Chapter 229: Journey

**My Son-in-Law: Episode Two, The Undercurrents of the Pond**

Everyone says the fall of Sui was for this canal;Yet, for a thousand li today, it relies on its flowing waves.If not for the lavish water palaces and dragon boat affairs,Its merits, with Yu the Great, would be just as much.

As the longest artificial canal in the world, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal starts in Zhuojun in the north and ends in Hangzhou in the south, connecting the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. The section of the canal south of the Yangtze River, originating from Zhenjiang, is called the Jiangnan Canal.

Jiangnan is prosperous. From Zhenjiang southward, boats come and go along the waterway, making the Jiangnan Canal live up to its name as one of the busiest sections of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. The water in this stretch of the canal flows gently, and the surrounding mountains are not as magnificent as those along the Yangtze River. Their rolling green slopes do not appear profound. Occasionally, one can spot dilapidated docks, small villages, cultivated fields, or roads running parallel to the canal. Along these roads, pedestrians and ox-carts sometimes pass by. This scenery, together with the boats navigating the waterway, truly gives one a sense of the peaceful ambiance of Jiangnan.

The Jiangnan Canal is about twenty meters wide, but its water is not very deep, usually only about two meters. Occasionally, there are low-lying areas along both banks, forming dense layers of reeds. Fishermen pole their boats past, and waterbirds like cormorants take off and land, squawking as they spear fish from the water. In the sunlight, these scenes on the water are quiet yet pleasant, truly embodying the spirit of a landscape painting.

This long waterway supports the grain transport between Lake Tai and the Yangtze River region, and also sustains the lives of families who have lived along its nearly thousand-li stretch. It was afternoon, and a painted pleasure boat was sailing through the waterways near Changzhou. Although called a 'painted pleasure boat,' its decor was nowhere near as lavish as those found on the Qinhuai River. The boat had two decks, appearing far more comfortable than typical merchant or passenger vessels on this route, clearly indicating it could only be afforded by wealthy families. At this moment, the boat was slowly moving across the river surface.

In the summer sunlight, voices were echoing from a room on the second deck.

“...the sky was covered with dark clouds, and the waters raged. Just then, Fahai flew into the sky,” a loud cry: “Mighty Heavenly Dragon, World-Honored Ksitigarbha, Prajna Bamajit!” His kasaya spread out, covering the sky and sun, lifting the entire Jinshan Temple into the air! If you want to know what happens next, please listen to the next installment.”

Judging from the voices from inside the cabin, someone seemed to be telling a story. Just as the narrative reached its climax, this abrupt cliffhanger sounded, leaving the group stunned for a moment, followed by a chorus of protests.

“No more ‘next installment’!”“Brother-in-law, brother-in-law…”“Brother-in-law, you can’t do this!”“What happened to Fahai and Bai Suzhen…?”“Jinshan Temple is so huge, how could it fly into the sky? How did it fly? How did it fly?”

Voices, both male and female, erupted in a clamor. The storyteller likely took a drink of water: “Hey, you’re being unreasonable! I’ve been talking all afternoon… How did Jinshan Temple fly up? You saw Jinshan Temple yesterday; it can fly however you imagine it to! Have some imagination!”

“But ‘Mighty Heavenly Dragon, World-Honored Ksitigarbha, Prajna Bamajit’—what kind of Buddhist chant is that? Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, the Buddhist scriptures don’t say anything like that…”

“It sounds really powerful, doesn’t it? Besides, how would a girl like you know about such things?”

“Juan’er has read Buddhist scriptures, Juan’er, you tell him!”

“Master Fahai is so amazing.”

“Tsk, it’s over, Juan’er is smitten! Someone go hit her…”

“No, brother-in-law.”

“Brother-in-law, do Buddhist monks truly possess such divine powers?”

“You believe it?”

Amidst the chattering and clamor, a woman stood leaning against the railing in the passageway on the lower deck, gazing leisurely at the flowing river. She wore a dress of alternating goose-yellow and moonlight-white, with a white sleeveless jacket draped over her shoulders. In her hand, she held a small fan. Though still young, her hair was styled into a married woman's bun. The blend of youthful innocence and mature serenity in her demeanor made it instantly clear that she was a married young lady from a prominent family.

This boatload of people, naturally, was Ning Yi and his companions traveling south.

Their trip to Hangzhou was partly for sightseeing, but Su Tan'er also intended to expand her business operations in the Hangzhou area to differentiate her and her father's influence within the main branch of the family. Therefore, in addition to herself, Ning Yi, and three maids including Chan'er, their traveling party also included a trustworthy household accountant, two shopkeepers with their families, maids, apprentices, and guards. Furthermore, her two paternal cousins, Su Wending and Su Wenfang, who were previously quite close to the main branch, had also joined them to gain experience by accompanying their elder cousin, Su Tan'er, to Hangzhou.

