Work Text:
15th Year of Zhenping, Winter
Throughout the year, the education [1] of the princes of Great Liang continued on as regularly as the exchange of night and day, and never stopped for even the fiercest of snowstorms, or most suffocating of heatwaves. Exceptions had to be made, however, when it came to matters of health, and even more so when it was the royal tutor who had taken ill. And thus it was that when Xiao Jingyan and Lin Shu had settled in their usual places within the Hall of Study, alongside the other princes and their companions, that the junior Expositor-in-Waiting informed them that there would only be morning self-study for them all over the next two days.
It was dark outside still. Had the windows been left open, this room’s occupants might have appreciated the sight of the sun as a pinprick of yellow on the vermillion horizon, and the moon - not quite full - shining bright against the deep blue sky. But the windows were not open. and the doors were shut tight; braziers crackled quietly in the four corners of the room. Even so, the chill of early Winter extended its reach within through wood and stone, settling lightly over its occupants. It was not quite uncomfortable, but certainly this was no welcoming space for anyone who had other places to be.
“However, Tutor Wen has left instructions for your writing practice - a minimum of ten pages a day in the regular script[2]. He would also like to remind you all not to slacken in your study of the Rites[3]. There shall be a test for up to 《Smaller Rules of Conduct》 upon his return.”
It was with the acknowledgement from the seven boys in the room that the young man then left them to their morning studies, promising to return later for what would have been their class time. The supervision and support for the princes was left to the eunuchs of the Hall of Study and their companions respectively.
As Xiao Jingyan began grinding his inkstone, he also beckoned an eunuch over, sending him off with murmured instructions.
From behind, Lin Shu tugged at his robes and whispered, “There’s not been class work so light in literal years - all due respect to Tutor Wen, and may he have an early recovery - BUT! Jingyan, Jingyan let’s finish early - I have an idea!”
“Oh, no need to raise your voice any further,” said Xiao Jingyan with a little huff, turning to slap away his inky paws. “It’s only just about everyone else in this room who can hear you.”
When Xiao-Shu continued to gaze at him with bright eyes and a little smile, he relented. “Consort-mother Chen will be expecting us. You’re in luck today. Mother has been trying out new recipes.”
When the junior Expositor-in-Waiting returned, he found two small stacks of papers on the tutor’s desk and the Seventh Prince with his cousin Lin Shu evidently having been waiting for him for some time. He noted subtly that the sheaves were somewhat thicker than what ten pages each would have been, but made no comment as he glanced through them.
“Xiao-Shu and I have completed our studies and work as assigned by Tutor Wen,” said Xiao Jingyan, and did not look at Lin Shu. “We seek leave for an early dismissal.”
The young man hummed and began, “One requests for an audience, but…”
“One requests for an audience, but not to withdraw. From court, one is said to ‘withdraw’. From a feast or a journey, one ‘returns’. The end of a campaign or site work is termed a ‘closing’.” Xiao Jingyan replied.
“Correct. Do not abruptly overreach; do not leap back in haste. Do not...”
Lin Shu continued without missing a beat, “... disrespect the Gods. Do not repeat past mistakes; do not speculate over what has yet to be. A gentleman shall hold himself to the highest standards of virtue, and devote himself to learning the Arts. A craftsman shall heed regulations, and devote himself to the discussion of theory. Do not insult the garb or craft of others; do not seek to verify the stuff of hearsay -” [3a]
Their exit was tracked by four pairs of envious eyes, but at the sound of a quiet cough, all of which were immediately lowered back to their owners’ books and papers.
━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━
“Jingyu-gege, Jingyu-gege! Look what we’ve brought you!”
Like a whirlwind of chaos, Lin Shu descended upon the Crown Prince’s Study in the Eastern Palace. He had set the exquisite snackbox perfectly in the middle of the desk, yet somehow, papers began to scatter in all directions, a drop of ink escaped its inkstone, landing neatly on nearby fabric, and the larger pile of memorials was only saved from toppling by the Crown Prince’s lightning reflexes.
A chilly wind swept through the room, stealing warmth and adding to the mess as they dived together to save Xiao Jingyu's writing.
