Chapter 22: Late Autumn and Early Winter (Part 1)

After the Cold Dew solar term in September, the weather cooled down at an increasingly noticeable pace. When heavy rains fell, Jiangning city seemed veiled in a dense fog. The late autumn rain was not as boisterous as summer showers; it carried the chill of approaching winter, seeping into one's clothes bit by bit.

As Ning Yi crossed the wooden bridge opposite the small alley, he instinctively patted the water stains off his long robe. Wearing a long robe in such rainy weather was somewhat cumbersome. By contrast, Xiao Chan, who came jogging up from behind, was much better suited for it. Dressed for the rain, she wore no skirt but an outfit consisting of a lake-green-trimmed top and trousers. Her hair was styled in her usual cute buns, and her feet were adorned with light blue embroidered shoes, making her attire incredibly light. She had probably lagged behind earlier to buy something and now, holding an oil-paper umbrella, she darted around puddles by the roadside, flying towards him like a swallow.

Xiao Chan called out to him, urging him to wait. He asked what was the matter. Reaching Ning Yi, Xiao Chan smiled and produced a small booklet, explaining that she had bought something new from a shop they passed, thinking he might not have read it yet.

It was a newly published vernacular novel, titled *Strange Encounters with Ghosts and Foxes*. Such novels were quite common in that era, written in simple, easy-to-understand language. Some were historical legends, while others were folk tales of love, with a particular abundance of romantic stories involving spirits and demons. Popular ones would often be picked up by storytellers to recount in teahouses and taverns. Ning Yi had been reading many of these novels recently, and Xiao Chan remembered this, often buying new ones when she saw them to bring home.

While these novels were less entertaining than modern stories, they were still the best available, providing a distraction when bored. Moreover, being classical texts, they helped him integrate further into the era. Ning Yi smiled as he took the book and flipped through it, while Xiao Chan walked behind him, chatting.

Xiao Chan grumbled that what the man had said at noon was truly awful, and she had really wanted to scold him. Ning Yi responded noncommittally. She continued, criticizing the man for making wild guesses without knowing anything, and for daring to brag in a restaurant about being a talented scholar, adding that such a person wouldn't even pass the county exam. Ning Yi replied again with a sound of assent. Xiao Chan then pointed out that she was defending him, as the man had been badmouthing him. Ning Yi asked what it mattered. Xiao Chan countered, expressing indignation and saying it did matter. She acknowledged that Ning Yi might not care about the opinions of vulgar people, but she found it uncomfortable to hear, as it tarnished his reputation. She even declared that if he had written a poem to curse the man on the spot, she would have taken it and hit him over the head with it. Ning Yi chuckled, turning a page in the novel, and remarked that the man didn't even know him, despite him sitting right next to him. Xiao Chan retorted that was precisely why it was so infuriating.

It had been over a month since the Mid-Autumn Festival poetry gathering, and public opinion regarding the poem "Shuidiao Getou" had been constantly evolving. In the initial ten-odd days, the praise for the poem reached its peak, and curiosity and discussion about Ning Yi were most intense. After that, however, public attention quickly waned, shifting towards more profound and specific academic circles.

The spread of such public discourse in the common market naturally had a limited lifespan. For many ordinary people, they might feign interest in the poetry gathering for about ten days after the Mid-Autumn Festival, but then other matters would gradually overshadow it. Life itself was busy and hurried, and as the frequency with which these people brought up the incident decreased, discussions about it in daily life also diminished.

More praise and questions began to concentrate among groups of scholars and literati. The influence of "Shuidiao Getou" continued to spread through their word-of-mouth and letters, but doubts and speculation about Ning Yi remained largely confined to Jiangning. For instance, a scholar in Tokyo who heard the poem would find their admiration undiminished, but they naturally wouldn't be overly concerned with who Ning Yi specifically was or whether he could truly have written the poem—after all, it was too far away.

Similar to the Song Dynasty, the Wu Dynasty saw Confucianism reach its peak, and literati held a significant proportion of societal influence. This "significant proportion" was relative to the preceding millennia; even though it was the dynasty with the most literati in history, the proportion was still tiny compared to modern times, which Ning Yi knew. Consequently, in less than a month, the atmosphere around the topic had quieted down. Of course, opportunities to inadvertently overhear skeptical remarks from scholars while dining out, like what happened this afternoon, still arose.

After Ning Yi had expressed his thoughts to Elder Qin and Elder Kang that day, Elder Kang perhaps felt that his earlier promotion of the poem during the Mid-Autumn Festival had been somewhat excessive. Afterward, he helped smooth things over for Ning Yi, and it was said that some students who had wanted to seek Ning Yi's guidance were reprimanded by their teachers. Over the past month, numerous invitations to gatherings had arrived, all of which Ning Yi ignored. Only three groups truly came seeking his advice: one found him absent, and when the other two arrived and saw Ning Yi teaching the *Analects* to children, they immediately found a topic to start with. They would typically begin by remarking that it was often said half the *Analects* can govern the world, and hearing Ning Yi explain it today, his mastery must be profound, before asking him to clarify the meaning of a specific text or concept.

