Chapter 7: Qin Lao

Ning Yi's original plan was to go straight to Yushan Academy after his run. However, he was completely drenched, so he had no choice but to turn back to change his clothes. It was already early August in the lunar calendar, and walking all the way home soaked wet was an unpleasant prospect; his physical conditioning hadn't improved much, and he'd likely catch a cold tomorrow. Fortunately, he hadn't gone far when he encountered someone he knew: Qin Lao's concubine, whom he had met a few times.

When Ning Yi went out to exercise, he naturally avoided the bustling market area. The streets he was most familiar with were, of course, where he often came to play chess with Qin Lao. Qin Lao's concubine, Yun Niang, was in her thirties and had once been a courtesan, but she showed no signs of coquetry. On the occasions Ning Yi had seen her, she was delivering lunch to Qin Lao, always dignified and gracious. She even exchanged a few lines of poetry with Qin Lao during their conversations. When they met on the road this time, Yun Niang was dressed simply like a farm wife, holding a wicker basket filled with fresh fruits and vegetables she had just picked from a nearby field. She looked surprised to see Ning Yi.

After a brief greeting, Yun Niang asked what had happened. Ning Yi pointed to the nearby Qinhuai River and said, "I fell in." Yun Niang smiled faintly, then didn't press for more details. Instead, she invited Ning Yi to follow her to a nearby residence. "The autumn wind is strong," she said. "If you walk home like this, you'll likely catch a cold tomorrow. Since you're a friend of Master, please don't be shy. Master is home right now... Oh, just yesterday he mentioned you hadn't been by for a chess game these past few days."

Ning Yi and Qin Lao often played chess on the nearby streets. Ning Yi knew Qin Lao lived in the area but had never visited his exact residence. Upon entering with Yun Niang, he saw the old man in the living room, absorbed in reading an ancient scroll. His expression was grave and earnest, subtly exuding an air of authority—quite different from his usual demeanor at the riverside chess stall. Noticing someone had entered, he looked up, squinted for a few seconds before reacting, a faint, amused smile forming. Yun Niang walked over, and before she could speak, he nodded, as it was clear what needed to be done immediately.

"Xiao Hong, prepare hot water," he instructed. "Yun Niang, fetch a set of Da Lang's clothes... Haha, my young friend Li Heng, what in the world happened to you?"

After the practical matters were settled, the old man burst into laughter, his mirth tinged with the schadenfreude of someone who'd made a brilliant move in chess. Indeed, their chess games had made them quite familiar. Ordinarily, the old man would unceremoniously call him "Li Heng, my boy," but seeing his disheveled state, he amusedly addressed him as "young friend," clearly quite pleased. Ning Yi could only offer a helpless, wry smile and spread his hands. After all, with the man's concubine present, he couldn't casually retort, "You old man, you're enjoying my misfortune too much."

Compared to the spacious Su family compound in Jiangning City, the Qin family residence was not large, nor was it as opulent. Yet, it was still considered a comfortable, affluent home, meticulously maintained from front to back. It felt substantial, filled with both scholarly refinement and everyday life, exuding a sense of solid foundation. Although Yun Niang personally went out to pick fruits and vegetables that morning, the household did employ several maids and servants, indicating a rather comfortable economic standing.

Qin Lao's principal wife was a very unassuming and gentle woman. Though she had come from a farming background, she lacked the petty or harsh disposition often associated with common farmwives. Now in her fifties, she managed the household daily and tended to fruits and vegetables. The reclaimed garden from which Ning Yi had just seen Yun Niang picking produce had been personally cultivated by Madam Qin and her household, with Qin Lao likely pitching in as well. Perhaps it was this nature that allowed her to keep the home so meticulously ordered. Madam Qin and Yun Niang also shared a good relationship. This trio of husband and wives could perhaps be considered a model family under polygamy.