Arriving a little latter, Xiao Jingyan swung the doors shut (without rolling his eyes because unlike some menaces, he had actually remembered things from his etiquette lessons) before the eunuchs - who really ought to be used to this by now - could gather their wits and do it themselves.
“Lady Jing’s latest culinary masterpiece, no doubt?” With a final deft dab of blotting paper at the droplet of ink trickling down his reviewed memorials, Xiao Jingyu wrapped one arm around the lacquered snack box, checked that nothing else was out of place, then ushered the two boys safely out of reach of his working area.
They settled in the side-room which doubled as both a reading room and a more private extension of the Crown Prince’s study. It had been built specially by order of the Emperor for his beloved firstborn, knowing of the particular pleasure he took in reading, and unveiled as a surprise the day of Xiao Jingyu’s investiture ceremony as crown prince.
The little table on the unframed daybed[4] by the window would provide the best surface for them to lay out their afternoon tea. Lin Shu and Xiao Jingyan sat on one side of this table, with the smaller Lin Shu on the outside, while Xiao Jingyu took the other after putting away the small stack of books there.
"Oh - I forgot to check..." Said Xiao Jingyu abruptly, looking momentarily surprised.
Two pairs of eyes blinked owlishly at him.
“From which direction did the sun rise this morning? The West, was it?”
If Xiao Jingyan were not already used to this and did not have the habit of doing so, he might have rolled his eyes, which Lin Shu did as he snorted and reached out for the first layer of the box.
"Huangxiong… "[5] He said instead, dragging out the syllables.
Xiao Jingyu, with his longer reach and more convenient position, shooed Lin Shu’s hands away and uncovered each layer of the box himself, laying them out on the table. "So! How are our two favourite troublemakers delivering my afternoon -"
"- our afternoon tea."
“- when they ought to be working hard in Royal Tutor Wen’s class.” Xiao Jingyu finished his sentence with emphasis and added, “I don’t believe 'early release' is a word in his vocabulary.”
"I'd almost forgotten you used to study under him too!" Said Xiao Jingyan thoughtfully.
“Hm yes, well, he is... The most experienced when it comes to Lesser Learning. Imperial Tutor Yan said that Marquis Yan and fuhuang were once his students as well - how long ago was that I don’t even want to think about - and so was I, up until the year before last. Therefore, out with it! It’s only just past noon. You both came from Mother’s Xiyao Palace[6]. And with food. So you must have had lunch there instead of the West wing. No punishment either. How did you ever manage this miracle??”
Lin Shu sighed dramatically, “Jingyu-gege how could you suspect your good and hardworking little brothers of skipping class? Tutor Wen is out sick. Like he’s probably very very sick. Even our assigned work was light! So so so, we only have self study for today and tomorrow.” He gave his best doe eyes. “ You’re so busy these days. Jingyu-gege, aren’t you glad we’re here to see you?”
“...fine then, my good little brothers, what present would you like for giving this crown prince a break from his exhausting duties? Oh, I know!” Xiao Jingyu reached back into the pile of books he had previously pushed aside and pulled out a particularly well used one.
“In my lessons with Imperial Tutor Yan, we’re making our way through《Historical Records》right now. But I’ve been reading a little ahead and found biographies of amazing people and emperors, barbarians and assassins. Let me tell you about this really interesting-”
"Assassins first!" Lin Shu and Xiao Jingyan answered immediately in unison.
Not an unexpected answer, but Xiao Jingyu sighed sadly, reminding both Xiao Jingyan and Lin Shu uncannily of Grand Empress Dowager when she says ‘oh! these old bones, the children think I’m too old to play with them now’ and peeks at them, waiting for her great grandchildren to climb into her arms. It showed rather plainly on their faces, and Xiao Jingyu could neither keep up the disappointed act nor hold in his laughter.
Still chuckling, he opened with a question. “Do you know what the world was like during those olden times of The Spring and Autumn period? Let’s see how long ago that was...oh, nearly a thousand years ago.” This was essential for making sense of a number of the classic texts of the Lesser Learning stage of education, with Royal Tutor Wen as their teacher, he was sure they would know the context.
Xiao Jingyan tried to recall. “That would be nearing the end of the Zhou dynasty… which was collapsing into chaos because various vassal states fought among themselves, ignoring the weakening Imperial House and government!”
