Chapter 227 — The Many

The writing, of course, was done by those great Confucians; Ji Yong did no more than help search out the texts and records. Even so, when the book was finished, his name would still appear in a small corner of the first volume—which left the Academy's top graduates and Hanlin bachelors, men who had ground away for who knew how many years, both envious and resentful.

When Cai Guyuan invited his colleagues out for a drink, he deliberately left Ji Yong out.

"The prefect of my hometown sent his secretary to the capital on business, and he came expressly to pay his respects," he said, casting a sidelong glance at Ji Yong, who was walking past with an armful of books. "I could hardly refuse such kindness. I must make the best of it. Since none of you gentlemen have anything pressing this afternoon, why not join me at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion for a bit of merriment?"

The Drunken Immortal Pavilion was a famous den of extravagance in the capital.

More than one man was tempted.

Ordinarily, Ji Yong would have pretended not to understand and tagged along purely to vex Cai Guyuan, trading barbs with him until Cai Guyuan was left sputtering with rage or else stormed off in a huff—only then would he let the matter rest.

Cai Guyuan had taken the measure of Ji Yong's temper, and so he had invited Liang Jifen's eldest son, Liang Wu'en.

Liang Wu'en stammered, and he could not abide men whose tongues were too glib, men who, once in the right, would never let another off. And Liang Wu'en's stammer had come about because, in those years, Lady Liang had scraped together silver to send Liang Jifen to the examinations and had delayed in getting her son treated. Liang Wu'en was also the best scholar among the children. He had passed the metropolitan examination, yet because of his stammer he could not enter official service. Liang Jifen therefore felt deeply guilty toward this eldest son; all household affairs were left to his eldest son's judgment, and on matters of office he too often consulted him. Liang Wu'en was, to all intents, Liang Jifen's chief counselor.

Liang Jifen kept a low profile and had not long been Grand Secretary. Few knew of this arrangement.

But whoever did know of it found some way to approach Liang Wu'en—and every one of them got what he wanted.

Most important of all, Liang Wu'en's greatest pleasure was to pass himself off as a down-and-out scholar…

This time, he was determined to make Ji Yong pay!

At the thought of this, Cai Guyuan raised his voice even louder: "In the past, whenever we went to the Zui Xian Lou, it was always friends treating. This time someone else is treating, and the wine tastes altogether different in my mouth. My lords, do not stand on ceremony with me!"

That shameless sponger's air was one of the main reasons Ji Yong looked down on Cai Guyuan.

Cai Guyuan had reckoned that Ji Yong was sure to take the bait.

But Ji Yong brushed past him with hurried steps, not only failing to reply, but wearing a face devoid of expression, as though he had not heard a word he said.

Cai Guyuan's mouth hung open for a long while.

Ji Yong's mind, however, was in turmoil.

Ever since three days ago, when his great-grandfather had summoned him to the study and told him that Dou Yan was already betrothed to Song Yantang, heir of the Duke of Yingguo's estate, his head had gone blank. He moved like a puppet, doing whatever he was told, and even now he had not recovered his breath.

How could the man Dou Yan was to marry be Song Yantang?

His birth was illustrious; he was simply not of the same world as them. How had he suddenly become betrothed to Dou Yan?

And what did Dou Yan herself think of it?

At the time he had leapt up, determined to go to the Longhua Temple alley and demand an explanation, but his great-grandfather had stopped him.

"Jianming, you should look upon this as a trial set before you," his great-grandfather had said, solemn of countenance, in his coarse cloth robe of a Daoist priest, bearing the untroubled detachment of one who has risen above the world. "Why did we fail in this matter? Is there any way to remedy it? If not, how can we use this chance to win the greatest advantage for the family? If there is, what methods can be used? Instead of rushing off to the Dou household to demand answers as you are doing now! I ask you—what benefit could you possibly gain by going to the Dou house and demanding answers?"

He did not know what benefit he could gain. He only felt as though a piece had been dug out of his heart, burning with pain. He wanted to go and ask plainly: why was Song Yan, who was prettier and more affected than a woman, good enough, while he was not?

Speaking not a word, Ji Yong pushed past Old Master Ji and strode for the door.

But he was seized and hauled back by the attendants at the Old Master's side.

Old Master Ji looked at him coldly, and in his tone there was disappointment he could not conceal: "You are to keep watch over the Sixteenth Young Master. Without my word, no one is to let him out." Then he added, "You have already failed. Even if you cannot accept the consequences of failure, you should at least keep the bearing of a defeated man."

The door of the study slammed shut with a crack.

He pressed his head in his hands and sat down on the small stool in the study.

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Sisters, brothers, here is the make-up update for June 1st.

I will make up today's extra update tomorrow; I need to sort out my thoughts.

ps: Still asking for pink votes!

(*^__^*) hee hee...

?u