Altogether, their group numbered around thirty people, so Su Tan'er rented this relatively comfortable double-decked pleasure boat. They had previously spent a few days touring Zhenjiang, naturally visiting Jinshan Temple there. In fact, Jinshan Temple in Zhenjiang had already been renamed twice by then, first to Longyou Temple and currently to Shenxiao Yuqing Wanshou Palace. However, its previous name was still remembered, and when people brought it up, Ning Yi seized the opportunity to tell the story of the Legend of the White Snake to amuse them, using the version from Tsui Hark’s *Green Snake*. Before he finished the story, Chan'er and the others seemed to become infatuated with Fahai, whom Ning Yi had depicted as very handsome, while Wending, Wenfang, and the others couldn't help but fantasize about the two enchanting snake demons.

After lunch, besides the three maids and two cousins, several accountants and shopkeepers' families also gathered on the upper deck to listen to the story. Additionally, accompanying apprentices and guards, such as Dongzhu and Guard Geng, were also listening with great interest from the second-floor corridor. During their tour in Zhenjiang these past few days, everyone had come to understand their master's son-in-law's witty and easygoing nature, thus shedding much of their formality. Su Tan'er was originally interested in these stories herself, but after the crowd gathered, she came down. Seeing how crowded it was upstairs, she didn't go back up. The two decks of the pleasure boat weren't very high, so she could hear everything clearly from the railing. Standing there, enjoying the breeze and the scenery, she had also ended up listening to the story up to this point.

In the past, although Su Tan'er had adopted a married woman's appearance after her wedding, she had always possessed maturity in business. However, her demeanor as a married woman still felt a bit stiff. By now, that stiffness had completely vanished. As she stood there, not going upstairs, what she was listening to was the lively atmosphere, the sense of pride she felt when her husband effortlessly held everyone's attention and was liked by them all.

Before her marriage, she had never considered such things. She possessed the charisma to navigate the business world with ease and become the center of attention. If everyone was gathered, she could quickly draw others' notice with a few words, preventing any awkward silences. However, being amiable and humorous was not her forte.

As a woman, she naturally had to be reserved and maintain a certain distance from others. While she had always treated people with gentle grace and dignity, she was occasionally described as having the air of Empress Wu Zetian – an unavoidable perception. If she ever had any expectations, it was merely that her husband, after marriage, wouldn't be overly dull, that he would at least greet people and avoid offending them excessively; that would suffice. She had never imagined that he could manage any situation so effortlessly and completely. For instance, she had once inquired about Ning Yi's confrontation with Wu Qilong; the Wu family's swift acceptance of their fate was likely due to her husband's ability to utterly shatter Wu Qilong's confidence with just a few words. And now, he could even make Wending and Wenfang behave like ordinary, harmonious family members, something she could achieve in business but perhaps not within her own family.

As she felt this happiness, her smile naturally contained a hint of charm and allure, making her resemble Bai Suzhen's gentle and sweet grace from *Green Snake*.

Although it was noisy upstairs, once Ning Yi declared a pause, others naturally couldn't force him to continue the story. For Chan'er, Juan'er, and Xing'er, even if he was friendly, he was still their master. For Wending, Wenfang, and the others, even though Ning Yi was amiable, he maintained a powerful aura. In some respects, perhaps only Old Master Su could command a stronger presence within the Su family; it was even less likely for others to insist that Ning Yi finish the story. Despite a few jokes and laughs, everyone quickly became more engrossed in discussing the plot and speculating about the continuation.

Soon after, Ning Yi, chatting and laughing with Su Wending and Su Wenfang, came down to the deck. Upon seeing Su Tan'er, Wending and Wenfang exchanged a few more words before leaving. Ning Yi, holding a teacup, smiled as he walked over to his wife, who was gently fanning herself. Su Tan'er narrowed her eyes, saying, “How vexing! I wanted to hear more too…”

“But you didn't say anything earlier.”

“The white snake fell in love with a human man to repay a kindness, and Fahai, with good intentions, vanquished demons as was his duty. Husband, who do you think was truly in the wrong?”

“If I were Xu Xian, then Fahai would naturally be in the wrong. If I were Fahai, then Xu Xian would obviously be in the wrong.”

“Huh? How could it be Xu Xian?”

“If I were Fahai, and I somehow got married, then naturally I’d be annoyed with Xu Xian, and thus separate them. As for why I’d separate them, it would, of course, be because I was smitten with Bai Suzhen…”

“Heehee,” Tan’er couldn’t help but giggle, then she straightened her face slightly, “Husband, don’t make such jokes. There’s Buddhist philosophy in the story.”

Ning Yi shrugged, offering no rebuttal. At that moment, the boat reached a dense reed bed and gently turned a bend. As the pleasure boat changed direction, the shadow of the hull also shifted slightly. Looking out, the riverbanks were lined with gently rolling hills, trees swayed in the warm breeze, millions of leaves rustling, and a few birds soared into the sky with wisps of dust. The couple stood there, watching the scenery. Ning Yi took a drink of his tea. Tan'er was probably a bit thirsty too; she took the cup from Ning Yi's hand, took a sip, and then held it. From the aft cabin, perhaps the children of the two shopkeepers ran down the corridor, yelling, “Mighty Heavenly Dragon, World-Honored Eh-zang lalalala!” They likely couldn't remember the full chant, which made one chuckle upon hearing it.

