Pei Ming Zhu blinked playfully and teased, “Without you here, what fun could there possibly be? We’re just chatting about your matters. Next month will be your hair-pinning ceremony, so you must remember to send us the invitations.”
“Of course, as long as you don’t mind coming, I’ll definitely send invitations to all of you.” Zhen Yi Yun was familiar with these young ladies so their conversations were easygoing and flowed naturally. Only when addressing the young commandery princess did she become slightly more formal, adjusting her expression and speaking sincerely, “If Commandery Princess is willing to attend, it would bring great honor and joy to our family to host your presence.”
Upon hearing this, the little commandery princess revealed a faint smile and replied with restraint, “Mmm, I’ll have to check my schedule when the time comes.”
The others were all very supportive and readily agreed to attend as everyone joined in with laughter.
Pei Ming Zhu clapped her hands and added, “Now that everyone is here, let’s have some wine brought in. We can play a drinking game together…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Zhen Yi Yun interjected, “How about we change the game? My second sister has just come from the countryside, and although she has read a few books at home, she might not be very familiar with this method of playing.”
Pei Ming Zhu paused, and her gaze instinctively turned to Zhen Ting Yun. The others also shifted their attention to Zhen Ting Yun, their gazes carried a meaningful look.
If it were someone with thin skin, being looked at like this by so many people would probably have made them blush in embarrassment.
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Zlv, Hbld Mkdt Zwd alxykdle wdqygle. Fbl fwpv pdllale kdoyaezu, ‘Hbld Zk Zwd alyzzu bypd’v pwqqlale ldswtb zspplp!’
Llhlavblzlpp, Hbld Mkdt Zwd eke zynj vyzldv kd rslvau yde zkvlayvwal. Gqvla tkhkdt kv psxl vbswtbv, pbl rasrsple, “Mseyu kp Mbkae Uswpkd’p ckavbeyu ps ol pbswze byhl psxl qwd yde cl xlaau. Tso ycswv byhkdt psxlsdl cakdt kd y qzsola caydnb, yde ol nyd rzyu y tyxl sq ryppkdt vbl qzsola vs vbl clyv sq vbl eawxp. Ebslhla kp bszekdt vbl qzsola obld vbl eawx pvsrp xwpv vlzz y fsjl vs xyjl lhlausdl zywtb. Mbkae Uswpkd yde Usxxydelau Vakdnlpp okzz cl vbl fwetlp. Rq vbl fsjl kpd’v qwddu, vbl rlapsd okzz cl rldyzkgle okvb y nwr sq okdl.”
“Mbyv’p dsv y cye pwttlpvksd,” Vlk Ykdt Hbw iwknjzu ytalle, vbld vwadle vs zssj yv vbl nsxxydelau rakdnlpp, plljkdt bla srkdksd.
Mbl zkvvzl nsxxydelau rakdnlpp tyhl y pzktbv dse.
Ekvb vbyv, Vlk Ykdt Hbw saelale vbl plahydvp vs rknj y qzsola caydnb yde blze kv kd bla byde. Fbl yzps kdpvawnvle y qszekdt pnalld vs cl caswtbv kd, yde y xykeplahydv pvsse clbkde kv, alyeu vs clyv vbl eawx.
Fssd, vbl eawxclyv cltyd, yde vbl qzsola rypple qasx Vlk Ykdt Hbw vs vbl dlmv rlapsd. Eblvbla kv oyp y nskdnkeldnl sa dsv, obld vbl eawxxkdt pvsrrle, vbl qzsola byrrldle vs cl kd Hbld Mkdt Zwd’p bydep.
Ohlausdl lmnbydtle tzydnlp, lytlazu yoykvkdt Hbld Mkdt Zwd’p fsjl.
Hbld Mkdt Zwd eke dsv alqwpl. Gqvla y xsxldv sq nsdvlxrzyvksd, pbl pyke, “R byrrld vs byhl y fsjl. Nlv xl pbyal kv kd bsrlp vs cakdt y pxkzl vs lhlausdl’p qynlp.”
