History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 109 Memories of the Old Palace
How hateful! She found out too late. Confucius's notes are already with Magistrate Yuan. It was all for nothing. She would have been better off staying at the poetry club and listening to the lectures!
"Hu Wuwu, Xing Hang," Wei Yao called to the two pageboys.

Hu Wuwu's pent-up emotions found an outlet in an instant. Wei Yao, a lowly woman from a humble family with no background or power, what right did she have to become a disciple of a Confucian scholar? Why did all the good fortune seem to go to her? Even more ridiculous was that in the Great Wei, a lowly commoner dared to order around a noblewoman!
Resentment led Hu Wuwu to devise a plan.

She cried out "Ouch!" and, supporting herself on a tree with one hand while clutching her stomach in pain with the other, slowly squatted down. Great! Just as she expected, Wei Yao did indeed look at her.

"Miss Hu?"

The other person rushed over to help her up, and was about to ask what was wrong when she grabbed the other person's hand tightly and burst into tears, sobbing, "Yes, I offended you before, but those were minor things. Which schoolchildren our age don't have some conflicts? Now I'm in so much pain, and you're still making me work. Don't the lives of a servant boy matter? Waaah..."

Hu Wu shook her head. Okay, that's what she was hoping for. Because she was so eager for it, she was having hallucinations.

What's going on? That vile woman Wei Yao is clearly looking at her, so why isn't she coming over as she expects?
"Ouch—" Hu Wu cried out a second time, pretending he could barely squat down. "You bastard, aren't you coming over here?"
Wei Yao asked in confusion, "Miss Hu?"

Hu Wuwu was overjoyed. "Oh dear, my stomach..."

"Help! Someone come quick!" Wei Yao shouted to the surroundings, taking each step further away from Hu Wu's hut... "Quick, under that tree, yes."

Two strong servants went to help Hu Wuwu up. Guo Yun heard the noise and came out of his tent. He and Wei Yao went over to see what was going on.

"What's wrong with Miss Hu?" Wei Yao asked with concern.

Hu Wuwu's stomach was really starting to hurt, she was so angry! She continued weakly, "Miss Wei must have some chores for me to do, I'll go when I feel better, okay?"

"Miss Hu has misunderstood. We want to debate the poem 'Shu Yu Tian' and would like to ask if you and Miss Xing would like to listen in." After explaining, Wei Yao comforted her, "Since you are not feeling well, you should rest well."

“I don’t need to rest! I’m ready.” Hu Wuwu pushed the servant aside, stood up straight, and said, “I’ll go listen in.”

For the first time in her life, Guo Yun was so angry that she rolled her eyes and muttered to Wei Yao, "Do you believe that her stomach doesn't hurt at all?"

“Whether she is truly sick or not is none of our business, Ah Yun. We just need to remember not to do good deeds lightly when we are out and about, and even more so, to avoid being the only one to do good deeds. This will help us avoid all sorts of schemes.”

"Yes, you're right! And since her scheme failed, she's the one who's upset."

The following day, the Cui clan's study group bid farewell to the local villagers and set off for Gaoliu County. They stayed in Gaoliu for three days. On the first day, Guo Yun explained "Uncle Yutian," and on the second day, Cui Yuan explained "Qingren." After Liu Zhenzhu finished explaining the poem "Lambskin Robe," the group set off again, their destination being Yonggu County, northwest of Pingcheng.

The words are divided into two parts.

Pingcheng Old Palace.

Zhao Zhi hadn't been here for many years. As she passed by the Huangxin Hall, old memories pierced through the walls, and all sorts of things from the past floated before her eyes. Back then, she was ignorant of etiquette and carried the murderous aura of years of battle, but His Majesty was kind and approachable. He not only didn't laugh at her, but also forbade the princes and high-ranking officials to laugh at her.

"Your Majesty, it is you who gave me a name and made those military officers no longer look down on my contributions and sacrifices in the war. I will remember this kindness forever."

"Your Majesty, are you really often ill, as seriously as that boy from the Erzhu family said?"

"I wonder if the news of the Rouran Khan's son being shot has reached the Yiyang battlefield? Will it cheer you up and alleviate your illness?"

