Chapter 239: Initial Appearance

Episode Two: The Pool of Undercurrents

After seeing Shi Changqi out of the Taiping Alley entrance, Ning Yi stood beneath a sycamore tree at the intersection, observing the martial arts practice at Liu's Martial Arts Hall for a while.

The Shi Changqi he had just seen off was visiting for the second time. His first visit was yesterday; since Ning Yi and Su Tan'er had gone out in the morning, he waited until the afternoon and only met them when they returned home after lunch at a restaurant. Shi Changqi seemed sincere and possessed the demeanor of a true gentleman, so Ning Yi was willing to befriend him.

Aside from discussing poetry, when Ning Yi was free of malice and sought to be amiable, their conversation that afternoon had been quite congenial. Shi Changqi had said he would return in a few days, but he rushed back this very afternoon, having heard somewhere about Ning Yi's status as a live-in son-in-law and hurrying to verify it.

The weather was relatively cool today, so there was no need to specifically go to West Lake for a nap. Both Ning Yi and Su Tan'er were at home. When Shi Changqi arrived, Su Tan'er happened to be out dealing with some shop matters. After a few pleasantries, Shi Changqi directly asked Ning Yi if he was a live-in son-in-law, which surprised Ning Yi somewhat. Ning Yi naturally admitted it frankly, causing Shi Changqi's mood to become agitated. He then asked if Ning Yi had any past difficulties, hinting that a man of their generation should have great ambitions and should never abandon his family or become a live-in son-in-law, no matter the hardship. When this subtle approach yielded no results, he intensified his tone.

Ning Yi appeared to be only in his early twenties; although his demeanor was composed, his youthful face struggled to convey overall persuasiveness or authority. Shi Changqi, on the other hand, was twenty-six or twenty-seven. He had originally come to visit because he had heard of Ning Yi's reputation in Jiangning, but after their congenial conversation, he evidently felt a desire to guide and look after a younger man. Ning Yi's response—simply stating facts without offering any defense—irritated him as he spoke, moving from restrained to outspoken.

"At your age, to abandon your ancestors and become a live-in son-in-law in a merchant family, and to show not the slightest remorse! How can a scholar behave like this..."

Shi Changqi's attitude grew increasingly stern. Ning Yi listened for a long while before finally smiling and asking, "Brother Shi, have you encountered some trouble today?"

The question made Shi Changqi slightly self-aware, but he still seemed unwilling to back down. "Regardless, such a matter is ultimately unwise. A merchant family's pursuit of profit is one thing, but Brother Ning's wife actually appears in public every day, while we..."

"Brother Shi," Ning Yi interrupted him with a smile. "Are you here today to persuade me to separate from my wife?"

"No, that's not my intention, it's just that..."

Ning Yi waved his hand. "Family matters are trivial and generally don't need to be discussed with outsiders, but I appreciate your concern, Brother Shi. My wife is an excellent person. We have been married for two years, and our feelings for each other are quite good; she respects me, and I like her. Regardless of past events, if I were to formally separate, it would involve many complications, and the ultimate result would only be to hurt the family's feelings. I don't know what you think, Brother Shi, but for me, the emotions between family members are extremely important. What do you think?"

Ning Yi, accustomed to all sorts of situations, was not angered by the scholar's sudden passionate outburst. Though somewhat surprised, he had little interest in probing further. He gently pushed back at this point, and soon after, saw the speechless Shi Changqi out of the alley entrance, maintaining all due courtesy. In his heart, he understood that there would likely be no further interactions.

Ning Yi had always understood the complexity of human nature. When he first arrived, he didn't have strong feelings about the literary atmosphere of scholars in this era; he neither disliked it nor fully identified with it, and was too lazy to pay it much mind. After all, he had no longing for this era before, so there was no need to seek any resonance. Over the past two years, living there, he had come to appreciate the era's ambiance and spirit. Just like Shi Changqi, some of the things he upheld were always admirable; of course, after appreciation, he would simply smile.

