Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Can This Blessing Be Given to Someone Else?
Emperor Wu Su found the woman pacing in the distance extremely distracting.
Today, having come for the entrance test, Ji Qingwu was dressed simply. Her hair was styled in a Cloud Bun, adorned with only a single green jade hairpin and no other jewelry.
The hem of her green gauze dress swayed with her every step, like a soft, floating green cloud.
The loose-fitting skirt made her waist seem all the more slender, enough to make an onlooker want to wrap a hand around it.
Li Yuzong noticed the Emperor’s gaze fall upon the area outside the hall, where it lingered for a long time.
Intrigued, he followed the Emperor’s line of sight. After a glance, he bowed, stepped closer, and whispered, "Your Majesty, that is the Ji Family’s Fifth Missy. She is here with her daughter for the Upper Study Room’s entrance examination."
This news had actually reached the Emperor yesterday, but Li Yuzong dutifully reminded him once more.
Emperor Wu Su shot the chattering eunuch a look before finally retracting his gaze.
Then, with a cool expression, he picked up the memorial he had just tossed aside and wrote a comment with his red pen.
With a flourish of his large hand, his calligraphy, powerful yet elegant, graced the paper.
Seeing that the Emperor’s mood seemed to have improved somewhat, though he knew not why, Li Yuzong began to tiptoe backward, only to hear Emperor Wu Su give a cold command.
Astonished, he cleaned out his ears, almost thinking he had misheard. Only then did he accept the order and exit.
The low sound of reading drifted from within the Upper Study Room.
Standing by the entrance, Ji Qingwu’s heart was pounding. She hadn’t been very nervous when she left home, but the longer she waited, the more her mind automatically conjured terrible scenarios.
So when Li Yuzong appeared behind her, she jumped in fright.
"Miss Ji."
Ji Qingwu spun around abruptly to see Li Yuzong and a few little eunuchs carrying something.
Thinking she was in their way, she quickly stepped aside.
One of the little eunuchs was Little Dongzi, the same one who had delivered the imperial decree to her residence. He smiled and said, "This servant greets Miss Ji. This is my master, Chief Li Yuzong of the Imperial Household."
In the palace, eunuchs who served the Emperor were no ordinary servants, and the Chief of the Internal Affairs Office was the most powerful of them all.
Ji Qingwu replied, neither servile nor overbearing, "Greetings, Chief Li."
Li Yuzong was just as polite. "Miss Ji, you are too kind to this old servant."
"Place the chair right here," Li Yuzong directed his men.
Ji Qingwu watched as a zitan wood chair, carved with patterns of dragons and clouds, was placed right in front of her.
’This is...’
Seeing her confusion, Li Yuzong explained, "This is a gift from His Majesty. The Emperor said that while Miss Ji’s posture is elegant, your pacing back and forth before the door is quite an eyesore. He has ordered you to sit."
’The Emperor finds me an eyesore?’
Ji Qingwu’s expression flickered, not knowing whether to be angry or to laugh.
However, remembering the Holy Emperor’s terrifying presence in the side hall of Cining Palace that day, she could only sit down obediently and reply with deference, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for this gift."
She watched as Li Yuzong made his way back to the Diligent Governance Hall.
’The Upper Study Room is at least thirty or forty meters from the Diligent Governance Hall,’ she mused. ’The Emperor’s eyesight is truly remarkable.’
Once seated, she didn’t dare so much as shift her weight, her back ramrod straight as if she were being punished.
Jiu Jiu blinked and said, "Mother, the Emperor is such a good person. He saw you were tired from standing and gave you a place to sit."
’This is a blessing... I’d rather give to someone else.’
A woman sitting at the entrance of the Upper Study Room was strange enough, but to be seated on a chair with dragon and cloud carvings from the Diligent Governance Hall—it was an unprecedented sight.
Passing Palace Attendants didn’t dare to gossip, but a few stole glances at her.
Ji Qingwu felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles. This was worse than standing.
Li Yuzong quickly returned to the Diligent Governance Hall and quietly resumed his usual post.
At that moment, Emperor Wu Su was holding a memorial, his red pen hovering over the paper. His long brows knitted as he shot Li Yuzong a bone-chilling glance.