"Well done!” Xiao Jingyu gave an approving nod. “This story from ‘Biographies of Assassin-retainers’ starts in the State of Jin - one of the vassal states as you mentioned. There was one man by the name of Yu Rang[7], a very treasured retainer of Zhi Yao, head of the powerful Zhi Family at the time. But before that, he had served two previous families who neither noticed nor appreciated his person. But Yu Rang had not been in the service of Zhi Yao for long before the Zhi Family was attacked by an alliance of four other families, for Zhi Yao was a greedy and cruel man and made many enemies."
"- wait huangxiong, is Yu Rang with his villainous lord supposed to be the hero here?"
"Listen to the end and you can decide for yourself. It’s not always either heroes or villains in these stories anyway..." Xiao Jingyu shrugged. "Back to the story: one enemy of Zhi Yao's, Viscount Zhao, who particularly hated him had him beheaded and used his skull as a cup."
"Oh savage." Lin Shu raised an eyebrow, grinning.
"I thought you'd like it.” Xiao Jingyu quirked an eyebrow back at him. “Yu Rang declared that 'a gentleman dies for one who truly knows him; a woman adorns herself for her admirer' and that for his lord, Zhi Yao, who understood and appreciated him, he must repay this with his life. Swearing vengeance on Viscount Zhao for the grisly death of his former lord, he then fled into the mountains to scheme and plan. Later, Yu Rang came back disguised as a convict crippled from punishment, and worked as a laborer repainting latrines."
"Planning a sneak attack while Viscount Zhao has his guard down? Truly a soldier embraces any and all manner of deceit. [12]" Xiao Jingyan picked up one of his mother’s pastries, getting ready for a long and exciting story.
"Yes well, and it would have worked too, if not for Viscount Zhao's uncanny sixth sense. He looked into the details of the work being done and the painter’s identity was very quickly uncovered. When questioned, Yu Rang boldly stated that his goal was to take revenge for his former master, Zhi Yao. Viscount Zhao, touched and impressed by such sincere loyalty to a dead man with no successors, stopped the guards from executing him and decided the best course of action was to avoid crossing paths in future."
"He set Yu Rang free?"
"Yes he did."
"It didn't end there, did it?" Said Lin Shu knowingly.
“Does Yu Rang sound like someone who would give up easily? Of course he tried again! This time he painted himself completely with lacquer to induce inflammation and sores, then went begging in the marketplace after thoroughly disfiguring himself by shaving his beard and brows. His wife walked past without recognizing him, but still, she knew his voice and wondered aloud at its similarity to her husband’s. Realising this was a gap in his disguise, Yu Rang swallowed coal to ruin his throat and thus change his voice.”
The grin faded a little from Lin Shu’s face. And though Xiao Jingyan did not react in any way, Xiao Jingyu paused in his story to say, “Yes, it is cruel and rather extreme isn’t it? Losing so much to the path of vengeance. Even willingly.”
“Was it worth it?”
“Hold that thought for me, Jingyan. Because Yu Rang’s friend certainly did not think so! This, or so it is recorded, was what he said: ‘Chances are incredibly slim for you to succeed in your goals this way. A loyal retainer you are for sure, but for anyone to call you a wise one would surely be a mistake. With your talents and skills, if you swore to serve Viscount Zhao as his minister, he would treasure your service for sure. And once you grow close to him, wouldn’t there be plenty of opportunities for you to try again?’ But Yu Rang, of course, did not agree. He’s got a little of your water buffalo temper, Jingyan, so I'm curious about how you would respond if you were Yu Rang.”
And having successfully foisted the responsibility of speaking onto his younger brother, Xiao Jingyu had a tea set and cups brought in, pouring them all drinks as Xiao Jingyan, who naturally got a cup of water instead, took a moment to think.
“That’s like asking him to perform loyalty for someone who is treating him with sincerity, while knowing the end goal would be to kill the man. Whether that is fair or not aside, if I were him, it would be impossible to not feel as if I were betraying Zhi Yao by serving Viscount Zhao. And having sworn loyalty then going back on my word, wouldn't that make me both disloyal and untrustworthy?"
