Chapter 232: Playing the Fool to Entrap the Tiger

The Live-in Son-in-Law

Waking in the early morning, he exercised briefly, practicing a set of Tai Chi. As a fresh breeze blew across the deck, the canal banks were silhouetted beautifully in the dawn light, with sky-blue clouds and a white-yellow sunrise. Rooster crows and dog barks gradually arose from the villages along the waterway. A farmer’s wife, carrying a wooden bucket, drew water from the bluestone steps by the river. She looked up at the passing boats, a common sight for her, then turned and went back.

Lights were already on in the pleasure boat, and people were gradually waking up. Xiaochun walked by with a basin of water, thinking that the young master, dressed in white, looked exceptionally graceful and handsome while practicing martial arts. Of course, not everyone shared this opinion.

“Is Master Su’s son-in-law practicing martial arts?”

Lin Tingzhi, a scholar from Hangzhou accompanying Lou Shuxuan, walked over, cupping his hands in a greeting. Dressed in a scholar’s robe and a head wrap, he appeared handsome and elegant in the morning sun. Ning Yi glanced at him and smiled, “Just a fancy exercise to keep fit.” He transitioned from a "Needle at Sea Bottom" posture to "Flash Through Back."

Lin Tingzhi also smiled, seeing Ning Yi focused on his practice, and did not speak further. As he turned, he saw Lou Shuxuan looking down from a window on the second floor of the pleasure boat. She had likely just woken up, with light makeup on, tilting her head to insert a pearl hairpin into her coiled bun. Lin Tingzhi gave her a knowing smile, but she offered no smile in return; her expression merely softened slightly before she disappeared from the window’s view.

Knowing her character, Lin Tingzhi didn't feel put out. He opened his fan, waved it, looked back at Ning Yi who was still practicing, and then walked towards the cabin. Just then, he saw the beautiful Juan’er come out, and he smiled and cupped his hands again. Juan’er bowed in greeting, then went about her business with a calm expression.

“My brother-in-law seems to be practicing martial arts downstairs.”

In the second-floor room, Lou Shuxuan leaned over her dressing table, tidying her hair, while speaking to Su Tan’er, who was getting out of bed. Su Tan’er looked at the window, then smiled, “He just enjoys those things.”

The pleasure boat had departed from Changzhou pier yesterday morning. Against the wind, it proceeded a little slower, but by yesterday, it had already passed Wuxi, and passed Suzhou in the early hours of today. Currently, it was on the waterway from Suzhou to Jiaxing. According to Ning Yi and Su Tan’er’s original plan, they were supposed to stay in Wuxi or Suzhou for a while, and then visit Taihu Lake for a few days. However, this itinerary had naturally changed, primarily to help Lou Shuxuan transport some goods.

Su Tan’er and Lou Shuxuan originally didn't have a very deep relationship; they had only met during their youth. However, both had strong, independent personalities, leaving a rather deep impression on each other. Meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land now gave them a feeling of deep sisterhood. For the past two days, they had mostly disregarded others and talked together, naturally sharing a room at night and discussing everything under the sun.

In fact, on this boat, Su Tan’er was pretty much the only person Lou Shuxuan could talk to. Their statuses were similar. As Ning Yi was a live-in son-in-law, Lou Shuxuan naturally wouldn't hold him in high regard. And with outsiders present, she couldn't appear too intimate with Lin Tingzhi. As for Ning Yi, she now knew his general situation: a scholar, a live-in son-in-law, without official title—though Su Tan’er mentioned he had no intention of seeking official distinction, Lou Shuxuan naturally understood the implicit meaning: what scholar wouldn’t want to pursue an official career? It must be due to insufficient talent, combined with his status as a live-in son-in-law, that he couldn't pursue that path.

