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In late spring in Beijing, willow catkins fluttered like snowflakes, and a thin layer of white fluff covered the stone steps in the courtyard of the Shandong Guild Hall.

Su Ning stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gazing at the willow catkins fluttering in the air outside, his brows slightly furrowed.

The three gilded invitations, delivered at the same time, lay quietly on the pearwood table behind him, like three hot potatoes.

"Cousin, what do you think?" He turned to look at Zhou Zhengjie, who was sitting at the table.

Zhou Zhengjie did not answer immediately, but instead spread out the three invitations one by one and examined them carefully.

After all, he was well-informed about the women in his inner quarters in the capital, and naturally possessed his own judgment.

“You can’t go to the Yan residence.” Zhou Zhengjie finally spoke, pointing his finger at the gold-rimmed birthday banquet invitation. “Look at this hidden pattern. It’s a special cloud and thunder pattern made by the Yan residence. Only their most valued guests receive such invitations.”

He raised his head, his expression grave. “However, Yan Shifan’s actions are clearly a test of the newly appointed scholars’ stance. If you go, you will be labeled as a member of the ‘Yan faction’ in court tomorrow.”

Su Ning nodded slightly, walked to the table, and picked up the lavishly extravagant invitation: "The Yan family is powerful and influential, with countless people wanting to curry favor but unable to find a way in. However..."

He paused, then put the invitation back where it belonged, because he thought of Hai Rui's struggle against Yan Song. "The Yan family father and son are corrupt by nature, forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices. Although I am of low status and have little influence, I am unwilling to associate with them."

"Wise," Zhou Zhengjie praised, then picked up the simple, memorial-like document, "What about the Prince Yu's residence?"

Su Ning took the lecture invitation, her fingertips tracing the rough paper, and sighed softly, "I can't go to Prince Yu's residence anymore."

He walked to the desk, opened a rosewood box, and carefully placed the letter inside. “A newly appointed scholar who secretly associates with a prince is courting disaster. The Emperor hates it most when court officials associate with princes. This lecture may sound elegant, but it is actually a pit of fire.”

Zhou Zhengjie pondered for a moment: "Prince Yu is known for his virtue and respect for scholars. Many upright officials in the court are now associated with him. Your outright refusal might..."

“Precisely because Prince Yu has a reputation for virtue, it is all the more necessary to avoid suspicion.” Su Ning interrupted him, her tone firm. “His Majesty is in the prime of his life. If he were to associate too closely with a vassal king at this time, wouldn’t he be courting death? Moreover…”

He lowered his voice, "The Yan faction is just looking for a pretext. If I step into Prince Yu's residence today, tomorrow the Emperor's desk will be piled high with impeachment memorials."

Zhou Zhengjie suddenly realized and couldn't help but gasp: "You've thought of everything."

"In addition, there is another important reason: if you want to get in touch with Prince Yu, you need an intermediary. If you rush in, you will only be ignored by Prince Yu."

At this moment, Su Ning's gaze fell on the last invitation, the plain paper for the Xu family poetry gathering, which was incense-scented.

He reached out and picked it up, gently turning it between his fingers.

"Grand Secretary Xu considers himself a man of integrity and has never aligned himself with the Yan faction. He enjoys a very high reputation among scholars," Su Ning said slowly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "His poetry gatherings are mostly attended by literati from the Hanlin Academy and the Censorate. They don't discuss politics, only poetry, which is the safest approach. Moreover, he is also the perfect introducer."

Zhou Zhengjie nodded in agreement: "Grand Secretary Xu is a man of great wisdom and understanding. He can neither offend the Yan faction nor fail to preserve his reputation. He is a rare and sensible person. Attending his poetry gathering will neither offend the Yan family nor arouse the Emperor's suspicion. It is indeed the best choice."

Su Ning smiled slightly and gently placed the poetry gathering invitation on the table: "However, even a poetry gathering requires careful consideration. Although Grand Secretary Xu considers himself a man of integrity, he must have extraordinary abilities to remain in power in the court. His poetry gathering is probably not just about reciting poems."

