Reward
“I can recite it now, Father.”
Xiao Jue looked at her with rare disbelief. “What did you call me?”
He Yan stared at him with limpid eyes and continued earnestly, “‘The Dao of Great Learning lies in making bright virtue brilliant; in making the people new; in coming to rest at the limit of the good. Only after wisdom comes to rest does one possess certainty; only after one becomes tranquil can one become secure; only after one becomes secure can one contemplate alternatives; only after one can contemplate alternatives can one comprehend . . . Affairs have their roots and branches, situations have their ends and beginnings . . . Extending one’s understanding lies in aligning affairs . . . Refining the person is the root . . . That, of which has never yet been so, what should be thickened is thin yet what is thin becomes thick
1’!”
At first, Lin Shuanghe stared at her with astonishment. Then, he gradually returned to his senses and asked Xiao Jue while pointing at He Yan, “Is our Little Miss He . . . drunk?”
Just as he finished speaking, He Yan rushed over and threw herself into Xiao Jue’s arms. She held onto his waist, almost forcing Xiao Jue to take a few steps back, and rubbed her face into his chest. With a slurred voice, she said, “Father, I’ve recited it, I’ve improved!”
A dead silence followed.
It was truly difficult to describe Xiao Jue’s current ugly expression with just a few words.
Lin Shuanghe covered his face as his shoulders shook, unable to stop laughing.
“Oh my, Huai Jin, I’ve seen people treat you as their husband, but never as their father. How does it feel to be a dad? That young daughter of yours is far too cute! To recite her texts this well, she has quite the literary talent!”
As if encouraged by Lin Shuanghe’s ‘quite the literary talent,’ He Yan raised her head from Xiao Jue’s chest and stared at him with sparkling eyes. “Father, I’m the Liangzhou Guard’s number one now.”
Xiao Jue grabbed her arms and tried to pull her hands away from his waist. “Let go.”
“No!” He Yan was extremely strong. He didn’t know if it was because she’d been tossing stone padlocks, but he couldn’t pull her off. He Yan lifted her head to look at him. “Test me. I can answer any question.”
She was like a child wagging her tail for a chance to show off.
Xiao Jue rubbed his forehead. “Let go first.”
“No.” Her arms tightened around Xiao Jue’s waist as if she wanted to stick herself onto him. Xiao Jue did everything he could to step back and stretch the distance between them so their bodies wouldn’t touch; unfortunately, it was all in vain.
Xiao Jue wanted to break off He Yan’s hands. Lin Shuanghe said, “Hey, let me say this first. Little Miss He is still injured. If you move her with force, it’ll be hard to avoid tugging on her wounds. It won’t be good if she has to recover for another half a year.”
Xiao Jue’s eyes were like blades. “Think of a way to get her off, then.”
“Why don’t you let her hug a little longer?” Lin Shuanghe didn’t mind watching such entertainment get out of hand. “Perhaps the reason why Little Miss He drunkenly mistook you for her father is that you and he look similar. She’s just a young lady who traveled thousands of miles to reach the Liangzhou Guard. She hasn’t gone home in so long, so she must miss her dad. So give her some . . .” He pantomimed a hug. “. . . of home’s warmth? Don’t be so petty—it’s not like you’re the one suffering losses.”
Xiao Jue was about to respond when the person clinging to him buried her face in his chest again and, in a low, muffled voice, continued to recite: “‘A person learned in both civil and military affairs commands the army, while a person who knows how to couple punishment and leniency manages the army’s personnel. To select a general, courage should be observed. Yet, courage takes up but a fraction of the prerequisite qualities as a courageous general may be rash and counter an enemy attack with imprudence. Therefore, a good general must follow these five rules: first, to think logically; second, to be well-prepared; third, to never show hesitation; fourth, to be cautious; fifth, to be concise. Be logical by controlling a large force with the same principle as the control of a few men, be prepared as if the enemy is right outside the door, be decisive by wasting no time doubting decisions in front of the enemy, be cautious like one would be at the beginning of a battle, and be concise by delivering clear and direct orders. Accepting the post and defeating the enemy is a general’s code. Once the troops are dispatched, a choice is made—to die in battle with honor and glory rather than endure the humiliation of living without purpose.’”