With that, she began, “Once upon a time, there was a family with two sisters…”
As everyone heard the start of her joke, they could not help but laugh as their eyes shifted between Zhen Yi Yun and Zhen Ting Yun. After all, weren’t they two sisters of Zhen family?
Zhen Yi Yun was secretly annoyed, worried that Zhen Ting Yun might take this opportunity to say something negative about her. She discreetly gave Zhen Ting Yun a look.
However, Zhen Ting Yun pretended not to notice Zhen Yi Yun and continued, “One day, the younger sister posed a riddle to her elder sister. ‘There’s a person who is neither my sister nor my brother yet is my parents’ child. Can you guess who she is?’ The elder sister thought for a long time but couldn’t figure it out, so she shook her head. The younger sister then laughed and said, ‘Sister, you’re so silly. The person is me!'”
Listening to Zhen Ting Yun casually say, ‘Sister, you’re so silly’, in front of everyone, Zhen Yi Yun’s grip on her skirt tightened, but she refrained from commenting.
Zhen Ting Yun, seemingly unaware of the atmosphere, continued, “The elder sister found it amusing and decided to use the same line. She later asked her friend, ‘There’s a person who is neither my sister nor my brother yet is my parents’ child. Can you guess who she is?’ The friend replied that she didn’t know, and the elder sister laughed, ‘You’re so silly. Isn’t that person my younger sister!'”
Among those present, many were quick-witted and knew that the elder sister in the joke thought herself to be clever causing all to laugh in amusement. However, Zhen Yi Yun, who was with an unclear conscience, remained apprehensive, thinking that the joke might be a veiled mockery directed at her…
Zhen Ting Yun paid no attention to Zhen Yi Yun beside her, turned her head, and blinked at Pei Ming Zhu and the little commandery princess, asking, “Can I assume that I’ve passed this round?”
Unable to hold back, Pei Ming Zhu burst into giggles, “Yes, yes, yes, you passed! Continue passing down the flower.”
In a while, the drumbeat behind the screen resumed. This time, the flower ended up in the hands of Second Miss Pei. After telling a joke that everyone agreed was not funny, she had to drink a cup of wine as punishment. Then, the flower started circulating again. Somehow, it landed in Zhen Ting Yun’s hands once more.
Afraid that her younger sister might say something inappropriate again, Zhen Yi Yun forced a smile and joked, “Are you all deliberately teasing my younger sister? How come the flower landed back in her hands again?”
Zhen Ting Yun did not mind as she casually said, “It’s after all Third Cousin’s birthday. As a younger sister, it’s okay to tell a few more jokes. Elder Sister, there’s no need to take it to heart.”
Since Zhen Ting Yun, who was the person involved, had already said so, Zhen Yi Yun refrained from speaking further. With everyone cheering on, she had no choice but to let Zhen Ting Yun tell another joke.
Zhen Ting Yun did not intend to take another jab at her this time. Knowing that the audience consisted of young ladies from noble families, she knew that her joke should be more refined. However, having grown up in the countryside with limited exposure to books, she could only retell a joke she had heard from Fu Zhang Xi previously.
“Once upon a time, there was an old man who loved to pose riddles to test others. One day, he came up with the first line of the riddle – A flock of swallows heading south…”
Among those present were many talented and quick-witted young ladies. Upon hearing this couplet, they began to contemplate how to create the corresponding second line.
Seated beside Pei Ming Zhu, the little commandery princess arched her eyebrows upon hearing the first part of the joke.
Zhen Ting Yun then continued, “Coincidentally, the old man happened to encounter a rogue that day. The rogue casually provided the second line to the couplet – Two roasted ducks heading north.”
As soon as the crowd heard this, everyone burst into laughter, some even nearly fell off their stools in amusement.1It’s actually quite funny because the joke was based on homophones. The old man said <一行征燕向南飞> but because it was spoken, the rogue ‘heard’ it as <一蒸雁向南飞> which directly translates to ‘One steam goose heading south’.
Zhen Ting Yun also chuckled before she continued, “The old man, upon hearing the follow-up line to his couplet, found it to be as maddening as it was amusing. He scolded, ‘Which scoundrel came up with this nonsense? It makes no sense at all!’
