A Respected Teacher

Zhang Yunchi rambled on like a little old man.

He went on, "You helped him out of a bind at the Jade Forest Banquet, but did he know? And did he ever know how the rumors on the streets had blackened your name?"

Zhang Yunchi glanced at her, feeling it was all so unfair to her.

To his surprise, Zhao Huiluan looked toward the hall entrance, a smile on her lips. "He didn't know before. Now he does."

Zhang Yunchi followed her gaze and saw Rong An standing in the doorway, holding something in his hand.

Rong An came in.

At a look from Zhao Huiluan, Zhang Yunchi cupped his hands to Rong An and called him "teacher," then withdrew from the Hall of Literary Glory.

"Your Highness, this ointment eases pain and reduces swelling. Apply it to the affected area three times a day, and your hand will be fine in less than two days."

Zhao Huiluan glanced at the little porcelain jar Rong An had placed beside her hand. She leaned back against her chair, the fingertips of her uninjured hand tapping idly on the tabletop.

She raised her head and gave Rong An a sweet smile.

"Rong An, apply the medicine for me."

Chapter 19: A Respected Teacher

"This..."

Meeting the girl's teasing eyes, Rong An lowered his head and said respectfully, "Your Highness, that would be improper."

"You and I are sovereign and subject. Even if you are my teacher, was it proper for you to strike me three times with the ruler?"

"Since that's so, why worry about this being improper?"

Zhao Huiluan pushed the little porcelain jar toward him.

Rong An sat down.

Zhao Huiluan laughed inwardly. He truly was a man of courage.

The milky-white ointment was cool and soothing, and it felt wonderful on her palm.

Zhao Huiluan held out her handkerchief. Rong An froze for a moment, then took it and wrapped it around her palm.

"Rong An, I don't regret it."

After a pause, she added, "I don't regret a single word I said at the Jade Forest Banquet."

"Your Highness, you're still young."

Rong An carefully tied the handkerchief in place, then looked Zhao Huiluan in the eyes and spoke with great earnestness.

"I am grateful for Your Highness's affection. Your Highness is in the flower of youth, with boundless spring scenery yet to behold. I have now had the honor of being appointed a lecturer at the Hall of Literary Glory. Classics, histories, philosophy, and literature-whatever I know, I will teach Your Highness."

"I wish for Your Highness to be like a bird in the woods, seeing every mountain flower, and like the moon in the sky, knowing all the world's splendor."

"Would Your Highness be willing?"

Zhao Huiluan listened intently, then gave a playful blink.

"As it happens, there's plenty I want to learn."

She had simply never had the chance.

She had spent far too long cultivating her image as a willful, uneducated princess.

Zhao Huiluan stood and cupped her hands to Rong An.

"In that case, sorry for the trouble, teacher."

When Rong An left the palace after his duties, his attendant Changyou brought the carriage to pick him up, his face drawn long.

"Did you quarrel with Changgeng?"

"No."

"Then you didn't want to come pick me up after work?"

"That's not it!"

Changyou shot him a reproachful look. His lips moved, but in the end he said nothing.

Rong An climbed into the carriage, lifted the curtain, and said to Changyou, "Tell Changgeng to rent that house in Shiyong Ward. There's no need to keep looking."

"Young master, are you really planning to stay in the Yan Capital?"

Changyou frowned. "Didn't you say before that the Yan Capital was a dragon's pool and a tiger's den? You also said you didn't want to wade into its muddy waters, and that an outside posting would be more carefree."

"That was then; this is now."

He recalled how, on the day the results were posted, he had gone to the residence of his respected teacher, Xie Shangxiu, the left chief censor of the Censorate, to thank him.

His teacher had asked him, "Scholars spend ten years studying by a cold window, all for the day their names appear on the golden list. You have now placed first in all three examinations, and your glory is unmatched. What are your plans for the future?"

He had said, "I earned today's honor through hard study. If I said I sought neither high office nor a generous salary, nor to bring glory to my family, it would sound hypocritical and absurd."

"I sought official success first for fame and fortune, and second for a place to put my lifelong learning to use. But a gentleman knows what he should and should not do."

"I know that the Wen Faction controls the court at present, and that anyone who wants a smooth official career must attach himself to it. Though I have no foothold in the Yan Capital, I also disdain such conduct. Therefore, I wish to request an outside posting and advance through my achievements in office."

His teacher had been visibly surprised, but very supportive.

"When things reach their extreme, they must turn around. Wen Hong cannot hold the reins of the court forever. Great Yin's future will have to depend on you young people!"

"But an outside posting is hard, nothing like an official post in the capital. Think it through before you go."

Those who placed in the top three generally entered the Hanlin Academy for training first, and Rong An had been considering the right moment.

At the Jade Forest Banquet, he could have turned the situation to his advantage, using the offense against Wen Hong to secure an outside posting and leave the capital. He had not expected Princess Zhenning's well-meant intervention to upset his plans.

The girl's radiant smile flashed before his eyes, along with her words, "A man like him would disdain to rely on connections through a woman to advance his career," and the "Sorry for the trouble, teacher" she had spoken as she bent her slender waist.

Perhaps staying in the Yan Capital was not out of the question either.

"To the Xie residence."

Hearing Rong An's words, Changyou turned the carriage around and headed for the left chief censor's residence.

This visit, however, was not a very dignified one for him.

He had intended to give his teacher an explanation, since he could no longer request an outside posting.

"My worthy pupil!"

There was a hint of mockery in Xie Shangxiu's voice. "For now, I can still call you my worthy pupil, but in the future I shall have to address you as imperial son-in-law. You have now won the princess's favor, and your prospects are boundless. My family is of modest standing; I would not dare presume on a connection with you. From now on, let us have no further dealings."

Before Rong An could react, the steward had already shown him out of the Xie residence.

Zhao Huiluan heard about the matter several days later and felt it was terribly unfair to Rong An.

"I told you that lot of censors were all old stick-in-the-muds who thought themselves above the world and clung blindly to the past!"

Zhang Yunchi, however, said, "Wasn't he dragged down by your reputation, Princess Zhenning?"

The two bickered their way into the Hall of Literary Glory, where Rong An was sitting at his desk. He glanced at the two of them, his expression calm.

"Teacher."

The two immediately reined themselves in, greeted him respectfully, and took their seats.

Zhao Huiluan was quite unlike her usual self, listening with great attention throughout the lesson.