"A logical answer. And pretty close to what Yu Rang replied apparently. He also mentions his intention of having all disloyal retainers hear of his actions and feel ashamed." Said Xiao Jingyu. "And so determined to the end, Yu Rang tried yet again. Shortly after that conversation, he hid himself under a bridge which he knew Viscount Zhao was sure to cross. But then was discovered when the man’s horse startled as they were about to step onto the bridge. This was now the second time Yu Rang was attempting a futile assassination, and taking in his disfigurement, Viscount Zhao could not understand this man’s persistence in avenging Zhi Yao’s death so, when it was Zhi Yao who had killed his two former masters.”
“Oh whaaaaat?” Said Lin Shu, cutting in suddenly. “This wasn’t mentioned before... Hey! He has a point - now I would also like to know why.”
Xiao Jingyu, delighted at his enthralled audience, looked down at the book in his lap and placed his finger on the page. “I’ll read the response here out loud; Yu Rang speaks first:
‘This subject served the Zhong and Han Families who treated this subject as they did many others, and thus this subject repaid them in kind. Zhi Yao treated this subject as a most distinguished advisor, and thus was also repaid in kind.’
Hearing this, Viscount Zhao shed tears, sighing, ‘Master Yu! Master Yu, your loyalty to Zhi Yao is already renowned among the people; I have pardoned you once, and that is also enough. Will you now please consider for yourself? I shall not let you go a second time.’ And he had his guards surround Yu Rang.
Yu Rang replied, “This subject has heard it said that an enlightened ruler will not disregard the goodness of others, a loyal subject will not cling jealousy to life if death could preserve his name. You have already pardoned me, and there is no one who does not praise your virtue. As for today, this subject deliberately laid in wait for you and it is only right that you strike this subject down; but would my lord oblige to lend his robe to be struck, so as to satisfy this subject’s vow of revenge; to let him die without regret? This is but a humble expression of this subject’s deepest wish, and not a favour demanded.’
Thus knowing that Yu Rang's resolve was unshakeable, Viscount Zhao had his attendants pass his robes to Yu Rang.
Yu Rang stabbed it thrice, crying to the Heavens, ‘And now I may answer to My Lord Zhi Yao in the next world.’
He then threw himself on a sword and died.”
“...”
Xiao Jingyu looked up at the loud silence. Xiao Jingyan stared at the book from across the table with a little wrinkle between his brows, eyes distant.
Promptly deciding to leave his little brother alone for now, Xiao Jingyu turned his attention to Lin Shu, who was doing his best imitation of a covered pot of soup with an over-large fire. "Xiao-Shu? You look like you've got to let out some steam."
Lin Shu held up three fingers.
"First of all! What was that he said at the beginning? ' a woman adorns herself for her lover '? Untrue! Has he met a woman before in his life? - Oh yes, he had a wife - well, he has an unrealistic view of the world then! What a poor lady.”
It was always so difficult to resist stroking a cat with puffed out fur. With great self discipline, Xiao Jingyu kept looking attentive and did not reach over to ruffle his little cousin’s hair. Xiao Jingyan, however, did. Though he immediately had it slapped away with a glare.
Without a hitch in his breath, Lin Shu put down a finger and went on to his next point. “Second, maybe there was a reason he wasn't valued much by the two previous families. If Zhi Yao was making enemies left and right, then Yu Rang - if he was a minister worth his salt, which he wasn't - should 'in the position of a minister and inferior, remonstrate with his lord' and if Zhi Yao 'were idle and indifferent, he might arouse and assist him'. [8]”
Another finger down.
“Lastly, it’s a way less pressing point than the other two, but what is ‘a gentleman dies for one who truly knows him’ anyway? I only know ‘to truly know himself and his enemy: that is the key to a hundred sweeping victories’. [9]”
"That’s actually a pretty important point," said Xiao Jingyan, frowning still. "Yu Rang felt like it was worth dying to revenge Zhi Yao because of it.”
“This ‘truly knows’ is somewhat different from that other ‘truly knows’.” Prompted Xiao Jingyu patiently. “One indicates that you need to understand your own strengths and weaknesses very very well indeed. And the other - ?”
“Hmm… he did not feel that he and his skills were appropriately appreciated before.”
