Major Odes

Once business with the Inner Residence of the Xie residence got going, Liu Acheng kept worrying that something would go wrong.

Everything had gone far too smoothly, and the profit margins were far too high. Yet they were working an unorthodox angle and had no proprietary skills of their own. Naturally, he felt uneasy-or perhaps undeserving.

But in fact, after they made their first sale at the start of winter, nothing went wrong at all.

The Red Silk was excellent and very popular in the Inner Residence. He had to admit that there was probably no one under heaven better at dyeing deep crimson than the Way of the Celestial Masters. Practice truly made perfect. From the second cartload onward, even the charcoal earned praise from Yuan Nüzheng, wife of Xie Shang, the head of the Xie Clan, aunt of Yuan Zhi, the Langya Interior Minister, and General Huan's dream woman.

This was not some miraculous run of good fortune. From the second cartload onward, the charcoal was freshly fired, and the estate had specifically improved its process at Liu Acheng's request, using turkey oak exclusively. This premium firewood not only produced more charcoal; better still, many pieces from the inner layers of the Charcoal Kiln bore patterns resembling silver frost.

These formed when impurities separated out during the high-temperature, oxygen-starved firing process.

So the quality really was good, not merely made to look good... However foolish those noblewomen might be, they still knew that a lump of charcoal that size ordinarily lasted only half a day, whereas these lasted well beyond that. Besides, the patterns looked distinctly different.

Steward Qian was no fool either. He had worked at the Xie residence for decades, ever since the family had been rather less distinguished. Naturally, he knew every master's temperament, and he knew even better how to reduce procurement risks at the right moment. He promptly offered an explanation, letting the mistress know that he, Steward Qian, had specifically found a source at the Way of the Celestial Masters estate outside the city and arranged special purchases to improve life in the Inner Residence—all without spending any extra money.

That was the truth. It really had not cost any more.

Neither Steward Qian nor Liu Acheng, nor the Way of the Celestial Masters estate, had any intention of daring to raise prices. They were determined to serve this major customer they had finally managed to land.

Moreover, the Silver-Frost Turkey Oak Charcoal was only the beginning. Gradually, fresh big fish and wild game arrived too, and some wine found its way in. More impressive still, that crimson Dust-Tail Fan, wrapped in a talisman drawn personally by Lu Song, sold for the steep price of an entire cartload of charcoal...

There were failed products too. Pine nuts were one.

Liu Acheng had originally thought they would be perfectly suited to aristocratic Inner Residences. But the local pine species were what they were: their nuts had an overpowering flavor and very tiny kernels. The common people in the refugee camp were nearly starving to death and did not care about the taste, so naturally they could sit beside a bonfire slowly cracking them open. But try getting a noble young lady like Xie Daoyun to crack a couple!

Such minor failures no longer mattered, though. After just one month, Liu Acheng was already certain that his camp of roughly a thousand people should survive the winter without trouble. They could endure even if it snowed.

By this point, the risk of anything going wrong at the Xie residence had also fallen to a level that could be ignored entirely.

The reason lay in those dozens of pounds of peachwood firewood wrapped in talismans that the two Lius still personally carried over every few days.

When Yuan Nüzheng learned of it, she issued specific instructions that this firewood was to be reserved for Xie Lang, also called Xie Ahu, the sickly eldest son of her younger brother-in-law Xie Ju-in other words, he was to have his own special kitchen fire. When Xie Lang's mother, a woman of the Wang Clan who likewise came from Black Robe Alley, heard about this, she actually felt somewhat embarrassed. She privately asked Steward Qian whether they could buy more of this ghost-banishing, illness-dispelling peachwood firewood for all the children to use. But Steward Qian, already briefed by Liu Acheng, declined with a rueful smile.

The reasoning was simple. What truly worked was not the peachwood firewood itself, but peachwood combined with the talismans of the Way of the Celestial Masters. Yet drawing talismans consumed divine power for both Master Xu and Master Lu. Especially now that Master Xu had gone to Kuaiji, only Master Lu remained at the estate outside the city capable of drawing them. That made the scarce goods more precious still.