By the end, Lin Shuanghe was completely befuddled. He was familiar with the previous text, but not this one. He asked Xiao Jue, “What is our Little Miss He reciting?”
“The ‘Selection of Generals’ chapter from Wuzi.” Xiao Jue himself felt a little surprised. She knew even this?
“Our Little Miss He has a broad knowledge of literature—there is, indeed, no feat she’s incapable of.” Lin Shuanghe sighed in admiration. “She even knows how to recite this.”
“Of course.” He Yan poked her head out. “It’s as it should be for a general.”
“Little Miss He has great ambitions,” Lin Shuanghe laughed. “You even want to be a general.”
“I’m a star general in the first place!”
“Alright, alright, alright.” Lin Shuanghe was laughing so hard that he had to use his fan to cover his face. “How capable you are.”
He Yan raised her head to gaze at Xiao Jue again. She happily asked, “Father, did I recite it well?”
‘Father’ again. It was hard to express how Xiao Jue felt at this moment.
Outside, Shen Han had just walked near the open window before seeing two people embracing each other within. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Xiao Jue embracing He Yan and He Yan hugging his waist while speaking softly. Still in a daze, Shen Han suddenly turned beet red. He could only think of how outrageous this was.
Oh Heavens. Although he already knew the relationship between the two was odd, it was still shocking to see such an intimate scene with his own eyes. Shen Han pondered over Xiao Jue’s intentions. Could it be Xiao Jue still had lingering affection from their previous romance and was now picking up the pieces to start anew?
Lin Shuanghe was also in the room, just standing and watching. Didn’t he feel like a third wheel? Xiao Jue and He Yan, too—they were acting so intimate with Lin Shuanghe watching them. Wasn’t it awkward?
The big shots of Shuojing were truly difficult to understand. For a moment, Shen Han felt fatigued. He turned around and quietly slipped away.
No matter—he’d just pretend he didn’t see anything!
Inside, Lin Shuanghe was almost dying of laughter, and Xiao Jue’s complexion was ashen. After many tries, he still couldn’t pull off He Yan. Her grip was too deathly tight—it was as if she was hugging some family heirloom.
“Father, I’ve improved—I’m the number one now. Why aren’t you saying anything?” she asked sadly. “Please, test me.”
Xiao Jue said, “I am not your father.”
Everything was okay before he said those words. As soon as he did, He Yan’s eyes suddenly filled with liquid. She tearfully stared at him as if he’d done something heinous and asked, “You don’t acknowledge me as your daughter?”
Xiao Jue paused, an inexplicable restlessness itching his heart.
He was most afraid of a lady’s tears, especially in a situation like this, where it seemed he was the one making He Yan cry.
As expected, the white-robed divine physician, who had a tender heart for the fair sex, immediately came to the aid of the aggrieved little miss he’d taken under his wing. He said, “Just one sentence and you forced this young lady to tears. She’s such a sensible and clever child, yet you don’t acknowledge her? Everyone else is scrambling to have her as a daughter! Xiao Huai Jin, quickly praise her—immediately, hurry up!”
“. . .”
Xiao Jue held back his anger and lowered his head to look at her. She was still dressed in her usual masculine attire, but she did look more like a young lady with her frowning, wronged expression. Could it be that she actually mistook him for He Sui? But was He Sui usually so strict with her? Even when drunk, she asked for her father’s recognition.
For a second, Xiao Jue saw a shadow of himself in this girl.
Resigned, he stopped attempting to pull off her hands and said, “You did well.”
“Really?” He Yan immediately brightened up.
“Really,” Xiao Jue responded conscientiously.