Lou Shuxuan herself was also married. When she spoke of it, Su Tan’er learned that Lou Shuxuan’s husband was also a live-in son-in-law, and quite talented. But even with just a brief mention, the impression conveyed was similar to Ning Yi’s situation. Lou Shuxuan occasionally mentioned her husband, and although she spoke well of him, Su Tan’er could naturally sense a hint of disapproval. Lou Shuxuan seemed to regard Su Tan’er as a sister with a similar fate, occasionally sighing and conveying an "it's all the same, you know how it is" attitude before saying no more.

In truth, just like Su Tan’er initially, choosing a man to be a live-in son-in-law was a choice born of necessity. Men who became live-in sons-in-law were typically of a certain type, and by the values of the time, they often seemed to lack a certain integrity. Lou Shuxuan naturally understood this, but after getting married, it was unavoidable to imagine how wonderful it would be if her husband were the most outstanding.

Moreover, her husband was usually keen on literary and poetry gatherings. Ning Yi, on the other hand, or at least from what others on the boat observed, seemed approachable but preferred telling tales of wanderers and immortals, and enjoyed practicing martial arts, appearing even less ambitious. Lou Shuxuan expressed understanding of Su Tan’er’s difficulties and did not dwell on these matters. After all, Jiangning and Hangzhou were a thousand li apart, and Lou Shuxuan wasn’t particularly interested in poetry or literature. She wasn’t aware of Ning Yi’s reputation, so Su Tan’er found it awkward to elaborate on how capable her husband was, as it might seem like showing off. She wanted to learn more about the Hangzhou area from Lou Shuxuan, so she naturally avoided bringing up such topics.

When Ning Yi’s martial arts practice was mentioned, Su Tan’er smiled happily and with amusement, completely unbothered. Lou Shuxuan, however, thought it was probably a forced smile. After all, if her own husband at home also took up martial arts, she too would have to force a smile. She didn’t try to expose it.

After getting up, Su Tan’er first went to Ning Yi’s room to check on him, then went downstairs to have breakfast with everyone. At this time, she naturally sat with Ning Yi, chatting about various trivial matters.

After breakfast, Lou Shuxuan pulled Su Tan’er to the bow of the boat to sunbathe. Midway, while Lou Shuxuan was discussing matters with a household steward, Su Tan’er tugged on Xiaochun, whispering something. Xiaochun blushed, shook her head, gave an answer, and then went back to her duties.

A moment later, before Lou Shuxuan returned, someone leaned in from behind. Su Tan’er felt a warmth envelop her; it was Ning Yi, who embraced her and leaned down, a smile on his face.

“Little jealous one,” he said.

Su Tan’er also smiled warmly, “No.”

“Yes, you are.”

Their playful teasing stemmed from the fact that Xiaochun had slept in Ning Yi’s room last night.

For the past two days, Su Tan’er had been with Lou Shuxuan. Yesterday evening, when Lou Shuxuan left, Ning Yi joked with his wife that he would have to “guard an empty room alone.” Su Tan’er knew he didn’t mind, but that night, she called Xiaochun, led her into Ning Yi’s room, and smiled, “Husband, you and Xiaochun should sleep together. I don’t mind.”

Although she said this, in reality, she couldn't help but perk up her ears and listen several times when passing Ning Yi's room later. This morning, she also couldn't resist checking Ning Yi's bed. After breakfast, she subtly questioned Xiaochun, only to learn that although Ning Yi and Xiaochun had slept together last night, they had only embraced and chatted, doing nothing more.

Marrying Xiaochun to Ning Yi as a concubine was a long-decided matter, bound to happen sooner or later. Su Tan’er had long prepared herself mentally for this, but hearing Xiaochun’s words this morning, a warmth still inexplicably spread through her heart. Now, with Ning Yi holding her, even if someone might see them from behind, she only felt an even greater warmth in her heart.

“Being ‘little-minded’ is one of the seven grounds for divorce, you know. Is there something I’ve done wrong, dear husband, that you wish to divorce me?”