The Wang Clan lady sighed deeply over this, and even asked Steward Qian to present Master Lu with a fine set of paper and brushes, giving Lu Song quite a fright.

One could only say that there were reasons the Xie Family would become one of Great Jin's actual ruling families over the following decades. The care these women of the Inner Residence showed toward a sickly member of the next generation, and their courtesy toward one another, fully displayed the united, affectionate spirit of a great feudal household belonging to a rising, top-ranking aristocratic clan.

As for why this incident meant the risk could now be ignored?

It had become entangled with the Xie Family's fine feudal traditions. What risk could possibly remain? Even if Xie An returned tomorrow for the New Year and saw through everything at a glance, he would only hold his nose and accept it-peachwood firewood was wonderful! Family unity was marvelous!

From then on, this peachwood firewood would be reserved for cooking Ahu's meals. No one else was allowed to take it.

Even so, Liu Acheng maintained a fierce degree of caution, one that could almost be called excessive.

Once he started making money and had a little more to spare, every time he carried firewood over and delivered goods, he made sure to give small gifts to the soldiers and armed slaves guarding the gate. Sometimes it was a bag of pine nuts, sometimes a small bag of salted vegetables, and more often talismans drawn by the crimson-robed Daoists under Lu Song.

Although Steward Qian repeatedly insisted that he had already taken care of everyone concerned and Liu Acheng need not worry so much, the latter paid him no heed.

Besides that, Liu Acheng and Liu Jili had already encountered members of the Xie Family several times in the Inner Residence.

Once, they saw Xie Ju, a court gentleman attendant, directing servants as they smoked rats out. Judging by his appearance, if he had not been mindful of his status, he would have all but replaced those Slave Retainers and climbed onto the rafters to do it himself... Even great nobles needed some amusement in life;

Another time, they saw the young Xie Xuan going to the kitchen to beg for hot cakes. Liu Acheng had some impression of this little boy, who had stood behind Xie Daoyun supporting his vomiting elder brother. The boy clearly remembered him and Liu Jili too, and even gave them a slight nod before leaving with the hot cakes in his hands. Only then did Liu Cheng learn from the Slave Retainers in the Inner Residence, with whom he was now familiar, that the child called Ae was actually Xie Xuan;

On another occasion, they encountered Xie Quan. The eldest of the younger generation in the residence clearly lacked his younger brother's good memory and took the two Lius for ordinary firewood-carrying Slave Retainers. He had come to see Steward Qian and ask him to prepare a basic selection of winter gifts, which were to be sent together with medicines his uncle had delivered from Yuzhou to his aunt in Iron Urn City.

According to Liu Jili, the first and third encounters had both been good opportunities. Xie Ju's willingness to smoke out rats showed that he was quite easygoing, and he was an adult with an official post. A single word from him would settle things. The encounter with Xie Quan was even more straightforward. As someone personally involved in the tiger hunt on Flower Mountain, Liu Acheng could simply introduce himself and bring up the Tiger Hide from Flower Mountain. It would all follow perfectly naturally.

But Liu Acheng insisted on waiting. His reasoning was that they should first accumulate as much income as possible; there was no such thing as too much money or grain. What if negotiations failed and their income was cut off? By their current calculations, they had enough, but the situation worsened by the day. Who knew what unexpected trouble might arise?

Second, since they had already established a connection, there was no need to be too deliberate. They should aim for something casual and natural, and ideally establish harmonious relations throughout the Xie residence. Only then could they gain a little dignity in their unequal dealings with a top aristocratic clan like the Xie Family, and turn that into substantial practical benefits.

Liu Jili did not wholly agree, but neither did he object. It was not merely that their repeated successes had given him faith in Liu Acheng. More importantly, they really did still have plenty of time.

Only one month of winter had passed. They could take things slowly.

Yet upon entering the eleventh month, an unexpected development shattered the two Lius' plans-Xie An returned.

