She admired the scenery and sang, nodding to the tune, singing the “When Will the Moon Be Clear and Bright” song Ning Yi had taught her, a carefree delight. Today her hair was loose, swept by the wind, youthful and pure, yet with a hint of maturity.

Her song merged with the riverside wind, fitting perfectly with the melody of water and breeze. Old Qin laughed, “The tune may be odd, but Xiaochan sings beautifully.” Xiaochan was delighted—she had practiced this song for a long time.

As time passed and evening approached, behind Golden Phoenix Pavilion, Yuan Jin’er removed her makeup, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation. Though her formal performance was scheduled for tonight, the past few days had been full of social obligations—receiving scholars and patrons since morning, navigating between rivalrous men, maintaining balance, controlling the atmosphere, preventing anyone from truly losing their temper, ensuring their competition stayed beneath the surface. It was exhausting work.

In reality, the unseen contests of the Flower Festival had begun half a month ago, and these days were filled with such matters. That afternoon, she only had to deal with important guests like Cao Guan. After playing a tune on the stage outside and accepting praise, she returned to remove her makeup. Cao Guan and others dropped by again, then she finally had some spare time. Until the flower carriages set out at dusk, the time belonged to her. As one of the four lead performers, the star of Golden Phoenix Pavilion, she did not need to perform on the flower carriages, only to rest and prepare for her evening show.

“Tonight will be fine, as long as I make the top sixteen… Busy as I’ve been these days, my stomach’s empty, but my mother keeps telling me to eat less—she wants to starve me, I swear…”

Dressed in underclothes—just two layers—her hair messy and makeup undone, Yuan Jin’er lounged on the cool bed, her fair shoulders and bare feet exposed, snacking on a plate of candied fruits. Suddenly, the plate was snatched away by another.

“Your mother asks you to eat less for fear your belly will bloat during the show. If you must eat, have some soup or rice—not fruit. You’ll skip dinner, bloat on stage, and choke on what’s in your mouth.”

Yuan Jin’er tried to grab the plate back, but the hand reached for her mouth. She pursed her lips, cheeks puffed, refusing to open up, and struggled. The hand patted her face in annoyance. She crawled further onto the bed, chewed everything down, and then coughed for ages, holding her throat. “Ugh… I swallowed a fruit pit… cough…”

The hand poured half a cup of water. “Just one sip. You’ll eat dinner later.”

“Got it, Sister Yunzhu—no, Brother Yunzhu.”

The other in the room was Nie Yunzhu, dressed in a black robe, hair tied up, wearing a scholar’s cap; with a fan, she would look quite dashing. At first glance, some might take her for a man, but she was easily recognized. Disguising oneself as a man required not just makeup and performance, but talent; Yunzhu was good at both, but lacked real talent in that regard.

In the past, Nie Yunzhu would not easily approach Golden Phoenix Pavilion, but things had changed. Over the last two months, the reputation of preserved eggs had grown quietly. Under Ning Yi’s guidance, she hired some helpers, and later, when she needed cooks, she worked through Yuan Jin’er, since this was where she had connections. Now she saw herself as a merchant—though she did not act like one or negotiate complex business.

In two months, the preserved egg business had gained fame, as Ning Yi predicted, but remained low-key and silent; some things were still brewing. Nie Yunzhu occasionally reconnected with Yuan Jin’er, mainly because Jin’er wanted to shine in the Flower Festival, and the madam at Golden Phoenix Pavilion promised to help Yunzhu in future ventures if she assisted now.

“Speaking of which, Cao Guan is truly enthusiastic this year—far more than last. Jin’er, look at these poems, he put real effort in…”

Nie Yunzhu smiled, sorting poems on the table. Jin’er, playful, stood up on the bed in her underclothes, smoothing her hair; known for her liveliness, she now looked a bit alluring. “He just wants to redeem last year’s loss.” She stretched gracefully, her slender bare feet tapping lightly, her body swaying with her arms, almost falling off the bed before spinning quickly, hair swirling in a circle, stepping forward to finish with a graceful bow.

“Honestly, Jin’er doesn’t care about becoming Flower Queen. Being one of the four leads is nice, but if I won, I’d become someone else entirely. After Feng Xiaojing became Flower Queen, they say Commander Cheng almost forced her to jump from a building—if not for someone mediating, he might have cut her down. If I became Flower Queen, I’d have to find someone to marry right away…”

“Then you’d have to buy your freedom—your price would soar.”

“There’ll always be someone willing. Flower Queen—someone would want her, just to brag.”

“Jin’er, have you not found someone you’d willingly marry?”

Yunzhu laughed. Yuan Jin’er frowned, twisted her lips into a pout, sat angrily at the table, reaching for the fruit plate, only to be blocked by Yunzhu.