Although the Jiangnan Canal is an artificial waterway with a shallow riverbed, its water quality is actually quite good after so many years of excavation. From the boat, emerald waves shimmered on the river. Su Wending and Su Wenfang were at the bow, chatting and laughing about something while looking at the water below. When they glanced over, Ning Yi smiled and asked, “Well? Have you made up your mind?”

Su Wending pouted, “Brother-in-law, that’s degrading for a scholar.” Ning Yi chuckled.

Su Tan'er didn't know what they were discussing and asked. Upon Ning Yi's explanation, she learned that Wending and Wenfang had been pestering Ning Yi for more of the story, and Ning Yi had told them to swim across the river first if they wanted him to continue.

In truth, although Ning Yi still knew how to swim, he had had very few opportunities to get into the water since coming here, so he probably wasn't a very good swimmer anymore. However, Wending and Wenfang prided themselves on being scholars, and naturally wouldn't do anything that disregarded their appearance.

Upon hearing this, Su Tan'er smiled and gave Ning Yi a sidelong glance, then remarked that he was disgracing scholarship. She leaned over to look into the water. In fact, the Jiangnan Canal's average depth was only two meters, and even during the flood season, it wouldn't rise much. Anyone who knew how to swim would not drown if they went in. Ning Yi looked at the water surface with her and asked, “Do you know how to swim?”

Su Tan'er smiled, “A little. I haven’t swum in a long time.”

“Perhaps we can go for a swim if the opportunity arises…”

Ning Yi muttered to himself. Su Tan'er then pouted slightly, feigning annoyance, and gave him another sidelong glance: “Husband, you’re always talking nonsense. If I went into the water and people saw me, what glory would that bring you…”

“Ahem, I was just saying. We could build our own pond someday…”

The couple chuckled about this for a while. The stretch of the Jiangnan Canal from Danyang to Wuxi, nearly two hundred li, was a straight waterway. Except for areas of silted swamps, the boats hardly needed to turn, simply following the current. However, after a while, the wind began to blow against them. Ning Yi and Su Tan'er looked towards the southeast, where thick rain clouds had built up in the sky beyond the canal. The edge of the clouds formed a dark line across the sky, and the entire sky in that direction seemed weighed down by the clouds.

By this time, everyone on board had noticed the rain clouds. Su Tan'er tilted her head, watching for a while. Chan'er also ran out from the cabin, carrying a basin, and came up to Su Tan'er, saying, “Brother-in-law, could this be heavenly soldiers and generals coming to capture Lady White Snake?”

Su Tan'er put her arm around the maid's shoulder, smiling as she pulled her closer: “It might be.”

The old boatman, who steered the boat, had also come onto the deck at this point, frowning as he looked up at the clouds. The old boatman's surname was Gu. Ning Yi said with a smile, “Uncle Gu, I've also learned a bit about reading the weather from clouds. Looking at these clouds today, it seems we’re in for a heavy rain.” A few days prior, the boatman had shared some tips for reading the weather from clouds, and Ning Yi was now putting that knowledge to practical use.

The old boatman also laughed heartily: “The master is right. Looking at the cloud formation, it seems there will be a big thunderstorm. But it’s fine here. Sailing in such wind and rain actually has a unique charm.”

Su Tan'er asked, “There won't be big waves on the Jiangnan Canal, will there?”

“There will be some wind and waves, but not big ones. Our boat is large. On the Yangtze, this kind of weather would mean significant waves, but it’s still navigable. The truly big waves are at sea. Here, the mountains are lower, so strong winds can pick up, but the water isn't deep, so there won’t be large waves no matter what. Some people even enjoy coming on board to ride the boat when it’s windy, saying it's thrilling. Oh, how does that poem go around here? 'Seven hundred li of calm river, two or three prefectures of fertile land. Sitting, one finds the charm of lakes and mountains; sailing, one has no worry of wind or waves.' That's what it says about the Jiangnan Canal.”

The old man could even recite poetry, which surprised everyone for a moment. Ning Yi chuckled, “Uncle Gu is quite cultured. Wending, Wenfang, a quiz for you two: who wrote this poem?”

Su Wending thought for a moment, but Su Wenfang immediately waved his hand with a smile: “Brother-in-law, you're underestimating us too much! It’s a poem by Bai Letian of the Tang Dynasty.”

Bai Letian, that is Bai Juyi. Ning Yi nodded and chuckled, “I confess, I actually forgot.” He was telling the truth; he had never encountered this poem before. The others all burst into laughter, no one believing him.

The old boatman was directing two boatmen to lower the sails. On the horizon, fierce winds were sweeping the rain clouds, pressing down towards them…