Chapter 207: Sketching (Part 2)

The Son-in-Law

"Hmm, I only saw someone I knew from before..."

The sun was setting. In the riverside room, the woman's paintbrush paused for a moment before moving again.

Years ago, Mother Li had placed some of the children under her care in that alley to study music, singing, and artistry, fostering them for two years. Therefore, she had some impression of the area. Hearing the woman mention an old acquaintance and recalling Yu Hezong, she frowned and asked, "Someone you knew before? Who?"

"A child who used to live in the middle of the alley, spending all day just reading. His father was a pedantic scholar, constantly quarreling with his family. Now I remember his surname was Ning..."

"Oh." Mother Li recalled upon hearing this. "That child wasn't particularly bright for studying. He was always being scolded, practically scolded senseless. I remember his father seemed to have passed away when we left. Is he still living there? How did you recognize him?"

"I couldn't recognize him; he's very different from before. But I saw him sitting by that courtyard gate, holding a book, so I went up and asked, and then I realized it was him." The woman looked at the painting on the paper, her brush dabbing and sketching, having already fully depicted the alley from earlier that day. Her painting style was delicate and fresh, yet also leaned towards realism. For traditional Chinese painting, which often emphasizes artistic conception, her technique probably wouldn't be considered masterly, perhaps because she hadn't received instruction from a renowned artist, relying more on her own talent and gradual comprehension. However, the clarity of her depiction was enough to prove her considerable talent.

Although the alley in the painting was fresh and orderly, one of the three figures speaking was somewhat blurry, ultimately just sketched with a few casual strokes, making it impossible to tell if it was an adult or a child. "Listening to him speak, he's completely different from the child who used to just sit at the gate and read. But now that I think about it, I can't pinpoint what's different. Perhaps I was mistaken. Today, Big Brother Yu did all the talking; he didn't say much..."

Mother Li listened, a little alarmed. "Shishi, you're not... rekindling old affections, are you?"

The woman smiled and shook her head. "I knew so many people as a child; there aren't that many deep affections, really. Meeting someone you knew before in another place is a form of destiny, but there's no need to actively seek them out... Besides, I heard he married into a local merchant family. Big Brother Yu is pleased with my association with him. If I were to associate with that person, it would only cause unnecessary trouble. Having met him today, I probably won't see him again in the future."

"That's good..." Mother Li patted her chest. "Don't keep getting involved with people who can't match you. As for Yu Hezong, since we've already encountered him, I'll just consider it bad luck. I won't give him dirty looks on normal days, but if he keeps seeking us out, our Fanlou will become a charity, won't it? That Ning boy married into the family... Heh, I always knew that boy wouldn't amount to much. What was his name again?"

"I don't know. When we met today, I only said my surname was Wang, and it wasn't appropriate to reveal my full name, so he didn't say his either. Later, Big Brother Yu arrived, and no introductions were made."

"It's fine not knowing. Oh, by the way, the news of your arrival in Jiangning has spread recently, causing quite a stir here. Someone is definitely stirring things up behind the scenes, but there are always some people you can't refuse or push away. I think we'll just set one or two dates for a banquet, so they can witness the splendor of the capital. For the rest of the time, you can be free, and I'll accompany you for a stroll to relax." Mother Li smiled, then frowned slightly. "Hmph, if there are truly those shortsighted ones who want to use you for fame, don't be polite with them. Just show them what you're made of."

"That might offend people; then they'll say I'm arrogant..." Li Shishi tilted her head, pondering. "Besides, Jiangning is a big place; perhaps I won't be able to surpass them."

"You always want to do everything perfectly, even in competitions, yet you still try to please everyone..."

"It was the same in Bianjing."

"They knew they couldn't compare to you, so they were pleasant in return. But these women in Jiangning won't be so appreciative. I saw Yang Xiuhong today, and she said half of Jiangning's top four courtesans left this year, making it the worst year. She claimed people like Qilan and Luo Miaomiao are simply no good. Tsk, Yang Xiuhong has it tough too. Last year, her star performer ran off. It would have been one thing if she'd bought her freedom to marry, but instead, she was persuaded to open a tavern. Before that, another woman of exceptional musical and artistic talent also bought her freedom and left. Now those two have opened a restaurant together, infuriating Yang Xiuhong. These two women clearly don't know the hardships of life; they had charming young masters wooing them, wanting to marry them and make them young mistresses, but they refused, choosing instead to run off and expose themselves to public view..."