“But the rogue was quite pleased with himself and he retorted, ‘What’s wrong with it? Yours is a steamed goose, and mine is two roasted ducks. Both are cooked and edible. The couplet has a proper link between head and tail, no?'”
Upon hearing ‘steamed goose’ and ‘roasted duck’, everyone laughed even harder. Some laughed so hard that they were clutching their stomachs, exclaiming in delight.
Only the little commandery princess remained expressionless. She even pursed her lips before she asked, “Where did you hear this joke from?”
Zhen Ting Yun’s laughter halted as she sensed that something was amiss. Tentatively, she asked, “Does Commandery Princess believe that there’s an issue with this joke?”
“There isn’t,” The little commandery princess’s expression remained unchanged. However, there was a hint of something fluttering in her eyes, and her tone carried a profound meaning, “I just heard it before from someone else.”
Zhen Ting Yun relaxed slightly, and someone on the side joined in, trying to lighten the mood. “Perhaps it’s a common joke that many people have shared, and it so happened to reach Younger Sister Zhen’s ears?”
The commandery princess raised an eyebrow. “This was a joke that my royal uncle, Duke Su, told at a palace banquet when he was younger. At that time, my mother was also present, and it left a very deep impression on her as she mentioned it to me several times. So, I’m a bit curious. Pray tell where did Second Miss Zhen learn it from?”
With that statement, everyone in Fragrant Pavilion fell silent.
Although Duke Su was sent to the northern fiefdom at a young age, for these young ladies, he was but a name. Yet, ever since the late emperor appointed this younger brother as Prince Regent, the famous name of Duke Su was widely known to everyone in the capital. Naturally, there were bound to be some stories circulating about Duke Su in the capital.
It was said that Duke Su’s birth mother, Noble Consort Wu, was an extremely beautiful woman. The late Emperor Xiaozong was captivated by her at first sight and even bestowed upon her the position of Noble Consort. After entering the palace, she received Emperor Xiaozong’s constant affection and companionship, spending leisurely days and nights together. Their intimate relationship made all the other imperial concubines in the six palaces green with envy. Later, Noble Consort Wu gave birth to a daughter and a son for Emperor Xiaozong.
Unfortunately, their eldest daughter, Princess Ningguo, passed away in a foreign country not long after marrying a northern barbarian. Noble Consort Wu, grieving over the loss of her daughter, fell sick and also passed away shortly after due to the illness. Emperor Xiaozong grieved over the loss of his beloved consort and could not bear to lay eyes on his youngest son. He left the young prince in the care of Empress Wang. And at age ten, he was granted the title of Prince She Zheng and sent to his fiefdom.
Of course, there were also other rumors that surrounded Duke Su. Some said that he held deep resentment towards the Northern Barbarians due to his elder sister’s fate and had chosen a fief near the Northern Border to be able to confront them directly.
In conclusion, explicitly and implicitly many often mention Duke Su’s uncanny resemblance to his noble consort mother. From a young age, he had a stunning appearance and a handsome figure. Upon entering the frontier at that young age and gaining military experience, he turned out to be a rare talent leading as the troop’s general. He expertly led his troops to repeatedly repel the northern barbarians, earning him the reputation of being an unyielding border wall.
Unfortunately, for some reason, Duke Su remained unmarried to this day and had not produced any heir, choosing to live a solitary and childless life.
****
The fact that such a young, handsome, and capable prince had yet to marry only fueled the daydreams and fantasies of the young maidens.
Now, hearing that the joke told by Zhen Ting Yun was actually mentioned by Duke Su many years ago at a palace banquet, everyone could not help but be taken aback. They all turned their eyes to Zhen Ting Yun, waiting for her response.
Zhen Ting Yun, “…” It’s just a joke, after it’s said and people laugh, who would bother to inquire about the source of a joke? How would she know how Yuan Hui learned about Duke Su’s joke?…
However, the little commandery princess was currently staring at her intently, and even the others were now full of curiosity.