After Ning Yi had taken a hot bath and changed into new clothes, Madam Qin looked him up and down, clearly pleased with his appearance. "Master," she said, "Young Master Ning looks quite a bit like Da Lang in these clothes." Ning Yi looked at the clothes; they were indeed a youthful style and new, likely belonging to Qin Lao's son. The old man had two sons, both living away from home. Hearing his wife's comment, Qin Lao nodded, then asked Ning Yi why he had fallen into the river. Ning Yi recounted his unfortunate incident, prompting another round of laughter from the old man.

"You scoundrel, slandering an innocent person! How despicable!""You're just turning the tables on me...""Haha... but... 'turning the tables'? Is there a classical allusion for that phrase?"Talking to learned people was difficult; they always asked about allusions. During their chess games, Ning Yi would often laugh and explain, but this time he simply said, "It's a long story." Soon after, Madam Qin prepared breakfast and, with Yun Niang, invited Qin Lao and Ning Yi to the table. During the meal, they discussed Ning Yi's initial impressions of his classes at Yushan Academy. From Qin Lao's perspective, Ning Yi was clearly a novice at teaching, and he couldn't resist jokingly scolding him for "misleading students." Their conversation then turned to the Mid-Autumn Festival.

"The Puyuan Poetry Gathering... The Pu family's six interconnected boats are quite interesting, but most attendees probably aren't great poets. The one that truly attracts numerous scholars, in the end, is the Pan family's Zhihui Poetry Gathering...""Oh, scholars... the truly talented kind?""Haha, how to judge great talent versus minor talent, that's truly hard to say. There's always some poetic talent. Every year at the Mid-Autumn Poetry Gathering, Zhihui Academy always produces a few good poems. The Pan family has produced Hanlin scholars for three generations, so if one possesses talent and seeks recognition, they're always willing to seek connections through them..."

On Mid-Autumn Night along the Qinhuai River, scholars competed with their writings, and courtesans with their songs; numerous poetry gatherings, large and small, were held. There were often unspoken competitions between the gatherings: one would produce a good poem, another an even better one, often creating a buzz that night and becoming a celebrated anecdote for months or even years afterward. Of course, the hype was also fueled by various merchants and even official figures behind the scenes, but regardless, the Qinhuai River's renown was cultivated in this very atmosphere.

The Puyuan Poetry Gathering and the Zhihui Poetry Gathering were among the most influential events that night. Though called Puyuan, the Puyuan Poetry Gathering was actually held on six large boats connected to form a single vessel, drifting along the Qinhuai River all night. Attendees drank wine, recited poetry, watched fireworks and the lights along the riverbanks, and enjoyed various performances on board. The Pu family were originally wealthy merchants, but due to the low social status of merchants, they aspired to align themselves with literati after accumulating wealth. Unfortunately, such a transformation could not be achieved in just a few or even ten-odd years. Their family was large, and in recent years, a few talented scholars had emerged from their ranks, making them slightly better than the Su family in that regard. However, they were still not considered a scholarly family in the eyes of the public. The Puyuan Poetry Gathering was known on the Qinhuai River for its grandeur, luxury, and lively atmosphere. However, most attendees were typically individuals with merchant backgrounds or connections similar to the Pu family, such as Xue Jin or Su Tan'er, who came for the spectacle. If there were any self-proclaimed literati composing poems, the other half of the purpose was networking and business dealings. The quality of the poetry varied widely. It was the most luxurious poetry gathering, but in terms of literary depth, it could not compare to the top few.

The Zhihui Poetry Gathering, on the other hand, was truly the premier assembly for scholars in the Qinhuai area. The Pan family, who hosted the gathering, was a genuine scholarly lineage, having produced Hanlin Academicians for three generations. In this generation, Pan Mingchen served as both a Hanlin Academician and a Vice Minister of Rites. Their poetry gathering had always attracted numerous students eager to achieve official recognition. Of course, to truly qualify for attendance, one needed a certain level of talent or sufficient connections. Besides established scholars who received invitations, many aspiring talents would send their calling cards and poems to the Pan residence before the Mid-Autumn Festival, hoping to gain favor. Furthermore, many famous courtesans considered it an honor to be invited to the Zhihui Poetry Gathering, which was entirely different from the Puyuan Poetry Gathering's practice of spending heavily each year to attract guests.

