History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 198 Wei Yao and Wei Mao Meet
Lu Luo was referring to the arrival of Wei Yin's family in the capital. Every time the couple mentioned Wei Yin, Lu Luo was curious about whether the past events were true or false. She asked again, "Tell me the truth, was Xi Wu Nan, that girl from the Xi family, really so resolute that she didn't even care about her child and committed suicide for love?"

Wei Yi: "My father only gave a written explanation for this matter. I also want to know the details. Last time, Xi Jian tried to get information from me indirectly. Humph, I can see that Xi Jian knows less than we do."

As Lu Luo imagined that past event according to the scenario she had created, her eyes unconsciously reddened, and she sighed, "Xi Wunan, alas, if you had been able to survive back then, if you hadn't died, you would have seen how successful your granddaughter is. At such a young age, she is the top poet in Hengzhou."

"Sigh." Wei Yi sighed before realizing what he meant and asked, "What poetry champion?"

Didn't I tell you just now?

"No."

Lu Luo smiled and said, "You're confused. I only said that Wei Yao and our Mao'er are from the same school. Wei Yao was the top scorer in Hengzhou's annual examination last year, surpassing all the students from the Cui clan. I said I was going to send you a letter so that you could inquire about the new academic order. It might be related to Wei Yao's future. Otherwise, why would Wei Yin's family move to Luoyang when they were living comfortably in Pingcheng?"

Lu Luo's face is like the weather in June, changing in an instant. She angrily slapped Wei Yi on the back: "I'm talking to you! What are you daydreaming about!"

“The Prince of Rencheng asked me to find a scholar. He said that this scholar is very young and teaches poetry to the seven princes in the orchard behind the villa. He is highly regarded by His Majesty. If there were a young scholar who was good at teaching poetry in this year, how could we not know about him?”

Lu Luo understood: "You mean... the Confucian scholar is very likely Wei Yao?"

Exhausted, Wei Yi lay down and said, "I'm going to sleep for a while. Have Steward Lu take Wei Yin to the study in the front yard tomorrow morning." He mumbled the last few words, and then began snoring loudly.

In the evening, Wei Yao and her family returned to Yinianli.

When they reached the crossroads of Vice Minister Wei's residence, Wei Mao, who had been waiting there, shouted "Catch the ball!" and kicked a ball towards Wei Yao.

Wei Yao used her "Quick Three Kicks" to steady the purse on her toes. Wei Mao ran over and bowed, saying, "Master, Madam, fellow disciple Yao."

Wei Yao returned the ball to Wei Mao, who smiled and said, "I just won it from a little boy. You can keep it and play with it."

Then, suppressing his excitement, he stopped looking at Wei Yao and followed Wei Yin, recounting some events from Yinianli. They entered the courtyard and arrived at the gate where Wei Yao's family lived. Wei Maocai then asked, "I would like to say a few words to my fellow disciple, Yao. May we talk here at the gate?"

Wei Yin and Zhao Zhi both looked at their daughters first. Seeing that Wei Yao did not refuse, Wei Yin nodded.

Wei Mao was overjoyed. The joy of reuniting after so long made him want to jump and shout, yet he was also quite at a loss. "A Yao."

"Speak properly." Wei Yao felt guilty, afraid that her parents would hear her.

This instruction made Wei Mao realize, after half a year, that she treated him with a special feeling that was different from others.

He couldn't help but want to laugh, feeling much more at ease. Unfortunately, Mrs. Zhao, like a fierce tiger protecting her cubs, kept glancing towards the courtyard gate. He could only say some idle words unrelated to parting or reunion: "Won't it get boring looking at this pine tree in the other courtyard after a while?"

"No, it's pretty good."

"You must be exhausted after walking around all day; your face is all red from the heat."

"Is that so?" Wei Yao took out a small silk fan. Damn it, what's going on? The more she fanned herself, the hotter her face became, and her heart was racing.

“A-Yao”.

Wei Yao increased the speed at which she fanned herself.