It was overcast at the time, with clouds obscuring the intense sun. There was no break at the martial arts hall at the alley entrance; a few people were sparring with wooden swords within Ning Yi's view. Ning Yi watched from outside, and the practitioners inside occasionally glanced at him. However, knowing he was a resident of the alley, they had grown accustomed to his occasional spectating.

In truth, the sword techniques taught at Liu's Martial Arts Hall were not particularly profound; in these times, without the cultivation of someone like Lu Hongti, they didn't offer much in terms of visual appeal. Ning Yi watched for a while, just as he was about to leave, a carriage drove up from the opposite side of the road and its curtain was lifted beside him.

"Brother-in-law."

Inside the carriage were Lou Shuanwan and her maid, A'guo. Although Lou Shuanwan initially showed some disdain for Ning Yi when they first met, her attitude during subsequent interactions with Ning Yi and Su Tan'er became clear and open. She wasn't overly restrained but maintained the propriety of a respectable woman. At that moment, fanning herself with a small round fan, she glanced towards the other side of the road.

"That person just now was Shi Changqi. Do you know him, brother-in-law?"

"Not very well. Is he famous?"

"He's quite well-known in the Suzhou-Hangzhou area."

Ning Yi nodded, thoughtfully looking at Lou Shuanwan, who, however, didn't elaborate on the topic. "Is Sister Tan'er at home?"

"She went to the shop earlier; I'm afraid she'll be a while before she returns. Please come in and sit for a bit."

"Oh, I see," Lou Shuanwan mused, then shook her head. "No, I shouldn't. I'm just passing by, and I have some things to attend to shortly. Please give my regards to Sister Tan'er, brother-in-law." After saying this and exchanging a few more casual words, Lou Shuanwan lowered the carriage curtain, and Ning Yi turned to go home. As the carriage drove past, inside, Lou Shuanwan's expression had turned cold.

Her young maid, Guo'er, whispered, "Miss, did you just come to take this one glance?"

Lou Shuanwan smiled. "I was just looking casually. Seeing Shi Changqi leave was enough. What else is there to see?"

"But this way, we don't know how much they argued..."

"They wouldn't truly argue. When Shi Changqi left, his expression was gloomy and unhappy, but it was clear he either hadn't finished speaking or what he said was useless. My brother-in-law is truly interesting; he actually saw the man all the way to the intersection. We've seen enough. What do you, a little maid, understand? Don't bother me."

Lou Shuanwan closed her eyes, pondering these matters. The maid wisely fell silent, and the carriage soon returned to the Lou family residence in Hangzhou. The mistress and servant got out of the carriage and headed towards a courtyard near the side gate. Upon entering, Lou Shuanwan directly pushed open a closed door in the courtyard. Inside the room, a dishevelled man was flirting with a maid; he quickly composed himself and buttoned up his jacket upon seeing her enter. It was Lou Shuanwan's second brother, Lou Shuheng.

"What is it?"

"I went to Tan'er's side and saw that Shi Changqi indeed went to verify things with my brother-in-law. He seems displeased."

"Oh?" Lou Shuheng was a wealthy playboy who enjoyed a lively nightlife and had only just woken up. As he tidied himself and washed up, his face brightened. When Lou Shuanwan described the scene she had just witnessed, his expression turned somewhat disappointed. "Oh, you just saw Shi Changqi leaving?"

"My brother-in-law saw him out, looking composed, but Shi Changqi's face was very poor; he looked unwilling to speak, or perhaps held back. You can mock him all you like from now on. What's there to be disappointed about?"

"Nothing," Lou Shuheng pouted. "But listening to you, my brother-in-law seems to have good self-restraint."

"It's not self-restraint; he's not simple."

"How complicated can a live-in son-in-law be?" Lou Shuheng adjusted his clothes in the bronze mirror on the table. "They say he's Jiangning's top scholar, but I've met him a few times and felt nothing of the sort. Sister Tan'er, on the other hand, is not simple. I wonder if Sister Tan'er deliberately propped him up? Didn't they say he only composed a few poems...?"