For a live-in son-in-law to divorce his wife was virtually impossible. But as their affection deepened, Su Tan’er grew accustomed to appearing docile and playful in front of him. Of course, jokes about his status didn’t need to be overdone. Ning Yi didn’t respond, just chuckled for a moment.

“It’s not fair to Xiaochun this way. I told her last night that once we settle down a bit in Hangzhou, we’ll officially marry her. At that time... well, it’s been a while, and it’s normal for you to be a little concerned. It’s more that I feel a bit sorry for her.”

Su Tan’er held his hand, shook her head, and after a moment of silence, burst out laughing: “…Husband, you’re worse than a beast!”

The story of beasts and being “worse than a beast” was something Ning Yi had joked about before. Now, Su Tan’er used it to tease him. He huffed, let go of her, then reached out and ruffled Su Tan’er’s hair, seeming a bit annoyed, and walked away. Su Tan’er covered her messed-up bangs with both hands, just laughing.

This was just a small interlude in their journey. Afterward, the pleasure boat continued south. According to the original plan, they were to arrive in Hangzhou tomorrow morning. However, some subsequent events led the group to stay an extra night in Jiaxing. That, too, was just a minor interlude.

Evening, near Jiaxing’s West Post Pavilion.

Ancient trees were verdant, willows hung low. On the canal, a luxurious pleasure boat glided slowly. As golden light streamed down, faint strains of music and singing drifted from within the boat. Since ancient times, the Jiangnan region has been crisscrossed by waterways. Jiaxing, too, was a city born alongside water, with its South Lake counted among the three most famous lakes in the land, alongside Hangzhou’s West Lake and Shaoxing’s East Lake. Being a city built by water, it was natural for many courtesan houses to own pleasure boats. This particular boat belonged to a local courtesan house. Today, they weren’t cruising on South Lake; a group of scholars had gathered, letting the pleasure boat travel along the canal, with music, dancing, poetry recitation, and composition filling the air.

Excursions by boat typically happened in the morning, while visiting courtesan houses was usually an evening activity. This gathering began in the afternoon, not exactly prime time for such engagements. But as the sun set, the canal area was bathed in golden hues, a pleasing sight. Several scholars looked out from the windows, occasionally inspired to compose poetry, discussing the world and reflecting on ancient times. The boat traveled for a while, passing several cargo vessels. Then, another pleasure boat approached from upstream, drawing nearer and nearer. Suddenly, someone on one side exclaimed in a low voice.

“Hey, quick, look, look!”“What?”“Look over there.”

It was naturally one of the scholars who suddenly spoke as if he had discovered a treasure, waving his fan with a look of longing on his face. Everyone looked in the direction he pointed and saw several people moving about on the approaching pleasure boat. On the foredeck of the boat, a woman in a white dress, holding a round fan, stood observing the nearby scenery. The wind blew from the front, billowing her lotus-petal-like skirt. The woman raised a hand to smooth the strands of hair near her ear, and the sunlight poured down, outlining her figure with a magnificent golden rim.

Beside the woman, another woman dressed as a maid was saying something, and the two laughed as they talked. As the two boats drew closer, the woman’s appearance became clearer, and whispers arose.

“Wow, is that a young lady from a wealthy family?”“That boat doesn’t seem to be from around here; it’s probably from the Suzhou area.”“Perhaps she’s a family member of an official?”“Hey, hey, hey, watching like that is rude.”

People pointed and gestured. As the distance closed, the woman could also see the group on their pleasure boat and slightly furrowed her brows. Unlike women from ordinary families, this woman was beautiful, but her furrowed brows, combined with her standing posture, exuded a distinct aloof aura. After glancing at the scenery a few more times, the woman turned and walked towards the cabin, her maid also took a quick look and followed behind. On the other pleasure boat, some rubbed their noses, while others laughed and joked.

