NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 107
December 30th.
In the House of He in Qingzhou.
Tonight is the grand feast for New Year's Eve.
After New Year's Eve comes the new year.
He Chen is about to set off for the Capital City to take the imperial examination.
Ever since He Chen and his good friend Meng Shaoxia returned from their trip, He Chen has been suffering from a nagging neck ache.
He cannot sit for long periods of time to read books, or else his neck will start to ache.
Whether the weather is cool or hot, his neck aches.
His neck aches constantly, much to the concern of his parents.
They wonder how he could develop such an ailment at such a young age.
But today is New Year's Eve.
Everyone can only speak well of him.
Seeing Chen holding his neck in pain again, his father could only praise him: "My son has the bearing of a high minister. It is said that Minister Lu often suffered from neck pain too."
He Chen: ...But Minister Lu is already fifty-eight.
Nevermind, apart from the neck ache, it seems there are no other issues.
Well, there is one tiny thing, but he is too embarrassed to mention it.
He has developed a fear of women.
When a pretty maid climbs into his bed at home, despite being a vigorous young man, he would panic.
Following the usual pattern, he should be like his father and take her as a concubine.
But now, he has no physical problems, but a psychological one.
Whenever a woman approaches his bed, he kicks them away in fright.
Nevermind that.
Right now, preparing for the imperial examination is the most important thing. Everything else can wait until after he passes the examination.
The House of He in Qingzhou, the glory of the new generation, rests on the shoulders of the young He Chen.
Having enjoyed all the resources of his family, the young man must stand tall and show himself to the world, repaying his family and striving for their lasting prosperity.
To ascend the ranks of officialdom.
...
In Jiangbei.
The fiefdom of the Seventh Prince.
The land is vast but yields little.
Slightly better than an exile, but limited nonetheless.
The Seventh Prince and his wife Jiang Yuluan were childhood sweethearts who grew up together.
When young, Jiang Yuluan was deeply favored by Princess Huiyun and practically lived in the palace with her.
There, she met the pitiful Seventh Prince, whose father neglected him and mother was gone.
The two played together as they grew up, eventually marrying and following the Seventh Prince to his fiefdom.
Jiang Yuluan has a bold personality much like Princess Huiyun, whom even the Emperor quite likes among the younger generation.
Originally, the Emperor had assigned the Seventh Prince a more remote fiefdom, but out of concern for Yuluan's inability to adapt, he changed it to the closer Jiangbei.
This couple who grew up together naturally have a closer relationship than most.
But once in the fiefdom, Jiang Yuluan developed a new problem.
For many years, she has been unable to conceive.
The reason is unclear.
Fortunately, the Seventh Prince was quite open-minded about this and did not force the issue.
The proud Jiang Yuluan had no choice but to humble herself and arrange other women for her husband's bed.
Sure enough, those women became pregnant.
So the problem was hers alone.
The Seventh Prince now has an eldest son, a second son, a third son, and a daughter - none of them born from the prince's wife.
The Seventh Prince wanted to take these children under Jiang Yuluan's name, but she refused.
Perhaps no one could understand this woman's inner turmoil and pain.
She smiled and sent other women to her husband's bed, watching them make love and bear children.
Her husband claimed she was his most beloved, but how could it be the same?
Seeing him instinctively let go of her hand and rush away when a child fell ill, how could it be the same?
It was no longer the same.
Other people now occupied her husband's heart.
She was no longer the only one, pushed aside, perhaps even destined to be pushed out one day.
On the surface, their relationship seemed the same as before, but much had changed underneath.
The Seventh Prince greatly respects his wife.
On New Year's Eve, he insists that all the children come and kowtow to their mother and keep her company through the night.
In truth, each child is a little afraid of their mother.
If the mother is unhappy, the entire household is unhappy, and their father is unhappy too.
Children are innocent yet perceptive, already knowing the rules of survival - whom to please in order to live well.
Chu Xi, the eldest son, is the most intelligent and well-behaved of the children.
He also resembles the Seventh Prince the most.
Jiang Yuluan has a bit more patience for him.
"Mother, were you thinking of Grandmother again?" Chu Xi notices his mother gazing at a painting.
The painting depicts a middle-aged woman in a Buddhist pose, with a gentle and kind expression.
But more peculiar is the back view of a young girl.
The slender, graceful figure of the girl facing a large Buddha statue exudes an indescribable aura.
Chu Xi speaks up: "Why don't I take my cousin as a wife? Then she can keep Mother company."
Jiang Yuluan had no intention of responding, but hearing his words, she turns with a smile and scolds: "You think too much. Marry a beauty just to please me?"
"As long as Mother is happy, I will be happy too," Chu Xi replies with a smile.
Seeing his wife's face brighten, the Seventh Prince joins in the laughter: "Excellent, then we'll have someone to keep my Luan company and cheer her up."
Father and son's banter amuses Jiang Yuluan.
Her longing fades a little.
"Come, didn't you say we're having a midnight snack? Let's change clothes and go out!" Jiang Yuluan stands up energetically.
To the human realm.
...
December 30th.
The last day of the year.
Tomorrow will be the new year.
On this day, a new figure appeared in the capital, leaving a fresh memory for all.
The Emperor staged a grand performance.
He adapted the classic tale of Liang and Zhu into a large-scale song and dance theater production.
The actress playing Zhu Yingtai took the stage, stunning the entire audience.
Everyone assumed she must be the Emperor's latest consort, beautiful yet commanding.
When she opened her mouth to sing, her voice entranced the listeners like a dream.
Some voices simply have that effect - the moment she sang, all other sounds were overpowered.
Then, when Yingtai disguised herself as a man to attend school, there were gasps of astonishment.
No one expected this woman to look even more striking in male attire.
Utterly ambiguous in gender.
Beautiful as a woman, breathtaking as a man.
And her singing voice was unmatched by any.
Perhaps only the former Princess Huiyun could evoke such a feeling.
When she sang, the four seasons fell silent.
After the grand performance ended, everyone remembered that lead performer.
As the curtain fell, he strode forth in a red robe with bound hair, gracefully approaching the Emperor.
In that moment, everyone committed him to memory.
The new man in red robes before the Emperor, the strict Yan.
The Emperor personally poured wine and bestowed immortal pills to share with him.
His long, seductive eyes exuded both allure and defiance, his being seemingly neither man nor woman, without clear boundaries.
"Masculine yet ethereal, leaving souls adrift. Celestial yet earthly, only I sing resoundingly." (Note 1) Ascending to the immortal realm.