Chief Li, who was usually adept at discerning the Emperor’s intentions, had no idea what that look meant.
Li Yuzong studied Emperor Wu Su’s expression and said carefully, "Your Majesty, Miss Ji has taken her seat. She will no longer disturb you."
From the direction of the Diligent Governance Hall, Ji Qingwu could be seen sitting serenely on the chair. Her posture was so proper and still, she seemed to have entered a state of meditation.
The green cloud no longer drifted, yet the sight was still vexing.
"What did she say?" Emperor Wu Su asked with a hint of impatience.
It finally dawned on Li Yuzong. ’So that’s it! He wants to know what Ji Qingwu said in reply.’
He quickly answered, "Miss Ji said, ’Thank you, Your Majesty, for this gift.’"
Emperor Wu Su nodded, one eyebrow raised as if waiting for more.
This time, beads of sweat threatened to soak the brim of Li Yuzong’s hat. He hesitated. "Shall... shall this servant go and ask if Miss Ji has anything else to say?"
After a moment, a cold voice came from the throne.
"Close the red gate."
The meaning was clear: out of sight, out of mind.
For some reason, Emperor Wu Su was particularly difficult to serve today. With utmost caution, Li Yuzong had the little eunuchs under his command close the two large doors, leaving only a slight crack for ventilation.
Ji Qingwu watched, wide-eyed, as the great doors of the Diligent Governance Hall closed right in front of her.
’I’m sitting here quietly, and I’m *still* an eyesore?!’
’If I had a choice, I wouldn’t have come to the palace to be an eyesore to the Emperor in the first place!’
Still, it was for the best. Ji Qingwu let out a long sigh of relief and allowed her posture to relax a little.
After a while longer, an elderly gentleman in an indigo, round-collared, narrow-sleeved robe appeared at the entrance.
From the man’s dignified bearing, Ji Qingwu knew he must be the examiner for the entrance test—the current dynasty’s Crown Prince’s Tutor, Qiao Menghan.
When Qiao Menghan saw Ji Qingwu, Jiu Jiu, and the familiar zitan wood chair, a sharp glint flashed in his old eyes.
’He recognized the chair. It was the one from the Diligent Governance Hall, which the Emperor permitted elderly or infirm officials to use during audiences. But why was it here?’
Qiao Menghan was an old fox of the court. He said nothing, pretending not to have seen it, because he knew that chair would not be here without a very good reason.
Ji Qingwu quickly rose, offered a curtsy, and then stepped aside to wait quietly.
Mr. Qiao nodded. He then looked down at the child, who barely reached his knees, and asked sternly, "Are you Ji Bo Lian’s granddaughter?"
Jiu Jiu showed no fear. "Yes. How do you know my grandfather’s name?"
Mr. Qiao remained unsmiling. "Never mind how I know. Do you know why you are here today?"
The little girl answered honestly, "To study."
"Since you wish to study, what is it that you are good at?"
Jiu Jiu proudly puffed out her small chest. "Counting money."
Qiao Menghan stroked his beard. "Very well. I will ask you this: a group of people are buying an item together. If each person pays eight mace, there is a surplus of three mace. If each person pays seven mace, they are short by four mace. How many people are there, and what is the price of the item?"
It was a surplus-and-deficit problem.
Ji Qingwu’s eyes were soft and bright as she awaited her daughter’s answer.
Jiu Jiu’s dark, shiny eyes darted back and forth. She counted on her little fingers, her lips moving as she mumbled to herself.
After a moment, she announced excitedly, "Seven people, and fifty-three mace!"
Mr. Qiao nodded. ’To answer so quickly without paper or a brush... she has a gift for mathematics.’
"There is a famine in a certain region. The court allocates ten thousand taels of silver for relief. One catty of rice for congee costs one and a half strings of cash and is enough to feed a family of three. How many people can be fed with this relief silver?"
’This question is even simpler than the last one,’ Ji Qingwu thought, cheering her daughter on silently.
But Jiu Jiu thought for a very long time.
Her little brow furrowed, and she seemed very troubled.
"I don’t know."