After seeing her sisters from the Jin Feng Lou today, and hearing Yang Xiuhong's account, Mother Li immediately thought of her own girls. She quickly launched into a lecture, hoping to prevent Shishi from leaving one day without a good future. Shishi, listening nearby, found it amusing: "Those two sisters are quite admirable."

"What's admirable about that? Shishi, you absolutely cannot be like them..." Chatter, chatter.

Shishi nodded and said, "Yes, I won't be like that."

"I know you, darling. Oh, right, I heard your Big Brother Zhou came looking for you today, but unfortunately, you weren't here. Otherwise, if you're in a good mood tomorrow, why don't you go out for a stroll with him? And while you're at it, see if Big Brother Zhou has any new poems. That would be great... Let him overpower the crowd and put all these arrogant talents in Jiangning in their place!"

Her tone sounded quite resentful. Shishi smiled. "What's wrong, Mother? Why are you so angry?"

"I'm not angry. It's just that you, Shishi, clearly came here to rest and relax for a while. But those damnable people spread the news, and this bunch of scholars in Jiangning don't think straight. They're saying you came to Jiangning to show off, and they even declared that if you came, they'd ignore you completely and only write poems for people like Qilan and Luo Miaomiao. Hmph, as if anyone cares. If it weren't for the talented Master Zhou also coming along, you, Shishi, would really be bullied. They're even spreading rumors that the 'number one talent' will write poems for Qilan to completely overshadow you. Even though we'll only see a few people this time and aren't focused on winning, we still need to prepare well."

"Who exactly is this 'number one talent'?"

"There's no definitive 'number one' in literature; everyone has their own opinion. Some say it's Cao Guan. There's also Li Pin, who writes excellent poetry, but he's not in Jiangning anymore. You once met someone named Gu Yanzhen, but he's also no longer in Jiangning..."

The woman nodded. "I think I met him, two years ago. I was still young then."

Mother Li thought for a moment. "Some also say it's Ning Liheng, who wrote 'Shui Diao Ge Tou' and 'Qing Yu An.' However, I asked Yang Xiuhong today, and she said he doesn't write many lyrics in the Jianghai literary circles and rarely attends literary gatherings. He's quite mysterious, so it's hard to say if he'll make an appearance..."

Jiangning and Bianjing were quite far apart. The lyrics of 'Shui Diao Ge Tou,' 'Qing Yu An,' and 'Ding Feng Bo' had indeed reached Bianjing, but other details had become muddled through word-of-mouth. Li Shishi had sung these lyrics and heard some rumors, but she still couldn't form a complete picture of the person. At this moment, she tilted her head slightly, thought, and then smiled. "I heard he usually doesn't compose lyrics or attend literary gatherings. If he could write a new piece for Shishi, allowing everyone to see beautiful poetry, that would certainly be a joyous occasion..."

Her previous remarks about competitions had been nonchalant, but now, speaking of the author of those lyrics, a subtle pride and confidence emerged in her smiling words. Then, it seemed only the anticipation of poetry remained.

Mother Li, understanding her daughter's character, knew that her usual indifference stemmed partly from her true disposition and partly from an ingrained, natural arrogance developed over time. In her heart, she hoped Ning Liheng wouldn't get involved. Verbally, she simply reminded her daughter to interact more with Zhou Bangyan, the talented Master Zhou, and obtain a good poem to ensure some success for this trip.

She knew her daughter's abilities. When it came to on-the-spot performances, her pure, beautiful, dignified, and charming demeanor would ensure she wouldn't botch things, even with the most difficult guests. However, her inherent nature was somewhat docile. For example, if asked to seek a poem from Zhou Bangyan tomorrow, she might feel it unnecessary. Perhaps if Zhou Bangyan came to her, she'd simply receive him. Mother Li would have to keep nagging her, over and over again. After enough nagging, Shishi would do things she otherwise considered unimportant.

Her daughter had been like this since childhood: as long as those close to her genuinely wished her well and asked her to do something, she would do it, even if she felt it was inconsequential.

So, even though some of her comments occasionally seemed a little strange, Mother Li was still very fond of her daughter. This was what she called obedience...

Amidst Mother Li's chattering, lights began to glow in the small courtyard room and on the nearby streets. Small boats with their warm yellow lights glided past the window on the river. In the Su family's residence on the other side of the city, a small family banquet was held in Ning Yi's courtyard, primarily to host Qin Shaohe, who had come to visit Ning Yi.