After finishing his mourning period that autumn, Xie An had originally intended to return to Eastern Mountain. Instead, he ran straight into Chu Pou's troubles and was forced to remain around Guangling and Jingkou, accompanying his older female cousin and her husband. Now he chose to return to the capital, for an obvious reason: Chu Pou was probably truly about to die. Under those circumstances, staying beside Chu Pou would be awkward-he had sons of his own. What business did a cousin of his wife have attending his deathbed?

There was little point in going to Eastern Mountain in Kuaiji either, since he would have to return once Chu Pou died. Besides, the New Year would follow soon afterward... He could only go home.

He would return home, wait for news of Chu Pou's death and the end of the funeral rites, celebrate the New Year, and then go back to Eastern Mountain. That would be soon enough.

Xie An's return immediately put the Xie residence into an entirely different state. Previously, although the brothers Xie Yi, Xie Ju, Xie Wan, Xie Shi, and Xie Tie were all present, none of them took part in managing the Inner Residence, apart from Xie Ju occasionally directing servants to smoke out rats.

But Xie An was different. He placed great importance on the education of the younger generation. Once he returned, every child and nephew or niece, male or female, had to attend lessons and make up for lost study time!

Over the next fortnight, the two Lius carried another four or five loads of firewood over, yet did not see a single member of the Xie Family's younger generation-not even from a distance. Instead, they heard them every time they came, because almost every visit coincided with Xie An teaching all the children in the large courtyard two walls away, discussing the Book of Songs, the Book of Han, or the Spring and Autumn Annals.

On the surface, he truly seemed devoted to lofty discourse and carefree living. Behind the scenes, he forced the children through the most ruthless elite education.

Now Liu Acheng and Liu Jili finally panicked. If lessons were held every day, how were they supposed to "naturally" come into contact with the Xie Family, express their wish to present the Tiger Hide, and then secure an introduction to an elder?

But if they simply barged into the classroom to find Xie An, surely that would anger the teacher, no matter how they looked at it?

Yet the days kept passing, and Xie An showed no intention of granting a winter holiday. Finally, in the latter part of the eleventh month, the three Lius discussed matters back in Jiangcheng and agreed that they could delay no longer. Most of the winter had passed anyway, and the money they had earned was already enough for the refugee camp to survive it... Even snow held no fear... Meanwhile, Xie An was certainly going to spend the New Year at home, so these family lessons would probably continue until afterward. That being so, they could only steel themselves and proceed.

They would attract attention, tell the truth, be sincere, and then say they wished to offer the Tiger Hide in exchange for a future... If Xie An made things difficult, they would prioritize Liu Huzi's appointment as an "Elite Soldier." After all, Liu Huzi really could muster a core band of men.

With their plan settled, a day later the two once again shouldered peachwood firewood and escorted a cartload of charcoal over, also carrying a crimson Crane-Feather Fly Whisk tucked against their chests, ready to deal with Xie An.

Everything went smoothly at first. The two Lius reached Black Robe Alley, entered the Xie residence's side gate as familiarly as traveling a well-worn road, unloaded their supplies, and collected their payment in money and grain... Then, as always, they did not leave immediately. Instead, they sat at the foot of the wall as usual and listened to Teacher Xie's lesson from two walls away.

The nearby Slave Retainers were accustomed to this, since the two had behaved this way before. Every time, they listened attentively without saying much, then obediently left once the lesson ended. The Slave Retainers merely discussed them behind their backs, saying that these two were scholars after all. Though reduced by poverty and fallen fortunes to carrying firewood and delivering charcoal, they remained so eager to learn. Perhaps they would amount to something great someday.

Today, Teacher Xie was lecturing on the Book of Songs.

The two had listened to only a few sentences when they suddenly heard Xie An speak from beyond the walls. "I am not actually well versed in the Mao Commentary on the Book of Songs. In discussing these poems today, I have merely drawn upon the judgments of our predecessors. Fortunately, the sage said: 'The three hundred poems may be summed up in a single phrase: thoughts without depravity'... So let me ask you: approaching it with your own innocent thoughts, which line in the Mao Commentary on the Book of Songs is best? Awei"-Xie Quan-"you first."

