Chapter 10: A Borrowed Purse and a Playful Dog

It was the first time Su Zhuozhi had ever encountered such a situation.

Unwilling to keep the child waiting, he offered a warm smile. “I’ll give you your reward money in a moment.”

The young child holding the tray looked somewhat confused, unable to grasp why the usually generous young master suddenly had no money. After a brief hesitation, he continued on his way, smiling as he sought rewards elsewhere.

Only after the child had departed did Su Zhuozhi fix his gaze on Xie Jue, a hint of displeasure in his voice. “Are you afraid I’ll abscond with your money? I’m merely borrowing it for now; I’ll return it, with interest, once we’re back at the manor.”

The Su family had always been meticulous about paying their servants at the beginning of each month, never once delaying. Furthermore, good service during the month often earned them extra silver. Xie Jue, in particular, had just received a raise in his monthly allowance from Master Su.

Xie Jue had never once worried about such matters. He was simply… broke.

Su Zhuozhi stared at him for a long moment, seeing no sign of deceit. He frowned. “Did you squander your monthly pay at the gambling den?”

“I did not.”

“Then where is your money?”

Xie Jue found himself unable to articulate a coherent answer. Su Zhuozhi, convinced he was being lied to, gave up on pressing the matter. With a sullen expression, he waited for Qingping to return, paid the reward, and took a candied hawthorn. He bit off half, the sugar coating shattering with a crisp *crunch*.

Without a single glance at Xie Jue, he walked directly to the carriage, climbed inside, and prepared for their return to the manor.

Qingping looked from his young master to Xie Jue, then asked tentatively, “Did you anger the young master?”

Xie Jue’s face remained impassive, offering no reply.

Qingping nodded knowingly. “So that’s it.”

Xie Jue cast a sharp glance in his direction, prompting Qingping to swiftly retreat, feigning innocence. Yet, he couldn’t resist chiding him once more. “The young master is so kind; how could you upset him? You should hurry and apologize!”

Apologize and admit his mistake?

How utterly laughable.

He would never stoop to such a thing.

Xie Jue behaved as though he hadn’t heard a word, following Su Zhuozhi into the carriage.

Then, he was brusquely ordered out by Su Zhuozhi.

Qingping watched, a gleeful smirk playing on his lips, secretly enjoying the spectacle.

He mused that if the young master didn’t want Xie Jue to follow, then it was his duty to step in. How could the young master be left unattended?

Thus, Qingping scrambled into the carriage without a moment’s hesitation. Just then, a piercing gaze, almost tangible, struck him from behind, as if it would bore a hole through his back. Qingping shivered, then burrowed in even faster.

After a while, Qingping did not reappear, instead instructing the coachman to depart.

Xie Jue was left to sit at the front of the carriage, beside the coachman. The coachman, a talkative man who enjoyed conversing with anyone, found himself rebuffed this time. No matter what he said, his companion offered no response. The coachman eventually gave up, closing his mouth in frustration.

Upon their arrival at the gates of the Su Manor, the carriage came to a halt.

Su Zhuozhi leaped out, and as he passed Xie Jue, he tossed out a remark. “If you need it, you can ask Wanying for an advance on your monthly pay.”

Qingping, trailing behind, sighed softly. “Isn’t our young master wonderful? When my mother fell ill before, he found out and immediately gave me leave, even rewarding me with a ginseng root.”

Xie Jue watched Su Zhuozhi’s retreating figure, remaining silent.

Days turned into weeks, and Su Zhuozhi still hadn’t managed to get rid of Xie Jue. The Mid-Autumn Festival, however, arrived first.

For such an important festival, the imperial palace would host a grand banquet, where the emperor and his officials would celebrate together, admiring the moon and enjoying wine. Jiang Yangyu and others, as scions of prominent families, were naturally expected to attend.

Su Zhuozhi remained silent as they discussed the event. A moment later, Meng Yuanzhou was the first to react, glancing at the quiet Su Zhuozhi before changing his tune. “This evening banquet is utterly dull, with nothing entertaining and far too many rules. It’s much more comfortable to stay at home.”

The others were about to tease him, asking if he wasn’t afraid of being lectured by his Grand Tutor father for speaking that way, but after catching Meng Yuanzhou’s eye, they quickly echoed his sentiments.

Su Zhuozhi, understanding their unspoken concern, smiled. “Why are you all so cautious? It’s not as if I’ve never been.”

