Chapter Twenty-Nine: Sailing

Early the next morning, after Gu Qiulan and Qin Muchuan bid farewell to Grandmother at Crane Cypress Residence, they prepared to depart. Madam Zhou accompanied them all the way to the docks, where, dismounting from her sedan, she clung to Qin Muchuan's hand, weeping and offering endless admonitions.

With so many people about and the bustle at the dock, Duke Qin could hardly deliver an extended lecture. He could only scold her in a low voice, “Look at yourself, all in tears and grief—what sort of decorum is this! That rascal is going to take up an official post, not to the battlefield! When I went off to war, you never cried like this!”

“How could that be the same!” Madam Zhou glared at him. “Muchuan has never trained in martial arts, nor has he tasted much hardship. Who knows what suffering awaits him in Jiangnan!”

Duke Qin gave a heavy snort, clearly displeased, his face stern. “If you have something to say, say it quickly! If you delay their departure and His Majesty takes offense, none of us will be able to bear the consequences.”

Finally, Madam Zhou managed to stifle her tears but quickly turned to Gu Qiulan, repeatedly urging her to be cautious in all things while traveling, to take good care of herself and to look after Qin Muchuan as well. As she spoke, her expression suddenly darkened, a murderous aura about her that even startled Duke Qin. She pulled Gu Qiulan aside, lowered her voice, and grew exceedingly solemn.

“Qiulan, I speak from experience. You must keep your wits about you on this journey to Jiangnan.”

Gu Qiulan looked puzzled. “Keep my wits about me…?”

Seeing her confusion, Madam Zhou realized her daughter-in-law was still quite naïve. She looked at her with a mixture of exasperation and care. “Jiangnan is a bustling, lively place, full of all kinds of seductresses and schemers! I know you have a soft heart, so I’ve especially chosen five women from our estate to accompany you. Don’t be fooled by their rustic origins—they’re all strong as oxen and their families depend on our household for their livelihood. They’re absolutely loyal. If any brazen hussies dare approach the Qin residence, let those women drive them out without mercy! Even if Muchuan’s new post is only a minor one, he’s still the son of the Duke. You must show the bearing of the lady of the house when you’re outside!” With that, she looked at Gu Qiulan expectantly. “Qiulan, I’m counting on good news from you—don’t let me down!”

Gu Qiulan silently lowered her head—Mama Zhuang had said that at times like this, it was best just to act coy. But the bearing of a lady of the house… Mama Zhuang had never taught her that. How, exactly, was she supposed to display it? Gu Qiulan fell into deep thought.

—She was new to the role of mistress herself, with little experience to draw upon.

Soon, the hour for the fleet’s departure arrived. After bidding farewell to those who had come to see them off, the party bound for Jiangnan finally set out. There were seven officials in total, led by the newly appointed Vice Minister of Rites, Sun Jiuwang, with the rest being professors and academic supervisors from the Imperial Academy. Among them, Qin Muchuan was the youngest and least experienced, both in age and rank.

Thus—

“Husband, must all of these be copied today?” Gu Qiulan looked at the two large tables covered in documents, her head spinning.

“That stack is for Supervisor Zheng, and that one for Supervisor Chen. And that over there…” Qin Muchuan gripped his brush, his face contorted in frustration. “A pack of old men, claiming to be seasick and unwell, but all these documents must be finished before sunset tomorrow. Since I’m young and strong, I’m to do all the copying—supposedly good practice for my handwriting! Damn it, as if I need more practice—are my strokes not impressive enough?!”

“Impressive!” Gu Qiulan quickly applauded.

Qin Muchuan: “………………………………”

Forget it. He’d better just get on with the copying—as the registrar, he had little choice.

Gu Qiulan kept him company for a while, but the monotony was stifling. Even staring at Qin Muchuan’s face could not make up for hours of tedium; eventually, she needed a change of scenery.

“Husband, I’ll go check how dinner preparations are coming along.”

Qin Muchuan, busy scribbling away—silent, utterly silent.