"what do you mean……"

"Under Grand Secretary Xu's tutelage are many ambitious individuals. On the surface, they seem to be indulging in poetry and literature, but in reality, they care about the people's suffering and are concerned about the country." Su Ning lowered his voice. "I heard that at the last poetry gathering, they used 'Ode to the Willow' as their theme to subtly satirize the Yan faction for deceiving the emperor like willow catkins."

Zhou Zhengjie understood: "So you not only have to participate, but you also have to make a good impression at the poetry gathering?"

“That’s right.” A resolute glint flashed in Su Ning’s eyes. “We must protect ourselves wisely, but we cannot follow the crowd. In this murky court, someone must always uphold justice.”

Outside the window, willow catkins still fluttered about, like smoke and mist.

Suning stood by the window, his figure as upright as a pine tree.

He knew that he was about to step into not just a poetry gathering, but a battlefield without gunpowder.

There, every line of poetry could become a way of expressing one's stance; every exchange of poems could determine one's future career path.

Zhou Zhengjie stood up, patted Su Ning on the shoulder, and said, "Cousin, I can't help much, I can only do my best to manage 'Sinking Fish and Falling Geese' well."

"Then thank you very much, cousin." Su Ning turned around, and the two smiled at each other.

At this moment, Su Ning no longer seemed like a young scholar who had just entered officialdom, but a scholar who was about to find his place in the ever-changing imperial court.

As dusk deepened, candles were lit inside the guild hall.

The three invitations still lay quietly on the table, but Su Ning had already made a clear choice in her heart.

……

As dusk settled, Su Ning changed into a slightly worn Chengzi robe and carefully tidied her clothes in front of the bronze mirror.

Zhou Zhengjie stood by the door and said in a low voice, "This is just right. At the Xu family poetry gathering, being too glamorous will make people think you're part of Yan's faction, while being too shabby will be ridiculed as pretentious."

Suning nodded and tied a Laizhou jade pendant around his waist.

This jade pendant is of superior quality, yet its simple and unpretentious carving prevents it from appearing ostentatious.

"I need to demonstrate my talent, but I can't show off my abilities." He repeated softly to himself the considerations he had before leaving home.

The Xu Mansion is hidden deep in Huai Shu Hutong in Xicheng District. Its white walls and gray tiles seem simple, but the three characters "Zhu Guo Di" written by Emperor Chengzu above the door indicate the extraordinary status of its owner.

As the butler led the guests through the winding bamboo corridor, Su Ning heard a heated argument coming from the waterside pavilion:

"Yang Jisheng's death was entirely his own doing! To try to shake the cabinet with a single memorial was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot."

"No! If no one had offered their life in remonstrance, who would have dared to impeach Yan Song? Such loyalty and integrity should serve as a model for future generations!"

Su Ning paused slightly, realizing that this poetry gathering was definitely not simple.

Yang Jisheng was executed after his impeachment of Yan Song failed, and the incident remains a taboo topic in the court to this day.

The fact that someone openly discussed the matter at the Xu family poetry gathering shows how tolerant Xu Ge Lao was of his students.

Upon entering the flower hall, one sees Xu Jie sitting upright in the main seat, holding a celadon teacup and savoring the tea.

More than ten people, all of whom were scholars of the Hanlin Academy or officials of the Six Ministries, sat on either side.

A blue-robed official was reciting "Ode to Snow" aloud, and the entire audience applauded. Xu Jie, however, looked up at Su Ning, who had just taken his seat:
"Su Jinshi was the top scholar in Shandong. His essay 'On the Grand Canal' caused a sensation in the provincial examination that year. Today's poetry gathering is sure to produce some excellent lines."

A servant promptly brought over the inkstone.

All eyes were on this newly appointed scholar.

After a moment's hesitation, Su Ning did not write about the willow catkins and poplar flowers that people often wrote about. Instead, he picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote "Watching the Grand Canal Transport": "A thousand sails on the Jade Belt River, all of them are the blood of the southeast. Do not talk about mulberry and hemp, but about the gentry's night banquet."

The poem was completed, and the room fell silent.

These twenty characters directly point to the waste of people's labor in the Grand Canal transport, and also subtly satirize the extravagance of officials.