“Thank you.” She felt a little embarrassed now. “I’ll do better next time and make Father even more proud.”
Xiao Jue could only feel a splitting headache. He said, “Then let go of me first. You’re hugging me too tightly.”
“But I love to hug Father.” He Yan wore a content smile as she greedily held on, unwilling to let go. “I’ve long wanted to hug Father like this. Why can my younger brother and sister do so, but not me?”
Initially, Lin Shuanghe was still smiling. Upon hearing this, his heart ached so much that tears threatened to fall. He said, “Is Little Miss He bullied at home? Doesn’t her father even hug her?”
Xiao Jue also found it strange. In the secret letter delivered from Shuojing, it stated that He Sui only had a daughter and a son. She only had a younger brother, so where did this younger sister come from?
“I’m number one now,” He Yan said whilst staring at Xiao Jue. “Father, aren’t you happy?”
“. . . I’m very happy,” Xiao Jue replied with a blank expression.
“Then what’s my reward?”
“Reward?” Xiao Jue frowned. “What kind of reward do you want?”
He Yan rubbed her face against the buttons of his clothing. Her face was extremely warm, so rubbing it like this cooled her down. Xiao Jue froze.
“Don’t—don’t touch things however you wish!” He’d just finished speaking when He Yan released him, proudly showing Xiao Jue the item she took from around his waist.
“I want this!”
“You can’t have that.” Xiao Jue reached out to take it back, but she dodged.
This person was drunk, so her mind wasn’t working clearly, but her body was still nimble and her feet still steady. It was impossible to tell she was drunk just from her outer appearance.
He Yan lowered her head to scrutinize the object in her hand. It was a pendant with a snake carving, made of rare black jade. In her hands, it was smooth2 and ice-cold. Anyone could tell it was a treasure.
She absolutely loved it and caressed it with admiration. “Thank you, Father!”
Xiao Jue smiled angrily. “I didn’t say I’d give it to you.”
Lin Shuanghe stopped him from trying to take back the jade pendant. “What are you bickering with a drunk person for? Let her play with it for tonight. You can take it back from her tomorrow once she’s sober. It’s not as if she won’t return it to you. Although . . .” He stroked his chin. “. . . Little Miss He has quite sharp eyes. She managed to find the most valuable item on your body with just a glance. Not bad.”
Xiao Jue paid no mind to him, but he also stopped trying to take back the jade pendant from He Yan.
“Watch me.” Lin Shuanghe walked to He Yan and coughed lightly. “Brother He, let me ask you, do you like this piece of jade?”
He Yan fiddled with the jade pendant. “I do.”
“Do you like Chu Zilan?”
“Who . . .” He Yan felt puzzled. “. . . is Chu Zilan?”
“Since she can’t remember him when drunk, it seems she isn’t with Chu Zhao.” With a smile, Lin Shuanghe asked, “Then, do you like Xiao Jue?”
Xiao Jue said, “Are you done?”
He Yan’s response, however, was unexpected. She raised her head as if pondering over the name. After a while, she nodded. “I do.”
Lin Shuanghe’s eyes sparkled. “What do you like about him?”
“Medicine . . . gave me . . .” He Yan rested her head against her hand. “So sleepy.” With a thud, she fell on one side of the soft bed and snored, asleep.
Lin Shuanghe stood straight. “She said waist3.”
Xiao Jue wasn’t able to catch He Yan’s words and was currently feeling a little irritated. “What?”
“She likes your waist.” Lin Shuanghe opened his fan. “How straightforward!”
Xiao Jue hurled a teacup at him. “Scram!”
…..
In another room, Ying Xiang was currently packing away the empty alcohol jugs.
The remnants of fragrance from the Chang’an Chun still seemed to waft throughout the yard.
Chu Zhao took off his outerwear and sat on his bed. The Liangzhou Guard’s mattresses couldn’t compare to those from Shuojing. Although they weren’t as hard as tongpu
4, they couldn’t be described as comfortable.