"Su Wending and Su Wenfang said that when the Su family faced problems, Sister Tan'er fell ill, and her father was assassinated, it was he who suddenly stepped in and turned the tide. The Wu family in Jiangning was covertly destroyed, and only then did everyone realize how formidable this usually unassuming scholar was."

"That's what they say, but what else has he done this past month besides following women around? His 'turning the tide' might just be part of Su Tan'er's deliberate plan... He's just good at hiding his true abilities at best. As for self-restraint, what can he possibly do? My own brother-in-law also has good self-restraint, doesn't he?"

Lou Shuanwan frowned. "Are you in a bad mood from waking up? Just speak your mind, don't drag me into it."

"I am..." Lou Shuheng turned to argue, but with a *bang*, Lou Shuanwan slapped the table. After a moment, she took a breath and chuckled coldly. "A few days ago, after Father mentioned he once intended for you to marry into the Su family, I noticed you became quite interested in Sister Tan'er, and even somewhat inappropriate towards the Su family's son-in-law. Hmph, now it's clear today..."

Lou Shuheng stood straight, his back to her, then after a moment, turned his head. "So what if I like her? She's quite good. Liking someone doesn't mean I intend to do anything. I just feel bad for her, and for you too, my sister. Why should a capable man become a live-in son-in-law? If you admire him, why don't you just let him marry into our family instead?"

"Lou Shuheng, you're full of rotten nonsense!" Lou Shuanwan cursed, then said, "Get out."

Having said her piece, she turned and left.

While the Lou siblings were having their inexplicable quarrel, Shi Changqi was actually quite depressed. Lou Shuanwan's visit to Taiping Alley wasn't primarily because of Ning Yi; it was mostly because of him.

He had originally gone to visit Ning Yi with genuine sincerity because Qian Xiwen had highly praised Ning Yi's poetry and recently spoke well of him after a meeting. The visit itself left a very good impression. That evening, at a brothel gathering, he casually mentioned the meeting, saying that Jiangning's top scholar had arrived in Hangzhou, that he had met him and had a delightful conversation, praising the man's broad-mindedness, unconventional nature, and excellent demeanor.

Where there are people, there's a social hierarchy. The underworld is about 'face,' and so is the literary world, especially at brothel gatherings and in front of women. Shi Changqi was a talented writer, often praised since his literary achievements, and he also cared deeply about his reputation. Having made such a capable friend, he naturally exaggerated his praises. The problem was, he praised him too highly, making it difficult to back down.

Suzhou and Hangzhou had their own regional culture. As fellow poets, everyone was somewhat displeased by Shi Changqi's effusive praise for someone from Jiangning. Shi Changqi understood this, but Ning Yi's previous poems were undeniable, and he was confident that others would recognize the talent gap. Yet, recommending someone for a challenge out of momentary enthusiasm required prior consideration. Ning Yi had been in Hangzhou for over a month, but none of these scholars had met him. Uncertain of the man, they hesitated. It just so happened that Lou Shuheng was present. Displeased with Shi Changqi, he waited until the praises had peaked before speaking up.

"That fellow is a live-in son-in-law. And he married into a merchant family. For the past month, he's been following women around for business, and it's always the women who do the talking." Lou Shuheng was usually a formidable person, skilled at seizing the moment and speaking precisely. As Shi Changqi was happily talking, Lou Shuheng threw this fact out, effectively blocking any room for retreat.

"You say you know such an amazing, exaggerated friend, and you're so happy, but he's a live-in son-in-law, did you know that?"