Several Yan faction officials, their faces already turning pale and about to erupt, saw Xu Jie clapping and praising:
"What a magnificent 'Southeast Blood'! Every word carries immense weight, a hundred times more powerful than any sentimental or romantic writing!"

He immediately ordered someone to copy the poem and carve it on bamboo as a memento.

Just as everyone was about to offer their opinions, an official in a scarlet robe suddenly challenged them: "Does the newly appointed scholar know that 'converting rice paddies to mulberry fields' is the Emperor's will? Is your poem perhaps intended to criticize national policy?"

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became tense.

This policy of "converting rice paddies to mulberry fields" was implemented by Yan Song to increase silk production, but it led to an overabundance of mulberry fields and a sharp reduction in grain fields in the southeast.

Su Ning did not answer, but calmly picked up his brush and wrote "Lament of Farming and Sericulture": "Before the silkworms have spun their cocoons, the clerks have already urged them to spin silk. I wish to become a heartless mulberry tree, so that mother and child may not be separated."

The old farmer in the poem would rather the mulberry tree be heartless than suffer the pain of selling his children, which brought tears to the eyes of several officials from Jiangnan.

The Yan faction official wanted to argue further, but Xu Jie stopped him with the sound of the teacup lid lightly tapping the rim of the cup:

"Poetry expresses one's aspirations; why delve too deeply into its meaning?"

As the poetry gathering progressed and the wine flowed freely, Xu Jie asked, seemingly casually, "In his examination essay, Jinshi Su mentioned 'land surveying.' Now, land ownership in the southeast is in disarray, with serious land annexation. Does anyone have a good solution?"

The entire room immediately perked up their ears, as the land survey was the focal point of the struggle between the Xu faction and the Yan faction.

The powerful families protected by Yan's faction often concealed their land holdings to evade taxes.

Suning avoided the real issue and instead said: "In my humble opinion, governing a country is like controlling water; we should first learn from the story of Zheng Guo's canal."

He picked up the fruit plate and fiddled with it, saying, "To build a canal, one must first survey the terrain; to clear the fields, one must begin with the barren beaches."

This implies that starting from unclaimed territory will reduce resistance, while also avoiding the core interests of the Yan Party.

Just as everyone was deep in thought, a maid suddenly exclaimed...

It turned out that the knot of the Laizhou jade pendant on Suning's waist had come loose, and it had slipped to the ground and broken in two.

As everyone present was astonished, Xu Jie clapped his hands and laughed, "Even if jade is shattered, its whiteness remains; even if bamboo is burned, its integrity is not destroyed—the two poems by Scholar Su today deserve this praise!"

Everyone suddenly realized what was happening and raised their glasses.

Su Ning bent down to pick up the broken jade, knowing that the metaphor of "broken jade" had already planted the seed of an image of integrity in everyone's hearts. And Xu Jie's seemingly casual remark would spread throughout the capital's scholarly circles the next day.

As he was leaving, Xu Jie personally escorted him to the corridor, casually remarking, "I heard that Yan Donglou's birthday banquet tomorrow includes dancers from the Western Regions."

He gave Su Ning a meaningful look and said, "Young scholar Su is very talented, so you should take good care of yourself."

Su Ning bowed deeply: "I will follow Your Excellency's teachings."

He knew that today's poetry gathering was just the beginning; the real test that he couldn't avoid was the birthday banquet of the one-eyed man in the Yan family.

……

When the poetry gathering ended, the moon was already high in the sky.

Xu Jie personally escorted Su Ning to the second gate, a truly exceptional honor in the rigidly hierarchical officialdom.

The old Grand Secretary grasped Su Ning's hand and patted it casually, but suddenly whispered in the moonlight: "The Prince Yu's residence is short of a Ji Shan, an eighth-rank official."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and left, leaving behind a meaningful silhouette.

Su Ning stood still, the night breeze ruffling the hem of Cheng Ziyi's clothes.

Although Ji Shan held a sinecure, he was a close advisor to the prince.

Xu Jie's move was to hand his "knife" to Prince Yu.

Of course, Xu Jie's move was also to treat himself as one of their own. Wasn't that how Zhang Juzheng entered the Prince Yu's mansion back then?

