Chapter 142: Hello Chang’an
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Chapter 142: Victory and Defeat
“What we’re taught in the Imperial academy is what we should compare, then,” the girl remarked casually.
“At the Imperial academy, we learn rites, music, poetry, calligraphy, painting, chess, and archery,” Song Xian replied, his gaze seeming to read her intentions. “Does Lady Chang wish to compare in calligraphy and painting?”
After all, the artwork for which Lady Chang was most acclaimed was her “Tiger in the Forest” painting. Although he hadn’t seen it himself, he was aware of her skill in calligraphy and painting. If she wanted to compete in this, he wouldn’t back down; after all, the finest work of a woman was not the same as the finest work of a man.
Song Xian maintained a calm demeanor. Yet, to his surprise, the young lady shook her head.
“No, not in painting,” she replied. “Nor calligraphy. I’m quite skilled in those two and naturally gifted; winning wouldn’t feel fair, nor would my conscience be at ease.”
Her tone was entirely sincere, as though she didn’t wish to “bully” him with her natural talents.
Song Xian nearly scoffed aloud in disbelief.
Some of the scholars and literary candidates gathered for the poetry gathering exchanged bewildered glances, and one of them snickered on Song Xian’s behalf.
This young lady was not very old, her name only recently gaining some renown, yet her words were astonishingly bold. Did she truly think that just because she’d received some praise for a single painting, she could afford to look down on Song Xian—the scholar most likely to excel in the upcoming spring imperial examinations?
However, the girl’s gaze showed no arrogance. On the contrary, it seemed as though she was genuinely attempting to extend respect by making the contest as fair as possible.
Upstairs, from an open window in a private room, someone observed the scene in the courtyard below with great interest.
Mocking the girl or dismissing her challenge would be in poor taste at this point, so Song Xian responded seriously, “Very well. In that case, let’s also not compare poetry.”
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This novel is translated by the Eternal Novel Hits translators. Please read it at https://eternalnovelhits.blogspot.com
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His implication was clear: poetry was his specialty, and he wouldn’t want to “bully” her—especially since she was a young lady.
Chang Suining nodded with a smile. “Agreed.”
With the two seemingly deferring to one another, the exchange had an air of cultured respect, a show of grace that almost seemed to reflect the scholarly ideals of courtesy. However, the tension between the two groups remained as taut as ever.
A few onlookers, including Tan Li and others who had come for the poetry gathering, started to murmur among themselves.
“So, what will they compete in?”
“Rites? Music?”
But rites were taught differently for men and women, and even if the Imperial academy offered such instruction, Lady Chang had never formally studied there—so that would hardly be fair. As for music, well, they were in a music hall…
Just then, the young lady raised her hand toward a stone table nearby. “How about a game of chess?”
Dressed in a silk ruqun of soft scarlet, with her figure tall and elegant, she raised her arm and the embroidered cranes on her shawl fluttered slightly in the breeze, adding a touch of poise to her already graceful bearing. It was unusual for a young woman to evoke such a palpable sense of dignity and composure.
Song Xian looked over at the stone table.
Chess, though equally refined as music, required nothing more than a chessboard, a simple guidebook, and a sharp mind to learn. Growing up with limited means, Song Xian had spent most of his free time playing chess when he wasn’t studying; it was one of the few cultured pastimes he could pursue without much expense.
As he progressed, meeting more skilled chess players and eventually becoming a scholar, moving to the capital, and entering the Imperial academy, his skill had only grown. Chess, after all, was not about surface-level techniques; the board represented an entire world, testing the player’s intellect, strategy, foresight, and composure.
In truth, he doubted a young woman—one as brazen and flashy as her, and barely past her coming of age—could truly grasp such depth.
“Are you certain, Lady Chang, that you wish to compete with me in chess?” he asked.
“Yes, let’s do that,” she replied. “I’m quite good at it.”
Someone familiar with Song Xian’s chess skills chuckled.
“Saying her chess skills are ‘not bad’ hardly qualifies her to match our Song!”
Song Xian, however, remained calm and unruffled. “Very well, let’s compete in chess.”
The terms were settled, and Cui Lang urged a servant, “Quick, go fetch a chessboard!”
“Since we’re competing, we should each wager something to make it interesting,” Chang Suining suggested.
Song Xian’s guard went up immediately. “What kind of wager does Lady Chang have in mind?”
He didn’t possess anything of great value… was she trying to humiliate him publicly?
But the young lady replied, “Let the outcome speak for itself. If I lose, I will never set foot in the Imperial academy again, and our Wuer Society will be disbanded.”
A murmur spread through the crowd.