Ying Xiang walked over and knelt before the bed. “Young Master, this servant didn’t handle the task well and failed to tempt Young Master He.”
He Yan had an entire jug of liquor and appeared drunk, yet he dragged Chu Zhao into discussing the art of war, something Chu Zhao lacked an understanding of. He could only listen as the youth chattered with fervor. In the end, possibly due to fatigue, he left by himself.
Ying Xiang was extremely confident in her appearance. She wouldn’t dare say that everyone admired her looks—for example, Xiao Huai Jin and Chu Zilan—but she was more than attractive enough to deal with a newly recruited brat from the Liangzhou Guard. Who would’ve thought that, no matter how tenderly and flirtatiously she spoke, there was only appreciation in He Yan’s eyes and not a single hint of desire?
From a man’s gaze, one could gather his intent toward a woman with a single glance. He Yan was stunned by her beauty, but his mind never strayed.
Ying Xiang felt defeated.
When her master, Chu Zhao, heard her words, he was shocked for a moment before he shook his head and chuckled. “It’s not your fault.”
Ying Xiang raised her head. “Fourth Young Master . . .”
Chu Zhao looked at the incense lit on the room’s table. It was a calming incense from Shuojing. He’d always been a light sleeper, so it was brought along wherever he went.
Before his eyes emerged a scene from the Shuojing Racecourse: a glimpse of a graceful young lady’s face behind the fluttering white veil of her hat.
“Who would’ve thought that there’d be a lady in the Liangzhou Guard?”
A small smile gradually grew on his face.
…..
When He Yan awoke, she was back in her own room. Her limbs were all over the place—half a leg dangled over the bed’s edge, and she wasn’t even covered with a blanket.
Outside, the sun was in just the right position for a ray of light to shine through the window. The intensity was eye-prickling, making one unable to discern whether it was day or night.
He Yan sat up and shook her head. She wasn’t feeling the typical pain of a hangover; instead, she felt rather refreshed. She silently agreed that the Chang’an Chun was, indeed, much better than the Liangzhou Guard’s inferior millet wine—although strong, it wasn’t over the top. It was expensive for good reason.
Last night, she was dragged away by Chu Zhao and his maid to his room, where she drank a few cups. She must have had a bit too much and became drowsy. She wasn’t sure when she returned to her room and fell asleep. Nevertheless, it seemed she didn’t cause any trouble like last time.
He Yan decided to get off the bed and pour herself a cup of tea—after a night’s sleep, her throat was parched. She made just one move before realizing her hand was gripping something. She lowered her head and found that her right hand was tightly clutching a jade pendant.
What’s this? When did it appear in her hand? He Yan was left in a daze for a moment. She unfurled her palm and carefully examined it.
The black jade pendant was quite small, but the carving was incredibly refined. The snake design was complex and ornate, and a gentle light twisted through as she fiddled with it. It was unlike any ordinary jade pendant.
Did she rob someone while drunk last night? He Yan stared in dismay at the jade pendant, yet her mind remained blank.
No matter—she was better off going out and asking around.
After some thought, He Yan decided to leave the jade pendant on the table while she washed up. Only after she was done did she grab the pendant and walk out the door, planning on also asking Song Taotao if there were any leftover mantou—she’d woken up too late and missed breakfast.
Just as she stepped out, she encountered Shen Muxue, who lived not far from here. Shen Muxue was holding a tray of medicine and was on her way to the clinic. When she saw He Yan, she stopped and greeted her.
“Miss Shen,” He Yan asked, “is Miss Song around? I need her for something.”
Shen Muxue replied, “She isn’t inside—she’s at the training field. What do you need of her? If it’s urgent, I can relay your message when she returns later.”
He Yan shook her head. “It’s nothing big. Since she’s not here, then never mind.” And with that, she turned around to leave.
With that move, she exposed the jade pendant in her hand. Seeing it, Shen Muxue was taken aback. She hesitatingly asked, “That piece of jade . . .”
