Chapter Sixty: My Little Ninth Sister at Home

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PS: This title... hehe, begging for recommendation votes ^_^

Upon hearing this familiar yet somewhat estranged voice, Du Shiyi paused in surprise. As he turned around, he saw a tall, slender youth wearing a headscarf stride into the room, his phoenix eyes full of mirth. Who else could it be but Cui Jianxuan? After more than a year apart, while Du Shiyi had been studying and training in the mountains, he had often wondered how Cui Jianxuan was faring back home in the Eastern Capital. But now, as his friend approached so boldly, Du Shiyi found himself, inexplicably, stepping back instinctively.

"Hey, Du Nineteen, after all this time apart, is this how you greet me, as if I were some venomous serpent?" Cui Jianxuan frowned, clearly annoyed, and snorted angrily. "I happened to run into Twenty-Five, heard you were here, and rushed from Grandmother's place just to see you!"

Glancing at Lady Li, who sat with a smile, obviously indulging and permitting Cui Jianxuan's behavior, Du Shiyi couldn't help but inwardly grumble. Yet, facing Cui Jianxuan's furrowed brow and cold demeanor, Du Shiyi sensed something was amiss, but couldn't quite pinpoint the cause. Unable to unravel the mystery, he decided it best to call an end to the day's events, and said vaguely, "Forgive me, Eleventh Brother. I just told Lady Li that I was hungover last night and came today only out of obligation. Please allow me to take my leave."

"Eleventh Brother?!" Cui Jianxuan took a step forward, his face darkening with displeasure. "Du Nineteen, have you forgotten that not only did we work together to catch locusts in Dengfeng, but we also joined the Lu Family's study hall, always sitting together, even sleeping side by side? Has just a year back in the Eastern Capital made you forget all that?"

Du Shiyi felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing these words. Now, he finally understood the source of his unease. Cui Jianxuan was standing too close, and Du Shiyi caught a faint scent of perfume—subtle but perceptible to someone accustomed to the fresh air of the countryside. Stranger still, from the angle of the lamplight, he noticed a thin layer of powder on Cui Jianxuan’s face, making his skin appear pale as snow. In these times, a man wearing perfume was not unusual, but powdered faces were reserved for the likes of Zhang Yizhi or Zhang Changzong, notorious for their amorous liaisons!

In that instant, the melody of "Butterfly Lovers," which he had performed under the guise of "Transformation into a Butterfly" at Duke Bi's mansion last night, seemed to echo in his ears, and he shivered involuntarily. Though Cui Jianxuan’s departure from the mountains hadn't been marked by a grand farewell or a little sister at home, the current scene was so bizarre that Du Shiyi couldn’t help but imagine: Cui Jianxuan as Zhu Yingtai, and himself as the oafish Liang Shanbo!

This thought flashed through his mind, and he quickly regained his composure. Retreating another step with a barely perceptible smile, he replied, "You exaggerate, Eleventh Brother. We are indeed fellow students and have caught locusts together, but aside from that, our friendship is as pure as water—nothing out of the ordinary." He gestured meaningfully toward the brocade box that Madam Fu was holding as if it were scalding hot. "Look, the hundred strings of cash I borrowed from you have now been repaid with interest."

"You... you actually..."

Seeing Cui Jianxuan point at him in fury, unable to speak for anger, Du Shiyi’s suspicion was confirmed. Calmly, he returned to his seat, crossed his legs, and smiled, "Let me remind you, Eleventh Brother: we have never, at study hall or otherwise, shared a bed; as for studying together... forgive me, but I’ve always found copying more effective than reading, while you, noted for your broad knowledge, usually cram at the last minute. So, though we lived under the same roof, we seldom studied at the same time."

He paused, then glanced at the sable collar around Cui Jianxuan’s neck and asked deliberately, "Shall I go on, Lady Cui?"

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"You... how did you recognize me?"

Upon hearing this, and seeing "Cui Jianxuan" flush with embarrassment, Du Shiyi burst into hearty laughter. Just as he was laughing, a commotion erupted outside, and someone barged in, pushing aside the curtain in irritation. Before steadying himself, he shouted angrily, "Sister, Ninth Sister, what are you two up to! Ah..."

In that moment, he saw a face before him, almost an exact replica of his own, and his eyes widened in shock as he staggered back several steps. He quickly realized, "Good grief, you two are making a mess of things... just wait, I’ll report this to Grandmother and have the family rules enforced!"

"Hmph!" Seeing Du Shiyi’s expression of certainty as he looked at the real Cui Jianxuan, "Cui Jianxuan" stomped her foot in frustration. She plucked the headscarf from her head and tossed it aside, then marched over to the laughing "Lady Zhao," and clung to her arm, shaking it vigorously. "Sister, Sister, look, Eleventh Brother and Du Nineteen are bullying me together!"