The emperor in his memory turned his head, his gaze piercing through the thick walls of the palace, meeting the gaze of the present-day female warrior Zhao Zhi across time and space.

The emperor's form vanished.

The swollen face of the simpleton Zhao Xiu leaned close to Zhao Zhi, tilting it from side to side, and asked her, "Why aren't you leaving? Didn't you say you were going to take me home?"

Zhao Xiu's swollen face was from being slapped by Zhao Zhi. After the two slaps, Zhao Xiu stopped making a fuss and only listened to Zhao Zhi. Today's visit to the old palace was the idea of ​​Clerk Gou, to have Zhao Xiu walk through the places where the Crown Prince used to live, to see if it could help him recover some of his memories. This time, unlike the last time when several female officials were punished, the commotion should be as small as possible, so Governor Yuan once again asked Zhao Zhi for help; she alone could easily subdue Zhao Xiu.

The female official Zhou Xiguan led the way for Zhao Zhi and the registrar. This female official was indebted to the governor for not beating her and Zhang Shushi to death together. Instead, she risked taking Zhao Xiu to the inner palace, the place where Crown Prince Yuan Ke had once lived. It can be said that Zhou Xiguan completely surrendered to the governor's mansion.

Zhou Xiguan knew the routes through the inner palace like the back of his hand, and tried his best to avoid the palace servants who stayed behind.

Upon arriving at the inner palace area, it was even more desolate than the court area, with wild grass growing all over the path and even the cracks between the paving stones were not spared.

Zhou Xiguan said, "During this period, two palace maids died, three prefects left, and the state academy hired a female historian. The fewer palace maids left, the less anyone will clean the harem."

Registrar Gou explained to Zhao Zhi: "The Wei Academy requested permission from the prefectural primary school to hire a poetry teacher named Song from the old school. As a result, the prefectural school was short-staffed, so they hired a female teacher from the abandoned palace school."

"Hehe, okay." Zhao Xiu chuckled twice.

Zhao Zhi glared at him, and Zhao Xiu immediately walked away without looking to the side. She said, "I know about this. This Master Song from the state academy isn't very capable."

Registrar Gou exclaimed in surprise, "Is that so? Master Song's poetics are no less than those of Du Fu before him."

“Master Song is currently teaching the Book of Poetry in the same classroom where my daughter studies. There is a student named Wei Mao in the classroom who is better than the other students except that he is worse than my daughter. Even he can’t understand what Master Song is saying, so he asks my husband to explain it to him again every noon.”

"Is that so?! This is no small matter. I'll have someone go to the Imperial Academy to find out what's going on."

Zhao Xiu suddenly stopped walking.

He stared at the courtyard gate in front of him, then looked back at the narrow path he had just walked along.

Clerk Gou asked him with surprise, "What did you remember?"

“I need to find a place to pee. You’re not allowed to peek,” Zhao Xiu said, pointing to the registrar, then to Zhou Xiguan, “and you too.”

Zhao Zhi scolded, "If you're going to scatter it, then scatter it! Hurry up!"

Zhao Xiu happily ran back two zhang away. This guy didn't urinate against the wall, but instead swung around and poured water on the floor tiles. Fortunately, he knew to turn his back.

"Kelang, let's have a contest to see who can pee the farthest."

Clerk Gou and Zhao Zhi quickly exchanged glances! "Ke Lang" must refer to the Crown Prince; coming to the old palace was indeed useful.

Zhao Xiu himself was unaware of anything unusual, and muttered to himself, "Ah, Ke Lang is more capable than me."

"Ke Lang, you will be even more powerful in the future. Now I will protect you, and later you will protect me."

"Hmm?" Zhao Xiu pulled up his pants, scratched his head, and came over to Zhao Zhi, saying, "I just remembered something, but I forgot it. What should I do?"

"No rush, think it over slowly." Zhao Zhi gestured for Zhou Xiguan to continue leading the way.

Zhao Xiu smiled and followed her closely, while the jealous Registrar Gou also followed: "Stay away from me, stay away from her."

The registrar glanced at the fellow: "That was too light a slap."

(End of this chapter)