Now it was their turn to be shocked. “When was that?”

Su Zhuozhi reminisced. “It was probably when I was nine, before I entered the Imperial Academy. Because my father had donated grain to the front lines and facilitated trade with the Western Regions, His Majesty specially permitted my father to attend the palace banquet. Father, Mother, my elder brother, and I all went together. I recall there being a great deal of delicious food, and the music and dancing were beautiful. The mooncakes had a rich variety of flavors. Oh, and that was the first time I ever tasted one with a savory meat filling; the taste was quite… peculiar.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yangyu secretly regretted that he hadn’t seen Zhuozhi back then. Otherwise, he would have had a handsome younger brother much sooner. Aside from the period when Su Zhuozhi first entered the Imperial Academy and called him ‘elder brother,’ once they became close friends, Su Zhuozhi refused to use the term anymore. In their spirited youth, everyone wanted to be the ‘big brother’ or even the ‘father figure.’

Su Zhuozhi saw right through his thoughts. “Even if we had met, I wouldn’t have called you ‘elder brother.’ My own older brother was right there beside me; he would have beaten you up.” Back then, Su Huailang was only fifteen, far from his current composed and steady demeanor.

The others burst into laughter.

Ye Huahui suggested, “Yangyu, your mother is the Princess Royal. Why don’t you ask her to speak with His Majesty and arrange for Zhuozhi to attend the palace banquet? His Majesty would surely agree.”

“Indeed,” another chimed in. “And I think His Majesty quite likes Zhuozhi. Otherwise, he wouldn’t call him to play polo every time.”

The current emperor, twenty-six years of age and not yet established, was exceptionally fond of polo. However, he disliked playing with his ministers, finding them too bound by etiquette and unable to play freely. They would also seize every opportunity to discuss state affairs with him, ruining his mood. Therefore, he preferred to summon the sons of officials into the palace for a rousing game. Su Zhuozhi was among them; though not an official’s son, his pleasing personality and excellent polo skills had earned him the emperor’s favor.

Allowing Su Zhuozhi to attend the palace banquet was a minor matter that the emperor was unlikely to refuse.

But Su Zhuozhi did not agree. He said playfully, “You all want me to spend Mid-Autumn with you so badly? But I have to enjoy the moon and eat mooncakes with my family. There’s nothing I can do, so I’ll just have to disappoint and sadden you.”

The others rolled their eyes, feigning disgust, and retorted good-naturedly, “Who cares? Go celebrate your festival!”

Su Zhuozhi clutched his stomach, laughing. “Alright, alright, afterwards I’ll treat you all to a grand meal at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, just us.”

Only then were Jiang Yangyu and the others satisfied.

In truth, Su Zhuozhi had little interest in palace banquets. With so many people and so many rules, it was impossible to truly enjoy oneself, unlike at home, where he could indulge in laziness and lounge about as he pleased. Compared to the Mid-Autumn palace banquet, he was far more interested in the ‘Burning Tail Feast.’

The Burning Tail Feast was a lavish banquet held to celebrate scholars passing the imperial examinations or officials receiving promotions. It carried the auspicious meaning of a ‘dragon burning its tail to ascend to the heavens,’ symbolizing a swift rise through the ranks.*

Soon after Mid-Autumn, Gong Cheng’s father was to host a Burning Tail Feast to celebrate his appointment as Minister of Revenue. Su Zhuozhi, as Gong Cheng’s friend, also received an invitation.

However, before that, the quarterly examination arrived even sooner.

This was the Imperial Academy’s system of quarterly assessments, presided over by the Libationer. It tested knowledge of the Four Books and Five Classics, along with imperial edicts, proclamations, memorials, policies, essays, and judicial rulings.*

Su Zhuozhi looked utterly miserable, detesting the quarterly exams so much that he would have nightmares, being chased and beaten by a horde of giant characters.

And so, he and his group of dissolute friends decided to visit a temple to pray for good results.

Indeed, they neglected their studies during the semester, only to clasp the Buddha’s feet before the exam.

Master Su was also aware that his youngest son’s quarterly exams were approaching. He wanted to see if he was diligently reviewing his studies and preparing for the test.

However, the moment he arrived at the Jade Waves Hall, he saw a figure dart out with incredible speed.

Master Su: “???”

What foul creature had just flown past?

It seemed, somehow, vaguely, to resemble his son?

Master Su turned around, but not even a shadow remained.