“So he felt recognized! Understood! His worth was acknowledged! Ego scratched! Which brings us back to my point, you know, of why didn’t he do anything?” Frustration at stupidity he could not do something about, was like an itch impossible to scratch that would only grow with the passing time. Lin Shu thought it was one of the tops in his list of ‘most annoying things in the world’.
Far too used to his cousin in this mood, and perhaps a tad more amused than he was letting on, Xiao Jingyu said, “If we look at all he has said and done… does anything stand out to you? I thought it pretty interesting, the way he spoke about his previous lords, and how Zhi Yao treating him like a most distinguished retainer was why he would repay him in kind. It’s only human to be reciprocal in a relationship with another. But his main concern seems centered on himself, rather than the benefit he can bring to the territories of his lord.”
“Right!!! If he was willing to die for nothing - fine, I’ll be respectful to the long departed - die for his loyalty after his lord’s death, why didn’t he think a little harder while everything was still intact?” Lin Shu worried at the edge of his robe; he was so invested in figuring out a solution or an alternative.
His infectious enthusiasm stirred Xiao Jingyan out of his discomfort over the story’s end. And perhaps that was the intention after all.
He leaned over and bumped shoulders with Lin Shu. “What do you propose, huh? I’m sure the Zhi Family must have had other advisors. And clearly none of them managed to convince Zhi Yao.”
“If he would shift his ‘threw himself on a sword and died’ a little ways forward in the timeline - let’s say before Zhi Yao did anything too intolerable to his neighbours, but after he expressed such intentions. Yu Rang could have advised strongly against this in private. Not too many times mind you - two to three times ought to be enough. If that doesn't work, and it likely would not, then he can y’know…” Lin Shu mimed slitting his throat with a sword. “I’m sure that should be sufficiently dramatic to have Zhi Yao change his mind.”
“Oi Xiao-Shu!” Cried Xiao Jingyan and Xiao Jingyu together, scandalized.
“That’s an awful solution.” Xiao Jingyan really rolled his eyes this time.
“I know, I know,” Lin Shu burst out laughing. “So we may be being a little hard on the poor man.”
“That we were. Self-interest is only human, and are there perfect humans in this world? Yu Rang treasured his lord’s grace, favour and most precious of all, understanding - because from there springs recognition of his worth and also respect for him as a person. In ‘a gentleman dies for one who truly knows him’, all of this is encompassed in this ‘truly knows him’. That he gave his life to Zhi Yao for this understanding - isn't that resolve admirable?” Said Xiao Jingyu, who felt it was time to rein them all in a little.
“But then how can we know if it is genuine? Because there is this favour between them, it is not an equal…” The word was at the tip of his tongue, just a little out of reach. But Xiao Jingyan could not quite grasp it.
“A relationship of equals? You mean in the sense that there is this ‘gratitude’ to be repaid with the other party being the benefactor, I guess? But one would feel thankful for the presence of someone with such a connection with them in their lives. I would always feel like something is owed there, anyway. Sincerity to be paid back in kind. This is like ‘to know and be known’ [10] in a way. If only a different flavour of it. Hey! That reminds me of that story from qin classes - Jingyan, do you remember? The one about the musician and the woodcutter. [11]”
Jingyan remembered of course, though they had been much younger at the time. He knew Xiao-Shu did too, but was unwilling to be the one to tell it and risk sobbing all over again. It had been two years ago, he was nine, Xiao-Shu seven, and they had both cried horribly, to the dismay of their qin instructor.
He side-eyed Lin Shu as he began to tell the story as he remembered it.
“Boya the musician was boating along with his qin one Mid-Autumn night, and the little boat came to a halt at the banks near the foot of a cliff. He was playing to only the moon and himself when he saw a man at the banks just listening to the distant sound of his instrument. So Boya invited the man, who was a woodcutter by the name of Zhong Ziqi, onto his boat to listen. And to his greatest delight, whatever he played, instantly, Ziqi could grasp the emotions and imagery he had in his mind. Ziqi seemed to always just know what he wished to express. On the other hand, Zhong Ziqi thought Boya's skill at painting such vivid images with plucked strings was wondrous. They had so much to talk about that they wished they had met earlier in life, for both had matters to attend to after that night. Boya could not excuse himself from his prior engagements to stay, so they made a promise to meet again in a year at the same time and place.”