"Since you're preparing to attend, young friend Li Heng, have you prepared any poems? I have a few chess friends in the Pan family; if you're interested, I could get you an invitation." Qin Lao finished speaking, looking at Ning Yi across the table. Ning Yi, however, smiled and shook his head: "I don't understand poetry. I'm just going to the Puyuan Gathering to see the excitement."

His refusal was so casual that Qin Lao found it difficult to press the matter further. After breakfast, the sun was high outside, and Ning Yi had to take his leave for Yushan Academy. After seeing him off at the door and watching him depart, Yun Niang turned to Qin Lao, smiling, and asked, "Master, could Young Master Ning truly not understand poetry?"

"What do you think, Xiao Yun'er?"Yun Niang blinked. "He's feigning ignorance?""Heh heh, whether he does or not, I can't quite figure it out," Qin Lao said, shaking his head with a smile. "If he had said that in the first few days, I would have believed him. But now, it's hard to say. In my lifetime, I've met many people, including young men who seek fame or who are genuinely talented. Among the truly learned, some adhere to the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, being peaceful, upright, humble, and polite. Others are eccentric geniuses, flamboyant and unrestrained in their actions, yet genuinely brilliant and constantly surprising. But no matter how you put it, these are all just variations on a theme. Only this Ning boy—his thoughts are truly unfathomable."

"When I first played chess with him, I felt he took unconventional paths, often making aggressive moves that still made one think. I simply thought he was a flamboyant and quick-witted young man who didn't talk much about profound topics. But the longer we played, I realized his chess moves could be both orthodox and unusual, utterly unconstrained by rules. After chatting for a while, I also felt that although the Ning boy spoke casually, he was inwardly calm and serene, occasionally offering profound insights that, while novel, never strayed from the fundamental principles."

"I recall a few days ago, when he mentioned he was going to teach at the academy, he casually remarked that teaching isn't about telling people 'how' to do things, but rather 'why' to do them. The ancient sages and virtuous scholars wrote their treatises primarily to explain the principles of human relationships, the cosmos, and the workings of the human heart. To understand these things and then know how to act—that is the mark of a true scholar. He spoke casually at the time, and to superficial people, it might have earned him the label of a 'mad scholar.' However... the truth, indeed, is precisely this truth. Seeing mountains as mountains, and water as water; then seeing mountains not as mountains, and water not as water; and finally returning to seeing mountains as mountains, and water as water—that is truly understanding books. Hmm, don't spread these words too widely, or he might get into some trouble."

"Your servant understands."

"Our acquaintance is still brief, so it's too early to draw grand conclusions. However, during our chess games, he has occasionally recited a few fitting lines of poetry. Those lines were excellent, yet I had never heard them before. If we're talking purely about poetry, to say he doesn't understand it? Heh, I find that hard to believe."

Qin Lao turned and walked back inside, with Yun Niang following him. "Then why does Young Master Ning always hide his light, no matter what...?"

"That's precisely why he's unfathomable, but one thing is clear." Speaking of this, Qin Lao furrowed his brow slightly, then shook his head, sighing softly. "As you said, Xiao Yun, some young people, even with great talent, might choose to hide their light or deliberately feign clumsiness. They can endure solitude and resist temporary temptations. All of this is in hopes of achieving greater accomplishments in the future, of leaping over the dragon gate and achieving great success someday. But, alas, no such person would ever choose to marry into a merchant family as a live-in son-in-law before establishing their name and career. Throughout history, how many live-in sons-in-law have ever achieved great deeds? Ah, if he truly possesses immense talent, it would be such a pity..."

Mentioning this, Qin Lao still felt a sense of regret. It was normal for men to harbor ambitions for fame, wealth, and status. Based on their interactions over these past days, even if Ning Yi harbored a slight ambition, he wouldn't have gone so far as to become a live-in son-in-law to a merchant family. In those times, with widespread illiteracy, the distinction between uneducated commoners and educated scholars was remarkably clear. Setting aside whether he was truly talented, someone with his refined speech and demeanor could easily make a living doing anything and wouldn't starve. So why would he choose to become a live-in son-in-law?