Not only were Song Xian and his group stunned, but even Cui Lang and his friends were equally shocked.
“Master, isn’t this a bit too risky?” Cui Lang whispered. “Why stake yourself and the entire polo club? I don’t want us to lose our place in the Imperial academy!”
Chang Suining dismissed his concern. “Without stakes, it would be boring and meaningless. Where’s the thrill in that?”
Cui Lang felt a pang in his heart. Sure, they could place bets, but why put everything on the line like some reckless spendthrift? He suddenly understood his mother’s worried looks when she’d scolded him in the past!
“Master…” he tried to protest, but her cool gaze swept over him, clearly warning that if he said another word, she might very well include him in the stakes as well.
Cui Lang’s face crumpled in helplessness.
“Impressive, Lady Chang! Such courage commands respect!” someone from the Xunmei Society spoke up in apparent praise, though his words subtly pressured her not to back down.
Song Xian, however, ignored these sentiments and asked plainly, “And if I lose?”
Although he considered it a remote possibility, he at least wanted to know her terms.
Chang Suining replied, “I’ve heard that Scholar Song recently wished to become a disciple of Head Master Qiao…”
After a brief silence, members of the Xunmei Society frowned.
Was she rubbing salt in his wound, flaunting her own apprenticeship under Head Master Qiao while calling attention to his failed attempt?
She was merely taking advantage of her pre-existing connections; what was there to boast about?
Song Xian’s mouth tightened. “What exactly is Lady Chang trying to say?”
“As I understand it, Scholar Song currently has no official mentor, correct?” she continued.
Song Xian held her gaze. Technically, he had no teacher with whom he’d formally shared tea in the traditional mentor-disciple ceremony, though he respected several senior scholars who had given him guidance along the way.
“No, I do not. And what of it?”
“Then perhaps you’ll have a mentor soon,” she said, looking directly at him. “If you lose, you’ll take me as your teacher. How about that?”
Song Xian almost laughed aloud.
Just as expected, her proposal was wildly arrogant, a shameless ploy to grab attention and stir up the crowd!
“This is clearly a mockery of our Brother Song,” someone muttered, while others advised Song Xian to ignore such absurdity.
In the midst of these murmurs, Song Xian spoke up. “Then it’s a wager.”
However ridiculous the idea, it would remain mere words; she would achieve nothing more than the illusion of a fleeting victory.
He had nothing to fear.
Since he had agreed to this competition, he wouldn’t hesitate. Although he hadn’t initially wanted to compete publicly against a young woman, his discontent with her was now openly displayed. He needed to win this match, and he needed to do it cleanly, effortlessly.
Only by winning could he justify his dissatisfaction, making it clear that he wasn’t merely gossiping behind her back about a young lady.
The chessboard was soon set up, and Song Xian had already taken his seat.
In truth, he bore her no ill will. When he won, he would acknowledge that, as a man, it might be ungentlemanly to claim victory over a young woman. He wouldn’t actually force her to fulfill her wager—whether it meant leaving the Imperial academy or dissolving the Wuer Society.
After all, he wasn’t a man who sought to push others to the brink.
Song Xian only needed to prove that his discontent was justified; he needed to humble her arrogance. He was prepared to win and to display the gentlemanly grace expected of a man in victory.
He raised his hand. “Lady Chang, please begin.”
Chang Suining did not stand on ceremony, lifting her hand to take a white piece.
They each placed two initial stones on opposing corners, and then Chang Suining, holding the white pieces, made the first move.
With a soft *click*, the board was set—a square world with round pieces—and under the young lady’s hand, this small realm of black and white took shape.
As news of the wager spread, more people began to gather.
“Who’s playing a chess wager?”
“That Song Xian… with a young lady!”
“Why play against a young lady?”
“She’s *that* Lady Chang…”
“Oh, *that* Lady Chang!”
Prince Rong’s household, dressed in his usual attire, smiled as he overheard these comments. “That they refer to her as *that* Lady Chang shows just how well her reputation has spread through the capital in only a few months.”
When one thought about it, to rise to fame so quickly was a feat that few had accomplished throughout history.
“Let’s go have a look as well,” he said, reaching for the flute beside him, standing with leisurely grace.
He loved refined music and came here to indulge his appreciation regularly. But listening to music was routine; witnessing a chess wager was something new.
With the growing crowd, Song Xian began to feel uneasy. If things went as he expected, the more witnesses, the better. But now…
He glanced at the board, then at the girl seated across from him, calmly placing her pieces.
As the game progressed and the moves became more intense, there was hardly a sound—save for occasional gasps of astonishment. Only the gentle rustling of ginkgo leaves in the breeze filled the stillness.