"Enough, enough. You insisted on making mischief, and now that you’ve been found out you play the innocent." Fifth Lady Cui finally rose, gently freeing herself from Ninth Lady Cui's grasp, and gracefully bowed, "Du Nineteen, my sister and I acted out of jest and beg your forgiveness. Ever since Eleventh Brother returned from Song Mountain, he’s refused to stay home, praising you to the skies. All our siblings are curious, so today, with the rare opportunity, we wished to see what manner of person Du Nineteen truly was. Now that we’ve met, you indeed surpass your reputation—you’re the first to see through Ninth Sister’s flawless disguise as Eleventh Brother!"

With that, Fifth Lady Cui took the sulking Ninth Lady Cui by the hand and, with a nod and smile, dragged her away. Madam Fu stepped forward, handed the brocade box to Cui Jianxuan, and silently followed the sisters out. Soon, the large sleeping chamber was left with only Du Shiyi, whose expression was nuanced, and Cui Jianxuan, who was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. It was only after some time that Cui Jianxuan, still fuming, plopped down next to Du Shiyi and punched the bedding in frustration. "Good grief!"

"Ahem, ahem!"

Du Shiyi coughed twice, then said with a forced smile, "That’s my line! I was nearly made a fool of by your sisters!"

"Don’t mention it. It’s your first time here, but whenever I’m home, they play tricks on me every few days!" Cui Jianxuan nearly buried his face in his hands, then said with a miserable look, "Just for this prank, they used some flowery persuasion on Grandmother, who ended up delaying me for half an hour! If I hadn’t seen Twenty-Five looking distracted and avoiding my gaze at Grandmother’s, I wouldn’t have suspected anything and rushed over... Oh, right, every time Ninth Sister disguises herself as me, even Grandmother, Father, and Mother have to spend time distinguishing. How did you see through it?"

Du Shiyi could only offer deep sympathy for Cui Jianxuan’s experience with such mischievous sisters, and so he advised, "First, your sister is a maiden, and though she resembles you, she wore powder and perfume. I distinctly recall you hate being told your face looks powdered, and as for perfume, you never used it at the study hall!"

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"Exactly!"

"Second, as I just told your Ninth Sister..." He repeated what he’d said earlier, seeing Cui Jianxuan’s face darken immediately. Du Shiyi continued with a smile, "I thought you couldn’t have told her everything, so if her reaction was off, that would be suspicious. Also, even if her voice was perfect, habits are different—so the trick only works on outsiders. Grandmother and Father, used to your ways, pretend not to recognize her for amusement. Besides, wearing a neck scarf in this weather at home is just odd."

"Ah!" Cui Jianxuan recalled the countless times he’d been fooled by Ninth Sister since childhood, and how the elders always seemed not to recognize her. He was suddenly overcome with frustration. "So they’re just watching me make a fool of myself—infuriating! Du Nineteen, why am I not as lucky as you? If only I had a sister like Thirteenth Lady, gentle and understanding! Look at my family, Sister is hard to deal with, Ninth Sister even harder. They torment me all the time—I’ve nearly suffocated this past year!"

Though Du Shiyi deeply sympathized with Cui Jianxuan’s plight after his own firsthand experience, he truly could offer no help and could only shed a tear of pity in solidarity. After some idle chatter, he opened the brocade box. Seeing the gold within, Cui Jianxuan’s face was full of surprise, so Du Shiyi explained how the profits had come in, and, seeing his friend’s excitement, went on, "But this matter is now settled, Wu Nine has arrived in Luoyang, though I haven’t met him yet. Once I decide what to do next, we’ll plan together."

"Alright, I’m not skilled in such things, so I’ll follow your lead."

Cui Jianxuan had little concept of money, caring only that Du Shiyi’s schemes worked. Without another thought, he closed the brocade box and said with concern, "Lu Master has arrived in Luoyang—I ought to visit him at once, but Grandmother’s illness keeps recurring, and the physician says it’s serious. She’s always favored me, so I can’t leave her side. More importantly..."

He paused, lowering his voice, "Do you remember the gifts and letter I sent to Xuanlian Peak last February? The letter was prompted by news that the court was recruiting reclusive sages, so Sister advised me to write as I did. She only told me yesterday that Lu Master, summoned to Luoyang, is likely to be granted high office because of his great reputation, as a gesture of welcoming talented men. Father was transferred last year from the governor of Hua Prefecture to Fen Prefecture, and this year returned to the capital as Censor-in-Chief, and appointed as Superintendent of the Treasury. Fourth Uncle was made Minister of Works earlier this year. The court’s talent recruitment edict is well regarded, and many families recommend acquaintances and worthy recluses. Sister said that if I visit Lu Master now or invite him over, it will only inconvenience him, as he does not wish to serve. Moreover..."

He sighed, deeply discouraged, "Sister also said that had we not run into Yao Family’s eldest last time, former Prime Minister Yao’s memorial recommending talents might not have listed Lu Master at the top."

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