This was typical ingrained thinking; seeing what the other person was discussing, they would seek a topic related to it. Ning Yi was well-prepared for classic texts like the Four Books, having reviewed them multiple times. Having been steeped in the information explosion of modern times, he could speak extemporaneously, focusing on key points that were thought-provoking. Even if he took an unconventional approach, his interlocutors would find it difficult to refute him immediately. Since these individuals had come, they naturally had other questions prepared, including obscure ones. However, given Ning Yi's demeanor and aura—which could even sway a woman like Nie Yunzhu to follow his lead—what could these scholars do? After he finished answering a passage from the *Analects*, they simply had no opportunity to raise their other questions. Ning Yi would manage for a while and then leave, leaving others to perceive him as either exceptionally learned or unfathomably profound. In hindsight, most of their questions remained unasked.

Beyond these organized challenges, there were also individuals who came privately. A man named Li Pin, for instance, visited daily, apparently quite interested in the stories Ning Yi casually told. He would come to observe the lessons. A few days prior, after class, he had indeed posed some questions to Ning Yi, mainly concerning his views on those stories and seeking his insights. In reality, these questions were always related to the meaning of the *Analects*. Since he harbored no intention of provocation, Ning Yi spoke with him for over half an hour. After that, Li Pin did not return.

From Ning Yi's perspective, as long as no one could definitively prove his lack of scholarship, external doubts about "Shuidiao Getou" could never truly become a stain on his reputation. When the day came that he needed that fame, proving his authorship would be simple. It was something he could do at any time, but there was no need for it now, and he paid little mind to such matters.

Among the external doubts, there were also vague rumors circulating that Ning Yi had plagiarized the poem from a Taoist priest. Few believed it, and it was naturally impossible to trace the origin of such gossip. However, Ning Yi had anticipated this development and merely dismissed it with a faint smile upon hearing it.

Regarding the chalk, less than half a month after Ning Yi mentioned it, Elder Kang's side produced a batch of surprisingly good quality. Thus, the transformation from a whiteboard to a blackboard was completed in just over ten days, making lessons much more convenient. The specific educational results were naturally not immediately apparent; Ning Yi's teaching process remained the same: reading, explaining, and storytelling. That was all. However, the children's growing enthusiasm for learning was clearly visible.

However, such a lively atmosphere in the classroom was probably rare for that era. While the students enjoyed it, most teachers merely shook their heads. Su Chonghua again hinted at his disapproval, but this time, after Ning Yi briefly discussed how this teaching method might be beneficial, Su Chonghua said no more. Firstly, Ning Yi now held the reputation of a talented scholar, basking in the aura of "Shuidiao Getou," making it difficult for Su Chonghua to interfere. Secondly, the academy had never been particularly effective anyway, so it couldn't get much worse. He decided to let Ning Yi continue and observe the results.

Mornings were spent teaching, and afternoons were for strolling or, if it wasn't raining, going to Elder Qin's place for a game of chess.

Xiao Chan continued to accompany him for most of the time, even coming to the academy to listen to lessons. She particularly enjoyed Ning Yi's storytelling, which featured a variety of strange and ancient tales; she could then recount them to her two sisters back home, boasting a little. Ning Yi suspected that her increased closeness might be at Su Tan'er's instigation, which was understandable given he had composed "Shuidiao Getou." He quite understood this and didn't mind.

What puzzled him, however, was that his wife had perhaps indeed found some reason to explain to herself why he had composed that poem. In the first few days, her scrutinizing gaze at him during meals had been quite frequent, but then it changed. She refocused on her work, her daily comings and goings by carriage, meals, and conversations returning to their previous manner, with no hint of probing in her words. This made Ning Yi curious: what reason had she found and accepted and understood? He truly couldn't grasp it.

Aside from this largely unchanged daily life, Ning Yi occasionally inquired about news concerning martial arts or internal cultivation. The Su family had a group of household guards, and some were said to be proficient in hard qigong, though this was merely equivalent to the level of basic conditioning in modern armies, allowing them to break bricks with their heads. As for the more miraculous internal martial arts, based on what he had heard so far, they likely existed in this era, possibly practiced by masters from renowned major sects. However, learning them would be extremely difficult.

For now, Ning Yi was only beginning to gather information on this subject—it was what interested him most. In this era, whether it was serving as an official, engaging in business, or even rebellion, these were all systems of human interaction he had already encountered in modern times. Only martial arts offered novelty. If he truly had the chance, he genuinely wanted to experience internal cultivation or similar abilities—he just hoped they weren't fake like in his modern world. He wasn't greedy; for instance, being able to leap about a *zhang* (approx. 3.3 meters) from a standing position would suffice. Of course, he wouldn't mind two *zhangs* either.

To practice martial arts, one needed a good physique. Finding a grand master to teach him now wouldn't be very reliable; a practical, grounded approach was the right path. So, on clear mornings, his daily exercise routine continued, with the intensity doubled to achieve maximum effect. Sit-ups, push-ups, long-distance running—a few days prior, as he passed Nie Yunzhu's residence, the woman, dressed in a simple gown, stood there and saw him. When he ran closer, she curtseyed and greeted him, "Young Master Ning."

Ning Yi, drenched in sweat and panting, forced a strained smile and waved, but couldn't even manage to utter a "Hi." Then he just ran past her.

Nie Yunzhu remained standing there, stunned for a long moment. She had only just managed to decide to come out and greet him.