From the sound of it, he was actually questioning his class.

Presently, the voice of Xie Quan, the eldest, rang out, though he clearly lacked confidence. "Guan, guan cry the ospreys, upon the islet in the river. A graceful, virtuous maiden, a fine mate for a gentleman..."

"Have you grown impatient to enter official service?" Xie An shook his head and laughed on the spot. "With our family background, must we worry about missing out on good posts? Surely you cannot be worried that you will fail to marry a girl from a good family?"

The Xie children burst into laughter... Yet on the other side of the walls, Liu Acheng felt Xie An was being rather absurd. As the eldest of this generation, Xie Quan surely did want to enter official service. But given his personality, he had probably said this today simply because Teacher Xie called on him, and he picked a famous line from the first poem in the Book of Songs to get through the question. Why seize the opportunity to impose lofty meanings and prod at his sore spots?

"Ahu..." Xie An called on someone else.

"The qilin's hoofs, noble and virtuous sons. Ah, the qilin..." Another male voice rang out. It should have belonged to Xie Lang, sickly but always proud.

"Very well." Xie An's tone was noticeably gentler. "It is excellent that you wish to encourage yourself, but this is still rather too direct."

Beyond the walls, Liu Acheng did not quite understand, but Liu Jili was already shaking his head slightly. He then explained in a low voice, "This praises the children of Princes and Dukes as being born rich in virtue. By saying this, Xie Lang is boasting of his noble birth and exceptional talent and virtue, claiming he does not fall short of the Xie Clan's reputation. There is also a faint suggestion that he looks down on the other brothers."

Liu Acheng immediately nodded. That fit. After visiting the Xie residence for more than a month, he had long since learned that this Xie Ahu was sickly but reputedly quick-witted. His mother's family also happened to be the Langya Wang Clan next door. As a so-called son of Wang and Xie, by the logic of bloodlines he seemingly stood above even the others within the Xie Family. His arrogance and desire to come first were unmistakable.

"Daoyun." Having finished his comments, Xie An continued questioning them in order of age.

"My heart is no stone; it cannot be turned. My heart is no mat; it cannot be rolled." Xie Daoyun's voice promptly rang out.

"You are a girl. Why be so unyielding?" Xie An sounded somewhat helpless. "This poem does not suit you."

"This is precisely a poem about a woman's solemn resolve and steadfastness," Xie Daoyun immediately retorted. "How does it not suit me?"

"This poem concerns the relationship between ruler and minister. The minister resents his ruler's lack of discernment, yet remains unwavering in loyalty," Xie An explained helplessly. "Do you intend to become an official? Are you already worried about encountering difficulties in office? Even if we return to its original meaning, what is so admirable about a woman who resents a man yet never changes her heart? Our family would never let you suffer such an indignity."

"Uncle, you yourself said we should explore the Mao Commentary on the Book of Songs through our innocent thoughts... Besides, how can literary meaning have a fixed interpretation? Why must it be ruler and minister, or lovesick men and resentful women? Can I not simply take its sense of solemn resolve and steadfastness?" Xie Daoyun refused to yield.

Helpless, Xie An could only nod. "Very well, very well..."

After Xie Daoyun's challenge, the remaining Xie children's answers inevitably became somewhat perfunctory. Clearly, Xie An still had not heard the answer he wanted, until he questioned the youngest. "Ae, what about you?"

"When I went away, the willows swayed softly. Now that I return, the snow falls thick and fast." A thoroughly childish voice promptly reached them.

"Excellent!" Xie An was visibly invigorated. "Great counsels secure our destiny; far-reaching plans are timely proclaimed! Ae, take this as encouragement!"

"What does that mean?" Liu Acheng was momentarily puzzled.