It was Xiao Jingyu’s turn to be the audience. The tale of Boya and Ziqi was a story he knew as well, though not quite this version of it. “But then they never did.”
“They never did.” Xiao Jingyan nodded. “Boya came back the following year. But Ziqi had already gone, stricken by a sudden illness which claimed his life. Boya, devastated by his death, played a final piece on the qin by his tomb. ‘Ziqi, Ziqi, you and I, what we had was more precious than gold, for all that I have travelled, I know no words to express it. But now you are no longer here to hear my music, once this melody has ended, I shall never play again.’ Afterwards, true to his word, he cut the strings of his qin and dashed it on the stone ground, smashing it to pieces, and never ever played again.”
“My little water buffalo, thank you for that.” Xiao Jingyu blinked hard, but still, the edges of his eyes became wet with moisture and a few drops rolled down his cheek and dampened his sleeve. "I never took you for a story teller."
“It just made such an impression when we first heard it, I… guess.” Said Xiao Jingyan, and then felt a warm pair of arms curl around him as a weight fell in his lap.
It was Lin Shu.
But then he said, 'Jingyan, don’t cry', in a tone so reminiscent of Consort Jing that instantly, the tightness in Xiao Jingyan's throat nearly disappeared too, leaving him caught between laughter and tears.
[End]
━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━
Credits for the line of poetry in the summary goes to 张九龄 (Zhang Jiuling, 678 to 740 CE), from 《送韦城李少府》 his farewell poem to a friend.
Lin Shu is 9, Xiao Jingyan is 11 and Xiao Jingyu is 16; Lin Shu is Xiao Jingyan's study companion of course.
But really, their dynamic is more like Xiao Jingyan is Lin Shu's xD
// Please excuse the notes in the main text. They were a little too long to fit in the end notes and I didn't want to split them up.
[1] Education in Ancient China, and the Palace - in the context of this fic
(a canon and history remix with an attempt at historical accuracy for Northern and Southern Dynasties)
Generally, children begin education at the age of 8.
From ages 8 to 15, they are at the stage known as 小学, the Lesser Learning, in which they begin a formal introduction to systematic learning of reading and writing - though some families may choose to have their children start earlier, of life skills like cleaning, complex social skills like welcoming and sending off guests, and the Six Arts (ritual, music, archery, equestrianism, mathematics, literacy) and so on.
They might start off learning to read with a primer for teaching Chinese characters like the Thousand Character Classic, and learning to write from copybooks. The children must learn to recognize, pronounce, write and understand the meaning and use of words, and also how to derive meaning from sentences as those had no punctuation and could be interpreted in various ways. After this, they may move on to the memorization of texts from basic instructions of morality and behaviour, to more complex ones like poetry and perhaps even the 四书五经 | Four Books and Five Classics, which form the core of the next stage of learning.
The next stage generally begins from the age of 15 onwards, in which the teens are instructed in understanding and interpretion of the core classics as mentioned already, the 诸子百家 | Hundred Schools of Thought and historical records like the 春秋 | Spring and Summer Annals and 史记 | Record of the Grand Historian or Historical Records (as I called it in the fic).
For the Princes of 大梁 | Great Liang, they begin their formal education at the age of seven usually with a paired companion, chosen from the children of ranking officials and nobility, at the same age or one to two years older. Their Hall of Study and adjoining area in which they eat, is located near the 翰林院 | Hanlin Academy, staffed with academicians and literati, from which the officials responsible for their education were selected through strict processes.
The Imperial Tutor for the Crown Prince would have oversight over his learning right from the very beginning of his education if he were appointed for that purpose, but may choose to leave him in the care of Hanlin’s personnel who had more experience in early education.
The sons of lesser nobility, lower ranking officials and more rarely, gifted commoners, would attend the 国子监 | Imperial Academy. It was not until the establishment of public schools by the highly respected scholar Li Chong, that affordable education became easily accessible to the common folk of Great Liang at large.
[2] 楷书 | Regular Script also known as Kaishu, developed in 200CE.