……

Zhou Zhengjie has now bought a nice house for Su Ning in the capital. Su Ning, who has returned home, is sitting in the study in the backyard, staring blankly at the two halves of Laizhou jade that were broken that day.

Zhou Zhengjie poured him a fresh cup of tea, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Cousin, this piece of Laizhou jade was a gift from my uncle, and you cherish it dearly. Why..."

Su Ning pieced the fragments together into a complete jade tablet shape on the stone table, interrupting him: "Grand Secretary Xu needs a knife, but he needs a knife that he can hold in his hand."

He gently traced the edge of the shattered jade with his fingertips. "If this knife is too sharp, it will injure the person wielding it."

He looked up toward the Forbidden City, his gaze deep: "From today onward, Yan Shifan will think of me as nothing more than a hot-blooded scholar, while Grand Secretary Xu will think I still need polishing. And when Grand Secretary Yan hears of this, he will just laugh it off—some people think I'm impulsive and easily broken, which makes me safe."

Zhou Zhengjie suddenly realized: "So you deliberately smashed the jade to make everyone think you are... fragile?"

“That’s right.” Su Ning smiled bitterly. “In this court, the most dangerous thing is not to show off your talents, but to be unfathomable. I’m not at the point where I can be unfathomable yet.”

At this moment, in the study of the Yan family mansion, Yan Shifan angrily threw the copied poem paper on the ground: "He's just a newly appointed Jinshi, how dare he act like this!"

The aide whispered, "Young Master, please calm down. He's just a show-off."

Yan Shifan sneered: "Hmph! Let him run rampant for a few more days."

Meanwhile, in the study of the Xu residence, Xu Jie was smiling as he annotated Su Ning's file: "A rough gem awaits polishing, its brilliance concealed. It is worthy of great use."

He deliberately paused on the four characters “可堪大用” (can be put to great use).

Meanwhile, in the Prince Yu's mansion not far away, lecturer Feng Bao had been ordered to review all the examination papers of the Su Ning examination.

The young Prince Yu repeatedly read "Lament of Agriculture and Sericulture" under the lamp, and said softly, "This child should plead for the common people of the world."

As night deepened, Su Ning carefully put away the broken jade pieces.

This broken jade pendant is just like his current predicament...

What appears incomplete is actually being pieced together into a completely new game of chess amidst the interplay of various forces.

……

The morning after the poetry gathering, as soon as the doors of "Wencuizhai" in Liulichang were removed, the scholars who had been waiting poured into the shop.

"Do you have Su Jieyuan's poem 'Observing the Grand Canal Transport'?"

"Yes!" The shopkeeper hurriedly unfolded the poem paper printed overnight using woodblock printing. On the still-wet Xuan paper, the words "A thousand sails on the Jade Belt River, all blood of the southeast" were carved as if by a knife and axe, piercing the eyes of many who were used to reading about romance and poetry.

Around noon, in front of the Yilun Hall of the Imperial College, the students gathered around the newly posted poetry list and discussed it animatedly.

When a student from Jiangnan recited the lines, "I wish to transform into a heartless mulberry tree, so that mother and child may not be separated," a student from Shandong suddenly covered his face and wept bitterly...

He returned to his hometown last year and witnessed firsthand the tragic scene of people selling their children to pay mulberry tax.

Upon hearing the news, the Imperial Academy Chancellor rushed over and, surprisingly, made an exception to allow "Lament on Agriculture and Sericulture" to be included in "The Correct Sound of Stringed Songs." From then on, Su Anbang's poetic fame resounded throughout the nine cities along with the sound of the Imperial Academy bell.

Inside the Xiyuan Abode, the scents of ambergris and cinnabar intertwined to create an eerie atmosphere.

Just after Emperor Jiajing (Zhu Houcong) finished taking the elixir, he suddenly sat up straight from the prayer mat, startling the attending Taoist priest who knocked over the jade pestle.

"Lü Fang." The emperor's voice seemed to drift from the depths of the alchemy furnace. "I've heard that there's a newly appointed scholar who can write poems about silkworms?"

The Grand Eunuch Lü Fang of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs strode forward, his whisk tracing an arc in the dim light: "Your Majesty, it is Su Ning, a Jinshi from Shandong. Although he is only fourteen years old, his poem, 'Before the silkworm spins its cocoon, the clerks are already urging it to spin,' seems to express a sentiment of pleading for the people."