“Embarrassing a beauty.”“What do you mean by staring like that? Don’t forget Miss Qing’er is still here.”“It seems I, your humble servant, can’t compare to that lady.”“Nonsense! In my eyes, Miss Qing’er is much prettier.”

Amidst such chatter, someone suddenly exclaimed, “Ah, Lin Tingzhi!”

“Who?”“Look, isn’t that Lin Tingzhi? Lin Yong, Lin Tingzhi!”

Jiaxing and Hangzhou were not far apart, connected by waterways that allowed travel within a day, so the connection among literati was quite close. One or two people recognized Lin Tingzhi, whose figure appeared at a window on the other boat. Miss Qing’er also recognized him: “Oh, it really is Young Master Lin.”“This Lin Tingzhi is a well-known philanderer; why would he be on that boat?”“Is that so? I heard he’s quite talented in poetry…”“Probably just rumors. How could a Jiangnan scholar not dabble in romance? That Lin Tingzhi looks handsome, just like me…”“Isn’t he in Hangzhou?”“That lady seems to be a married woman. Could she be someone Lin Tingzhi has taken an interest in?”

There was another round of discussion. The two pleasure boats had already passed each other. As people discussed Lin Tingzhi, suddenly, someone whispered, “Ah, Lou Shuxuan…”

At this moment, another graceful figure appeared on the aft deck of that pleasure boat. Everyone looked over. The one who spoke the name was a scholar from Hangzhou, whose expression seemed somewhat complex. Someone nearby heard him and asked, “Brother Chen, do you also know the people on that boat?”“Brother Chen is originally from Hangzhou, so it’s not surprising.”Several people around them murmured. The man named Chen looked at Lou Shuxuan, then glanced in the direction where Lin Tingzhi had been, and raised his chin, “I do know that woman. She’s called Lou Shuxuan; she’s the favored daughter of the Lou family in Hangzhou, Lou Jinlin…”

As he spoke, one scholar leaned out the window and shouted, “Boatman, hurry and follow that boat! Catch up to it!”“Haha, exactly! What a coincidence! We should definitely greet them.”

The man named Chen said, “But Lou Shuxuan is already married…” But by then, everyone was already cheering him on, and his voice was low, so no one nearby could hear him clearly. The man named Chen also had a complex expression; he seemed to want everyone to stop shouting, but ultimately, he didn’t show much resistance.

“Lin Tingzhi! Brother Lin!”“Brother Lin!”

In the glow of the setting sun, amidst the shouts from front and back, the two pleasure boats gradually drew alongside each other. The scholars on the other boat cupped their hands in greeting: “Brother Lin, long time no see!”“Brother Lin, we met once at the poetry gathering on South Lake. Do you remember?”“Brother Lin, where are you coming from? If you have leisure, why don’t you come over for a chat?”They called out to their friends, seemingly very enthusiastic.

Lin Tingzhi emerged from his boat, initially somewhat taken aback. But amidst the flurry of greetings, he turned his head to look at Ning Yi, Su Tan’er, Lou Shuxuan, and the others. After a moment, he naturally cupped his hands in return: “Brother Wen, Brother Du, it truly has been a long time!”

Bathed in sunlight, dressed in his scholar’s robe and head wrap, standing tall with cupped hands, he indeed exuded for a moment the spirit of “Do not worry that the road ahead has no confidants; who in the world does not know you?”

Along the journey, Lou Shuxuan had not been particularly warm towards him. After encountering Su Tan’er and Ning Yi, she paid him even less attention. Although he had his own intentions, he initially found this normal and wasn’t too bothered. In fact, without such a carefree mindset, he wouldn’t have been able to frequent various social circles. However, as others didn’t know his true identity, the feeling of not being valued was ultimately unpleasant. Now, this sudden turn of events truly became his moment of triumph.

“My apologies, my apologies. I have important matters to attend to with a few friends and am heading back to Hangzhou. I’m afraid I don’t have time today…” As he spoke, he cupped his hands and smiled, politely declining.