The chessboard had become a battleground.
Yet, to the onlookers’ surprise, the black pieces were not gaining the upper hand.
The young lady’s moves were steady and unhurried. Regardless of his pace, her timing remained consistent, as if she barely needed to think or, perhaps, saw the entire board in her mind.
Song Xian realized this was a subtle psychological tactic, prompting himself to stay calm. And he needed to put away any trace of underestimation.
A young man standing at a window on the second floor watched her intently.
She sat with a posture that was both straight and unforced, each move bearing the gravitas of a general setting up formations, as if shaping the entire landscape of the game.
Though he could not discern the details of the board, the reactions of those around him made it clear that her chess skills were remarkable.
“General Cui, are you even listening to us?” a voice of suppressed frustration interrupted from the room.
Inside the private room sat a few middle-aged men in scholarly robes, one of whom was a senior of the Cui family who had arranged this meeting with Cui Jing.
Dressed in plain robes, Cui Jing stood at the window and replied without turning, “I have made my stance clear. I cannot comply with your requests.”
“You… As a son of the Cui family, will you really let yourself become a lackey of the Empress Dowager?”
“The Empress Dowager rules with an iron fist, eliminating rivals at will, exiling and executing without restraint. If this continues, even the Cui family will not be safe…”
“With control of the Xuanzhe army and command over the capital’s defenses, a decisive military action would force the Empress Dowager to relinquish power to the Crown Prince. This would restore peace to the court and the country!”
Listening to their impassioned pleas, Cui Jing finally responded, “The Crown Prince is still young and lacks the resolve. If I were to recklessly attempt a coup, it would only allow opportunistic factions to seize the chance to gain power. I absolutely cannot agree to such a course.”
“Then we four great families will stabilize the situation!”
“With the Cui family still leading, of course—”
Cui Jing’s voice was calm and impassive. “You have all resided in the capital for so long that your vision is confined to a mere inch of court affairs. Do you realize that the world has changed considerably? Whether the four families retain the power to restore order as in past crises is something you should be well aware of.”
Their expressions shifted. “That’s only because the Empress Dowager has suppressed us. Remove her, and all will return to normal…”
Still gazing out, Cui Jing’s voice was cold yet resolute. “Furthermore, the Xuanzhe army is not my private force. It was created by the late Crown Prince. Any attempt to use it to destabilize the state is something I will not permit.”
“You…”
Someone stood up, angrily pointing at the young man’s back. “So much for being the eldest grandson of the Cui family… you disregard the rise and fall of our entire clan!”
Cui Jing remained unmoved. “The fate of the noble clans is not something I alone can alter. If you all truly wished to survive, it’s not so difficult. The impasse lies in that survival alone isn’t enough for you—”
They still wished to tower above imperial power, to stand at the apex of all things, driven by arrogance and private ambition.
But he would not let the Xuanzhe army become the blade to fulfill that ambition.
He would not be that blade.
“No need to waste more words on this insolent youth!”
“He claims to care for the greater good, but if that were true, why serve as a lackey for the Empress Dowager?”
“You might as well leave now, head to the palace, and relay everything we’ve said here to the Empress Dowager herself, and earn yourself more credit!”
“You’ve never hidden your intentions, and with no agreement here today, why would I need to report anything?” the young man replied earnestly from his place by the window. “If I were to earn credit, wouldn’t it make more sense to pretend to agree with you, only to betray you at a critical moment, leaving you no path of retreat?”
“You—!”
A few of the older men nearly staggered in outrage.
They should be grateful he had shown a shred of consideration, holding back out of mercy!
“The Cui family has truly raised an exemplary son!”
“Da Lang, this… ah!”
With the sound of sleeves sweeping and doors opening, they left in a rush.
Watching them depart, Cui Yuanxiang couldn’t help but sigh. “It’s like they’ve reverted to childhood—all worked up like they’re the grandsons!”
Glancing at the closed door, he nodded approvingly. “Still, they didn’t forget to shut the door. That’s noble decorum for you.”
Then, moving over to the young man, he reminded him, “General, everyone’s gone. You can sit down now.”
No need to pretend to be absorbed in the scenery.
The young man ignored him.
Wait, was the general not pretending?
Curious, Cui Yuanxiang leaned over to look.
He had heard vaguely earlier that someone was playing chess, but here it wasn’t exactly unusual to find people playing chess.
But… so it was Lady Chang herself?
No wonder the general was watching so intently—Lady Chang was his only friend, and if she was playing chess, it was almost as if the general himself were there playing!
But why the sudden commotion? Could they be at the deciding moment?
(Good night)
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