When he dropped the bombshell, everyone was amused and joined in the taunting. Shi Changqi's face immediately flushed red. "Impossible! How can this be? How do you know? You're talking nonsense!" Lou Shuheng did not reveal how he knew, leaving Shi Changqi in an awkward position, who then declared he would expose the lie the next day. Shi Changqi knew Ning Yi would likely only be home in the afternoon, but after encountering a few people and being provoked in the morning, he hurriedly rushed to Taiping Alley to verify. Lou Shuanwan, meanwhile, had only heard of this amusing anecdote from others and simply came to observe.

This verification left Shi Changqi somewhat bewildered. Had he learned of it calmly, he would at most have been curious; even if he felt Ning Yi shouldn't have done such a thing, he wouldn't have confronted him. Now, he was bound to become a laughingstock. That night, when visiting his teacher, he was somewhat distracted. He didn't know if Qian Xiwen was aware of the matter or what his attitude was, so he didn't say much. However, Qian Xiwen immediately noticed his preoccupation, pondered for a moment, and asked, "Changqi, how was your visit to Ning Liheng yesterday? What did you think?"

Qian Xiwen assumed Ning Yi had displayed extraordinary talent, stunning his disciple.

Although there's no single best in literature, given Ning Yi's poetic talent, it was likely possible. Shi Changqi stammered for a while before finally saying, "But, Teacher, that Ning Liheng is actually a live-in son-in-law, and he married into a merchant family. Your student truly feels that this person—this person..." He struggled to describe it, and Qian Xiwen frowned. "A live-in son-in-law? What live-in son-in-law?" Shi Changqi then explained the matter in detail. After listening, Qian Xiwen simply frowned in thought for a moment, without expressing an opinion. Soon after, he dismissed Shi Changqi and summoned his old butler, who always attended him.

"Qian Yu, have you heard about this Ning Yi matter?" The old butler pondered for a moment, then nodded. "This old servant has indeed heard a few things previously."

"Oh?"

"I heard he's been in Hangzhou for over a month, but hasn't visited any literary talents or participated in any literary gatherings. Although he has some connection with the Lou family, their interactions don't seem frequent. His wife's family runs a cloth business, and for the past month, he has simply accompanied his wife on visits to various merchants or amused himself, seemingly with no intention of making literary friends or gaining fame."

"No wonder," Qian Xiwen nodded. "I was wondering why I hadn't heard his name mentioned by others, even though he's been here for so long..."

"He certainly doesn't look like a great scholar. And regarding Young Master Shi, this old servant also heard some things this morning. It seems Young Master Shi was still praising Young Master Ning at Drunken Crane Pavilion last night..."

Qian Yu recounted everything that had happened last night in detail. Only then did Qian Xiwen smile, shaking his head as he thought. After a good while, he looked out the door and said, "News came at the beginning of the month; you know about it too, Qian Yu..."

"Hmm?"

"Qin Siyuan has returned to the capital and has now been reinstated as the Right Chancellor, serving beneath only two people and above tens of thousands in the realm. I've been thinking, when Ning Liheng traveled south, Qin Siyuan was already preparing for his return to the capital. At such a time, for him to still write this letter, asking me to look after Ning Liheng... the words are simple, but the meaning is profound. It seems this Ning Liheng must be a disciple of the Qin family."

"If he were merely an ordinary Qin family disciple, why would Duke Qin, with his status, write those words 'look after' for him?" Qian Xiwen pondered, then smiled incredulously, shaking his head. "Ha, he... he shouldn't be of Qin blood, otherwise he certainly wouldn't have become a live-in son-in-law. If he's a Qin family protégé, for a live-in son-in-law to receive such favor... ha, this person won't be simple, but I can't quite figure it out for now..."

Qian Yu watched him rub his forehead in thought and asked, "Should we invite him to the residence for a talk?"

"No need, that would be too deliberate," Qian Xiwen waved his hand. "We haven't been in touch for over a month. In a few days, it will be the beginning of autumn, and there will be a poetry gathering at Xiaoyingzhou. Write an invitation card, attach my calling card, and send it over, inviting... inviting his whole family to come and enjoy themselves."

"Yes, sir."