Chapter 217: Reunion (Part 2)

Honestly, Yu Hezhong was quite happy to see Ning Yi again today.

The last time he and Shishi sought out this childhood friend, Yu Hezhong still harbored some reservations. He knew Shishi was a kind girl who treated strangers with the same warmth she showed him, which had made him a little jealous. However, after learning about Ning Yi's current status and Shishi's true feelings, that slight worry vanished, and his impression of Ning Yi transformed entirely.

This time, Yu Hezhong returned to Jiangning from Bianjing, ostensibly just to revisit the place where he grew up. Of course, he wouldn't admit he was following Shishi. In truth, Jiangning wasn't his ancestral home; his father's official duties meant they moved frequently, and he was young during their relatively brief stay in the city, so he hadn't formed any deep friendships there. Apart from accompanying Shishi to reminisce and find old alleys, there wasn't much else for him to do. He felt like a lone traveler in Jiangning, especially since Shishi herself was constrained by her circumstances. Even though she was kind to him, she simply couldn't dedicate much time to his company. In the capital, even such occasional companionship was an honor many high-ranking officials could only dream of.

Besides him, several other idle young masters also traveled south with the Fanlou troupe. Zhou Bangyan, the renowned scholar who most assiduously pursued Shishi, was naturally among them. Another three or four, including Tang Weiyan and Xu Dongmo, were either talented in their own right or hailed from wealthy families with influential relatives, enabling them to tag along with the arrogance of privileged heirs. These men, currently unburdened by responsibilities, reasoned that outside Bianjing, Shishi would have fewer rivals vying for her attention. If they could seize the chance to win the capital's most celebrated courtesan, they would undoubtedly gain immense prestige upon their return.

Yu Hezhong utterly despised these men. Zhou Bangyan, despite his city-wide fame, was already in his late thirties, almost forty, and shamelessly clung to Shishi. He was a former official, having served as a Registrar at the Imperial Academy a few years prior. Though dismissed last year for an offense, it was rumored to be minor, and insiders suggested he was still eligible for promotion—such were the fluctuating fortunes of official life in the capital. With newfound leisure, he now claimed to be visiting friends in Jiangning, a brazen and utterly shameless lie.

As for the others, Tang Weiyan was a distant nephew of Tang Ke, the current Vice Minister of Revenue, and Xu Dongmo's family was a prominent aristocratic clan in Bianjing. This contingent was either powerful and influential or exceptionally gifted in literature, and Yu Hezhong couldn't compete with them in either poetry or wealth. However, his connection with Shishi stemmed from a long-standing friendship, requiring no monetary expense, and felt akin to family—a distinctly different bond. He consequently viewed the others as pathetic dogs, shamelessly salivating around Shishi like a bone; it was utterly disgraceful.

Despite his silent disdain, Yu Hezhong knew he was largely powerless to change the situation. Shishi was compelled to feign cordiality with those men; her current renown and status dictated that she entertain various individuals. He knew Shishi disliked this, for sometimes when they were together, he would see her smile wistfully and sigh, "What can be done, Elder Brother Yu? My current situation might be considered glorious, envied by many courtesans. But in the future, even if I fall in love, the freedom to buy my redemption and marry will likely be gone. It was actually freer in the years before I garnered such attention..."

Shishi was rarely unnoticed in the capital; she became Fanlou's top courtesan at fourteen, and her fame only continued to soar. Yu Hezhong, however, understood the helplessness in her words. In her position, constantly scrutinized by various powerful factions in the capital, while a courtesan's identity was inherently one of constraint, she was also the epicenter of numerous intrigues and rivalries. People pursued her for reputation and prestige, often becoming obsessed. A prince from the Rong Royal Manor even declared, "Li Shishi, I will have her." Many others, both rational and irrational, uttered similar sentiments. If she remained in the brothel, everyone would simply patronize her. But if she truly fell in love and wished to buy her freedom and leave, a man of no standing might not even be able to save his own life.

Shishi had only spoken such words once, yet she had directed them at him. Yu Hezhong felt he understood the bitterness in her heart, privately believing this was a unique unspoken bond between them. A delicate woman like Shishi, carrying so many burdens, still forced herself to smile daily, and even when with him, she only spoke of cheerful matters.

She was the capital's most celebrated courtesan, noble of spirit and yearning for freedom, yet utterly bound by circumstances. He, meanwhile, was merely a student in his early twenties, sharing an innocent affection with this old acquaintance, but for now, powerless to help her escape her predicament. How much like the narratives in legendary tales they seemed; both cautiously striving, believing that one day, a happy ending would surely come.

Shishi's burdens weighed far heavier than his own. This realization only deepened his conviction: Shishi truly was a good girl.

These thoughts could only be kept silently in his heart, unspoken to anyone. Returning this time, he had no one to visit, and no one knew about his intimate relationship with Shishi, which gradually altered his perspective. He arrived early for the spring outing. With no one to greet, he merely watched wave after wave of scholars rushing in, many without invitations, making him feel they were all like dogs. Yet, the moment he spotted Ning Yi, a sudden warmth spread through his heart.

Ning Yi was here too—excellent! Seeing him alone, Yu Hezhong presumed he, like many others, had come without an invitation, simply to join the festivities. No matter; they were old friends. He could simply bring Ning Yi in; how could he leave a good friend out? So, he enthusiastically walked over to greet him.