His face darkened as he asked a young servant, “Where did your master rush off to?”

The servant stammered hesitantly.

Master Su: “Speak quickly!”

The servant flinched, shrinking his neck, and confessed honestly, “The… the young master went to Seven Peaks Mountain to pray with Duke’s heir and his other friends.”

“Pray? At this hour?”

“Yes, yes, the young master wishes to pray for the blessing of the God of Literature.”

“He doesn’t study properly on normal days, and now he’s relying on a deity’s blessing? Will a god even bother with a lazy lout like him?!” Master Su fumed, cursing under his breath as he entered Su Zhuozhi’s study to check on his recent efforts.

Then, he discovered a poem written by his youngest son on the desk. His eyes lit up. He picked it up, reading it repeatedly, savoring it for a good long while before leaving with a solemn expression.

Master Su returned to the main house and quietly told Madam Su about the matter, unable to resist fantasizing about the future. He said, beaming, “Don’t you think our Su family might produce a *jinshi*, or even… a *tanhua* or *zhuangyuan*?”

Madam Su looked helpless. “It’s broad daylight; why are you already dreaming?”

Master Su straightened his face. “Why am I dreaming? Look at this poem; how well it’s written. This boy has been intelligent since he was little, just lazy and disliked studying. Otherwise, he would have been at the top of his class long ago.”

“That’s true.” Madam Su nodded in agreement, then added, “But don’t put too much pressure on him.”

“How can I put pressure on him? He doesn’t even call me ‘Father’ when he sees me, just runs off to play. Tell me, does he even have me, his father, in his eyes anymore?” Master Su stroked his beard and glared, clearly displeased.

“No! No!”

A cheerful voice enthusiastically answered Master Su.

It was the parrot in the birdcage hanging in the corridor, flapping its wings happily.

Master Su’s face turned as black as the bottom of a wok. Madam Su paused, then couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Meanwhile, Su Zhuozhi had already arranged to pick up Jiang Yangyu from the Duke’s Manor, after which they would travel together to Seven Peaks Mountain by carriage, chatting along the way.

However, Su Zhuozhi’s special trip wasn’t solely for that reason. He excitedly dashed out, climbed into the carriage, and urged the coachman to depart quickly.

Xie Jue watched Su Zhuozhi, who was propping his chin on his hand, gazing out the window with bright eyes and a face full of anticipation. He felt a flicker of confusion. Was their friendship truly so profound? Did the thought of seeing his friend make him unable to stop the corners of his lips from curving upward?

Xie Jue cast a glance, then shifted his gaze, convincing himself that he didn’t care.

Upon reaching the gates of the Duke’s Manor, the carriage stopped.

Su Zhuozhi alighted, and the Duke’s Manor servants, who were well acquainted with him, quickly stepped forward to welcome him inside, informing him that the heir had been waiting for him for quite some time.

He hadn’t walked far inside when a joyous black shadow bounded towards him, *pat-pat-pat*, enthusiastically leaping into his arms.

It was a large, fluffy dog.

With blue eyes, thick black and white fur, and sharply pointed ears, its robust physique bore a striking resemblance to a wolf. However, its wildly wagging tail and the clear, foolish innocence in its eyes unmistakably revealed it to be a clumsy, trouble-making dog.

It panted, tongue lolling out, barking excitedly to express its fervent welcome to Su Zhuozhi.

Su Zhuozhi knelt down, embracing its head and ruffling its fur haphazardly. The Duke’s Manor pets were naturally well-cared for; its fluffy, soft fur felt incredibly luxurious, like sinking into a cloud, making it impossible to let go.

The gloomy mood brought on by the impending exams was considerably lightened.

Su Zhuozhi narrowed his eyes.

“You didn’t come to pick me up; it’s obvious you came to play with it, isn’t it?” Jiang Yangyu walked over, arms crossed, speaking with a touch of sarcasm.

Su Zhuozhi looked up, smiling. “I specifically came to pick you up, and coincidentally, to tease General Mighty.”

Jiang Yangyu snorted, unconvinced. “If you like it so much, why don’t you get one yourself?”

Su Zhuozhi replied without hesitation, “It’s too stupid; it would easily infuriate me to death. It’s just right to come here and play with it occasionally.”

As he spoke, Su Zhuozhi seemed to recall something and glanced back at Xie Jue, who stood behind him.

Xie Jue was puzzled.

What did that glance mean?

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