"Are you staying in Luoyang for a long time this time? You're not going back to Pingcheng, are you?" "I'm staying for a long time. The Imperial Academy is recruiting lecturers, and I'm on the list of applicants. I've also passed the preliminary examination at the Luoyang County Government." When it came to business, Wei Yao regained her composure. "The clerk told me to go to the county government in a couple of days and let him know when I'll be going to the Imperial Academy to give lectures."

"I'll see you off on the day you enter the palace, so I can share in the glory and find a reason to get close to the palace walls."

"Heh. That works too."

"Haha."

Wei Maocai chuckled twice, and the disheartened Master Wei came out and advised, "We can talk about our friendship another day. Maolang, you should go back first."

"Lu Baozhen also lives in the west of the city. I'll ask Lu Baozhen to come visit you another day," Wei Mao said reluctantly.

Inside the north room, Wei Rusheng kept peeking through the crack in the door at the scene in the courtyard. He both envied the closeness between this family and the young master of the house, and was jealous of why good things never seemed to happen to him.

If Wei Rusheng finds out about the following events, he'd better not be jealous of Wei Yin's family, or he'll be so angry he'll die!
Steward Lu arrived with a smile on his face and told Wei Yin that after breakfast the next day, he should go with him to see Vice Minister Wei.

Lu Rusheng, who was in the west wing, finally couldn't hold back any longer. He chased after the steward and asked, "I've been here for five months. Why is Wei Yin, who just arrived, allowed to see the master before me?"

Steward Lu: "Wei Yin has taught the three young masters of the master's family. Can you compare? Moreover, the master specifically requested to see Wei Yin alone. Can you compare?"

Lu Rusheng's voice was trembling with tears: "But I can only stay at Songlin Villa for half a year before I'm kicked out. The inns in Luoyang are expensive; I can't afford to stay even a day. Steward Lu, how much longer do I have to wait? For the sake of our clan, please give me the truth!"

"I told you to find a job copying books at the master's bookstore on your very first day, out of consideration for our shared kinship, but you didn't want it! What more can I teach you? Sigh—"

Lu Rusheng returned dejectedly, and the sound of Wei Yao's family laughing and joking only made it more jarring.

In the middle of the night, the man took a thick rope, went to the tree in front of Wei Yin and his wife's room, carefully made a loop with the rope, climbed into the tree branch, put the loop around his neck, and then jumped down.

The moment the rope tightened, Zhao Zhi shot out a long arrow, and Lu Rusheng fell heavily to the ground. Soon, Steward Lu arrived with his men and took Lu Rusheng away. Steward Lu thanked Zhao Zhi repeatedly, saying that if someone had died in the villa, he, as the steward, would have had to pack his bags and go back to his hometown.

The next morning, after Wei Yi met with Wei Yin, Steward Lu recounted how Lu Rusheng had tried to hang himself in front of Wei Yin and his wife's house the previous night, and then praised, "I never expected that Zhao's archery skills were so superb; in the dead of night, she managed to cut the rope with a single arrow."

"She's been on the battlefield and made contributions, so her archery and horsemanship skills must be pretty good." Wei Yi only praised her for these few words and didn't think about the matter anymore, because there were too many Xianbei warriors with good archery skills, and countless low-ranking military officers and clerks who had made contributions in battle.

It wasn't until the Prince of Rencheng approached him again, asking for a family to provide for him, that Wei Yi realized Zhao Zhi was one in ten thousand among the warriors!

Brave warrior!

We'll leave that for now.

Wei Yi confirmed that the Confucian scholar sought by the Prince of Rencheng was Wei Yao, and Wei Yao's family also learned that the little boy A'e was actually His Majesty's seventh brother, Yuan'e.

May 15th.

When Wei Yao went to the county office again, this time she was accompanied by the brothers Wei Bao and Wei Mao, as well as the sisters Lu Baozhen and Lu Baohuan.

As luck would have it, Wang Wenli, the same clerk from last time, was there. He told Wei Yao that she would enter the palace on the eighteenth day of the month, at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM). She should find the female attendant at the Qianqiu Gate in the northwest of the palace and follow her into the Xi official residence at the northernmost part of Yongxiang. The school where Wei Yao would be teaching was called Qixing Poetry School, and all the students were literate girls selected from the captives of Qixing County.

(End of this chapter)