Xiao Tingyi raised an eyebrow at Elder Xu. At over seventy, he still possessed a childlike nature, knowing nothing of composure.
Having no desire to bicker with him, he took a piece of dried fish from the box and waved it at the large orange cat.
How could the large orange cat resist such temptation? It sprang from Elder Xu's arms and fawned over Xiao Tingyi’s hand.
"Always eating, eating, eating. Look at what you've become?"
With a flick of his hand, the dried fish flew out. Though seemingly plump, the large orange cat's movements were agile. It leaped into the air, caught the fish, and dragged it to the side to eat with relish.
A faint smile touched Xiao Tingyi's lips, but his entire being exuded an innate loneliness, as if no one could truly enter his heart.
"The weather this year has been poor. I had the Imperial Observatory conduct an analysis, and next year may see continuous rainfall. I worry that grain prices will rise as a result. Therefore, Elder, if you have nothing else to do, it would be wise to make preparations."
Xiao Tingyi had invited him to this elegant courtyard to play chess, precisely for this matter.
When it came to state affairs and the welfare of the people, Elder Xu shed his playful demeanor. His aged face shone with a sharp glint, like a cunning fox that had attained sentience.
"Your Highness speaks wisely. The official grain for this year's漕运司 (caoyun si - transport department) has already been stored in the granaries. Even if the Great Jin were to suffer drought for three years, it would be sufficient to cope."
His duty was not to oversee the grain transport, but he had recently conducted an inspection and found the granaries so empty they were almost overflowing. Hence, he drew this conclusion.
His dark hair was tied up with a pale green jade belt, inlaid with a luminous pearl, making Xiao Tingyi appear even more handsome and refined.
Elder Xu regarded him as he would his own descendant. It was a pity that even if all his own grandsons were combined, they could not produce someone with his aura. He sighed inwardly.
"Your Highness, the city is abuzz with talk of breaking off the engagement and reconsidering. I fear that Mingyue, that girl, might be unhappy hearing too much gossip. Therefore, I was wondering if this small courtyard could be lent to me for a few days?"
"Mm."
The Xu family's daughter was indeed forthright. For some reason, the face of that Miss Feng San flashed in his mind.
She was merely a young girl, yet she possessed eyes that could see through people's souls.
It was as if she could see into the very bones of anyone she looked at. He even suspected for a moment that the troubles of the Wei family, the broken engagement of the Xu family, and the reconsideration of the Liang family might all be connected to her.
Thinking of this, his usually icy-cold brows seemed to melt. His attendant, Yang Zhao, exchanged a look with Elder Xu, and they saw surprise in each other's eyes. Could this be the legendary blooming of the iron tree?
Turning a black stone in his hand, the expression vanished in an instant. Xiao Tingyi resumed his composed demeanor and continued the game of chess with Elder Xu.
The Great Jin had been established for over a hundred years, and the imperial examinations were highly valued.
The ancestors had established a strict law: corruption would result in the execution of one person, and cheating would lead to the extermination of the entire clan. Therefore, the spring imperial examinations held every three years always garnered the most attention.
Gradually, starting from the reign of the previous emperor, the common folk would hold a grand "Yangchun Poetry Society" in the twelfth lunar month. This gathering attracted talented individuals from all directions, where merit in poetry, not background, was the sole criterion for judgment.
Furthermore, academicians from various academies were invited each year to preside over the judging and select the top contenders.
As a result, scholars flocked to it. The most famous pleasure house in the city, Changchun Lou, also capitalized on this by building an annex called "Dengyun Pavilion," decorated with utmost elegance. Thus, the Yangchun Poetry Society had been held there for years.
Lasting for half a month, if one could stand out from within, they would surely be able to break through the ranks in the spring examinations.
What's more, the common folk regarded the results of this poetry society as a barometer. When placing bets on the top three, the most popular contenders were naturally the outstanding individuals from the poetry society.
This year, the academician from Yunqi Academy was unwell, so Bai Silang, Bai Chaohe, attended and judged in his stead.
Bai Siruo had received the news early and insisted on disguising herself as a page to accompany her father to witness the excitement. Bai Silang, doting on his daughter, could not refuse and agreed.
How could she forget Feng Jinyao on such a grand occasion?
Therefore, when Bai Siruo found Feng Jinyao, Feng Jinyao was both amused and exasperated.
"Fourth Uncle still spoils you. If Fourth Aunt knew he was taking you to cause trouble, you'd both be in for it."
"Hmph, I even thought of you. I even brought you a page's outfit. Just say whether you're going or not. I heard Second Cousin will be going too~"
As she spoke, she shook Feng Jinyao's arm, her manner akin to a spoiled child.
"Aren't you most concerned about Second Cousin's performance? By going this time, you can probably gauge Second Cousin's level among this year's candidates. Knowing yourself and your enemy, you can win a hundred battles. Afterward, everyone can also urge him to improve, right?"
Using a combination of threats and enticements, Feng Jinyao, with no other choice, agreed.
"Let's make it clear first. You can watch the fun, but don't think about stealing the spotlight. If people find out our identities, it will cause trouble for Fourth Uncle."
Bai Siruo nodded heavily. She wasn't foolish; she cared about her father's future.
Seeing her solemnity, Feng Jinyao finally felt at ease.
The next morning, the Bai family's carriage waited at the entrance of the Feng mansion. Feng Jinyao's hair was simply styled into a high bun. She had already put on the page's attire, and a cloak was worn over it, along with a felt hat. For a moment, there was no trace of her disguise as a boy.
The delicate beauty transformed into a handsome young page. Yunxu, while tidying Feng Jinyao's clothes, looked at her with concern.
When she learned of this yesterday, she had wanted to go along. Not for any other reason than worrying about her young lady.
However, there were no women in the poetry society. Their entry was only due to the favor of Fourth Uncle Bai. Two pages were already enough to attract attention, let alone three!
Therefore, Yunxu, like Xiuchou, stayed behind at home today.
"You'll be at home today. Take good care of Chilong. Take it for a walk in the back garden if you have time. I've noticed it's gained quite a bit of weight lately. Be careful of it becoming too fat."
Chilong, lying in Xiuchou's arms and fast asleep, seemed to hear its name being called. It opened its sleepy eyes, saw that all was well, and continued to sleep.
Ever since this fox arrived at Ning'an Courtyard, it had been attached to Xiuchou's arm. Unless summoned by Feng Jinyao, it was generally unwilling to come down.
This led everyone to believe the fox was lazy. The household servants who usually raised cats and dogs would shake their heads when they saw it.
Feng Jinyao was helpless. If it weren't for the fact that it was winter and it was still a cub, she would have taken it out for a run to exercise long ago.
"Your servant understands, Miss. Please don't worry. Be very careful outside and don't let anyone catch you in a compromising situation."
This was a crucial time for her coming-of-age ceremony. She feared that any mistake would tarnish her reputation and make it difficult to find a good husband.
Yunxu's face was filled with worry. Feng Jinyao chuckled. This girl was too serious.