Hm? She seemed to know who the owner of this jade pendant was.
“Has Miss Shen seen this jade pendant before?” He Yu asked with a calm smile.
Shen Muxue’s expression turned surprised. “How is the Chief Commander’s jade pendant, something he always carries on him, with you?”
Xiao Jue’s?
How was Xiao Jue’s jade pendant with her? He Yan also wanted to ask this question—she didn’t know! What exactly did she do after getting drunk last night? Could it be that she fought Xiao Jue again and even snatched away his piece of jade?
Facing Shen Muxue’s suspicion-filled eyes, He Yan coughed lightly a few times. “Indeed, this is the Chief Commander’s jade pendant. While conversing yesterday, he found it inconvenient to carry, so he temporarily left it in my care. I . . . I was just on my way to return it to him.”
“But—”
“Miss Shen, Brother He.” Lin Shuanghe’s voice sounded from behind. He must’ve heard the exchange between He Yan and Shen Muxue. He smiled as he swayed his fan. “Is Miss Shen on her way to the clinic?”
Shen Muxue nodded gingerly.
“Then hurry along. If you arrive too late, the medicine will get cold.” Then, he directed his attention to He Yan. “Brother He hasn’t eaten yet, right? I have some pastries back there that you can have a quick bite of.”
He Yan responded, “Many thanks, Young Master Lin.”
Shen Muxue bid her goodbyes to the two before He Yan followed Lin Shuanghe to his room. She hesitated, wanting to ask him questions but unsure of where to start.
Lin Shuanghe placed a few plates of savory pastries on the table and poured a hot cup of tea for her. Catching her uncertainty, he smiled. “Still thinking about that piece of jade?”
He Yan was shocked. “You know about it?”
“Last night, Little Miss He got drunk and entered Huai Jin’s room. I was at the scene from beginning to end.” Lin Shuanghe used his fan to prop up his chin. “Little Miss He truly broadened my horizons.”
The more she listened, the more uneasy He Yan felt. However, she reassured herself that she’d always had a sense of propriety—she definitely wasn’t the kind of person to lose self-control and make a scene after consuming alcohol. The most she’d ever do is challenge Xiao Jue. However, was Xiao Jue truly this weak? Not only did he get beaten up, he even had his jade pendant stolen by her?
“Last night . . . did I overstep any boundaries?” she asked.
It was fine until those words were spoken. As soon as they left her mouth, however, Lin Shuanghe seemed to recall a very interesting scene. First, he tried to restrain a smile. Then, unable to hold it in anymore, he burst into laughter and began hitting the table. He Yan watched as the refined youth swayed around, laughing without a care for his image, looking nothing like a graceful young master from Shuojing.
He Yan was on the edge of her seat with anxiety. She struggled to wait for Lin Shuanghe to finish laughing before asking, “Doctor Lin, what exactly did I do for you to split your sides with laughter like this?”
“It’s nothing, nothing,” Lin Shuanghe replied with a wave of his hand, still smiling. “In truth, it wasn’t a very big deal. You just helped Xiao Jue experience what it’s like to be a father at such a young age.”
The scallion pancake in He Yan’s hand fell to the table with a thud.
“I called him ‘Father’?”
“Oh?” Lin Shuanghe exclaimed with surprise. “You still remember?”
He Yan covered her face—she truly couldn’t remember. But she recalled a time when, back in her youth at the He Family’s banquet, she scored third last rather than very last in an exam and expected her father to praise her. In the end, however, nobody cared. That night, she took a sip of plum wine after mistaking it for osmanthus tea. He Yan had yet to enlist in the military and cultivate a capacity for liquor where even a thousand cups wouldn’t affect her, so just one cup brought her down. Afterward, she heard that she held onto He Yuanliang’s leg, called him ‘Father,’ and even asked him for a reward.