He paused briefly, then added, "At the poetry gathering, Grand Secretary Xu praised him, saying, 'Even if jade is shattered, its whiteness remains unchanged.'"

The Jiajing Emperor's withered fingers traced the title page of the Tao Te Ching, and he suddenly chuckled: "Yan Shifan submitted a memorial the other day, saying that this man is 'young and impetuous'."

A spark flew from the alchemy furnace, illuminating the emperor's unfathomable pupils. "I think it's a good seed."

Just as his poetic fame was spreading, Su Ning frowned as he looked at the gilded invitation from the Yan family.

The five characters "Respectfully Inviting Su Jieyuan" on the bright red invitation were clearly written by Yan Shifan himself.

The steward who delivered the invitation gave a forced smile: "Young Master Donglou said that he would like you to appreciate his newly acquired 'A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains'."

"Tell Young Master Yan that Su Ning will be there on time for the banquet." He turned around and took out the pine soot ink given to him by Xu Jie. He wrote the four characters "Attend the Yan Family Banquet" on the back of the invitation and instructed his page: "Send it to the gatekeeper of the Xu family."

On the day of the banquet, he specially wore the imperial robe with a qilin design.

The road in front of the Yan family mansion was blocked by carriages and horses. A certain vice minister saw him and said sarcastically, "Su Jieyuan's poems amazed the emperor, why bother coming to this money-grubbing place?"

Su Ning stroked the jade belt at his waist: "I was just about to see how the 'A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains' painting turned into the private property of the Yan family."

The banquet was held at the "Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion," where Yan Shifan pointed to the shelves full of ancient books and boasted: "These are all rare copies presented by officials from various places."

Suddenly, the conversation shifted, "I heard that Scholar Su is investigating the accounts of the Grand Canal transport?"

In the silence of the room, Su Ning raised his glass and replied, "Minister Yan is joking. I have only been studying the 'Yingzao Fashi' (Building Standards) recently."

He pointed to the beams and pillars, "For example, this golden nanmu tree takes a hundred years to mature. I wonder where it was sourced from the royal timber mill?"

Yan Shifan's expression changed drastically, and he forced a smile to change the subject.

After several rounds of drinks, a singing girl suddenly performed "Lament of Farming and Sericulture." When she sang the line "The clerks have already urged the silk to be spun," the officials of Yan's faction threw down their cups.

Suning, however, exclaimed in admiration: "I never imagined that the Yan family's family also knew about the hardships of ordinary people."

"..." At this moment, Yan Shifan, the one-eyed dragon, wished he could kill Su Ning.

When he returned home under the moonlight, a carriage from the Xu family was already waiting for him.

Xu Jie was brewing tea in his study when he listened to Yan Donglou recount the events. He chuckled and said, "What a fine 'Yingzao Fashi'! Yan Donglou should be busy destroying the imperial timber factory's ledgers now."

He pushed a box of documents over: "Tomorrow I will go to the Accounting Office to take up my post. I will start by investigating the Court of Imperial Sacrifices."

Pointing to the night view outside the window, he said, "Your two poems have been copied and sent to all the prefectures and counties in Southern Zhili by Prince Yu."

Back at the mansion, Zhou Zhengjie held the account book and exclaimed with delight, "Cousin! Today, someone from the palace actually placed an order for our 'Sinking Fish and Falling Goose' beauty!"

"The packaging must be exquisite! We can't skimp on our commission; this is a rare opportunity for us."

"Cousin, don't worry! Rouge and face powder in glass bottles are unique in the Ming Dynasty."

"There must be a lot of people asking about our source of goods, right?"

“That’s right! But I told you to say they were merchants from Southeast Asia, and that the only way to ship their goods was through our ‘Sinking Fish and Falling Goose’ shop.”

Looking towards the West Garden, Su Ning finally realized that she had won the Emperor's heart.

The sound of a night watchman's clapper came from outside the window, gradually merging with the strains of "Lament of Farming and Sericulture" drifting from the Imperial College.

...(End of chapter)