"The Mao Commentary on the Book of Songs says Cai Wei concerns campaigning for one's country without remembering hardship. It expresses the idea that if you willingly shoulder responsibility for the state, you will not feel weary. And Xie Eastern Mountain's response comes from Duke Wu of Wei's words of self-reproach and self-encouragement in the Major Odes..." Liu Jili offered a brief explanation. "In other words, Xie Ae is expressing his willingness to shoulder difficult tasks for his family and the court. Xie Eastern Mountain is praising him and using a worthy man from the Book of Songs to encourage him."

After hearing this, Liu Acheng could only feel sorry for Xie Xuan... It was true that Xie Xuan was precocious and clever. Perhaps he simply thought the lines beautiful, or perhaps, influenced by adults like Xie An, he was saying something along the lines of, "I will study hard and shoulder my family's responsibilities when I grow up." But from beginning to end, from Xie Quan to Xie Daoyun to Xie Xuan, why did everything Xie An said sound like the same rigid recitation of prescribed interpretations, forcibly burdening the verses with lofty significance?

Even if all the annotations in this era's Mao Commentary on the Book of Songs force lofty meanings onto everything, you are Xie An! Do you not have even a little literary sensibility?

Come to think of it, did Xie An have any literary reputation in history? Did any of his poems, rhapsodies, or essays survive?

Or was he telling the truth when he said he was not well versed in the Book of Songs?

Just as Liu Acheng was puzzling over this, Liu Jili suddenly took out his flute and prodded his companion with it, then asked, "You or me?"

Apparently, now that the classroom questioning had ended, the lesson was being dismissed early. The courtyard had already become noisy, and according to their plan, one of them should now play the bamboo flute to attract attention next door.

"You do it. You play better than I do." Liu Acheng at least knew his own limitations. "Play the tune I taught you last month. It is sure to draw Xie Eastern Mountain's interest."

Liu Jili nodded and did not stand on ceremony. He immediately began playing the bamboo flute.

In truth, Camel Jili was not particularly good at the bamboo flute either, only a little better than Liu Acheng. Fortunately, the latter had prepared a new tune, one that could be considered famous. It ought to produce a remarkable effect.

Sure enough, as the tune rang out, the surrounding Slave Retainers first looked surprised. Then some kindly souls immediately warned the two not to disturb the distinguished people two walls away.

But it was already too late. Two walls away, Xie An, who had been about to leave, heard the flute and paused slightly. He immediately asked, "What tune is this? Who is playing?"

The Xie children looked at one another. No one could answer.

Only Xie Quan curled his lip. "It is certainly not one of the household musicians. Otherwise, the melody would not be so disjointed."

"Then it should be a newly arrived Slave Retainer, or one of the Way of the Celestial Masters servants who have recently been delivering firewood and charcoal to the rear quarters," Xie Lang offered his judgment. "Do people from the Way of the Celestial Masters not come every few days to deliver peachwood firewood? Father, would you like to meet them?"

At this, the youngest, Xie Xuan, seemed to want to say something. But Xie An had already shaken his head. "I still have to visit Yin Yangzhou. Why else would I end the lesson so early? Since outsiders are playing a new tune, ask them to teach it to our household musicians. I can listen when I return tonight."

With that, he turned and left.

Back in the rear courtyard, Liu Jili soon received an invitation to teach the musicians his new tune.

Fortunately, this time he did not smash his flute.

------A dividing line skilled at playing the flute------

Lord Xie gathered the younger members of his family and asked which lines in the Mao Commentary on the Book of Songs were best. Ae replied, "When I went away, the willows swayed softly; now that I return, the snow falls thick and fast." The lord said, "Great counsels secure our destiny; far-reaching plans are timely proclaimed." He considered these lines to possess the profound sensibility of a refined soul.

-New Account of Tales of the World, "Literature," section four

PS: I caught a cold. My throat started hurting yesterday morning, and today I felt miserable all day, with every symptom coming on. I barely managed to cobble together four or five thousand characters. Please forgive any errors or omissions. I also hope I can get some good rest today, feel better by tonight, and get back into form.