By the time she sobered the next day, everyone in the He Family was certain He Yuansheng was too strict on He Yan for her to call her Second Uncle ‘Father’ and throw such a tantrum. Madam He found her behavior extremely taboo and harshly berated her, ordering her to never say such inappropriate words in the future.
But that eventually became an inner hurdle He Yan couldn’t overcome. Because she never received recognition, she always longed for it. Because she always saw her siblings wantonly act spoiled around her father, she yearned for him to also pat her head and say, You did well.
Perhaps it was Lin Shuanghe’s appearance at the Liangzhou Guard that forced her to recall such memories of youth. The things you thought about during the day would always enter your dreams at night—it was inescapable, even when drunk. In the end, she made a fool of herself in front of others.
No matter—what’s done was done. She couldn’t travel back in time. He Yan placed the piece of jade on the table. “What about this?”
“This is a reward bestowed upon you by Huai Jin,” Lin Shuanghe replied with a suppressed smile.
“Reward?”
“You recited your texts very well. In front of Huai Jin, you recited The Great Learning and Wuzi. Huai Jin was very pleased, and hence, he rewarded you with his jade pendant.”
“. . . More like robbed,” He Yan said.
Lin Shuanghe failed to contain his smile again and laughed aloud, hitting his fan against his palm while doing so. “Little Miss He, you didn’t notice Huai Jin’s expression—even after knowing him for so long, it was my first time seeing him cut such a sorry figure!
“Let me ask you this: which lady in this world could relentlessly hold onto him and force him to backpedal, and even have him wordlessly give away his family heirloom? Only you, Little Miss.” He pumped a fist towards He Yan. “Only you!”
He Yan was spun into dizziness, but she still caught the keyword. “Family heirloom?” She looked at the piece of jade on the table. “This?”
“The night before Madam Xiao gave birth to Xiao Rubi, she dreamt of a large black snake with two pieces of jade in its mouth spiraling around the pillar by the entrance of their residence. After Xiao Jing was born, he was given the courtesy name ‘Rubi5.’ A gentleman with literary grace; like gold, like tin; like a tablet of jade, like a piece of jade annulus.
“When Xiao Jue was born, he was given the courtesy name ‘Huai Jin6.’”
He Yan recited, “‘Hold gems in one’s bosom and grasp jades in one’s hand; even when lacking, one must not reveal their absence7.’”
“Yes, that’s exactly the meaning!” Lin Shuanghe closed his fan. “These two brothers’ courtesy names are both associated with jade. Because Madam Xiao dreamt of a black snake, the Empress Dowager bestowed a piece of double-coloured jade, half white and half black, that was made into two serpentine pendants. The white half was given to Xiao Rubi, and the black half was given to Xiao Huai Jin. Since I met Xiao Huai Jin, I’ve never seen this jade pendant leave his body.”
He Yan looked again at the jade pendant before them, suddenly feeling as if it weighed more than a thousand gold ingots.
“That’s why, Little Miss He, I said you have quite sharp eyes,” Lin Shuanghe sighed in complete admiration. “From top to bottom, other than the man himself, the most valuable thing on Xiao Jue’s body is this piece of jade. You two are unbeatable and definitely have it in the bag—together, you are brilliant, amazing, and gorgeous!”
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Translator's Notes
- Used the translation here: https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2022/23422/Daxue-Zhongyong.pdf
- 温润 – ‘wēnrùn’ – can be used to describe something that feels moist-like
- ‘Medicine’ (药 – ‘yào’) and ‘waist’ (腰 – ‘yāo’) have similar pronunciations.
- 通铺 – ‘tōngpù’ – http://img3.yun300.cn/repository/image/OspI-qjcR-eIXj1O4PBbyQ.jpg?tenantId=187321&viewType=1
- 如璧 – ‘rúbì’ – ‘like a piece of jade annulus’
- 怀瑾 – ‘huái jǐn’ – ‘hold gems’
- The gems and jades in this idiom refers to knowledge and virtue.