The eldest son of the Qin family, already nearing forty, had a handsome and dignified square face, though he also possessed a gentle and humorous side. However, his primary demeanor was that of an upright gentleman, much like his father. Qin Siyuan, having reached his sixties and experienced some changes, was no longer in official circles and tended to be more humorous in his interactions with Ning Yi. But twenty years ago, Qin Siyuan likely had a similar appearance and style.

Qin Shaohe had learned of his younger brother's capabilities early on from his father's letters. Later, when the floods arose, he, being a man of considerable talent, first received his father's disaster relief strategy. After making some localized modifications, the results were remarkable, and he achieved the most outstanding success in last year's relief efforts. He and his brother, Qin Shaoqian, had always faced slower promotions due to their father's implications, but with these results, the authorities had no choice but to promote him to prefect. Feeling indebted to Ning Yi for his help and for saving his father's life this time, he visited the Su family residence twice after consulting his father, never revealing his prefectural status but treating Ning Yi as an equal. Upon seeing Ning Yi, he immediately expressed his gratitude.

At that moment, the two men were having dinner in the main hall. Su Tan'er had only come out a few times to greet them before returning to the inner chambers, leaving Chan'er to attend to them. She was somewhat aware of Qin Shaohe's status. In the afternoon, Ning Yi hadn't returned, and the visitor was here for a private visit, so she couldn't ask her father or grandfather to host. After greeting him, she had An'er attend to him and Juan'er go find Ning Yi, feeling a little anxious herself. It was only after Ning Yi returned that she reappeared and conversed with the guest for a while, making things much more normal. Now, she sat calmly in her room, reviewing ledgers, listening to the faint sounds of conversation and laughter from the other side. Amidst her slight excitement, a touch of vanity surfaced.

That was a prefect!

The highest-ranking official the Su family usually interacted with was a prefect. Every year when Song Mao visited, the family attached immense importance to it. However, she also knew that Song Mao was closer to the second branch of the family, and while he might offer some business favors, she couldn't expect much personally. But now, thanks to her husband, she also had a prefect backing her.

Uh, it should be her... and her husband's backing, wouldn't it?

Although a few days prior, when her husband mentioned it, he had just casually remarked, "I heard he's also a prefect." She had only been stunned for a moment then. She had known old Mr. Qin, whom they had visited, was an influential figure. During the New Year visit, she had felt her husband was impressive, having a scholarly friendship with the elder, but it hadn't felt entirely real. At the time, she also thought such a connection was rare for her husband and that she shouldn't overthink it, lest such a gentleman's friendship be tainted by the smell of money. But when the guest truly came to visit her home this afternoon, that's when she truly grasped the significance of the entire situation.

Su Tan'er was usually well-versed in social affairs and had indeed had opportunities to interact with high-ranking officials. However, those interactions were ultimately pure exchanges of interest, not genuine camaraderie. Most people would find it hard to understand the Su family's yearning and desire for officialdom and power; after all, merchants were ultimately low-ranking in society. Su Yu's immense effort in establishing Yushan Academy was, in the end, a product of this very longing. In the past, Su Tan'er couldn't rely on Song Mao and only saw him as a slightly more intimate protector for the entire Su family. But Qin Shaohe's attitude during his visit this afternoon made her realize that this was vastly different from ordinary exchanges of interest.

Although he hadn't displayed his official status today, his attitude, coupled with the life-saving grace, indicated that they were to become friends. If their relationship developed well, perhaps even future generations could maintain ties.

In the past, no matter how well business went, or what connections she forged, or which high official she knew, she only ever saw herself as a merchant. At most, she could lead the Su family to become major merchants. But now, the feeling in her heart was suddenly different. She sat calmly at her desk, looking at the ledgers, yet her mind was anything but calm. Juan'er and An'er, nearby, vaguely aware of the visitor's identity, whispered, "Miss, that Master Qin is the prefect of Jiangzhou! Young Master is chatting so happily with him."

"Mm." Su Tan'er nodded faintly.

"If others knew that the Prefect came to visit our family like this, and Young Master even saved his family's life, wouldn't everyone be green with envy? Especially the second branch..."

"Don't gossip." Su Tan'er gave them a faint side-glance. "Don't make such a fuss. My husband and Prefect Qin share a gentleman's friendship, not involving interests. If you go flaunting it outside, you'll only tarnish their relationship, understand?"

"Understood."

"However," Su Tan'er tapped the end of her writing brush against her lips, thinking. "It wouldn't hurt to hint a little to the second branch, but it must be done subtly, so people don't say we're showing off."

"Understood!" The two maids exchanged a smile. Discreet bragging – that was their specialty.