“Sister Yunzhu, you always say discouraging things. Men… hmph, anyway, you always have good men liking you. Oh, and I heard, in March, Gu Yanzhen returned, pursued you and helped sell preserved eggs, only for you to slap him in public, humiliating him… Gu Yanzhen passed the exams, has an official post, returned home with honor and wealth—I’d like to marry such a man. Sister Yunzhu, you don’t know how lucky you are.”

Yunzhu smiled, “Jin’er, as you said—men… I’m the same, unable to find someone I’d truly marry. If you’re willing, surely you could find a man like Gu Yanzhen?”

“But I don’t like him. Maybe Gu Yanzhen is a good man…” Jin’er shrugged, found a sunflower seed at the table, and snuck it into her mouth. “Then… what about your brilliant scholar, Li Heng? Would you be unwilling to marry him?”

Yunzhu tossed a robe at her face, laughing, “Don’t jest about that. I may not care for reputation, but Li Heng has a family. Don’t tarnish his good name.”

“Understood, I know you’re protecting him.” Jin’er pulled the robe off her face, muttering, “Tonight you said he’d be there—introduce me, I’ll try to seduce him, see what kind of man he is. Hmph, if his wife finds out, let her beat me to death at Golden Phoenix Pavilion—I’ll fight her, see who wins… Maybe you’ll run away together, live as a couple…”

“Nonsense…”

“Hehe.” Jin’er laughed. “By the way, why did you slap Gu Yanzhen? I only heard about it, but not the details.”

Nie Yunzhu thought for a moment, took a deep breath: “He was a gentleman, but acted rashly that day, so I slapped him… He’s not a bad person. It’s hard to say who was right or wrong, best not to speak of it.”

She recalled the day in March she made her decision—when she confronted Gu Yanzhen, she never mentioned Ning Yi. This rejection was thorough. Gu Yanzhen became flustered, said many blunt things, and even asked if she had a suitor. Finally, he tried to grab her hand, and she instinctively slapped him. Afterwards, she washed her hands many times, still feeling some disgust.

It happened in the street, with many passersby and Gu’s friend present. The slap was not hard, but it stunned him, and he did not pursue her again. Gu Yanzhen’s previous reputation was so high that the incident spread, and even Jin’er heard of it. Such rumors were something Nie Yunzhu disliked; though annoyed by his rashness, she believed in a gentleman’s parting—no cruel words—and did not wish to deepen the gossip, tarnishing his name.

Yuan Jin’er understood, smiling and nodding. “But tonight, Gu Yanzhen will be there. Sister Yunzhu—no, Brother Yunzhu—what if he sees you?”

Yunzhu smiled, “I’m in all black—hiding in the shadows. Who could really recognize me? I’m only there to cheer for you, not to mingle with others.”

“Eh? What about Young Master Ning?”

A brief silence, then…

“Jin’er made a mistake, Sister Yunzhu forgive me—”

Her plea echoed from the courtyard, mingled with silvery laughter, as the western sky turned golden with sunset.

On the other side, along the Qinhuai River, Old Qin packed up his chess stall, and with Ning Yi and Xiaochan’s help, carried everything homeward. Old Qin invited Ning Yi for dinner; they were familiar enough not to stand on ceremony. After dinner, Old Qin, his two wives, Ning Yi, and Xiaochan strolled together toward the main road. The sunset blazed gloriously; Ning Yi and Old Qin walked ahead, while behind, the three women seemed like three generations of a family. Xiaochan, still young, was teased by the second wife, Yun-niang, formerly a famous courtesan, making her blush, while the senior wife watched benevolently.

Drums and music were already sounding in the streets; bands marched by. Old Qin laughed with Ning Yi, “If you see Mingyun, give him my regards.” Though he would not go tonight, he planned to join the festivities on the fifth, for the dragon boat race and the Flower Queen selection. Soon a procession passed by—the prefect’s entourage, with a mass of soldiers. The Jiangning prefect rode by, noticed Old Qin, and saluted. Old Qin, though a commoner, returned the gesture politely, then nodded to Ning Yi, smiling:

“A few days ago, you asked about Captain Song Xian. Now, Commander Cheng Yong and Captain Song Xian are both here, see?”

In the procession, behind the prefect, two men on horseback glanced over. Cheng Yong was slightly plump, smiling at the crowds; Song Xian’s gaze was cold and stern, full of presence. Ning Yi smiled; he had already encountered Song Xian a few times on the street, knew him well. But with Lantern Festival past, knowing his face was of little use now.

At the intersection, the group parted ways—Old Qin went home, Ning Yi and Xiaochan walked toward the city outskirts under the magnificent sunset. In Jiangning, the sounds of strings, drums, and fireworks echoed; on the Qinhuai River, decorated boats formed long lines, while flower carriages paraded through the city. Torches and lanterns converged in a grand procession, spreading toward them…

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