Gu Qiulan slipped out quietly, walked around the deck, and made her way to the rear cabin. Mama Zhuang was there, chatting animatedly with the five new women, the conversation lively and boisterous.

Upon seeing Gu Qiulan, the women immediately became stiff and self-conscious, hastily rising to salute her.

Gu Qiulan smiled. “What were you just talking about?”

The women exchanged glances, and one replied softly, “Answering Young Madam, we were just telling Mama Zhuang about Jiangnan.”

“Jiangnan?” Gu Qiulan perked up. “You know about the customs there?”

“Yes, Young Madam. My husband often travels south with the shopkeeper to buy goods, and sometimes I’ve gone along too,” said Madam Liu, a burly woman with the look of someone accustomed to farm labor.

Gu Qiulan nodded, then suddenly thought of something. “Are your families taken care of, now that you’re traveling with me to Jiangnan?”

The women all grinned sheepishly. Madam Liu, more experienced from her travels, responded, “Young Madam, you needn’t worry. Our Duke’s household treats us farming folk better than anyone. To serve you on this trip is our good fortune. Our families have all been arranged for.” Besides, each of them had received an extra two taels of silver for this journey—a sum sufficient to buy a sow, no small matter for a farming family.

The days on the river were dull, at least for Gu Qiulan. For Qin Muchuan, however, since boarding the boat, he’d been tormented daily by a group of aged scholars. Even Uncle Sun Jiuwang turned a blind eye, sometimes even encouraging the torment. Qin Muchuan had hoped to while away the nights with Gu Qiulan, enjoying the rare sight of the river by moonlight. But fate had other plans. Though he’d escaped his father’s thunderous roars, he now faced wave after wave of academic supervision. Every morning, upon waking, it seemed to Qin Muchuan that a horde of supervisors from the Imperial Academy was descending upon him…

“Ugh… I don’t want to get up!” Qin Muchuan clung desperately to his pillow, refusing to let go.

Gu Qiulan pinched his cheek. “Be good, husband, don’t make trouble. Supervisor Chen has been waiting outside for you since dawn. Didn’t you both say you’d discuss the ‘Treatise on the Seven Arts’ today?”

“It’s the ‘Treatise on the Six Arts’…” Qin Muchuan mumbled into his pillow, limp with despair.

“Yes, husband, you’re so knowledgeable.” The illiterate Gu Qiulan immediately played along.

Alas, not even the encouragement of the champion cheerleader could soothe Qin Muchuan’s battered spirit. In his days at private school, he’d only had to deal with a single teacher—now, there were six, all renowned supervisors from the Imperial Academy! Overwhelmed by such “favor,” he could hardly bear it.

Seeing he still refused to get up, Gu Qiulan grew anxious—she couldn’t let Supervisor Chen, a senior, wait outside any longer.

“Be good, husband. Breakfast is especially rich today—there’s shrimp congee, your favorite.”

“I don’t want any!” Qin Muchuan buried his face in the pillow, his voice muffled.

Gu Qiulan’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Husband, tomorrow when we dock, let’s visit the market together. I’ll ask Uncle Sun if you can have a day off, all right?”

“Hmph! He’ll never agree!”

Gu Qiulan clenched her fists.

“Husband—today I’ll help you copy documents. With two people, it’ll go much faster.”

“Er… Qiulan…”

“Hmm?”

“Your handwriting is really… Ah!” Suddenly, the quilt was flung aside. Qin Muchuan gasped, about to protest, when Gu Qiulan pulled him forward, and in the instant their lips met, a clever tongue slipped in, teeth nipping lightly—a tingling, faint pain, a small punishment for his distraction.

“Husband, are you awake now?” Gu Qiulan licked her lips, savoring the surprise kiss she’d just stolen.

Qin Muchuan realized, to his shame, that a certain part of him was reacting. He looked up to see Gu Qiulan already away from the bed, her graceful silhouette cast upon the screen as her gentle voice drifted out, “Husband, you’d better not dawdle in bed any longer.” Having fanned the flames, the woman left the room with ease.

And so, Qin Muchuan was left alone—wide awake, and quite helpless.