[3] 礼记 | Book of Rites, a collection of texts describing the social forms, administration, and ceremonial rites of the Zhou dynasty. It was one of three texts (Liji, Yili and Zhouli) that comprised the most important sources for classical ritual.
Smaller Rules of Conduct is Chapter 17 of 48; the translations in these notes are from the Chinese Text Project
[3a] Excerpts from the Book of Rites, Smaller Rules of Conduct
Xiao Jingyan’s impromptu test:
- 请见不请退。朝廷曰退，燕游曰归，师役曰罢。
One asked permission to appear at court, but not to withdraw. One was said to withdraw from court; to return home from a feast or a ramble; to close the toils of a campaign.
Lin Shu’s impromptu test:
- 毋拔来，毋报往，毋渎神，毋循枉，毋测未至。士依于德，游于艺；工依于法，游于说。毋訾衣服成器，毋身质言语。
Do not commence or abandon anything hastily. Do not take liberties with or weary spiritual Beings. Do not try to defend or cover over what was wrong in the past, or to, fathom what has not yet arrived. A scholar should constantly pursue what is virtuous, and amuse himself with the accomplishments. A workman should follow the rules (of his art), and amuse himself with the discussion (of their application). One should not think about the clothes and elegant articles (of others), nor try to make good in himself what is doubtful in words (which he has heard).
(Actually, the poor substitute only meant to ask the first sentence. But young!Lin Shu does enjoy surprising people)
[4] Daybed, I called it a daybed, but it is a 床 low platform bed placed by the window, with a small table on top (imagine the one MCS and Prince Jing faced off over at the teahouse, with one for food and another for drink).
[5] Terms of address which I feel more comfortable borrowing from Chinese (because they sound oddly formal to my ear in English). There are inconsistencies in what I choose to keep and translate, fuhuang/imperial father for Father versus Mother for mufei/consort-mother. Do not question them. I’ve given up questioning my brain.
皇兄 | huangxiong ie. Imperial brother
父皇 | fuhuang ie. Imperial father
小殊 | Xiao-Shu ie. Diminutive + Shu (from Lin Shu), or lil'-Shu
哥哥 | -gege ie. brother, but in a cute way which implies you're really close
[6] 羲曜宫 | Xiyao Palace, Xi Yao is another word for the sun. Funny story how this came to be: I thought the Chen of Consort Chen was the one for dawn, not the one for stars, and wanted a nice matching name for the palace that she resides in.
[7] 豫让 | Yu Rang was a very famous assassin who was alive in the year 453 BCE. His story has been explained in-text.
[8] Excerpt from Smaller Rules of Conduct of the Book of Rites again; the translation in these notes is from the Chinese Text Project.
- 为人臣下者，有谏而无讪，有亡而无疾；颂而无谄，谏而无骄；怠则张而相之，废则扫而更之；谓之社稷之役。
One in the position of a minister and inferior might remonstrate (with his ruler), but not speak ill of him; might withdraw (from the state), but not (remain and) hate (its Head); might praise him, but not flatter; might remonstrate, but not give himself haughty airs (when his advice was followed). (If the ruler were) idle and indifferent, he might arouse and assist him; if (the government) were going to wreck, he might sweep it away, and institute a new one. Such a minister would be pronounced as doing service for the altars (of the state).
[9] 知己知彼 百战不殆 | Know yourself, know your enemy, and you shall win a hundred battles without loss, from Chapter 3, Planning Attacks of 孙子兵法 | The Art of War (Sun Zi’s Military Classic), a 5th Century BCE, Spring and Autumn era military treatise.
[10] 相知 | Reciprocal knowing, the relationship between you and a really close friend, so close it’s like you know each others’ hearts.
[11] 伯牙子期 | The Legend of Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi is a story recorded in, among others, 艺文志 Treatise on Literature, which is the bibliographical section of the 汉书/Book of Han, written by Ban Gu and Ban Zhao in the 1st Century CE.
[12] 兵不厌诈 | There can never be too much deception in war (common translation). This idiom originates from Chapter 36 of 韩非子 | Hanfeizi, which is the largest and most important of the treatises of the legalist school, written by Han Fei, who lived during the Warring States period of the 5th Century BCE.