Zhen Ting Yun, who initially had just told the joke casually, found herself in a bit of a predicament. She could only haphazardly find an excuse and explained with half-truths, “I heard it from a merchant on the way back to the capital. Now that I think about it, that merchant seemed to be from the north, maybe having traveled to the Northern Frontier, he heard some things that were related to the Prince Regent…”
Speaking of this, Zhen Ting Yun good naturally raised her hand, poured herself a cup of wine, and raised the cup to apologize to everyone, “This time I have spoken poorly, I’ll drink a cup as a penalty!”
Seeing this, everyone naturally did not say anything else.
It was unknown if the little commandery princess believed it or not. However, upon listening to Zhen Ting Yun’s explanation, she raised an eyebrow and asked in a faint voice, “By saying this, are you implying that royal uncle’s joke was not funny?”
Zhen Ting Yun, “…” So, should she drink this wine or not?
It seemed that the little commandery princess had no intention of making things difficult for anyone. She lowered her head to look at the wine cup in her hand and changed the topic, “You may not know this but Royal Uncle Su is returning to the capital tomorrow.”
The people present were already very curious about Duke Su. Now, hearing the little commandery princess mention Duke Su’s arrival, they were naturally both surprised and delighted. They were so excited to learn of Duke Su’s impending arrival that they forgot about Zhen Ting Yun. They all eagerly asked questions, with enthusiastic eyes fixated on the little commandery princess.
Only Zhen Ting Yun felt bored. Her journey was delayed for several days because of Duke Su’s procession. Did she even utter a word of complaint? Now, even telling a joke, he made her attribute it to a traveling merchant to avoid trouble… People in the capital were so boring.
The little commandery princess smiled discreetly, looking at these ignorant people, feeling slightly superior. Then she explained gracefully, “In fact, Royal Uncle Su arrived long ago. However, he was appointed as the Prince Regent by the late emperor, so he could not just enter the city directly. Therefore, the palace and the imperial cabinet had been discussing the suburban welcome these few days.”
“Oh, I wonder if we can tag along and catch a glimpse of His Highness when the time comes.” Pei Ming Zhu could not help feeling a bit of longing. She continued muttering, “Grandfather didn’t tell us anything.”
Since it was a matter discussed amongst the ministers, logically speaking, Old Master Pei, who was part of the cabinet, should have known about it long ago.
Second Miss Pei had already been engaged and was supposed to get married last year, but it was delayed due to national mourning for the late Emperor. Therefore, she did not share the same longing and anticipation as the other young girls. She maintained a calm demeanor, “This is a national matter. How could Grandfather casually discuss it with us? It’s only because Commandery Princess, with such a distinguished status, was able to catch wind prior and is willing to share this news with us.”
The young commandery princess waved her hand and explained to everyone, “In fact, this time, it’s because the Empress Dowager is preparing to host a banquet in the palace for Royal Uncle Su. My mother and I are both invited, hence, that was how I found out in advance…”
Amidst the lively chatter, the girls eagerly planned to join the festivities, expressing their hopes of catching a glimpse of Duke Su when he entered the city. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and anticipation for the upcoming events.
Zhen Ting Yun felt like sighing on the side. It was so boring and uninteresting. It would have been better to stay home, practice calligraphy, or play her bamboo flute! Wasn’t Third Cousin Ming Zhu supposed to also be studying for the admission examination into the women’s academy? Why did she still have the mood to go out and see what the Prince Regent looked like?
Listening to their conversation, Zhen Ting Yun could not resist recapping yesterday’s arithmetic problems and going through them again in her mind, considering it as a way to pass the time.
Zhen Yi Yun naturally noticed Zhen Ting Yun’s absent-mindedness as she secretly jeered in her heart. With Zhen Ting Yun’s personality which was neither good at pleasing others nor adept at socializing and talking, even if she did not create any trouble for her, she still believed that Zhen Ting Yun would not be welcomed into the social circle of the young ladies in the capital…
With this in mind, Zhen Yi Yun felt faintly triumphant with a slight curl at the corner of her lips. She spoke with the others in a light and lively tone, her words flowing eloquently.
At that moment, the atmosphere among the people became lively once more.
The author has something to say:
Fu Zhang Xi: Unexpectedly, a joke I casually made years ago would be remembered by others for over a decade. No sooner was it retold after my amnesia, I was already caught red-handed…
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