"Haven't seen you in days! I didn't expect you to be out enjoying the spring, Brother Ning. Uh, did you not bring your family along?"

Yu Hezhong's manner was warm, and he smiled as he looked around. Ning Yi, however, was focused on the argument under a nearby tree. He returned the greeting with a smile and a cupped-hand salute, "No family came; I just arranged to meet two friends. What a coincidence that you're here too, Brother Yu." Jin'er, visible from afar, looked displeased but didn't seem to be on the losing end. It was the courtesan beside Liu Qingdi who frowned; it appeared she had initiated the confrontation and had now met her match. Yunzhu simply stood there, coolly observing the three men and one woman.

Since his companions were being provoked, Ning Yi prepared to intervene, planning to deliver some cutting remarks to infuriate Liu Qingdi. He paid little attention to Yu Hezhong beside him. However, when Yu Hezhong also looked towards the commotion, his interest piqued. "Ah, is that... the one called Liu Qingdi?"

"Do you know him, Brother Yu?"

"Ha, I was introduced to him a few days ago. He's said to be the foremost young scholar in Jiangning. Does Brother Ning actually know him?" As someone from the capital, Yu Hezhong wasn't overly impressed by Liu Qingdi's local renown. However, Liu Qingdi had most likely received an invitation from Chen Luoyuan. If Ning Yi had an appointment with Liu Qingdi, it implied he might also have an invitation, leading Yu Hezhong to eye Ning Yi curiously.

Ning Yi shook his head. "Not very well."

As they spoke, they were already moving in that direction. The argument under the large tree seemed to have concluded. Liu Qingdi apparently spotted Ning Yi approaching, his expression darkening. After exchanging a few words, he and his companions turned and left. Under the tree, Jin'er and Yunzhu also exchanged a brief conversation, then turned to walk in the opposite direction. A moment later, Jin'er turned her head, saw Ning Yi, tilted her head, and blinked.

Ning Yi was about to offer a greeting when Jin'er puffed out her cheeks, pressed her hands to her face, stuck out her tongue, and made a silly face at him. She then turned to speak to Yunzhu, laughing as she playfully pushed her and walked away.

In the distant grove, Liu Qingdi must have glanced back and witnessed Jin'er's actions. Though too far to discern his expression, his displeasure was palpable. He then stopped, looked towards Ning Yi, raised his head, and offered a distant, cupped-hand salute. While ostensibly a bow, its arrogance and provocative intent were unmistakably clear—essentially an open declaration of "I'm displeased with you." After the gesture, he turned and walked away again.

Ning Yi felt a touch of helplessness at these childish antics, finding both Jin'er's and Liu Qingdi's behavior equally immature. He walked to the tree, now deserted, shrugging slightly with a bored sigh. Yu Hezhong, who had followed him, remained somewhat bewildered by the scene. His attention had been solely on Liu Qingdi, so he saw Liu Qingdi's actions but missed Jin'er's playful grimace. It was only upon seeing Ning Yi's helpless expression, as if to say "everyone's left," that he vaguely "understood" what had transpired.

Ning Yi had married into a merchant family, and even if he possessed some scholarly knowledge, people like him were generally disregarded. His earlier claim of having an appointment with Liu Qingdi was likely wishful thinking or an attempt to inflate his own standing. And indeed, Liu Qingdi had just walked away, offering him no deference whatsoever. But Yu Hezhong didn't mind; at this moment, he wouldn't look down on Ning Yi. Marrying into a merchant family and becoming a live-in son-in-law was already a rather pitiable status. His desire to ascend was understandable, and his rejection by others was genuinely deserving of sympathy. As an old acquaintance, Yu Hezhong would never scorn him.

Yu Hezhong smiled. "Heh, to be honest, I don't think much of that Liu Qingdi. Ning Yi, when you eventually go to Bianjing, you'll truly understand what a concentration of talent looks like—heroes from across the land gather in the capital. He seemed quite arrogant just now, which only reveals his limited character and poor conduct... Oh, by the way, Ning Yi, are you also here for the gathering hosted by Chen Luoyuan over there?"

From a distance, Yunzhu, who Jin'er had playfully pushed to the edge of his vision, also spotted him and waved. Jin'er then likely pestered her to leave again, as Yunzhu smiled helplessly, made a few gestures, and was finally pulled out of sight. Ning Yi chuckled, "You as well, Brother Yu?"

"Precisely. Do you have an invitation, Ning Yi?"

"I do."

Ning Yi nodded. Yu Hezhong was somewhat taken aback; he had assumed Ning Yi wouldn't have an invitation. He then smiled, "These invitations aren't easy to come by. Brother Ning certainly has good connections."

"Heh, I know someone named Puyang Yi; he got me one."

"Could it be the Puyang family, known as Jiangning's wealthiest?"

Ning Yi nodded, and Yu Hezhong simply uttered "Oh." He glanced at Ning Yi, his expression a little strange, but ultimately said nothing more. In reality, he was thinking that since Ning Yi had married into a merchant family, this was probably the only way he could have obtained an invitation. After all, engaging in commerce was generally looked down upon, and Yu Hezhong didn't want to bring it up and hurt Ning Yi's feelings.

So Yu Hezhong smiled considerately. "However, I don't have an invitation myself."

"Oh?"

"Even without an invitation, you and I can still get in today. Come with me, Ning Yi, haha... I'll give you a surprise later."

He waved his hand, turned, and walked ahead, smiling mysteriously and cordially.